Practical Paleo

Before starting my Paleo Challenge, I knew the bare minimum about the Paleo Diet: no grains or dairy. Since I love learning about food and the body, I purchased a couple of books on my Kindle and reserved some others at the public library.  The first book that I dove into was Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo.

Now that I have put my nose into a few other Paleo books, I'm very glad that I started out with Practical Paleo.  The book is just that… practical.  The Paleo diet is backed up by a lot of scientific studies and some of the concepts of why we should eliminate grains and dairy from our diet can go right over our heads (even mine - and I have a Biology degree)!

Practical Paleo is so wonderfully organized that if you have a specific autoimmune disease, you can flip to that chapter and read how this diet will assist you.  For instance, I'm very interested in Alzheimer's Disease since I have two grandparents (one maternal and one paternal) that have passed due to complications from Alzheimer's.  The book provides simple explanations of how following the diet can prevent Alzheimer's and even provides a 30-day meal plan targeted for Alzheimer's patients.  

If you don't have an autoimmune disease or digestive concerns, the book still provides 30-day meal plans for those interested in athletic performance or just overall general health.  The book really applies to any person and provides the basic knowledge and explanations of how the Paleo diet can change your life.

While I absolutely love my Kindle, I really wish I would have purchased the actual book since the book is filled with beautiful photos and easy-to-read illustrations.  

The Kindle obviously provides all of the information that the physical book offers but I felt that the organization was lacking in the electronic version.  The photos were limited and the topics seemed to jump around.  

I have noticed in other reviews that the information in Practical Paleo is very well-rounded and offers many different aspects (Sanfilippo often references other popular books/authors).  There are many books out there on Paleo but it seems that people refer back to Practical Paleo as their favorite reference.

The book also serves as an awesome recipe book by including over 120 recipes and I can already attest to a few!

This mustard glazed chicken thigh recipe was super simple and so delicious!  If I can follow these recipes, anyone can.

If you're looking for a book on the Paleo diet, I highly recommend Practical Paleo.  The book is worth every penny... even if you end up buying it just to drool over the pictures and look at the pretty colors.  I may have paid half the price on my Kindle than I would have had I purchased the actual book, but I highly recommend spending the extra few bucks to have this laying around the house for a great reference.