Going Paleo? Consider this instead… [part 2]

Depositphotos_14134412_xsMy concerns with the paleo diet include the possibility of eating too much meat in order to have to burn protein for energy, eating too much saturated fats. Charred meat may be tasty for some, but a steady diet of charred altered animal proteins may be a lead in to cancer or autoimmune disease in the unlucky few. And too much fruit can lead to sugar, insulin, and yeast overgrowth issues.

Elaine Gottschauk was a pioneer in writing about the benefits of grain free diets. Before her, there was book on the mucus-less diet by Arnold Ehert. There have always been individuals who, at least under certain conditions, such as allergy and cold season, seemed to benefit from cutting out grains and milk and eggs.

The bigger issue is understanding your specificity and conditions, and knowing what part of the Paleo diet to adhere to. Raw vegetables may not work well if you do not have sufficient digestive fire.  

For some people, grains like brown rice in moderate quantities may be helpful for energy, to spare your burning your muscle protein as a very inefficient source of energy. In short, the Paleo diet has benefits and avoids many allergens and toxins of today. But the strictness of adherence to the definition of this diet really depends on a number of specific individual characteristics of the individual.

Have more questions about how your diet relates to your skin? Have a persistent skin condition? As a natural skin doctor and board-certified dermatologist, I have treated hundreds and hundreds of people with chronic skin conditions using natural methods. Learn about booking a visit with me, here.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine


Going Paleo? Consider this instead… [part 1]

Depositphotos_11071988_xsOne of the hottest trends today is the Paleo diet.  My first thought is a vision of so many bearded young men and their women, with wild veggies in one hand, crowded around to get a charred piece of meat from the latest Mastodon kill.

More to the point, the Paleo diet represents a 180 degree shift from the food world of junk foods, pesticides, colorings, and additives that complicates knowing which of these things is accumulating to the point of messing up your health and the way that you feel. It is also a dramatic shift from the high grain vege diets that a few people seem to be able to thrive on. Most of all, it eliminates sugar of various sorts that is consumed in epidemic excess in our society.

As a holistic doctor, I have some strong opinions about this diet and what effects it might have on the skin. What I like about the Paleo diet is that it gets away from many of the foods that aggravate environmental illness and overgrowth of yeast in the body. Eliminating sugar, refined carbs, bread, wine and beer and processed foods is the core of the diet I recommend for my patients. A

diet high in vegetables, with meat or fish for protein works well for those who have sensitivity to lectins in grains and beans, and reactions dairy products that they have eaten nearly every day of their life.  

In my next post, I'll share where I think Paleo misses the mark.

Have more questions about how your diet relates to your skin? Have a persistent skin condition? Book a visit with me here.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine
New York