Robb Wolf Paleolithic Nutrition Seminar: A REVIEW

I had the pleasure of spending all day Saturday in Monrovia, CA attending a “Paleolithic Nutrition” Seminar. You know, the whole “eat like a cave man” deal. Meat, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit, no sugar and lots of “psuedo-science” to back it up. The Robb Wolf nutrition seminar was an like an 8 course menu. The first few dishes I was hungry for, the next few you managed to take down, and by the end you didn’t really care what was on your plate because you’re full and you just want to get the hell out of there. It was classic too much information packed into too little time. While the content was excellent, the environment and format left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

The premise is this: Eat like a cave man (paleolithic: before agriculture) because those are the foods that we are genetically built to digest, absorb, and utilize as fuel. Don’t eat the Neolithic foods: Agriculture, i.e., grains, dairy, legumes (bread, milk, beans) as they have compounds that we (the vast majority of the world population) cannot adequately digest.  By eating these neolithic foods, you are setting yourself up for poor insulin control, systemic inflammation and severe gut damage. If these conditions exist in the body long enough, and depending on where your genetic weaknesses lie, you have the potential to adapt any number of preventable diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune conditions and you will be over fat to boot. If you’ve read any of my blog posts, then you know that this is right up my alley. I love this stuff, believe in this stuff, and know that Robb is right on the money. I stumbled upon his blog about 6 months ago and am excited about what he’s sharing because he is able to dissect the science behind why eating this way works, and also puts it into real world application. There’s far too many nutritionists/doctor’s/etc. touting the Standard American Diet (SAD Diet) with no practical success to support their claims. Robb proclaims that if you just give it a shot, you should look better, feel better and perform better AND you’ll have the blood profile to back it up.

Robb Wolf is that guy. You know, smart, funny, athletic. No, I don’t have a man crush on him, but he is a charismatic dude. He’s got a background in chemistry and spent several years researching and learning from the father of “The Paleo Diet”, Dr. Loren Cordain. He uses big words and is clearly passionate about what he preaches. He owns a gym in Chico, CA called NorCal Strength and Conditioning which apparently began as more of a Cross-fit type gym and has evolved into a much broader practice. With the cross-fit type environment being as “community oriented”, or cultish as it is, his nutritional underpinnings have spread globally within the cross-fitter world. Hence the seminar being held in Monrovia of all places (home of a cross-fit affiliate). Robb’s on a bit of a world tour giving his nutrition seminar (at other affiliate locations) which seems to be partly to help educate and partly book promoting, as his Paleolithic Solution is due for release any day now.

The content covered in the seminar was excellent and necessary to help understand the complexity of the subject at hand. He did a good job of covering the basics of how hormones, digestion, health and performance are affected by the foods we eat. Additionally, Robb placed a strong (and very appropriate) emphasis on addressing lifestyle factors, like sleep, under/over-exercising, work stress, emotional stress as being confounding variables in the whole “get healthy, get lean, improve performance” ideal. Nutrition alone will not cut it. This could have easily been a week-long seminar for health practitioners only. With that said, there’s a fundamental problem when you combine nutritionists, trainers and coaches with the lay population and try and teach them the same material…in only 8 hours. Couple that with endocrinology, digestive systems function, some really big words and not enough pee breaks and you’re gonna have an uprising on your hands. It also perturbs me when I look over and see a lady knitting during the class. I probably should have known better than to attend an “open to the public” nutrition seminar. I’ve been studying this stuff for years and some of it was still over my head. With the shear amount of information, I found myself wondering how the other people in the class could possibly even begin to understand the information being spewed. It became clear by the end of the day, that many people hadn’t grasped the concepts Robb was projecting as numerous questions came out that had been covered ad nauseaum and seemed obvious given the whole paradigm of paleo nutrition.

Rob says: “minimize fruit consumption and liquid meals for body fat loss”, someone asks, “What about fruit smoothies?”

Rob says: “avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners”, someone asks, “What about honey? What about Stevia?”

Hello people?! Stop trying to rationalize your own dietary quirks and just try it. All he’s asking is for you to try it. It’s like people selectively choose what they want to hear and then get pissed when the guidelines don’t conform to their desired food choices. People attend these classes so they can say they “know” what they’re supposed to do, then they sit on their ass and don’t do and bitch about being fat. It’s like saying, “show me the research that say’s smoking cigarettes is bad for you.” Isn’t it frickin obvious? Take a look around, we’re sick and fat. It seems to me we should be doing the exact opposite of what everyone else is doing. We need to move away from this agrarian approach to nutrition and get back to basics. Just give it a try.

Ok, I’m off of my soap box. Robb Wolf knows his stuff. He’s almost too smart to be able to effectively relay this information to the lay population. It’s too much to expect people (even trainers) to understand even an inkling of how these paleolithic foods effect the body, especially from an endocrine or pathophysiological approach, in a 1-day course. However, it is a good way to sell books, as I’m hoping that this will be a much better medium to break down exactly why grains, legumes and dairy do not belong in the human diet, exactly how to go about removing them, and exactly what the positive effects will be. The paleolithic nutrition seminar would be more appropriate for a qualified group of people, but regardless, is great information for everyone to have the opportunity to hear. Robb is doing great things for the field of nutrition and should you get the opportunity to hear him speak, jump on it. You may not understand a damn thing, but he’s pretty frickin’ funny none-the-less!

WHOLE FOODS = HEALTHY?

There are a couple assumptions that people make in regards to shopping at Whole Foods:

1) “I can eat whatever I want since I am shopping at Whole Foods”

2) “I will not shop at Whole Foods simply because it is too expensive”

These are two arguments that I hear frequently and that need to be addressed. Don’t get me wrong here, I am by no means a Whole Foods zealot and receive no financial kick-backs for promoting the store, but simply want people to understand that while eating healthy takes work, it doesn’t have to be terribly difficult or expensive.

#1) Not everything at Whole Foods is healthy: yes, i know, shocker right? “Wait, you mean that organic, vegan, gluten-free,  fat-free, caramel covered cinnamon bun with agave dipped candied pecans isn’t good for me”?

I’m not sure what it is; maybe the displays, maybe the neat little packaging, or just the shear variety of foods available, but Whole Foods does a great job selling food. And just like any other grocery or retail store, the more they sell the better they do. They will not go out of their way to promote their organic peaches vs. their chocolate covered almonds (both of which are fantastic I might add!). You as the consumer have to understand what to look for and have a plan in place before you walk in that door. This will keep you from getting lured into the outrageous salad/hot food bar, ensure you avoid the nifty pre-packaged everything, and also save your waistline (and packet book) some trouble.

How to Know What’s Healthy?

-       Produce: Look for local and/or organic signage (organic produce has a sticker number that begins with a 9).

-       It’s always best to stick to seasonal fruits and veggies, as they are the freshest. Ask one of the produce employees what’s in season.

-       Meat: All the meats at Whole Foods are at the very least hormone/antibiotic free, but look for grass-fed, organic, and free-range.

-       Dairy: I don’t recommend consuming too much dairy, but if you do, at least buy organic and go for raw milk products if you can find them. It should say: “unpasteurized”.

-       Avoid all grains, including gluten-free grains: I touched on this in my last blog article. You can save a TON of money and the health of you digestive system, by eliminating the grains from your diet. Replace those grains with more quality protein, vegetables and some fruit, and you will be saving money, losing weight and feeling better in no time.

#2) Eating Healthy Does NOT have to be Expensive: Usually the people that complain to me about “how expensive” Whole Foods is, are the same people that have just upgraded to the newest BMW and reside in multiple states throughout the year. And just so we’re clear, if it’s more than 2000sq. feet, you can’t call it a “cabin”. Let’s get your priorities straight people! You can’t put a price on your health.

How to Get Out Without Spending your “Whole” Paycheck:

Have a plan: Make a list before you go. Make it your mission to stick to  the list.

Avoid the pre-packaged foods: This is where they get you. If you want to save money, you will need to buy in bulk and cook yourself. If you want to buy the packaged nuts, pre-made meals, gluten-free crap, and fancy “bubbly” drinks, then you will be spending extra money.

-       Find Specials: You can usually find products that are on special. For example, normally raspberries are at least $4.99 for a small pack. Right now, their $2.99. Buy a whole bunch and freeze some if you want. You can also shop for cheaper cuts of meat, like ground beef instead of New York strip.

-       Stick to Real Foods: Meat, veggies, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and some fruit. That’s all you need.

-       Shop Around: Maybe you need to get some foods at Trader Joe’s or maybe even Costco.

Just accept the fact that if you want to eat healthy, Whole Foods will have some options for you. And if you want to spend a ton of money on “food”, then they will also have options for you. Be proactive about your food. Buy in bulk and learn how to cook a few meals. Do your homework and plan ahead. And be realistic about your budgeting…which do you need more, that $50 bottle of wine, or that grass-fed steak?

There’s Always Room for Chocolate!

FAT IS NOT SO BAD: Finally…Some Validation!!!

A recent article in The Scientific American offers up even more evidence that saturated fats may not be the culprit linked to heart disease, rather, refined carbohydrates. YES! (This is me fist pumping) I have been preaching this for years, and finally some reprieve.

“Eat less saturated fat” has been the take home message from the US government for the last 30 years and we have listened. While Americans have dutifully reduced caloric intake from saturated fat since the 1970’s, the obesity rate has doubled, diabetes has tripled, and heart disease is still the country’s biggest killer.

It seems that we have implicated the wrong macronutrient this whole time (or, there was too much money to be made on promoting grains as “heart healthy”). In March the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a meta-analysis—which combines data from several studies—that compared the reported daily food intake of nearly 350,000 people against their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a period of five to 23 years. The analysis found no association between the amount of saturated fat consumed and the risk of heart disease. More recent research indicates that not only is saturated fat NOT bad for you, but carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cookies, cakes) could actually be worse. In numerous studies, those that consumed the most carbohydrates weighed the most, had the highest risk for diabetes (47%) and were more likely to suffer from heart disease.

This is a major breakthrough as I see it in helping disseminate the popular belief that “whole grains are good for you”. I have first hand knowledge, both from personal and clinic practice that the elimination of refined grains is one of the “healthiest” things that someone can do for himself or herself. In addition, making sure to consume enough quality animal fat can help regulate hormonal imbalances and improve energy levels and actually reduce body fat.

“So the next time that bread and butter plops down at the table, consider for a moment that the butter may actually be the more healthful component.”

In Health,

Ben Brown, MS, CSCS

Are you Getting your Vitamin D?

New Research now shows that 600,000 new cases of breast and colon cancer could be prevented worldwide each year simply by raising vitamin D blood levels. Here we spend literally BILLIONS of dollars on cancer drugs while just upping vitamin D levels could prevent 600,000 cases of cancer EACH YEAR.

Why is Vitamin D supplementation important?

Because meeting the necessary requirements for daily Vitamin D can provide protection from diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, several autoimmune diseases, and cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon, and is really an integral part in maintaining optimal and therapeutic health!

How do we raise our Vitamin D levels?

There are 2 options for raising Vitamin D levels:

1) Exposure to ultraviolet light: We need our sunshine but unfortunately sunscreen blocks the majority of the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production. Also, this is not an option for many that live in colder/rainier climates, especially during the winter months. This can be challenging considering even those that live in sunny climates year round still tend to be deficient.

2) Oral supplementation: This seems to be the most practical option. One of the only major dietary sources of Vitamin D is cod-liver oil, but the amount needed to meet therapeutic doses would be impractical and expensive and could be harmful in the long run. Therefore, oral supplementation with “pure” vitamin D supplements allows the dose to be tailored to the individual needs of the patient.

How much do we need?

It’s always necessary to have your Vitamin D levels checked from a qualified health practitioner to identify a baseline level and determine how much supplementation is necessary and should be remeasured periodically. As a general recommendation based on the current literature:

Adults and Pregnant Women: 4000IU’s/day

Infants and Children: 1000IU’s/day as a minimum

How do I know what supplement to look for:

Look for Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and is best purchased from a trusted health practitioner rather than the local drugstore or costco.

For maximum benefit, supplementation should be continued for a minimum of 5-9 months and should be continually remeasured via blood tests from a qualified health practitioner.

If you think you may be Vitamin D deficient or are interested in a quality Vitamin D supplement to help you maintain optimal health, contact Body Systems to discuss your options.