Paleo On the Go

I get it - We’re all very busy people with things to do and places to go, and sometimes it’s difficult to stay true to Paleo/Primal principles when you have limited time and (even worse) limited choices. I used to spend a lot of time on the road, in places where food choices were few and far between. Even today I occasionally find myself travelling in such areas when my stomach starts rumbling. However, I have managed to develop a few different strategies for maintaining some semblance of health during these circumstances, and I thought I’d share.

First of all, it could be that we’re going about it all wrong. Think about it from a primal perspective: Did our ancestors always have food available when they were hungry? Likely not. In fact, our bodies have developed a system of basic rehabilitation for times when food intake is minimal or nonexistent. During these times of intermittent fasting, our bodies promote the processes of autophagy and/or apoptosis - where old, dysfunctional proteins, organelles and even cells are broken down and either excreted or recycled, making way for more highly functioning proteins, organelles and cells to do their business. This helps the body become more energy efficient, and also allows for the production of younger proteins, organelles and cells when sources of nutrition become more available.

Many articles document many studies showing the wide and varied benefits of periodically choosing not to eat. There are too many benefits to list for the purposes of this blog post, but just do a quick search at Mark’s Daily Apple if you want to learn more. In short, consider intermittent fasting instead of getting a quick fix from bad food while on the road.

Meanwhile, here are some more tips for staying healthier with limited time and/or meal choices:

• For breakfast, if you’re a coffee drinker, consider adding unsalted butter and coconut oil to your coffee. Some people seem repulsed at the idea of adding butter to your coffee, however, no one balks at cream, which is simply a more clarified form of butter. I’m a big fan of Bulletproof Coffee in the morning - it basically takes the place of a meal, perks you up and gives you consistent energy throughout the morning, if not the day. Keep in mind, however, to limit your butter to ONLY the unsalted variety (we prefer Kerry Gold), and take it easy on the coconut oil (about a tablespoon or less), as too much can have a laxative effect. (And for those of you who may ask, we have absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with Bulletproof or Kerry Gold.)

• For a healthy mid-morning snack, I always keep a stash of macadamia nuts or pistachios handy. You can get some large containers of these at Costco for a reasonable price, keeping in mind that they will probably last a few weeks in your computer pack. Remember to look at the ingredients and stick with the brands that don’t use any offending agents like highly oxidative vegetable oils.

• Lunch time on the road can be particularly troublesome, with all of the fast food options and other not-so-healthy restaurants. Plus, many people (like me) simply don’t want to take the time to sit down and order a meal when they could be making better progress on the highway. For those people, I offer the following ideas:

• Jerky - You have to be very careful here, as most brands of jerky have lots of offending agents in their list of ingredients, like wheat products, high fructose corn syrup and even monosodium glutamate. STAY AWAY FROM THOSE PRODUCTS. I’ve found natural jerky brands like Oberto in convenience stores while on the road. However, the best option is to stock up beforehand by going to Amazon or (better yet) Thrive Market, and keep those products within arm’s reach while travelling. (Again, we have no affiliation with the above companies.)

• Pork skins - These may be more prevalent in the southern U.S., where I’ve logged most of my miles. The same qualifications apply with these products as with jerky, above - if there are more than about 5 ingredients listed and you can’t pronounce them, it’s best to leave them on the shelf. Also, they typically don’t list the oil that the skins were cooked in, so this is more of an “In case of emergency, break glass” option while on the road.

• Nuts and seeds make for excellent snacks that are easily obtainable at convenience stores. Always check the ingredients!

• Water - It may be tempting to grab an energy drink to stay awake during long road trips. But one look at the ingredients will likely reveal mass quantities of sugar in these products. It’s best to avoid them and stick with good ol’ water. If you find yourself in need of a kick, make a quick pit stop and stretch your legs and do some jumping jacks or pushups to get the blood flowing.

• Lastly, your final option: Fast food… I only recommend this as a last resort if there is no better option available. Yes, I have pulled into the drive-thru and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. The strategy is to use the buns to simply grip the meat during consumption, and then throw the buns out. Order the grilled chicken, since the breaded/fried versions will contain wheat products and likely have been cooked in highly oxidative vegetable oil. The grilled variety therefore theoretically has less toxins. And for the final test of willpower - you must NOT order the fries, due to the same vegetable oil argument. Plus, such a high influx of starches could result in the backlash of a carb crash - something you definitely do not need while driving. For your thirst, I recommend either water or unsweetened tea. NO soda!

I hope these tips will help you maintain your health on the road. Now I’d love to read about YOUR experiences and any advice YOU may have in the comment section below!

Bret McClellan

Certified Primal Nutrition Expert #239

McClellan Natural Health, Wellness & Nutrition

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