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Disease Prevention

A significant body of research supports why The Paleo Diet has the potential to not only prevent but reverse chronic disease. Now, many experimental studies are confirming this.

Explore our Disease Prevention Pages

Autoimmune Disease

An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system attacks the host’s body. Each of the more than 80 diseases are differentiated by the tissue(s) or organ(s) that the immune system attacks, such as beta cells in the pancreas in diabetes and connective tissue in rheumatoid arthritis.

Cancer

Cancer refers to a collection of related diseases that develop cellular tumors. These tumors develop when the normal orderly process of cell death and growth breaks down. Then, some of the body’s cells begin to divide uncontrollably and can spread into surrounding tissues.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is said to occur when a person exhibits at least three of five risk factors (abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar). MetS is a significant risk factor for developing conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of conditions that all involve a breakdown in normal insulin function. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune condition where pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin are destroyed. In type II diabetes, patients develop insulin resistance. Both conditions can lead to uncontrolled blood glucose levels.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to a collection of often related diseases that affect the cardiovascular system. They include heart and blood vessel disease, heart attacks, strokes, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), and heart valve problems.

Asthma

Asthma is a condition in which the bronchial airways narrow, swell, and produce extra mucus. This leads to difficulty breathing and can trigger coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. While it is a minor nuisance for some people, in others it can be a major problem when it leads to a life-threatening asthma attack.

Digestive Diseases

Digestive disease refers to a large group of varied conditions including leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s, and microflora imbalance. As a result, there is no one mechanism. However, most of the conditions appear to have something in common: a breakdown of the digestive defenses and inappropriate inflammation.

Acne

Acne vulgaris is a skin condition that occurs as a result of the obstruction and inflammation of hair follicles and their accompanying sebaceous gland. It leads to the formation of whiteheads, blackheads, and/or pimples, usually on the face and upper trunk. It is most common among adolescents but can affect people of all ages.

Addressing Disease with Diet

The evidence linking diet to the chronic inflammatory conditions that are overwhelming our healthcare system—metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions—is incontrovertible. While we believe in an 85:15 approach to The Paleo Diet®, if you are dealing with one of these conditions, a stricter diet or even an elimination diet approach may help you.

Preventative Care

Too often our healthcare focuses on what to do after we get sick. Proper diet and exercise can go a long way to ensuring you never need to visit the doctor for anything besides your regular physical.

Paleo Leadership

Trevor Connor

Trevor Connor

Dr. Loren Cordain’s final graduate student, Trevor Connor, M.S., brings more than a decade of nutrition and physiology expertise to spearhead the new Paleo Diet team.

Mark J Smith

Dr. Mark J. Smith

One of the original members of the Paleo movement, Mark J. Smith, Ph.D., has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the benefits of Paleo nutrition.

Nell Stephenson

Nell Stephenson

Ironman athlete, mom, author, and nutrition blogger Nell Stephenson has been an influential member of the Paleo movement for over a decade.

Loren Cordain

Dr. Loren Cordain

As a professor at Colorado State University, Dr. Loren Cordain developed The Paleo Diet® through decades of research and collaboration with fellow scientists around the world.

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