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The Tao of Paleo – Book Review

Finding your Path to Health and Harmony

by Joe Salama & Jason Goldberg

Click on the cover to find it on Amazon

The Beavis and Butthead Paleo Manual

I’d like you to go back in time… you’re watching MTV Beavis and Butthead and have a great time watching these two guys spouting their particular homespun humor. You’re thinking, “I can’t believe these guys get away with this on TV”. They do and it’s funny even though you may feel a little guilty about watching them.

Now, back to today and this brand new yet ancient way of life, the Paleo lifestyle. I have found the perfect guys to explain this new way of life while entertaining you. Their names are Jason and Joe, two Paleo geeks. Imagine them sitting on their couch sharing “I can’t believe they just wrote that” not-so-wise words of advice with you, about what they call the Tao of Paleo. No, we’re not talking about two wise and ancient Chinese masters full of wisdom. They’re more like overgrown geeks full of something else (I let you guess what – we talk a lot about it in the Paleo sphere).

Meanwhile, in a very sneaky, and sometimes gross way, they educate you about the Paleo Way but without boring you with scientific mumbo jumbo that will make your eyes glaze over. Instead, you may catch yourself wincing and cringing but more likely because of their silly Paleo jokes. For example, “Paleo is not a low-carb diet, it’s a low-crap diet” (see, I told you) is one of their clever advice. But don’t be fooled, the information and research is there and well-presented but in a fun and easy-to-understand way. I wish my teachers were that good and that funny in high school. Learning would have been a lot more fun. All of that to say that they will teach you about the central tenets of Paleo the same way a good friend would do, but in a laid back way, the Tao dude way.

 The Tao of Paleo dudes: Joe and Jason

One of my favorite feature is the self-created characters they insert in most chapters to introduce a concept or make a (funny) point about something that you might not understand otherwise. For example, Gary Graniak is introduced to help you understand why grains are not healthy for you; Claudio Cardiovasquez is the muscle-bound guy that believes he needs to kill himself working out; Terrence Trevailleur rushes in as the stressed out overachiever that loves square dancing; Wilma Wired needs to learn a few things about sleeping or she will climb the walls and crash; Cecilia Supplementarian is the borderline psycho predator stuffing herself with supplements; Claudette Carbonara is the Italian zaftig beauty learning about the negative side effects of excess carbohydrates; scary Hit man Vince Vegan gets protein exorcized; Albert Adiposian (of Armenian descent) is learning a few greasy facts about fats, saturated, unsaturated, trans fats and cholesterol; finally, in walks in Paula Paleoista, the High Priestess of Paleosity, to share her perfectly-honed ancestral wisdom with us mere mortals.

All this to say that they manage to teach you in their own way about food, exercise, play in the sunlight and rest. They educate you on carbs, fats, protein and supplements. They also remind you about the softer side of Paleo: breathing, meditation, and feelings.

But that’s not all. After all of this theoretical knowledge, they offer you practical lists and templates to make your transition into Paleo easier. They give you a 12 weeks eating plan with loads of yummy recipes created by Orleatha Smith of Level Health Nutrition and a Move template for all levels of fitness. With all that information, you should be all set to go on your Paleo way.

As you read on, you are allowed to peek into the many different aspects of the Paleo lifestyle, or Paleo Way, not just the Paleo diet. Paleo should a holistic approach to life. You should not go in just to lose weight or bulk up. You need to consider the whole life aspect of it in a balanced way, not the extreme way some other people may advocate. What would be the point of being healthier if the rest of your life is out of balance? Think about that while you read their book. It’s well worth your time and the few bucks. Besides, some of your money will go to a charity. So why not educate yourself while doing a good deed?

Enjoy your new way of life, follow the Tao of Paleo and be well.

A Votre Sante – To Your Health

Chef Alain Braux