Mark Sisson's Blog, page 9

What to Eat When Going Keto

Now and then I’ll read comments on keto discussion forums that gloat about being able to eat anything if they’re just sure to stay below 50 grams of carbs a day. I’ll be direct here and say this is the wrong way to do keto. Unfortunately, many people get overzealous about macro counts and lose sight of the bigger picture. Reaching ketosis is never the end goal. You want health, energy, vitality. How you get there matters.

It’s true that the ketogenic diet uses a macronutrient framework that looks roughly like this:

Carbohydrates below 50 grams per day (around 5-10% of total caloric intake)Protein sufficient to meet physiological needs and goals (generally 15-25% caloric intake)The rest from healthy fats

Within that framework, there is generous room to fulfill your body’s nutrient requirements and include ample vegetable—and even some fruit—intake.

My hope is that this guide will leave you feeling you have an incredibly vast array of appetizing, nutritious options. The truth is you CAN create an effective keto diet from an expansive range of whole, nutrient-dense foods.

Healthy Fats

Because we want to increase our healthy fat intake on a ketogenic plan, I’m starting with fats.

First and foremost, avoid industrial seed oils. Steer clear of anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Choosing the right fats to keep your fatty acids in balance is important, but it’s not something to get overly stressed about.

Use fats appropriately at temperatures and in storage conditions that maintain their stability and nutrient value.

Here are some healthy fat options:

Saturated and monounsaturated fats: Great for higher temp cooking and for making fat bombs.

Cheese (see dairy)ButterGheeCoconut OilLardTallowSustainably Sourced Red Palm OilAvocado oil

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs): Best for low temp sauteeing and cold use.

Extra virgin olive oilExtra virgin avocado oilBacon fat—actually a mix of saturated and monounsaturated, but surprisingly high in monounsaturated fat; great for sautéed vegetablesDuck fat—also a mix of saturated and monounsaturated, but surprisingly high in monounsaturated fat)Macadamia nut oil—very low in PUFAs

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs): Know the difference. Some should be completely off the menu, like over-processed vegetable oils (corn and canola), but others can have a regular place at the ketogenic table.

Most seed-based oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Unfortunately, seed oils are typically extracted in ways that can destroy the nutrients. Be sure to look for cold-pressed versions, and don’t heat these oils.

Hemp oilFlax oilChia oilVegetables and Fruits

Many people falsely assume they have to forgo the benefits of vegetables and especially fruit with a keto diet. The best source of vegetables are above-ground varieties, which are nutrient-dense yet low in carbohydrates. Dark leafy greens and cruciferous veggies are excellent options.

Take time to learn how many carbs are in each kind of produce. I recommend carefully limiting root vegetables and tubers, as well as most fruits, during keto phases. These don’t deliver the best bang for your buck in terms of getting the most nutrient-dense food for the fewest carbs. If you’re an endurance athlete or you participate in a physically demanding sport or other activity, you can incorporate more starchy vegetables around the window of your workout to refuel as truly needed.

Here are some lower carb vegetable and fruit options:

Leafy greens: spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, various lettuces like romaine and iceberg, purslane, dandelion greens, watercress, mustard plant, beet greens, and endiveCruciferous veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greensGreen beansAvocadosBok choyMushrooms (all varieties)ZucchiniSummer squashAsparagusFiddlehead fernsBroccoliniCucumbersBerries (in moderation)Proteins

Protein offers a high satiety factor and is needed to build and maintain lean mass. Enjoy a variety of meat, fowl, seafood, and eggs. Organs are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, so be sure to include them in your diet! Limit cured meats to those that don’t contain sugar or nitrates.

Here are some great meat/protein options:

Small, oily fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring)Other wild-caught fish and other seafood (some farmed are okay, too)Bivalves (oysters, mussels, clams, scallops)Fowl: chicken, turkey, duck, goose, Cornish henLambGrass-fed beefPasture-raised eggs (chicken and duck)Organ meats: liver, heart, kidney, sweetbreadsBacon (look for brands without sugar added)Pasture-raised porkDairy

For the best nutrition, look for full-fat, pastured dairy. (I don’t eat low-fat or fat-free dairy whether or not I’m doing keto.) Dairy has natural sugars, even if there are no added sweeteners, so be mindful about your intake. Here are some of the best options for those who choose to include dairy within a ketogenic eating plan.

Raw hard cheeses (best bet: rich in K2, low in carbs, high in nutrients)Raw soft cheesesFull-fat plain Greek yogurtFull-fat milk and creamFermented drinks like kefir (plain and full fat, but still watch carb content on these!)Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices can add new levels of flavor to vegetables, meats, and sauces. Use them generously. Here are some of my staples, but any herbs and spices are on the menu.

Sea salt or Himalayan pink saltBlack pepperCinnamonTurmericCayenneCuminCilantroBasilOreganoDillRosemaryParsleyChili powderSaffronCardamonNuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds make for great snacking options in moderation. They offer healthy fats and essential minerals, but they also contain varying amounts of carbohydrates.

The best low-carb/high-fat nut options are:

Macadamia nutsBrazil nutsPecansHazelnuts

Some of the higher-carb nut options (to be more mindful of consuming) are:

PistachiosCashewsAlmondsWalnutsSauces and Condiments

Your best bet is to make your own sauces and condiments, or purchase them from a Primal source that does not use sugar in the ingredients. (PRIMAL KITCHEN® mayos, dressings and oils fit the bill perfectly.) This is the best way to avoid hidden sugars and sweeteners, yet still get the creaminess you crave! Here are some sauces and condiments that can complement a ketogenic plan (again, keep in mind the carb content of each):

Homemade ketchup or Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened KetchupMayo (made with avocado oil)SrirachaMustardSalad dressings (made with yogurt or avocado oil and without sugar or sweeteners)Sweeteners

Sometimes we want a little added sweetness. When choosing a sweetener, avoid anything that will spike insulin or knock you out of ketosis. Some artificial sweeteners may not affect insulin but can compromise gut biome health. Stevia and monk fruit are two natural sweeteners that have no or low glycemic impact.

Of course, there is no need for sweeteners on keto, so if you feel like you can do without them, by all means!

Don’t forget to sign up for the Keto Reset Digest, our keto-themed newsletter. You’ll get:

Exclusive unpublished commentary about new research, trends, discussions and observations about the ketogenic dietThe best curated keto content and researchAppetizing, nourishing keto recipes20% off any keto products in the Primal Kitchen® Keto Collection

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New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 218

Research of the Week

Breaking up evening sitting with resistance training lowers blood sugar and insulin levels.

Driving after bad sleep is like driving after a few drinks.

Quercetin may prevent frailty.

Methane isn’t as warming as we thought.

New onset diabetes may signal the malignant transformation of pancreatic cysts.

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: Kasey Goins

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Katy Whalen on the Pitfalls of Perimenopause and Female Aging

Media, Schmedia

Monkeys like booze.

Strange example of make-work.

Interesting Blog Posts

How pressure cookers work.

More on fructose.

Social Notes

Genes do not doom us.

Everything Else

Chicken farming in Japan at least as early as 400 BC.

The Norse sagas were right about Greenland Vikings importing timber from North America. What else were they right about?

Not surprised to hear the Turks reject lab meat. Great country with great people.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Acute vs chronic: While acute weight lifting raises blood pressure, chronic weight lifting lowers it.

Synergy: Caffeine and rhodiola rosea together are more powerful than either alone.

Good development: Doctors writing “nature prescriptions.”

Interesting: An analysis of continuous glucose monitor users without diabetes.

Question I’m Asking

Do you think lab meat will take off?

Recipe CornerTeriyaki pineapple meatballs.Cabbage fritters.Time Capsule

One year ago (Apr 15 – Apr 21)

Dear Mark: Creatine for Women—Is it good for women?Benefits of Cycling for Health and Fitness—Why to bike.Comment of the Week

“In response to taking a break from all the luxuries is one of my favorite luxuries and.

Getting outdoors, no cell service….who cares. The comfort of my hammock and cozy sleeping bag, a warm bonfire, book, and hot pour over coffee as the sun rises wherever I happen to be. Hear the coyotes, an owl or crickets, and the wind in the trees.
Luxury comes in many forms.

I truly enjoy a hot shower on my return and my big bed.

It is all how you frame it.“

-Amen.

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6 Indoor Exercises to Bring the Outside In

Training outdoors is one of the classic human traditions. Almost every workout I do is outside, whether it’s weights at the outdoor gym, sprints on the beach, hikes, fat tire cycling on the beach, paddling in the ocean, pickle ball on the court or Ultimate on the grass. Being outside in the sun while you train and play means better results, more vitamin D, a bigger pump (from nitric oxide production from said sunlight), a stronger connection to the earth through barefooted grounding, exposure to all the benefits of nature, and it’s just more enjoyable. However, you can’t always train outside. Sometimes you need to bring the outside indoors. Sometimes you need indoor exercises.

What are some of the best indoor exercises?

Treadmill Uphill Ruck

One of the best overall exercises for building strength, endurance, and “grit” is the uphill ruck. You strap on a heavy pack (or weight vest) and go walking through hills. It’s easy on the joints, hard on the muscles, and is incredibly demanding of your cardiovascular system without forcing you to go fast. Uphill rucking is a great way for anyone whose joints won’t allow them to run or who simply doesn’t like running to still get great aerobic work in. But there aren’t any hills indoors.

A good indoor replacement is to use the treadmill on max incline. You pump the incline up to 15, strap on your pack, and go. Pick a speed that’s manageable but challenging. It’s arguably better in some ways than the real hills because you’re able to constantly climb and eliminate the flat portions. I’m not a huge fan of rucking on flat ground—it doesn’t feel terribly helpful.

The one thing it can’t replicate is the downhill portion, a vital part of the ruck session because the eccentric loading of the knee helps strengthen connective tissue and trains the muscle to “lower” the weight. Following up the treadmill ruck with some high rep VMO squats while wearing the pack or carrying weights is a decent approximation.

Treadmill Hill Sprints

You know the drill. Hill sprints are bar none the best sprints around. They’re harder, because you’re fighting even more gravity. They’re easier on the joints, because your feet aren’t “falling” as far. They’re more efficient than flat sprints, so you don’t need to spend as much time doing them.

Flat sprints on a treadmill have always felt off to me. For one thing, flat treadmill ambulation isn’t the same as flat ground ambulation. A 2013 study found major differences between accelerating on the treadmill and accelerating on the ground.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676896&quot... Runners on the ground accelerate and modify their biomechanics to accommodate the acceleration, increasing hip joint power and reducing knee joint power. On the treadmill, the ground accelerates instead and the runner maintains the same “kinesiological mechanics.”

By increasing the incline, you can almost recreate the effect of running on real ground. According to one study, a 1% incline is enough to make running on a treadmill very similar to running on the ground.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/88872...

Bear Crawl

Most bear crawling happens on the grass or in the sand.

You can just as easily bear crawl around the house or the gym. In fact, whenever I remember to do it, I’ll spend 5-10 minutes crawling around my house. Upstairs, downstairs, into the kitchen, the bathroom. It’s a fun way to get around, it’s very good for shoulder mobility, and it’s actually a nice way to warm up before an upper body day. Try to keep your torso relatively level—parallel with the floor—and get most of your movement through the shoulder girdle.

To make this a real workout, you can crawl 10 paces, do 10 pushups, crawl 10 paces, do 10 close-grip pushups, and repeat indefinitely. Easy way to blast the upper body.

Balance Beams

Balancing as you walk along narrow surfaces is a fun way to train and challenge your balance and vestibular systems, and it usually happens outdoors in nature. Logs across streams, fallen trees jutting out over a ravine with a 50 foot drop below, slippery backs of park benches, tree root systems with enough exposure you can traverse them,

While they aren’t as exciting as balancing on real surfaces outside, long pieces of lumber are relatively inexpensive balance beams that work great indoors. Just lay the pieces directly on the ground in whatever configurations you want. It’s also safer, since you’re not falling more than an inch or two if you mess up.

2×4 if you’re not very comfortable on a balance beam2×3 if you are1×2 if you really want to learn to balance

You can also use them for crawling—bear crawls along a 2×4 is a great exercise and surprisingly difficult.

Jumping “Rocks”

Although I don’t do it so much anymore—the risk to reward ratio is too high for me and a fall would be dangerous—I used to love bounding from rock to rock down at the many creeks and rivers during my childhood in Maine. It’s a mix of explosive strength (you have to jump far and high), balance (you’re landing on and taking off from often unstable or narrow rocks), accuracy (you have to aim for a specific spot in the world and land there), and textural navigation (it could be slippery or wobbly or rough or slick or mossy). It also takes a bit of daring. And it’s fun.

To do these indoors, you can place weights, benches, boxes, and Bosu balls all over the floor and jump from spot to spot. Using a mix is best, as this provides different heights and stabilities. If you’re using weights, the Olympic weights work best. In a pinch, furniture can work too. Even a throw blanket or pillow on the floor can be a “jumping rock” (just be careful if it’s on hardwood). The important thing is having a target to aim for.

Kettlebell Complex

Once again, kettlebell workouts are best outside, but they also work well indoors. Why?

Kettlebells are compact. They take up almost no space, and the actual movement pattern of a kettlebell workout is also quite constrained. If you really wanted to, you could get a good KB workout in a large closet. Kettlebells are versatile. With just a single kettlebell, you can work every major muscle group. You can get a total body workout in about ten minutes.

Here’s a sample kettlebell complex:

10 goblet squats (legs, glutes, torso)10 bent over rows, each arm (biceps, back)10 swings (hamstrings, glutes, lower back)10 overhead presses, each arm (shoulders, triceps)Repeat 5 times.

You’ll be done in 10-15 minutes. You’ll be breathing hard. You’ll feel like you got a good workout, and you will have gotten a good workout.

It’s ideal to train outside, but we can’t always make it work. These indoor exercises are the next best thing to being outside in the sun.

(function($) { $("#dfn72OK").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-ad..." ); })( jQuery ); References ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676896https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8887211/

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What is Berberine and Should You Take It?

As the number of people living with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, and other health scourges continues to skyrocket, so too does the demand for safe, effective treatments. People don’t just want to pop pills that mask symptoms and make it possible to “live with” a disease. And as much as we know that diet and lifestyle changes—being less sedentary, sleeping more, reducing stress—are needed to make real, sweeping public health impacts, implementation is a huge challenge. In the meantime, people need remedies that get to the root causes of their chronic health woes—ideally without a laundry list of possible side effects. 

Enter berberine, an alkaloid compound found in various plants. This is a textbook example of modern science confirming ancient wisdom. Chinese and ayurvedic medicine have valued berberine-containing plants like barberry, goldenseal, and tree turmeric for hundreds of years, using them to treat everything from gout to indigestion to hemorrhoids to skin infections to cancer. Now, research is uncovering exactly how berberine works—and it turns out to be quite a remarkable little substance. 

To date, there is pretty good evidence that berberine is useful for two applications in particular, and there are hints that it might serve other purposes as well. Let’s dive in.

Likely Benefits of BerberineFor Managing Blood Sugar, Insulin, and Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetics, berberine seems to lower fasting blood sugar and fasting insulin, decrease HbA1c (a three-month blood glucose average), and improve insulin sensitivity.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">1 

Some studies even suggest that berberine can be as effective as the drugs that are currently considered standard of care, notably metformin. There is also an additive benefit: administering metformin with berberine seems to be more effective than metformin alone.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">2 However, as the authors of one review pointed out, studies comparing the two tend to be of less-than-ideal quality.https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperin... ">3 Shockingly, drug companies aren’t exactly falling all over themselves to fund research to see if an herb can replace one of their lucrative products. 

Nevertheless, this is a big deal. Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and the resulting inflammation are the common threads connecting numerous chronic diseases. It’s possible, even likely, that berberine could be used as a primary or adjunct therapy for many diseases that run rampant today. Take PCOS as an example. Insulin resistance is a hallmark of PCOS, and metformin is often prescribed to manage symptoms and encourage ovulation. In one study, 150 women received berberine, metformin, or a placebo before undergoing IVF. Women in both treatment groups showed similar improvements in metabolic health (lower BMI, less insulin resistance, lower fasting glucose and insulin), but 18 of those who took berberine had a successful pregnancy, compared to 14 in the metformin group and 7 in the placebo group.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23869... ">4 

For Blood Lipids

Studies in rodents and humans with high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes pretty consistently find that berberine lowers LDL-C and triglycerides, usually while boosting HDL.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">6 It may also lower ApoB.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">7 ApoB is a lipoprotein that many cardiovascular disease experts now recognize is a more accurate marker of atherosclerotic disease risk than LDL or total cholesterol. In animal studies, berberine has been shown to decrease the severity of the plaques that characterize atherosclerosis.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35881... ">8

Setting aside questions about the value of lowering LDL across the board, berberine could be a viable option for people who don’t want to or are unable to take statins. For example, researchers conducted a study on type 2 diabetics with high cholesterol who were “statin intolerant,” meaning they experienced unsafe side effects when taking a statin.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">9 Participants were either still taking low-dose statins, a different a non-statin drug used to lower LDL, or nothing. Everyone took around 500 mg of berberine a day—either alone or alongside the drug they were already taking—combined with silymarin (aka milk thistle), which boosts berberine’s bioavailability. After one year, all three groups had lower LDL and total cholesterol, with nonsignificant changes in HDL and triglycerides. They also had lower fasting glucose and HbA1c. Of note, berberine alone was as effective as berberine plus one of the drugs. The berberine-alone group also experienced fewer side effects.

For folks who are already taking statins, adding berberine can increase the drugs’ lipid-lowering effects.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31094... ">10 Anecdotally, some folks use berberine to taper off of statins altogether. 

Other Possible Benefits of Berberine

As is often the case with more niche supplements, the available research on berberine tends to be somewhat limited in terms of volume and quality, especially when we’re talking about studies done in humans. Given what we currently know, the following applications are worth noting but far from definitive:

Cancer. A large number of in vitro (cell) studies have found that berberine has anti-cancer properties, but this has yet to be shown in actual cancer patients.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/23/... ">11  

Depression: Berberine supplementation may be useful in alleviating depression.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17804... ">12 However, so far this finding has only been demonstrated in rodents (yes, rats can be depressed).

Memory: Berberine may enhance memory, especially counteracting memory deficits associated with diabetes and inflammation in the brain.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30456... ">13 

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: The progression of NAFLD is strongly related to insulin resistance, and some studies have already shown that berberine can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in folks with NAFLD.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36079... ">14 More generally, berberine may support liver health. 

Microbiome: Researchers postulate that one of the ways berberine is able to exert its many effects is by improving gut health and function by modulating the microbiome.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">15 Berberine is also used to treat H. pylori infections.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36415... ">16

Longevity: Berberine delays cellular senescence—the loss of the ability to replicate, which is one of the things that defines the aging process—in isolated cells, fruit flies, and mice.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">17 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">18 Direct anti-aging effects have yet to be demonstrated in humans, though, and one study in yeast actually found that it shortened lifespan.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">19

How Does Berberine Do All This?

First and foremost, berberine activates AMPK. AMPK, you may remember, is an enzyme that is central to metabolic regulation at the cellular level. Its basic function is to ensure that cells have enough energy. AMPK has all sorts of health- and longevity-promoting effects, including activating insulin pathways, increasing glucose uptake, regulating blood lipids, inhibiting tumor growth, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, and stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy. Many of the behaviors we consider “healthy”—exercise, fasting, heat stress—are beneficial in large part because they affect AMPK signaling.

Aside from its impact on AMPK, researchers are discovering that berberine has an extensive array of actions throughout the body. Here are a handful of note:

Berberine metabolites increase the expression of LDL receptors in liver cells, which helps pull LDL from the bloodstream, accounting for some of the lipid lowering effects.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24321... ">20 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15531... ">21Promotes the expression of genes that decrease lipogenesis (fat formation) and increase mitochondrial uncoupling.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15531... ">22 The latter causes cells to burn more energy for heat, increasing metabolic rate and possibly promoting fat loss. Mitochondrial uncoupling is why brown fat is more metabolically active than white fat.Inhibits PCSK9, a protein that binds with LDL receptors and prevents LDL from being removed from the bloodstream.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">23 PCSK9-inhibiting drugs are sometimes prescribed to patients with high LDL, especially folks with familial hypercholesterolemia.GLP-1 is a peptide that plays an important role in insulin secretion. GLP-1 response is impaired in diabetics. Berberine apparently binds with an enzyme called DPP IV that normally breaks down GLP-1. Basically, berberine prevents DPP IV from doing its job, allowing more GLP-1 to stay in the system.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19640... ">24Can cross the blood brain barrier and influence the action of neurotransmitters like noradrenaline and serotonin.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">25Has antibacterial and antiprotozoal effects.

Finally, some of the metabolic benefits might be chalked up to weight loss as some, but not all, studies find that taking berberine leads to lower waist circumference and BMI. I tend to see these as concomitant effects—metabolic health and body composition improving in concert with one another, creating a positive feedback loop. 

Any Downsides?

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, even with “natural” remedies. Overall, berberine has a pretty good reputation for safety, and studies consistently note that berberine is better tolerated and leads to fewer adverse events than the drugs it might replace (or complement). However, you should not take berberine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as it’s unsafe for newborns and infants. Kids shouldn’t start it without medical supervision.

Since berberine affects liver metabolism, it can affect how certain medications are broken down and absorbed, so do your due diligence here if you’re on any prescription meds. 

Berberine – Yes or No?

Here’s where it stands for now: berberine looks quite promising for many aspects of metabolic health, but there’s still more research to be done, especially in humans. If you’re already taking metformin, a PCSK9 inhibitor, or a statin, or your doctor is pressuring you to do so, it is worth looking into. For blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, improving your TG:HDL ratio, your frontline strategies should always be diet and lifestyle, but there is certainly a case for exploring berberine in addition to these other strategies, especially when your best efforts still aren’t delivering the desired results. A dose of 1000-1500 mg per day is pretty standard. It’s not clear if this is optimal for every use case, but this is an active area of research, so stay tuned. 

Have you experimented with berberine? If so, why, and what were your results? Let me know in the comments.

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References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9709280/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3478874/ https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=113351 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23869585/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478784/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6590227/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3832145/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35881903/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4322873/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31094214/ https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/23/7368 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17804020/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30456649/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36079717/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7933196/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36415112/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758350/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6974710/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8599564/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24321576/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15531889/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15531889/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9650693/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19640223/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6307759/

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New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 217

Research of the Week

Unintended effects of “child neglect” laws.

Mosquitoes love light pollution.

The Indo European expansion may have used ships, not just horses.

Why did duelers in the South use inaccurate weapons?

During energy restriction, both moderate and high volume lifting can preserve lean mass. Just lift!

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: Dallas Travers

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Peak Performance Through a Primal Lens with Brad Kearns

Media, Schmedia

Is ice cream (a little) good for you?

Can anything stop the feral hog invasion of Texas?

Interesting Blog Posts

Fructose.

Good deep fryers.

Social Notes

Setbacks are smaller than they appear.

Everything Else

The genetic timeline of the human brain and cognition.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Tradition always wins when it comes to food: Korean clay fermentation pots make better kimchi than modern steel or plastic ones.

Good transhumanism: Wearing fish skin to heal severe burns.

This is very bad: Ozempic, the new weight loss drug, causes a LOT of lean mass loss.

Fascinating: The founding crops of early agriculture were far more diverse than previously thought.

Interesting: Metabolic syndrome severity test.

Question I’m Asking

How’d you score on the above test?

Recipe CornerGluten-free but not low-carb, unless you leave out the noodles: .Thai basil chicken.Time Capsule

One year ago (Apr 8 – Apr 14)

Dear Mark: What is Turkesterone, and Can It Help Me Build Muscle?—Can it?Are There Any Good Carbs?—Well, are there?Comment of the Week

“Methane suppressants for cows to curb climate change.

Hmm… Would it stop farting in humans? It could be the blockbuster pill of the decade. Imagine teenagers beating a path to your door with $15 each for a pack of pills to stop farting before a big date night. Early retirement for whoever markets that. Dumber stuff has made people rich.“

-Not a bad idea..

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New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 216

Research of the Week

Higher post-op HbA1c levels predict recurrence of tears in diabetic rotator cuff repair patients.

Applying skin cream reduces oxidative stress in the body.

In the Mongolian empire, only elites consumed yak milk.

L. reuteri supplementation improves melanoma immunotherapy response.

People with non-alcoholic fatty liver are worse at processing medications..

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: Dallas Travers

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Thyroid Health with Elle Russ

Media, Schmedia

Bozeman, Montana schools to use local beef. More of this, please.

Methane suppressants for cows to curb climate change. Idiotic.

Interesting Blog Posts

A drink or two probably won’t kill you..

Why did human societies take so long to develop?.

Social Notes

How’s your sleep?.

Everything Else

Red light therapy for hay fever.

Thai curry paste guide. The best curries around, btw.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Not surprised: Amazonian rainforests managed by indigenous people are better at carbon sequestration.

Every time: Move it or lose it (or have it start hurting).

In the real world: Adequate choline and betaine mean less visceral obesity, the worst kind possible to have.

Fascinating: How frontier history is linked to current day gender norms in America.

Question I’m Asking

How are you sleeping these days?

Recipe CornerOven pulled pork.Halibut with coconut rice and citrus slaw. Many don’t realize how much magnesium halibut contains.Time Capsule

One year ago (Apr 1 – Apr 7)

Go to Bed! Surprising Effects of Sleep Deprivation—Know the cost.The Definitive Guide to Grains—All about them.Comment of the Week

“I would say power is the most important attribute – the ability to make good use of the strength you have. It’s the middle ground between strength and endurance, and it feeds the training for both. Powerful movement is what separates elite athletes from ordinary competitors.“

-Power definitely leaves us as we age unless we do our best to hold on to it. We can still be strong but lose the ability to generate as much power with that strength..

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What Is Autophagy?

Biological systems are self-maintaining. They have to be. Your cells are little factories, performing tasks crucial to maintaining this thing we call life. And just like in factories, machinery (organelles) break down. Waste (metabolic byproducts) must be managed. Security teams need to be in place to keep intruders (bacteria and viruses) from disrupting operations. 

For life to sustain itself, cells must perform this crucial work themselves. It’s not like we can send in microscopic maintenance workers, mechanics, and security details to handle the dirty work from the outside. Not really, not yet anyway. One of the most important types of biological maintenance is a process called autophagy.

Not that long ago, nobody except the most hard-core biohackers talked about autophagy. It has become a hot topic, though, as scientists have made considerable progress toward understanding the ins and outs of autophagy in the past few decades. Now, anyone with a passing interest in longevity or intermittent fasting tosses the word around in casual conversation. 

But for all the popular interest in autophagy, I’m willing to bet that the average person doesn’t understand it all that well. They probably believe that autophagy is desirable, and they may know that intermittent fasting will net them more of it, but that’s about it. So today I’m going to answer some autophagy FAQs—what it is, how to induce it, and where you may need to be cautious.

What Is Autophagy?

Autophagy: the word comes from the Greek for “self-eating,” and that’s a very accurate description. There are several different types of autophagy. The one that we generally mean when we say “autophagy” involves organelles within the cell called lysosomes “eating”—or rather, using enzymes to degrade—parts of the cell that are damaged or malfunctioning.

The overarching goal of autophagy is to maintain homeostasis within the cell—to keep the factory running smoothly. It’s a type of cellular recycling process, allowing organelles, proteins, and other structures to be broken down and reused by the cell for energy or building new components. Lysosomes can also degrade pathogens that threaten the integrity of the cell. 

What Activates Autophagy in the Cells?

Autophagy is operating all the time to manage the basic cellular housekeeping, but anything that threatens homeostasis in the cell will ramp it up. Oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), DNA damage, infection, or cellular damage due to factors like oxidative stress can all trigger a rise in autophagy. The trigger we talk about most is nutrient deprivation.

Your cells are exquisitely tuned in to how much energy is available. They have multiple systems in place to sense if energy supplies are adequate and to flag when they are low. When energy is abundant, autophagy operates in the background; but when your cells sense that energy is low, they go into conservation mode, and autophagy really kicks in. You can understand why this would be. In lean times, your cells must be more frugal, using what they already have on hand. Breaking down damaged proteins and organelles for firewood and parts to build new machines, so to speak, just makes sense. 

Some of the signals that indicate low energy availability and dial up autophagy are low glucose, low insulin, low mTOR signaling, high AMPK, and high glucagon. Not coincidentally, these are the same biological markers that characterize a fasted metabolic state. 

The reverse is also true, when glucose, insulin, and mTOR signaling are high, and AMPK and glucagon are low, autophagy is inhibited. (This, by the way, is why we say that protein intake breaks a fast. Because when you eat protein, especially the amino acid leucine, you activate the mTOR pathway and downregulate autophagy.)

What Roles Does It Play in the Body?

By maintaining homeostasis and preventing cell damage, autophagy contributes to the health of all your tissues and organs. Its specific effects depend somewhat on where the cells in question are located.

In the liver, autophagy kicks in during fasting to degrade proteins into amino acids that can be used for energy production, thus maintaining whole body energy levels even in the absence of incoming food.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">1

In the muscles, autophagy enables the building of strength and endurance when we exercise. Muscle damage is a hallmark of exercise and is crucial to the adaptation process, but without autophagy, muscles couldn’t recover from said damage.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ">2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25121... ">3

In the brain, autophagy helps clear out the waste and debris that would otherwise accumulate in neurons and lead to cognitive decline. Scientists are actively working on developing strategies to upregulate autophagy in the brain as a means to stave off and treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons—devastating conditions for which existing treatments have proven largely ineffective.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31887... ">4

So Autophagy Is Always Desirable, Right?

Not so fast. I see a lot of people out there undertaking extreme fasting regimens or other biohacking strategies in the name of maximizing autophagy. This seems ill-advised given that we don’t know if more autophagy is necessarily better. In fact, we know there are times when it is not. 

There’s the fact that unchecked autophagy can increase existing cancer in some cases. There’s the fact that too much autophagy in the wrong place might be bad. There’s the fact that most things in nature follow the Goldilocks principle: too much is bad, and too little is bad. The “just right” amount is somewhere in the middle. 

At this point, we simply don’t know what “optimal autophagy” looks like. We know it’s important, but scientists are still working to decipher when it’s good (most of the time, probably) and when, and under what circumstances, it becomes problematic.

When Does Autophagy Start? What Are the Signs That It’s Taking Place?

The biggest conundrum for those who are interested in optimizing autophagy is that we can’t really measure it. Scientists have identified various biomarkers that signal that autophagy is taking place, but they aren’t the kinds of things we can see in real time in a person walking around in a fasted state. There are no continuous autophagy monitors to slap on the backs of our arms that will tell us how much autophagy is happening in our cells—yet.

In lieu of that, probably the best proxies we have right now are metabolic markers that our bodies are in a fasted state—low glucose, low insulin, high ketones, high glucagon. But here we have the measurement problem again. With the exception of glucose, we can’t continuously monitor these variables. And even if we could—and I do expect that continuous ketone and insulin monitors are coming soon—we still don’t know what exactly we’re aiming for. 

The bottom line is, we can only infer that autophagy is happening because we are subjecting our bodies, and hence our cells, to desirable, adaptive stressors. That’s about what we have to go on. 

How to Induce Autophagy

I just got done telling you that we can’t monitor autophagy and that it’s not always good—but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to induce it. We do. We must. And the way we do it is by engaging in the types of behaviors that we talk about here all the time. Fasting and exercise—both high- and low-intensity—are two of the most prominent, but there are others. Anything that stresses the cell will likely induce autophagy.

What to Do with This Information

This can’t be underscored enough: Autophagy is a long game, a lifelong pursuit attained by regular doses of exercise and not overeating every time you sit down to a meal. Doing epic seven-day fasts every month, making sure you end every day with fully depleted liver glycogen, never going over 20 grams of carbs in a day—these strategies might be “effective,” but obsessively trying to hit some “perfect” level of constant autophagy isn’t the point and is likely to activate or trigger neurotic behavior.

Autophagy happens largely when you just live a healthy lifestyle. Be active. Go hard every now and then. Sleep deeply. Recover well. Don’t eat carbohydrates you don’t need. Reach ketosis sometimes. Don’t eat more food than you need. 

Start with those basics. Once you have them nailed, and all caveats aside, I see the utility in doing a big “autophagy session” a few times a year. Here’s how mine looks:

Do a big training session incorporating strength training and sprints. Lots of intense bursts. This will trigger autophagy.Fast for a couple days. This will push autophagy even further.Stay busy throughout the fast. Take as many walks as possible. This will really ramp up the fat burning and get you quickly into ketosis, another autophagy trigger.Drink coffee throughout the fast. Coffee is a nice boost to autophagy. Decaf is fine.

I know people are often skeptical of using “Grok logic,” but it’s likely that most human ancestors experienced similar perfect storms of deprivation-induced autophagy on occasion. They tracked an animal for a couple days and came up short. They nibbled on various stimulants plucked from the land along the way. They walked a ton, sprinted some, and lifted heavy things. And then they ate. 

If you find yourself aging well, you’re on the right track. If you’re not progressing from insulin resistance to diabetes, if you’re maintaining and even building your muscle despite qualifying for the blue plate special, if you’re thinking clearly, I wouldn’t worry. 

That’s it for today, folks. If you have any more questions about autophagy, leave them down below and I’ll try to get to all of them in future posts.

Thanks for reading!

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References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3980679/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3518436/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25121614/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31887286/

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New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 215

Research of the Week

Blending blackberries and apples has a lower glycemic response than eating whole apples and blackberries, possibly due to the pulverized blackberry seeds.

Persian traders interbred with local East African women beginning in 1000 AD, and modern Swahili people are the result.

The state of food systems worldwide.

Stressed plants scream.

Centenarians possess a uniquely robust immune response that lasts well into old age.

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: So Much More Than Just Eating Fat with Robin Switzer

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Author Ben Greenfield’s Unconventional Methods for Better Health and a Happy Marriage

Media, Schmedia

Restoring brain’s mitochondria could slow aging and prevent dementia.

Amerindians had the horse much earlier than we thought.

Interesting Blog Posts

An evolutionary explanation for why exercise promotes longevity.

Chris Masterjohn’s most recent self-experiments.

Social Notes

Imagine.

Everything Else

How does metformin work?

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Do you agree?: World’s best steak restaurants.

Interesting correlation: Higher ferritin (iron status), more visceral fat.

How could it be?: A drug that reduces LDL and increases HDL increases death rates.

Interesting idea: Dairy increases salt requirements in the context of carnivore?

It’s almost everything: Muscle.

Question I’m Asking

What’s the most important physical attribute to train, in your opinion?

Recipe CornerGluten-free roundup.Chicken lettuce wraps are a kind of salad.Time Capsule

One year ago (Mar 25 – Mar 31)

How to Make Butter, Yogurt, and Kefir at Home—Do it right.How to Read Food Labels—Read ’em.Comment of the Week

“I increased my protein to at least 100 grams to sometimes up to 150 and I lift heavier weights now. I’m 68 and I’ve definitely increased my muscle mass. Most older women do not eat enough protein. I lifted weights for years with not much progress until I increased protein.“

-It can all be so simple. Nice work.

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9 Types of Protein Powder

Whey protein isolate is the gold standard of protein powders, and it’s the only one I take besides collagen, but it’s not the only one out there. There are reasons for branching out beyond whey into other types of protein powder. Maybe you’d like some variety once in awhile. Maybe you’re just curious about what else is out there, or perhaps you don’t want any animal protein at all. Whatever the reason, I figured I’d give you some info on some of the more popular types of protein powder, including whether or not they contribute meaningfully to our intake of essential amino acids.

Before we begin, let’s talk about how we can measure a protein’s usability.

The BV (biological value) is one way to measure a protein’s “usability.” Biological value testing measures the amount of nitrogen that appears in the urine and feces after eating it to determine how much was retained and utilized by the body. If very little nitrogen appears in the toilet after eating a given protein, that protein has a high BV. If a good amount appears in the toilet, that protein has a lower BV.

The higher the BV, the greater the proportion of available protein that can be synthesized by the body’s cells. Higher BVs usually indicate a greater amount of essential amino acids—those amino acids that the body cannot synthesize or convert on its own and must instead obtain from the diet—but it doesn’t measure them specifically.

Note, though, that biological value does not refer to the amount of protein in the powder; it only refers to the usability of the protein in the powder. A particular powder might be 60% protein, and the biological value would tell you exactly how much of that 60% is usable by the body. Different powders have different protein contents. Hemp protein, for example, is often about 50% protein, but it varies by the manufacturer. A quick glance at the nutrition facts should clue you in.

There’s also the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which is the method by which the World Health Organization and FDA evaluate protein value. It’s a newer model, and it’s based on the amino acid requirements of humans, specifically children, as well as digestibility and absorption. To determine the PDCAAS, they measure fecal nitrogen and track the amount of essential amino acids in each protein powder. Most promotional materials use the BV, but the PDCAAS is more accurate for what we care about. Whey protein isolate (both isolate and concentrate) has an optimum PDCAAS of 1.

A newer method of quantifying protein quality is the DIAAS, or Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score. This is similar to PDCAAS, but instead of measuring nitrogen in the feces, it measures nitrogen in the ileum after it has left the small intestine and before it descends into the large intestine. This is more accurate than measuring fecal protein, because fecal protein may be lower due to protein metabolism by gut bacteria. Measuring it in the ileum reflects only what the body has absorbed.

Whichever method you use to quantity protein quality—BV, PDCAAS, or DIAAS—animal proteins like whey outperform plant proteins. So as a good general guideline, it’s safe to assume that animal-baed protein powders are going to be higher quality than plant-based protein powders. That said, let’s get into the specific powders ranked according to overall quality and usability.

The Top 9 Types of Protein Powder1. Whey Protein PowderBV: 104-159DIAAS: 1.09-1.13PDCAAS: 1.00

The gold standard against which everything else is compared. Whey defeats all. It’s rich in essential amino acids and has a host of benefits for immunity, muscle-building, performance, cognitive function, and overall robustness. Read more about whey for a discussion of its benefits.

2. Egg White Protein PowderBV: 100DIAAS: 1.13-1.16PDCAAS: 1.00

Egg white protein powder is another highly bioavailable protein choice. In fact, it’s so bioavailable that it represents the BV against which all others are compared (that’s why whey can have a BV exceeding 100). All the amino acids are represented. If you’re concerned about oxidized cholesterol, stay away from whole egg protein powder. You may be able to get a hold of a minimally processed whole egg powder with very little oxidation, but you’ll probably end up spending a ton of money. Just eat actual eggs or stick with egg white powder instead.

3. Casein Protein PowderBV: 77DIAAS: 1.08-1.12PDCAAS: 1.00

Derived from that other fraction of milk protein, casein protein powder doesn’t absorb as quickly as whey. It’s a complete protein with the full range of amino acids (including ample amounts of glutamine, which transports nitrogen to tissue), just like whey, but it may be problematic for people with casein intolerance. Those with dairy allergies should probably avoid it. Bodybuilders swear by casein; they dig it for the slow absorption rate and tend to take it before bedtime. One (industry funded) study found that casein was inferior to whey protein in terms of body composition and muscular strength outcomes, so I wouldn’t replace whey with casein just yet. There may be some benefit to taking both, since both casein and whey are a package deal in nature. Milk is certainly a popular post-workout recovery drink, and it contains both casein and whey.

4. Soy ProteinBV: 74DIAAS: 0.91-1.00PDCAAS: 1.00

Soy protein is actually one of the more complete plant proteins, and it can definitely fill in some nutritional gaps for people who don’t eat any animal products at all, but there are downsides. One big one is that soy protein supplementation has been shown to depress testosterone production in men.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17416...

5. Potato ProteinBV: 70-75DIAAS: 0.87-0.93PDCAAS: 0.92-0.96

Potato protein is my favorite plant protein of all. The protein powder isn’t very economical or widely available, but potatoes have almost complete protein, about as good as soy without the negative effects on testosterone. If this becomes more common I’d recommend it to any vegan dieter.

30 grams of potato protein compares favorably to 30 grams of milk protein in resistance trained individuals looking to gain strength and size.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35438... Note, though, that 20 grams of milk protein will be more effective than 20 grams of potato protein. The lower the value of the protein, the more absolute protein you need to eat to get the same effect.

6. Pea ProteinBV: 65DIAAS: 0.82-0.90PDCAAS: 0.89-0.93

I’m generally down on vegetarian protein powders. In my experience, they just don’t work as well as the animal-based ones. We’re not meant to get all our protein from vegetable sources, and our absorption of vegetable-based protein isn’t as efficient, so you have to consume far more pea protein powder just to get enough—and this stuff can get pretty pricey. Furthermore, pea protein powder tends to be lower in protein by weight than animal-based protein powders. No protein powder is perfectly Primal, but pea protein powder is even less so. If egg and milk protein powders are off limits for whatever reason, though, give pea protein a shot.

Compared to whey’s huge effect, pea protein has an intermediate effect on post-workout muscle damage.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32784... And that was taking pea protein 3x a day. So it’s better than nothing, but still not as good as whey.

7. Wheat ProteinBV: 64DIAAS: 0.25-0.42PDCAAS: 0.25-0.45

If you refuse to use whey protein, egg protein, or casein, you have the option of eating pure wheat gluten. Of course, gluten activates zonulin, which regulates intestinal permeability and increases leaky gut in everyone who eats it.

8. Rice ProteinBV: 59DIAAS: 0.47-0.64PDCAAS: 0.47-0.70

Rice protein powder is created by isolating the protein from the brown rice grain. Rice is already one of the least offensive grains out there, so a smattering of rice-based amino acids will work okay. You’re not going to absorb or digest the rice protein with as much ease as with animal-based protein, but that’s fine.

There is a study where rice protein supplementation had similar effects on muscle strength and gains as whey supplementation, but it took a heroic dose to get there: almost 50 grams.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... You could get the same effect on muscle protein synthesis with just 20 grams of whey isolate or 30 grams of potato protein.

9. Hemp ProteinBV: 48-53DIAAS: 0.46-0.51PDCAAS: 0.46-0

Hemp is another option for vegetarians (or nutrition explorers). Like the other vegetarian protein powders, hemp is quite a bit lower in protein content than the animal protein-based powders (or even other vegetarian powders). It’s generally loaded with tons of fiber and a bit more fat than other powders, but fiber-free versions do exist. Again, not my first choice, and it’s fairly expensive, but hemp powder does taste relatively good and usually comes with some minerals like magnesium.

However, there are no published studies on hemp protein and muscle protein synthesis. The closest I could find was one where hemp protein lowered blood glucose compared to eating an equivalent dosage of carbs, which should come as no surprise.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33493...

Choosing the Right Protein Powder for You

When selecting which protein powder is right for you it’s important to keep these three elements in mind.

Protein quality:  Choose protein powders that hit high marks on all three measurements—BV, DIAAS, PDCAAS Protein percentage by weight: Choose protein powders that have a high percentage of protein by weight. If 100 grams of whey powder contains 90 grams of protein and 100 grams of pea gluten soy rice protein powder contains 70 grams, the whey is far more concentrated in the stuff we actually care about—protein. You don’t want to eat a half cup of powder just to get 20 grams of protein.Protein efficiency and economics: You’ll need about 30-50 grams of plant protein in a single sitting to get the same effect as 20 grams of whey isolate. That will get expensive, fast.Do You Need Protein Powder?

Whey protein powder is proven to be the most effective. Protein powder in general can help athletes recover from training, and it doesn’t have to be dairy-based, if you’re sensitive. There’s nothing wrong with dabbling (or even throwing yourself into) in alternative protein powders, and in the case of casein and egg whites, you might even see added benefits by incorporating them into your whey regimen.

But that doesn’t mean you need protein powder.

Take your time and evaluate your diet. You may find that you don’t need powder supplements. I certainly don’t need any myself, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a big whey shake after an intense workout session from time to time, just for the anabolic effects as well as the convenience and taste. If you’re not getting enough protein, or you can’t find the time to cook every single meal, try some protein powder. Otherwise, eat a steak.

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New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 214

Research of the Week

High cord levels of unmetabolized folic acid (from fortification and synthetic vitamins) is a strong risk factor for autism.

Preliminary results with a new cancer drug are very positive.

Why the combo of fat and sweet is so potent.

High HDL protects against LDL oxidation.

Ancient ancestors consumed dairy from many different species.

Reminder to sit less and lift more.

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: Clark Lagemann

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Author Ben Greenfield’s Unconventional Methods for Better Health and a Happy Marriage

Media, Schmedia

Oxford City Council bans meat.

COVID made new billionaires.

Interesting Blog Posts

The Broken Science Initiative.

Are wearables even accurate?

Social Notes

Been swimming more.

Everything Else

Turns out that animal foods are perfectly healthy.

The centrality of the nose.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Great case study: Resolution of rheumatoid arthritis using a Paleolithic ketogenic diet.

Interesting video: What did ancient people eat?

Another nice video: How sweet fatty junk food rewires the brain.

New DNA study: Beethoven’s DNA.

Fascinating: What happens when you eat only fast food beef patties for a month?

Question I’m Asking

Do you think there are physiological or metabolic differences between eating a meal alone and eating the same meal with friends and family?

Recipe CornerAsaparagus quiche.Argentine pork chops.Time Capsule

One year ago (Mar 18 – Mar 24)

Primal Guide to Bulking—Gain good weight.Dear Mark: Colostrum—All about colostrum.Comment of the Week

“Thanks, Mark for your comments re swimming.

I hope you don’t mind if I share a personal story?

My teenage years were spent in Germany and Germany, I might add, has the best indoor and outdoor pools in the world. While in high school there in the 1980’s, every Friday, our last two periods were devoted to mandatory swimming where the instructor would teach us proper swimming techniques the first hour and allow for a free play after that. My passion for swimming was born and I have not stopped swimming since. I love it! Like you said, swimming is not just about cardio but also about strength training & has many, many cognitive benefits, too. I swim 4 times a week- 45 -60 minutes.

Thanks again.”

-Beautiful!

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