They’re outrageously giggly, energetic and downright Merry… The Merry Maker Sisters are favourites of ours on the Wellness Couch. In part because of their infectious laughter but more so because of their passion for sharing messages of health and positivity.

In recent times, the entrepreneurs turned recipe developers had become poster girls for the controversial ‘Paleo’ diet, encountering a number of bad press and social media ‘negativity’ for their association with the ‘extreme diet’.

We are all aware of the media hype and controversy surrounding the diet and its always calm and collected celebrity chef Pete Evans, yet when we read his explanation of ‘The Paleo Way’ as he calls it, does it really seem so radical?

Pete’s Paleo Way Tribe describes The Paleo Lifestyle as “taking the best from our ancestors and mixing it with the best of the 21st Century…lay[ing] the foundations for a healthy diet – whole unprocessed foods, leafy greens, fresh pesticide-free vegetables, nuts, fruits on occasion, grass-fed meat, pastured free-range poultry and wild-caught fish – and lifestyle – moving your body every day and being mindful; a holistic approach to achieving a healthier and happier life and becoming the best version of you.”

Sounds pretty reasonable, right?

Well not according to Australian media who have done their best to paint the Paleo tribe as an extremist and elite club of dieters so obsessed with the ‘restrictions’ of their diet that they cannot engage in social activities.

Despite this perception that Paleo peeps, avoid all ‘non-Paleo approved’ foods such as dairy, grains and legumes with a sharpened spear, many advocates for the diet recommend allowing yourself some ‘wiggle room’. Like any diet approach, there is no one size fits all for everyone and some even recommend ‘seeing what you can get away with’, testing your tolerance for rice and yoghurt if your heart desires.

Like so many beginning the Paleo Diet, The Merry Maker Sisters were pleasantly surprised with their ability ‘to eat healthy food and feel great’ and not wager the constant war against food that had once dominated their previous food philosophy.

Through their transition, the girls experimented with ‘Paleofied’ versions of their favourite treats and soon began sharing these over social media and eventually as a means for an entrepreneurial business.

However, as quickly as their influence grew, so too did the ‘detractors’ attacking the Paleo label and all those who endorsed it. For the record - I am not PRO nor am I ANTI Paleo - I just don't see the need to adopt a one size fits all approach (I’ll talk about this in another post).

The ‘wiggle room’ that once liberated the girls from their ‘rigid’ diet soon dwindled, as the expectations of the public and the image of Paleo left them struggling against very narrow cave walls.

No longer able to enjoy a sushi roll without the fear of being ‘caught out’ by the public, the girls sought a solution: Ditch The Label.

Or as they describe it…'we didn’t ditch Paleo, we’ve decided to distance ourselves from the Paleo label.’

Like all labels, the Paleo label clumps a large group of individuals with different dietary requirements and ancestry into one very simplistic tribe of burly cavemen who enjoy spear fishing, game hunting and eating with your hands, or the modern equivalent; a group of self-righteous extremist dieters seeking to educate the public on the revelations of their new way of living.

You need only listen to any number of Paleo advocates that suggest ‘walking your own path’ to know that the best way to go about nourishing your body is finding what works for you.

Instead of prescribing to the perceived rigidity of the Paleo diet the girls intend to forage their own real food path, picking and choosing the best foods and lifestyle approach that works for them. And we suggest you do the same.

So maybe instead of us all trying too hard to be ‘Paleo’, lets re-focus our attention on being that little bit more ‘Merry’.

Yours in great health,

Damian

P.s. if you want to know more about Paleo and my thoughts on dieting etc. take a listen to my podcasts on iTunes or visit www.thewellnesscouch.com to tune in.