Paleo Challenge 2012: Day 30

Well, today is Day 30 of my Paleo Challenge, but due to a few circumstances, I am forced to extend the entire experiment until next Monday. So, all told, it will technically be a 35-day challenge. Will this break me? I think not. I hope not. I don't know. Shit.

The earliest Kari can check my bodyfat and lean mass is next Monday, hence the extra days. After measurements and photos are completed, I will begin the process of reintroducing some non-Paleo foods. This is where a lot of people screw up. Think about it: you've just spent 30 days eating healthy, relatively natural foods, essentially detoxifying from all the crap you've been consuming since that first beautiful bowl of Apple Jacks, and then what do you want to do? Shovel a bunch of bullshit down your throat. The problem here is if you experience any reactions (gastrointestinal, energy level, etc), you have no idea which food caused it during your White Goodman metldown.

One of the best but oft overlooked aspects of Paleo is the opportunity to find out how certain foods affect you. So it's crucial to slowly reintroduce the things you've been weened off and observe/feel the results. Someone who is extremely gluten intolerant will react badly to breads and grains when they first try them after 30 days of Paleo. Some people will have poor reactions to dairy, legumes, and or sugary foods. You have to take advantage of this opportunity to see what foods may be affecting your health, digestion, and performance.

I've conferred with Dr. Mike Molloy, our resident coach/immunologist/athlete/smart person, and he gave me the following prescription for the reintroduction of non-Paleo foods:

1) Dairy first - least likely to be a problem. Cheese. You could be fine with milk and you'd still shit your pants just because you've stopped making lactase. This is good to know. That would make for an awkward staff meeting.

2) Legumes second... peanuts, beans or corn tortilla chips.

3) Grains third. Try a sandwich... sushi or some rice dish second. All the other grains suck anyway. Mike clearly doesn't respect my sugary love-bitch, Little Debbie...

You demon woman!

Now, don't be dumb -- I'm not going to reintroduce these foods by eating a piece of cheese and then some peanuts and then a slice of Wonderbread. Each group will be separated by some hours and possibly days to gauge my body's tolerance of each one. Do I have a gluten or lactose intolerance? No idea. I hope not because chocolate milk is like kissing Jesus. But we shall see.

The most important takeaway here is that everyone is different. Some people are allergic or intolerant to certain foods, while others are not. I have a suspicion people in China are more receptive to eating rice. Why? Because it's been a staple of their diet for over 10,000 years. Does this mean it's good for them? I can't say for sure, but they're probably better adapted to it than people of European descent. Check this out, if you're interested in the relationship between grains and human evolution.

So, for those of you participating in this latest go'round of the Paleo Challenge, be sure to slowly/intelligently reintroduce non-Paleo foods and see how your body responds. This is Biohacking 101, people. Don't slouch. Sit up straight and get your shit right.