Author: Modern Paleo

Welcome to the just-launched web site and blog Modern Paleo! I’m Diana Hsieh. (Hi!) Let me introduce you to Modern Paleo…

What will you find on Modern Paleo?

Modern Paleo offers writings and other resources by Objectivists on the principles and practices of nutrition, fitness, and health most conducive to human flourishing.

Here are the highlights:

• This Modern Paleo Blog contains writings on those topics by people who seek the best that modern life has to offer, informed by a broadly paleo approach. It is managed by Christian W., and its contributors are paleo-eating Objectivists. (Christian will introduce himself in the next few days.)
• Modern Paleo hosts three e-mail lists: PaleoBloggers, SousVide, and PaleoThyroid. The first two lists have associated blog carnivals, to help paleo and sous vide bloggers promote their work.
• I’ve written a fairly detailed list of core paleo principles, each with a slew of links for additional

I grew up with Mom’s made-from-scratch, baked-in-the-oven Macaroni and Cheese, which was always a favorite in our house. I never even tasted the stuff from the box (that strangely goes by the same name but is almost completely unrelated) until college.

When I posted this image to Modern Paleo’s Facebook Page, so many people liked it that I just couldn’t resist re-posting it here. And no wonder: It’s beautiful, tasty, and paleo! (Click to enlarge.)

It’s by Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites (Facebook and Twitter).

Modern Paleo…

A year ago I was 255lbs. My waist size was 44. I ate a diet of cheeseburgers, steak and potatoes, soda, and lots of dessert. I was tired all the time, out of shape, unfocused, I snored, I felt an unholy pain in my chest whenever I exerted myself, and I hated looking in the mirror.

After looking up Objectivism on the web for the first time I joined a popular Objectivist site and got on the chat room. I mentioned having a problem with acne and struck up a conversation with Rob O’Callahan privately in the chat room and he said that he was able to get his acne under control just by changing his diet. I was dubious at first but he explained some of the foods he eats and it reminded me of the Atkins diet, which is what my mom has advocated as the best diet …

I am starting to get in the mood for Thanksgiving! Even though there are many happenings happening between now and next Thursday, I’ve planned out our menu.

Before I tell you what it is, here’s a big difference between this Thanksgiving and Thanksgivings Past–I’ve been cooking lots and lots of real food all year long, so THIS Thanksgiving is going to be a snap! No stressing out about where to put the meat thermometer or what to do with certain side dishes. Even the things I’m not really quite sure how to make–no worries. I am confident I can figure out how to make them palatable, and if they turn out to be inedible, oh well! There will be plenty of other food.

So, here’s what I’m making:

• Roasted Turkey

• Sausage Stuffing

• Gravy

• Sweet Potatoes

• Some other side veggie–maybe asparagus, green beans, or brussel sprouts

• Salad with balsamic vinegar and

Over the past two months, I’ve answered a slew of questions on FormSpring. I’ve covered all kinds of topics, from sex to academia to fallacies to paleo. My answers are not so fine-tuned as my blog posts, but I think they’re still of interest — at least as fodder for further discussion in the comments. I’ve got about four posts worth of paleo-relevant questions and answers that I’ll be posting here on Modern Paleo. (Almost everything I’ve done so far will be posted to my personal blog NoodleFood over the next few weeks.)

Some FormSpring Questions and Answers with advice on starting a paleo diet:

Does the paleo diet “work” if you don’t adhere to it strictly, or do the benefits only come if you completely cut out the forbidden foods, like wheat?

Health isn’t an all or nothing proposition: it exists on a continuum. So if you eat better, …

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to receive this sample pack from PaleoTreats, in exchange for blogging about it:

Paul and I enjoyed these goodies immensely… so much so that we ordered more for ourselves, plus some for friends for Christmas too. We particularly liked “Mac Attack” and “Mustang Bar.” They keep nicely in the freezer, and they’re substantial enough to split for dessert.

They’re also strictly paleo — meaning: no gluten, grains, dairy, stabilizers, preservatives, or other junk. You can check out the ingredients and nutritional information here.

You can order them here. I’m delighted to be able to recommend them!

Modern Paleo…

Recently, I received the following e-mail from Nick, a college student considering going paleo. I’m hoping that some college students can offer him some advice on sticking to the diet in college in the comments.

I’m nearing completion of a summer internship in Africa since late May, and have noticed that the change in diet (in living with a host family in a rural town) has also dropped my weight and I have lost fat. As a college student who has been putting on the pounds with an unhealthy diet, this is awesome news! I largely attribute it to the fact that the food I’m now eating here is ACTUALLY food, not processed (although the diet in Uganda is extremely high-carb). As an Objectivist and follower of your blog, I knew of your connection to paleo and wanted to explore it more. What I’m afraid of is going back to