I read Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, late last year. And I loved it (still do!). Since then, I have implemented one of the meal plans and experimented with, I swear, nearly every recipe!
I have held off on writing this review, partly due to unavoidable health issues and the timing of certain procedures, and largely due to the fact that I enjoyed the book so much that I really want to get it right! It’s funny how the things we are passionate about can be the most intimidating of all!
As I think back over the months and the past year or two, I try to remember where Paleo came from, for me.
I know I like it quite a bit…I like and agree with many of the concepts involved, the community is wonderful, and, of course, it is completely gluten-free!
But where did I first hear about it? What drew me towards it?
That is less clear.
Here is what I remember:
After my Celiac Disease diagnosis, some of my symptoms got better, but many didn’t, some got worse, and I just found myself going months and months feeling terrible and getting more and more strict (read: refusing to dine out or eat anything other than food I had prepared). I remember hearing so many things…maybe it’s dairy, maybe it’s soy, maybe it’s corn, cross-reactivity, and so on. I remember hearing things like GAPS, the SCD, the FODMAP diet, going completely grain-free, and Paleo.
While I was still processing going completely gluten-free for the rest of my life, the thought of cutting out even more foods was unbearable. I simply could not even go there. I would think about it. I would try a couple elimination diets, but they wouldn’t last very long, because I had very little guidance, and they are honestly not easy.
I endlessly and tirelessly researched.
As things became easier with the gluten-free part, and more difficult with my health, I eventually got to the point where I was literally prepared to try anything.
I had read and heard a bit about the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, and this was particularly intriguing, being that I HAVE an autoimmune disease, and one that appeared to be out of control. I wanted to try it, but I still found some conflicting literature and I was unsure.
My journey into trying MORE than gluten-free began last September, with a Whole 30-type challenge. A few of my fellow bloggers were doing similar challenges at the same time. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the same life-changing results.
A couple months later, I received Practical Paleo. As with anything new and shiny and exciting, it took me awhile to crack into it because, well, it was beautiful and I was so honored to have been sent a book to review!
From the beginning, as I said, I loved it. Here is one of my favorite quotes that I think everyone needs to hear:
My symptoms may have been “common,” but what I didn’t realize until later is that common doesn’t necessarily mean “normal.”
SO INCREDIBLY TRUE! Yet, people will “deal with” so many symptoms and so much discomfort because they believe that it IS normal! No, it’s NOT normal to get bloated and gassy after every meal. It’s NOT normal to have heartburn all the time. It’s NOT normal to have repeated, unexplained headaches. It’s NOT normal to have pain all the time. It’s really, really not!
I also love that Diane is not about “Paleo Perfectionism”. Hence the “Practical” in Practical Paleo. Perfectionism is simply not practical, in eating or any other endeavour. Simply put, “Paleo is about eating healthy food and avoiding unhealthy food.” It’s not a diet. She certainly does not want you to starve. If you are hungry, you eat something. You eat something healthy, unrefined, unprocessed.
Here are some of the Paleo guidelines, as outlined in Practical Paleo:
1. Eat whole foods that provide better fuel for your body,
2. Avoid processed, refined, nutrient-poor factory food (grains, legumes, refined sugar, pasteurized dairy, industrial seed oils like corn, canola, soybean, rapeseed, cottonseed),
3. Eat to maintain proper digestive function. This varies from person to person. Determine the foods YOUR body can’t tolerate and stop eating them,
4. Eat to maintain proper blood sugar regulation. Being starving, shaky, or weak may indicate improper blood sugar maintenance,
5. Follow a plan that will help you reach your own personal health goals.
The book is laid out in such an appealing, easy to follow, easy to understand way. Diane really breaks it down for you, and then even provides handy, attractive guides for things like stocking your paleo pantry, healing a leaky gut, and yes, even your POOP! She elegantly manages to make the topic of bowel movements readable, informative, and even a bit humorous.
Practical Paleo goes through important body organs, what can go wrong, and how to fix it. It talks about how to prioritize your budget (since it’s not about being perfect!), how to eat paleo in public, and the importance of digestion, blood sugar regulation, and reducing stress in order to have a body that is in harmony.
The meal plans are beautiful and simple, and come equipped with weekly shopping lists that you can access online at Balanced Bites. Diane recommends foods to add and avoid, nutritional supplements and herbs to consider, and supportive nutrients for each individual plan. Of course, this is all about finding what works for YOU. If the meal plan doesn’t seem to be working in the way you had hoped, then it might be time to take a look at some of the other recommendations and suggestions.
There are 11 meal plans in total, ranging from Autoimmune Conditions to Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue, Heart Health, and even Cancer Recovery. Pretty amazing list! After all, Practical Paleo states that Paleo is, “not a replication of a caveman diet, but mimics ancestors who suffered less chronic disease than modern populations”.
And then…there’s the RECIPES!
OH, THE RECIPES!!!
Let’s just say, that Practical Paleo is now a permanent fixture on my kitchen countertop. For someone who rarely uses cookbooks, that is HUGE, so major props to you, Practical Paleo!
The recipes are simple and delicious. I have tried the majority of the recipes in this book and have not had ONE fail, yet! I cannot stand a recipe that has a million ingredients and on top of that, doesn’t even turn out. And trust me, in the gluten-free world, this happens more often than I’d care to admit.
Lemony Lamb Dolmas
I also love the list of spice blends. It’s easy to get stuck in a spice rut, and this list of blends can be used however you like to perk up an old favorite. Though they are also used and recommended in many of the recipes, once you get comfortable, it’s easy to switch things up. For instance, I got tired of the mustard-glazed chicken thighs, so I opted to rub them with the Cooling Spice Blend, and voila…brand new dish!
Chinese 5-Spice Turkey Lettuce Cups
Each recipe states whether it contains any of the foods which must be avoided in some of the plans/for some of the conditions, such as nuts, eggs, nightshades, and FODMAPs, and then offers options to make it nightshade-free, for example.
So…what was my experience with Practical Paleo?
Initially, when I started following the Autoimmune Conditions Plan, I did fall into a bit of the perfectionism, and it didn’t go so well. I bought and ate ONLY what was on the shopping list/meal plan, without any breathing room. If I was hungry, I didn’t feel like I was allowed a snack, because that would take away from my next meal, since it was all planned out. That, however, was not the fault of the book. As I stated earlier, and soon realized for myself, if I was hungry, I was allowed to eat something!
My second attempt with the Autoimmune Conditions Plan proved much better. I didn’t feel stuck in the plan. For me, it also served as an elimination diet. I was determined to find which foods my body could not tolerate. My gut started doing some crazy things when I started this plan for the second time. I was following the 21 Day Sugar Detox (21DSD), also one of Diane’s plans, at the same time. For whatever reason, digestive symptoms that had all but gone away, decided to rear their ugly little heads. This forced me to also give up FODMAPs, which admittedly was helpful.
So, for 30 days I followed the Autoimmune Protocol (21 days of which were also the sugar detox), including avoiding FODMAPs. It was a tough month. And, since I was set on finding out what foods bothered me, I knew that it didn’t end at the 30 days. I then had to slowly and systematically reintroduce one food at a time. On the day of reintroduction, I had the food in its purest form for three meals…unless, of course, I had a reaction, at which point I would have identified that food as a food to avoid. If there was no reaction on the initial day, I then had to wait 72 hours from the last feeding, going back to only the foods I was eating before, and noting any symptoms. Only after a symptom-free 72 hours could I determine that new food as safe and start the reintroduction process again with a new food.
It was a lengthy process, indeed. However, I now know with some conviction that most foods do not bother me! What a relief! Does that mean I’m eating them all on a regular basis? NO! Well, some of them, such as eggs and chicken, to which my allergist believed I was allergic. Dairy is the only item that I had a noticeable issue with, and it was a matter of quantity and form. I can have some dairy and some forms of dairy and be fine, but if I have a LOT of it, I get very foggy, increased joint pain, and possibly gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Before my Celiac Disease diagnosis, I ate quite healthy. For the most part, I followed Clean Eating guidelines, because they, much like Paleo, made sense to me. As Diane states:
We cannot improve what nature provides. Refining foods to ‘improve’ them is oxymoronic at worst and nonsensical at best.
I feel best when I’m eating whole, real, natural foods. I am SO thankful to Practical Paleo for the guidance it gave me to explore what was right for my body. Are all my symptoms gone? NOPE! Not by a long shot. But I am so happy that I can eat eggs and nightshades without constantly questioning if what I am eating is making me feel worse. Following the plan and the reintroduction guidelines has allowed me to do this. I know now how I will feel if I eat too much dairy, and I can make that choice, armed with that knowledge. I have even been able to start adding FODMAPs back without any gut reactions like I had before. I still have constipation and diarrhea at times, I still have a lot of pain and a lot of fatigue. But thanks to this book I know I am doing everything in my power to be the healthiest “sick person” possible 
And there’s a certain freedom in that. So, thank you, Practical Paleo!
You really should have this book. I highly, highly recommend it!
Sincerely,
Sassy
