Mark Sisson's Blog, page 159

Weekend Link Love — Edition 483

Research of the Week

Interval training before an all-nighter mitigates the sleep deprivation-induced insulin resistance.

Early retirees may increase their risk of early death.

The size of wine glasses in England has increased about six-fold since the 1700s.

Daily leafy greens linked to lower cognitive decline.

Poorer women are heavier than richer women. Both poorer and richer men are equally obese.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 203: Dave Scott: Host Brad Kearns chats with 6-time Kona Ironman champion Dave Scott about keto for endurance athletes, balancing volume and intensity, strength training, training longevity, and much, much more. Many people have knowledge. Dave Scott has wisdom.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Interesting Blog Posts

The 70 year-old Belarussian using strength training to fight aging. The quotes are gold.

Media, Schmedia

What happens when a registered dietitian goes keto.

Everything Else

Did you know Santa Claus used to be diabetic? It’s true, and a low-carb, high-fat diet fixed him right up.

“Look into the eyes of a chicken and you will see real stupidity. It is a kind of bottomless stupidity, a fiendish stupidity. They are the most horrifying, cannibalistic and nightmarish creatures in the world.”

We’re having an effect.

How our relentless pursuit of happiness is taking us further from it.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I enjoyed reading this: A doctor skeptical of statin safety and effectiveness rebuts his critics.

I’m just glad I ordered mine in time: Amazon reconsiders its DIY circumcision kits.

Concept I’m pondering: The reverse bucket list.

Yet another refutation of “gelatin is a useless protein, bro”: Gelatin makes exercise even more protective against bone loss.

Productivity hack that works: 10 minute training session.

Recipe Corner

Careful. Arugula pesto might bite.
For Singapore rice noodles, you can actually use spiralized veggies.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Dec 24– Dec 30)

A Primal New Year’s Eve Survival Guide – Make your night of debauchery less unhealthy.
My Experience with Exogenous Ketones: Tale and Truth – What happened when I took ketones.

Comment of the Week

“The best tech-based mood adjuster I’ve found is a little app called WeCroak. Five times a day, it reminds you that you’re going to die and gives you some lovely quote to ponder. Wonderful for maintaining perspective.”

– That’s genius, Kevin.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 483 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Instant Pot Garlic and Ginger Short Ribs with Sweet Potatoes

The combination of bone broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce and balsamic vinegar makes such an incredible braising sauce for meat, it’s easy to imagine using the sauce for more than just short ribs. Then again, these short ribs are so good and so easy to make, why bother changing up this recipe at all?

An Instant Pot comes to the rescue again, making the meat fall-off-the-bone tender in 35 minutes flat. The braising sauce, plus garlic and ginger, impart rich umami flavor. Savory, sweet, salty and funky flavors are all there in perfect balance. These Instant Pot short ribs really are irresistible.

Here, they’re served with baked Japanese sweet potatoes, which taste really good with the meaty, salty ribs (although any type of sweet potato or yam will do). Steamed broccoli or sautéed greens like spinach and bok choy will round out this meal perfectly.

Servings: 4 to 6

Time in the Kitchen: 30 minutes hands-on, plus 1 hour for both ribs and sweet potatoes to cook

Ingredients

2 Japanese sweet potatoes (or regular sweet potatoes)
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (1.8 kg)
2 teaspoons salt (10 ml)
1 tablespoon red palm oil, or other oil (15 ml)
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-inch/2.5 cm ginger, finely chopped
½ cup bone broth (120 ml)
1/2 cup coconut aminos (120 ml)
2 teaspoons fish sauce (10 ml)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (15 ml)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 ºF/204 ºC

Scrub sweet potatoes clean, poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. Roast on a baking sheet for 1 hour, or until potatoes are soft when pierced.

While the sweet potatoes bake, season the short ribs with salt.

Program an Instant pot to sauté. Heat red palm oil in the Instant Pot insert. Add the ribs in batches, searing until browned on all sides. Transfer browned ribs to a plate.

If there is more than 2 tablespoons/30 ml oil left in the Instant Pot, pour oil off until only about 2 tablespoons remain. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, then add bone broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce and balsamic vinegar.

Cover and cook 35 minutes on high pressure. Manually release pressure. Take out ribs and simmer sauce 3 to 5 minutes (using sauté function) to thicken.

Serve ribs with sauce spooned on top – the sauce is really flavorful but can be quite salty, so use sparingly. Serve baked sweet potatoes on the side with butter.

The post Instant Pot Garlic and Ginger Short Ribs with Sweet Potatoes appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

I Feel More Confident, Strong, Grounded and Energized

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

My doctor introduced me to Paleo eating in 2013 when I presented with symptoms of brain fog, low energy, anxiety, and mood disorder stuff that was destroying my life and career. He told me that he could not help me if I didn’t start eating meat again, and put veganism behind me.

Up to that point I had been a vegan for 13 years. I got into vegetarianism for asthma/allergies as a teenager, which lead me to being vegan. The allergies/asthma didn’t go away until I moved away from my family despite my best efforts to eat vegan and do tons of fasts, cleanses, and meditation.

In my 20s I was your typical ungrounded nice guy on a spiritual journey living in my car, trying to transcend the pain and anger of having been raised in a broken home. Though, at the time I had no idea I was actually doing what is known as spiritual bypassing.

I heard about Mark’s Daily Apple and your work from The Primal Blueprint. This was the first book I read when I started educating myself about Paleo.

In general I find that overeating, eating dairy, grains, nightshades, too much nuts/seeds/fruit, and repressing feelings doesn’t work. Eating plenty of greens and vegetables, balanced with fat/protein, and staying active works best for me. The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol combined with a low carb approach in particular has been great for me. This is often more effective than just Paleo where eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades are not excluded with grains and beans.

My journey has also led me to pursue psycho-dynamic therapy. Many of my challenges seem to have a psycho-emotional root cause or component. This is one of the biggest things I’ve learned and continue to learn.

Since I started eating Paleo I feel more confident, strong, grounded, and energized then I did in my 20s. I’m in my mid 30s and better off now than I was back then. I also notice that I get more definition and muscle tone the closer I stay to Paleo, and I don’t even hit the gym. This is with a full time career in landscaping and gardening.

Thanks again for the invite to share my story and give to our tribe!

James Dawson

Want to make fat loss easier?

Try the Definitive Guide for Troubleshooting Weight Loss for free here.

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Kitchen Tips for Primal Holiday Entertaining

There’s no ancestral tradition more meaningful than sharing a meal together. Holiday parties and dinners are when we come together to celebrate the bonds we have and the promise of a new year. Whether planned or impromptu, the effort doesn’t have to compromise the enjoyment. The best gatherings are simple and casual, and your menu can reflect that. Today we’re offering a holiday party rundown of favorite recipes that allow you to offer the best in Primal hospitality for all your entertaining events this season.

No-Stress Primal Appetizers

If you’re planning to cook a huge holiday meal, then give yourself a break when it comes to appetizers. Don’t go overboard. Instead, serve easy-to-make crowd pleasers for your guests to nibble on like Bacon Trail Mix.

Or Marinated Olives & Nuts.

Slightly more sophisticated, but still easy to whip up, are appetizers like mini smoked salmon hand rolls.

Or shrimp with kimchi mayo.

Make-Ahead Main Courses

Instead of being trapped in the kitchen when guests arrive, cook your main course a day (or two) ahead of time. Large cuts of cooked meat like brisket  actually taste better when they rest in the refrigerator 24 to 48 hours.

 

Bone-in beef short ribs are another delicious make-ahead main course. Both brisket and short ribs can be reheated in a covered dish at 350 ºF/176 ºC.

For casual holiday get-togethers, cook up a big pot of stew or Texas chili  the day before a party, or better yet, make the dishes weeks before, and stash ‘em in the freezer.

Easy Primal Desserts

There’s no need to expend undue time and effort making elaborate Primal desserts when there are plenty of perfectly Primal, easy-to-make desserts that will satisfy a holiday sweet tooth.

Squares of high-quality dark chocolate and a bowl of Clementine oranges are always a hit. Or, try these simple but unbelievably delicious homemade Dark Chocolate Citrus Macadamia Balls.

Or Dark Chocolate Brazil Nut Bars.

Or Coconut Macadamia Bars.

All three desserts can be made ahead and kept in the freezer.

Festive Holiday Drinks (That Won’t Leave You Hung Over)

The festive drink in your hand doesn’t have to be an alcoholic one. Offer guests (and yourself) a fancy mocktail instead.

Enjoy the season with a warm mug of creamy cocoa or Primal Egg Nog.

Or any of Seven Healthy Coffee Ideas or some soothing Turmeric Tea.

 

 

Which ideas will you try, or do you have more to add? Happy Holidays, everyone!

The post Kitchen Tips for Primal Holiday Entertaining appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

The Best of 2017: Research Insights and Other Breakthroughs

Each year is fuller than the last. More and more scientific papers are published each year, and that trend is only quickening. The same trend goes for books, products, businesses. Humans are incredible producers. It’s what we do—create and consume.

So, whenever I do a “year in review” type of post, it’s harder than the previous year. There’s too much to cover. Hell, in 2017 alone there were over 17,000 papers published on saturated fat. 17,000.

But let’s give it a shot. What are some takeaways as we finish out 2017?

1. Vegetable oils are still really, really bad.

Canola oil worsens cognition in an Alzheimer’s model.
Linoleic acid makes alcohol harder on the liver.
“Edible oils” are probably responsible for South Asian diabetes epidemic.

2. Keto works.

Even without exercise.
In autistic children.
For Mick Jagger.
For NFL stars.
It’s just too bad it’s impossible to follow.

3. Everything has a circadian rhythm, and the circadian rhythm affects everything.

Breastmilk has one.
Heart surgery is safer in the afternoon.
Regular eating times improve circadian protection of skin against UV damage.
Blue-blocking goggles increase melatonin at night, even if you use a smartphone.
We don’t get enough daytime light.
Three Americans got Nobel prizes for their work on circadian physiology.

4. What the Health, this year’s token vegan screed, came out to rapturous applause. In one of my favorite pieces of the year, Robb Wolf took it apart piece by piece and, in doing so, definitively commented on anti-meat hysteria and bad science in general.

5. We learned that the sugar industry has been stifling anti-sugar research results for decades, surprising no one while enraging almost everyone (with an honest bone in their body).

6. We learned more and more about ancient human evolution and migration. It turns out that our history is even crazier and more impressive than we thought.

Easter Islanders made it to South America before Europeans.
Humans trickling into Europe from Africa laid waste to the Neanderthals, who lived in small, isolated bands and managed to get a lot of their genes into the modern human brain.
Agriculture brought smaller, weaker jaws and introduced the first taxable crops.
Homo Erectus may have had deep thoughts almost 2 million years ago.
We had skull cults.
Ancient Egyptians were genetically closer to European and Middle Eastern populations than Central African ones.

7. Human gene editing drew ever nearer to the mainstream.

Using genes to choose the best embryos is almost possible.
China’s already embracing it.
The first embryos were edited in America.
But CRISPR may cause unintended mutations.

8. Awareness of digital media’s effect on our health and happiness grew.

The creators of the social media “attention economy” publicly warned against the coming smartphone dystopia.
“The Unabomber had a point.”
Facebook’s problem? “Content without context.”
Having your phone in the same room drains your cognitive capacity, even if it’s turned off.
“Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”

9. There was serious debate over whether we’re educating and parenting our kids the right way.

School stunts development.
How we’re talking to our kids wrong.
Playground games must be approved by a committee.
Barefooted kids are more engaged at school.
The FDA acknowledged that peanut exposure can reduce peanut allergy.
Teens who sleep less have a higher risk of substance abuse.
A little TV is okay for children as long as they watch and discuss it with a caretaker.
Ritalin has long-term effects on neurotransmitters.
Dad not being there increases cellular stress.

10. Even as health and food-related tech has largely come up short, there were some promising developments.

Stem-cell implants that regrow teeth.
Tattoos that monitor blood sugar.

11. I had a few momentous occasions happen that really made the year for me:

Hitting the New York Times Bestseller List with The Keto Reset Diet.
Being on Good Morning America to talk about the Keto Reset.
Having  Keto Reset hit number #1 on Amazon.
Primal Kitchen Restaurants opening in South Bend, IN and Culver City, CA, with more to come.
The continued success and expansion of the Primal Health Coach Certification program.

I’ve been doing this thing for over 10 years now, and it still feels fresh, still feels new and exciting. Because despite all the studies, developments, news reports, and personal experimentation, we still don’t know much of anything. A whopping 99% of the gut biome is a complete mystery, for example. There’s a lot more for us to learn. I look forward to sharing  and discussing it with all of you.

What were your big takeaways for 2017?

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care and be well.

The post The Best of 2017: Research Insights and Other Breakthroughs appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Grok’s Favorite Things: 14 Gifts For Yourself (or Other Primal Types in Your Life)

Grok may not have an entire cable network or billions of dollars in net worth, but I’d suggest he’s at least as good as Oprah at picking good gifts. This is his gift list for 2017. For a dude whose idea of high technology was an atlatl, it’s an impressive one.

If you’re shopping for the Primal types in your life, or maybe you want to treat yourself to something not just nice but useful, use this gift guide for ideas.

1. 70-Gallon Stock Tank

I’ve been banging the cold plunge drum for years now, but the fact remains that most people don’t have an easy way to fully immerse themselves in cold water. Showers aren’t plunges. Bathtubs don’t offer full immersion, and the warm water always beckons. $120 gets you this 70-gallon stock tank, which is large enough to accommodate most full-grown adults interested in immersing themselves in cold water.

2. All-Clad Stick Blender

The stick blender is a great idea, but most of the time people skimp on the price and end up with a substandard, underpowered piece of junk. If you want one that lasts, one that can probably blend a smartphone, it’s worth forking over a little more money.

As of the writing of this post, this blender is about $30 off its price.

3. Cast Iron Tuscan Grill

The Steven Raichlen cast iron Tuscan grill is incredibly versatile. Let’s go through the attributes.

It’s cast iron. Get it hot enough and you’ll see the grill marks on your steak from space.
It has screw on cast iron legs. This allows you to take it on hikes, to the beach, and anywhere else you might want to start an impromptu grill session.
It’s both a grill and a platform for other cookware. You can grill directly on the cast iron grate or use it as a cooking stand for your cast iron skillet.

Get one or two if you care at all about wood fire or charcoal cooking.

4. Evolution Board Game

This game won’t exactly replace The Origin of Species. It’s not a substitute for learning about natural selection. But it’s a great time for the family, suitable for most ages, and is at least moderately related to evolution. I’m always asking you folks to play more, and not just physically. This is a good way to do it.

5. Luna Sandals

Though it’s wintertime and most of us aren’t really thinking about donning sandals, keep these in mind for warmer times. You can do everything in Luna sandals. Hike great distances, run trails, climb mountains, walk in the rain, chill on a beach. Check out their Instagram account for a broad sample of what people get up to in their sandals. An old friend of mine, Barefoot Ted, makes these in Seattle, so you’ll be supporting an American business (if you care about that sort of thing; I do) and supporting a friend of the blog. Also, the guy is named Barefoot Ted, so he definitely understands the detailed workings and requirements of the human foot.

6. OURA Ring

I’ve always been skeptical of wearable technology. It’s not very accurate, it overstates its abilities, and it engenders over-reliance on the tech and ignorance of our own intuitive powers. But if the initial studies bear out, and it appears they will, the OURA ring looks to be an unobtrusive and accurate wearable for measuring sleep, heart rate variability, and body temperature.

7. Anova Sous Vide

If you don’t have the space for Dr. Eades’ Sous Vide Supreme Touch+, the Anova is the next best option. It’s an immersion sous vide, meaning you dunk it in the vessel of your choice and it regulates the temperature of the water.

8. Primal Kitchen® Gift Kit

For the Primal foodie in your life (or your own Primal kitchen)… I think Grok would be proud of his likeness engraved on the cutting board and chef’s knife, not to mention our Mayo, Extra-Virgin Avocado Oil, and Balsamic Dressing. I’ve gifted a number of these already this season.

And, hey, in honor of Grok, take 20% off your purchase through 12/31/17. Just use the code 20GIFT when you check out.

9. Darn Tough Merino Wool Hiking Socks

I rarely wear socks, but when I do, I enjoy the Darn Toughs. Wool keeps you warm in the cold and comfortable in the warmth. Socks usually give me “hot foot.” The Darn Toughs are some of the only ones that don’t.

10. Four Sigmatic Chaga and Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee

Lately, I’ve been really curious about Lion’s Mane mushrooms, which studies show have the potential to stimulate neurogenesis—the growth of new brain cells. This product is a great way to get both coffee and lion’s mane (plus chaga, another beneficial mushroom). The alternative is buying and cooking fresh lion’s mane, which is delicious but runs rather expensive for everyday use.

11. Mother Dirt Products

We carry these in the Primal Blueprint store for a very good reason: They work with your body’s natural ecosystem to keep you clean. If your giftee has hair, go for the shampoo. If they don’t, go for the cleanser. And everyone could use the AOBiome spray, which preferentially targets ammonia-producing bacteria and reduces the need to shower and use soap.

12. Chef’s Choice Knife Sharpener

There’s nothing more satisfying than using a really sharp knife to slice meat and chop veggies. There’s nothing more dangerous than using a dull knife to slice meat and chop veggies. Purists would have you invest your time and money in buying and learning to use a sharpening stone, and that’s a valid option, but most people won’t dedicate enough of themselves to really learn the craft. This knife sharpener gets top marks.

13. Red Dragon Torch

It’s designed to kill weeds, and that’s all well and good. I like it to start charcoal fires. Rather than light your coals in a chimney, pour them out, and hope for the best placement, you can set your coals up in the perfect arrangement and then light them with the torch. Other benefits include finishing off dishes with a blast of flame. Oh, and if you use this at night, it just looks awesome.

For outdoor use only.

14. Pure-Wave Power Massager

Essentially a massive vibrator, this is no replacement for visiting a skilled body worker, but it’s probably a lot better than visiting a cheap one. You can use it to hit trigger points, do self-myofascial release, or just have a nice relaxing approximation of a rub. If you hate foam rollers but need them, you might enjoy hanging out with the Pure-Wave while you read, browse the web, or watch TV.

That’s it: Grok’s gift guide for 2017. Now I’d love to hear from you…. What are you getting people? What are you lusting after? What’s been the best purchase you’ve made or received in recent memory?

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care!

The post Grok’s Favorite Things: 14 Gifts For Yourself (or Other Primal Types in Your Life) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Mark: Carbs and Serum Saturated Fat, Fat and Polyphenols, and Avocado Oil for Searing

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. All three questions come from last week’s saturated fat post. First, I explore the true reason for increases in serum palmitic acid—too many carbs. Second, I investigate whether dairy or saturated fat affect polyphenol absorption, and whether it actually matters. And finally, I discuss the merits of avocado oil for high heat cooking and searing.

Let’s go:

You didn’t mention that the level of palmitic acid in serum is controlled by dietary carbohydrate – this has been known since 1955 if not earlier, and more recently demonstrated in humans by Jeff Volek’s team.

https://profgrant.com/2017/03/10/what...

Thanks, George. Great post, by the way. Love your stuff.

I did mention that “the only time we get a huge influx of pure palmitic acid is when we eat too many carbohydrates and our liver converts the excess into palmitic acid.” That’s de novo lipogenesis, the creation of (saturated) fat from glucose. It occurs in people with overstocked liver glycogen who eat too many calories and carbs and don’t move enough. There’s nowhere for the glucose to go, since glycogen stores are full. Conversion into palmitic acid, a relatively stable energy source with unlimited storage capacity, is the only other option.

Indeed, as shown in your link, diets high in fat and low in carbs tend to either reduce or maintain saturated fat levels in the serum.  They definitely don’t increase it, which is the opposite of what most people would think. Eat saturated fat and it shows up in your blood. Right? Not necessarily. Jeff Volek’s team showed that as dietary carbohydrate increases, so do saturated fatty acids in the blood.

Dr. Barry Sears, PhD, who authored the Zone and has a background with MIT, etc., has stated since his first book that Saturated Fatty Acids are inflammatory. He recently stated on his website, “Saturated fats are pro-inflammatory compounds and will antagonize the benefits of the polyphenols.” (www.drsears.com September 2017) So, what is the bottom line from science?

I tracked that statement down to a message on Sears’ Twitter account where he links to an article on Well and Good about optimizing your coffee. It’s a decent article, with helpful tips on choosing the best beans and roasts for polyphenol maximization. The last tip is to add healthy fats but limit dairy, as “cream and milk actually lower the amount of polyphenols.”

Is that true? Does dairy (or saturated fat) lower polyphenol absorption?

A polyphenol-rich carob drink in a “milk matrix” was effective at lowering inflammation and improving bowel function and lipids. The milk might have blocked  some of the polyphenols—there was no dairy-free control group to compare—but even if that was true, enough obviously got through to elicit beneficial effects.

Another study compared olive polyphenol-enhanced yogurt to plain yogurt. Both yogurts helped subjects lose weight, reduce weight circumference, and lower blood pressure, but subjects who ate the polyphenol-enhanced yogurt had lower LDL and higher antioxidant levels. Clearly, the polyphenols were making it through.

Another study found that in a simulated gastric environment—artificial stomach—cheese was an excellent vehicle for green tea polyphenols, protecting their viability and biological activity.

There have been studies where the presence of dairy seems to inhibit the absorption of polyphenols, but that was due to the proteins, not the fat.

Cocoa polyphenols work just fine in the presence of milk protein, lowering oxidized LDL and increasing HDL.

Maybe it does. None of these were perfectly controlled environments. Perhaps polyphenols work well with saturated dairy fat, but they’d work even better without it. We just don’t know.

We must also remember that polyphenols don’t have to be absorbed to help us. They’re also very effective in the gut, killing pathogens and serving as prebiotic fuel for our gut bacteria. If we aren’t absorbing them, they spend more time in the gut where the magic happens.

I’m still drinking coffee with cream though. If you like it, so should you.

Hi Mark,

With respect to smoke point, is it safe to pan sear a steak using avocado oil?

Avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points. It’s a great combination of stable fats, mostly monounsaturated, and natural antioxidants like vitamin E and other polyphenols that combine to present a united front against heat damage and oxidation and make avocado oil a great choice for searing steaks.

Compared to olive oil, which is no slouch in the heat tolerance department, avocado oil matches up well. “The stability of avocado oil was similar to that of olive oil.”

Adding avocado oil (and olive oil) to pork burger patties increased the oxidative stability of the burgers when cooked.

Avocado oil offers extra protection against oxidative damage by improving your glutathione status, at least if you’re a rat.

As you might have guessed, I didn’t just start selling the stuff for the hell of it. Olive oil is great, but there are dozens of great products already established and it doesn’t taste very good in mayo. The weight of the evidence convinced me it was the oil to use in my products. ]

That’s it for today, folks. Thanks for reading and be sure to chime in below with your own thoughts, questions, comments and concerns.

The post Dear Mark: Carbs and Serum Saturated Fat, Fat and Polyphenols, and Avocado Oil for Searing appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love — Edition 482

Research of the Week

Intense exercise slows Parkinson’s progression.

Exercise alters the gut biome independently of diet.

Blood pressure naturally and linearly decreases in the twilight years, with the steepest increases seen in dementia, heart failure, late-life weight loss, and hypertension.

A diet high in monounsaturated fat reduces liver fat and increases insulin sensitivity.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 201: Anthony G. Jay, PhD: Host Elle Russ chats with Dr. Anthony G. Jay about his new book, Estrogeneration. It’s all about how estrogenic compounds in our environment are making us sick, fat, and infertile. Great name, too.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Interesting Blog Posts

You know, a walk can be very filling.

Assuming we gain the ability to fine-tune our mood with technology, what’s the best way to go about it and minimize side effects?

Media, Schmedia

Los Angeles shelter dogs might go vegan, as if their lives aren’t already tough enough.

Are people really injuring themselves opening avocados? 

Everything Else

Come for the Freedom Trail, stay for the obese squirrels.

Vegan screeds shop simplistic yet misleading messages (“live kindly“) and get financial backing from huge celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio. Movies that push ancestral health approaches are more nuanced and rely on crowdfunding. Kale vs. Cow makes the case for sustainable meat, and it needs your help.

Lake Eerie’s crazy, chaotic waves.

There’s a suicide epidemic among America’s farmers.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Year’s end “Best of” list I was honored to make: MindBodyGreen’s Best Healthy Cookbooks, for Keto Reset.

Concept that intrigued me: The “Polymeal.”

Video I’m pondering: Did religion trigger agriculture?

Didn’t know they had it in them: Orca jumps 15 feet out of the water despite weighing 8 tons.

I’m not surprised: A new study suggests that lifestyle modifications could prevent 40% of cancer deaths.

Recipe Corner

One of my favorite Indian dishes, chicken korma, paleo-style..
Good dessert, good gift for others: dark chocolate pecan bark with sea salt.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Dec 17– Dec 23)

Can You Retrain Your Taste? – How the picky might become less so.
8 Primal Things to Appreciate About the Winter Season – Sure, it’s cold. Yeah, it’s wet and/or snowy. But there’s a lot to love.

Comment of the Week

“Mark, I object to your jeremiad on porn including the salacious comment: ‘Hard things are what make us humans’!!

(No, I’m not serious.)”

– That must have been hard to come up with, Matt.

Want to make fat loss easier?

Try the Definitive Guide for Troubleshooting Weight Loss for free here.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 482 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

No-Bake Keto Coconut Cheesecake

This is the easy-to-make, no bake, sugar-free, ketogenic cheesecake recipe you’ve been waiting for. It does not disappoint. In fact, it’s so light and airy and outrageously creamy that it qualifies as delicious cheesecake, period….that just happens to be a high-fat, low-carb, no sugar indulgence.

Here’s how easy this recipe is to make: Cream cheese and crème fraiche are whipped into a cloud-like batter that’s thickened with gelatin and flavored with coconut. The filling is poured over a simple, no-fail macadamia nut and coconut crust. Chill, garnish with toasted coconut and fresh berries, and prepare to fall in love.

Since this is no-bake cheesecake made without eggs, these decadent cheesecake bites have a light, cloud-like texture. The macadamia-coconut crust adds crunch and sweetness to each bite. In fact, the natural sweetness of the macadamia nuts and coconut, layered with the creamy flavor of whole-fat dairy, is so decadent that this dessert doesn’t actually need any added sweetener.

You read that correctly—these cheesecake bites turn out perfectly without any sweetener whatsoever. Without sweetener, the flavor is slightly tangy but still decadent. If you consider something like full-fat Greek yogurt with berries to be dessert, then you’ll love an unsweetened version of this cheesecake.

But if you crave dessert with a sweeter edge, then go ahead and add the sweetener of your choice. You don’t need to add a lot. A teaspoon or two of a sweetener like liquid stevia gives these cheesecake bites the traditional sweetness that is expected from cheesecake.

However you choose to enjoy these Ketogenic cheesecake bites—with sweetener or without—they’re sure to become a go-to dessert recipe any time you need a treat.

Servings: 12 cheesecake bites

Time in the Kitchen: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours to chill

Crust Ingredients

2 cups raw, unsalted macadamia nuts (262 grams)
½ cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut (43 grams)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (30 ml)
¼ teaspoon salt (1.25 ml)

Process macadamia nuts in food processor until finely chopped. Add coconut, coconut oil and salt and pulse until the ingredients come together and the texture is similar to big grains of sand.

Use a Tablespoon measurement to drop scoops of the crust into a 12-count silicone cupcake pan (or, drape several large pieces of plastic wrap over a regular cupcake pan and press the plastic wrap into each cupcake holder, leaving overhang over the edges of the pan). Use your fingers to press the crust down evenly and firmly in the bottom of each cupcake space.

Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.

Cheesecake Ingredients

3 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (15 ml)
12 ounces cream cheese, softened (340 g)
1/2 cup crème fraiche (3.75 ounces/106 grams)
Optional: ½ to 1 teaspoon (or more) liquid Stevia or other sweetener*
1 ½ teaspoon coconut flavor (7.4 ml)

*The type of sweetener, and the amount, used in this cheesecake recipe can be changed according to your preference. This cheesecake can also be made without any sweetener at all.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1 cup hot water by whisking vigorously. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, blend cream cheese until smooth. Add crème fraiche, sweetener (optional) and coconut flavor and blend until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in gelatin, beating until thoroughly blended in.

Pour the batter into the cupcake pan on top of the crusts, filling each space close to the top. Chill at least 2 hours, until set.

To remove the cupcake bites, press from the bottom of the silicone cupcake pan to lift each cheesecake up. If using plastic wrap in a regular cupcake pan, carefully lift the plastic wrap up, which will lift and remove the mini cheesecakes.

 

The post No-Bake Keto Coconut Cheesecake appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

I Thought Any Weight Issue Could Be Corrected With Chronic Exercise

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

I contemplated writing this Mark’s Daily Apple success story a few times over the last three years and every time I decided it wasn’t a good idea, mainly because I thought “who am I and who would really care anyway”? The other reason is the last thing I wanted people to see plastered on the internet are my before and after pictures, how embarrassing! Being comfortable and confident with my body is never an attribute I have possessed. I actually even used a before photo that was about 10 pounds lighter than when I was my heaviest, but that was because I didn’t even want to look at myself in the mirror at that point, let alone take a picture.

Despite all of this, I think sharing my story (and those pictures) is important because I think it can help people, it can show the powerful changes that can be made in health and body composition by making some very important lifestyle adjustments. I wanted to use the words “simple” or “easy” adjustments in that last sentence, but they are not always simple and easy. Yet, they are important.

I don’t think my exact formula will be right for everyone, but the majority of people can find something that they can apply to their life to make a positive change. And whether or not you find something in my story that inspires you, I have just landed you on one of the most powerful websites to change your health and your life, so for that you’re welcome. I think it is important to take your health into your own hands—research, read, ask questions—because it is obvious conventional wisdom and general health/nutrition information are deeply flawed, and Mark’s Daily Apple can help in your quest for knowledge!

Below I have organized my story in categories- “Before,” “After,” “Resources,” and “Moving Forward.” If you want to jump right into the details of how I went from 220-plus pounds to the 180-185 pounds I consistently stay at now, then scroll down to the “After” portion and start there.

Before

Below is a summary of the different phases of my life until five years ago when I turned thirty-years-old.

Childhood

I was born in the 1980s and grew up in the 90s, which seems to be prime time for the low fat era. At home, school, and in the media we were taught that fat should be avoided in our diet, and we had to make sure we get our 6-11 servings of cereals, grains, and pasta. For me that was not a problem, I could eat carbohydrates all day long!

I loved to play sports growing up and tried to be outside as much as possible playing football, basketball, and baseball. I never really thought about how food affected my performance in sports, or my body composition, I just ate whatever I could as fast as possible so I could get to the next game. My weight fluctuated when I was younger. I was never obese or even too overweight, I would describe myself as “slightly chubby” at times. There were other moments during growth spurts, and highly active moments of a sports season, where I was normal weight and not carrying any extra fat on my body.

High School

Once I got to high school I made the brilliant decision as a five foot ten inch tall, fairly slow kid, to focus on playing basketball. I was consistently carrying 10-15 pounds of extra weight, and not only was I teased a bit for it, but I wasn’t the best player I could be due to the extra weight, and that is what bothered me the most. Of course the comments about how my body looked hurt a bit, but I was a good enough player that most people looked past it and appreciated me for my play on the court.

The food environment in high school wasn’t always great, with getting older came more independence and opportunities to eat outside of my home, which lead me to fast and affordable food choices.

I really had no clue what healthy eating was. In fact healthy for me was heading to a juice place for a sugar filled beverage and a soft pretzel. Thank goodness I played a lot of basketball and was introduced to lifting weights at the same time, otherwise I have no doubt I would have been considered obese.

Even with a few extra pounds on my frame at the end of high school I had become a good enough player that I was able to move on and become a member of the men’s basketball team at a NCAA Division 2 university. Thanks to the support of my family and coaches I was able to live my dream of playing college basketball.

College

Once I got to Sonoma State University (located in Sonoma County-Northern California) it was obvious that physically I was going to have a tough time on the basketball court. It took me a few years to get in good enough shape to consistently make a contribution in games, but eventually I would be an all-conference guard and conference champion my senior year (for more on the many basketball related adjustments I made check out my book “Bench Rules: A Guide to Success On and Off the Bench” on Amazon). In fact, one of the strategies I joked about with my teammates, but it had a little truth to it, is that every time I went to a fast food restaurant I just stopped ordering french fries. Boom! Ten pounds lost very quickly.

The biggest adjustment I made was tracking what I ate. I started to add a lot more real food in my diet and eating less food that came from a box, package, or fast food restaurant. It was far from an optimal diet, but the actual process of writing it down made me think about what I was

putting in my body, how it made me feel and perform, and that helped me make better decisions.

Post College

I had a short stint in a European basketball league, which enabled me to live in beautiful Vienna, Austria for a few months and get paid to play a game I love. That experience also helped me realize I had reached my full potential as a player, and I was done putting my body through the stress it took me to perform at that level. I decided it was time to move on to a different stage of my life.

A couple years after I left Vienna I married my college girlfriend Megan, who was a soccer player when we were at SSU, and a couple years later we had our first child. In those four years of not playing basketball, and not really making any adjustments to my Standard American Diet (I was still tracking what I ate on and off), I managed to put on more weight than I ever had.

Now, at this time I was still lifting weights and running, my two preferred forms of exercise, but this was not enough to keep the weight off as it was nothing close to the volume and intensity of exercise I endured as a basketball player.

With the increase in weight came some minor health issues, for instance I was diagnosed with GERD. I would get constant heartburn that felt bad enough to make me think I was having some kind of heart attack. I even got hooked up to an EKG machine at one point because I was so convinced something was wrong. A doctor I saw recommended I take a Prilosec pill everyday and eat a low fat diet, which I followed religiously until I saw I was putting on more weight. It was extremely frustrating to see zero changes in my body composition with an increased focus on my health and diet. There had to be something else I could do!

After
Finding A New Way

I was turned on to primal/ancesteral health when I was told about a cbssports.com article on nutrition in the NBA. The story revolved around Dr. Cate Shanahan and her work with the LA Lakers. The whole series of articles led me to a Google search and one of the first websites I found was Mark’s Daily Apple (MDA). The website piqued my interest right away, it was so informative, filled with many wonderful articles and success stories, and ultimately I knew I had to give it a try.

One of the first inforgraphics I saw, and it still sticks out in my head to this day, is the Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve. This is one I still share with people who ask me how I eat now, that and of course the ten primal laws. Mark’s Daily Apple is still my “go-to” source when I have any question on health or nutrition. What I love about MDA is that if I have a question about any topic, I can search for it and I am guaranteed to find an article with Mark’s point of view and links to any necessary studies or additional information. It is also an absolute must to check out the Primal Blueprint 101 section if you are new to the website, everything you could possibly need to know is there!

Below are the major adjustments I made to my life. Growing up in organized sports, and as a victim of conventional wisdom, I thought any weight issue could be solved with exercise. It wasn’t until I bought into the idea that “80 percent of your body composition is determined by what you eat” that I saw real change. It is for that reason that “Diet” is first on this list, and by far the most important. I am now low enough in body fat to somewhat see my abs, this was never the case even in 2-3 hours a day of college basketball practice over a five-year span (I spent one year as a redshirt). I had to make a change to my diet for this to happen, and I exercise less than I ever have.

Diet

Inspired by the Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve I limit daily carbohydrate intake to less than 100 grams per day. Most days I aim to stay under 50 grams, and often I decide to restrict low enough and consistently enough to dip into in to ketosis. Aiming to keep my carbohydrates low has helped me to EAT REAL FOOD and avoid most processed/packaged foods.

I also eliminated sugars and grains from my diet. Obviously these calories had to be replaced so I started eating more healthy fat- olive oil, coconut oil (MCT Oil as well), and butter. However, the majority of my food is animals and plants along with nuts, healthy fats (listed above), and some fruit and dark chocolate. Check out the Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid, I also like Time Noakes’ Real Meal Revolution Food List.

This way of eating becomes very easy very quickly. Like I said above I like to keep carbohydrates fairly low, so once you learn the macronutrient make-up of food you can easily make a selection of what to eat anywhere you go. I suggest tracking what you eat at first, but eventually there is no need once you get used to it. I do not want to demonize carbohydrates, I like what world renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin says about them, his thought is that you must “deserve your carbohydrates. Your levels of muscle mass, volume and intensity of training, percentage of body fat and insulin sensitivity will determine how many grams of carbs you can afford. Some people obviously need to restrict their carbs to 10 licks of a dried prune every six months.”

If you restrict carbohydrates enough your body will be forced to start to use your own body fat for fuel. Transitioning your body to a lower carb eating strategy, essentially turning your body into a fat burning beast, can be tough for a few days up to to a few weeks, especially the first time coming from a Standard American Diet. Give it time, trust the process, it works.

I don’t count calories, or feel they are the whole story in relation to weight loss, I also believe the effect on hormones in the body is very important to normalizing/losing weight. In relation to calories I do think a low carb high fat diet is more satiating, while also not subjecting your body to insulin spikes all day, and ultimately causes many to eat less food. That is the case for me anyway.

I do occasionally eat foods that are higher in carbohydrates, foods that are definitely not “healthy” by anyone’s standards, and I usually feel terrible after eating them. Probably the one thing I found that aggravates my stomach the most, the one that hurt the most to eliminate, was beer. I will still drink a beer on rare occasions, and naturally my digestive system and sleep suffer because of it.

Food quality is not something I worried about at first. Initially I think it is easiest to just worry about limiting carbohydrates and eating as much fat and protein as necessary so you are never hungry. Once I adapted to the diet and got my bearings, I started to worry more about finding properly raised meat and local organic vegetables. While it does cost more, and I realize I am lucky enough to be able to afford these costs, it is important to both my health and the environment.

Fasting

I have experimented with intermittent fasting, both 16-hour fasts and some 24 hour fasting. This past month of July I did a 18/6 fast every day, and while I don’t find it hard to skip breakfast in the morning, I like to eat breakfast. I generally workout first thing in the morning and find I feel better eating post workout. I still may occasionally fast on a non-workout day, simply holding off breakfast until early afternoon.  Now I just let my hunger dictate meal timing, if I am hungry I eat, if I am not I don’t eat. Hunger on a low carbohydrate diet is much different than hunger on a diet filled with carbohydrates, my family still jokes about my “Hanger Issues” from the past that were constant because of the types of food I was eating.

Since beginning this new lifestyle my wife (Megan) has joined on and she has also seen big improvements in her body composition following two pregnancies. She has allowed me to share a before and after picture of us, in the before picture she has the excuse of only being three months out from having a baby, I did not have the same excuse. What is also impressive about my wife’s improvement in body composition is that she has done it with pretty much zero structured exercise, which to me shows the power of changing what you eat to change how you look and feel. Megan was a soccer player at Sonoma State and she is now at the same weight she was when she was practicing/playing soccer six days a week for 2-3 hours, again with zero structured exercise. Our next task moving forward is to navigate the world of raising children, trying to give them the best life we can, and helping them face the food environment they will encounter in school and beyond.

Next up for me is to use the training I received from the Primal Health Coach Program I just finished last month. I have seen such drastic improvements in my life I was inspired to start the program earlier this summer with the hope to use my increased knowledge to help others. I currently work in a high school setting (PE and Athletics), I love what I do and the people and students I work with, and I have no plans to leave there to start a health coaching business. I will at first offer to help my friends and family in any way I can and see where I go from there. I look forward to sharing the amazing resources and knowledge I have gained from the program with anyone willing to listen. Combining that with my past experiences will be a good foundation to help others better their lives in any way possible. Hopefully, I can make an impact.

— Kevin Christensen

The post I Thought Any Weight Issue Could Be Corrected With Chronic Exercise appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.