Victory Belt Publishing Practical Paleo, 2nd Edition (updated And Expanded): A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle

In a world that sometimes seems dominated by men (Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Chris Kresser, etc.), Diane Sanfilippo has distinguished herself as probably the most respected female go-to source for information about the Paleo eating approach as well as simply overall better health through *real food.* I've been following her work for a few years now, and if you're familiar with any of her work through her Balanced Bites website and podcast, then you know she provides an astoundingly generous amount of information for free. With that in mind, when she does put something out there for sale, you *know* it's going to be top-notch and worth every penny and then some. Practical Paleo is no exception.First of all, the book is a work of art. If you've only bought the electronic version, I highly recommend getting a copy of the print book because it could grace your coffee table as well as any fancy, hard-bound art or culture book. The food photography is beautiful and the book is loaded with colorful--but more importantly--*helpful*--charts, diagrams, and illustrations.Second, even if you have no interest in transitioning to a Paleo-style diet, this book is worth its price as a cookbook alone. I dare you to serve these recipes to anyone who thinks a meal is not complete without pasta, bread, or rice. They will be deliciously satisfied by meat, vegetables, and natural fats. You don't have to be a 5-star chef to make delicious meals at home. When you use real, whole, unprocessed foods and know your way around a spice rack, it's easy to create drool-worthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even on busy weeknights.Third, and most important, this book is an indispensable guide to the whys and wherefores of the Paleo approach, and how to tailor it for everything from shedding a couple of pounds to reversing debilitating conditions like MS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and the kind of digestive distress that literally prevents some people from leading normal lives. Diane has absolutely outdone herself here. In language that is simple to understand but detailed enough to cover all the bases, she outlines the connections between our modern diets and lifestyles--high in refined carbohydrates, inflammation-promoting vegetable oils, and all manner of fake and processed foods, and low on good quality sleep, stress management, fresh air, and calm, positive mental outlooks--and the myriad health conditions we're experiencing as a population. Most of these, from heart disease to rheumatoid arthritis to type 2 diabetes, are largely preventable and if you're already suffering from them, switching to a Paleo approach stands a great chance of reversing them. (As a professional nutritionist, I'm not allowed to say "cure," but I would if I could. That's how powerful these dietary and lifestyle changes can be.) If you've been doing "all the right things" (basing your diet on starchy carbohydrates and eating lots of whole grains and soy, consuming only fat-free dairy, throwing out your egg yolks, eating skinless chicken instead of red meat and pork, and spending hours and hours on a treadmill or elliptical machine) but have failed to see any improvements in your health or weight, do your body (and spirit!) a favor and GET. THIS. BOOK.If you want to dive deep into the biochemistry and human physiology that underpins advice to avoid grains, legumes, and some forms of dairy, there are other books that are more scientifically oriented and better suited for that. But if you're looking for a real world, down-to-earth guide that will give you all the information you need to get started--including detailed 30-day meal plans and supplement suggestions for 11 different goals/health conditions--this is for you. This is also the kind of book you can give your mother/brother/friend/coworker -- the one who notices how much better you've been feeling (and looking) and who keeps asking you questions about "how you did it," but whose eyes glaze over the minute you start talking about healing your gut.Diane could not have made this any easier for you -- recipes, meal plans, supplement suggestions, and even substitutions here and there for variations to address specific conditions or food sensitivities. She's done all the heavy lifting here. Short of coming to your house and cooking *for* you, she's given you everything you need to jump in and FEEL BETTER.If you're suffering from any sort of digestive problems, issues with blood sugar regulation, energy crashes, brain fog, allergies, or an autoimmune condition, you owe it to yourself to get this book. You *can* help yourself, and it can be done without expensive lifelong prescriptions and doctor visits so frequent you think your copays have probably put your MD's kids through college. Take charge of your own health. Start with your diet. You don't have to spend your days in pain and discomfort. You *can* feel like a million bucks. Let Practical Paleo be what sets you on your way there.

This was one of my first Paleo books and still one of the best, in my opinion. I have used her recipes more than any other Paleo cookbook I own. I appreciate that her baked goods used coconut flour vs nut flour as we have nut allergies in our family. The Gingerbread muffins are out of this world--the book is worth it to get that recipe alone. They are delicious and moist and do not taste like a gluten free muffin.One small issue is the index-- she tries to be helpful by having an ingredient index and then an index for topics in the book, but some major areas are missing from the ingredient index. When I want to make a chicken recipe, I usually flip to the index and look up "Chicken". And while there are a lot of great chicken recipes, they aren't indexed that way (at and a few other ingredients, like salmon and fish in general). That said, the recipe section is organized very well, and the edges of the pages have the categories color coded, so a quick flip brings me to the Poultry section.She provides a variety of homemade seasoning blends which are tasty and affordable. I enjoy the recipes in is book a lot because they seem to appeal to a mass audience. These are recipes I can make for my family and my children will eat them. (Side note--Another great Paleo cookbook is Well Fed, but the hard part for me with that one is the dishes are heavily spiced--most of them are too strong/too hot/too much for small children. A nice resource to experience new favors, but not ideal for young children. )One of the most beneficial elements of this book are the 30 day meal plans--there are a wide variety, for instance for digestive health, or for auto-immune conditions. This is an incredibly valuable resource.The photos in this book are wonderful and there are a ton of them. The sheer amount of information in this book makeit a must-have addition to your Paleo library.If you are new to Paleo, this is an excellent, user friendly guide to the hows and the whys in a very readable format (lots of information, but not dull or overly textual). It will provide you with all the information, and then give you ways (thru the recipes and meal plans) to execute it.Highly recommended.

Ce livre sur le "régime" paleo est très accessible et est un très bon complément au livre de Robb Wolf "The Paleo Solution". Il permet de comprendre simplement et facilement les mécanismes de l'alimentation et l'influence qu'a ce que l'on mange sur notre santé.La seconde partie contient de très bonne recette qui sont assez simple d'exécution.

**Come notato, questo libro e' scritto in inglese. Anche le misure sono "imperial" (americane). Se qualcuno ha una domanda riguardante le ricette o le misure, chiedetemi! :)**This book is, hands down, the best paleo book I've bought to-date (and I've bought an impressive stack)! If you're looking for a "first" paleo cookbook, this is the one as it has menus, spice blends, pantry lists, and other information I found to be very helpful when first starting out with the paleo diet in addition to many wonderful recipes.For me, it was just the right explanation of how to make paleo work for me and I've recommended it to friends and family since. Great book!

This is an excellent book. It is well researched and offers a comprehensive guide to the Paleo diet. It contains several meal plans, designed to help with different conditions you may have. It very detailed and informative. The recipes are wonderful and work the at the first try. Even though the recipes may seem quite unusual (for instance roasted butternut squash with coconut butter and cinnamon and one thinks, no way this is never going to work... ) I have found this is one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. What I also like are the tear out guides to help with shopping and pantry organisation. If you are interested in the paleo diet, this is the book for you. After 2,5 weeks I have lost 10lbs already, without a lot of exercise, just 15 min walk in the morning and at night. Following this diet and the tips in this book makes me feel better, this is why it is so easy for me to stick with it. And I do not feel like I am missing out on other foods because my body gets all it needs, and can let go of the excess.