The Paleo Diet (Paleolithic Diet) eliminates all of the modern foods our bodies can’t tolerate: refined sugar, processed and packaged food, and way too many grains.  More specifically, Paleo diet avoids all grains, beans, dairy, processed food, and refined sugar; and sticks with what our ancestors ate including meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds, and fats/oils.  Some Paleo books include starchy tubers like sweet potatoes, others do not.  Some Paleo diets are very low carbohydrate, others are not – while you will get less carbohydrates on Paleo, the goal is not necessarily “low carb.”  It can be implemented individually (as I think all diets should) to the needs of the person.

The Paleo Diet is a very popular diet today (funny thing to say since it is THE diet we have been eating since caveman days).  But it makes sense why it’s so “popular” because it is helpful for many of the conditions we have today such as inflammation, oxidative stress, digestive issues, blood sugar imbalances, and obesity: Processed foods, excess sugar, and refined grains are at the core of these problems (or add fuel to the fire).  Children with ADHD, autism and other conditions often have this same inflammation, oxidative stress, and digestive conditions, often making Paleo a good choice for them as well.

Meat and vegetables and these other Paleo foods are dense in and well-rounded in nutrients: minerals, fat soluble vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, and more.  They help replenish nutrient deficiencies, probiotic levels, and nutrients needed to grow, repair, and learn.