PALEOBETIC DIET
Defeat
Diabetes &
Prediabetes
With Paleolithic
Eating
A REVIEW of the newest book by Dr. Steve Parker, M.D., and Sunny
Parker. This book is available in print
and online. Try this link for Amazon (CLICK HERE).
This book, detailing
the Paleolithic low-carb diet, is designed to lower
blood sugar, eliminate or reduce diabetic drugs and to help people lose excess
weight. It is the first created diet of its kind for people with diabetes. The Paleobetic diet is designed to lower
blood sugar naturally, eliminate or reduce diabetic drugs and help with losing
excess weight. Dr. Parker has 3 decades’ experience in practicing Internal
Medicine and treating patients with diabetes and prediabetes. His other major areas of interest are weight
loss and physical fitness (great chapter on exercise in the book). Dr. Parker has several other books as well
worth checking out – all with diabetes, weight loss, low-carbing and the
Mediterranean low-carb diet in mind.
Several
testimonials of eating a low-carb, Paleolithic diet are provided in the
beginning of the book and really enthuse one to continue reading.
A shocking fact: “Sugar-sweetened beverages kill almost 200,000 worldwide
annually.” These beverages lead to
obesity, which in turn leads to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some
cancers. Higher sugar consumption is
also implicated in cognitive impairment, often leading to full-blown dementia
in the elderly.
The Paleobetic diet is a low-carb diet that is gluten-free, dairy-free, no green beans (this surprised me!), industrial seed oils
and artificial sweeteners (stevia is allowed).
Vitamin D and calcium supplements may be necessary.
The Components of the
diet:
Nuts
and seeds
Proteins
Vegetables
Fruits
Condiments
and oils
Low-carb eating – recommended: 45 to 80 grams net carbs per
day! That’s a very healthy level
of carbs for most people. There is a way
to optimize knowing exactly how many carbs to consume (for each individual)
using a glucometer. This method is
expanded on in the book.
Some
starchy vegetables are allowed in small portions at a time and should be eaten
with a main meal, as should fruit, to minimize the effect on blood sugar. Tips for hunger and losing weight are useful
reading. Stevia is the sweetener of
choice. Search for a good-tasting one!
It exists!
Full, easy meal menus
for a week (breakfast, lunch and
dinner) are outlined with their nutritional analysis. In addition, a few special recipes are
provided.
Hypoglycemia, the many
different types of diabetes drugs
(had no idea there were so many!) and how to adjust them are discussed. A new diabetic drug sounds rather exciting
and hopeful.
A
chapter called “Daily Life with Paleo Eating” is very helpful with sub-categories:
1. Learning to cook
2. More paelo diet recipes and cookbooks
3. Short-term physical effects
4. Shopping for food
5. Dining out
6. Cheating
7. Sweet cravings
8. Holdiays
9. Hunger
10. Record-keeping
11. Weight-loss tips
12. Miscellanea
13. Social Issues
A
good chapter on exercise from a doctor’s viewpoint and how to stay safe (with
regard to blood sugar too) while getting fitter. Walking and weights are emphasized.
The
Scientific Support of Paleo Diet for people with Diabetes chapter will be of great interest
to those who need more convincing.
All
in all this is an excellent diet, obviously well-researched, and this
intelligent doctor with a heart for people with pre-diabetes, diabetes and/or
weight problems, lays it all out there for you in easy-to-read format.