Our description of what it means to live by paleo axioms is here.
What are those axioms? Paleo axioms is a set of habits and life choices which reconcile us as a ‘modern human’ with our physiological and psychological setup as ‘an ancient human’ who deep-down knows how to be healthy and happy.
The axioms work best as a set. Following them allows you to function at your true potential, maximises productivity, promotes vibrant health and enjoyment of life.
Realistically, it may not be possible to follow all of them all the time. It’s not necessary – even following half of them half the time will raise you above the average. Most people do not follow none of those and they make up the dire statistics of collective health.
It is necessary to reach some critical mass of observance. Say, cold exposure (Axiom #4) alone will not compensate if one is eating only junk food (ignoring Axiom #1). The more you move dial toward observance of axioms, the more healthy, happier and productive you’ll be. Once the proverbial dial moves above 50% (in terms of axioms observed and time observed), the benefits will be immense. At 80% or above you’re probably the best version of yourself.
Paleo Axiom 1: Eat Clean
Eat biodynamic food only to limit exposure to omnipresent residues of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other harmful substances in commercially farmed food. Aim to reduce carbs (particularly, flour and sugar) to become metabolically healthy, fat-adapted individual. A healthy individual feels slightly sick when eating ultra processed, high carb food – like donuts, hot dogs etc. – because that food is unnatural and incompatible with what millions of years of evolution made the human to be.
The food supply today is defined by ease of production, storage, cost (including subsidies) and are profit-driven. The concern about consumers’ health is not on top priority list. As long as it’s legal, any food can be promoted as ‘healthy’. And there’s a lot of stuff there which is proved to be harmful at commonly consumed rations yet perfectly legal to sell and promote without any restrictions.
Don’t engage in discussion if anything in ultra processed food is a health hazard. It may or may not. Collective health stats imply it is harmful. What’s clear it does not add to health, so avoid. It is easier to avoid discussion if that e-250 in processed meat, cheeses etc causes cancer or not – the only safe bet is to stay clear of any food where it’s added. Coincidently, the same e-250 is used as poison to control wild boar populations in Australia – why would you eat that poison?
Paleo Axiom 2: Exercise Optimally
Sedentary lifestyle is very harmful but so is overtraining. It is important to train regularly and, equally important, let the body fully recover in between the sessions. Cardio, like running, is useful only in limited doses. Contrary to common beliefs like ‘no pain, no gain’ weight lifting or running every single day is not healthy – the opposite may be true. The only exercise which can be practiced without any limit is walking. A healthy human can walk from sunrise to sunset without causing any inflammation in the body (like running or weight lifting does every single time).
Paleo Axiom 3: Get Sound Sleep
No individual who does not sleep well for prolonged period of time can be healthy. Particularly, deep sleep phase is the most valuable (that’s when recovery and detoxification happens) and the most evasive. The good news is that, if you follow other axioms (particularly, the first two above) quality sleep comes naturally to reinforce the beneficial cycle of wellness (just make a commitment get to bed on time – preferably 2-3 hours before midnight).
Paleo Axiom 4: Observe Fasts
There’s reason fasting is part of practicing every major religion – christianity, islam, judaism … On more joyous note, even he classics have noted it: `A little starvation can really do more for the average sick man than can the best medicines and the best doctors’ (Marc Twain). There is a reason for that. Fasting is a very powerful tool for vibrant health, including prevention of deadly diseases and ensuring metabolic health. Yet, a large part of members of society have never missed a meal, i.e. they have never practiced fasting.
Paleo Axiom 5: Embrace Cold Exposure
Just like fasting, cold exposure has been an integral part of what was evolution of human body. Humans are designed by nature to be react to hormesis (a short period of discomfort) to come out with stronger immune system and calmer mind. Modern life allows most humans to live without experiencing any such hormetic event, like cold exposure, and this makes the body weaker in long term. Stepping out of comfort zone to alignment with our roots to build up our health from basics up.
Paleo Axiom 6: Clean Environment & Careful with EMF Exposure
The modern industry produced tens of thousands of chemicals which would have been absolutely foreign to a healthy paleo age man. House cleaning products, personal hygiene products, air pollution from exhausts … the sources of exposure to non-natural chemicals and pollution seem endless. Many of those products are harmless even if not natural but even more of those are proved to be harmful (yet perfectly legal to produce and sell …). EMF – short of electromagnetic field – exposure has increased a trillion times (yes, a trillion, with 12 zeros) since Paleo era and EMF structure has become unrecognisably complex. Don’t listen to government assurances that EMF exposure at this level is safe. It is not, there is scientific proof of it, manage your exposure accordingly.
Paleo Axiom 7: Achieve Psychological Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a symbiosis of physical and mental health. One can nurture or destroy each other. The first 6 axioms deal mostly with physical health which irrefutably reflect back to mental health. If you practice other axioms, the chances are that you already experience psychological well-being. However, there may be more to it – from solving relationship problems, to finding your ikigai or practicing meditation. Psychological well-being, alongside with physical health, is an integral part of holistic health in line with Paleo Karma principles. Our brain has an immense power both to heal and destroy – treat the power of your brain with utmost respect.
Paleo Axiom 8: Practice Earthing (Grounding)
That’s as simple as being barefoot on the ground for some time of the day. It’s proven that earthing has multiple health benefits, including improved functioning of immune system. Yet, for many people – say, someone living in sky-rise building and in colder climate – how ofter there is direct contact with earth? Even in summer, in nature, the chances are that there’s a rubber sole between ones foot and ground. Swimming in lake/river/ocean has the same effect as grounding.