Mark Sisson's Blog, page 244
November 1, 2015
Weekend Link Love – Edition 372
Research of the Week
Replacing fructose with starch helps obese kids improve metabolic health.
Traditional societies have more positive views on aging than modern societies.
Melatonin before bed improves circadian rhythm and sleep efficiency in strength athletes.
By second grade, kids who had taken academic pre-K classes were performing worse in school than kids who hadn’t.
New Primal Blueprint Podcasts
Episode 91: Robert Murphy: Host Brad Kearns sits down with Robert Murphy, economist and co-author of the just-released The Primal Prescription, to discuss the current dysfunctional state of the US healthcare system, how it might be fixed, and how we can (and often should) opt-out entirely.
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.
What Does the WHO Report Mean For Your Meat-Eating Habit?
6 Hidden Superfoods Your Probably Already Have in Your Pantry
A Brief History of US Dietary Guidelines
Also, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Primal Endurance Podcast.
Weekly sweepstakes: Write a review for The Primal Blueprint Podcast or The Primal Endurance Podcast on iTunes and submit this form for a chance to win a Primal prize package. One new winner is chosen every week!
Interesting Blog Posts
23andMe lays out their new services.
One blogger’s take on the fructose children’s study mentioned above.
Media, Schmedia
Is Silicon Valley bad for your health?
South Korean women are embracing fitness.
2% of hot dogs in a recent study contained human DNA. Why this might not matter.
Everything Else
These 10,000 year-old frozen cave lion cubs, amazingly, still look pretty cuddly.
Chimpanzee drumming. Check out that roar at about 1:20 in.
Though I’m not sure it qualifies as a bonafide “food craze,” putting butter on sushi sounds delicious.
This new desk lets you lie down on the job.
On Black Friday (November 27), REI is closing its stores and paying its employees to get outside.
This is one of the better applications of genetic engineering I’ve seen.
The American Academy of Pediatrics now says iPads and smartphones are appropriate for developing toddlers.
Recipe Corner
Make pepper crusted skirt steak with grain-free tortillas for breakfast.
Paleo browned butter sea scallop pasta with sage, Brussels sprouts, and crispy prosciutto is a delicious mouthful.
Time Capsule
One year ago (Nov 3 – Nov 9)
The 10 Rules of Successful Exercise – How’d you do?
Are You the Working Out Type? – How to tell if you’re a natural exerciser.
Comment of the Week
A whole head of garlic? I bet viruses aren’t the only thing you’re warding off after that concoction, Mark.
October 31, 2015
Quick & Easy Salmon Cakes
This is a guest post from Diane Sanfilippo, author of Practical Paleo and the wildly popular blog, BalancedBites.com.
Diane often leaves a lot of space to make her recipes your own, and this one is no exception. This recipe can easily be modified to switch up flavors, or for those following a low FODMAP diet.
If you’re looking to dress-up the wild canned salmon you’ve been buying, this is the recipe for you! It’s quick and easy, and it can be made mostly from the ingredients you tend to have on-hand.
Bonus recipe: Use Primal Kitchen™ Mayo to make an amazing dipping sauce/topping for these salmon cakes using the recipe at the bottom of the page.
Yield: 4 patties (2 servings)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
2 6-ounce cans of wild salmon, drained
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 tablespoons green onions (scallions), minced
1 teaspoon Savory Spice Blend (see recipe below)
2 teaspoons gluten-free mustard (optional)
1-2 teaspoons coconut flour (optional, may use 1 tablespoon almond flour or other nut/seed flour if you prefer)
1/4 cup coconut oil, ghee, or butter
Savory Spice Blend:
Yield: 5 1/2 tablespoons
1/2 tablespoon rosemary
1/2 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
Combine the salmon, eggs, shallots, garlic, green onions, Savory Spice Blend, and mustard (optional) in a small mixing bowl. If the consistency is runny, sift the coconut flour over the mixture, and combine well.
In a large pan over medium heat, melt enough coconut oil to create a layer about 1/4-inch thick. Form the salmon mixture into 4 equally sized patties, and place them in the pan, all at once or two at a time. Allow the patties to brown on one side before flipping and cook all the way through.
Serve warm or cold as leftovers.
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickles
a few pinches of chopped fresh dill (or use dried dill)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Change It Up!
Change the seasonings for a new taste experience—try a Curry Spice Blend instead of Savory.
FODMAP Free?
Leave out the shallots, garlic, and green onions—season with extra fresh herbs. Do not use the coconut flour or coconut oil.
October 30, 2015
I Have Never Felt So Free and in Control of My Health
It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!
My story? A journey to say the least. I have come to learn there are literally millions of people caught up in the same vicious cycle I was stuck in. My entire life from the age of eight years old—yes, I was on a “diet” at the age of eight—my weight was up and down continuously, sometimes dramatically up and down. I tried just about every diet on the market, weight loss aids, appetite suppressants, supplements, cleanses, you name it and I probably had tried it. I had gone as far as starvation diets, and countless hours in the gym. Yes, I had times where I was lean, weight was down, I even did some modeling in my 20s but I did not “feel good.” I constantly had health problems from chronic physical illness to an anxiety disorder early in life. I tortured my body in pursuit of looking good, “being lean.” It was a full time job, trying to reach this image/goal/desire.
By age 40, I found myself fat, unfit, depressed and miserable. I had sky-high blood pressure requiring various heart and blood pressure medications. The doctor’s answer was to slap on medication and follow-up. What the? Alrighty then. I was under tremendous work stress, having family issues, financial struggles, balancing life with a new “blended” family. You name it, I was struggling in all areas like most of us today do. When I thought it was bad enough, I suffered a tragic loss. My younger brother, whom I was very close with died in a tragic accident. I found myself in the bottom of a bottle of alcohol and I stayed there, diluted for quite some time. I could not handle my reality. I continued to spiral down in a deep depression until I finally saw myself for what I was becoming. I was not the mom, wife, friend or family member I once prided myself as being.
It was time to take charge of my existence, take charge of my health, take charge of my future. At this point, I was desperate for better health. It was no longer about wanting to “get skinny” or look good. It was about creating a “NEW” reality. I began studying conventional nutrition to see what I could do to help myself. I was employing Holistic – Vegan practices and working out. Within one month I no longer needed medication and was down 20 pounds. I was fired up!!! BUT – soon the weight loss plateaued and I always felt a bit weak and tired and HUNGRY! After I became a certified Holistic consultant, I decided to continue my education and took on Sports Nutrition. I changed my diet again and followed a Sports nutrition regimen and took on a challenging physique sculpting program. I got some very slow results, but wow was it difficult. I lived by meal timing, portion control, agonizing constant macro-nutrient counting and many days of frustration with still not getting results I was looking for. I received my Sports Nutrition consulting certificate but still felt lost, I was doing everything text book but it still was not working!
I was on to more healthful lifestyle practices and making slow changes to my body, but I still did not feel right and I did not feel I was on to the right path. I remembered that I had tried The Primal Blueprint a few years prior. I treated it like a fad diet just like everything else in my past. I felt good and lost weight but I fell back into old habits fairly quickly. I did not understand the high fat concept as fat is vilified in our “heart-healthy” low-fat, grain laden conventional wisdom of today. So, the controversy was my excuse to eat grains again, because quite frankly, I liked them. Man, did my health later reflect I had gone back to old ways! With all my recent education, I thought I should look at The Primal Blueprint again since I was on this mission to take charge of my health.
The decision to look at The Primal Blueprint again was life changing! I nearly effortlessly began to lose that stubborn body fat, toned up and was feeling good, strong, happy, energized and sleeping well for the first time in my life. I wanted more, more… I knew the Primal lifestyle was the path I was looking for. I decided to enroll in The Primal Blueprint Expert Certification so that I could get an in-depth education on the “why”. I loved that the Primal Blueprint philosophy was all backed by science. Trust me, I employed countless hours of independent research and personal experimentation during this journey of finding better health.
I agree 100% with the Primal Blueprint lifestyle. I have never felt so fantastic, been as physically fit, energized, focused, relaxed and calm. The fact that my cholesterol, blood pressure and resting heart rate are fantastic is just tangible proof I am on the correct path. In fact, my HDL was SO impressive at my last vitality check, the doctor was extremely interested, and wanted extensive detail of what I do… The best thing of all is that I am full of energy to be the best mom and wife I can be. I play with the kids, I’m happy and engaged with life again. I am setting a good example for my children and creating a healthy existence for them. I don’t think there is any greater satisfaction in this world than that! My husband is completely committed to the Primal lifestyle as well, feels fantastic and has made quite a transformation himself!
I have never felt so free and in control of my health, and for that I am eternally grateful. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the work of Mark Sisson and the wonderful Primal staff. Not only did I get the tools I needed to reshape my life, all those around me benefit because I can offer value to their lives now. As my journey continues, it is time for me to pay it forward. I am bounding with enthusiasm to help guide others in finding their way to better health. Now, my mission is to share what I have learned, my journey, my passion! I am forever a Primal Blueprint enthusiast!
Denise
October 29, 2015
The What, Why, and How of “Dispositional Mindfulness”
It’s okay to do the double take—dispositional mindfulness. How’s that?
By now most people have heard of mindfulness meditation. I’ve written a bit about it for the blog, also noting that other forms of deep relaxation practice tend to work better for me. As quiet blocks of time devoted to emptying the mind and bringing awareness to your breath as well as other body sensations, meditation can clear away conscious thought and let us rest in a deep calm, triggering the feel-good, health-promoting hormonal effects of the body’s potent relaxation response. Research has shown regular practice for even just a couple months literally changes the brain’s structure and confers a whole host of health advantages. But what about the application of a mindful approach to everyday life rather than a particular “practice”?
What is “dispositional mindfulness”?
Dispositional mindfulness, as researchers define it, is simply a keen awareness and attention to our thoughts and feelings in the present moment. Although different people would describe it in their own terms, it can feel like a thoughtful attunement with what is going on inside the parameters of your mind and body—a conscious, registering layer between yourself and your experience. For some people it might feel like a sense of centeredness, of keeping one’s energy inside, fully in the present moment, with slow, self-aware, deliberate consideration. The mindful processing of emotional and physical sensations in this way can steer—sometimes purposefully, sometimes imperceptibly—responses and choices.
It isn’t hard to see how being dispositionally mindful would’ve enhanced Grok’s ability to survive. Being attuned to one’s thoughts and feelings would’ve likely resulted in more successful social interactions, more intuitive hunting or warfare decisions, keener perception of the effects of many influential cues (e.g. weather shifts, food reactions, etc.).
And, yet, the modern world we live in does about everything it can to dissuade us from this mindful approach. From the noise and visual overload that sinks us into tunnel-like detachment to constant distraction and multitasking, our lives run too often on automatic pilot. Just what are we missing?
The Health Benefits of Dispositional Mindfulness
Although it’s a relatively new branch of meditation/mindfulness research, studies are already suggesting some significant associations for both physical and mental health.
Study participants who scored high on the self-report Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were healthier on four of the American Heart Association’s seven cardiovascular indicators (smoking avoidance, physical activity, body mass index—and belly fat, and fasting glucose) and on the overall cardiovascular health composite score.
Interestingly, because the experiment was part of the ongoing New England Family Study (NEFS), researchers had documentation of which participants had been overweight in their childhoods. Participants who had been normal weight as children but became obese as adults scored low on the MAAS. Researchers speculate that dispositional mindfulness as a consistent temperament influences the decision making processes related to health related choices—for example, the response to cravings or the decision to exercise.
In terms of mental health, research suggests that dispositional mindfulness can ameliorate the physiological effects of psychological stress. And particularly for those people who are at risk for depression, it might be a hinge point. Subjects who had been tested for neuroticism six years prior underwent assessment for both depressive symptoms and dispositional mindfulness traits. In those who tested low or moderate for dispositional mindfulness, the correlation of neuroticism and depression was significantly higher. According to researchers, this kind of mindfulness can moderate the development of depression associated with neuroticism through the ability to describe and process inner experience.
How to Develop Dispositional Mindfulness
Although some people are naturally wired toward this type of keen self-awareness and present-focus, experts suggest it can be cultivated by anyone.
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale is in the public domain. (You can access it here (PDF) and see how you fare.) The questions reflect various forms of staying in the present moment (e.g. “I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past.”), doing one thing at a time (e.g. “I find myself listening to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time.”) and being in touch with your immediate feelings (e.g. “I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later.”).
Take each and practice one of these behaviors for a week to two weeks. Once you feel you’ve made significant progress, take on the next one for the same amount of time (longer or shorter as need be). Establish check-in times at set intervals each day (using a phone or computer alarm perhaps) during which you write about how you’ve been practicing that week’s mindful characteristic that day.
Additionally, you can take up a meditative/relaxation practice (whether sitting or active, like walking meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, meditative dance, etc.) that helps you intensively practice “flow” focus with the present moment. I’d argue that any activity which cultivates keen awareness of physical sensation or explores subtle emotional differentiation could potentially cultivate dispositional mindfulness if practiced regularly. The idea here isn’t any particular skill but subtle attunement. Since most of us in the modern culture are used to running on automatic, even making a regular commitment to deep self-care or slow living might help (and definitely won’t hurt) any efforts here. For some people, honing a meditative mindset within exercise might be a possibility.
For those of you who imagine you would still have issues coming down from your normal stressful, distracted frame of mind —guess what? There’s even a gadget now that helps gauge your breathing, a key indicator of stress level, and offers feedback to your phone or other device to help you ameliorate the effects with suggestions like “Take a breath.” It might be the momentary mindfulness coach you need. While I haven’t yet tried this tool, I’d be interested in hearing from any of you who have.
Thanks for reading today. Did you take the MAAS inventory? What elements of mindful or “present” living challenge you the most? Share your thoughts on dispositional mindfulness, meditative practices or anything else under the Primal sun. Have a good end to the week.
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The What, Why and How of “Dispositional Mindfulness”
It’s okay to do the double take—dispositional mindfulness. How’s that?
By now most people have heard of mindfulness meditation. I’ve written a bit about it for the blog, also noting that other forms of deep relaxation practice tend to work better for me. As quiet blocks of time devoted to emptying the mind and bringing awareness to your breath as well as other body sensations, meditation can clear away conscious thought and let us rest in a deep calm, triggering the feel-good, health-promoting hormonal effects of the body’s potent relaxation response. Research has shown regular practice for even just a couple months literally changes the brain’s structure and confers a whole host of health advantages. But what about the application of a mindful approach to everyday life rather than a particular “practice”?
What is “dispositional mindfulness”?
Dispositional mindfulness, as researchers define it, is simply a keen awareness and attention to our thoughts and feelings in the present moment. Although different people would describe it in their own terms, it can feel like a thoughtful attunement with what is going on inside the parameters of your mind and body—a conscious, registering layer between yourself and your experience. For some people it might feel like a sense of centeredness, of keeping one’s energy inside, fully in the present moment, with slow, self-aware, deliberate consideration. The mindful processing of emotional and physical sensations in this way can steer—sometimes purposefully, sometimes imperceptibly—responses and choices.
It isn’t hard to see how being dispositionally mindful would’ve enhanced Grok’s ability to survive. Being attuned to one’s thoughts and feelings would’ve likely resulted in more successful social interactions, more intuitive hunting or warfare decisions, keener perception of the effects of many influential cues (e.g. weather shifts, food reactions, etc.).
And, yet, the modern world we live in does about everything it can to dissuade us from this mindful approach. From the noise and visual overload that sinks us into tunnel-like detachment to constant distraction and multitasking, our lives run too often on automatic pilot. Just what are we missing?
The Health Benefits of Dispositional Mindfulness
Although it’s a relatively new branch of meditation/mindfulness research, studies are already suggesting some significant associations for both physical and mental health.
Study participants who scored high on the self-report Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were healthier on four of the American Heart Association’s seven cardiovascular indicators (smoking avoidance, physical activity, body mass index—and belly fat, and fasting glucose) and on the overall cardiovascular health composite score.
Interestingly, because the experiment was part of the ongoing New England Family Study (NEFS), researchers had documentation of which participants had been overweight in their childhoods. Participants who had been normal weight as children but became obese as adults scored low on the MAAS. Researchers speculate that dispositional mindfulness as a consistent temperament influences the decision making processes related to health related choices—for example, the response to cravings or the decision to exercise.
In terms of mental health, research suggests that dispositional mindfulness can ameliorate the physiological effects of psychological stress. And particularly for those people who are at risk for depression, it might be a hinge point. Subjects who had been tested for neuroticism six years prior underwent assessment for both depressive symptoms and dispositional mindfulness traits. In those who tested low or moderate for dispositional mindfulness, the correlation of neuroticism and depression was significantly higher. According to researchers, this kind of mindfulness can moderate the development of depression associated with neuroticism through the ability to describe and process inner experience.
How to Develop Dispositional Mindfulness
Although some people are naturally wired toward this type of keen self-awareness and present-focus, experts suggest it can be cultivated by anyone.
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale is in the public domain. (You can access it here (PDF) and see how you fare.) The questions reflect various forms of staying in the present moment (e.g. “I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past.”), doing one thing at a time (e.g. “I find myself listening to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time.”) and being in touch with your immediate feelings (e.g. “I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later.”).
Take each and practice one of these behaviors for a week to two weeks. Once you feel you’ve made significant progress, take on the next one for the same amount of time (longer or shorter as need be). Establish check-in times at set intervals each day (using a phone or computer alarm perhaps) during which you write about how you’ve been practicing that week’s mindful characteristic that day.
Additionally, you can take up a meditative/relaxation practice (whether sitting or active, like walking meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, meditative dance, etc.) that helps you intensively practice “flow” focus with the present moment. I’d argue that any activity which cultivates keen awareness of physical sensation or explores subtle emotional differentiation could potentially cultivate dispositional mindfulness if practiced regularly. The idea here isn’t any particular skill but subtle attunement. Since most of us in the modern culture are used to running on automatic, even making a regular commitment to deep self-care or slow living might help (and definitely won’t hurt) any efforts here. For some people, honing a meditative mindset within exercise might be a possibility.
For those of you who imagine you would still have issues coming down from your normal stressful, distracted frame of mind —guess what? There’s even a gadget now that helps gauge your breathing, a key indicator of stress level, and offers feedback to your phone or other device to help you ameliorate the effects with suggestions like “Take a breath.” It might be the momentary mindfulness coach you need. While I haven’t yet tried this tool, I’d be interested in hearing from any of you who have.
Thanks for reading today. Did you take the MAAS inventory? What elements of mindful or “present” living challenge you the most? Share your thoughts on dispositional mindfulness, meditative practices or anything else under the Primal sun. Have a good end to the week.
October 28, 2015
What Does the WHO Report Mean for Your Meat-Eating Habit?
I’m sure you’ve seen the rash of fear-mongering headlines proclaiming red meat to be as carcinogenic as smoking. In fact, I know so because dozens of you have asked me for my thoughts. What’s going on? Do we need to worry? What actually happened? Why have your vegan friends become even more smug than before? Why did your crazy aunt send an email in all caps pleading for you to stop eating “so much beef”?
Citing a short summary paper of a much larger study, earlier this week the World Health Organization (WHO) named processed meat a definite human carcinogen and red meat a probable human carcinogen. That’s frightening at first glance. I mean, the WHO? Great band, weren’t quite the same after Keith Moon died, but for my money they’ve always delivered quality health information. When they issue a report about dietary carcinogens, I listen up.
Let’s look at what the WHO actually meant. When they analyze a substance’s cancer-causing potential, the WHO places it into one of three categories:
Group 1, for “established carcinogens”—things like smoking, asbestos, nuclear bomb blasts, and, now, processed meat.
Group 2A, for “probable carcinogens”—your glyphosates, your UV radiation, your grass-fed lamb leg.
Group 2B, for “possible carcinogens”—judging from the list, almost everything qualifies here.
Whether something ends up in Group 1, 2A, or 2B depends only on the strength of the evidence, not the degree of risk. If a compound has been confirmed beyond doubt to increase breast cancer risk by 2%, it goes in Group 1. If a compound has a reasonable but not overwhelming amount of evidence suggesting that it increases breast cancer risk by 25%, it goes in Group 2A. The second compound is likely more dangerous and confers greater risk than the first compound.
Okay, so what is the actual degree of risk? In the paper, each additional intake of 100 grams (about a quarter pound) of red meat was associated with a 17% increase in colorectal cancer risk. 17%’s a big number. It’s almost 20%, which is basically 25%. Then you’re halfway to a 50% increase, and it only gets worse from there.
But that’s a relative risk. Though it’s the third most common cancer (and cause of cancer-related deaths), the absolute risk of developing colorectal cancer, even in old age when the risk is at its highest, isn’t exactly high. For the average 50 year old, his or her lifetime risk of colorectal cancer is 1.8%. If that 50 year old has a relative with colon cancer, the risk is 3.4%. Having two relatives with a history of colon cancer pushes it up to 6.9%. On the big scale of things that can kill you, colorectal cancer isn’t even in the top five.
Don’t get me wrong: colorectal cancer is deadly. Particularly if you have familial history of colorectal cancer, you should do your best to avoid it. It’s not a pleasant cancer. It’s just that the relative risk increase of 17% doesn’t amount to nearly as much absolute risk.
In addition, the epidemiology portion of the paper is based on data drawn from food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). FFQs require people to recall their typical diet over the last year. Here’s a sample FFQ (PDF); see how you do trying to recall the last 12 months. Suffice it to say, they aren’t very reliable. People lie. People forget. People tell you what they think you want to hear. FFQs are probably the best option available for assessing, but they aren’t good enough.
There’s also the fact that red meat suffers from an “unhealthy user bias.” Most heavy red meat eaters aren’t sprinting, lifting weights, and going for walks every day. They’re eating their meat between buns, and with fries. They’re getting their red meat from Burger King or the 7-11. They can try to control for most of these associations, but it’s impossible to account for everything.
Mechanisms for Carcinogenicity
That’s not to say the paper relies entirely on epidemiological research based on food questionnaires. They do propose a few mechanisms for meat-related carcinogenicity.
One is the formation of nitrosamines in the gut after consumption of nitrate-cured meats and red meat. Cured meats, like bacon and sausage, contain ample nitrosamine precursors and have been shown to create the carcinogenic metabolites when consumed. The iron in red meat also acts as a nitrosamine precursor.
Another is the formation of carcinogenic compounds during the processing, er, process. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and n-nitroso-compounds form during smoking and curing, respectively. Both are carcinogenic.
The last is the formation of carcinogenic compounds during high-heat cooking of meat. Grilling, sautéing, searing, and caramelization of red meat all have the potential to create heterocyclic amines and, over open flame, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The higher the temp and longer the application, the more carcinogenic the resulting meat. Well-done meat is more carcinogenic than rare-cooked meat, for example.
On one hand, these are definite carcinogens. The linked summary paper contains some strong references, and I’ve written about these very same compounds in previous posts.
On the other hand, the carcinogenic potential of red meat is mitigated by certain cooking and marinating techniques, and the risk can also be modified and even eliminated by the addition or subtraction of different foods to the rest of the diet. What are these?
Marinating your red meat using herbs, spices, garlic, onions, citrus, vinegar, wine, and even honey before high-heat cooking can reduce the formation of carcinogens.
Cooking in liquid. Simmer, braise, pressure-cook, slow-cook, steam—these “gentler” cooking methods reduce carcinogen formation. Doubly so if you incorporate some of the mentioned marinade ingredients into the process.
Eating green vegetables like broccoli with your meat can reduce the carcinogenicity of red meat-related compounds.
Eating antioxidant-rich foods with your meat. Drink tea and coffee, eat dark chocolate, consume berries, enjoy phytonutrient-rich spices like turmeric freely and wantonly. Plant foods often contain protective compounds that inhibit carcinogen formation (like nitrosamines) in the stomach.
Eating prebiotic fibers and resistant starch. In the original summary paper, they reference a study as evidence of red meat consumption causing colon cancer. Human volunteers who consumed 300 grams of cooked red meat each day showed evidence of pre-cancer metabolites in their poop. But the real finding was that adding 40 grams of prebiotic fiber to the 300 grams of red meat each day prevented the formation of those colorectal cancer indicators. The fiber used was a maize powder high in resistant starch. Any source of resistant starch should work—cold potatoes, potato starch, green bananas.
Could grass-fed/pasture-raised meat eliminate or reverse the association? Maybe. For one, pastured meat contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a healthy trans-fat with anti-cancer effects. Two, pastured animal fat tends to be naturally imbued with antioxidants from all the greenery the animals consume; this protects the fat from oxidation, and certain antioxidants found in pastured animal fat, like lutein, are even associated with lower risks of colon cancer in humans and actively reduce colon cancer in animal trials. But many of the proposed mechanisms for carcinogenicity apply equally to grass-fed red meat. I wouldn’t hang my hat on that one.
I would hang my hat on the following suggestions, however.
Don’t live off bacon, hot dogs, and salami.
The more red meat you eat, the more vegetation you should be eating. Make sure some of that vegetation contains prebiotic fiber, especially resistant starch. Maybe all that plant matter is unnecessary if you maintain a perfect carnivorous diet, but why risk it? Besides, plants are delicious.
Learn to love rare steak. It’s way better, guys.
Rely mostly on gentler cooking methods: steaming, simmering, braising, pressure-cooking.
If you’re gonna sear or grill something over high heat, which is completely and utterly delicious and thus necessary from time to time, consider using a marinade—especially if you cook this way frequently.
Have a healthy gut. Beneficial human gut bacteria can convert linoleic acid and fiber into the anti-colon cancer metabolites CLA and butyrate.
Stick to healthier sources of red and processed meat—pastured/grass-fed red meat, bacon, sausage. The local farmer over Oscar Mayer.
If none of this assuages your worry, remember that we live in a quantum world where every food both gives you and protects you from cancer.
Personally, I’m not worried. There’s something there, but it’s not very big, and there are ways to get around it.
What about you?
October 27, 2015
6 Hidden Superfoods You Probably Already Have in Your Pantry
I generally don’t subscribe to the idea of superfoods. While I’ll try your obscure Amazonian berry that spent a fortnight fermenting in a capybara’s colon, I won’t join your pyramid scheme to help sell it. I may very well add a teaspoon of gelatinized maca root to my smoothie, but I won’t claim it’s responsible for my great health. These foods are perfectly nutritious, contain impressive levels of some unique phytonutrients, and often have robust clinical support as inclusions in healthy diets. But c’mon: who’s regularly eating goji berries for $15 a pound? They’re not even that great.
I’m far more interested in the regular “superfoods.” The normal foods that we don’t necessarily consider super. The ones that are just there but have incredible health benefits just the same.
So, don’t expect to see dried Himalayan mulberries, killer bee pollen, or raw cacao nibs on this list. Or grass-fed beef liver, or pastured eggs, or any of the other animal foods we cherish and exalt in the Primal community. Those have been covered to death. It’s time to highlight the regular, everyday foods we probably take for granted.
Onions
We forget about the onion, don’t we? But there it is, wherever you go and whatever you eat. From France’s mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery), Spain’s sofrito (onion, garlic, tomatoes), cajun cuisine’s trinity (onion, celery, bell peppers), Italy’s battuto (carrots, onions, celery), onions form the base of many of the world’s great cuisines. Go have a curry in an Indian restaurant, and you’ll have onions. But they don’t just taste good. They possess incredible health effects of which most people are unaware. And they’re dirt cheap and fairly hardy at room temperature. There’s no reason not to keep a big bag of them around.
Onions are a great source of flavonoids that you really can’t get anywhere else and may be responsible for the protective association between onions and pancreatic cancer. These flavonoids increase with exposure to air and are fairly resistant to heat exposure, with frying reducing their effectiveness by 33% and baking reducing it by zero.
Raw onion juice (not for the faint of heart) may even boost testosterone and male fertility. Rats who drank raw onion juice for a few weeks tripled their testosterone levels and improved their sperm count and motility.
Around 100 grams of raw red onions per day helped overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome improve their lipid profiles.
For best results, cut your onions and allow them to sit in the open air for five to ten minutes before applying heat or eating.
Garlic
It’s delicious, sure. Everyone loves its pungency and bite, of course. But while many may be peripherally aware that garlic is a healthy ingredient, I don’t think they really understand the degree to which it can elicit favorable changes to our health. Let’s take a look.
Garlic can improve arterial elasticity in the elderly, and it is being investigated as a legitimate treatment for hypertension.
Its consumption is significantly associated with reductions in gastric cancer risk. In vitro and animal studies have identified plausible anti-cancer mechanisms that may explain these associations.
Along with onions, a garlic-based marinade reduces the formation of carcinogenic compounds in cooked meat.
Garlic reduces LDL oxidation.
Garlic can improve immune function and reduce the occurrence of common colds. If I feel a cold coming on, I’ll crush and dice up an entire head of garlic and lightly simmer it in a big mug of bone broth. I find I am usually able to ward off whatever’s headed my way. Of course, that’s just an anecdote and the available evidence is more equivocal.
As for prep, same goes for garlic as onions. After crushing, cutting, or otherwise rupturing its cellular membranes, allow garlic to sit for a few minutes to increase enzymatic conversion.
If you’re after the health benefits, raw, crushed/chopped garlic is the best source. But go ahead and cook away, too. An effective dose is between 1-3 cloves, although more may increase benefits.
Ginger
Along with garlic, ginger is a cornerstone of Asian cooking. Korean, Chinese, Thai, Japanese–all the major ones employ it liberally. A lot of people profess to hate ginger (on the other hand, arguably just as many profess their undying love), yet chances are they enjoy a food that has ginger as a vital ingredient. I’ve got a pal who claims to hate ginger. Yet he loves Korean-style short ribs, teriyaki chicken, and claims to want to one day retire in Thailand just for the food. He actually loves ginger without realizing it. Too much ginger can stand out, sure. But the right amount can ingratiate even the most vociferous haters of ginger to its inclusion in a dish.
Ginger isn’t just a culinary tool.
Ginger is effective against nausea, particularly morning sickness-related and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
In people at risk for colon cancer, ginger reduces biomarkers of colonic inflammation.
Ginger can reduce osteoarthritis-related pain, about as much as ibuprofen.
It can increase HDL and lower LDL.
In middle aged women, it improves cognitive function.
It’s good for male fertility, reducing semen lipid oxidation, increasing sperm motility and count, and increasing ejaculate volume in infertile men.
A teaspoon of raw grated ginger is an “active” dose. I’ll often add several heaping teaspoons to the garlic broth I mentioned above, toss a few chunks into smoothies, or make ginger lemon tea (hot water, lots of ginger, and fresh lemon juice). And of course, I cook with it.
Black Pepper
Black pepper just might be the most ubiquitous spice in existence. It’s so common that we don’t even really think of it as a spice. We just add it to everything, almost absentmindedly. There’s no better way to season a steak than with salt and black pepper.
Ever notice how black pepper goes with everything? You can make French, Indian, Italian, or American food and be confident that the recipe will call for significant amounts of black pepper. And even if it doesn’t explicitly request it, black pepper usually works. Some cuisines, like Chinese, favor white pepper, which is just black pepper with the black hull removed. It’s the same plant.
Black pepper goes with everything in another sense, too: a primary black pepper compound known as piperine enhances bioavailability of certain plant compounds. Black pepper is basically like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, John Stockton, or Magic Johnson; it makes the other spices/players better.
The curcumin found in turmeric becomes more bioavailable in the presence of piperine.
Piperine makes reseveratrol more bioavailable.
Piperine also potentiates sodium.
On its own, piperine can reduce lipid oxidation and increase antioxidant capacity.
Do what I do: grind a ton of black pepper into everything you eat. It’s possible that I use entirely too much, but it tastes great and it’s probably making the rest of the food even more nutritious.
Olive Oil
When significant portions of three continents consume olives and olive oil as an irreplaceable staple food, there’s something going on. Heck, the love for olives crosses sociopolitical boundaries. It shatters them. Spend a week in Israel and you’ll eat olives or olive oil with just about every meal. Hop the border into Gaza and you’ll find people who, despite the diametrically opposed political and religious views and drastically different living conditions, will also be eating olives and guzzling their oil. It’s like that for the entire region. From Portugal to Spain to the south of France to Italy to Cyprus to Greece to Turkey to Lebanon to Syria to Jordan and up through Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, it’s olives and olive oil.
To most of us, olive oil is just something we use to cook and dress salads. To our physiologies, especially our cardiovascular system, it’s a lifesaver.
Olive oil inhibits LDL oxidation and improves cardiometabolic risk factors. When you eat it, your LDL either becomes more resistant to oxidation via fortification with olive phenols, the internal environment becomes less oxidatively stressful, or both (most likely).
Consuming olive oil makes your HDL more effective.
Olive phenols may be effective anti-Alzheimer’s agents.
Good extra virgin olive oil is drinkable. A teaspoon to a tablespoon a day should be plenty. Don’t be afraid of cooking with olive oil, though.
Bananas
Bananas get short shrift in many health circles. Maybe it’s because they’re fairly dense in carbs, which can be problematic for folks trying to lose weight. Maybe the 30-bananas-a-day crowd sullied their good name. But bananas aren’t just bananas, and they aren’t even always high-(digestible)carb. I consider them a spectrum of fruits. You’ve got the green banana, a crispy fruit full of fermentable fiber (a green banana can contain up to 25-30 grams of resistant starch) and very little digestible carbohydrate. You’ve got the ripe banana, a delicious source of carbohydrates for people who need them. They make great post-workout treats, for example. And then you’ve got the half-ripe banana, which has moderate amounts of both resistant starch and digestible carbohydrate.
Unbeknownst to most, bananas are underrated sources of antioxidant compounds.
They’re rich in potassium, an important mineral for cardiovascular and endothelial health.
And though I wouldn’t recommend a banana-based diet for these populations, daily consumption of sweet, ripe bananas has beneficial effects on fasting blood glucose in hyperlipidemic subjects and serum adiponectin in type 2 diabetics.
Most importantly, the resistant starch in green bananas passes through the gut undigested to become fodder for beneficial colonic bacteria, who produce butyrate, improve immune and digestive health, and do much, much more.
Frozen, both green and ripe bananas are excellent in smoothies. A single green one will provide most of the resistant starch you need for the day. They turn to ripe bananas quickly, though, so eat or freeze them.
And hey, opossums go absolutely bananas for bananas.
The existence of these hidden superfoods means you don’t have to spend outrageous sums on more conventional superfoods. You can eat normal meals with regular ingredients and derive many of the same benefits.
Now let’s hear from you guys. What’s your favorite hidden superfood?
October 26, 2015
Dear Mark: Sugar in Blackstrap Molasses, Eating Cheat Foods All at Once or in Installments, and Healthy Pooping with a Fused Knee
For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions. The first one concerns blackstrap molasses, a type of sugar I’ve suggested people eat for its rich mineral content. Does the value of the minerals outweigh the impact of its sugar content? Next, say you’ve got a slice of birthday cake you’re committed to eating. Is it better to eat it all at once or piece it out across multiple days? And third, how can someone who’s unable to squat obtain the benefits of squatting while pooping? In the absence of actual squatting, is there anything a person can do to smooth out the process?
Let’s go:
Hi Mark,
Some time back in an article titled “10 Primal Foods You Aren’t Eating Enough Of'” you recommended the consumption of 1 TBSP of blackstrap molasses in light of its (impressive) mineral content.
Having looked at the numbers I agree that blackstrap molasses is extremely high in minerals and as such I’m keen on consuming it. However I am concerned about the sugar content and because of that I was surprised to see you recommending it.
Could I ask if you recommended a tablespoon be consumed daily as, essentially, a supplement? That’s how that section of the article came across. Should I take some everyday? Should I be concerned about the sugar contents?
Thanks,
Nicholas
I think most of my readers can handle a tablespoon a day. Along with 12 grams of carbs (around 6 grams of sucrose, 2.5 grams of fructose, and 2.5 grams of glucose), a tablespoon of this particular brand of blackstrap molasses also has 25% of daily magnesium, 20% of daily calcium, a few hundred milligrams of potassium (blackstrap’s got so much potassium that it’s caused hyperkalemia), plus appreciable levels of iron, copper, and manganese.
Do the minerals outweigh the sugar? I strongly suspect they do, as many of the specific minerals play a role in sugar metabolism and overall metabolic health.
Magnesium deficiency is associated with insulin-resistance in type 2 diabetics; those with higher serum magnesium had greater insulin sensitivity. Chronic magnesium supplementation in magnesium deficient subjects has been shown to stave off progression into full-blown type 2 diabetes.
In Korean adults, low intakes of copper, magnesium, and manganese are associated with metabolic syndrome.
A significant inverse association exists between potassium intake and metabolic syndrome. High potassium, low incidence of MS.
In teens, calcium intake is linked to a lower risk of insulin resistance. Same goes for adults, although men may need higher intakes for protection against metabolic syndrome.
If you’re sensitive to sugar—you’re insulin resistant, you’re diagnosed with diabetes—the sugar content could be problematic in the short term. But the added mineral intake will probably win out over time and lead to better long-term sugar tolerance and metabolic health. One way to mitigate any short-term disturbances is through intense exercise; simply time your molasses intake to coincide with your workouts. Prior to taking the molasses, deplete some glycogen. Lift some heavy stuff, run some sprints, run a mile, do something that utilizes the glycogen stored in your muscles. If you’re not training that day, eat your molasses before a walk. Then, the 11 or so grams of sugar in that tablespoon of blackstrap molasses will go to good use.
But as long as the added sugar from blackstrap molasses doesn’t put you into energy excess, you’ll be perfectly fine. And likely better off than you were before.
Hi Mark,
Let’s say I have a non-primal treat that I know I’m going to eat: a piece of regular old birthday cake, for example. I’m going to eat the whole piece regardless, but is there any benefit to saving half of it for later in the day, or maybe the next day… or is it better to just eat it all at once and “get it over with”? Are there pros & cons of spreading out eating a treat vs. eating it all at once?
Shannon
It’s helpful to consider these junk food forays as training sessions. Rather than representing your everyday diet, they are acute, short-term perturbations of dietary homeostasis. Just as the marathoner who runs 20 miles a day is following an unhealthy, unsustainable habit, the person who eats cake every day is doing himself harm. And so, just like I prefer my workouts short and intense as possible, I tend toward eating the whole piece of cake in one fell swoop. It’s usually better to present singular acute stressors rather than multiple lesser stressors spread out. Think of the entire slice as a max deadlift.
Also: a big whopping slice of cake is a treat. It’s a special occasion. And then it’s over. Stretching the cake out across multiple days runs the risk of normalizing it. You may end up “grabbing something sweet” every day. Then it’s after every meal. Then you’re snatching handfuls of Skittles from your coworker’s feed trough every time you pass the desk. What’s the risk? It’s just a “few.”
No. Make your cheat days count. Eat the cake. The whole slice. Then be done with it.
If you run out of steam midway through and can’t finish it, toss whatever isn’t eaten. Leftover cake doesn’t really work. The exposed edges get stale, the frosting crusts over. It’s no good. You don’t want to “waste” your cheat on subpar dessert.
That’s why cheating with something like fat-free frozen yogurt is silly, in my book. Just eat the real ice cream.
I know you’re an advocate of squatting for the toilet, and you’ve mentioned that episode where you really messed up your knee and had to suffer having that immobilized for a number of weeks. How did you reconcile the two concepts?
I’ve had my left knee fused since high school (circa early 80s) and the equivalent of one long bone from hip to ankle means no real squat position remotely possible. Chemotherapy and other drugs gives me drastic swings in “ease of going” with the most time spent at “not very”.
Any notions on how to get the benefit of squatting without actually being able to assume that position?
James
Try the samurai pooping technique. It’s what I did when I couldn’t squat.
Sit on the toilet.
Cross your legs, placing one ankle on top of the opposite knee.
Rest your hands on your knees and sit tall, extending and straightening your spine upward. No hunching!
It’s not a squat, but it’s certainly better than sitting hunched over grinding one out in futility and frustration. I’ll still use it when I just don’t feel like squatting.
It may not work quite as well, since your leg with the fused knee won’t be able to form a 90 degree angle with the foot flat on the ground. But give it a try.
That’s it for today, everyone. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think in the comment board!
October 25, 2015
Weekend Link Love – Edition 371
Want quality science used to determine the USDA dietary guidelines? Me too. Sign the petition.
Chris Kresser is coming to London for a pair of single-day seminars. On October 31, join Chris for “Let’s Take Back Your Health,” a fluid talk/Q&A session about ancestral health and diet with the man himself. On November 1, Chris will introduce his ADAPT Method, a functional medicine framework designed for ancestral-based health practitioners.
Seminars not your thing? You still gotta eat. There’s a great paleo pop-up dinner taking place in London October 30 and 31.
Research of the Week
A glass of red wine (and to a lesser extent, white wine) with dinner every night for a year reduced components of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetics.
Among subjects running four times a week (a total of over 50 miles) for three months while training for a charity event, 11% lost weight, 11% gained weight, and 78% lost no weight.
Resistance training is the most realistic exercise modality for improving body composition.
Antibiotic usage is strongly associated with weight gain in children.
New Primal Blueprint Podcasts
Episode 90: Stuart Tomc: Host Elle Russ hangs out with Stuart Tomc, former global educator at Nordic Naturals and current VP of human nutrition at CannaVest, to discuss how to determine your optimal omega-3 fatty acid intake and the emerging science supporting the health and medicinal benefits of hemp cannabinoids. Though THC is the cannabinoid that gets most of the attention (and controversy), it is cannabidiol (CBD) that may offer the most therapeutic benefits to people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, anxiety, seizures, or poor metabolic health. This one gets deep into the science, so be prepared.
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.
The Primal Prescription: Surviving the “Sick Care” Sinkhole (A New Primal Book Plus Limited-Time Bonus Offer)
Health Perspective For Every Stage of Life: Part 1
Also, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Primal Endurance Podcast.
Weekly sweepstakes: Write a review for The Primal Blueprint Podcast or The Primal Endurance Podcast on iTunes and submit this form for a chance to win a Primal prize package. One new winner is chosen every week!
Interesting Blog Posts
One writer’s glowing experience with an ugly produce delivery service.
We tend to serve larger portions from bigger containers.
Media, Schmedia
23andMe will resume giving customers health data, albeit more limited in breadth.
Using Yelp to track food poisoning outbreaks, sometimes before food safety authorities catch on.
Everything Else
Your life may depend on listening to this podcast.
A new children’s hospital is being named after Krispy Kreme.
This video game might be right up your alley.
How come placebos are getting more effective?
The first dogs were domesticated in Asia, not Europe.
Researchers are using 850,000 diaries to figure out why modern life feels so hectic.
Turns out we’ve been doing steak wrong all this time.
This is your brain on concussions.
Recipe Corner
Get in the holiday spirit and make this chicken pumpkin curry.
Bored of roast chicken? I don’t see how that’s possible, but apparently some people can. Before you give up on it entirely, try honey mustard chicken and sweet apple cabbage.
Time Capsule
One year ago (Oct 27 – Nov 2)
Better Than a Marathon: The 1 Mile Challenge – How fast can you run a mile?
Are You Sacrificing Your Health? – It’s all you got, so don’t.
Comment of the Week
I’ve been following MDA for a couple of years, and this post and part 1 were the most engaging ones so far. I loved the wide open expansive perspective it gave me, to complement the more common ‘drilling-down’ information. These posts belong in a book somewhere! Thanks Mark.
Thanks, Edmund. Feel free to print them out in put them in any book you own!
October 24, 2015
Beef Tamale Pie
Tamale pie is simple fare, an unfussy but delicious casserole topped with a cornbread crust. The crust is an essential part of tamale pie. Without it, you’ve just got a skillet of ground beef and bell peppers. But cornbread just isn’t a tempting topping (especially when made from a box of Jiffy cornbread). So what’s a tamale pie lovin’ person to do?
A quick flip through Primal Cravings, a book filled with innovative, Primal-approved recipes, brings inspiration. A riff on the Primal Cravings biscuit recipe, this tamale pie topping is everything you want it to be. It has a soft, crumbly texture that soaks up the meaty flavor below. It has a slight sweetness like cornbread does, but doesn’t scream out “coconut!” like some coconut flour recipes do.
A spoonful of the warm, savory bread-like topping with the seasoned ground beef below will definitely satisfy your tamale pie cravings. It’s a classic, comforting casserole, the Primal way.
Servings: 4
Time in the Kitchen: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pound ground meat (450 g)
1 teaspoon chili powder (5 ml)
1/4 teaspoon cumin (1.2 ml)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (1.2 ml)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (2.5 ml)
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped or 1 15-ounce/425 g can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water (120 ml)
Crust:
3/4 cup tapioca flour (80 g)
1/2 cup coconut flour (60 g)
2 teaspoons baking powder (10 ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder (7.5 ml)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into small pieces (120 g)
1 egg
1/3 cup water (80 ml)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 °F/204 °C.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt as it cooks.
Add ground meat and season generously with salt and pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks, until it’s in small pieces. As the meat cooks, add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Don’t stir too much, let the meat and vegetables get nice and brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and water. Reduce heat slightly and simmer about 10 minutes until the liquid mostly evaporates and mixture resembles chili. Add salt to taste.
While the meat simmers, make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt and chili powder.
Add the pieces of butter. Use your hands to break up the butter and blend it into the flour until crumbly dough forms. Don’t blend the butter in too much, leave some pieces as large or slightly larger than peas.
Whisk together the egg and water and slowly pour it into the dough, gently kneading with your hands until the dough comes together.
Choose your baking vessel – an 8×8/2 quart baking dish works well, or an 8-inch pie plate or skillet, or 4 small ramekins or skillets.
Smooth the meat mixture out in the bottom of the baking dish. Roll the dough out and drape it over the meat. Or, just use your hands to flatten out several small balls the dough and press them on top of the meat.
Wet your fingers and press and smooth out the dough so it completely covers the meat. Smooth out any cracks in the dough and make sure the dough has an even thickness all around.
Bake, uncovered, for 18 to 25 minutes, until the dough is lightly browned and doesn’t appear soft.
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