Author Topic: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind  (Read 8158 times)

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Offline Projectile Vomit

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Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« on: July 04, 2011, 08:35:29 am »
A book recently came out entitled Primal Diet, Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas.  It is not related to Aajonus V's Primal Diet, and from the interviews I've heard it sounds like a melding of the Weston A Price Diet and a more typical Paleo Diet.  Anyone read the book yet, and want to offer any thoughts?

Offline Ioanna

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2011, 08:44:15 am »
It's been a while, but I read it... and did not like it.  It's so poorly written, like with haste to the publisher.  She has nothing to offer, not one original thought. She just put together a collection of studies that support WP. 

A newbie may find it a good overview?

She strongly advocates not more than 50 g protein per day, the remainder of diet fat.  Her recipes at the end have all kinds of ingredients outside this, even chocolate which she says is good.

Maybe someone here has a completely opposite opinion, but I didn't like the book so much that I was annoyed reading it.

Offline Projectile Vomit

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2011, 05:41:01 am »
I just received the updated (2011) version of her book, and it doesn't give me the impression of being poorly written at all.  In fact I'd say it's among the better written paleo diet-esque books I've seen.  I haven't finished reading it yet, but will offer a review once I have.

Offline Löwenherz

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2011, 04:08:40 pm »
A book recently came out entitled Primal Diet, Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas.  It is not related to Aajonus V's Primal Diet, and from the interviews I've heard it sounds like a melding of the Weston A Price Diet and a more typical Paleo Diet.  Anyone read the book yet, and want to offer any thoughts?

She recommends very low carb (zero fruit) PLUS low protein. Her diet is based on pasteurized butter. A pure disaster for me...

Löwenherz

Offline HIT_it_RAW

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2011, 06:36:16 pm »
She recommends very low carb (zero fruit) PLUS low protein. Her diet is based on pasteurized butter. A pure disaster for me...

Löwenherz
On low carb the body needs a lot of protein. Protein is used for glucose production in ketogenic state. Especially in the beginning the brain and nervous system need some glucose. To little protein and the body will start to break down muscle to get enough.
“A man should be able to build a house, butcher a hog, tan the hide,
preserve the meat, deliver a baby, nurture the sick and reassure the dying, fight a war … specialization is for insects.”

Offline Projectile Vomit

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2011, 07:17:52 pm »
She recommends very low carb (zero fruit) PLUS low protein. Her diet is based on pasteurized butter. A pure disaster for me...

Did you actually read the book? I don't see where you got this from. She actually recommends low fruit intake, not zero fruit, to reduce the harmful effects of fructose. She recommends enough protein for bodily maintenance and repair, perhaps just a bit more, to reduce the conversion of protein to sugar so as to help the body learn to burn fat for energy. She DOES NOT recommend a diet based on pasteurized butter and does not recommend the consumption of pasteurized dairy more generally, so I have no idea where you got that from. I agree that if you followed the advice you offered it would probably be disastrous, but you didn't get that from this book, it came from elsewhere...
« Last Edit: July 18, 2011, 09:13:16 pm by TylerDurden »

Offline Löwenherz

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2011, 01:35:30 am »
Did you actually read the book? I don't see where you got this from. She actually recommends low fruit intake, not zero fruit, to reduce the harmful effects of fructose. She recommends enough protein for bodily maintenance and repair, perhaps just a bit more, to reduce the conversion of protein to sugar so as to help the body learn to burn fat for energy. She DOES NOT recommend a diet based on pasteurized butter and does not recommend the consumption of pasteurized dairy more generally, so I have no idea where you got that from. I agree that if you followed the advice you offered it would probably be disastrous, but you didn't get that from this book, it came from elsewhere...

Of course, I read the book.

Her own diet is based (calorically) on pasteurized butter, according to some interviews. To be more exact: Pasteurized Irish Kerry Gold.

She definetely recommends low protein intake because she thinks that high protein intake accelerates the aging process (MTOR etc. etc.)

And yes, she thinks that fructose (even from fruit) is harmful. Therefore her recommendation goes clearly against fruit consumption.

Löwenherz

Offline p0wer

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2011, 01:53:55 am »
From the sample chapter of the book: http://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/Pre-Production.pdf

Quote
What Do All the Longest-living Individuals Have in Common?

    Low fasting insulin levels
    Low fasting glucose
    Optimally low leptin
    Low triglycerides
    Low percentage of visceral body fat
    Lower body temperature

Does anyone here sees something wrong? Low body temperature?? Low fasting glucose (not sure what's low fasting glucose according to her, but hopefully it's not much lower than 90)? Somehow I don't think these exactly will help you live longer (or if they do then it will be a crappy life).

Offline Projectile Vomit

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2011, 10:17:19 am »
Just finished the book. This is the best book catering to those interested in the paleo diet that I have read, and it was updated and a new edition published this year so it is very up-to-date. At the end she even recommends specifically eating at least 50 percent of one's calories RAW, INCLUDING ANIMAL FOODS. She mentions freezing and marinades for those who are still hesitant because of parasites, but seems to dismiss the parasite issue. It's almost as if she's read through this site...

As noted above she recommends a low sugar intake, particularly fructose, so she downplays the role that fruit should play in a person's diet. She makes something of an exception with berries though, since they are lower in sugar than more "domesticated" fruits like apples and stonefruit (i.e. peaches, nectarines, cherries, etc.) Her general dietary recommendations are to eat fat until feelings of hunger dissipate, then eat enough protein from animal products to meet your body's rebuilding and maintenance needs. She recommends a fairly low protein intake, because a lot of research correlates lower but adequate protein consumption with greater longevity and staying sharper later in life. Her recommendation for protein intake translates to 6-8 ounces of meat per day for an average person, a bit more for those who are athletic and have greater needs for repair (I'd probably fall in this latter category due to my exercise routine and martial training...).

Overall a great book. I recommend it highly!

Offline KD

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2011, 11:28:20 am »
I havn't read the book but I've tended to agree with the info i've heard from her elsewhere (radio shows/articles) and from others who have read it. I seem to follow alot of her guidelines and find her to be a rare healthy/non-crazy personality in this whole thing.

I think she seems to get the most flack for presenting what amounts to a calorie restricted program..I guess because its both low in carbs and protein and generally difficult for active people to eat well over 2-3k cal from fat without fat/proteins like eggs/milk products (& nuts I guess) etc...

Offline klowcarb

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Re: Nora Gedgaudas - Primal Diet, Primal Mind
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2011, 10:21:49 pm »
It is great for those who are sendentary. Not me. I need a lot of protein and calories. Plus, unless you are eating a lot of organ meats, I see major nutrient deficiencies.

 

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