Rating: 
Summary: Weight Loss with Bonuses!
Review: am an RN who has had an interest in nutrition for many years, and have eaten similar to the "Paleo" way for some time and have felt great for years (and look younger than my age!). The big excitement for me is the improvement in my family's health since converting to Paleo. My sister (who has been on chemo for 6 years),found this book(and told us all about it), has lost 35 pounds in 6 months, and has improving lab values with her thyroid, cholesterol. She has increased energy, no indigestion, and glows in a way she never did before. My husband, recently diagnosed with Type II diabetes, has lost 20 pounds in 3 months, and his blood sugars are totally controlled by this diet alone, and his blood pressure is now within normal limits. My daughter, having stopped the dairy products and wheat, is not longer suffering from severe reflux. She never has to take medication for that now. Ever. My mother has lost 33 pounds, has increased mobility and strength, easily controlled blood sugars (may go off meds soon, with md's supervision), and is never hungry. Along with all these benefits, you don't ever have to go hungry again.
Since I have been on this diet, all the cravings for junk food have gone. I was someone who lived for sugar and now I do not want any of it. I use to crave coffee in the morning as well but realized I didn't want that wired up feeling & acid stomach. I switched over to a caffeine-free coffee substitute made from soyabeans I found on the net at www. S o y c o f f e e.c om. It so easy for someone to tell you to eat less, but if you are craving bad foods, eventually you will fail. In the first five days I was on this diet all the craving ceased and I was already 8 lbs down. If you were like me and cannot wait for your next slice of cake and at the same time really want to change your lifestyle, Try this.
Rating: 
Summary: At least one of the 'editorial' reviewers didn't read it
Review: ... or maybe s/he simply didn't understand what s/he read. I'm talking about the one that made the stupid statement about the lifespan of paleo humans being only 30 years. Cordain's research shows that if the paleo human was able to avoid childhood mortality and accident, he or she was typically a healthy and productive member of the tribe well into the 60's or 70's, and that the agricultural 'revolution' substantially shortened the human lifespan. Skeletal remains of elderly paleo humans are common -- plus they don't usually show signs of degenerative diseases (or even crooked teeth). Both Cordain and Audette make this observation, so I'm assuming the reviewer simply relied on what somebody else said about the book when writing the 'review'.Cordain's diet recommendations have two big plusses: 1) they make sense, and 2) they are simple enough for anybody (except maybe the 'reviewer' in question) to understand and implement. In addition to this book, I recommend Ray Audette's NeanderThin.
Rating:
Summary: At least one of the 'editorial' reviewers didn't read it
Review: ... or maybe s/he simply didn't understand what s/he read. I'm talking about the one that made the stupid statement about the lifespan of paleo humans being only 30 years. Cordain's research shows that if the paleo human was able to avoid childhood mortality and accident, he or she was typically a healthy and productive member of the tribe well into the 60's or 70's, and that the agricultural 'revolution' substantially shortened the human lifespan. Skeletal remains of elderly paleo humans are common -- plus they don't usually show signs of degenerative diseases (or even crooked teeth). Both Cordain and Audette make this observation, so I'm assuming the reviewer simply relied on what somebody else said about the book when writing the 'review'. Cordain's diet recommendations have two big plusses: 1) they make sense, and 2) they are simple enough for anybody (except maybe the 'reviewer' in question) to understand and implement. In addition to this book, I recommend Ray Audette's NeanderThin.
Rating: 
Summary: hokum for the credulous
Review: After all the praise fans heap on Cordain, I was expecting a convincing scientific case for his ideas. Instead what he offers is a collection of anecdotes, fallacies and just-so claims.
The opening proclamation is that the Paleo diet is the diet humans are designed to eat, because humans evolved on this diet. Thus an ad antiquitatem fallacy is the basis of the entire concept. His evidence for our alleged adaptation to the diet is changes in gut morphology, but a single fact cannot be the basis of a scientific theory. Cordain follows these fallacies by claiming that humans are not adapted to modern diets. That's fair enough, but doesn't support his own fantasy.
The real null hypothesis to be refuted is not adaptation to modern diets, but adaptation to a natural high plant food based diet - the logical opposite of his claim. Of course, he never refutes the null hypothesis in any reasonable way, instead he makes biased remarks about problems on contemporary vegetarian diets.
When concern turns to constipation on such a high meat diet, Cordain drags up some research that completely contradicts his diet. Firstly we have an anecdote about Vilhjalmur Stefansson an artic explorer whos party were cured of constipation eating the "Eskimo" diet. No surprise, because the diet is full of oils and fats that are excellent lubricants. However, Cordain wisely advises removing fat from modern meats, to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, with his version of the diet. Ironically his second piece of supporting evidence proves his concerns over constipation wrong. When Vilhjalmur Stefansson and a friend try the diet, supervised by doctors, they report gastric problems if they consumed an all meat diet without all the fat. It seems the Paleo dieter must choose between constipation or cardiovascular risk? Ironically the Innu peoples have a god they call Matshishkapeu ("fart man"), a god capable of delivering a deadly bout of constipation. How did the Innu peoples ever know of the existence of deadly constipation, and make it a centrepiece of their mythology? The existence of constipation on a high meat diet is proof that humans are not adpated to such a diet.
Where is the evidence that the stone age diet is healthy? Again, it's not in this book. Contemporary stone age populations may not get cardiovascular disease or cancer like modern people, but they are far from healthy, with traditional remedies for common ailments from the cold to constipation. Worse, stone age peoples had terrible childhood mortality rates, and poor longevity by modern standards. Are we really to believe that bad diet has nothing to do with this? Cordain wants us to believe this, but he has once again no supporting science.
Nothing in this book is anything like science, the claims are not even annotated with their respective references.
If you want to feel good about eating a lot of meat, this is a must read. If you want a credible case for the stone age diet, you will be completely disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: unsubstantiated assertions
Review: are easy to make. 'Dr' Cordain asserts that hunter/gatherers ate low carb diets. Exactly what would be in 'lots of fruit and vegetables' if not lots of carbohydrates ? There's plenty of sugar in both fruits and vegetables. Not to mention that grains have always been available since the dawn of time, and fermented grain alcohol is a part of every recorded culture: so grains were indubitably a part of the hunter/gatherer diet (there's my own unsubstantiated assertion - see how easy it is ? ) The diet is mostly a good idea, but the reasons given why it might be, are mere speculation.
Rating:
Summary: The Stone Age Diet brought up to date
Review: Before I found this book, I'd heard of the Stone Age diet and wished I could adopt it. The restrictions--no grains, legumes, dairy products, or processed foods--sounded formidable, as did the requirements--fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, the wilder/more organic the better. But my health problems have recently goaded me into adopting a rough form of this diet, and I've needed a diet manual to focus and refine my new food choices. Voila! I found The Paleo Diet just yesterday and am already convinced it's the right diet book for me. I do feel better since I started eating more animal protein and no starch a few weeks ago, but I've been having trouble with fatty meats, and Loren Cordain's book explains why. The reviewers here who argue that saturated fat has been getting a bum rap, that our Stone Age ancestors undoubtedly ate the whole bird and not just the breast, etc., appear to have read the book cursorily, if at all. Cordain clearly explains that the animal protein prehistoric people thrived on had nowhere near the amount of saturated fat found in today's domestic meats, poultry, and dairy products. Quoting from the book, "Paleolithic people couldn't eat fatty meats if they tried--they had nothing like the tubby grain-fed animals that produce our steaks today." Readers who want more science may consult the 20-page bibliography in the back of the book. The Paleo Diet is primarily a diet manual, a nutritional primer, and a cookbook, loaded with practical information (e.g. "How to Be a Savvy Shopper for Fish," "Dining Out, Travel, and Peer Pressure," etc.) for readers who want to adapt the Stone Age diet to the 21st century. What's more, the book is engagingly written and extremely readable. Above all, Cordain makes the Stone Age diet seem simple. If I could give his book an extra five stars, I would!
Rating:
Summary: horribly misguided, error-filled, and toxic
Review: Cordain's book is long on speculation and error and very short on data. He would have you eat protein at levels just a hair short of toxicity for your entire life! Don't do this if you value your health. Cordain suggests that no vegetarian diet could come close to the nutrient levels he provides in his sample diet plan. This is spectacularly wrong--any plant-based diet that centers on dark leafy greens rather than whole grains will provide more of everything (except B12) with fewer calories, more fiber, more good carbohydrate, and less saturated fat, in a way that is more health-promoting, and will result in much better blood lipid profiles and is far more likely to reduce incidence of certain types of cancers. Cordain would also have you cook with flax oil. This is also spectacularly wrong. The idea of reducing grains is not bad--simply because they are not as nutrient dense as vegetables and fruits, but the idea of jacking up animal flesh to ridiculously toxic levels to take their place is a very very bad one--not only for one's health, but also for the planet. If you want to try something health-promoting, consider a 10% animal, 90% plant diet--center your calorie needs around dark leafy greens and purples, non-starchy non-leafy vegetables and fungi, starchy roots and tubers, raw fruit, and raw nuts and seeds in descending order, lightly supplemented with lean and fatty fish, other lean seafood, and perhaps some cultured nonfat dairy and modest quantities of sprouted grains and legumes. Emphasize genetic diversity with a wide variety of bright colors on the plate. This is a much healthier option to follow.
Rating:
Summary: The Paleo Diet
Review: Don't miss these delicious recipes! Dr. Cordain's diet helps you lose weight while eating foods your body was designed to eat, such as meats, nonstarchy vegetables, and fruits. While learning about an optimal diet, you'll also find fascinating facts about our ancestors and our Paleolithic roots. The combination is not only interesting, but will help you lose weight!
Rating:
Summary: Low-carbohydrate Paleo Diet? -------- NOT------
Review: Dr. Cordain has attempted to jump on the "low-carb" popularity trend but has missed the mark by a mile. I am personally on a truly low-carb diet and eat lots of saturated fats which have given me AWESOME health. My previous high risk cholesterol ratios, blood pressure and weight have returned to PERFECTLY NORMAL. He claims his diet is low-carbohydrate but it certainly is NOT at 30-40% carbs. He also attempts to make a connection between the hunter-gatherer Paleolithic people and his diet, which it is NOT. The hunter-gatherers ate a very high-fat, low-carb diet, and he is proposing a low-fat, high-carb diet. As an example: Dr. Cordain says correctly that wild deer, which he used as an example of Paleo food, is 40% protein and 60% fat. Yet, he suggest people eat a low-fat deer roast cut of 19% fat with all the exposed fat trimmed off. Paleo people ate the high energy fat that threw away the lean meat. His diet is basically the same as the Zone 40-30-30 (c-p-f). It is well known that this diet works for thin, younger people only. Older people or those with a existing over-weight problem will actually get fatter on this diet and develope age-related degenerative diseases. Dr. Cordain says the Paleo people would eat eggs but rarely had the opportunity. Yet, he suggest that eating fruit shipped to your local store from worldwide sources and available 365 days of the year is a Paleo diet. The truth is the Paleo people ate lots of fat and preferred the fat. They wasted the lean meat in times of plenty just as primitive people have done in recent years. The Paleo people had very limited availability of carbohydrate foods, a very limited varity and a very limited season. Some primitive people had NO carbohydrate food available 9 months of the year in northern locations. Dr. Cordain taught in the past that the Paleo people were vegetarian, and he was also a vegetarian at that time. Dr. Cordain's book is full of contradictions which lack logic. He provided a list of reference books but not one reference scientific study to support his assumptions. If you want to read great books about the TRUTH in a healthy diet, healthy fats and primitive peoples, try the following: Dr. Robert C. Atkins' New Diet Revolution Revised and Updated.
Dr. Mary G. Enig's Know Your Fats.
Dr. Weston Price's Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book but Leaves Out Cordain's Great Research
Review: Dr. Cordain has written an excellent book for the general public. I would have like to see the book cover more of the technical aspects of Cordain's work as there is considerable "data" supporting this diet. This book makes an important distinction between high protein diets vs. high fat diets. Atkins, Protein Power, and Zone can all be paleolithic diets but in practice are probably not. The protein intakes are too low in most cases. They may be too low on Atkins as he recomends fatty meat. Protein Power recommends minimum intakes that would be too low and if someone has free choice of fat intake like on Protein Power that may feel full on lower protein intakes. The Zone would provide sufficient protein if someone were to ignore its 1200-1500 calorie recommendations. The zone usually becomes a high fat diet as protien and carb intakes stay the same if you follow Sears recommendation to use fat as a caloric balast when you don't wish to lose more weight. In response to the question of protein intakes by another reviewer here. The 55% represents aminal intake, not protein amount. However, protein intake on Cordain's diet is up to 35% of total calorie intake. Cordain's diet is not a starvation diet like the Zone and the carb intake is much higher than most low carb recommendations This should prevent ongoing ketosis and potassium losses so commonly found on Protein Power and Atkins.
|
