Mark Sisson's Blog, page 164

Weekend Link Love — Edition 476

Research of the Week

Fasting keeps you and your mitochondria young.

Less than two hours of walking each week could extend your life.

You can probably get Alzheimer’s through blood transfusions.

Why you should schedule your heart surgery for the afternoon.

The steady trickle of humans out of Africa into Europe doomed the Neanderthals.

Washing produce with baking soda removes most pesticides.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 193: Dr. James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D: Host Elle Russ chats with Dr. James DiNicolantonio about his new book, The Salt Fix, which destroys the conventional view on salt and health.

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.

6 Ways Primal Types Can Observe Halloween
How Does the Keto Reset Fit Into the Primal Blueprint?

Interesting Blog Posts

Is gout caused by meat or metabolic syndrome?

If you want to solve acid reflux, you can take a drug that sorta works but might also give you stomach cancer, or you can lower your carb intake.

Media, Schmedia

New orangutan species? Yes, please.

For better or worse, we’re getting closer and closer to choosing embryos with the “best” genes.

Everything Else

Alternative burial methods for the eco-conscious.

The FDA just revoked the claim that soy protein is good for heart health.

Interesting to see how the Bloomberg Agricultural Subindex, which includes soybeans, soybean oil, corn, wheat, and sugar, is trending.

“This zucchini is the bomb, yo!”

“I’d like to make a reservation for Under under Under,” said Tom Under.

Dental stem cell-soaked sponges that grow new teeth may replace fillings.

5 ways people’s diets have changed over the last 50 years, globally.

 Things I’m Up to and Interested In

This is why I do it: Jennifer Beamer’s experience with the Primal Health Coach program.

Interesting study: What people desire, feel conflicted about, and try to resist in everyday life (PDF).

I can’t even imagine: Sharing a brain with my twin and seeing out of each other’s eyes.

This one surprised me: Mindfulness training fails a critical test.

News I didn’t like (but I’m also not surprised): Non-alcoholic fatty liver is the fastest-growing cause of liver transplants in American young adults.

Recipe Corner

I wouldn’t advise wearing this crown on your head. At least let the pork cool off first.
Gingerbread pork stew is unlike anything you’ve had.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Nov 5– Nov 11)

How to Harness the Self-Enhancement Bias (and Claim a Bigger Life) – Think and live bigger.
My 7 Favorite Practices for Engineering the Good Life – Simple things anyone can do to immediately improve their lives.

Comment of the Week

“Roko basilisk, lol!”

– If anyone decides to google that, don’t say that Paleo Bon Rurgundy did warn you.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 476 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Curried Pork Frittata

This curried pork frittata is a high-protein and high-fat meal that’s perfect for brunch or dinner. It’s a frittata, basically, with added flavor from coconut milk (or whole cream), ground pork, curry powder, and fresh arugula. The texture is light and airy and the flavor is rich and buttery.

An egg is a superfood that makes it easy to eat healthily. Eggs are widely available, easy to cook, and can provide a quick and simple meal any time of day. Inside that shell is healthy fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. What is there not to love?

Although slightly more time-consuming to cook than a fried or scrambled egg, this frittata is worth the effort. And really, the effort is minimal. The batter quickly comes together in a blender and is poured over cooked ground pork. Bake it, and throw arugula on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Either way, it’s delicious.

Servings: 4 to 6

Time in the Kitchen: 20 minutes, plus 35 minutes to bake

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork (450 g)
2 teaspoons curry powder, divided (10 ml)
6 eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temp (85 g)
3/4 cup coconut milk (or whole cream) (180 ml)
½ teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
2 large handfuls arugula

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F/204º C

Butter a 10” or 12” (25 cm to 30 cm) round baking dish or skillet.

In a separate skillet over medium high heat, cook the pork until lightly browned. While the pork cooks, season it with 1 teaspoon curry powder and salt to taste.

In the blender, blend together eggs, butter, coconut milk, 1 teaspoon curry powder and salt until frothy.

Spread the ground pork evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the batter on top.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the middle is set and the top is golden brown and puffy.

Once out of the oven, scatter arugula on top. The arugula can be plain, or lightly dressed in olive oil and lemon.

The post Curried Pork Frittata appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Success Story Follow-Up: At 70-Years-Old I’m On a Roll!

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 almost died in 2006 when I was 59-years-old. Although my doctors saved my life from a stroke, they didn’t have the answers I needed to turn my life around. It took 7 years before I learned about primal nutrition and lifestyle. In April 2013, I changed my life, and I have never looked back.

Today, I am beginning my fifth year of starting over. On, April 27, 2017, I turned 70 years old. And, I am on a roll. I owe so much to so many. But, individuals like Dr. John Bagnulo, Kathie Swift, Dr. Loren Cordain, Mark Sisson, and Chris Kresser stand out as most influential. They’re my mentors and paved a path that I joyfully travel today.

I am healthier today than I have ever been. Some of my old friends think I am a fanatic because I have changed so much, and they haven’t. Oh well, I can’t change everybody.

With a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet and primal lifestyle, I have been able to maintain my weight at 157 pounds. The energy I have is contagious, and I incorporate my primal enthusiasm with the treatment I provide my patients with gum disease.

As I was approaching my eighth decade of life, I began to think about what I could leave for others—my legacy. I wanted to share my knowledge and experience for all who would listen and learn. So, I started writing, and I haven’t stopped.

I created a website where I became known as the Nutritional Periodontist. In 2015, the College of Integrative Medicine contracted me to write a dental program for their 300-hour post-graduate program, which offers a Certified Integrative Healthcare Professional designation. My module describes the relationship between ancestral health, dental health, and overall health.

To get the word out to my dental profession, I wrote a continuing education program for dentists and dental hygienists called Beat the Beast of Dental Disease. It is a 5-part online course that is offered through DrBicuspid.com, which is authorized to offer 7-hours of continuing education credits to those who complete it. My course teaches primal nutrition and lifestyle to prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

I also wrote a book titled Crazy-Good Living that was published this past year.

One exciting thing I learned is that a person is never too old to make a difference in his or her life. Another exciting thing I learned is that it is easy to make this change. However, you must be motivated to make the machine we call our human body to perform at its best. Your body deserves to be taken care of just as you would take care of an expensive automobile. In reality, this body is the only thing that will take you around for the rest of your life.

Grok On!

Dr. Alvin Dannenberg, DDS

Primal Health Coach

The post Success Story Follow-Up: At 70-Years-Old I’m On a Roll! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Brown Bag Redo—Kids Edition

Most kids go to school about 180 days each year, which means you’re packing 180 lunches—or more, if you have multiple children. It’s natural about this time of year for old routines to get stale—for parents and kids.

Luckily, there are plenty of healthy and delicious Primal lunch choices for kids. Here you’ll find inspiration and a few helpful tips that will make packing kids’ lunches an easy task instead of a dreaded chore.

Leftovers Make Life Easier

Protein that can be eaten without utensils is perfect for school lunches, so make a double (or triple) batch for dinner and pack leftovers for lunch. Think chicken thighs and drumsticks, meatballs, skewers, meatloaf and sliced steak.

Maintain a Running List

It’s amazing how easy it is to blank out each week when it’s time to write a shopping list for school lunches. Here’s a simple trick: Make a list of lunches that you know your kids will eat and keep the list on your refrigerator at all times. Simply refer to your lunch list each week for lunch planning (instead of getting overwhelmed on Pinterest).

Keep the Sides Simple

If you have time to bake or cook homemade snacks, great! But there’s no reason to feel guilty if you don’t. Simple, whole foods are the healthiest and easiest option for school lunches. Fresh fruit, raw veggies, nuts, beef jerky, olives, cheese, and plain whole milk yogurt are all delicious options you can stock up on each week. For variety, include dip for fruit (like coconut butter) and/or dip for veggies (Primal Kitchen® Mayo and Salad Dressings, pesto, tapenade, guacamole).

7 Lunch Box Menus

1. Chicken drumsticks + Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing for Dipping + Cherry Tomatoes + Olives + Carrot Sticks + Green Beans

Variations: Chicken thighs instead of drumsticks

 

2. Meatball + Cherry Tomato Skewers + Blueberries + Green Beans + Carrot Sticks

Variations: Add small mozzarella balls the skewers and pesto for dipping.

Tip: Make a few dozen meatballs and keep them in the freezer. To defrost, move meatballs into the refrigerator the night before.

 

3. Seaweed Snacks + Smoked Salmon/Lox + Avocado + Cucumber

Kids can assemble their own sushi wraps as they eat lunch!

Tip: To keep avocados green, drizzle a tiny bit of lemon or lime juice on top, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Pack a fork or spoon for kids to scoop out the avocado.

 

4. High-Quality Chicken/Turkey Deli Meat (or homemade deli meat ) Wrapped around Bacon, Lettuce, & Primal Kitchen Mayo  + Hard-Boiled Egg + Olives + Fresh Berries with Coconut Butter 

5. Primal Pancake Sandwiches Filled with Nut Butter or Sunflower Seed Butter + Fresh Fruit + Beef Jerky

 

6. Salami Chips + Guacamole + Sliced Cucumber + Primal Cornbread 

Tip: Make salami chips by baking salami or pepperoni at 375º F for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Store overnight in an airtight container. Also, here’s how to keep guacamole green.

Variation: Pack bacon guacamole with cheddar chips.

 

7. Sliced Steak + Pesto + Mozzarella Cheese Sticks + Dark Chocolate + Nuts

Tip: Make steak the night before and pack leftovers for lunch.

Variation: Thread steak onto skewers with roasted vegetables, pack guacamole instead of pesto.

How do these lunches compare with your current routine? Ideas to add—for kids’ (or adults’!) lunch options? Share your favorite suggestions below, and thanks for reading, everyone. 

The post Brown Bag Redo—Kids Edition appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

7 Subjective Longevity Markers to Track (and Fix)

A few weeks ago, I went over 7 of the most important longevity biomarkers to track. Today, I’m shifting gears a bit. The theme remains longevity markers, but the markers I’ll discuss today are subjective, logistical, and psychological ones. A couple involve physical sense but you can’t measure these with a blood draw or a lab scan. The only way to assess your standing is through some genuine self-experiment and honest soul-searching. Or by, in one case, running a mile.

So, as you read through today’s list, keep that in mind. Where do you stand—truly? Do any of these apply to you? Number of years aside, what do you really want your longevity gains to look like, feel like? What changes are you willing to commit to now that will make this a more probable reality—to live longer and live more while doing it? Here are a few markers to start with.

Let’s have at it….

A Mile Run at Age 50

I’ve extolled the virtues of the mile run before. It’s a nice blend of stamina and intensity. It’s over quickly, ideally in less than 10 minutes, so you won’t accumulate the damage associated with longer runs at similar intensities.

And research shows that your mile run time at age 50 is a good barometer for your heart health. Since it’s right around middle age that heart disease becomes a real issue, if you can go into your twilight years with a decent mile run and the confidence that your heart works well, that’s a big advantage.

If you’re a man in your 50s, aim for 8 minutes or less. If you’re a woman in your 50s, aim for 9 minutes or less.

Number of Prescriptions Filled

Pharmaceuticals are getting better. The newest HIV drugs render the virus effectively non-lethal, for example. But we’re probably over-treating our elderly. We don’t need so many drugs, even if they work more reliably with fewer side effects than previous incarnations.

Am I going to say you should cut out the pills? No. Doing so may actually reduce your longevity, especially if they’re prescribed for a good reason. But if you find yourself filling prescription after prescription, perhaps you should take stock of the rest of your lifestyle…because something isn’t right.

Many prescriptions are given because doctors assume their patients won’t assume the responsibility to make lifestyle or dietary changes. This isn’t you. You’re different. Take your list of prescriptions to the next appointment and ask your doc which ones you can try replacing with lifestyle interventions. Maybe I’ll do a post on this subject.

Getting Weaker

This is a mix of objective and subjective. You can track your strength with PRs and reps, or you can observe how day-to-day life feels. Carrying groceries felt extra tough today? Are the stairs getting harder? Can you still toss your grandkid in the air? We all know when we’re getting weaker. The trick is to admit it to oneself.

What’s important is to be honest about your strength and to never accept its degeneration—because you can actively counter it with proper training, effort, and diet. Countering the loss of strength requires hard work, but it’s doable.

Aim to be one of those virile young Grandpas or Grandmas with an iron grip. You know the type. They look you in the eye as your hand withers in theirs. It’s here that actively countering this trend will prolong your life. Lift heavy things. Carry heavy things with your hands. Take the stairs whenever possible. Make sure you’re getting (more than) enough protein, since our ability to utilize protein degrades as we age. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t give an inch, or else the agents of aging will seize every opportunity to chip away at your lean mass (and, thus, organ mass). 

The Question of Retirement

The effect of retirement on mortality is context-dependent. In men pleased with their post-retirement lifestyle, it increases lifespan. In men dissatisfied with retirement, it decreases it. There are also links between early retirement and dementia, depression, heart attacks, and early death, though they’re riddled with potential confounders (are people with dementia-prone brains unable to stay productive and keep working as long as people with healthy brains?). Still, I think it’s safe to suggest that retirement isn’t always good for a person’s longevity.

Maybe it’s different in more laid-back societies with greater social and familial support. I can see the old Italian paterfamilias going gracefully into old age, retiring on the porch with his glass of homemade chianti, a wedge of pecorino romano, and perhaps a pipe as grandkids scuttle about at his feet. Me, when I think about retiring—which, financially speaking, I could do, I get antsy. I feel my soul slip away and my reason for getting up in the morning dissipating. Relaxation and repose is extremely important to me and to health, but so is having a mission. As lifespan extends so, too, must our engagement with the world.

I’m not saying every 70-year-old needs to start a business or even continue working. Retirement is fine. But if you do, when you do, don’t melt into the couch and gaze at your television. Get a side gig going. Have a hobby. Travel. Learn a skill. Read as much as you can. Be a regular caregiver for your grandkids. Just inject meaning into your life. One guy I know retired from a fairly hum-drum job and started haunting swap meets for old automotive promotional material and classic car tools and parts, which he now sells on eBay. He’d done it as a hobby before retiring, but it’s become a full-fledged side gig. Do something like that.

A Narrowing or Growing Social Network

I once heard a very poignant piece of advice from an old acquaintance. It was a sad moment, a man nearing the end expressing the deepest regret. He said, “Stay in touch with your friends. I didn’t, and just look at me.”

Make that call. Send that text. Reach out on social media. Answer the phone. Attend the reunion. Don’t drift away. Some suggest the only thing in this world a person can count on is that they themselves exist. Or that this is all just a simulation and we’re bits of data being rearranged for the viewing pleasure of the software developer/god. I don’t buy it. And if I’m wrong and I am the only real entity on this plane of existence, that social circle I’m imagining certainly feels real. I reckon I’ll keep in touch.

Financial Security

Most research has centered on the effect of growing longevity on seniors’ financial security. A longer-lived population needs more money, especially given the retirement age was made in an era when people died much younger. I’m interested in the effect of financial security on longevity. I’d argue that a strong longevity marker is whether you feel financially secure.

Not riches. Security. This isn’t necessarily only about savings (although that, too) but maybe about income potential through later years (again, maybe thinking semi-retirement with that passion-fueled gig like I mentioned before). 

Worrying about your finances as you head into old age is no way to live long and well. The fact is, financial insolvency is a strong risk factor for early mortality in cancer patients.

Tenor of Your Self-Talk

Sure, “negative” people are at a greater risk of early mortality. But many negative people don’t recognize that they’re negative, making this a difficult marker for people to track in themselves. In their estimation, they’re simply “realistic,” and their comments are honest observations of a dysfunctional and unfair world. Maybe. Or maybe you’re exaggerating. Maybe you’re making the world out to be a den of inequity and injustice because that makes it easier to give up and stop trying. If you can’t beat it, why strive?

A better marker is to observe the tenor of your self-talk. Are you denigrating yourself inside your own head? Are you thinking things that make you feel weak? Do you apply a fatalistic stamp to every new idea or enjoyable possibility that comes to mind?

An example of negative self-talk: “Ah, geez. Where’s my phone again? Looks like I’m getting old!”

If you’re going around grumbling at the world and bemoaning your place in it, your wish may come true sooner than you think.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of subjective longevity markers. These are simply the 7 markers I track in my own life, and I’m still kicking—and happy doing it.

What subjective markers do you use, consciously or not, to determine how well you’re living and how well you’re supporting your longevity prospects?

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care!

The post 7 Subjective Longevity Markers to Track (and Fix) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

6 Ways Primal Types Can Observe Halloween

I’ll take the holiday bait today. It’s true…with its emphasis on candy consumption, many Primal types feel lost on Halloween. They don’t know what to do with themselves.

The costumes are fun, and being with friends is always a good time, but how should they react to all that sugar? It’s a hard thing.

Luckily, today I have 6 ways you can observe Halloween while staying true to your Primal roots.

Do Some Ancestral Reenactment

Everyone knows, deep down, that going Primal is really all about re-enacting ancient hunter-gatherer life. Personally, my mode of communication and utilization of Internet technology is a source of deep shame. I’d much rather cite PubMed entries while sitting around a campfire. If I could, I’d smash my laptop, renounce antibiotics, toss my toothbrush. That I cannot find the courage to do so is slowly killing me on the inside.

But I can’t. I’m in too deep. So I use Halloween as the one day out of the year that I can fully embody the paleolithic hunter-gatherer that yearns to burst free. I suggest you do the same. Put on a loincloth. Grab an atlatl. Contract a parasite. Live the dream, if only for one night.

Dress Up As Your Favorite Obscure Ancestral Health Community Celebrity

Sure, almost no one will get your costume. But when you meet someone who does, you’ll know you have a friend or lover for life. A few ideas:

Robb Wolf: Wear a jiu jitsu gi and a big broad smile; refer to everyone as “folks.”

Mark Sisson: No shirt, paint-on abs, and a Frisbee.

Chris Masterjohn: Carry a cup of egg yolks, and hand out vitamin K2 capsules.

Bill Lagos: Blue blockers and a blow torch.

Peter Attia: Ride a road bike while wearing only a speedo and carrying a gallon bag of cashews.

Stephan Guyenet: Wear a peasant’s burlap tunic, and carry around a dinner plate containing boiled cabbage, boiled chicken breast, boiled potato.

Petro Dobromylskj: Dress as a molecule of palmitic acid.

Emily Deans: Doctor’s lab coat made of mammoth fur, stethoscope made of bone; hand out samples of magnesium glycinate and SSRIs.

Michelle Tam (NomNomPaleo): Carry an Instant Pot filled to the brim with Red Boat fish sauce.

Richard Nikolay: Naked, dusted with raw potato starch, with Bitcoin hash emblazoned in Sharpie across chest.

Give Out Healthy Primal Treats To Trick-or-Treaters

There’s nothing kids love more than healthy treats on Halloween. Some options that the kids in our neighborhood just love:

Teaspoons of Cod Liver Oil: Keep capsules on hand for kids with costumes that restrict mouth access.

Raw Liver Shake: Blend up some raw liver (beef, lamb, or chicken) with a little OJ and frozen blueberries. Serve in tiny, decorative Dixie cups.

100% Cacao Dark Chocolate: Everyone knows that kids love chocolate.

Kale Chips: Fill a big serving bowl with loose kale chips and let the kids grab as many as they like.

Mini Bottles of Natural Dry-Farmed Wine: Reduced alcohol content makes it perfect for minors.

Dark Chocolate Covered Brussels Sprouts: Fill snack-sized Ziplocs with 3-4 Primal “truffles.” Tell them to eat it quick before it melts!

Magnesium Oil Spritzes: Spray everyone who comes to the door. Tell the irate parents it will help their kids sleep, so they should thank you.

4-inch PVC Pipe Sections for Foam Rolling: As kids approach, be rolling out your quads as an example. Actual foam rollers are best but get rather expensive.

Single-Serving Kerrygold Butter Slivers: Just cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, wrap in foil, keep in fridge, and hand out. Tell them it’s expensive and they should appreciate it.

Offer Lessons in Evolved Fear

In this Sunday’s Weekend Link Love, I linked to an article about the evolution of fear. It turns out that most of the things we innately fear, like snakes, spiders, heights, the dark, and deep water correspond to real dangers faced throughout the course of human evolution. Halloween is the perfect time to give a lesson on how it all works.

Gather three tarantulas, three black widows, two scorpions, one snake (ideally not venomous), 1000 fly larvae, two bats, and assorted cobwebs and other bugs. Set up shop on the edge of a rocky cliff. The possibilities are endless.

Rail Against the Sins of Sugar Consumption On the Busiest Trick-or-Treating Corner

Now’s the perfect time to change hearts and minds. Dress in your Sunday best, grab a big sandwich board sign, and scrawl quotes from Gary Taubes and yours truly. Wear the sign and hit the busiest trick-or-treating street near you.

Hand out printed out copies of “The Definitive Guide to Sugar.” Have the article on sugar alcohols handy in case you get into nuanced discussions.

Tell kids that “Sisson saves” and “Gary loves you but hates the sin.”

Burn a pile of granulated sugar in the street. Make sure it burns, rather than turns into delicious caramel.

Hand out stevia packets.

Go On a Candy Bender

It’s Halloween night. Your kids are down for the count, having eaten their nightly allotment. Cleaning up, you come across a Baby Ruth candy bar. It used to be your favorite one. In your heyday, you’d go through five King-Sized bars every week. How long has it been?

You’re doing so well. You just read The Keto Reset and finally beat that stall you hit a few months back. The weight’s flying off, and by the looks of it appears to be almost all lost body fat. Your wife’s even taken notice. You feel her eyes all over you, lingering in the best of ways.

One can’t hurt…. You unwrap it, take a bite. You take another. And another. It’s gone. You’re on to the next one.

You hit the chocolates first. Snickers, Kit-Kat, Milky Way. Then the fruity candies: Skittles, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, Sweet Tarts. Then the weird stuff you hated as a kid. candy corn, Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls. You don’t care anymore. You eat it all.

Your child’s stash exhausted, you move onto the drug stores. CVS is selling fun-sized Three Musketeers for a buck a bag. You don’t even like nougat, but you buy out the store anyway. That’s the last thing you remember.

Three months later, you have no teeth. Your insulin is so high you can feel it. All the weight’s back on, and more. You stumble to a pay phone and dial your house. A stranger picks up. “There’s no one here by that name.”

Well, that’s it for today. If you’ve got any other ideas for observing Halloween as a devoted Primal type, share the joy below.

Thanks for stopping by today. Happy Halloween, everybody.

The post 6 Ways Primal Types Can Observe Halloween appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Mark: Keto Carb Timing, Fat-Burning Aerobic Zone, Stored vs Dietary Fat

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, why do I recommend that keto dieters (and low-carbers in general) position their carbohydrate intake shortly after their workouts? If it’s to refill glycogen stores, aren’t they already depleted by virtue of us being low-carb? Second, do my current 180-age aerobic HR recommendations clash with the original PB “move frequently at a slow pace” recommendations? And finally, how does the body decide what to do with stored versus dietary fat?

Let’s go!

Peloncito wondered:

Here’s a question I’d love someone to answer: there’s a lot of discussion in the book about timing any carbs you consume for when ‘glycogen suitcases’ are open, i.e. post-exercise. This makes perfect sense with Primal Blueprint, but now I’m wondering, do you even HAVE glycogen stores on Keto? Wouldn’t the 20g or carbs you’re eating get burned right away for energy, never allowing you to make any? Surely the body wouldn’t activate gluconeogenesis just to make a little spare glycogen for an emergency? Following that logic, why would it matter when you eat carbs, if you do – surely they’re going straight into virtually empty ‘suitcases’ any time of day?

Glycogen stores get smaller and emptier on keto. It’s true.

But they’re still there. And you generally have some glycogen on keto. Muscle glycogen is only used locally. You won’t pull biceps glycogen to provide power for your quadriceps. Biceps glycogen can only power the biceps. Furthermore, glycogen is primarily used to enable intense, protracted movements. The average person won’t burn much muscle glycogen walking to work, lifting shopping bags, and performing other common everyday movements. Becoming keto- and fat-adapted makes you even less likely to use glycogen for everyday movements. You’ll reserve that precious glycogen for the times you truly need it—sprinting, lifting heavy, running hard and long.

What does hard training do? Why is the training window so crucial for keto dieters looking to eat some carbs?

It expands glycogen stores. The more you train, the more glycogen you can store.

It depletes glycogen. The harder you train, the more glycogen you use, and the more carbs you need to replenish it.

It increases glycogen synthesis. Without exercise, dietary carbs aren’t as likely to become glycogen. Training upregulates your conversion of carbs into glycogen. You turn more carbs into glycogen after training than after sitting around.

Another reason taking it post-workout is so important? This enhanced glycogen synthesis doesn’t last long. After just 2 hours post-workout it slows by 45%, even in the presence of high levels of glucose and insulin. So, while you can synthesize glycogen at any time of the day, it gets a whole lot more efficient and effective after a workout session.

Derek asked:

Recently finished the book and sensed this clarifying blog post was its thesis.. I do still have a question from the keto reset text.

A proposed part of the keto plan is fat burning exercise at an intensity target of 180-age (if I correctly recall).

This seems a rather high intensity compared to the “move frequently at a slow pace” (approx 55% of Max HR) prescribed in the PB. Cortisol spike alert ?

Am I misinterpreting the fat burning exercise suggestion in 21D KR?

No, that’s right.

In the earlier days, I recommended 55%-75% of max HR, not just 55%. 55% was the absolute low end that could still be considered exercise.

In Primal Endurance, I clarified my “cardio” recommendations to focus on the 180-age target. This isn’t actually all that different from what I recommended back in the day.

The updated message is that ANY movement contributes to aerobic fitness and the MAXIMUM heart rate to promote fat burning, increased aerobic capacity is 180-age in beats per minute. In many cases, this falls pretty close to 75% of max as it happens.

Pcskier asked:

Just finished the book. Still confused on one point. Once the carbs/excess glucose are gone, body switches to fat/ketones. But what differentiates our bodies from burning stored fat vs dietary fat? Every time I eat I wonder were this increased (but not by much…I was already very primal) fat is going to go.

Dietary fat takes precedence over stored fat. You burn it and store what’s left over. If you have more energy coming in than you’re expending, you’re going to store. If you have less energy coming in than you’re expending, you’re going to turn to your adipose stores.

This is why eating actual meals and limiting snacking or grazing is so helpful for fat loss. Without calories coming in, you have to turn to your stored body fat. It also explains why people have so much weight loss success with keto—becoming fat-adapted tamps down the hunger and makes skipping meals a breeze.

As far as ketones go, they aren’t “free.” Their presence actually reduces lipolysis (the liberation of free fatty acids from adipose tissue). This is completely normal, not pathological; as ketones are a form of energy or fuel, their availability abrogates the need for more energy from adipose tissue. Reducing lipolysis also keeps ketone levels from getting too high.

That’s it for today, everyone. If you’ve got any more questions, send ’em along. If you have input on today’s questions, chime in down below.

Thanks for reading!

The post Dear Mark: Keto Carb Timing, Fat-Burning Aerobic Zone, Stored vs Dietary Fat appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love — Edition 475

Research of the Week

Muscle strength predicts health outcomes in older folks.

Women who are too skinny may risk early menopause.

A daily cold shower is good for your psychological health.

We intuitively know how many lay opinions it takes to outweigh an expert’s opinion.

Contrary to previous results, a new study finds no evidence that women’s preference for facial masculinity changes with their hormonal status.

Type 2 diabetics who restrict carbs and walk after meals see improved glucose tolerance and endothelial function.

Mild cold exposure lowers insulin.

A rosemary polyphenol increases muscle glucose uptake and activates AMPK.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 192: Mark Sisson and Joe De Sena: I chat with Joe De Sena, creator and founder of the world-famous Spartan Race.

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.

How Does the Keto Reset Fit Into the Primal Blueprint?

Interesting Blog Posts

Is there consciousness after death?

Lyme disease may trigger celiac.

Media, Schmedia

Recipe writers often lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions. Why?

Some NBA players are going vegan and vegetarian. Curious to see how it goes for them.

Everything Else

Amazon drones to deliver statins directly to gaping mouths.

CRISPR 2.0 is here, and it’s apparently better than ever.

Migraines may be a self-defense mechanism against oxidative stress.

42% of American kids under the age of 8 have tablets.

The US wastes about 50% of its healthcare spending.

Will you worship an AI god?

See? Sprinting can save your life.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Podcast I dug doing: The one with Thor Conklin where I discussed achieving mental clarity.

Podcast I dug listening to: Krista Tipett interviews physician Atul Gawande about what makes life worth living (and ending).

Study that didn’t surprise me: Patients who used statins were more likely to develop diabetes over ten years, even after controlling for baseline diabetic markers.

Article I’m reading: “How evolution designed your fear”

News I did not enjoy: Roundup is showing up in people’s blood.

Recipe Corner

Pichelsteiner.
Pumpkin spiced chicken chili.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Oct 29 – Nov 4)

10 Nutrient Optimizing Tips for the Primal Enthusiast – Make a nutritious diet even more nutritious.
Why the Blood-Brain Barrier is So Critical (and How to Maintain It) – You don’t want leaky brain.

Comment of the Week

“I agree with the wolf in the cartoon, and I react like that regarding other things as well, such as babies in covered strollers. But coudn’t you also direct the ‘The hell is he doing?’ towards the guy doin 5 sprints at the beach with small breaks in between?”

-Got me there, Troels.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 475 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Vanilla Coconut Collagen Bites

Today’s delicious guest recipe is offered up by Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and Health and Wellness Blogger Rachael Devaux. You can find her awesome insights and amazing recipes at Rachael’s Good Eats.

Rachael’s taken Primal Kitchen® Vanilla Collagen Fuel and turned it into an easy and tempting bite-sized snack you can have ready and stored for whenever hunger calls. With the sweet tastes of vanilla and coconut and the crunch of a variety of nuts and seeds, I find it’s perfect with some morning coffee or as an after dinner treat.

And if you’re someone who’s always looking for fast and easy options in the kitchen, this is the ticket!

Vanilla Coconut Collagen Bites

Servings: 14-16 balls

Time in the Kitchen: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup raw almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 scoops Primal Kitchen® Vanilla Collagen Fuel
3 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 cup creamy nut butter
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Combine cashews and almonds in food processor to pulse until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients, excluding 1 Tbsp shredded coconut and pulse until a thick dough forms.

Form into 1-inch balls then roll in remaining coconut flakes.

Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freezer for up to 2-3 weeks.

Rachael Devaux is Registered Dietitian, a Certified Personal Trainer, and a lover of all things health and wellness.

Her goal is to give people the tools they need in order to build healthy habits and to ultimately build a balanced lifestyle.

Creating a positive environment around food, learning to think about ingredients and where they come from, and being mindful of what your body needs are just a few of the topics she shares about on her popular website and social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

The post Vanilla Coconut Collagen Bites appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Success Story Follow-Up: At 44 Years Young, I Feel Great!

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!

In the last two and a half years, since the publication of my success story on MDA, I’ve been consistently 100% paleo, and I’m doing very very well!

I’ve kept my total weight easily in check, and I even added some more muscle mass (about 3-4 kg more compared with 2014).

I kept the same eating habits, except now I usually don’t eat nightshades or dark chocolate anymore to prevent inflammation of the joints, and I practice intermittent fasting 5 days a week to naturally increase my testosterone levels, my insulin sensitivity, and HGH.

My IF protocol essentially consists in eating only one meal (usually dinner) every 24 hours from Monday to Friday. On the weekends I eat two square meals. Breakfast is definitely a thing of the past for me anyway, and I don’t miss it at all.

About a year ago I tested my genetic profile with DNA Fit, and as I suspected I have a strong intolerance to carbs and dairy products (which I had already cut out completely since 2011 by the way).

It turns out I’m also genetically pretty prone to injuries and inflammation, so my omega-3 intake should be kept pretty high (I was already on 6 grams a day, remember?). That’s why I now take a supplement of 7 grams daily of high quality omega-3 in addition to frequently consuming salmon and other natural omega-3 sources.

Being in a natural, mild state of ketosis pretty much all the time—thanks to my super low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein regime—my sugar levels are perfectly stable, I feel full of energy all day, and my mental clarity has reached super high levels.

At 44 years young, I do my one and a half hour brisk walk routine outside with 5-7 full-out sprints and some intense full-body bodyweight calisthenics everyday, and I feel just great!

Federico

The post Success Story Follow-Up: At 44 Years Young, I Feel Great! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.