> >> Lately I've developed a taste for raw ostrichsteak with a hint of salt
<<
>
> I've heard a lot of people have a taste for
> raw meat. I would like to try it too, but I am concerned
> about parasites. Is my concern valid?

peoples are parasited , that is just a fact and cooked food  or not doen't
change the picture .
I have also saw and heard lot of peoples who expuse parasites when they
start a raw diet ( as sundenlly the ecosytem was no so friendly to them
anymore)
it is all question of balance and ecosystems have more chance to be balanced
when diversity is there.TRying to get rid of one species is compromising
that balance .
also i believe that many peoples might  have saved their life  or postpone
bigger troubles like autoimmune disorders , thanks to the parasites and
bacterias  who dealt with what their bodies could not deal with.

> Is it required to be truly paleo? If we have adapted to cooking,
> then wouldn't raw meat be bad?

if we had excluded raw meats for generations may be , but apart  english and
north americains i don't know of many who did totally .as french raw meats
is part of everybody's experience ( either as oysters,  clams , or steak
tartare and raw hams,  charcuteries etc..)
i have been eating exclusivelly raw meats for over 12 years and it is good
for me , as David Karas
's experience cooked forms are more probelematic than raw .
jean-claude