In a message dated 3/1/01 2:45:52 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< So, by being active before I eat and resting a bit
 after, have a stumbled onto a paleo sort of rhythm to my feedings? >>

Yes, you have. I have been studying the ethnographic records of the native
Californians, recorded by white researchers in the early 20th.cent. The
elders of these peoples remembered the old ways. These people lived
essentially a paleo lifestyle for 5,000 years, before the white man (Spanish)
showed up. There is a huge body of work on California Indians, and it
basically answers all your questions about a paleo way of life.

For instance, they only ate twice a day (like my cat!). And they certainly
did work before eating in the morning. Most meals were small, and low
carbohydrate, so they did not feel the need to rest after eating. Breakfast
was acorn atole (porridge, or thick soup), with dried venison (jerky). Acorns
are nuts, and high in fat and protein.

I recommend Paul Campbell's book "Survival Skills of Native California". This
contains a wealth of info. on paleo hunter gatherer techniques and lifeways.
In fact, I am thinking of attempting to create a paleo restaurant where wild
foods gathered in the surrounding area (San Diego County) would be served.
This would include acorn atole, wild game, such as rabbits and quail (not
farm raised), agave, yucca, mesquite from the desert, etc.

California Indians lived long active lives, and their overall health was far
superior to ours. They suffered from no auto-immune diseases at all, and were
frequently described by the Spanish chroniclers as healthy, good looking and
robust. California was basically a garden, where all food requirements could
be met very easily, without resorting to agriculture.

Charles