According to author Loren Cordain, modern health and diet problems didn't start with the advent of packaged snack food, but much earlier--back at the dawn of the agricultural age many thousands of years ago. As humans became less nomadic and more dependent on high-carbohydrate diets, we left behind the diet we had evolved with, which is based on low-fat proteins and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Sugars, fats, and carbs were rare, if they were present at all, and survival required a steady, if low-key, level of activity.

Cordain's book The Paleo Diet blends medical research with a healthy sprinkle of individual anecdotes, practical tips, and recipes designed to make his suggestions into a sustainable lifestyle, rather than a simple month-long diet; he even includes cooking recommendations and nationwide sources for wild game.

Claims of improving diseases from diabetes to acne to polycystic ovary disease may be a little overstated, but in general the advice seems sound. Can any of us really go wrong by adding lots more vegetables and fruits to our daily regimen? One recommendation on safe tanning with a gradual reduction in sunscreen is surprising and not much detail is provided for safety issues that can accompany increased sun exposure. Still, Cordain's assertions have helped many people, and could provide exactly the changes you've been looking for to improve your health. --Jill Lightner


From Library Journal
Like Ray Audette's Neanderthin (St. Martin's, 1999), this is another "if you can't find it in the wild, don't eat it" diet that takes the germ of a useful idea and runs with it. According to Cordain (health and exercise science, Colorado State Univ.), Paleolithic humans were fit and lean because, as hunter-gatherers, they ate what was available: meats low in saturated fats, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables. Nor did they suffer from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, the byproducts of our poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Then again, the average Paleolithic life span was about 30 years, not long enough to develop most chronic illnesses. Still, the author asserts that by eliminating grains, dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods from our diets, we, too, can thrive as our ancestors did. Three levels of diet and six weeks of sample menus, with recipes, are included.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
"We can’t recommend The Paleo Diet highly enough!" – Michael and Mary Dan Eades, M.D. authors of Protein Power "The Paleo Diet is at once revolutionary and intuitive. . . . Its prescription provides without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet." –Jennie Brand-Miller, Ph.D., coauthor of the bestselling The Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Revolution Life Plan "Filled with delicious recipes and meal plans, The Paleo Diet will open your eyes, trim your waistline, and improve your overall health." –Michael R. Eades, M.D., and Mary Dan Eades, M.D. authors of The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution and coauthors of The Low-Carb Comfort Food Cookbook "Finally, someone has figured out the best diet for people–a modern version of the diet the human race grew up eating. Dr. Loren Cordain’s easy-to-follow diet plan cuts right to the chase." –Jack Challem, coauthor of Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance Healthy, delicious, and simple, the Paleo Diet is the diet you were designed to eat. If you want to lose weight–up to 75 pounds in six months–or if you want to attain optimal health, The Paleo Diet will do wonders for you. The world’s leading expert on Paleolithic (Stone Age) nutrition, Dr. Loren Cordain demonstrates how, by eating all the lean meats and fish, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables you want, you can lose weight and prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, Syndrome X, and many other illnesses. Over 100 delicious Paleo recipes provide enough flavor and variety to satisfy anyone, and the six weeks of Paleo meal plans get you started on a healthy and enjoyable new way of eating. Start reading and following The Paleo Diet today and eat your way to weight loss, weight control, increased energy, and lifelong health–while enjoying every delicious bite.


Book Info
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins. Consumer text illustrates a diet consisting of lean meats, fish, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables for weight loss. Includes more than 100 recipes and a six-week meal plan utilizing the diet. Softcover.


From the Publisher
"Dr. Loren Cordain, a highly respected, innovative investigator, has clearly articulated an approach to nutrition that is logically compelling, readily understood, and at the cutting edge of health science. Dr. Loren Cordain's original insights, encyclopedic knowledge, and painstaking research have made critical contributions.... Not all scientists can translate their concepts into a straightforward, accessible format, but Cordain has accomplished this feat brilliantly." --S. Boyd Eaton, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Emory University; former Medical Director, Olympic Village Polyclinic, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (considered the godfather of the Paleolithic nutrition movement) "The Paleo Diet is a landmark book, written by one of the most brilliant and respected nutritionists in America today. It could save your life. Read it, live it, and buy a copy for everyone you love." --Robert Crayhon, M.S., Author of The Carnitine Miracle "The Paleo Diet is at once revolutionary and intuitive.... Its prescription provides without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet. Beautifully written, The Paleo Diet takes us from the theory to the day-to-day practice of the native human diet." --Jennie Brand-Miller, Ph.D. co-author of the bestselling The Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Revolution Life Plan; Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Sydney "Finally, someone has figured out the best diet for people -- a modern version of the diet the human race grew up eating. Dr. Loren Cordain's easy-to-follow diet plan cuts right to the chase and reminds us that the healthiest foods are the simplest ones." --Jack Challem, coauthor of Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance "The Paleo Diet not only lays out the basic nutrition plan for weight loss and good health, but also for peak performance in athletic competition. It works." --Joe Friel, author of The Triathlete's Training Bible and endurance coach "In a world where we're surrounded with an information overload of dieting, this is a commonsense and effective weight-control approach that's easy to follow." --Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of Thin For Good and Feed Your Kids Well "Dr. Cordain offers a recipe for improved health based on his assessment of a range of information from modern medicine, anthropology, archaeology, and nutrition science. The Paleo Diet is a compelling read for anyone interested in diet and its linkage to health." --Clark Spencer Larsen, Ph.D.; Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Chair, Department of Anthropology, Ohio State University

FROM OUR EDITORS

Diets come and go, but our genes remain forever. Dr. Loren Cordain utilizes his expertise as the world's leading scientific expert on Paleolithic nutrition to design a diet for optimal health and survival. Cordain's Paleo lean protein diet won't transform you into a Stone Age mammoth killer, but it will help you lose weight (up to 75 pounds in 6 months), normalize blood cholesterol, and raise your energy level. More than 120 tasty Paleo recipes demonstrate the diet's appetizing viability.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Healthy, delicious, and simple, the Paleo Diet is the diet you were designed to eat. If you want to lose weight -- up to 75 pounds in six months -- or if you want to attain optimal health, The Paleo Diet will do wonders for you. The world's leading expert on Paleolithic (Stone Age) nutrition, Dr. Loren Cordain demonstrates how, by eating all the lean meats and fish, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables you want, you can lose weight and prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, Syndrome X, and many other illnesses. Over 100 delicious Paleo recipes provide enough flavor and variety to satisfy anyone, and the six weeks of Paleo meal plans get you started on a healthy and enjoyable new way of eating. Start reading and following The Paleo Diet today and eat your way to weight loss, weight control, increased energy, and lifelong health -- while enjoying every delicious bite.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal