Mark Sisson's Blog, page 194
January 30, 2017
Ending One Challenge, Starting Another
The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge is over. It’s back to regularly scheduled programming, which means no more contests, prizes, call-outs, or blatantly inspirational posts meant to motivate you to greatness (instead, I’ll resume surreptitiously encouraging you to greatness). I’m going to miss it, but 21 days is about the limit for this type of thing. A challenge wears out its welcome eventually.
The best part of the Challenge is releasing contests, then sitting back and watching the content roll in. Your creativity keeps me going. Your enthusiasm sustains me. And your recipe videos make me salivate.
From poke salad that took me back to Da Poke Shack on the Big Island (go there, folks—best poke on the island), to a knife-wielding cat concocting beef coconut chowder, to burgers with sweet potato buns, I was digging all the kitchen creations this year. Great recipes, great food, and great production value on the videos.
Your Grokposes were awesome. The winner, Kevin Q., clearly deserved it, what with his depiction of yours truly as some interstellar guardian against the sugar menace. Karen T. was elegant and ethereal, Paleofam featured a delightfully indifferent baby, magicaxe has probably speared a deer before, Justin H. made me want to watch The Big Lebowski again, and Sheena featured two dogs in incognito.
I’m jealous of some of your kitchens, and mine is no slouch. You guys all clearly know what you’re doing in the grocery store. I’d love to have dinner with you, or at least raid your pantries.
And then we had the the perennial favorite “You might be Primal if…” contest, whose entrants never fail to make me chuckle, chortle, snigger, or—very rarely—titter.
Writing posts for the Challenge is another favorite because I always learn something new.
You learned how mindfulness—a topic I always struggle with—promotes better health.
I gave you 11 concrete physical challenges to attempt this month—or any time in the future. I also provided 41 ideas for simple challenges and individual experiments to try to improve your life.
I explored just how long it takes to see and feel the benefits of exercise, both acutely and more long term.
I gave some of my best kitchen tips for Primal cooking newbies (and experts).
For the slow-burners, dreamers, and wanderers who pursue achievements a little differently than type As (like me), I provided a few alternative goal-setting insights for making the most of the Challenge (and beyond).
It was a fun one to be sure.
Now the hard work begins. Now you have to muster more internal motivation without so much external coming in daily from the blog (although please share your journeys with one another on the forum—which is now functional and will undergo one more upgrade to take care of the last residual hiccups). It’s your turn to keep the party rolling, maintain your results, and avoid lapsing back into your old bad habits.
The community is still here. The tools remain (inside you). The content created these past few weeks still stands. You’ve done it for 21 days. You can do it for 210. You’ve taught yourself to fish.
The prizes have changed. You won’t be winning any cows, Primal Kitchen care packages, or gift certificates, but you can get something even better:
The ability to decide your fate.
You can feel better. You can eat well every night. You can achieve that fitness goal. You can keep that pantry cleared of junk food, map out the month’s meals ahead of time, eat lunch outside instead of hunched over your computer, read books instead of Twitter feeds before bed, sprint up that hill outside your front door once a week (it’s right there), wake up a little early to make the farmer’s market. Nothing physically stops you from maintaining your victory. You have the knowledge to do it, and a great set of resources if you run into issues. You understand why these interventions are so beneficial on an intellectual level. You even tasted success throughout the challenge, so you feel the benefits, too.
That’s way more valuable than any salad dressing. Except maybe ranch.
Thanks for reading, for joining in the Challenge, and being a part of this community. Grok on, everyone!
The post Ending One Challenge, Starting Another appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 29, 2017
Weekend Link Love – Edition 437
RESEARCH OF THE WEEK300 cups of coffee is excessive.
More dietary protein, less breast cancer recurrence.
Banking extra sleep before sleep deprivation improves physical performance.
As agriculture spread, dog amylase genes changed to enable more starch consumption. Or was the causation flipped, with farro-hungry Fidos forcing owners to adopt agriculture with sad dog eyes?
A sleep health program reduces injury and disability among firefighters.
Two thirds of modern European men come from just three Bronze Age rulers.
NEW PRIMAL BLUEPRINT PODCASTS
Episode 153: Ryan Hurst: Brad Kearns chats with Ryan Hurst, founder of GMB Fitness, a system designed to help people from all walks of life become more comfortable with their bodies, stave off injuries, gain confidence, and become better movers and athletes.
INTERESTING BLOG POSTS
Why our current treatments for chronic illnesses create more problems than they solve—and a better way forward.
No way in hell this person will take statins.
Should we try to rein in the default mode network?
MEDIA, SCHMEDIA
Our very own Elle Russ penned a piece for Prevention Mag about fixing thyroid issues using ancestral health practices. Congrats, Elle!
Try not to fall. But if you do, here’s how.
EVERYTHING ELSE
Baby brains are organized like adult brains.
Without alcoholics, the alcohol industry would fall.
Human biology is really quite remarkable.
They’d make for good salsa dancers if it weren’t for the cold reptilian murderousness.
To be fair to the mountain, it really does get quite cold up there.
Best PEDs for chess players: modafinil, adderall, caffeine (in that order).
THINGS I’M UP TO AND INTERESTED IN
Upcoming online summit you’d love: The Autoimmune Revolution Summit. It starts tomorrow, and I’m giving my talk on Wednesday. Sign-up is free, but those who buy lifetime access to all 35 talks also get extra talks and eCourses plus a free bottle of Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil.
Award I was honored to receive: An innovation award from the Fancy Food Award Show for Primal Kitchen Macadamia Sea Salt Collagen Bars.
Podcast I enjoyed: How to manage your iron status (and why).
Studies that I liked: Two new studies explored how LSD interacts with neurons in the brain.
Turn of phrase I liked: Humans as the “indoor species.”
Fake news that probably isn’t far off: Americans most physically active when getting comfy.
RECIPE CORNER
Smoking salmon the old school way.
Sweet potato and cashew dip. No crackers or crudites? Dip a spoon.
TIME CAPSULE
One year ago (Jan 29 – Feb 4)
Top 16 Tips for the Perfect Primal Vacation – Make the most of your time off.
How to Create Your Own Active Workstation – Move while you work.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
“Barry my wife likes to say “everyone is normal until you get to know them!” ?”
– Amen, HealthyHombre.
The post Weekend Link Love – Edition 437 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 28, 2017
West African Peanut Stew
West African Peanut Stew has many variations (different spices, different vegetables) but one thing is always the same, the broth is thickened with peanut butter (well, almost always….this delicious version is made with almond butter). Peanut butter adds a rich, creamy texture and a nutty flavor that makes this stew different from all others. West African Peanut Stew is so uniquely delicious that it’s definitely worth trying, peanuts and all.
Don’t fret. Unless you’re allergic to peanuts, a small amount of natural peanut butter every now and then won’t hurt you. And this peanut stew has a lot to offer. Besides tasting great, each bowl is filled with vitamin E from red palm oil, from spices, and vitamin K and folate from the collards.
Chicken, tomatoes, and red bell pepper are also in the pot, and you can add even more veggies if you like. Chunks of sweet potato or yam or common, as are okra and eggplant.
Servings: 4 to 6
Time in the Kitchen: 1 hour
Instructions
¼ cup sustainably sourced red palm oil (60 ml)
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper (230 g)
1 onion, finely chopped
2-inches/5cm ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander (5 ml)
½ teaspoon turmeric (2.5 ml)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
?1 28-ounce jar whole tomatoes (broken apart with your hands) or diced tomatoes (794 g)
4 cups chicken broth (950 ml)
½ cup natural, unsweetened, creamy peanut butter (120 g)
1 bunch collard greens, cut into thin ribbons*
1 or 2 jalapenos or other hot chilies, seeded and minced
Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
*Recipe Note: How to Cut the Collards Into Ribbons
First, fold each leaf in half and slice the stem off the entire length of the leaves. Stack several leaves on top of each other, then roll the leaves up into a cigar shape. Slice into thin ribbons no more than ½-inch wide.
In a wide pot with a lid or Dutch oven, heat the red palm oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, Cook until the chicken is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the pot. Set aside.
Turn heat down to medium. Add onion to the pot. Cook until onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, coriander and turmeric. Cook 1 minute more.
Add red bell pepper, tomatoes and chicken stock. Add chicken back to the pot. Cover partially and simmer gently with a lid for 20 minutes (for a thicker stew, keep the lid off).
Ladle a cup or so of the hot stew into a bowl with the peanut butter. Whisk to combine. Pour the warmed peanut butter into the stew pot, stirring to blend. Add the collards, a handful at a time.
Simmer 10 minutes more. Stir in hot chilies and cilantro before serving.
The post West African Peanut Stew appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 27, 2017
From Kicking and Screaming to Loving Life
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. In fact, I have a contest going right now. So if you have a story to share, no matter how big or how small, you’ll be in the running to win a big prize. Read more here.
My husband was happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen. He was also getting healthier. Already healthier and at a better weight than at any time in our relationship. I saw what he was doing. He was following the Primal Blueprint. But during the first 6 months of his journey, I was still skeptical.
Then one month of his journey became two, two became three and so on. At 7 months I realized that he had never complained. Not only did he never complain, but he mentioned how great the food was (which I knew firsthand as he was cooking most of our meals) and his particular emphasis: he was never hungry. At least one time a day he’d tell me “I want you to experience this, I want you to feel what it is like to never be hungry.”
I myself had a particular habit of eating right before bed no matter how much I’d eaten that evening. Looking back, it was my body’s inability to process carbs and my blood glucose swings. I know now I was probably well on my way to being type 2 diabetic. But while I’d enjoy his meals at home, I would still eat as before at work and out with my friends. I hadn’t committed. I was still afraid of ‘missing out.’
The sustainability question never quite went away for me those first seven months. My husband had tried to get healthier before by exercising more and cutting out ‘junk.’ But it was never sustainable. (Our extra room looked like an exercise machine junk yard.) Why change everything, even if in stages, only to go back?
But right around New Year 2014, his 7 month mark I realized this was different, very different. He truly was loving his food (and especially how he felt) and as time went on he kept discovering new life upgrades. It was dawning on me not only was this sustainable, it was actually getting easier for him as time went on, not harder. He kept discovering more foods and more recipes he could enjoy. He was also happier and had more energy to devote to my daughter and me.
So I made the decision to extend this way of eating to my work and social life. I took small steps to start. Cutting out bread and pasta was the first step. Then instead of takeout for lunch or any of those bland frozen meals, I took leftovers from dinner. I saved time and money. When I went out with friends, same thing, no bread or pasta.
The first couple of weeks were the hardest. I knew from my husband’s experience and reading that I would feel a little wonky, flu-like symptoms to be exact. I powered through the tough part and am so glad I did. I started to feel better right around the 2-week mark.
Allow me to paint a ‘before picture’ of myself at the beginning of my journey. I was around 200 lbs. I had battled anxiety and depression since my early thirties. My skin was red and blotchy. (I wouldn’t leave the house without powder). I was starting to feel the aches and pains that I thought were associated with my approaching middle age. I would wake up in the morning with my joints aching, (especially my hips) fingertips and limbs numb and tingly. I could rarely get a full night’s sleep because I was tossing and turning to get comfortable. Sleep apnea compounded the situation. The cumbersome mask was a nightly annoyance that I had to endure.
4-6 weeks after my initial changes I started noticing that I was waking up less achy. Also, pound by pound the weight started to come off. I had the energy to start walking on the treadmill when I got home. Nothing strenuous, 20-30 minutes a few times a week. A few months into my journey I had lost about 15 pounds and was feeling better than I had in years. It was at that time I found out I needed surgery.
I had suffered from endometriosis for years, and it had got to the point I needed to do something about it. After my first procedure and sketchy test results, my doctor recommended a hysterectomy. Which meant I was laid up and recuperating for several months. I wasn’t able to exercise anymore. Part of me felt defeated. What if my weight loss stalled? What if I started to gain it back? Although frustrated, I stuck with my new way of eating and concentrated on healing. An amazing thing happened. I didn’t gain any weight back. In fact, I continued to lose weight. By the time autumn rolled around, 8 months into this new way of life, I had lost 35 pounds.
What had happened? I had done almost no exercise and the weight was falling off. As I had said before, my first step was cutting out bread and pasta. While I enjoyed those things, I quickly realized the tradeoff was worth it. My next step was not as easy. I titled my story From Kicking and Screaming to Loving Life for a reason. Here is where the kicking and screaming come in. The hardest part of my first seven months was… Tortilla chips.
My husband had continued to read research, listen to podcasts and discuss key points of LCHF and Paleo with his new found community. He read all of Mark Sisson’s views on grains. His lifelong love of learning saved our lives. He felt so great, and I was beginning to, we both wanted it to continue. But at this point I wasn’t so happy about what he had learned. I still remember where I was when he said “I think we have to give up corn.” My exact reaction “you’ve got to be kidding me!!” A little more background on me. I was born and raised in the Southwestern United States. Corn tortillas, corn chips, cornbread… They are not just foods, they are sacred morsels to be shared with loved ones at the holidays, enticing appetizers to be enjoyed with friends at parties. They are vehicles for delicious things like salsa, queso, and every combination of meat dish you can think of. I could not imagine a life without corn. Let’s suffice it to say, it took me a bit to give this up.
We weren’t eating it at home anymore, but I still had it when I went out with friends. If there was a corn chip in the staff lounge, I ate it. Little by little though, the time in between eating corn grew. I started to notice that when I did eat it, I felt sluggish and my achy joints returned. While I still loved these items, it became very apparent that my body did not. I also found I could still enjoy all the things I used to pile on the corn chips. I just enjoyed them with raw veggies or “gasp” by themselves! What I now know is that my body got inflamed when I ate corn. That is why I ached. I also know now that most chronic diseases are caused by inflammation. I wanted to share this part of my story to illustrate one key fact. Yes, I had to give up things that I liked, even loved. But I then created new habits and through these habits I found new foods I liked and loved that allowed me to be the best wife, mom, and teacher I could be.
Fast forward 2 and a half years. I have lost a total of 70 pounds. My anxiety has never been better. My skin has improved to the point that I don’t fear leaving the house without makeup. For myself, my husband and my daughter, the Low Carb, High Fat/Primal lifestyle has changed our lives. I used to fear growing older. My fear was that my daughter would be saddled with taking care of aging parents in her early twenties. I no longer have that fear. With LCHF, I can be strong and healthy for many years to come.
As for my daughter, she was 3-years-old when we started to make this change. She had always eaten what we ate. I never made separate meals for her as she began to eat solid foods. We included her in our new way of eating, and I am forever grateful we did.
At her 3-year old checkup, she was in the 3rd percentile for height. After a year of being gluten free, she was in the 25th percentile for height. She is now at around the 35th percentile. She continues to thrive and grow with our lifestyle. I will admit that the way we eat can cause her to feel excluded. We take our own cupcakes and snacks to birthday parties. She sees other kids eating things we have told her are unhealthy. She wonders why they get to and not her. We explain other families make the decisions that are right for their family, we make the decisions that are right for our family. And, importantly, that people react differently to the same food. Her 23andMe results do show a greater likelihood of celiac disease for instance.
She longs to order cafeteria lunch at school. Unfortunately, because of the dietary guidelines public schools must follow it is not food we are willing to let her eat. For instance no full-fat dairy is allowed, but fruit juice and chocolate milk are. I should add that we are not as strict with her food as ours. She does have some rice here and there and definitely more fruit and higher carbs than we do. As she has grown older, we try and bring her into the food decisions as much as possible. We try and give her as much choice as possible. Primal Kitchen products have been invaluable. She can devour an entire cucumber in one sitting with Primal Ranch. And at times, we have let her have some of those items she wants, orange techno colored snacks, a piece of Halloween candy here and there. When we do, she feels sick, and she goes bonkers. She has started to realize that food affects her. Just this weekend she had a stomach bug. I had made a Paleo friendly cake with almond flour and honey. She said, “I would like some, but I don’t want the sweetness to make my tummy hurt more.” She is beginning to connect food choices with how she feels and her energy levels.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the Primal lifestyle first saved our lives, but then also gave us new lives: as the healthy fat-burning beasts we were meant to be. Our biggest adventure has now become experiencing who we always had the potential to be—not hampered and encumbered by the constant physical, mental, and energy tolls of fake food and fake fats in particular. My husband often says the reality of Primal Living exceeded all his wildest expectations. I’ve now lived and experienced that. Even at just six years of age, we feel our daughter would be living an entirely different life, be almost an entirely different version of herself had we not adopted Primal Living.
We try and help family, friends, and community (both local and online) as much as we can. My husband has gotten particularly involved with social media and the wonderful Paleo(fx) Austin-based crew. He also completed the Primal Health Coach course and loved it. We were even pleasantly surprised to be one of the success stories in the new edition of the Primal Blueprint.
My post-college career has been entirely in elementary school teaching. Going into teaching was a way to help children grow to their full potential. Primal Living, what we’ve learned, the skills we’ve developed, the nutritional knowledge, effective exercising with the whole family, Primal Kid tips and tricks, the cooking and shopping techniques, are all ways I can give back to others, of all ages. Primal Living made us whole and healed, all three of us. It gives us great joy when we can pass the Primal gift on to others.
The post From Kicking and Screaming to Loving Life appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 26, 2017
Contest Poll: 2017 Primal Blueprint Recipe Videos
A couple weeks back I asked you to film and share your favorite Primal Blueprint recipes for a chance to win $1500 in gift certificates to U.S. Wellness Meats. This particular contest has always been a 21-Day Challenge staple, but this year, I upped the ante on Instagram with videos limited to just a minute each. The response was nothing short of amazing, as you guys came through with a batch of truly top-notch entries!
It was tough, but the Worker Bees and I chose five finalists for you to vote on. After you do, I highly encourage you to cruise over to Instagram to check out all the entries!
While there can only be one winner, I want to give a huge thanks to everyone that took the time to submit a video. I hope you had as much fun making them as we had watching them!
Watch all the videos in the playlist below, then vote for your favorite in the poll at the bottom of the page.
Voting will close and a winner will be announced at 6 p.m. PST, Friday, January 27.
A video posted by Bradley Sullivan (@bradtastical) on Jan 22, 2017 at 10:16am PST
A video posted by Adam Binford (@adamq43) on Jan 22, 2017 at 7:32pm PST
A video posted by Christian (@chunster495) on Jan 22, 2017 at 5:13pm PST
A video posted by @paleofam321 on Jan 8, 2017 at 11:45am PST
A video posted by Kristina Risola, MA, CRC ??? (@foodandsunshine_) on Jan 22, 2017 at 6:24pm PST
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
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January 25, 2017
Contest Poll: Grokpose for $1,000
Earlier in the challenge, I asked people to pose like Grok for a chance to win a pretty epic prize. The rules were simple, but the ingenuity and thought put into every submission were far from it. So after much posing, primping, and staging, here are our finalists!
Picking a short list of favorites was challenging, so the Worker Bees and I threw our favorites into a pot and chose the first six.
What do you think, folks? Who hits the most accurate pose? The most creative? The most intense? I’ve got to say, I’m impressed by each and every one of them. Pick your favorite and vote in the poll below.
Voting will close and a winner will be announced at 6 p.m. PST, Wednesday, January 25.
Karen T.
Kevin Q.
Sheena F.
And a big thanks to everyone who sent in a picture! Check out the photo stream here to check out the rest of the entries on Instagram.
Stay tuned. I’ll be publishing reader-created content all week long. In the meantime, Grok on!
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Want to Join the Primal Kitchen Team? Become a Brand Ambassador!
Calling all Primal Kitchen enthusiasts! Do you love our products? Does the idea of educating others on the benefits of wholesome, healthy, delicious ingredients pique your interest? Looking for some fun, flexible, part-time work? Then today is your lucky day! We’re expanding our Brand Ambassador teams in multiple cities across the United States. If you (or someone you know) meet the requirements from the list below, and you’re looking for work with lots of control over your schedule, please apply by filling out the application and emailing your resume to brittany.young@primalkitchen.com.
Go over our Brand Ambassador checklist and see if you’re a match. If you are, then you might be snagging one of the hottest positions in town.
Requirements:
You love hanging out in Whole Foods or your local natural grocery store
You have an outgoing personality and can talk with anyone
You live a Primal lifestyle
You love to share your passion for health and nutrition with others
You live in or near San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Austin, NYC, Miami, or Washington, D.C (or another major city)
You have reliable transportation and a smartphone
Click here to submit your application to become a Primal Kitchen Brand Ambassador today!
The post Want to Join the Primal Kitchen Team? Become a Brand Ambassador! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 24, 2017
Contest Results: What’s in Your Primal Kitchen?
First, I have to say that I loved seeing all the pictures submitted for our “What’s in Your Primal Kitchen?” contest. It’s always a pleasure to see the happy, healthy, glowing faces of Mark’s Daily Apple readers—not to mention the great looking food sprawled across their kitchens! Once again, many thanks to everyone who participated.
The lucky winner of this random drawing will take home The Holy Grail of PRIMAL KITCHEN™ care Packages: 1 bottles of Avocado Oil, 1 Bottle of Extra Virgin Avocado Oil, 3 Jars of Avocado Oil Mayo, 3 Jars of Chipotle Lime Mayo, 2 Canisters of Primal Fuel, 1 Bottle of Ranch Dressing, 1 Bottle of Greek Vinaigrette, 1 Bottle of Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, 12 PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Dark Chocolate Almond Bars, 12 PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Coconut Cashew Bars, 12 PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Chocolate Hazelnut Bars and 12 PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Macadamia Sea Salt Bars.
Are you the lucky winner?
First, before I announce who’s taking home that glorious prize, why don’t the rest of you take a look at the gallery of submissions? Each person went through the fun of compiling their weekly menu all in one place for a stunning snapshot of primal goodness. Do you recognize some things you should be adding to your pantry? Or perhaps you recognize some things you already have in common? There’s nothing like seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes. But you haven’t lived honestly until you’ve seen yourself in someone else’s food—or something like that.
Now, without further delay, let me announce our winner…
Jillian Russell and Eric Wasserman! Congratulations, my friends. Now you’ll have a whole host of extra grocery items to add to that pile of yours. I hope you have the room…
Thanks for reading (and participating), everyone!
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January 23, 2017
Dear Mark: More of Your Challenge Questions Answered
For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering 11 questions. I answer questions about nutrient deficiencies and tremors, breastfeeding on the 21-Day Primal Blueprint Challenge, cheating without apparent consequences, sun exposure without vitamin D, maintaining insulin sensitivity, going high protein, recovering from a labral tear, going 90/10 vs. 80/20, black beans vs. potatoes, why I chose to live in Malibu, and recovering minerals lost to glycogen depletion.
Let’s go:
Hi Mark, I’ve been 80/20 primal since January 2012 and early in 2015 I developed a tremor that makes it difficult to do small motor tasks like writing, peeling eggs, lifting my fork to my mouth, etc. Other than this my overall health is good. My chiropractor thinks I might be missing some vital nutrients that may have brought this on, but I disagree with him, because of what I eat and more importantly what I don’t eat. I don’t see how I could be missing nutrients with liver, eggs, meat, fish, green vegetables, collagen, good fats, etc. in my diet, and no grain, sugar, or veg oils. I have tried to fix this for almost two years with primal eating, sleeping, and exercising to no avail and the neurologists don’t have any answers for me either, they just give it different names. My MRI’s don’t show any brain damage or degeneration, thank goodness. Can you possibly shed some light on this, do you think I AM missing something, where have I gone wrong? I would appreciate any help or advice you might have. Thanks so much.
This isn’t medical advice, because this sounds like it could be a serious medical issue. But what keeps springing to mind is vitamin B12 deficiency, which commonly presents with tremors, loss of motor function, degraded balance, and numbness in the extremities.
According to Chris Kresser, many otherwise healthy patients eating a nutrient-dense Primal-type diet rich in meat (the best source of vitamin B12) still end up deficient in B12. It may be an absorption issue.
He’s got a free eBook on B12 deficiency, actually. It’s probably worth checking out.
Hi! Really interested in the 21 day challenge, but is it safe for someone that is breastfeeding?
Absolutely, with some extra precautions:
Don’t go too low on carbs. Many women find they need additional carbohydrates to produce enough milk.
Don’t go too low in calories. Going too low in calories will tank your milk supply. And if it doesn’t, you’ll draw on your bodily reserves of various nutrients to produce the milk. Either result is bad.
You need to eat enough calcium or else you’ll take it from your bones and teeth. If dairy doesn’t bother you, eat it. It’s the best source of calcium around. Other options include blackstrap molasses and bone-in sardines and other small fish. Leafy greens can have a decent amount, but I wouldn’t rely on broccoli for calcium.
I’ve noticed that having some gluten free carbs on occasion has little effect on bloating and feeling bad as well as minimal effect on weight. E.g.- corn tortillas if I’m having fajitas or a gluten free beer. This is generally in the context of a cheat meal, of course, but what are your thoughts, Mark? Fine as part of my 20% or still something to be avoided as a rule?
Totally fine, especially in the context of a cheat meal. That’s how you do 80/20: cheating while minimizing the consequences.
Hi Mark,
How much skin should I expose when I do the 15 minutes of direct sun exposure each day? I live in Wyoming and it’s cold outside, so the less I need to expose the better.
Thanks!
Reader Coccinelle answered this perfectly:
Are you talking about right now in January? Because there is a good chance you won’t make any vitamin D at all even while naked in the sun for one hour.
“In order for the sun to stimulate your Vitamin D production, the sun needs to be at a minimum of about 50 degrees, or greater, above the horizon (90% would be directly overhead). Ideally, the sun should be as close to overhead as possible; the closer to overhead it is, the greater its potential for stimulating Vitamin D production (and the less time you have to be in the sun to produce a given amount of Vitamin D).
A good way to test if the sun is about 50 degrees above the horizon, or higher, is that your shadow should be slightly shorter than you are tall. If the shadow cast by your body is the same length, or longer, than your height you will not produce Vitamin D–even while your skin is exposed to direct sunlight. And this is under ideal conditions: clear skies without cloud cover or pollution.”
Excerpt from here: https://www.sunsaferx.com/health-tips...
To that I’d also add that getting outside into bright natural light remains important even if you’re not making vitamin D. Light exposure, particularly in the first half of the day, helps set your circadian rhythm. You’ll probably find that getting sunlight in the morning and afternoon helps you sleep better at night.
All light matters.
With supplements, spices, foods, and other interventions (like walking for 15 minutes after eating) that increase insulin sensitivity (or really anything listed in this article: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/25-way... )
Are there any lasting chronic effects from these interventions, or all they all more acute and short term? Will taking cinnamon and eating a salad with apple cider vinegar everyday change the environment in the cells they effect (like how properly training will result in mitochondrial biogenesis)?
I hope what I’m trying to convey is getting through clearly.
I hear you.
The thing about human physiology is that it’s malleable. Just like training can grow muscle cells and build entirely new mitochondria, not training can shrink muscle cells and reduce the number of mitochondria we have. The same applies to insulin sensitivity/resistance.
To maintain insulin sensitivity, you simply must keep the “interventions” coming. You can’t really ever stop training, moving, eating adequate magnesium, sleeping well, or eating cinnamon. Cinnamon has an acute effect on insulin sensitivity, but it doesn’t last. You gotta keep sprinkling it in your coffee.
This is a good thing. It means you can’t ever rest on your laurels. You have to stay vigilant. Do it long enough, though, and it’ll become second nature. You’ll get to the point that you can’t not move, sleep, and eat well.
So far the Challenge has been going well, but last night I still felt hungry and feel it might be because I didn’t get enough calories from fat. For someone who has trouble increasing the amount of fat they eat, especially without a gallbladder, do you think a higher protein primal diet is possible?
Absolutely. Protein tends to be the most satiating macronutrient (more than either fat or carbs), so eating more protein will probably take care of your hunger.
Also check out what I’ve already written on going Primal without a gallbladder.
I’m three weeks out now from shoulder surgery — labral tear repair (three dislocations will do that to you). I’ve been eating primally (80% ish over the holidays, 100% since the first of the year), have been eating varied sources of collagen/gelatin like it is my job. I have a great physical therapist, and am participating in the 21-day challenge, so overall doing a pretty darn good job in all the primal lifestyle categories.
My question is — am I missing anything that could further facilitate healing? I’m prepared for the predicted 4-6 month full recovery time…but would love to aim for the 4 month end of that range. I miss burpees, believe it or not.
Add some vitamin C in with your collagen. An hour before you’re about to do your physical therapy exercises (which you are doing, right?), consume 15 grams of collagen/gelatin and 200-300 mg of vitamin C. That’s the protocol a recent study used to increase exercise-induced collagen synthesis.
As for burpees, make sure you do any future reps with extreme vigilance. Do not get lazy. Don’t let your technique lapse on rep 20+. Consider some of the burpee alternatives I wrote about awhile back.
In fact, be careful with pushing movements. Move slowly and increase progress gradually. Don’t push it.
Stay 100% Primal. Avoid cheating as much as possible. Maintain an anti-inflammatory physiological environment to promote healing.
Hi Mark, I’ve been successfully adhering to the 80/20 primal eating guidelines. I was wondering if, for self-improvement’s sake, I should aim for a higher compliance ratio like 90/10, or should I intentionally remain at 80/20 to ensure I avoid potential pitfalls? Thanks!
If you’re happy with your progress or maintenance, stay 80/20.
If not, use this month to try being a little more strict. See how it affects you.
Everything’s a choice. Nothing is final. You can always go back to your previous trajectory. Experiment always.
Good day Mark! If one wanted felt like they needed some additional carbs, would soaked and rinsed black beans a better option than a potato. Considering black beans are nutritionally superior to potatoes. This is the great debate between my wife and I.
Both have their advantages.
I’d say soaked and rinsed black beans beat a basic baked potato. As you say, black beans do have more nutrients than the potato on paper (the potato’s no slouch, though).
But a cooked and cooled potato (baked/boiled then kept in the fridge for 12 hours) is a different story. It contains ample amounts of resistant starch, one of the most important fermentable substrates we can give our gut bacteria. Black beans are also rich in prebiotic fiber, but they don’t contain as much resistant starch.
I’d say alternate between both. No reason you have to choose one or the other.
I have a question mostly for mark. Why did you choose to live in Malibu? Isn’t the traffic there horrible? I’m planning my next move so wondered if it’s possible to live without a car.
More generally, how important is it for everyone to rely on active transportation in their lives?
Traffic isn’t great along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), but I’m not a regular commuter so it’s not a big deal. You probably do need a car, however. LA in general is not a walking city.
I like Malibu because the air quality is quite good, especially for Los Angeles. It avoids most of the awful heat inland Socal areas can get. And most importantly, I’m close to the beach and the mountain trails.
Active transportation is the ideal mode of getting around. I wish I could walk more places. But it is what it is, and I live in the most car-dependent area of the country. You do what you can, which is why people have treadmills and drive several miles to get to a trail or track. You work with the hand reality deals.
Hi Mark,
On my first night of the 21-day challenge, I had to get up to go to the bathroom numerous times. A friend who has followed you for some time said this is probably OK since my body is burning up the glycogen stores, it will produce a lot of water. Your thoughts on supplementing a little sodium in my diet, or other minerals that I might be losing in this process?
Sure.
Try a glass of lemon water with sea salt in the morning (sodium and potassium).
Drink sparkling mineral water instead of regular water (magnesium and calcium and other minerals).
Eat plenty of produce (potassium).
Eat blackstrap molasses (potassium, magnesium, calcium).
Salt your food to taste (don’t be scared if you do a couple extra shakes).
That’s it for today, folks.
There are still questions I haven’t answered, and I’ll pick those up in Mondays to come. So, fear not if I haven’t gotten to yours yet. Take care and thanks for reading.
The post Dear Mark: More of Your Challenge Questions Answered appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
January 22, 2017
Weekend Link Love – Edition 436
RESEARCH OF THE WEEKTrue psychopaths aren’t all that bright.
The evolution of short sleep duration in humans may have left us vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.
The link between the gut and hypertension.
Farmed salmon is losing omega-3s.
NEW PRIMAL BLUEPRINT PODCASTS
Episode 152: Dr. Cate Shanahan Part 2: Dr. Cate and host Brad Kearns continue the conversation from last week.
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.
4 Ways to Harness Mindfulness for Health Goals
11 Physical Challenges to Take This Month
How Long Does It Take for Fitness Benefits to Show?
INTERESTING BLOG POSTS
Are you spending the fitness you’ve accrued?
The case for sous vide ping pong balls.
Turmeric and fish go awfully well together.
Does a ketogenic diet increase the risk of malignant melanoma? It depends on what kind of fat you use to make your ketones.
MEDIA, SCHMEDIA
The potato industry sets its sights on the ancestral health community. Haven’t they read our posts on resistant starch?
EVERYTHING ELSE
Stephan Guyenet responds to Gary Taubes regarding sugar and the U.S. government’s role in the obesity crisis. Then an engineer named Vicente responds to him.
What Neanderthal ancestry means for us.
New weight loss hack: salmon sashimi.
Will tech finally conquer health care?
How Iceland curbed teen substance abuse.
THINGS I’M UP TO AND INTERESTED IN
Upcoming online summit where I’m presenting: The Autoimmune Revolution Summit. If you have any interest in learning to treat autoimmune conditions with lifestyle and dietary practices, sign up today for the free event.
Contests with upcoming deadlines: Make a Primal Blueprint Recipe Video (Jan. 22 at midnight PDT), Grokpose for $1000 (Jan. 22 at midnight PDT), What’s in Your Primal Kitchen? (Jan. 22 at midnight PDT), Share Your Success Story (Jan. 22 at midnight PDT).
Video I can’t describe any better: Man destroys yellowjacket nest with bare hands.
Interview I did: Discussing the books that most impacted (and impact) my life with The Reading Lists.
Proof the future is now: In-vitro fetuses growing better in the presence of techno music.
Concept I found fascinating: Sex as biological communication.
RECIPE CORNER
Harvest duck soup. Duck deserves more respect around these parts.
Beef tartare using top round.
TIME CAPSULE
One year ago (Jan 22-Jan 28)
Interview with Simon Whitfield: Olympic Gold Medalist – A great chat with an Olympian.
Dear Mark: 21-Day Challenge Rapid Fire Edition Part 2 – In which I answer your questions.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
“Thank you for the suggestions which “freak the neighbors out.” The courage and willingness to do this are (I say very sincerely) maybe the biggest foundation stone to getting healthy. Thanks again”
– I completely agree, Cynthia Weitzman. I’d even extend that to “doing anything meaningful.” Without being willing to look silly or frighten others’ sensibilities, you’ll miss out on too much.
The post Weekend Link Love – Edition 436 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
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