Mark Sisson's Blog, page 200

Dear Mark: Protein Powder Dangers, Fermented Polyphenols, Whole Foods’ Farmed Salmon, and K-Cup Bone Broth

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering four reader questions. First, a recent NY Times article makes some scary claims about protein powder—and protein in general. Should you worry? Next, what does a study about probiotics and polyphenol absorption mean for probiotics in general? Third, what do I think about Whole Foods’ new farmed salmon, which purports to be way healthier and more sustainable than other farmed salmons? And finally, I discuss K-cup bone broth.

Let’s go:

Article I saw in the NY Times and thought I would pass it along. Curious to hear from Mark the concerns around protein powders. I still take Primal Fuel 4-5 times per week for breakfast and believe in Mark’s company so hoping the quality is better than the rest.

There are a lot of things to unpack from that article.

First, the heavy metal content of protein powder. A few reports have come out in the last half decade about protein powders showing elevated levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and other metals you don’t really want to consume. The raw ingredients undergo extensive testing for heavy metals and microbial contamination before being released for manufacturing, so you’re safe on that front.

Second, the idea of “excessive protein.” The article repeatedly mentions a “recommended intake” of 46 grams per day for women and 56 grams per day for men, but that’s misleading. Those figures are the bare minimum to avoid gross protein deficiency. They aren’t optimal.

They reference a study in which men aged 50-65 who ate a high protein diet were more likely to die from cancer. That same study also found that in ages 50+, a high protein intake had no association with all-cause mortality (the most important endpoint), while in ages 65+, high protein was downright protective against death. The only consistent positive association across all ages is with death from diabetes.

They characterize protein consumption as oppositional to eating other foods. Protein isn’t a neutral food. It’s “robbing” us of important macronutrients found in fats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Or something.

Hi Mark, so the probiotic / polyphenol study creates a few questions. Does this mean that all polyphenol rich fermentations like red cabbage kraut, black tea kombucha, or beet kvass are even better sources of polyphenols than we originally thought, or would this just be limited to polyphenol spikes yogurt?

Or should we just aim to take a probiotic capsule with a serving of blueberries? Will you reformulate your primal probiotic based on this idea?

Totally! This study (where taking probiotics increased the absorption of polyphenols, almost as if the two are “meant” to arrive together) suggests that whole food ferments are probably more effective than standalone probiotic or polyphenol supplements. We know, for example, that the red wine fermentation process produces entirely new polyphenols.
I’d expect a probiotic capsule to be more effective with a source of polyphenols. Vice versa, too.
Probably not. If you guys are doing the diet right, you’ll already be eating plenty of dense sources of polyphenols every day. You could say that my faith in Primal Probiotics assumes regular consumption of foods like tea, coffee, berries, greens, spices, and brightly-colored produce.

How do you feel about Whole Foods new farm raised salmon discussed in the links below? Is it a reasonably healthy alternative when wild salmon is not available? I find it tastes better than wild salmon (likely because it’s fattier).

https://www.yahoo.com/style/exclusive...

http://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foo...

Look decent.

Blue Circle Foods, one of Whole Foods’ partners in the salmon endeavor, explains how the feed is made. They use trim from wild-caught fish like mackerel, capelin, herring, and cod that would otherwise be discarded, rather than whole fish. This makes a more sustainable fish feed with less impact on wild fish stocks.

The feed is very efficient. Compared to standard farmed salmon, where it takes 1.6 pounds of feed to produce a pound of finished salmon meat, a pound of this new salmon feed produces more than a pound of finished salmon meat.

Wild salmon is definitely ideal. But let’s not act like farmed salmon is useless. It’s higher in omega-6 fats, but still has about 4x as many omega-3s as omega-6. Studies show that eating farmed salmon increases blood levels of DHA, even in pregnant women.

But farmed salmon is a major source of contaminants like PCBS and dioxins, having about 8 times as many PCBs as wild salmon. Since these contaminants are bound to the salmon fat, producers of this new Whole Foods’ salmon feed separate the fish oil from the solids, remove most of the contaminants, and combine it back with the solids to form the fish feed.

My biggest worry is how they remove the contaminants: by heating the oil to 200°C. Now, for more robust oils like EVOO or avocado, that’s okay. They can withstand the heat. And farm-raised salmon actually has a lot of monounsaturated fat and saturated fat, both of which are stable in the presence of heat. But the omega-3s—the fat most people are looking for when they buy salmon—are very susceptible to oxidative damage. It’s unclear how oxidized the feed fats are, and whether it affects the finished product.

Overall, it looks like a good option. Better than other farmed salmon, at least. I haven’t tried it but will keep my eyes open.

What’s the deal with K Cup Bone Broth? Is this stuff for real?

Thanks, Groktimus

It’s pretty weird.

The idea of super-hot liquid passing through plastic en route to my open mouth doesn’t appeal to me. Yeah, yeah, it’s probably BPA-free, but what’s replacing the BPA? Plastic tends to contain endocrine disruptors as a rule, no matter how “non-toxic” it is. I prefer to limit my exposure to heated plastic.

Other than that, it’s a fine product. It’s not really bone broth, as the ingredient list indicates that it’s just beef collagen with dried beef and spices, but that’s okay. Collagen is why bone broth is so helpful, so these K cups will provide similar nutrition.

I wonder if it gels up when cooled or reduces down to a viscous pan sauce. Probably not, as they’re probably using a collagen hydrolysate to improve dissolution into hot water. Intact gelatin clumps up when added directly to hot liquid (unless you bloom it first). That would make the bone broth K cups good for drinking but not for cooking.

That’s it for today, folks. Thanks for reading and be sure to help out with your own input down below!

The post Dear Mark: Protein Powder Dangers, Fermented Polyphenols, Whole Foods’ Farmed Salmon, and K-Cup Bone Broth appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love – Edition 430

Research of the Week

Researchers found an actual dinosaur tail with real feathers encased in amber.

Tibetan dogs have wolf genes that enable high-altitude living.

Giving coconut oil to heart disease patients as their staple cooking fat is totally safe.

Researchers recommend more testing of diets with low omega-6/omega-3 ratios for bipolar disorder.

Enjoying exercise might be genetic.

Sprinters have bigger hamstrings.

Does the “food coma” have a physiological purpose?

Mice achieve protection against heart disease and a longer lifespan when they eat spermidine, a compound found in aged cheeses, beans, and, well…

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 146: Dr. Gary Foresman—Breast Health Part 2: Dr. Gary Foresman returns to the podcast to dig even deeper into breast 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.

A Primal Take on Cannabis
How the Grok Narrative Motivates Me

Interesting Blog Posts

The face betrays.

Each hour of lost sleep spikes car crash rates.

Why travel helps you grow.

Media, Schmedia

The difficulty of regulating kombucha.

JFK shoulda gone Primal.

How does a family-owned butcher shop in Ireland survive across the centuries?

Everything Else

A new milk substitute made from cannabis doesn’t get you stoned but might still chill you out.

Bad Santa. Is the jolly one really one to talk?

Better than stevia.

Humans are still evolving, part 27: C-sections change pelvis width.

Congratulations to Sam Poland, winner of this week’s drawing! And thank you to everyone who commented. You’ve all given me lots to consider as I plan for 2017 at Mark’s Daily Apple.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

For a few more days this week, I’m still up for auction at one of my favorite charities, GO Campaign, an organization that improves the lives of orphans and vulnerable children around the world by partnering with local heroes to deliver local solutions.

Podcast I just appeared on: The Earn Your Happy Podcast, where I spoke about shifting your metabolism for optimal energy.

Study that I liked: Just 7 days of “sleeping low” (carb) boosts athletic performance and increases fat loss.

Resource I have to share: The Ultimate Vitamin K2 Resource, from the man who brought the nutrient into widespread consciousness, Chris Masterjohn.

Japanese news that made me smile: Japan is bribing its seniors with ramen to convince them to stop driving. And training its school children to ride unicycles.

Pet I’d get: Chicken with spliced-in dinosaur genes. Just imagine the eggs.

Recipe Corner

Braised lamb soupe au pistou. Omit the beans if you like.
Jamaican jerk shrimp with purple sweet potatoes will win over just about any skeptic of this Primal stuff.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Dec 11 – Dec 18 )

Psychedelics: A New Medical Frontier?
Could Gut Bacteria Be to Blame for Your Stubborn Belly Fat?

Comment of the Week

“’CBD gets in the way and blunts some of the effects’

Pun intended?? =D”

– Actually, no! I got lucky with that one, Ruth.

The post Weekend Link Love – Edition 430 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Unstuffed Cabbage Bowl

If you love stuffed cabbage but want to do away with white rice and the time consuming task of stuffing and rolling cabbage leaves, this recipe is for you. The dish is slightly lighter, and the flavors are brighter than in traditional stuffed cabbage, but this unstuffed cabbage bowl is still full-blown comfort food.

To make the bowl, shredded cabbage is sautéed just until soft, without losing its bright green color and soft crunch. The meat is simmered in onion, garlic, tomato sauce and a pinch of cinnamon. Layered in a bowl, the meat and cabbage are topped with a dollop of sauerkraut and an abundance of fresh parsley.

This bowl is a tasty combination of protein, a leafy green (parsley), sulfur-rich vegetables (cabbage, onion, garlic), and fermented food (sauerkraut). It’s a healthful meal that’s just as flavorful and comforting as traditional stuffed cabbage—but not nearly as much work.

Servings: 4

Time in the Kitchen: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (60 ml)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ¼ pounds ground beef (567 g)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (1.2 ml)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (5 ml)
8 ounces tomato sauce (240 ml)
1 head green cabbage, shredded
½ cup finely chopped parsley (120 ml)
Sauerkraut, for garnish

Instructions

Over medium heat, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil until the onion is soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ground meat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add cinnamon and thyme.

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. When the meat is starting to brown on the outside but still a bit pink in the middle, add tomato sauce. Simmer 20 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

In a wide skillet, warm the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the cabbage. Saute until the cabbage has wilted slightly but is still bright green and a little crunchy, 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t over-stir the cabbage while it cooks, give it a chance to brown a little against the hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

In each serving bowl, layer the meat and cabbage. Garnish with sauerkraut and plenty of parsley.

The post Unstuffed Cabbage Bowl appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

From Adrenal Fatigue to Keto Clarity: I Now Have More Energy than I Can Handle!

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.

Lucky me. I’ve been fit and happy my whole life; always followed what I believed were healthful ways-of-eating along with workout plans that made me feel great and kept my body trim. And, for a long time I was really in shape. But, little by little I was amping up my cardio as well as my carbs, and I would reason this madness by thinking I had earned more carbs through working out so hard. At one point I was doing five Spin classes a week, along with an hour plus of weights 4 times a week, plus running, and whatever else I could throw in the mix.

I was sailing along pretty great until I turned 50. Then my Father called to tell me he had 4th Stage Bladder Cancer, and a couple of months later, he passed away. We were very close so I was immediately plunged into instant adrenal fatigue. It was so bad at one point that I registered zero adrenaline, even when confronted with a terrifying situation. I was gaining weight in spite of all my workouts, not to mention that I wasn’t eating much. Huh? One day, I was driving my car on the freeway when another car blew one of its front tires and came careening toward me and a friend. I had no reaction, just turned the wheel to avoid the accident while my friend was screaming his head off. That was my turning point. I knew I had to address my adrenal fatigue and change how I ate and worked out.

I did a LOT of research, consulted a Naturopath and immediately cut out all exercising for a month. I began taking adrenal supplements, followed a vitamin protocol, removed as much stress as I could and went on with my life. During my exercise hiatus I read as much as possible about nutrition and how it affected adrenal fatigue (which in turn affected weight loss) and after going down several rabbit holes online, I found Primal Blueprint!

I ordered the book, joined the website and haven’t looked back once. I am now in the best shape of my life, have more energy than I can handle (or anyone else can handle, for that matter). I work out with weights for 30 minutes about 3 times a week using compound movements like squats and pull ups and others that Mark recommends. I walk a lot, and once a week or every 10 days I do 6-10 minutes of HIIT cardio. I’ve successfully shared the book and methodology with several people (one of whom actually plays Frisbee with Mark!).

About a month or so ago, I decided to take it one step further and began Keto. Total brain clarity and energy, never more up and happy in my life. Then lo and behold, recently received info from Mark about a Keto Summit and am listening to those podcasts excitedly. Life is GOOD!

And to think, I could still be a very average 20 pounds overweight, dragging around with zero energy and thinking that is totally normal. Ha! Thanks to Primal Blueprint I will never have to worry about that!

Wendy O. Roberts

The post From Adrenal Fatigue to Keto Clarity: I Now Have More Energy than I Can Handle! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Readers: What Do You Want from Mark’s Daily Apple in 2017?

No doubt, 2016 will go down in the books as one mammoth year for Mark’s Daily Apple. We went through an entire site redesign, a.k.a. MDA 3.0.—informed by your ideas last winter—and loaded it with a host of new resources.

As we close out this year, I’ll have plenty of announcements for what’s coming down the pipeline in 2017. I’ll also take a look back at the best of 2016—as I see it. What have we learned, what have we accomplished, and how has the health and wellness world changed in the span of twelve months?

For now, as I sit down to my New Year’s planning, I want to bring your thoughts to bear—your wish list for article topics, site resources, and all things Primal. And, let’s just throw in a contest for good measure….

This blog from the very start has been a community effort, and I can’t imagine it any other way. Reader feedback throughout the years has propelled everything from what I write about and how the site functions to what products I create and what Primal events we’ve put together. Now’s your chance to make your mark on what’s to come for Mark’s Daily Apple in 2017!

One note before we get going… I know folks have experienced continuing issues with the forum since the site upgrade, and I appreciate the feedback that’s come in. It’s been a frustrating knot to untangle the last several weeks, but I want you to know I consider the forum a centerpiece of Mark’s Daily Apple and the Primal Blueprint community. Getting the forum back to full capacity is a top priority for me and my staff. We’re working on it as I speak. Thanks for your patience on this, gang, and hang tight!

So, all this said, let’s get cracking on taking Mark’s Daily Apple to a new level in the New Year! Without further ado…

The Contest

“What do you want me to write about?” I take ideas and inspiration from you, MDA readers, every week. Today I’m handing you the mike and asking what you’d like to see me research and write about in 2017.

In the comments section below, tell me one topic you’d like to see covered, or one question you’d like to see answered, the title of one blog post that just has to be written this year, or one resource you’d like to see added to our site or weekly newsletter.

No idea is too small or big.

A winner will be chosen at random. Supporting others’ ideas (+1) is allowed (and encouraged), but only the idea comments will be counted for drawing purposes.

The Prizes

A 3-pack of my brand new PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Ranch Dressing
A 12-Pack of our new PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Chocolate Hazelnut Bars
A 12-Pack of our popular PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Coconut Cashew Bars
1 bottle of PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Extra Virgin Avocado Oil

The Deadline

Midnight (PST), Friday 12/9/16!

Who is Eligible

Everyone. I’ll ship these items anywhere in the world.

Thanks in advance to everyone who offers an idea. I’ll see what I can do to give you what you want in 2017! In the meantime, Grok on!

The post Dear Readers: What Do You Want from Mark’s Daily Apple in 2017? appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

A Primal Take on Cannabis

Today I’m taking on a mammoth in the living room so to speak. Based on the emails I’ve received and the string of developments around the issue, it’s maybe a long time coming.

As of November 11, marijuana is legal for recreational or medical use in 26 states. Recreational use is even legal in the nation’s capital, Washington DC. Despite the DEA declining to recognize the therapeutic potential of marijuana, formal medical research proceeds in labs and clinics, while millions of consumers in states like California, Oregon, and Colorado are running informal n=1 personal experiments. Usage has doubled in the last ten years. A recent Gallup poll found that 1 in 8 American adults “say they smoke marijuana.” Pretty much anytime legalization is up for a vote, it passes.

It seems there’s more weed out there than ever before and more people willing to consume it. They’re eating it, applying it sublingually, vaporizing it, and smoking it. Meanwhile, “pro” and “con” claims mount on both sides. 

And while hippies, burnouts, and trustafarians might be the popular face of marijuana culture, the modern cannabis consumer will surprise you. A few stats:

Nearly half of all California cannabis dispensary customers are over the age of 30.

By some accounts, Silicon Valley tech firms run on weed.

More Colorado adults are consuming cannabis, while teen usage has gone down.

Middle-aged parents are more likely to smoke weed than their teenage kids.

Cannabis never really left, but it’s definitely shifting out of the counter-culture and into mainstream society. For better or for worse.

So, which is it, Sisson? Better or worse?

Cannabis commentators, both detractors and evangelists, deal in anecdote.

“The pot heads I knew in high school ended up in dead-end jobs. Half didn’t even graduate!”

“Everyone I knew in college smoked. The smartest dude on my floor—an engineering student—grew the stuff!”

It really seems to depend on the individual, the type of cannabis, the (mind)set and setting, and a dozen other factors. It’s complicated and contextual.

In keeping with that point, my goal here isn’t to pass absolute judgment but to highlight the benefits, risks and myths.

First off, there’s some very promising research into the medical and health benefits of cannabis.

Pain: Purified THC has no effect on chronic pain. It doesn’t help postoperative pain, either.

Meanwhile, whole plant cannabis reduces Parkinson’s-related pain, neuropathic pain (even low-dose), and diabetic neuropathy.

Curiously, men seem more sensitive to cannabis-induced pain relief than women. Sorry, ladies.

PTSD: Medical marijuana shows great promise in PTSD therapy, with one study seeing a 75% reduction in symptoms.

Cancer: Most research into cannabis and cancer has focused on its ability to ameliorate chemotherapy-induced nausea. And in vitro and animal studies do show some interesting effects on cancer cells and cancer, but lots of plant compounds do that. We have a ways to go before oncologists are handing out joints.

Weight loss: We don’t have any good intervention studies in people, but we do have evidence from animal and in vitro studies that isolated cannabinoids can trigger formation of new fat cells and generally impair metabolic health. We do have fairly consistent findings from observational studies showing that regular cannabis users tend to have lower BMIs than non-users, better metabolic markers (fasting insulin, waist circumference, and insulin resistance) than non-users, and lower rates of metabolic syndrome.

Tough to say, but I lean toward the totality of the observational studies. If cannabis is so bad for metabolic health, why is its use so consistently associated with better metabolic health?

Intake of other drugs: People with access to legal marijuana end up drinking less alcohol (one reason for the generally beneficial effect of weed on body weight) and using less opioids.

Type 1 diabetes: There’s limited (read: animal/in vitro) evidence suggestive of a protective or therapeutic role for cannabis in type 1 diabetes (CBD reduces pancreatic inflammation and slows down T1D progression).

What about the negatives?

Filling your lungs with hot smoke: While it probably isn’t “good” for the lungs, the “accumulated weight of evidence” shows that “even regular heavy use” of cannabis smoke confers “far lower risks for pulmonary complications” than the “grave pulmonary consequences of tobacco.”

Dependency: Addiction recovery counselors claim cannabis addiction rates of 10%, which pale in comparison to cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and tobacco addiction rates but exceed the 0% addiction rates weed enthusiasts commonly tout. 

And I’ll head off the inevitable cries of “it’s just psychological dependence, not physiological!” before they arrive. Psychological is physiological. The brain is the body. It’s physical and tangible. Cannabis may not create physical withdrawal symptoms, but heavy use can create dependencies via the brain reward systems just the same.

Mental health: Heavy cannabis users with the right (wrong) genetic variants tend to be at higher risk for various mental health disorders, like psychosis and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the earlier in adolescence you start smoking, the higher your risk of psychosis as an adult.

Causation hasn’t quite been established here. Put another way, people with psychosis and schizophrenia may be more likely to be heavy cannabis users. But if your brain is still developing, whether in the womb or during adolescence, avoid cannabis. You really don’t need it, and you’ll be better equipped to handle it as a full-fledged adult.

Sleep: Many people use cannabis to sleep. It certainly can make you sleepy, but it also affects REM sleep, even going so far as to reduce dreaming. Heavy users show evidence of sleep disturbances. You all know how important sleep is.

Plus, an older study shows that smoking cannabis increases melatonin secretion. That’s a good thing at night. This could be trouble if you smoke during the day, however, as melatonin isn’t supposed to be elevated when the sun is up.

Now some things to keep in mind when deciding to try cannabis or not…

Whole plant is safer than isolated cannabinoids.

Whether you’re talking about medical benefits or recreational use, using the whole plant has better effects than using an isolated component. There is no one active component. There are many, and isolation is going to miss them.

Foremost are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). If THC provides the “high,” CBD smooths it out. THC targets the CB1 receptor, CBD gets in the way and blunts some of the effects. Why is this important, and why shouldn’t I just get the stuff with the most THC?

Well, the whole plant compounds are synergistic:

A high-CBD cannabis whole plant extract reduces gut inflammation and damage in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. Purified CBD does not.

A human study tested the cannabinoid content of hair plucked from a group of regular smokers. Those with more THC in their hair were more depressed and anxious than those with CBD in their hair. They also performed more poorly on tests of visual and verbal recall, while those with higher hair CBD were better at recall and had fewer psychosis-like symptoms.

Normally, THC impairs short term memory. It’s famous for it. This is why people (like me) stumble over their words after consuming cannabis. In one study, giving CBD alongside high-THC weed mitigates this THC-induced memory impairment.

CBD may even show efficacy against schizophrenia, which makes me wonder if higher CBD/THC cannabis strains have the same relationship to mental health issues as the strains higher in THC and lower in CBD.

The superiority of the whole plant could explain why observational studies find improved metabolic health and body weight in users versus non-users and animal studies using the isolated cannabinoids find the opposite.

Whole plant cannabis isn’t perfect, though. The THC/CBD ratio has been increasing over the years as consumers chase ever more “potent” strains. The average sample of street cannabis was 4% THC in 1995. In 2014, it was 14%. In the same time frame, CBD content dropped from 0.28% to 0.15%. 

What’s great about the legalization push is that you no longer have to buy an unlabeled baggie of random cannabis from a seedy dealer. You can enter a clean, well-lighted place, chat with an expert, and choose from dozens of strains labeled with THC, CBD, and other cannabinoid levels to obtain the desired effects and thus bypass the lopsided ratios of street marijuana.

Don’t take cannabis lightly.

It’s a powerful plant, technically a psychedelic. Many ancient cultures used cannabis as a sacrament and spiritual ally. You don’t have to chant or burn incense or anything, but pay it the respect it deserves if you plan on using it. 

It can have paradoxical effects.

To some, it’s the best way to take the edge off a bad day or a stressful situation. You light up and the stress melts away.

To others, it increases anxiety. You light up and get sucked into a paranoid thought loop. You might even have a panic attack.

Some people can’t focus on anything after consuming cannabis. It scatters their mind and makes following a plot or conversation impossible.

Others use cannabis as a focus aid. They’ll create art, read books, consume film and music, and generally be more productive.

Use others’ experiences as a rough guide, but know that it’s not the final word.

Don’t use it to defeat boredom.

It’s often said that cannabis is a mood-enhancer. It won’t “make you happy.” But if you’re in a good mood, it will likely enhance it. The same goes for a bad mood.

Don’t do it if you’re bored. Don’t do it because there’s nothing else to do. Perhaps you’ll make life mildly more interesting for a couple hours, but man, what a waste.

It shouldn’t be a habit or crutch—or an excuse to not go out and grab a life you want to live….

Careful with the edibles.

Widespread legalization has ushered in an incredible range of edible cannabis products, from olive oil to butter to coconut oil to caramels to baked goods to lollipops to spaghetti sauce to entire restaurant menus. Since cannabinoids are fat-soluble, anything with fat is fair game.

Eating cannabis is very different from inhaling it. Smoking it provides delta-9 THC, which hits fast and dissipates relatively quickly. When you eat it, your liver converts the delta-9 THC into 11-hydroxy THC and you feel the effects of both compounds. It lasts longer, too—5-6 hours compared to 1-2—and feels stronger and more psychedelic. Edible cannabis can get downright overwhelming, especially since most people don’t expect it.

Oh, and that pot brownie better be gluten-free or you’re excommunicated.

That’s about it folks. As I said earlier, I recognize the therapeutic effects and medical potential of cannabis all while acknowledging the apparent risks and cautions.

Now I’d like to hear from you, especially those who use cannabis. How does it affect your Primal way of life? Does it help or hinder your pursuit of health?

Thanks for reading, everyone.

The post A Primal Take on Cannabis appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

How the Grok Narrative Motivates Me

The Primal Blueprint is more than just a health and nutrition blog. You can find thousands of health and nutrition tips online, many of them quite sound. You can read well-researched and cited articles telling you what to eat, what not to eat, how to exercise, how not to exercise—and following their advice will give you good results. The Primal Blueprint does not enjoy a monopoly on results.

A big reason why the Primal Blueprint resonates with so many people is that it’s not only couched in hard science and useful information. It tells a story to which all of us can relate on a deep and meaningful level.

Back when I started this blog, I didn’t think the idea of Grok would take off. He was just a method for me to “storify” the dietary and lifestyle habits of our ancient ancestors. It made writing easier and more enjoyable. I even worried that people would find it trite, that it might detract from my message.

In time, it became apparent that people really dug the Grok narrative.

I understand why now. I’ve always been a big fan of fiction. I read non-fiction too, of course, but many people are surprised when they hear I probably prefer a good novel to the latest treatise on the genome. Novels don’t relay facts. They reveal deeper truths about the human experience. They distill the desires we share, the trials we face, the existential questions we ask. They engage us emotionally. That’s the power of story, and that is what the PB offers in addition to the actionable, well-researched information about health, fitness, and nutrition: the human story.

How do I connect to the Grok narrative? Apart from providing a unique approach to writing about health and fitness, what does it mean and how does it impact my life and my decisions?

Grok’s Relationship to “Exercise”

If Grok were whisked away in a DeLorean DMC-12 going 88 MPH and dropped off in a present-day CrossFit box or big box gym, he’d marvel at the sheer stupidity of modern exercise.

To you, it’s normal. You’re steeped in it. But try to look at exercise from an ancient perspective. How would a paleolithic hunter-gatherer react to the things we do in the gym?

“Why are those people squatting down and standing back up over and over again? Why are they getting parallel with the ground, supporting their weight on the hands and feet, then lowering themselves until their faces touch the floor and raising back up? Why are they walking on a moving floor? Hey, why’s the floor moving?”

I mean, just writing those descriptions was incredibly difficult. Exercise moves are ridiculous when you stop and think about them. They’re unnatural.

Now, imagine you take the DeLorean back 50,000 years. The things people then were doing would look pretty natural. They might even look like a lot of fun.

They’d be:

Walking everywhere, often carrying a load.
Climbing trees, rocks, cliffs for honey, bird’s eggs, and other delicacies.
Digging for tubers and to bury loved ones.
Lifting heavy things, probably an animal carcass.
Throwing things.
Running really fast for short bursts.
Running really slowly for extended pursuits and treks.
Playing, wrestling, fighting, dancing.
Lounging around, talking story whenever possible.
Squatting around the campfire while making tools or just hanging out.

In short, physical work was integrated into Grok’s life. He lifted an antelope carcass because he needed to feed his people, not a barbell because someone on the Internet told him he needed to train his posterior chain. He ran really fast to escape a predator or to race his buddy, not because he wanted to deplete glycogen stores and increase insulin sensitivity. He walked everywhere because that’s how people got around, not because he needed to hit 10,000 steps. He did these things because there wasn’t any other way to live. He didn’t have any other options.

Judging from the health of the few remaining people who “exercise” anything like Grok—extant hunter-gatherers like the Hadza—this type of physical activity is very effective. Despite never touching a barbell, treadmill, or pullup bar, the Hadza are extremely lean, fit, and have excellent metabolic health. Furthermore, modern research shows how beneficial taking a break from training can be, even for your physical fitness.

Whenever I start to stress over skipping a workout, I think about how Grok didn’t really exercise. How he and his people worked hard when they had to but took it easy when they could.

And I feel a lot better.

That’s sort of “reverse motivation.” It motivates me not to get out there and bust my ass in the gym, but to be okay with taking a break—which is more important than people realize.

The MultiGrokverse

People like to use the fact that paleolithic humans lived and ate in dozens of different environments featuring totally different climates, ecosystems, environmental inputs, and sources of edible plants and animals as an argument against the “paleo diet.” Arctic tundra Grok ate and lived very differently from tropical Grok, who ate and lived completely differently than Mediterranean Grok. This was the crux of the paleofantasy criticism: there wasn’t just one paleo diet, so Cheetos and McNuggets are totally fine.

I see it differently. Humans are the ultimate adaptive animal. We can make almost any environment work. Heck, we can thrive in a place as stark and severe as the Arctic and make it home. Thanks to our big brains and our capacity to respond to and overcome the slings and arrows of life, protracted exposure to difficult environments actually selects for a better, stronger, fitter genome. Our time spent in diverse ancestral environments made us who we are today.

That makes me even more gung-ho about heeding the lessons of our evolutionary history. This reality of our past—the multiGrokverse—actually motivates me.

Using “What would Grok do?” as Choice Winnower

I’m a big fan of freedom, liberty, and choice. All that’s great. But modern life presents us with too many choices.

When I’m in decision-making limbo, paralyzed by the overabundance of options, a quick “What would Grok do?” shifts my frame of mind. It doesn’t provide an answer in the moment, but it does break the mental loop of indecision to drill down deep into the essence of the choice. What are my true motivations? What do I hope to get out of this decision? What’s at stake?

Of course, your average paleolithic human wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of the ridiculous things we lose sleep over, like picking a new big screen TV or plotting the next step along our career path. But as a mental exercise, asking the question is helpful. Grok didn’t concern himself with the superfluous because, for the most part, it wasn’t an option. His focus was food, shelter, friends, family, love, beauty, the weather, water, wild animals and enemies. We have a tougher job of discerning the essentials, but they haven’t changed much. And if you’re honest with yourself, most of your concerns come down to those basics.

But what if the Grok narrative is completely wrong?

Human history is a living document. 20000 years ago, the sea level was over 300 feet lower than it is today—given that humans tend to cluster around the coasts, who knows what the sea swallowed up? Our knowledge is only as good as the last discovery, and genetic anthropologists and archaeologists are making new discoveries constantly. So much of what I’ve written about the ancestral environment could change as new information surfaces.

That’s okay, though. Remember what I said about story? Its power lies not in the objective accuracy of the details but in the emotions and lessons conveyed. If a story gets the details wrong but conveys a truth about human nature, relays a moral lesson, or helps the reader become a better person, it has value. 

Every day, I try to relay useful information. Whether I tell a story, make a new product, analyze a study, answer a reader question, or dig deep into a controversial subject, I’m trying to be useful to you guys.

I hope I’m succeeding.

That’s it for me, guys. What about you? How does the Grok narrative resonate most with you and your life? How do you use it to improve your health, fitness, and happiness?

Thanks for reading. Take care.

The post How the Grok Narrative Motivates Me appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Mark: Vibration Training, Missing Meniscus, and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions. First, do those whole body vibration training plates provide the kind of instability that I suggest promotes good cartilage function? Second, what can a person with degenerated or missing menisci do about it? What kind of training can work with knees that are missing cartilage? And finally, what’s my opinion of neuromuscular electric stimulation—does it work?

Let’s go:

Mark – wondering if a whole body vibration plate qualifies for unpredictable movement? I’m finding it useful for balance and rattling my lymph system loose, any impact on cartilage and tendons?

Nothing like a good lymphatic rattle, am I right?

As to your question, yes. A study from 2011 tested the effect of vibration training on cartilage in people on 14 days of full immobilization. The control group, who were immobile but did not do vibration training, lost 8% of the articular cartilage thickness at the weight-bearing part of the tibia (shin) in just 14 days. That’s scary. Meanwhile, the vibration group gained an average of 22% more cartilage thickness after 14 days.

This is remarkable. They did nothing but vibration training—literally, didn’t move their legs, just had them jiggled around a bit—and gained cartilage.

Vibration plate training also has beneficial effects on bone density and muscle strength and stability in older women. It seems legit. Maybe a larger post is in order.

But for now, it seems to work.

Mark, what about people who are missing cartilage. I am missing 75% of the meniscus in my right knee (ACL repaired) and 25% of the meniscus in my left knee.

First of all, don’t stop moving, training, and playing. Pretty much every study with people who’ve had parts of their menisci removed confirms that sticking with exercise and rehab improves outcomes.

One study found a 12-week exercise rehab program immediately after surgery has beneficial effects at a 1-year followup.
Another found that a 12-week exercise rehab program after surgery beats none at all.
Still another confirms that “high repetitive, high dosage” post-op rehab is efficient and effective compared to none at all.

What kind of training should you do?

This may not apply to your specific situation, but for people who are approaching surgery or just finishing it, your doctor will likely assign a physical therapy program. Just start with it. In my experience, they tend to be quite good.

Training the gluteus medius (the “outer” glute that controls hip abduction) has particularly impressive effects on post-meniscectomy knee health. Based on EMG studies (where they measure the “activity” of the muscles in response to different activities), side-lying hip abductions (think raising your leg in a side plank position), single leg squats, lateral band walk (resistance band around your ankles, walk side ways), and single leg deadlifts are the best exercises for the gluteus medius.

Do these knee circles every single day for three sets of 50-100 circles in each direction. They don’t take that long. Just do them. Go as deep as you comfortably can.

Try front squats instead of back squats. Front squats produce fewer compressive forces and knee extensor moments on both the front and back of the knee than back squats while activating just as much musculature.

Strenuous, pounding exercise may not be helpful. Research in rats with osteoarthritis finds that damaged cartilage has an imbalanced response to strenuous exercise. Whereas moderate bathes the damaged joint in both anti-inflammatory and inflammatory cytokines, strenuous exercise produces the inflammatory cytokines without enough anti-inflammatory cytokines.

A friend of mine with some missing meniscus has found that uphill sprints are both easy on the joints and more effective than flat sprints. Cycling, swimming, and rowing are other ways to get some high intensity activity without pounding the knees.

Discomfort is expected. Effort is required. Pain should be avoided. You don’t want your knee to “hurt.” That’s a sign that you’re doing something counterproductive to your ultimate goal: having healthier knees. If you can go hard and heavy without pain, keep it low volume. Think heavy singles, doubles, or triples instead of high-rep stuff.

Good luck! You can have plenty of success. And hey, there’s some cool medical tech coming down the pipeline.

There’s an active indiegogo campaign for a device called “bionic gym” that is basically a device that stimulates muscle shivering using electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to help burn calories… genius or snake oil? I’m thinking if the science is valid, it can help many especially those who are injured or too sick to work out. If coupled with MAF method, it sounds like it’s possible to improve the base aerobic capability of a bunch of people and hopefully reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. What do you think, too good to be true?

The Bionic Gym is a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device.

NMES is a legitimate piece of technology. Past studies have found it can be effective in a number of capacities:

It can prevent muscle wasting in critically-ill bedridden patients and during immobilization.

It can increase muscle protein synthesis in older men with type 2 diabetes (something resistance training famously increases).

It can improve muscle thickness in older women with knee osteoarthritis.

It can improve muscle activation and reduce pain during normal physical tasks (squatting, stepping, etc) in women with knee pain.

It can improve knee flexor strength slightly more than resistance training in patients with knee osteoarthritis. No word on what that “resistance training” actually consisted of, though.

It can activate and strengthen deep abdominal stabilizers. It also works for lumbar stabilizers.

It can even coax paralyzed muscles into lifting weights.

Those are mostly patients who can’t train “normally,” though. NMES is clearly better than doing nothing at all. What about in healthy, fully-able adults?

Well, one recent study found that NMES certainly “activates” the muscle comparably to resistance training. But except for torque, which did improve, they didn’t look at many outcomes—strength gained or lost, hypertrophy, etc. On paper, it should work, but we don’t know for sure yet.

The authors of another study where NMES improved strength over resistance training concluded that healthy muscles will have the best gains with both NMES and “voluntary exercise” because they do different things. The NMES hits the largest motor units first, while voluntary exercise recruits the smaller ones first. Do both, and you theoretically have the best of both worlds.

The allure of NMES is obvious. It works to some extent, and it does the work for you. You just sit there and take it. Meanwhile, adherents to “voluntary exercise” know they have to expend effort to get results. Not everyone likes to give effort. That’s why so many people fail in the gym—they’re not willing to work hard, or they have wrong information and make poor training decisions. That’s probably why NMES compares so favorably to “exercise” in a lot of studies.

I suspect the average person loitering in the gym, puttering around with machines, watching CNN as they mindlessly cycle or row or walk without the desire to do better is the perfect candidate for NMES. They’ll see real results because their muscles will be seriously contracting, finally.

On the other hand, I suspect the average person reading this blog, doing compound exercises, running sprints, lifting heavy things, doing CrossFit, performing all the right moves doesn’t need NMES as much. But it wouldn’t surprise me if adding some NMES on top of smart training had a compound effect. That will be cool to see.

One interesting possibility is the use of NMES to target smaller muscles that people typically have trouble targeting or activating. In that study mentioned above, they used NMES to strengthen the vastus medialis, a small and oft-ignored but very important extensor muscle in the thigh. Voluntary exercise (step downs) wasn’t very effective compared to NMES. It’s just a tough muscle to hit.

I can see that kind of application working well—real training and NMES.

Anyway, that’s what I’ve got for today. Thanks for reading and be sure to chime in down below.

Thanks!

The post Dear Mark: Vibration Training, Missing Meniscus, and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love – Edition 429

Research of the Week

Spiritual experiences trigger the reward centers of our brain.

Just a single season of high school football alters the structure of the brain. High school football players really need to watch out for head collisions.

25% calorie restriction improves quality of life, including many measures of sexual function, in otherwise healthy, non-obese adults, with those losing the most weight seeing the most benefit.

Just like dogs, horses know to ask humans for help with problems they can’t handle themselves.

Cats really do clean themselves by licking, thanks to their velcro-esque tongues.

Ancient Greenlanders armed with small spears and tiny canoes were expert whale hunters, regularly felling 50-ton bowheads.

Probiotics increase polyphenol absorption.

They’ve discovered the gene for uncombable hair.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

 

Episode 145: Dr. Brett Hill: Host Elle Russ chats with Dr. Brett Hill about his new book, Nourish Without Nagging, which helps parents figure out how to get their kids to eat—and love—healthy food.

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.

My 8 Favorite International Dishes to Expand Your Primal Palate
How to Feed, Train, and Care for Your Cartilage

Interesting Blog Posts

The elimination of non-native species isn’t always so clear-cut, as the case of the Bay Area eucalyptus shows.

When “being in the moment” isn’t best policy.

You should re-roast your turkey carcass (and roast chicken carcasses, for that matter) before making stock.

One (evolutionary) psychiatrist’s take on using curcumin/turmeric for depression.

Media, Schmedia

Nestle plans to introduce a new formulation of sugar with 40% fewer calories.

Nutritional heretic Gary Taubes recounts his embattled journey to vindication.

Everything Else

Raising a family at the edge of civilization.

Who’s ready for a massive escalation of the animal rights movement?

Greek yogurt is problematic, apparently, and promotes marginalization and otherization.

Whole milk drinkin’ kids are slimmer than skim milkers.

New photo technology captures the moment of conception.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I’m up for auction at one of my favorite charities, GO Campaign, an organization that improves the lives of orphans and vulnerable children around the world by partnering with local heroes to deliver local solutions.

Podcast I just appeared on: The Earn Your Happy Podcast, where I spoke about shifting your metabolism for optimal energy.

Study that everyone can come together over: Both a high-fat, very low-carb diet rich in saturated fat (34% of calories) and a low-fat, high-carb diet low in saturated fat improve waist circumference, visceral fat loss, weight loss, and lipid markers (HFLC boosts HDL, LFHC drops LDL, both drop triglycerides). They were supposed to be isocaloric, but the HF group ended up eating 250 more calories per day and still lost weight.

Article I’m pondering: “Psilocybin, the active ingredient ‘shrooms,’ is looking more and more like a potential wonder drug.”

Announcement I’m pleased to, well, announce: Nina wins!

Miscellaneous news I enjoyed: Britain’s new 5-pound note isn’t vegetarian.

Recipe Corner

Best roast potatoes ever.
Breakfast pizza using hashbrowns (or your own leftover potatoes) as the crust.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Dec 4– Dec 10)

Blindspots Even Informed Paleo Enthusiasts Often Have – Are your blinders on?
15 Alternatives to Sitting Meditation – No mantras or yoga mats required.

Comment of the Week

“Very good read about work

And this is a good argument about it

by Bachman Turner Overdrive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJprEyXMrIk”

– Amen, wildgrok.

The post Weekend Link Love – Edition 429 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Korean Tacos

Korean tacos are a culinary twist that’s been around for a while now, using a tortilla as the delivery system for the bold flavors of Korean cuisine. This Primal recipe for Korean tacos is intensely delicious and hits all the right notes: sweet, spicy, fresh, crunchy, meaty.

Let’s start with the ribs. They’re simmered in a sweet umami sauce made from tenderizing fruit (kiwi and pear) plus ginger, garlic, scallions, and coconut aminos. The meat is scooped onto a small tortilla and topped with refreshing daikon radish and carrot slaw. It only takes a few bites to devour these Korean tacos, and you’ll definitely want more than one, so put several on your plate.

About the tortillas…you’ve got three choices: you can sneak in a corn tortilla, make Primal tortillas, or make cassava flour tortillas (* pictured in photos). Want to skip the tortillas? That’s great, too. The short ribs and slaw also make a delicious salad.

P.S. Korean gochujang mixed with Primal Mayo makes a delicious, spicy sauce for Korean tacos.

Time in the Kitchen: 30 minutes hands-on cooking, plus 2.5 hours to soak and cook the ribs

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

Korean Short Ribs

3 pounds short ribs (1.4 kg)
6 scallions, chopped
2-inch/5 cm piece ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1/2 an Asian pear, cored and peeled
1/3 cup coconut aminos (80 ml)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (2.5 ml)

Slaw

1/4 head Napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 a daikon radish, grated (about 1 cup/100g)
2 small carrots, grated
2 jalapenos or other hot peppers, chopped or thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice (15 ml)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (30 ml)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1.2 ml)

Instructions

Put the short ribs into a bowl of cold water. Soak 30 minutes. Drain the ribs and rinse under running water.

In a food processor, puree scallions, ginger, garlic, kiwi, pear and coconut aminos.

Scrape the purée into a heavy-bottomed, wide pot or Dutch oven with a cover. Add the salt and 3 cups water, and put the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the ribs to the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot.

Simmer about 2 hours. The meat should easily fall apart with a fork when done. When the meat is cool enough to touch (or it can be made one day ahead), shred or thinly slice the meat from the bones.

While the meat cooks, toss the Napa cabbage, daikon radish, shredded carrots, and jalapenos in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil and salt. Pour over the slaw. Add more salt to taste. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Right before serving, heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the meat briefly to crisp up the edges.

Serve the shredded meat and slaw on tortillas, or in a bowl as salad.

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