A winter day. Eagle County, Colorado.
This Sunday, I review two research studies that demonstrate the health benefits of the Paleo diet. (Maybe you can send your skeptic friends over for a look.) Also, you will find a link to a high-rise urban farm of the future, under construction in Sweden today. Finally, you will find 3 Paleo recipes to consider.
This small research study compares the Paleolithic diet and a diabetes diet in persons with type 2 diabetes managed with oral medications.
For three months, 13 patients with type 2 diabetes alternately ate a Paleolithic diet “based on lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, root vegetables, eggs and nuts” and for another three months ate a “diabetes diet designed in accordance with dietary guidelines.”
The researchers evaluated a number of physical parameters and performed lab tests including a glucose tolerance test on each patient.
When the results of the two diets where compared, the Paleolithic diet resulted in lower weight, lower BMI, smaller waist circumference, and improved HbA1c, triacylglycerol, and diastolic blood pressure. The Paleo diet also resulted in higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the good cholesterol.
The author's conclusions:
Over a 3-month study period, a Paleolithic diet improved glycemic control and several cardiovascular risk factors compared to a Diabetes diet in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line, the Paleolithic diet won hands down.
Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet.
The authors of this study recognize that “contemporary American diet figures centrally in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic diseases-'diseases of civilization'.” They studied whether the Paleolithic diet “confers health benefits…in nine nonobese sedentary healthy volunteers” compared to their usual diet.
The participants consumed their usual diet for 3 days, then “three ramp-up diets of increasing potassium and fiber for 7 days,” followed by a “paleolithic type diet comprising lean meat, fruits, vegetables and nuts, and excluding nonpaleolithic type foods, such as cereal grains, dairy or legumes, for 10 days.”
Compared with their usual diet, the paleolithic diet resulted in significantly lower blood pressure, improved oral glucose tolerance test and “large significant reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides.” (emphasis added)
The take home message:
In all these measured variables, either eight or all nine participants had identical directional responses when switched to paleolithic type diet, that is, near consistently improved status of circulatory, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism/physiology.
First Vertical Greenhouse Under Construction in Sweden
Developers in Linkoping, Sweden are building a new kind of urbran farm. Known as the Plantagon Greenhouse, this “greenhouse for vertical farming in cities provides a way to use excess heat and CO2 from industries while growing crops.” The facility will take 12-16 months to complete.
Hans Hassle, CEO of Plantagon, states:
This is a historic day for Plantagon. This ceremony marks the realization of the vision of creating functional sustainable solutions for the growing cities of today and tomorrow, where we can grow food in the cities in a resource-smart way, making use of the special conditions of the city.
Paleo Recipes