Vegan or paleo? Two approaches to nutrition that are completely opposed. How is it possible that both have considerably improved the health of many people?Both the nutritionists that favour vegan plant-based diets and those that stand for paleo diets have very good arguments supported by scientific studies. Innumerable testimonials are cited on both sides crediting the respective diet for their healing while criticising the damaging effects of the opposite diet on their health. The explanation for this may be found in the fact that both entail an improvement compared to a conventional “healthy and balanced diet”.
In the vegan diet, this improvement is the elimination of animal products and sub-products; while in the paleo diet grains, beans and pulses are removed. That is to say, not one but both of these foods are detrimental to our health: animal products, as well as grains and pulses. As such, by eliminating any of these foods, our health will benefit, as long as they are replaced with healthier products.
That is, if a person becomes vegan by replacing animal products by eating more bread, pizza, pasta and desserts, their health will worsen. In the same way, if by adopting a paleo diet grains and pulses are replaced with processed meat, canned fish, and dairy products, one’s health will also decline.
Instead, the replacement must be made by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables. By doing so, either diet will bring about an improvement.
However, if one’s health does not improve even after making the replacement with fruits and vegetables, it is possible that the chosen diet was not appropriate to the type of healing (i.e. addressing a specific disease/illness) that was needed. For example, the principal causing factors of the Raynaud syndrome are the complex carbohydrates, so a vegan diet based on grains and starches won’t work. In this case, a paleo diet is more suitable. When following a paleo diet, however, it’s possible that new symptoms may begin to appear, including fatigue, dark circles under the eyes, constipation, bloating, slowing down of mental abilities, or even memory problems.
The improvement achieved by one of these diets would be even more significant if both of these were combined, by becoming vegan and paleo at the same time. How can we do this? This is possible by eating only the foods that are common in both diets.
Although there can be big differences between different branches of vegan or paleo diets, in general the food that is allowed in both diets are: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. And these are precisely the foods that are recommended by the Natural Hygiene approach to health as the best sources of nutrition for humans.
As always, it is important to consider that one’s health condition may temporarily worsen in the process of changing one’s diet, due to the detoxification and possible withdrawal to food products that one might have been addicted to. In this case, consulting a nutritional therapist can be helpful.
Thus, if changing to a paleo or vegan diet has improved your health and you want to progress even further, opt for a paleo and vegan diet.
In the vegan diet, this improvement is the elimination of animal products and sub-products; while in the paleo diet grains, beans and pulses are removed. That is to say, not one but both of these foods are detrimental to our health: animal products, as well as grains and pulses. As such, by eliminating any of these foods, our health will benefit, as long as they are replaced with healthier products.
That is, if a person becomes vegan by replacing animal products by eating more bread, pizza, pasta and desserts, their health will worsen. In the same way, if by adopting a paleo diet grains and pulses are replaced with processed meat, canned fish, and dairy products, one’s health will also decline.
Instead, the replacement must be made by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables. By doing so, either diet will bring about an improvement.
However, if one’s health does not improve even after making the replacement with fruits and vegetables, it is possible that the chosen diet was not appropriate to the type of healing (i.e. addressing a specific disease/illness) that was needed. For example, the principal causing factors of the Raynaud syndrome are the complex carbohydrates, so a vegan diet based on grains and starches won’t work. In this case, a paleo diet is more suitable. When following a paleo diet, however, it’s possible that new symptoms may begin to appear, including fatigue, dark circles under the eyes, constipation, bloating, slowing down of mental abilities, or even memory problems.
The improvement achieved by one of these diets would be even more significant if both of these were combined, by becoming vegan and paleo at the same time. How can we do this? This is possible by eating only the foods that are common in both diets.
Although there can be big differences between different branches of vegan or paleo diets, in general the food that is allowed in both diets are: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. And these are precisely the foods that are recommended by the Natural Hygiene approach to health as the best sources of nutrition for humans.
As always, it is important to consider that one’s health condition may temporarily worsen in the process of changing one’s diet, due to the detoxification and possible withdrawal to food products that one might have been addicted to. In this case, consulting a nutritional therapist can be helpful.
Thus, if changing to a paleo or vegan diet has improved your health and you want to progress even further, opt for a paleo and vegan diet.
