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Back to the trees,back to the wood

club? The trendingNatural Health

Movement andPa leo Diet

promote a lifestylewhich is based on

the Stone Age people.When exercise and

eating are in linewith our genetic

great-heritage,we feel more vital,

healthier and areable to think more clearly,

say the co-foundersof the Paleo

MovementLuxembourg,

Paul Merino andMelanie Lodevic.

Pa leo Movem ent Luxembourg

Stone Age2.0

Some basic elements of Natural Movement are jumping, sprinting, climbing,rolling, balancing, lifting branches or stones, and tree climbing - all best done barefoot.An important focus is also placed on practicing movements in an effective and globally energy-efficient way.

Photo: cc-by-nc-sa Paul Merino @SEUILSPhoto: Shutterstock

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KATHRIN WERNOtelecran@telecran.lu

T he modern Luxembourger Stone Age lifestyle began in – Thailand. Paul Merino and Melanie Lodevic madetheir way together through the jungle, climbing trees, dragging stones while balancing on bridges made

of tree logs, wading barefoot through streams and chatting around the Natural Movement campfires in Southeast Asia.

While the young Luxembourger follower of the trendy fitnessconcept that turns people of the 21st century into Stone Agehunters, also established the sport trend itself in the GrandDuchy with her Bootcamp, she met again with the FrenchmanPaul Merino, a champion of the so-called Paleo Cuisine with hismulticultural @PaleoFast movement. This diet is a building block of the new Stone Age lifestyle.It derives its name from „Paleontology“ - the life science of pastgeological eras - and is based on what was available to ourancestors of the Stone Age to foster themselves. Yesteryear our ancestors ate what they found or captured on the road- they were hunters and gatherers. Accordingly, the Paleo diet isbased on the Paleolithic and mimics with contemporary food, whatthe people of that time probably had available such as: meat,fish, seafood, algae, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, tubers,herbs and healthy fats such as coconut oil. „Very much emphasis is also placed on the high quality andsustainability of the food,“ says Paul Merino „so the meat comesexclusively from locally caught wild fish, grazing or respectfullypastured animals and eggs; similarly, vegetables and fruits oforganic or local quality are definitely preferable.“

Hunters and Gatherers

This is how the representatives of the „Stone Age cuisine“believe it will provide us - we the people of the 21st century -the best of care, because of the 2.5 million-year-long evolutionof our species which fit our organisms to these genuine staples. Tabu to the Paleo followers however, are excluded allindustrially processed foods, sugar and artificial additives,as well as all those foods that have landed only in the diets ofpeople when they settled about 10,000 years ago and beganto practice agriculture and animal husbandry.Intensive cereals and products related to it, such as white bread,noodles and other pasta, rice and legumes are thereforeminimized among the Stone Age followers, although they keepmainly rice, pulses and a few remaining ancient grains (to bakefermented sordough bread) as high-quality food.

Following the Paleo theory, they are more difficult to processfor our bodies because we genetically remained almost the sameas the Stone Age people.The relatively short period from 20,000 to 10,000 years ago, inwhich the people were no longer hunter-gatherers, would haveleft only slight traces in our slow evolution. Therefore, sources such as refined carbohydrates - especially inthe quantities in which they are consumed in industrializedsocieties - are a major cause of many diseases of civilization.Also, milk and milk products - with some notable exceptions, suchas raw or fermented products like Kefir - are part of the No-Go's.

Almost always going around barefoot, and wearing shorts;climbing as if hunting, sprinting, jumping, crawling andlifting stones and branches: the „inventor“ of the young NaturalMovement is the Frenchman Erwan Le Corre. P aul M erinoparticipated in trainings with him since 2008, when theNatural Movement concept was still in its infancy.„Not only I found it fun, my body deeply feeling air and earth,but I also began to experiment with the appropriate diet“, says one of the pioneers of this new, yet old lifestyle.In 2010 he took part in the first official Natural Movementcamp in Thailand , where Merino and the Luxemburger Melanie Lodevic got to know each other. „I felt even more comfortablewith this type of diet, and wanted to know more,“ she says.In 2012, when the French Paleo expert was in business trainingin Luxembourg, she invited him to organize a workshop forfamily and friends.

Hollywood DreamAt about the same time, everywhere in the media we suddenlyheard of the „Paleo Diet“: the Stone Age lifestyle had reachedHollywood.

Beauty, youth, health, success and, last but not least, better sex- numerous stars like Megan Fox, Matthew McConaughey andGwyneth Paltrow are touting the benefits. Paul Merino holdsback from such promises as a dream factory. „A lot more energyand mental clarity“ are the outstanding benefits of the StoneAge lifestyle for the Nice-based consultant - who coincidentallyadvises companies worldwide on reaching better organization, effectiveness and problem solving.

Crosslinked Into the World„We continuously give information to our body: about our food,our movement - or lack thereof - stress, sleep, light and otherfactors. This information is passed onto our DNA, so that ourbody can adapt to the environment. When our DNA gets theright incentives, it enables a greater vitality,“ he argues. Through their relationship with him, his clients are directly or indirectly exposed to his lifestyle, which has a positive effect oneveryone's work performance. In order to see as many people aspossible take advantage of this lifestyle, Merino and Lodevicfounded the Paleo Movement Luxembourg and held in November

Info

Paleo Luxembourg will holdtheir next Workshops on March 28for Stone Age nutrition skills,and on March 29 for a training

in the Natural Movement style.

More information is available onthe Internet at Facebook under „Paleo Lux“ and „Bootcam p Luxembourg“ or by Email at contact@p aleolux. com.

last year, their first workshop. Although the lifestyle borrowsfrom the Stone Age, it is absolutely up to date: Modern cookingtechniques and utensils are used, and the exchange of recipesand information is contemporary - Paleo Luxembourg worksclosely with the corresponding movements in France, Belgium,the UK, USA and Latin America.

Like any special diet, Paleo finds its friends and critics.But as far as the quality and sustainability of the food areconcerned, there is now consensus among all „diet popes“.And also regarding heavily processed foods, such as whitebread and refined sugar and oils, which almost every expertof the diet would be keen to warn against. To this respect, the „Paleo Nutrition“ wins many heartsand minds. „Just try it,“ say Paul Merino and Melanie Lodevic. Who sees the two of them cannot help but believe a little,too, in the Hollywood miracle. GERMAN TO ENGLISH TRANSLATION: cc-by-nc-sa Paul Merino @SEUILS

Nobody needs to refrain on a steak in the Paleo diet,

but the quality of it should be excellent: only meat from grazing or respectfully pastured animals, not grain-fed, corresponds

to the high standard of the Stone Age cuisine.

Photo: Shutterstock

A glimpse into the training campin Thailand, this photo featuresMelanie Lodevic (left) andPaul Merino (right). Theyenjoy a Paleo meal withlots of local and seasonalvegetables and fresh fruits.

Photo: cc-by-nc-sa Paul Merino @ SEUILS