Beyond Paleo

September 11, 2014
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

Beyond PaleoIs a Primal Diet Prescription for You?

One of the most common questions I’m asked these days is about my take on the Paleo diet.

Here are some reflections I received recently from a devoted five-year dieting fan who is following a program that she regards as “Beyond Paleo.”

 
“In search of the perfect dietary plan, I have scoured blogs and text books, consulted friends and family, and even watched full length TV commercials.

Many are so far off base that it is downright comical.  Some come close, but lack key principles.

One, however, has won me over permanently. I am a Fat Flusher—have been for years now.  Once I started, I could never look back.

The Fat Flush Plan by Ann Louise Gittleman has changed my life, and is the only program that I recommend to friends, family and clients alike.

Programs that ship you monthly stocks of frozen microwavable meals fail to address nutrient density, food sensitivities, and the danger of chemical additives/preservatives…just to name a few inadequacies.

Low fat diets can make our hair fall out, skin wrinkle, and even impair our fertility.

Traditional low carb diets come closer to the mark by eliminating a number of food groups, but fall tragically short by substituting harmful artificial counterparts like diet soda, yogurt sweetened with aspartame, and low carb bread.

—Enter Paleo Diet—

If you haven’t heard of Paleo, you probably haven’t been to a supermarket, logged into Facebook, or even walked past a fitness center in the last 3 years.

And if that is the case, you probably live like my parents do in the wilds of Montana, which is consequently about as Paleo as you can get in this day and age.

An Almost, But Not Quite?

The Paleo Diet is what I like to call ‘an almost, but not quite.’

Gluten and dairy sensitivities are addressed, but some common allergens like coconut and tree nuts are relied on heavily.

Carbohydrates are very limited, which is all well and good for short term weight loss, but on a long term basis can lead to lack of energy, feelings of deprivation, and blood sugar abnormalities.

With a strong emphasis on protein intake, many Paleo dieters neglect to fill up on plant fibers and may experience digestive problems as minimal as constipation and as serious as diverticulitis and prolapsed colon.

What’s Missing…

All things considered, the number one nutritional concern that the Paleo diet does not address is elimination of toxins.

Fat Flush detoxifies.  Fat Flush alkalizes.  Fat Flush addresses all common food sensitivities.  Fat Flush provides clean-burning carb energy appropriate for where you are at in your weight loss journey.

Fat Flush improves and helps regulate your digestion and elimination.  Fat Flush is easily sustainable and healthy for a lifetime.

When I discovered Ann Louise Gittleman’s  Fat Flush Plan I read the book cover to cover without putting it down.  In her years of close work with her clients, Ann Louise has uncovered hidden weight gain factors that have never been addressed by any other dietary plan.

A More Realistic Approach for Today

The world we live in today is increasingly toxic.

Environmental pollution directly contaminates our bodies and our food supply, and endocrine disrupting chemicals are prevalent in every aspect of our lives.

Our amazing livers are working harder than ever before to protect us, and because of that some of the regular tasks the liver performs may fall by the wayside. Fat Flush helps improve liver function and eliminate toxins—crucial components for safe and long-lasting weight loss results.

Paleo dieters may be at risk here, as eating larger servings of lean protein without focused liver cleansing can impair digestion and place a large burden on the kidneys and pancreas.

The inclusion of a variety of chlorophyll rich green foods in the Fat Flush Plan help to purify the blood, and daily dandelion root tea helps detoxify the liver.

A non-denatured whey protein of the highest quality and purity provides ample glutathione—a key antioxidant that repairs cell damage, aids in enzyme activation and amino acid transport to maximize liver function.

The intentional exclusion of commonly reactive foods makes Fat Flush unique as well.

Many of us are silently suffering from food sensitivities that cause systemic inflammation, deplete our energy, and cause embarrassing  and uncomfortable digestive problems.

Ann Louise has created a fool-proof set of guidelines for eliminating allergens and slowly reintegrating foods in question to ensure complete tolerance.  This level of customization is something you will never find in a Paleo diet.

One common complaint among those following the Paleo Diet is sluggish, uncomfortable digestion.

This is partly due to a preference of meat over vegetables, but also is influenced by our age and pH.  As we age, we naturally produce less hydrochloric acid, which is our stomach’s primary means of digesting protein.

Ironically, age coupled with a lifetime of eating refined sugar creates an acidic environment in the rest of our bodily tissues—a condition that makes it impossible for our cells to perform optimally.

The Paleo diet only refers to plant-based foods as an afterthought, an unfavorable attribute in a diet that has potential to create extreme acidity problems.

A Thoughtful Plan

Fat Flush incorporates careful combinations of fruits, vegetables, and special juices to restore proper pH in the body.

Hot lemon water each morning helps to alkalize the body, along with a pure cranberry tonic that is rich in polyphenols and bioflavonoids.

Digestion and elimination are addressed in part by a twice daily beverage called ‘Long Life Cocktail’ that combines ground flaxseed with pure unsweetened cranberry juice and water.

Fat Flush is the most thoughtful dietary plan that I have ever encountered.  I continually research nutrition, but nothing stacks up.  All the concepts are explained eloquently and are easy to follow.

I lost 12 pounds during my first two weeks of Fat Flushing, but I think it is more impressive that I have maintained my goal weight for 4 years and my health just seems to improve every day.

Thousands of Fat Flushers will agree—we are hooked for life!”

-S.H., Montana

 

Please share your own comments and thoughts below… Are you low carb? Paleo or Fat Flush?

 

For the latest in the Fat Flush Series, check out Fat Flush for Life>>

Related Articles and Podcasts

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

21 Comments

  1. Evelyn Halpin

    I totally agree with you! Well said Dr. Ann Louise.

    Reply
  2. Cindy B

    I’ve never quite understood exactly what Paleo is, I just assumed it was a sort of clean eating diet. This article was really informative, and I totally agree the Fat Flush plan is truly the best way to go!

    Reply
  3. Alice

    Your writer has fallen victim to some common misconceptions about Paleo eating. It is not high protein, but adequate protein. Vegetables are actually most important, not an afterthought. There is an emphasis on healthy fats. She would do well to read an excellent book on Paleontology nutrition such as The Wahls Protocal by Terry Wahls MD, who designed a super nutrient dense plan (nine cups of vegetables daily) that enabled her to get out of her wheelchair, which Xbox had been needed because of her progressive MS and resultant disability. I wish people would quit spreading ridiculous falsehoods about Pal

    Reply
  4. Alice

    Sorry, my whole comment didn’t get posted but was cut off, and with errors. The main ideas about Paleo are to eat real food (not manufactured), high in nutrient density, which means mostly vegetables, adequate not excessive protein, and healthy fats. Other good authors are Robb Wolf and Chris Kresser, who have websites.

    Reply
    • Tammie K.

      Alice, I have also dabbled in Paleo-style diets and agree with the main points of the five-year Fat Flush fan. The aspects of cleansing and detoxification – which are front and center in the original Fat Flush program – are glaringly missing in the Paleo perspective. The concern about essential fatty acids and overemphasis on saturated fats – which for many are hard to break down and assimilate – are also further detriments of Paleo diets. Finally, you can’t overlook the fact that this blog is designed to reflect the philosophy and nutritional expertise of a very well known author in her own right whose diet and detox programs have helped millions of individuals. The comparison between Paleo and Fat Flush are sound and the real underlying message of this article.

      Reply
  5. Rosanne

    The Fat Flush Diet is the most balanced and sensible diet I have tried. For me, it is a way of life.

    Reply
  6. Buffy

    I’ve considered Fat Flush until I read that the plan included WHEY – AND I am totally reactive/sensitive to COW dairy. Gotta admit that stopped me in my tracks. Can’t get my head around how consuming something I know is not acceptable to my body will help me.

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      Buffy, as Sheree has suggested,you can substitute the Fat Flush Body Protein for the whey component. It goes without saying that if you are allergic/reactive/ or otherwise sensitive to a particular food on the Fat Flush program, you should omit it and find a suitable substitute. Luckily, the non-GMO brown rice and pea protein product is available for those who can’t tolerate whey. Good luck!!

      Reply
  7. Sheree

    Buffy, the Fat Flush Body Protein is a complete protein made from brown rice and pea protein. It has 20 grams protein like the whey protein.

    Reply
  8. dorothy

    I was tested an she said I’ve a gulten problem so what do I do I’m so mixed up,being on meat an veggie don’t stay with me. I’ve a muffin top would love to get rid of it…

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      Dorothy: If you were tested and received a letter from Ann Louise Gittleman’s office, we are certain there were many suggestions made for gluten replacements. Brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, and starchy vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, peas and squash are but some of healthy substitutes you can alternate for satiety and appetite satisfaction. With regard to your “muffin top” concern, plenty of essential fatty acids from GLA, CLA, EPA and DHA can target tummy fat along with a balanced diet and exercise program. The Fat Flush program addresses all of these issues and provides an easy-to-follow eating and workout program for all ages and stages of life. Good Luck!

      Reply
    • Lynn

      You may want to get your thyroid tested by an ALTERNATIVE doctor as gluten intolerance is closely associated with a thyroid disorder which can cause an inability to lose weight (the test MD’s use is inaccurate for detecting a thyroid disorder). I struggled with it for YEARS but since treatment for a thyroid disorder it has become much easier to lose weight

      Reply
  9. Sibyl

    Why is it referred to as whey if it is rice and pea protein? S. H. in Montana seams to have misconceptions about Paleo and the meat vs. veggie ratio. I have much more energy and no digestive problems on Paleo.

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      Sibyl: There are two different products available for the Fat Flush program – Fat Flush (undenatured) Whey and Fat Flush Body Protein (brown rice and pea) for those who can’t tolerate the whey.

      Reply
  10. Shella

    I found the fat flush put too much emphasis on meat and stopped after a year and a half because it was causing me digestive troubles – even though I successfully lost weight. When I focussed on mostly vegetables/plant-based foods, I found myself hungry all the time. With paleo – and the inclusion of healthy fats – I eat minimal amounts of meat (no more than 4 oz for 2 meals a day), all the veggies I want and utilize healthy fats – avocado, flax, etc – and I feel GREAT! Carbs are really my enemy – one or two pieces of GF toast a week would cause me to gain weight. So no bread, pasta or other gratuitous carbs. My point being, there is no one magic meal plan for everyone. Ann Louise’s fat flush plan comes very, very close, though.

    Reply
  11. Theresa

    It sounds like many people have found success with a modified Phase 3 (Maintenance) Lifestyle Plan that was introduced over a decade ago in Fat Flush. Ann Louise was the first to write about healthy fats at a time when nobody was talking about it. She introduced me to flaxseed oil and black currant seed oil. Her programs emphasized healthy fats like coconut, sesame. and avocado long before they became popular in the mainstream media. One man’s meat may indeed be another man’s poison but with Fat Flush, you can adapt and modify accordingly. Her book “Fat Flush for Life” has all the elements of health including wellness protocols (oil pulling), up-to-date workouts (yoga quickies, poses, and cardio exercises) and even touches about emotional overeating and makes use of Bach flower remedies.

    Reply
  12. Bianca

    I have tried them all and my diet now is the best of Fat Flush and Paleo. I do the lemon/water and cranwater of Fat Flush, use the Fat Flush Kit supplements and eat a ton of veggies with coconut oil. Thank you, Ann Louise, for all you have done to educate and support us for so many years!

    Reply
  13. Cynthia C

    The fat flush plan is awesome my problem is sticking to it I own a wonderful Italian restaurant my husband the chef gives me flack about eating healthy all the time.
    I get frustrated and give in to the sinfully delicious sauces pastas and warm and comforting delicious food
    That I often consume late at night and wash it down with a couple glasses of wine! I need to go to a fat flush fat farm eat healthy get massages do yoga & mini trampoline jump and best of all swim daily in the sunshine!
    That would be Awesome!
    I think Ann Louise is wonderful sharing her wisdom with us!!
    Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      Doesn’t that sound like paradise, Cynthia? Perhaps your hubbie would rise to the challenge if you dared him to create a number of Fat Flush style meals with his expertise!

      Reply
  14. Kim

    what do you think about hemp protein?

    Reply
  15. Team ALG

    Hemp protein is definitely coming into its own and is probably a wonderful protein source. That being said, the undenatured, unheated Fat Flush protein has the ability to produce glutathione with its unique blend of sulfur-bearing amino acids and help heal the liver. The high isoleucine content is specific for the maintenance of lean muscle so helpful in weight loss and the high BCA (branched chain aminos) keep the metabolic fires burning. I would keep to the FF Whey until a hemp protein can be proven to accomplish all that Whey does.

    Reply

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