We live in a time where the science and technology of skincare are so advanced that we can take almost 10 years off a face.
Good skincare is essential to looking younger; however, skin is the largest organ on our bodies, which means taking care of it needs to start with what we put in our bodies.
So what I eat impacts the health of my skin? You bet! It’s one of the MOST IMPORTANT things you can do to prevent ageing, both inside and outside.
Dr. Mark Hyman, a brilliant functional medicine doctor, focuses on “how to die young as late as possible.” In other words, how to look and feel young your entire life.
His method? The Pegan Diet.
What the heck does that mean? Well, it’s a word he made up — mostly as a joke — but it has since then become a real thing. The formula for it is: Paleo + Vegan = Pegan
So what exactly is the Pegan Diet? Let’s dive into it!
The Pegan Diet
For starters, if you’re wanting to know the biology and benefits in this diet plan check out this post, or if you’re wanting to quickly lose some weight first read this post.
If you’re at the stage where you want a lifestyle diet that focuses on living long and looking young, this one’s for you!
It is a lifestyle diet plan that combines Vegan and Paleo. It includes whole grains, beans, some gluten, dairy, and the occasional treat. It focuses on real, whole, fresh food that is sustainably raised and rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. It is also low in sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods of all kinds.
Food Philosophy
Eating the Pegan way means trying to eat organic, local, fresh, whole foods. It means focusing on quality instead of quantity. We want to eat low glycemic foods, and avoid pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, chemical additives, preservatives, dyes, MSG, artificial sweeteners, and refined, processed vegetable oils.
What Specifically To Eat On The Pegan Diet
Fruits & Vegetables:
Moderate amounts of low glycemic fruit
Such as apples, pears, berries, pomegranate seeds, watermelon, kiwi, lemon, and lime
1/2 to 1 cup every day
Unlimited amounts of nonstarchy vegetables
Fill 50-75% of your diet & plate with these vegetables
Include one serving of a starchy vegetable at dinner
Such as sweet potatoes and winter squash
Protein:
Moderate amounts of nuts and seeds
Almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp, and chia seeds
Sustainably farmed and low mercury wild fish
Sardines, mackerel, herring, wild salmon
Grass–fed beef, bison, lamb, organic poultry
4-6 ounces of protein
Pasture–raised or organic eggs
Small quantities of beans or legumes, if tolerated
½ cup per meal
Grains:
Small quantities of gluten–free grains
Brown or black rice, quinoa, buckwheat
Minimal amounts of gluten
Include up to ½ cup per day gluten-free grains
Only in the form of whole grains such as steel-cut oats, whole kernel rye bread, barley
Fats:
Plenty of good fats, including avocados, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil
Have 4-5 servings of fat per day
What To Avoid
Occasional treats of real sugar, maple syrup, or honey
Moderate alcohol intake
Maximum 1 glass of wine at night or 1 ounce of hard liquor, or ideally fewer than five drinks per week. Beer is a problem because of the sugar and gluten. Think “beer belly”
One glass of wine or alcohol 3-4 times a week
No dairy, except organic goat or sheep cheese or yogurt if tolerated and ghee or grass-fed butter
No gluten or flour products
No processed foods, artificial anything (especially sweeteners), liquid sugar calories, and juices (except green juices)
Example Meal Plan:
Breakfast: Whole food protein shake
Lunch: Arugula salad with avocado, a can of wild salmon, cherry tomatoes, and pumpkin seeds on top with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
Dinner: Fish OR lamp chop OR grass-fed beef OR organic chicken (cooked in a skillet with a bit of coconut oil) with veggies, such as stir-fried chopped greens like bok choy or broccoli with garlic and sweet potato (baked the night before and heated up) with salt and a little grass-fed butter
Super simple, delicious and easy
Personalize your Diet
After trying out the Pegan Diet you need to ask the question, how do you feel? Remember, every BODY is different. That’s right. Everyone has bio-individuality, meaning one way of eating may work better for you and another way may work better for someone else. Some people do better with more fat, while some people do better with more carbohydrates; however, NO one does well with sugars and refined carbs, so keep those FAR away.
Be your best doctor. Listen to your body. Pay attention
Remember that food is medicine, not just calories. Use the food you eat to nourish, fill, and heal you. Food contains instructions that regulate your genes, your metabolism, your immune system, and even your gut flora.
Try the Pegan diet out to see how you feel because almost everyone does better on a higher fat, lower carb diet.
Have you tried to eat this way? How did you feel? How do you feel about the beans and grains? How do you feel about gluten and dairy?
Remember, there’s no perfect way to eat. However, our desire is to look for what is optimal so that we can live a long, fulfilled life. Wishing you success in every endeavour you set out on, including the way you eat!
