Ayurveda & The Paleo Diet Reviews – Dr. Akil Palanisamy

What is the Paleovedic diet? America’s most recognized and most trusted Ayurveda platform – The Ayurveda experience brings you the Ayurveda & The Paleo Diet book, written by Dr. Akil Palanisamy, M.D., a Harvard trained physician who practices integrative medicine which combines Ayurveda and Western medicine.

Studies show that the majority of Americans are micronutrient deficient which includes vitamins, minerals as well as phytochemicals, the compounds in plants that protect us against disease. These deficiencies indicate health risks such as diabetes, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

One of the major problems is the food supply which is different than it was years ago. The industrialized food that makes the fruits and vegetables look attractive, sweeter and larger kills the phytochemicals. Though many think that taking a vitamin pill (supplement) can negate the effects, the significant difference in eating whole foods is hard to replace.

Here are some of the nutrient-dense foods and 10 best ways to maximize its benefits.

• Eat dark-colored fruits and veggies – Eat lots of red, purple, and orange fruits and vegetables. More the color depth, the more phytonutrients it carries. Most of the plant’s antioxidants are on the skin or just below it, so try to eat the skin too. Buy organic if possible. Avocados are a great source of nutrients and even though we cannot eat the skin, make sure to scoop out all the flesh from the shells as it is the closest part to the skin that carries high amounts of antioxidants.
• Flush out toxins with beets – Beet greens are a great way to detoxify the body. While we know beets are a nutrient-dense food, did you know that the leafy greens at the top of the beet carry high antioxidants than the root itself? That’s right. The leafy greens of the beet have a rich source of multiple compounds that promote healthy liver function.
• Eat the right type of lettuce – One of the common greens we consume, the most popular lettuce is the iceberg that doesn’t carry many phytonutrients with little fiber. Romaine is a much better source of phytonutrients. Radicchio, arugula and green loose leaf are also best for a healthy body.

A healthy tip: Tear up the lettuce before storing in the fridge. The antioxidant value will double overnight. That’s because antioxidants are the reason plants defend themselves. When you tear up the lettuce, the antioxidants begin working as a defense mechanism which produces more phytonutrients.

• White foods are good for you (sometimes) – Cauliflower is an exception to the rule that bright-colored fruits and vegetables are best. Like all cruciferous vegetables, white cauliflower is known to have cancer-fighting compounds. If you find a purple or orange cauliflower, pick them too as they carry a high amount of nutrients.
• Sweet potatoes – Did you know that Americans usually consume three lbs. of sweet potatoes per person a year? The antioxidant properties and healing power of sweet potatoes are underestimated. Sweet potatoes (without the topping of marshmallows or in a pie) carry high glycemic content than regular potatoes. This means they won’t raise your blood sugar like a regular potato. Purple sweet potatoes too are amazing.
• Garlic, the universal healer – Known to have around 100 phytochemicals, Garlic cannot benefit you if you don’t use it the right way. The main compound in garlic requires around 10 minutes to become dynamic. So, the garlic needs to be crushed or mashed for the enzymatic process to start which kickstarts the antioxidant properties. Next time when you cook with garlic, make sure to crush or dice and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding it to your recipe.
• Pick your Onions – While onions add a lot of flavor and phytonutrients, the one that carries the most nutrients are scallions. Leeds and red onions too carry a lot of antioxidants while white and sweet onions have the least nutritional properties.
• Cook Tomatoes for optimum nutrition – Small and darker tomatoes have amazing properties. Cherry tomatoes are three times more powerful than larger tomatoes. That’s because they carry the most powerful antioxidant – lycopene. Though vegetables offer good nutrient value when eaten raw, the nutrient level rises when you cook your tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes change the shape of the lycopene molecule and double its healing properties while helping you to absorb the phytonutrients better.
• Spice it up – As per Ayurveda, spices play an important role as they carry amazing medicinal properties and can prevent chronic disease. A great source of antioxidants, spices are one of the nutrient-dense foods. Spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger can reduce inflammation which is one of the root causes of many modern health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Moreover, spices also enhance digestion and maintain healthy blood sugar and metabolism. Not to mention make your food taste better!
• Crunchy Cabbage – Cabbage is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world. However, many are available only in its green form. Pick red cabbage that carries 4x more nutrition than green cabbage. It is also highly nutritious when eaten raw. So, add red cabbage to your salad or make a slaw of it. Even sauerkraut made of red cabbage is a good source of fermented veggies.

How does The Paleovedic diet help?

Dr. Akil coined the term Paleovedic diet and in his book – The Paleovedic diet: AComplete program to burn fat, he explains why people aren’t getting enough nutrients and 10 ways to boost the nutrient density of what you are eating.

Surely you have heard of the Paleo – a diet that asks you to avoid grains, legumes, dairy and all refined processed junk foods and eating that are more in line of what our ancestors ate. And you may be heard of Ayurveda as well – a 5,000-year-old medicinal system practiced from centuries in India. As per Ayurveda, everyone is categorized into three “doshas” or the mind-body types which then guide you on what to eat and what to avoid.

Merging these two types gave birth to Paleovedic diet, a term coined by Dr. Palanisamy who practices in San Francisco. Though initially, it sounds gimmicky, the way of eating makes serious sense.

Here are a few reasons you should read the book, follow the lifestyle and how it helps you in more than one way.

1.       It’s personalized than Paleo.

Many people who follow the Paleo diet will vouch that they need to tweak it based on what your body truly needs which often requires some experimentation. And that’s what Palanisamy’s book is all about. He says, “I was seeing patients who were following Paleo but doing themselves harm by eating the foods which weren’t right for their body type or following a diet excessively low in carbs. That’s when I started combining it with the principles of Ayurveda”.

So how does Ayurveda work with Paleo? For each dosha in the book, you will find a checklist which will help you figure out your dominant dosha as per the physical and emotional behavior. Dr. Palanisamy also gives recommendations on how to tweak the Paleo-style diet – what to include and what to avoid. For instance, if you are a ‘Vata’, that is characterized by being light, cold and feeling frazzled or anxious, you will need warming and grounding foods such as meat, fats like ghee, and spices such as ginger and turmeric.

2.       The scienceis finally catching up.

The research is finally catching up with the claims for both Paleo and Ayurveda. Paleo diets are linked to reduced inflammation, stabilized blood sugar levels, low LDL cholesterol, lower risk of diabetes and improvement in symptoms for many autoimmune conditions while Dr. Palanisamy says that studies show that the three doshas are linked with the variances in specific genes thus supporting the idea that altering your diet can make the genes active or inactive.

3.       Paleovedic diet focuses more than just protein, fat and carbs.

In the Paleovedic book, Palanisamy digs deep into the nutrient-rich spices, herbs and detoxifying fruits and veggies that are predominant in Ayurvedic medicine and reduce inflammation. It also helps in warming or cooling the body and supporting the liver by improving the ability to eliminate toxins from the body. For instance, beet greens are one of the Palanisamy’s favorite detoxifying veggies.

So, unlike Paleo, it’s not just about avoiding refined carbs, sugars and other whole foods and hoping for best results.

4.       It is easier to follow than the same ol’ Paleo.

As the Paleovedic diet is personalized and imposes on the intake of phytonutrients, it’s more realistic for anyone to follow them as compared to the strict Paleo.

It also rejects many aggravating foods which is beneficial for people who have digestive and autoimmune disorders.

Paleovedic diet food list

Here is the grocery list you will love to shop.

Type	To shop list
Green leafy vegetables	Spinach, Kale, Asparagus, Romaine, Leeks
Root vegetables	Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Carrots, Plantain, Beets
Cruciferous vegetables	Broccoli, Kale, Bok Choy, Arugula, Watercress
Other vegetables	Artichokes, Onions, Green Onions (scallions), Shallots, Spirulina, Wheatgrass
Fruits	Blackberries, Plums, Mango, Papaya, Watermelon, Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, Kiwi, Cherries, Blood Orange, Navel Orange, Peaches, Apples, Grapes, Raspberries, Pineapple, Tangerines
Legumes	Lentils, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans
Fats & Oils	Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Ghee, Avocado
Nuts & Seeds	Macadamia, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Cashews, Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds
Grain & Oats	Quinoa, Oatmeal, Granola, Amaranth
Animal-based Protein	Lamb, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Salmon, Eggs, Mackerel, Trout, Sardines, Flounder, Snapper
Fermented foods (probiotics)	Yogurt, Kefir, Ginger, Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Cucumber, Sauerkraut, Natto, Lemon/Lime Juice, Lassi, Kombucha, Miso
Prebiotics	Garlic, Onions, Bananas, Jerusalem Artichoke, Oatmeal, Asparagus, Chicory, Leeks, Beets, Yuca, Sweet Potatoes, Taro, Lentils, Yogurt, and Black Beans
Miscellaneous Foods	Bone Broth, Dark Chocolate
Spices	Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon, Black Cumin, Cumin, Fenugreek, Clove, Fennel, Coriander, Allspice, Ajwain, Curry Leaf, Saffron, Garlic, Black Pepper

Warning: Make sure to consult your health practitioner if you are taking any medication such as blood thinners before following the Paleo Ayurvedic weight loss diet.

You will also find many Paleovedic recipes available in the book that will help you to prepare your daily food plan.

The Paleovedic diet reviews

The product is available not only in The Ayurveda Experience website but also on Amazon. It has received 4.4 / 5-star ratings on Amazon by 142 users.

Here are a few of the reviews from users.

• JT – “A mind-opening book. Dr. Palanisamy does a great job of merging Ayurveda with Paleo diet. Debating the notion of “one size fits all”, this customized diet program as per one’s body type is provided. It also gives information on focusing on sleep, breathing, exercise, mind-body-spirit connection and detoxification.”
• Jacqueline N Colon – “This book does a great job of tying together elements from different diet and giving unique recommendations to different body types. Dr. Akil has been my doctor for almost 3 years and he has changed my life. Will never go back to non-integrative/non-functional medicine approach again.”
• Amazon customer – “Love this book as it is for everybody. I ate this book. Highly recommended for people who want to learn about gut health, autoimmune disease, probiotics, antibiotics and how to improve your diet with specific superfoods.”

Where to buy The Paleovedic diet book online?

The book can be purchased from the official website of The Ayurveda Experience. It is also available on Amazon.

NOTE: The Ayurveda & Paleo diet is available in digital format at The Ayurveda Experience. However, it is available in the Book format (Hardcover, Paperback and Kindle) at Amazon.

Shipping and Return Policy

The Ayurveda Experience offers free shipping anywhere in the USA. The company also provides worldwide shipping. But you need to pay for the shipping charges.

The product comes with a 30-day refund policy from the date of order/purchase. Bear in mind that you cannot return the product without a receipt.

Contact the Ayurveda Experience Customer Support

• Send an email to care@theayurvedaexperience.com with your order number and the photo of the product. Make sure to include all the accessories that come in the original package.
• Once you receive confirmation, you can send the package to:

The Ayurveda Experience, C/O Nataraj Books Inc., 7967 Twist Lane, Springfield, VA 22153 (Within the US).

Transformative Learning Solutions Pvt. Ltd., 1-G Bharat Nagar Estate, New Friends Colony, New Delhi – 110025 (if you are residing other than the US).

Once the company receives the package, you will get a refund (excluding delivery charges).

Bottomline

Though this may not be the be-all and end-all of healthy eating, it certainly promises a healthy body and mind which is quite intriguing and might be a shot if you are looking for a way to eat healthily that makes you look and feel awesome.