Why I Eat Like a Caveman

It started as an experiment.  It's now a way of life.  My cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure numbers were my antagonists in a scary novel that threatened to terminate my life unless I found a way to make dramatic changes. My loved ones wanted me to visit the emergency room when my blood pressure reached all-time highs while on vacation several years ago.  That hospital visit would have put on me on a path of lifetime medicines and drugs.  The real problem turned out to be inflammation due to eating foods my body didn't want.  The 45 day experiment was simple – eliminate everything processed, give up dairy, bread and any foods with a label.  I ate fruits, veggies, nuts, beans and seeds along with up to two glasses of wine a day for 45 days to see if my numbers would change.  The proof of success was in the numbers and the gleam in my wife's eye when she saw my body fat disappear at about a pound a day, mostly around my stomach and under my double chin.  

I visited my dentist recently and the staff commented on how easy is it to clean my teeth.  There is virtually zero plaque.  This is something they notice with certain patients who refrain from dairy.  My dentist told me her two young boys needed to cut weight in order to reach a desired weight class for an upcoming wrestling tournament and they did it by refraining from the same foods I no longer eat.

The lesson I learned from the experiment is my body cannot tolerate many modern day foods.  As long as I eat like a caveman, my cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure are all in the normal range.  I now eat fish, chicken and small amounts of red meat but I avoid dairy, gluten and processed foods.  I also do my best to mostly eat home-cooked meals.  Living like a caveman may not be for everyone but it works for me and I recommend it if you think your body may be fighting food related battles.  Make sure you do this through your physician in case this experiment causes your body to change suddenly.  Be wary if your doctor wants to treat your symptoms with medicine without being willing to discern if the wrong foods are the source of your problems.  Have a great day.