Valeo”? “Pagen”? Okay, each name leaves something to be desired, but in quest for a healthy, balanced dietary regime that can deliver the hypo-allergenicity of a Paleo diet minus Atkins-esque huge slabs of animal protein with the vegetable-rich aspects of vegan minus soy-laden mystery foods and blood sugar-spiking deluge of carby grains, combines the best of both worlds that is surprisingly easier to navigate than either in their pure form
Inspired by reading an article by author Candace Stone in the November 2015 American Airlines magazine citing viewpoints of Dr. Mark Hyman, alternative medicine guru (and often ahead of his time), I found that I too, was resonating with this diet that I often have recommended for my patients, minus a name to reference it. So, here is the recap that outlines this healthy eating philosophy:
• Eat protein at each meal but make the animal protein the side-dish rather than the main focus. Think 4-6 oz of free-range organic beef, poultry, wild salmon and free-range eggs.
• Pea protein, whey protein, collagen protein and almond butter can be good non-meat forms of protein.
• Include a wide variety of veggies, with an emphasis on dark leafy greens. Yams and winter squashes are also packed with super nutrition and are delicious and satisfying.
• organic fruits are to be enjoyed, yet kept to one or two servings a day. Think brightly colored berries, seasonal apples and pears, especially this time of year.
• Good fats are not to be feared. Olive oil, coconut oil, almond butter, avocados, ghee, Kerrygold Grass-fed butter are encouraged and again, quite satisfying.
• Low glycemic grains like quinoa, wild rice, black rice at quantities no more than a 1/2 c. once or twice a day offer great nutrition with low allergic response.
• Goat milk cheeses and goat milk yogurt provides a great source of protein, but again, less allergy potential.
• Legumes like lentils, garbanzos and black beans in small side-dish portions are tasty, protein-rich and avoid starch overload.
• Sweeteners on the positive list include limited amounts of coconut sugar, unprocessed honey, maple syrup and stevia.
• Always choose organic and non-GMO whenever possible and as always, steer clear of artificial chemicals, additives and preservatives.
So enjoy all the healthy anti-inflammatory and nutrient rich benefits of this veleo-pagen-healtheo diet, no matter what you end up calling it! We just call it healthy!!
Dr. Judy Gianni, Naturopathic Physician
