The Paleo Diet on a Shoestring Budget

So I've been reading up on the Health and Diet part of the forum, and especially the Paleo Diet and the New York Times article about people living a caveman lifestyle. (I have to admit at first glance that the idea of running barechested and barefooted across the Brooklyn Bridge was attractive to my overly romantic sensibilities, but I quickly came to my senses and admitted that they're taking the whole thing past the point of absurdity.

I also read the thread on Fasting, Gluten, MSG, Soy, Blood Type Diet, and the parts where Laura mentioned and quoted an article about Gluten Sensitivity made me pause to wonder, could this be the reason for my own lethargy and lack of mental clarity over the past few years, perhaps for my whole life? As well as an explanation for the ADD I was diagnosed with while in grade school? What about my family and their ADD. My father had bursitis once while I was in high school.

To top it all off, last night, I went to Teddy's Bigger Burgers here in Honolulu with a friend who's leaving recently. Being in a party mood, and wanting to run an experiment, I got the biggest burger they had, an 18 ouncer, with fries and a shake - satan to the body, essentially. I woke up this morning feeling sore and aching all over, especially with a tightness in my neck. I think I might be Gluten Sensitive.

A while ago, back in 2006, I turned to Reiki in order to seek a remedy to this condition, and noticed an improvement. However, over long periods of time, fatigue would come back if I didn't keep up with self-treatments.

In any case, after this awful experience with the burger joint, I'm deciding to go cold turkey from anything not indicated by the Paleo Diet. I made a trip to the grocery store today to see what legal foods I could scrounge up. No salt or sugar. No starch or gluten of any type, be it wheat, corn, potatoes, or rice. No seeds, including peanuts. No soy. No dairy (which I'm pretty sure I react to by becoming congested and having to clear my throat and spit phlegm constantly). Eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and nuts.

Bear in mind that I'm on a shoestring budget and I have no access to a kitchen in my current dwelling. Any cooking I want to do would have to be on an electric hot plate or outdoor grill.

I first go to check out the canned fish section. I had already made a habit of eating canned tuna for a while, and while I was doing so, noticed immense benefits in terms of my physical health. Unfortunately, I would eat these with crackers, somewhat negating the value. So I have to eat tuna, but can't eat any crackers with it. I look through their selection to find a brand of tuna with perhaps a little more flavor to it. I found nothing that did not have some form of either soybean oil or wheat gluten in it. So I stick with the Chunk White Tuna from StarKist.

I go look in the canned nuts section and begin reading the labels on cans of mixed nuts. The only can I found that did not have some form of salt, honey (sugar) peanut or cottonseed oil in it was a can of Planters Walnuts. I look at the back label. The only ingredient: walnuts. Perfect!

Going to the fruits and vegetables section I had better luck finding foods without toxins. My major disappointment here: Pickles are made with salt. And I really liked pickles... oh well. Golden Delicious Apples, Carrots, Strawberries, Blueberries, all good foods. Should hold me over for now. Went to the frozen vegetables section and stocked up on some microwavable broccoli and carrot mixes for good measure.

Out of the whole supermarket these were the only foods I could find that were Paleo-Diet-legal and didn't require cooking on a stove or grill. I was astonished at the fact that here, supermarket shelves are lined wall-to-wall with foods that are essentially toxic to the body, but the shoppers don't even realize it.

Come to think of it, that reminds me that a friend of mine used to have a George Foreman Grill and would use it to cook steaks. I'll have to look into that if I want to eat real meat on the cheap without having to invest in charcoal and lighter fluid. ;D

My question though, is if one is to go strictly legal in terms of the Paleo Diet, is it possible to make foods that actually taste good once in a while, without actually cooking anything? Perhaps sprinkling a little garlic, onion, herbs and spices, etc., in my tin of tuna before I eat it out of the tin with a fork? :P

Self-effacing humor aside, has anyone else tried a strict Paleo diet, and what have you found in your supermarket to make the whole experience a bit more palatable?
 
I would suggest that you not give up salt. I doubt that the real paleo diet was saltless. Also, canned tuna probably has a lot of mercury in it. Go for sardines (small fish) instead. In health food stores you can get some paleo grains like spelt and buckwheat made into crackers. These are probably your safest bets since U.S. meats - beef, chicken, pork, etc, all are loaded with chemicals and fed evil GMO corn.
 
You may find a lot of interesting info here

http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=15167.0
 
Laura said:
I would suggest that you not give up salt. I doubt that the real paleo diet was saltless. Also, canned tuna probably has a lot of mercury in it. Go for sardines (small fish) instead. In health food stores you can get some paleo grains like spelt and buckwheat made into crackers. These are probably your safest bets since U.S. meats - beef, chicken, pork, etc, all are loaded with chemicals and fed evil GMO corn.

Yup, I was going to tell you to scratch the tuna - too much mercury - and switch to sardines. Also, salt is good for the adrenals unless you have high blood pressure.

The best nuts you can get are usually in the "bulk" section, if you grocery store has one, because there are usually raw nuts and seeds there.

And, if you do find buckwheat crackers, let me know where. The health food stores here where I am located look at me like I'm from another planet when I ask if they have any. I am using organic rice cakes (the rice crackers with no additives in them taste like rice paper and are tough like wallpaper - not that I have eaten any lately ;)).

I think that what would be really advantageous for you is to read the thread on The Ultra Simple Diet.

However, researching, like you are doing, and doing the best you can with what you have at this moment, is a terrific thing. You are definitely on the path of a healthier lifestyle. :)
 
Nienna, if you cannot find buckweat crackers maybe it would be easier to find buckwheat flour.

I sometimes prepare it like polenta, just cook it in some water with a bit of salt and add tinny bit of butter at the end. You get yummy side dish and very healthy substitute for mashed potatoes and rice.
 
Jakesully said:
Bear in mind that I'm on a shoestring budget and I have no access to a kitchen in my current dwelling. Any cooking I want to do would have to be on an electric hot plate or outdoor grill.

Have you considered investing in a food dehydrator? A friend gave me one and I love it! You can throw practically anything in it raw, strips of meat, taters, veggies...anything you want, ignore it for awhile, then when it starts to smell good, eat it. My kind of cooking. :D

They cost $50.00 to $100.00 new, and can often be found for $10.00 to $20.00 on craigslist. The more tiers it has, the higher the price.

Craigslist is not a bad place to find homegrown food for sale either...but that is kinda seasonal.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies.

So, to sum up everything that was said,

*Scratch Tuna, get Sardines.
*Don't have to scratch salt (as long as it's in moderation). Yay for pickles!
*Read more on the Ultra Simple Diet.
*Look for nuts in bulk section.
*Look for Buckwheat crackers/flour.
*Look for a Food Dehydrator, esp. on Craigslist.

Nienna Eluch said:
And, if you do find buckwheat crackers, let me know where. The health food stores here where I am located look at me like I'm from another planet when I ask if they have any.

There's this Down to Earth store nearby that might sell them. I live in Hawaii currently, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have them. I'll definitely check.

Also, I was wondering if the mods of this forum would be alright with me using this thread to document my day-to-day observations and results as far as my own Paleo Diet Experiment?
 
Go for it! We are all about experimenting and sharing the results!
 
When it comes to paleodiet there is only one thing that I have been trying to get my head around.
If the caveman diet was so healthy why was the average lifespan in those times so short? The available data are very different- some say 16 and some 49 years?!

I am not so sure if I am asking myself the right question. Is there really any scientific data that suggests that modern man is generally as healthy and robust than man was 10,000 years ago, or that he could live longer in the same setting?

Some argue that alleged shorter life span of the cave men was due to traumatic events and infant mortality rates.
Then some Paleo diet followers claim that the caveman had it right in terms of food and fitness, but modern man does better in terms of things like SURGERY.
This kind of makes sense, for example torn ACL which is quite common injury if you lead lifestyle of the cave man, these days would be annoying for several months to you and me but it would kill a person 10,000 years ago since he wouldn't be able to hunt. Same goes for infections and things like that.

They say people in still existing hunter/gatherer societies routinely live into their 80s even if the average lifespan is lower because of these things.

In any case I would interested to hear your thoughts on this question.
 
And yes, I did notice if I have large quantities of meat that I sort of don't feel like eating for day or two. I never tried fasting before and I would normally eat out of habit not out of hunger.
Now I am going to try fasting and exercising vigorously during these times and see how my body responds.
I am 0 blood type so it kind of makes sense.
 
Stormy Knight said:
When it comes to paleodiet there is only one thing that I have been trying to get my head around.
If the caveman diet was so healthy why was the average lifespan in those times so short? The available data are very different- some say 16 and some 49 years?!

I am not so sure if I am asking myself the right question. Is there really any scientific data that suggests that modern man is generally as healthy and robust than man was 10,000 years ago, or that he could live longer in the same setting?

Some argue that alleged shorter life span of the cave men was due to traumatic events and infant mortality rates.
Then some Paleo diet followers claim that the caveman had it right in terms of food and fitness, but modern man does better in terms of things like SURGERY.
This kind of makes sense, for example torn ACL which is quite common injury if you lead lifestyle of the cave man, these days would be annoying for several months to you and me but it would kill a person 10,000 years ago since he wouldn't be able to hunt. Same goes for infections and things like that.

They say people in still existing hunter/gatherer societies routinely live into their 80s even if the average lifespan is lower because of these things.

In any case I would interested to hear your thoughts on this question.

As far as the Paleolithics go, yeah they ate a better diet, but they also had a much harsher existence, and lived at a time when the world was drastically colder. It was probably a lot harder to find the types of food that they needed to survive and thrive.

10,000 years ago, mankind was using agriculture already. This was more into the Neolithic era. Assuming their knowledge of the effects of grain toxins as well as their cooking methods were less advanced than they are today, the way they prepared their bread back then probably left a lot more toxins in the finished product.

Besides that, you also have to consider lack of a balanced diet and especially fruits and vegetables. People who eat mostly bread and meat, and hardly any fruits or vegetables, probably had a lot of autoimmune disorders and thus, disease.

Ironically, the hunter gatherer societies probably had a better practical knowledge of what types of food were good for them, as well as better access to a wider variety of food. They probably also got more exercise, considering they had to in order to hunt and forage, also producing a healthier lifestyle overall. The caveat is that their methods probably didn't support as large a population as the "civilized" society that lived off agriculture and sheep/goat herding. More food to go around, because there were less people to feed.
 
So, just got back from the Down to Earth store. They sell buckwheat flour, but no crackers.

However, I invested in some Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal mixed with berries. Not enough berries IMHO, but that's ok because I bought some blueberries and strawberries to add to it.

I looked in their nuts aisle and they basically had everything. Only problem here being that everything is rather expensive in a health food store. They figure they can charge a premium on health, and I don't blame them. It's kind of a cornered (corny?) market.

I'm about to go get sardines and pickles from the supermarket.

Observations for Days 1 and 2 of the Paleo Diet:

So yesterday I went cold turkey off anything not Paleo. My diet during the day consisted of beef jerky, a full-sized loose carrot, a golden delicious apple, 3 tins of tuna, and grazing on walnuts from time to time, as well as some Odwalla Mango Tango Fruit Smoothy Blend.

I found the carrot very difficult to eat raw. I don't want to be chewing carrots my whole life, so I'll probably find some way to cook or steam any carrots I get in the future.

I woke up this morning finding it much easier to actually get out of bed. My energy level was higher and I felt much more enthusiastic going about my daily business.

I'm still having to clear my throat and spit phlegm in the morning, probably still feeling the effects of Teddy's Gut Bomb (TM) that I did violence to myself with two days previous.

I'd like to make a note that for a long time, I've also been suffering from acne. I'm now wondering if that might be another effect of Gluten Sensitivity. I'll definitely observe for any changes in my complexion.
 
Jakesully said:
My question though, is if one is to go strictly legal in terms of the Paleo Diet, is it possible to make foods that actually taste good once in a while, without actually cooking anything?

If you're going to retrain yourself to a different diet, it might benefit you to know that, even though it took awhile, I came to really enjoy and appreciate the natural taste of cleaned, fresh vegetables, whenever I could get them. Not to mention that you generally would be consuming them while they still contain some of their natural, active life force.

If you give it time, you may eventually discover your taste buds discriminating more and more nuances of flavor that others don't "get" and it will add to the enjoyment. At some point afterwards, the very thought of a "Teddy's Bigger Burger with all the trimmings" might make you nauseous. :)

I've noticed my food preferences change over the years, so now I take the attitude of looking at food like: Well, I didn't like it 6 months ago, but I need to try it to see if I'm going to like it this month. Or something similar.
 
I found the carrot very difficult to eat raw. I don't want to be chewing carrots my whole life,

invest in a grater!!! paleo people did use tools... try grated apple mixed with grated carrot and a dash of lemon juice ...very yummy
 
One thing which I have noticed as an O blood-type who does best with meat in my diet is that taking a good pancreatic enzyme supplement 30 min or so before eating really helps with digestion, and eliminates the 'heavy' feeling I used to get sometimes, especially with red meats. It is essential that the enzymes be able to survive the journey through the stomach (where they would be destroyed) and arrive able to do their work on proteins in the intestine, so they must have a special coating on them, and as such will likely be a tablet rather than a capsule. My favorite is a product recommended in 'Detoxify or Die' called Wobenzyme, which is easily available in US and Europe. This makes a big difference for me.
 
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