Primal Minded Practitioners?
I know what many of you are already thinking: where do I sign up? Let’s face it: we organize much of our lifestyles contrary to CW specifically to live healthier and feel better. When it’s check up time, however, we find ourselves back in foreign territory. If it’s just an annual ritual, we can grit our teeth through the usual advice and make the best of it. On the other hand, if we’re receiving care for on ongoing condition and using the Primal Blueprint to get on top of our health – or if we’re just looking for more from our health care – it’s harder to skirt the Primal issue. Some practitioners will listen and offer gentle, cautionary advice. Others will agree to give your approach “a chance” before going back to their prescribed route. A few will unfortunately fly off the handle and tell you they will need to sever the treatment relationship if you continue on this ill-advised course. It can be a tricky, awkward situation to handle: living out your Primal principles while trying to garner benefit and help from your conventional (a.k.a. insurance covered) health care providers. A less explored question is this: what is it like to be on the other side of the fence? What is it like to be a Primal-minded medical practitioner swimming against a wholly un-Primal mainstream?
It’s one thing to swim against the current in your own personal life and quite another to openly navigate a professional career devoted to Primal health. What is it like to live one way but feel held back from sharing the truth with one’s patients and clients – the very people whose care is entrusted to you? Is there a place for Primal yet in the medical field?
The establishment, as we know, sticks with the same old, same old in rampant fear of litigation. (I’m sure Primal-minded practitioners are forever conscious of this anvil over their heads.) Ironically, for the establishment it doesn’t matter if conventional results themselves are lacking or even fatal – as long as the treatment regimen coheres with accepted CW. If the majority agree to uphold the same message, it’s the prisoner’s dilemma, I guess.
For many practitioners and health care students, however, the incongruence between common practice and they’ve come to know as common (Primal) sense becomes a source of continual stress and even fundamental questioning about their career trajectories. Here’s just a sampling of the mail I get:
My question is, what kind of careers are available to a B.S. in Nutrition with a primal/paleo methodology? I imagine I will have to forge my own path; despite the fact that the paleo/primal community is growing, it still isn’t generally accepted.
I’m dreading the idea of doing a year long ADA dietetic internship (despite being called in internship, I pay tuition and do not receive pay), followed by a state licensure exam in order to become an RD, when I disagree with the majority of the ADA’s positions! Unfortunately, opportunities seem quite limited without that RD after my name.
I’m an MD just finishing up my first year of family practice residency…, and I am going crazy!! I have had it up to here (my eyeballs) with modern medicine and how it exists basically to manage disease and not promote health. …My dilemma: I’m an MD who wants to do paleo, paleo, paleo! I’ve even toyed with the idea of getting out of residency after my intern year. I would if I could find gainful employment that would help me pay off loans and get on track to starting my paleo-centered practice.
Currently, I’m in my last year of school … studying nutrition and can honestly say the best thing I have gotten out of it has been the biochemistry classes I’ve taken. I’m going to get my RD credentials within the next year, but definitely don’t want to be stuck in a hospital treating sick patients and (for the most part) making them sicker or not helping them to my fullest potential. To me, that’s against my morals. I’m considering starting up a private practice that focuses more on the paleo lifestyle, but I was just wondering if you had any thoughts on other options for those of us with nutrition backgrounds.
The conundrum becomes this: how does a Primal practitioner maintain gainful employment and fulfillment in his/her chosen health care field? Sure, there are a few big names: Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, Loren Cordain, cardiologist and blogger Dr. William Davis, and geneticist and researcher Cynthia Kenyon. Other than Dr. Davis, they’ve all gone the route of teaching, research, and publishing. They’re high profile, effective messengers for a better health approach and those who would follow and practice it. Nonetheless, barriers still remain in the day to day practice of health care.
The right path will ultimately be different for each practitioner. Some will choose to head out on alternative tracks in research, publishing, or less conventional health domains. Others will add their unique and needed expertise to change the system from within the heart of the beast – however slow and small (yet significant) their steps toward progress. Obviously, it’s not a black and white issue, and my point here isn’t to stand in judgment of anyone as they navigate the murky waters. It’s not about who can both live and “work” the most genuinely Primal. Rather, I think it’s a chance to further explore – and support – the opportunities of Primal minded professionals.
For those who choose to go out on their own, don’t underestimate the power of networking – virtual and old school. Get your name on the full array of low carb, paleo, and Primal directories. Get connected with local professionals and centers that cater to people who already view wellness (and health care) outside the restrictive bounds of CW: chiropractors, osteopaths, naturopaths, midwives, and even doulas (trust me – these women can network!).
Then there are the semantics. While paleo or Primal raises eyebrows, something like “functional medicine” (which approaches health in terms of nurturing the whole or “holistic” system rather than treating isolated conditions) can perhaps fly more effectively under the radar if you’re working in a more traditional health care setting. As a more widely recognized philosophy, FM can also garner you attention from more alternative/open-minded clients. The Institute for Functional Medicine is a pretty established and expansive organization with some serious networking clout. Granted, it’s more than just tomato-”tomahhto.” Functional medicine is a pretty big umbrella (one that might present its own conflicts), but it might be an area to look into.
For those of you looking for a Primal minded practitioner (or want to see how – and where) others are navigating the medical field with their alternative principles, you can check out Robb Wolf’s new directory (under construction as we speak) as well as Jimmy Moore’s catalog. You’ll find a lot of chiropractors, acupuncturists, osteopaths, and naturopaths. However, you’ll also find a few pioneering family physicians, cardiologists, bariatric specialists, and even a neurosurgeon! Folks, they’re out there. I think we’re just on the cusp of making these pivotal networking connections.
With that, let me open up the issue for lively discussion as a good old Primal community – a resourceful, thoughtful, informed lot if there ever was one, I’d say. Share your thoughts on connecting with Primal minded practitioners or seeking out professional networks that support Primal physicians. Thanks for reading today.
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
I found a cardiologist who’s very much on board with paelo principals. I see him once a year for a full work up… full blood work (including vit D), ecocardiogram, etc. Good stuff.
You are so very lucky! A friend of mine sees a cardiologist who has him on a strict CW diet. His wife recently posted in FB about how she was cooking bacon for his birthday – the one day a year he’s “allowed” to have it.
Ugh! I just wanted to scream through the computer, but I’ve discovered that’s not a positive way to help others
I don’t have health insurance, so… ya. I prey that I am healthy. And why I live primal. Apple and bacon every day keep the doctor away!
Will you please share his / her name and location? Thanks.
who is s/he? And where?
great topic! we are definitely out here, but having directories and networks will definitely help. The ADA still considers Paleo a fad diet, so they aren’t likely to help us reach people who are trying to find us any time soon.
Yes we are out here! As a well read, primal-paleo-evolutionary-registered dietitian here in Manchester, New Hampshire, I am lucky to work with a physician, Dr Catherine Shanahan, who practices Deep Nutrition, focused on the roots of medical issues at a cellular genetic level. Marks carbohydrate curve is a great tool.
The primal community had substantial growth over the past year. I know this because I have been primal for 13 months. I sense a MASSIVE growth over the next year.
I firmly believe that it will not be long at all before more and more health related professionals begin giving advice based on primal principles. It will grow too much to not see this happen and primal living is simply logical living.
Let us all keep spreading the word!
If we all spread the word there isns’t enough meat to go around for everyone.
Then we’re right back to square 1.
Also, I think that the grass-fed community has grown, but not the primal one. People showing up at farmer’s markets may buy grassfed everything, but also march right over to the ‘organic’ soy and wheat and gluten free rice stand and make that their biggest purchase.
Also, every year I’ve noticed people buying fruit out the yin yang..but ignore vegetables.
I was the only 1 that purchased most of the diff. kinds of lettuce everyone had, the farmer’s told me so. I am also the only 1 that buys bones and organ meats…my meat farmer told me so.
At least people are catching on to the whole factory farm meats = bad….grassfed/finished meats = good, thing. The grain/fiber community is higher than ever. I see it every 3rd day I go to the local supermarket. Also see more young people trying the vegetarian way of eating…I look at everyones cart! lol
There’s definitely enough meat to go around… if we redefine the concept. I, for one, welcome our new insect edibles.
Due to government subsidies & insurance that guarantee farmers a profit a lot of farmers have abandoned livestock production. Absent government intervention livestock is probably more profitable than grain production, and a lot less polluting to streams and rivers. You can thank Monsanto & Archer Daniels Midland for government involvement in agriculture.
I have yet to start school, but going for a career that would promote primal health is something I get so passionate about… or maybe opening a primal restaurant. Mark, how did you start your supplement company?
I was hoping to go a nutritionist route, but seeing how hopelessly intolerant with conventional wisdom nowadays, I find myself at a crossroad; in which I’m not willing to compromise.
Also – if we are vocal about our lifestyle(s) with our practioners. If they see what we are able to accomplish with our own bodies, with our own diets & exercise, one-by-one we can open other eyes and ears…
I wish it were that easy. You have to remember that many in the medical field have been very effectively brainwashed. They are sleep deprived for long periods of time while being fed CW. I’ve had my run in’s.
My best friends husband is a Radiologist. He came down with thyroid cancer. He chose chemo ( came in a pill not a liquid) over surgery or diet. He believes 100% what he practices and doesn’t think that his job or diet had anything to do with him coming down with cancer. He thinks 100% that radiology kills cancer…that’s how brainwashed these medical professionals are!
And when I told my friend how I eat now and finally lost weight and all my other ailments, all she said was “That’s interesting”. She continues to gain weight and b*tches about it, but won’t give up her eating out daily, sometimes twice, her soy milk and bran muffin in the morning and her margarita consumption in the evenings.
It’s ironic.
I’m sorry to disagree with your statement, but radiation therapy IS an effective means to kill cancer cells. It works. It kills the cells. But the problem with radiation and chemo is they generally target the healthy tissues too. There are also some well-known hereditary syndromes that have thyroid cancers as part of the constellation, so to assume your friend’s job and/or livestyle “game” him cancer is inaccurate. I am a physician myself. I’ve seen patients cured by allopathic medicine. It works. The problem is that its not the absence of disease that indicates health, and that’s largely how we are taught in medical school. Wait for the disease to pop up, then try to kill it.
There are many emotional reasons why people can’t give up their bad habits too. I think some people are genuinely afraid to take control of their lives because they open themselves up to the perceived possibility of failing.
My husband had thyroid cancer last year. Experts are increasingly finding solid links to environmental toxins. Although we’ve always practiced non-toxic living and eating, he grew up next to a farm that used pesticides. Although diet and a low stress lifestyle certainly can increase your overall health, it’s a mistake to assume they’re the only influences. More and more of us are living in a chemical soup (no matter how hard we try to avoid it). Industry — agriculture and otherwise — gets the green light to poison the environment and the population.
Including more raditaion now being pumped into our atmosphere. I’m surprised Fukushima has not made it on to a blog about health. If you want to look at cancer caused by radiation, consider that 50% of breast cancer occurs in women living near nuclear power plants but they only account for 10% of the female population.
Your’e an idiot & a retard “primal palate.” Seriously, stop giving people incorrect information.
THANK YOU!!! I’ve had that same problem with MANY people. It edges on offensive the amount I get complained to when I’ve offered an alternative. To one I said: Look, you don’t have to go Primal, but at least try something new for once or shut up about your weight and food.
She decided to shut up and continue her ways that have gotten her nowhere in YEARS.
With the government certifying and regulating everything relating to health, this could be a rising threat to anyone attempting to practice medicine in contradiction to state dogma.
Perhaps Primal/Paleo practitioners should create a religion, and all of those practicing health advise can call themselves priests. The government hasn’t attacked freedom of religion to the same degree it’s attacked freedom to conduct voluntary trade for mutual benefit.
Right now, we have witch doctors masquerading as doctors, so one might need to reverse roles and have doctors’ rights protected by masquerading as religion-protected witch doctors.
I like this!!
If it’s gonna be a religion, I’m out.
It already is a religion from the outside looking in. Even from the periphery looking to the fundamentalists.
Not really. There is a lot of independent peer reviewed research out there that points to this being a very solid diet and lifestyle, overall. What’s more, there are thousands (tens of?) people who are experiencing great success following a simple prescription. Yes it requires that you change your habits, yes it requires that you possibly buck some existing trends, but that’s not a bad thing. Everyone used to smoke, then some people came out saying “Uh, I don’t think this is good for you.” Sure they were laughed at, at first, but now we have government ordinances that prevent people from smoking in public places. People used to think leisure suits were attractive. Again, cooler heads prevailed.
Just because something is the status quo doesn’t mean it’s right. Just because it’s hard to do doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
Yes, I understand that people who have transformed their health and wellness using this method are eager and excited to share their experiences with other people. Same goes for ANY method. You have GOMAD folks, vegans, ultramarathoners, and and they are all the same way. It’s just the way of people. Find something that works and shout it from the rooftops. No, this isn’t something as simple as sprinkling a little magic fairy dust onto food before you eat it, yes it requires some work. But the benefits, for me, are worth it. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about.
It’s true, I’ve had an argument with someone who seems to think I belong to a cult and have been completely brainwashed by it..
This is despite the fact that I gave numerous bits of research to support my argument, and his only one was “I’m a biochemistry student so clearly I’m the better informed” …
All I can say is that if this is what people thing of as a ‘cult’, then maybe they aren’t all as bad as they seem!
I think the Vegans already did this (“create a religion”)
I’m a nutritional anthropology major. I’ve found this to be the area I can learn the most from. I’m interested mostly in researching cultures diets in correlation with their common disorders and diseases. Anyone else in this field?
Didn’t know that WAS a field, but it sounds totally fascinating. What’s your area of interest?
When I was finishing up my Nutrition work, it was definitely frustrating! I had to choose the answer on tests that I knew they wanted, rather than the actual correct answer. I definitely tried to work in some primal influence in papers and written assignments, but it was a definite up hill battle. Now that I’m done, I’m able to work with clients from a primal/real food perspective, but getting here was tough.
One piece of advice for women- look for nurse midwives rather than OB/GYNs. Even if you aren’t pregnant or planning to be, most midwives offer well-woman and yearly care and they are much more naturally minded.
Katie, totally agree on nurse midwives. I wouldn’t trade my nurse midwife group for anything!
Wise words Wellness Mama! When you’re pregnant you have to stick with an OB/GYN for 9 months in a very intimate fashion. If the doctor is against the primal diet, which most MDs are it seems, it’s going to be a battle at a really critical and vulnerable time.
There are plenty of midwives out there who support the primal lifestyle and diet. In my own neighborhood I think there are two.
I would take that one step farther and say stick with licensed (non-nurse) midwives if possible. I had one for my first pregnancy and she was wonderful. Unfortunately I ended up needing an emergency c-section. During my second pregnancy the midwifery laws and regulations in my state were in flux and it wasn’t clear if she could work with me again. I went to an OB for a VBAC. While my OB was of similar mind to the midwife, the CNMs that were part of the practice were anything but naturally minded. Thankfully I only saw them twice (when the OB was in deliveries) and the OB told me to keep doing what I was doing.
When I told my midwife that I was paleo she seemed to glow with delight. I have been getting praise from them (the midwife practice I go to has 5 midwives) as well. They love that I am already apart of this lifestyle because they recommend it to their clients and they have had great success with those who have followed it
Midwives are just awesome in general though hahaha
I’m starting two years of school this fall to work towards an M.S. in Nutrition and this article couldn’t be more perfectly in tune with my own thoughts lately. I love the biochemistry of nutrition and currently have a B.S. in biotechnology. I see the schooling in my future (which will be all CW based) as a challenge, not a set back. If primal enthusiasts actually plan on changing how the population as a whole views food and fitness, we need to go the source of the poor information. For a career I plan on running my own personal website and opening a private paleo/primal based practice and won’t let down until I see both those things come to fruition. To anyone in a similar situation, all I can say is you’ll find a way to make this work for you if it’s your passion.
Mark I love how you cover any and all aspects of a primal existence including very specific topics like this post covers. Thanks for all your hard work!
I put my diabetic mother on a Primal diet 5 months ago (I am not a physician). She lost 22 lbs, started sleeping at night, lost a noticeable amount of swelling, lowered her blood pressure and blood glucose substantially, and went of 3 or 4 medications. Her doctor was thrilled! Just kidding, her doctor lectured her about not taking her meds. I was shocked.
Your not alone Gabriel. After going paleo I lowered my triglycertides from 380 to 71 and have HDL and LDL nearly normal while movng in teh right directions sans the Simvastatin. I tossed it out. When my Dr. asks if Im still taking it I smile and say no, Im paleo. He just shakes his head, but cannot argue the hard evidence.
My brother in law is a type 2 diabetic and has been since he was 11. He recently went paleo and has lost 30 pounds and reduced his insulin use by 50%. His Doctor also voices his concerns but cannot argue the facts.
Ive just begun working with my parents. They are in their early 70′s and healthy. My father has already lost 20 pounds just by reducing his sugar intake and limiting grains. Breaking the sugar addiciton is tough, but in just a few weeks thay claim to feel better, sleeping better and weighing less.
Let them scoff…we will save the world from CW
You give me hope. Only my boyfriend has considered Primal.
My parents are slowly beginning to think more primal, even though they can’t consciously see it. They eat substantially less white rice than they used to (we’re chinese)… but that’s about it.
And my dad’s a lost cause. He’s the most stubborn man alive and loves his Costco dinner rolls and italian waffle cookies more than me (jk!)
She needs a new doctor.
Dr. Davis’ blog and personal help, via email, helped me far more than the 3 CW cardiologists did over the past 10 years.
The easiest way to be primal and employed is likely personal training. I have been barefoot for 3 years and have been doing “functional bodyweight training” with my clients since getting out of school. I graduated from Ohio State with a degree in exercise science. As a trainer I don’t have wear shoes, though I typically don fivefingers, and I can go against CW in both training and nutrition without so much as a raised eyebrow. In fact, I would say it says me apart and opens me up to a whole new set of clientelle.
Wow, I could have written almost exactly the same post, except that I live in the UK!
I am an RD, practicing in Canada, graduated about 20 years ago, in the heyday of the low fat movement. I have become more primal in my personal approach over the past 8 months or so, and am moving my family that way by inches. However, I have not yet had the opportunity to network with other RD’s in this area. From what I know of them, they are all mired deep into CW. As are most of my friends. I gently challenge them when they make comments in my hearing about low fat or low cholesterol and if they express an interest, I will give them a thumbnail sketch of the high fat approach. Only if they really ask do I go into further detail. My professional life is in geriatrics, long term care, where the requirements of the menu are strictly legislated, and of course, are CW-based. I work more on getting people off of excessive grains and processed foods than working at getting them on to “Primal” foods. I’m a big pusher of Vit D, though.
I’m toying with the idea of some private counselling again, based on Primal principles. But my current work is very lucrative and keeps me very busy. Maybe as a retirement project?? By then, Primal may be more mainstream…
To be fair to CW-minded physicians and other providers, they often get patients who are only willing to “manage disease”. I know several doctors who bang their heads against the wall trying to convince their patients to make even minor adjustments to their behavior, only to see those same patients again six months later having made no lifestyle changes. After a while of that, I might give up and just start prescribing pills, too.
As a future physician, I see this a lot when I am shadowing and talking to docs. Primal-minded people are exceptional clientele who are truly motivated to have a healthy mind and body, while most people just want the quick fix: the surgery, the pill, whatever, as long as they can keep on keepin’ on.
Plus, you have to consider the structure of the medical system. Most doctors simply don’t have the time to sit down and give a good explanatory lecture on why certain diets are the best way to go, especially because the vast majority of their patients will go home and ignore their advice.
It’s tragic, really, but once I’m an MD I hope to have a side-job like a separate practice or consulting blog or something where I can really help people with their lifestyles.
That’s what happened to me.
I kept ‘preaching’ to everyone around me, showing evidence, giving a couple seminars, trying to convince friends…and what I got 99% of the time was a look that meant I should be in a nut house.
People get annoyed after “grains are bad”…and generally don’t pay much attention to whatever follows those words. They just want me to shut up and move on.
People are more than happy to talk about their diseases and seem to really enjoy the conversations. I don’t offer any advise anymore…they can all just sick my duck
I start a program in Holistic Nutrition in the Fall here: http://www.instituteofholisticnutrition.com/ I wasn’t interested in going the standard Dietician route for exactly these reasons. While obviously it’s not paleo specific, the education and qualification gives you the freedom to make recommendations based on what’s best for your client, and not what government food guidelines say.
I am a naturopathic doctor and midwife in Arizona who advises all my patients, pregnant or not, to read your book and anything Paleo related. The patients who follow the guidelines do really well and the babies born to these mothers are very healthy!!
A few of my colleagues also recommend Paleo eating habits/lifestyle, after reading the research and seeing results themselves, it’s hard not to!!
Awesome! I’m glad to see a fellow naturopath here. I am currently attending a 4-year medical school to become a licensed naturopathic physician. We are a small community of professionals, but we are growing. I was always interested in medicine, but I strongly disagreed with the “treat the symptoms” approach. Naturopathy was the perfect fit. We focus on treating the cause and re-establishing the basis for health with the least invasive therapies. Unfortunately, much of what they are teaching us about nutrition at my school is very conventional. I just shake it off and continue to study my own Paleo stuff =) Paleo has worked wonders in my life and the lives of numerous friends and relatives. I know there are a few other ND students and chiropractors at my school who advocate paleo, too.
I can definitely speak to this topic because I will start my dietetic hospital internship to become an RD in July. I fully believe in Primal principles, but I also learned a lot from my nutrition degree. Loren Cordain gave me great advice – learn what you can from your professors even if you don’t fully agree. In applying this, I let the calories in, calories out and whole grain comments roll right off without affecting me. As a result I have a great basis in science and a preliminary basis in medical nutrition therapy (as delivered by a regular RD). I also have considerably more insight into human health than I would have ever had by simply reading blogs (although I learn a lot from you as well, Mark). Ultimately I hope to have a private practice in nutrition counseling, which will certainly focus on Primal principles.
David, from a fellow RD- YAY and welcome!!! You will do great! I admire and greatly appreciate your attitude of learning and taking what you can but not letting the teachings we get become absolute dogma. I take interns every year and will hopefully have one someday who is also knowledgeable about the Paleo diet/way of living (I always teach them a bit about it, some think I’m a wack job, but some listen and are open minded!). Best of luck to you in your internship
Val,
Do you work at a hospital that does a DI? I’m applying next year – it would be great to be able to apply somewhere where someone knows about the Paleo lifestyle!!
No- I work at a regular old Continued Care Retirement Community in the Seattle area. My abilities to apply paleo diet principles in my work is definitely limited, but I try as I can. I serve a nursing home and 2 assisted living facilities as well as a larger population of retired seniors. There are at least 3 Didactic Dietetic Internships operating in my area- Bastyr, Sea Mar, and WSU (we have I think 4 undergrad dietetics programs in WA). I take interns from Sea Mar every year at my facility- Long Term Care and Foodservice Management rotations. Almost all of the local hospitals participate in the internships, we all have to work together to get all the interns through! And YOU will know about the paleo diet and lifestyle- don’t underestimate your value or expertise. You can teach them. Most RD’s respect that our field is under constant rapid change, and I see my interns as much as a resource of current knowledge as students- I’m constantly picking their brains (especially the Bastyr grads, they get naturopathic elements to their education that few of us have been able to in dietetics).
I am a Registered Dietitian, and supportive of Paleo/Primal diet principles and practices (and live them myself and recommend them to others). Those with similar views and aspirations to become a R.D.- YOU ARE NEEDED. I sat at a RD conference last week in WA where an accepted presenter was an anemic, evangelican RD vegan (Gah!), and in another class the whole group laughed as a RD told of how she quickly turned a client off the paleo diet of her Crossfitter husband in order to increase her fertility (umm, sob.) Please see the fact that the ADA/Dietitians still see this as a fad as a challenge- an opportunity to teach, change, make a difference. Yes, you’ll have to spout the conventional wisdom tenets on exams, etc.- but then you’ll have the credentials to approach and teach doctors, RD’s at conferences, workshops, webinars. There are only so many Mark Sissons and Rob Wolfs around, they can’t speak at every medical nutrition conference- we need more Medical Nutrition Professionals who have had education in organic chemistry, biology, statistics, nutrigenomics, etc. who can stand up at conferences, and present the research, answer the challenges in ways/language that the MD’s and RD’s who are still laughing at the Paleo diet will listen to. Learn to play their game and win, don’t just refuse to play it altogether. The clients and patients of these clinicians need you greatly.
Another tip- Private Practice. You can make your nutrition practice what you want of it. Dietitians with successful private practices who become specialists in a certain diet type/clientele are very welcome speakers at conferences. Yes, if you work in a hospital or nursing home (as I do) you are literally legally required to follow the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines- for the overall diet of your facilities. But you can tailor it for individual clients/patients. You can be creative with that as long as you are able to back it up with some credible sources and have the MD’s support. Teach classes on “Anti-inflammatory Nutrition” and include a sidebar on the paleo diet (you will get lots of interest if you promote reducing inflammation and pain!). Or teach a class on what’s the deal with gluten problems, the link between lectins and arthritis, possible links between diet and Autoimmine disease… I have success with MD’s and ARNP’s in reducing starches (instead of fat) to reduce calories for patients. Introduce green smoothies to your facility as a fun snack. Work with the kitchens to increase calories with healthy fats and real foods instead of sugar-laden Ensure. Get people onto fresh fruit if they must have dessert. There are ways, if you are stubborn, resourceful and creative, to gradually introduce Paleo principles into even the most conventional of medical nutrition settings. It doesn’t have to be a black/white issue. Change what you can when you can, keep pushing the boundaries and making progress little by little. People including doctors and nurses may pleasantly surprise you and be more knowledgeable and supportive than you think.
Please don’t avoid a medical nutrition career because the establishment is not yet very paleo friendly- consider being one of the trailblazers who will make that change from the inside out.
I like your way of thinking- made me think and I agree with you as I’m the one who avoided RD schooling because I couldn’t stomach the CW thinking.
You gave another view I hadn’t thought of and I thank you.
I’m getting my BS in Biochemistry this saturday and will be starting medical school in the fall. Apart from networking, I intend to push against the CW as often as I’m able. I’m sure my professors will hate it, but a few ought to be swayed a bit. This boat is going to rock for sure!
I think Mark’s onto something with the FM moniker. It seems like Kurt Harris already figured out that path himself, rebranding his approach (or at least repositioning) from Primal/Paleo to “Archevor.” The principles are the same, though a bit less dogmatic in general. Could be a nice blueprint for the rest of us to follow to help us make some inroads with beliefs that go against CW.
Intertia is tough to overcome, and I’ve found that the more drastic the change, the greater the resistance. Putting a softer spin on it is, perhaps, a key.
I’m going into acupuncture and herbs. Primal in my subjective pov is a great lifestyle more should try it.
I am a chiropractor and push the primal/paleo diet on my patients like the CW MD’s push medications on theirs!!! It is the one and only diet that makes sense on a genetic level! Dr. Mark Chestnut actually teaches a version of the primal lifestyle in his wellness certification program for chiropractors!
The conflict between CW & Primal does not even begin to touch the problems that ail the “health care industry.” In my opinion (1980 MD graduate board-certified internist), the very core of the doctor-patient relationship is rotten in many if not most instances. It is personified in a patient’s expectation that the doc is there to fix him/her, either with magic drugs or in some shamanistic bond that essentially amounts to the placebo affect (no disrepect–the placebo affect can be a powerful ally). It is further revealed whenever a patient’s response to advice involving changes they must make shows their unwillingness to be part of the solution. Often statements I make are challenged by patients–they want to know, for example, “if bread is so bad why do they sell it to us?” Try answering that question in a 10 minute return office visit!
One pre-diabetic patient encapsulates this problem succinctly. She was perfectly happy taking increasing doses of metformin to maintain a near normal hemoglobin A1C level while enjoying her high carb diet and remaining 40 pounds overweight. All advice about inflammation, sugar, carbs, future risks etc. went unheeded. When I asked her finally, “Don’t you want to take your health into your own hands and try to get rid of this condition?” I simply lost her as a patient.
In essence, many people want modern science to solve their problems. They are really not on board with doing the work involved. Sadly, much of this work is necessary because of the bad information that has been put out there by the health community and entities like the USDA. And doctors that want to make a living cannot bill for routine health maintenance except for the yearly physical (which is not even covered in many insurance plans). We get reimbursed mostly for treating illness, not creating wellness.
I go to a natural healing type doctor that is also conventional when need be. He says he does not give out diets which I found surprising since that is am important part of truly healing. Maybe it is because people don’t stick to them anyway. All he has said is that I should keep my blood sugar balanced. I brought in my Primal Blueprint book last week and we talked briefly about it. I figured he would understand since it does go along with keeping blood sugar even. He wasn’t necessarily against it but did say that in the Bible it says something like “Wheat is the staff of life”. I really didn’t know what to say with that. I wasn’t sure how to argue with the Bible. I said something like “Well they were sprouted grains back then which isn’t eaten much today”. I just told him that low carb has worked well for me in the past and he didn’t say anything more. I think he was ok with it or doesn’t like to get into diet.
Now on the other hand my chiropractor who I have been going to for 30 years and once told me to do a low fat diet 20 years ago has told me to stop eating grains because it causes my Hashimoto’s thyroid antibodies. I told him I thought grains were highly over rated anyway and I was planning on giving them up anyway. He said matter of fact…….”oh yes Paleo”. So he has changed his tune. I wish he had known this 20 years ago when I needed it but still change is good.
I also worked with Nutritional/personal trainer guy for awhile that told me he got a degree in his field, tried to help people based on his education, and then found out the conventional way of thinking it didn’t work. So he spent all that money on a college education and then turned around and reeducated himself. How frustrating is that.
How ’bout Cain and Abel, though? God didn’t accept the grain offering–he only wanted the meat. Try that on him!
That approach might actually work on my friends..I live in the bible belt.
Wellness Mama has an article on her website about the Bible and grains of biblical times and grains today. It is an interesting read. Basically she explains each of the following statements and more:
1. The Grains of Biblical Times are Much Different Than The Grains of Today!
2. The Grains of Biblical Times Were Prepared Differently Than The Grains of Today!
3. Grain Consumption Didn’t Begin Until After the Fall
Read the article for a complete explanation that makes sense.
> He wasn’t necessarily against it but did say that in the Bible it says something like “Wheat is the staff of life”. I really didn’t know what to say with that. I wasn’t sure how to argue with the Bible
Quote a different work of fiction. Maybe something from Star Trek.
A few things about meat that stuck out to me, when I read the Bible. In the Old Testament the Jews preform sacrifices. I never remember them sacrificing wheat… It took MEAT! The Bible says that young Christians are given milk… But Strong MEAT belongs to strong Christians, men of EXPERIENCE! It says Christians that continue to feed on milk instead of MEAT are weak, defective, can’t focus on deep things and are not fit for business!! Hows that for PRIMAL!!
Matt- your comment made me think of a funny idea for a paleo bumper sticker.
“Meat NOT Wheat!” LOL
I related so much to the first quote. I, too, and a dietetics major, and to become an RD, I have to do an internship through the ADA. I hope at some point to be able to forge my own path, possibly even write a book, or at the very least be able to specialize and help people with wheat aversions or celiac disease. I just can’t imagine going against my beliefs and preaching to patients about the “goodness of whole grains” and essentially having all of their blood on my hands, so to speak.
I had a check up with the practice nurser here in England a couple months ago and she asked how I’d managed to lose 20lbs and get perfect blood pressure. I told her I was following the Paleo lifestyle – not only had she never heard of it, but after listening to it she said it sounded fantastic.
So with luck, she’ll spread the word at my practice!
Yet another reason why licensing cartels need to be eliminated. Florists, dentists, nutritionists, doctors, teachers, interior decorators…if the person can do the job to the standards and practices YOU, the consumer, demand, then pay him/her for his/her services. The practical demand for quality control of medical/decorating/educational/ professionals has created ridiculous bars to entry and a groupthink mindset to which one MUST adhere or become a pariah.
I don’t think this is an entirely reasonable way to look at things. My father needed open heart surgery for a congenital heart defect (bicuspid aortic valve not lifestyle related). When you’re talking about a surgeon opening up someone’s chest, stopping their beating heart and replacing a structural element of their heart, you’re talking about something for which licensure is important. There should be a ridiculous bar to entry there… it’s a ridiculously difficult thing to do.
Thanks for posting this, Mark. As a primal Neurologist it is certainly a struggle to practice medicine the way I want to. I do think the tide is slooowly shifting, but there are some pretty significant obstacles in our way, including:
- aligning with chiropracters, naturopaths, etc. isn’t really a viable option. One of the reasons we have chosen a primal approach is because it is based on sound reasoning and science. Conventional medicine has its flaws, as we know, but it’s not because it isn’t science based. It’s that some of it is based on bad science. Aligning with traditions that are reject all scientific inquiry to me would further damage the credibility of primal practitioners, and condemn us to the fringes
All of these comments are inspiring! I am a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner. I am living Paleo and find that I want to educate all of my patients….but must do so carefully. When I start going against what their endocrinologist tell them, I may be out of a job. So basically I take the approach of telling my patients that everyone is different and they need to do what is best for their bodies. Which could include the Paleo way and I advise them to read about it, try it and then form their own opinions. I try to live by example. So when my patients see that I’m feeling and looking healthy and energetic, they always want to know how I’m doing it.
I too am a Nurse Practitioner and just starting eating paleo because I was having chronic morning hand stiffness. I was told by a rheumatologist I may possible have inflammatory arthritis. Paleo has literally STOPPED my hand pains and made me feel fabulous. I, too, try to encourage my patients to eat a “cleaner” lifestyle but it is difficult. Thanks for this post–I’m glad there are people out there that practice medicine and paleo living