I had planned to write about laughing today. But I have this other idea swirling in my head and demanding attention. Actually, it’s more like a question. About how paleo actually worked.
After going paleo for a few months, I’ve returned to eating everything (except seafood and dairy because of allergies). But I’m trying to let that ‘everything’ be as much unprocessed food as possible. That works really well for me.
Why paleo?
The reason I did go paleo was because I found it very convincing. Paleo is about eating what the cave people (aka our ancestors) supposedly ate. That is – supposedly – also what we can best digest because our system spent a loooooooong time adapting to that nutrition. So, unprocessed foods, meat, nuts and seeds, eggs, veggies, fruit, fish and that’s pretty much it. Ok, you can add herbs and honey. No dairy, no grains, no pulses and most definitely no fries, burgers or choc chip ice cream.
I had a little trouble adapting in the beginning because I didn’t eat enough calories. Since I had been close to vegan, it was hard to eat that much meat. But the meat was what I got my energy from. Once I had upped my meat consumption, it went quite well and I started to feel much better. In hindsight, I believe it was also because I ate hardly any sugar.
So, what’s the question?
Remember, how I said I had this idea swirling in my head which is more of a question? I’m getting there. One of the reasons why I quit paleo was that it’s hard to not eat what most people eat. So, I tried bread and other things and discovered I was ok. The much bigger issue was that I really lacked energy on paleo. To do all the things that need to be done in my life (and I’ve decluttered much of that and take breaks) AND be in a good mood to deal with parenting requires so much energy. I wasn’t getting enough from the paleo eating style.
That left me wondering how cave people did it. Considering that I only have to go to the butcher and can eat meat every day but they had to hunt it, I guess they lived mostly from veggies and fruit. I wonder how they even got their sufficient protein or iron fix. As far as I learnt from e.g. The Paleo Code by Chris Kresser is that hunter-gatherers were lean and fit people. Yes, they lived only up until 30 or so but they didn’t have hospitals and safe shelter and well, whatever modern society holds dear. Most importantly, they did live until 30 despite the nutritional provision nightmare and the lack of supplements. How did that work? How did they have the energy to do anything?
Attempt to answer
Let me share the results I have so far: First of all, they didn’t work 50 hours per day. And yes, I tend to exaggerate. But really, they ‘worked’ apparently around 3 hours per day, foraging and hunting. Then they chilled (went on energy saving mode). So, we modern humans have most likely a higher calorie intake because we are working, well, 50 hours per day.
Then, they didn’t have all that stuff we have. They didn’t have to do all the things we can (and often feel that we have to) do. They didn’t have to go to shows, binge Netflix, get imposter from Instagram, study, travel… you probably get the idea. I’m actually thinking that they might have led a fulfilled life when they died at 30ish. Sure, it might also sound boring to us. I mean, what do you do with all that chilling? But maybe the entertainment was just simpler? Maybe even more fun because they were less stressed (apparently, they had no stress diseases like heart disease or cancer despite the stressful environment).
What to do with that answer attempt
What could that teach us in regard to happiness? I think that it shows that all that consumption that we hold so dear (I’m not excluding myself fully), is stressing us immensely. We might not be designed for all the opportunity, comfort and convenience. It’s all supposed to make our lives easier and safer. But it seems to make it also more stressful. We strive to live really long so that we can do ‘all the things’ but what for? Maybe we could have a much more relaxed life if we wouldn’t?
Linking to last week’s topic, I’m sure our planet would be much happier if we could at least try to appreciate more, live more intentionally and not get lost in ‘trying it all and having it all’. And no, there is absolutely no need to become a cave person and only live off veggies, fruit and occasional meat. But maybe the idea can remind us that it’s not about more – even if our hormones (I’m guessing Dopamine and Cortisol) tell us exactly the opposite. I know this is unlikely news but we all still live like this, don’t we?