The Primal Kitchen Podcast

As the calendar draws toward the close of another year, I’m inclined to take stock of where the Primal vision stands. Are people slowly warming to the idea of Primal eating (and living), or are we merely seeing inconsequential, lateral shifts within the same old confines of conventional grain-based, saturated fat-averse, dietary “wisdom”?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec292016-DietaryTrends.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

New Year’s Eve approaches. Parties beckon. Arsenals of alcohol accumulate. Whether you venture out into the wild night or keep it quiet with close friends and loved ones (that’s me), people will probably offer you a glass (or several) of something containing ethanol to mark the occasion. As always, it’s not about a right or wrong choice but about assuming responsibility for your health. I’ve heard a lot of readers over the years say going Primal has made them much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol. If you’ll be partaking, you can gird your system to deal with the incoming toxicity.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec282016-APrimalNewYearsEveSurvivalGuide.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I have been playing with ketones. Over the past couple years, I’ve tried a lot of ketone supplements, from KetoCaNa, Pruvit, Kegenix, to a few others. I’ve even accepted and tried a one-off from a person trying to break into the market who I failed to thoroughly vet; that time, I felt like I might die. No joke.

What have I noticed?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec272016-MyExperienceWithExogenousKetones.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

It’s one of the unexpected upsides of the Primal Blueprint diet: learning/relearning the nuance of real food flavor. The experience doesn’t just reflect a psychological shift either. Taste acclimatization is a real, measurable thing.

What do we know about the process? Quite a bit actually. Some of it rather surprising….

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec202016-CanYouRetrainYourTaste.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

2016 is just about over. I’m not a big party animal, as you probably know. Instead of bashes and balls, what I look forward to most of all at the end of a year is the quiet reflection on what impacted me most. Which science developments, business achievements, and thought evolutions characterized my 2016 more than the rest?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec222016-2016InReview.wav
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Winter has come. That means different things to people based on their climate, but I’m of the opinion that winter is relative. You’d be right that the “cold” I face isn’t as objectively dangerous or unpleasant as the cold people in New York, Ottawa, Chicago, Warsaw, or Stockholm face. What’s cold to me in Malibu is short-sleeve weather in my native Maine—but it’s still cold to me today! “Feeling cold” is the defining characteristic.

Today, I’m going to tell you why you should appreciate and enjoy the cold season.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec212016-8PrialThingsToAppreciateAboutTheWinterSeason.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Today, I’m going to talk about the weird plant bits available in ethnic markets—spices, greens, roots, noodles, and fermented things.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-2016-14WeirdPlantBitsAndWhereToFindThem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Stuart Tomc, a natural health aficionado and science guru who’s worked at a litany of blockbuster nutrition companies, such as Nordic Naturals, North American Herb & Spice, and currently CVSciences - the makers of PlusCBDoil.com. Stuart explains CBD and talks about the emerging science on CBD (cannabidiol) and fat-burning. Mr. Tomc is a recognized authority on dietary supplements, with twenty years of experience in the nutritional health industry. Formerly the Vice President of North American Herb and Spice, where he served for 10 years, in addition to his service as Global Educator for omega-3 market leader, Nordic Naturals, Mr. Tomc is known for his extensive print interviews and contributions to noted books on integrative medicine, as well as his 4000 radio appearances. A renowned educator, Mr.Tomc recognizes CBD and its multiple mechanisms of action to support human health, and envisions a new category of dietary supplements derived from agricultural hemp.

Direct download: Ep147_PrimalBlueprint_StuartTomc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

While I don’t consider Primal living particularly difficult, I think any behavioral shift can be tricky. It’s human nature to stick with what’s known. There’s a certain comfort in routine, however ill-advised our customary patterns are. And, let’s face it, some habits stick more than others. If only we were a more logical species, we might imagine, one able to simply encode the choices we know are good for us… Thankfully, our psychological blueprints are more complex than our gadgets, but that doesn’t mean we can’t optimize our settings and establish some tactical redirects.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec132016-HowToEncodeBetterChoices.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

The older you get, the more the world challenges your balance. And when you’re pushing 80+ and a slight miscalculation can shatter your hip, balance is everything. Good balance lowers the incidence of those miscalculations. It’s essential for staying intact into old age.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec142016-TheImportanceOfBalance.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

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

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec072016-APrimalTakeOnCannabis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Dr. Gary Foresman about breast health, breast cancer prevention and a variety topics surrounding breast health (This episode is part 2 of 3 podcasts dedicated to this topic). When Dr. Foresman opened a private practice, he quickly became dissatisfied with the inability of established Western medical treatments to effectively treat many of his patients—many of which suffered from thyroid disorders. Determined to help his patients, he began investigating alternative therapies and has since expanded his training in many systems of healing—not just through Ayurveda, meditation, and stress management, but also using botanical, orthomolecular and functional medicine systems. His precise, scientific mind, combined with a holistic integrative perspective, makes him not only an exceptional diagnostician, but also a skilled practitioner who can therapeutically synthesize optimal healing modalities for each individual.  In-depth commentary by Dr. Foresman in the new #1 bestseller The Paleo Thyroid Solution.

Direct download: Ep146_PrimalBlueprint_GaryForesman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

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

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec062016-HowTheGrokNarrativeMotivatesMe.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Today’s guest post is by Katy Bowman, biomechanist and author of the bestselling Move Your DNA and a new release, Movement Matters, which examines our sedentary culture, our personal relationship to movement, and some of the global effects of outsourcing movement. I’m happy to welcome her back to Mark’s Daily Apple.

Ancestral health models have begun reaching beyond diet and have expanded to include sleep, stress, parenting practices, and movement. This leads to the question, “Can we better incorporate the ideas of ‘natural health’ into our holidays?”

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Katy Bowman, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Dec12016-17GiftsThatWillMoveYou.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:44pm PDT

Discover how international cuisine can offer unique nutritional benefits.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov302016-My8FavoriteInternationalDishesToExpandYourPrimalPalate.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Dr. Brett Hill about his new book Nourish Without Nagging which helps parents to get their children to love eating healthy.  Brett is the co-host of two of Australia’s top rated health podcasts, public speaker, Paleo advocate, chiropractor, barefoot runner and author of numerous book and ebooks. His coaching and consulting have inspired thousands of people over the last decade to live a long, happy, healthy life full of energy and vitality.  In his early 20s, Dr. Hill realised that it was time to make a change. He had been the kind of child who was always sick – not terribly sick, but not terribly well either. For as long as he could remember he had suffered from coughs and colds at least half a dozen times a year, he didn’t sleep well, was low in energy and not particularly fit. He realised that he had been doing the same things over and over again (including regular doses of antibiotics) and kept getting the same results. He decided to do something different and followed the paleo/primal path to wellness.

Direct download: Ep145_PrimalBlueprint_BrettHill.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

People used to think that bone, body fat, and other “structural” tissues are inert rather than metabolically active. The truth is that bone is incredibly plastic, responding to activity and nutrition, and that body fat is an endocrine organ in its own right, secreting hormones and shaping the way our metabolism works. What about cartilage? Can we do anything to improve its strength and function?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov292016-HowToFeedTrainAndCareForCartilage.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I’ve written about what to eat. I’ve written about what not to eat. I’ve even discussed the benefits of occasionally eating things you “shouldn’t eat.” I’ve written about skipping breakfast, eating a big lunch, and skipping entire days of meals altogether. I’ve discussed sleeping low (carb) and punctuating a low-carb diet with occasional high-carb refeeds. But I haven’t written very much about when to eat.

I won’t tell you when to eat. There are many paths. You must find the one that takes you to your goal. But there are some physiological “truths” that impact how we process food depending on what’s happening in our lives which seem to apply to all humans. I’ll discuss several ways to think about meal timing, and then you can decide which concepts make sense for you and your life.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov232016-ShouldYouRethinkYourMealTimingForWeightLoss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns connects across the globe with the dynamic duo of Matt Whitmore and Keris Marsden, co-authors of Paleo Primer: A Second Helping—the long-awaited sequel to their bestselling Paleo Primer: A Jump-Start Guide to Losing Body Fat and Living Primally.

Matt and Keris cover an incredible range of topics, revealing of their broad expertise and personal passions for fitness, holistic health and nutrition, and cooking. Listen and enjoy topics like: Ketogenic eating and athletic training; how hot weather exercise can hamper gut health, and how you can rebuild gut health; doing health assessments with clients; how your skin reveals much about your health and immune function; how overstress can present as heart palpitations and racing mind in the nighttime; how fungal infections and low testosterone are related in males; and a four-week elimination diet with an addback favorite foods strategy. Yes, this dynamic duo can hold on just about anything, so enjoy this lively and informative show.

Direct download: Ep144_PrimalBlueprint_MattandKarenWhitmore.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Many of the most common prescription drugs affect the way we absorb, metabolize, utilize, and excrete vitamins, minerals, and other important health co-factors. People taking them deserve nutritional counseling. This is my quick and dirty attempt to encourage that.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)


Several years ago, I gave my take on the “personalized care” movement: the broad push to use a person’s genetic data to design optimal therapies, treatments, interventions, and pharmaceuticals. I was supportive and hesitantly optimistic, but I also acknowledged the limitations and drawbacks. Yes, genetics do determine how we respond to different therapies, and we can optimize medical care using the information—if we understand what our genes are saying and how they interact with the environment.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov112016-PromisesAndLimitationsOfThePersonalizedCareMovement.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

The placebo effect isn’t just a necessary artifact of randomized controlled trials. It describes a very real effect that people can probably use to improve their lives.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov162016-CanYouHarnessThePlaceboEffectForYourself.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Jimmy Moore about the various forms and benefits of fasting. Jimmy Moore catapulted onto the health scene in 2004 after a phenomenal 180-pound weight loss enabled him to come off of prescription drugs for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems. He is the energetic personality behind the über-popular blog Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb and the host of the longest-running and one of the top-ranked iTunes health podcasts, The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show. Jimmy also hosts two other active podcasts Keto Talk With Jimmy Moore & The Doc and Low-Carb Conversations along with the retired podcast Ask The Low-Carb Experts. He has interviewed over 1100 of the world’s top health experts and has dedicated his life to helping people get the best information possible about living healthy so they can make the right decisions for their health. Jimmy is the international bestselling author of The Ketogenic CookbookKeto Clarity, and Cholesterol Clarity along with the October 2016 release The Complete Guide To Fasting.

Direct download: Ep143_PrimalBlueprint_JimmyMoore.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

In yesterday’s post, “My 7 Favorite Practices for Engineering the Good Life,” I included a curveball of sorts—right at the end. Chase down fear.

While all seven have been game changers, that one claims the pinnacle. The fact is, it’s the hardest one to embrace time and again, but it’s never ceased to move my life forward in very clear, tangible ways. Still, every time I have to talk myself through the same process.… How can I possibly take on something this substantial? What am I thinking? That one’s just too big, too complicated, too ambitious. This time, surely, you’ve overstretched, Sisson.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov102016-HowToHarnessTheSelfEnhancementBias.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Engineering the good life is about removing negative inputs as much as it is about adding positive ones. If a negative input confers momentary pleasure, removing it will remove some pleasure but add more.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov082016-My7FavoritePracticesForEngineeringTheGoodLife.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Primal Pastures farmer and co-founder Paul Greive. Today's discussion includes how to navigate the various "grass fed" and other tricky food labels along with what it means to be a holistic, pastured livestock farmer.

Paul Greive is a pastured livestock farmer located in Southern California.  His company, Primal Pastures, focuses on raising animals outside on green pasture with fresh air, sunshine, and a species-appropriate diet. In addition to over 4,000 retail customers that order their meats online for home delivery, they also supply some of the best restaurants and butcher shops in Southern California, including the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers team meals. Currently they ship to CA, AZ, and NV. You can find more about Paul and his company via the links below.

Direct download: Ep142_PrimalBlueprint_PaulGreive.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Though few people reading this consider insects anything but a novelty, for many human cultures they were (and are) staple foods. Humans have been eating insects for millions of years, starting with our distant ancestors and continuing through the present day.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov082016-EatingInsects.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

All of us are at various points in life subject to pain, loss and suffering. Whether we contend with something as severe as trauma or something difficult but normal like grief, anxiety or resentment, how do unresolved emotions linger within our physiology or even particular locations or functions within it? How might these feelings that we retain act as a wild card in our overall health? Finally, in keeping with this possibility, does “moving through” emotional suffering oblige us to move bodily toward healing?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov032016-IsEmbodiedMovementaPrimalKeyToEmotionalHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

You’re reading a blog about nutrition. You’re clicking links to scientific studies and abstracts. You’re in deep. You obviously care about the quality of the food you eat and the effect it has on your health.

But you also know that perfect is a myth. We can’t achieve it, and if we think we can and spend all our time obsessing over perfection, we usually subvert our own goals. Perfection becomes the enemy. But better is always within reach, and today I’m going to give you a few ways to improve your nutrient intake and make your food healthier and safer. Who’s in?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov022016-10NutrientOptimizingTipsForThePrimalEnthusiast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Aaron has been working with clients of all ages seeking a variety of goals from pain relief to improved athletic performance for over 10 years. He is currently seeing clients at his office, Align Therapy, in downtown Bend, Oregon. Aaron began the journey as a nationally certified personal trainer specializing in corrective exercise and nutrition consultation. During that time Aaron studied psychology at the University of Hawaii. Soon after, he evolved into becoming a licensed manual therapist studying myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy and trigger point therapy at Maui School of Therapeutic Massage. A fascination with connective tissue lead him to study structural integration at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO. Being a LMT and CPT on top of a Rolf Structural Integration Practitioner, Aaron has a strong understanding of the intricacies of the body and mind.

Direct download: Ep141_PrimalBlueprint_AaronAlexander.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

You all know about intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut.” The job of the gut lining is to be selectively permeable, allowing helpful things passage into the body and preventing harmful things from getting in. Nutrients get through, toxins and pathogens do not. Leaky gut describes the failure of this vetting process. But what about “leaky brain”?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Nov012016-WhyTheBloodBrainBarrierIsSoCritical.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

For hundreds of years, the localizationism theory of the brain reigned: the idea that the adult brain is composed of distinct regions, each responsible for a separate function. Most people still hew to this, assuming that vision goes here, memories there (with separate sections for short and long term memories), smell here, verbal fluency over here and quantitative processing over there. We assume the number of neurons is fixed and their wiring soldered.

But the emerging science of neuroplasticity shows how wrong this is: rather than fixed and immutable, the neural connections between different “regions” of the brain can reorganize themselves.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct262016-16WaysToIncreaseNeuroplasticity.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with integrative physician, Dr. Gary E. Foresman, MD, about breast health (this episode will be Breast Health, Part I, focusing on general breast health. Breast Health, Part II will delve deeper into diagnosis and treatment). Dr. Foresman is not only a Primal doctor well-versed in all things paleo/primal, but an informed integrative physician whom Elle chose to interview for her book, The Paleo Thyroid Solution.

When Dr. Foresman opened a private practice, he quickly became dissatisfied with the inability of established Western medical treatments to effectively treat many of his patients—many of which suffered from thyroid disorders. Determined to help his patients, he began investigating alternative therapies and has since expanded his training in many systems of healing—not just through Ayurveda, meditation, and stress management, but also using botanical, orthomolecular and functional medicine systems. His precise, scientific mind, combined with a holistic integrative perspective, makes him not only an exceptional diagnostician, but also a skilled practitioner who can therapeutically synthesize optimal healing modalities for each individual.

More in-depth commentary on thyroid issues by Dr. Gary Foresman can be found in The Paleo Thyroid Solution written by Elle Russ which is available on Amazon.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. Gary Foresman and his medical practice, visit: Middlepathmedicine.com.

If you would like to learn more about Elle or contact her, visit her website at: ElleRuss.com

Direct download: Ep140_PrimalBlueprint_GaryForsman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Over the past several years, I’ve noticed a subtle shift in the way the media discusses dietary protein, with many experts promoting lower intakes. The push for lower intakes hasn’t only come from the mainstream crowing about red meat and colon cancer. Many voices from the alternative health communities are urging a reduction in protein. Even the ancestral health community counts among its ranks protein skeptics.

Am I one? I’m not sure. In past posts, I’ve discussed how my own tastes have changed, going from eating high protein to more moderate amounts.

Today I’m addressing the standard arguments levied against high protein intakes. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of the issue.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct252016-ShouldYouEatLessProtein.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:54pm PDT

Particularly when you’re a parent, October can be a transitional month. I remember feeling like we’d just gotten the kids settled in school and suddenly we were knee deep in extracurricular activities, class projects, parent-teacher conferences—and the holidays. On my more exhausted days, I felt like we were navigating a two-month bender of parties and concerts, costumes and events. On the one hand, it was fun to see the kids’ excitement. It made for good memories, but it also exacted an extended toll. When every week is “special,” it’s wearing. These days life is simpler on the family front, but every once in a while I’ll remember those more frenetic patches. It’s easy to be nostalgic on the other side of the dogged years, but I haven’t forgotten the harder truth of parenting. Sometimes it’s a slog through overwhelm, and research reflects that much. But does it need to be as heavy as we often make it?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct202016-7PrimalWaysToBridgeTheParentHappinessGap.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I’ve mentioned the concept of the minimum effective dose before, or the smallest dose that provides the desired outcome or effect. This applies to exercise, to sunlight, to carb intake, and to calories in general.

It is this caloric efficiency that describes my goal for the last dozen years: How little can I eat and retain or build mass, have optimal energy, never get sick and still NOT GO HUNGRY?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

 

Direct download: MDA-Oct192016-TheBenefitsOfCaloricEfficiency.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Allan Misner about fitness for people over 40.  Allan is the host of the 40PlusFitness podcast. He spent his adult years focused on his career and as a result, his relationships and health suffered. Upon meeting the love of his life, he committed to turn his health and fitness around. His efforts to learn health and fitness resulted in him earning a personal training certificate and specialties in corrective exercise and fitness nutrition.  He adopted the primal lifestyle and recovered his health.

He dedicated himself to helping people over forty get healthy and fit. He launched the 40+ Fitness Podcast to encourage, educate and entertain people as they move along their health and fitness journey. He is also the founder and head trainer at Forever Fitness, providing online personal training and wellness coaching.

Direct download: Ep139_PrimalBlueprint__AllanMisner.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

For over a dozen years, I’ve railed against what I call “chronic cardio“—the excessive, unrelenting endurance training I did for the better part of three decades. Most of my health issues cleared up when I stopped stopped running and training for marathons and triathlons, removed the refined grains and sugar I ate to support my endurance training, and began taking it easy. Explore the MDA archives and you’ll read all about the downsides of chronic endurance training, as well as my experiences in that world. Next to Primal living, most people probably know me best for being against “chronic cardio.” It’s kinda my thing.

As a result, a lot of people have this idea that any type of endurance training is verboten and totally antithetical to the Primal way of life.

That’s a misconception, albeit an understandable one. But it’s persistent. I have been outspoken against chronic cardio. I’ve also released a book called Primal Endurance.

How do I square my distaste for chronic cardio with the fact that I wrote an entire book devoted to endurance training?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct182016-CanEnduranceTrainingEverReallyBePrimal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

A little bird told me the other day that it might not be a bad time to talk about the impact of emotions on our health—particularly our choice to express or not express them. I’ve heard people around me share that they’re worn out lately—that emotions have imposed a toll regardless of how well they keep their own in check. It got me thinking. Increasingly, researchers uncover the remarkable imbrication of mental and physical well-being. How we nourish or neglect our physical selves affects how we feel psychologically. Likewise, the emotional terrain we traverse throughout a day, in turn, elicits its own physiological feedback. Yet in this culture, there’s a certain esteem for the stiff upper lip. We restrain ourselves for the sake of others—our perception of their comfort and/or of their opinion of us. But are we sacrificing something in doing so? When does the polite instinct to suppress our emotions benefit us, and when does it backfire?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

 

Direct download: MDA-Oct132016-HowExpressingYourEmotionsOrNotAffectsYourHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Many years ago (I initially wrote that in jest, but it has been almost seven years), I wrote a definitive guide to oils, covering the benefits and drawbacks of over a dozen of the most common edible oils. Seven years is plenty of time for new data to come out, new perspectives to develop, and even new oils to hit the market. How would I go back and update my previous recommendations?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct122016-UpdatingThePrimalStanceOnVegetableOils.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with a former vegetarian/vegan who became a Marks Daily Apple's success story - Elizabeth Resnick. Elizabeth is a holistic health coach (and currently enrolled in the Primal Health Coach Program) who believes that all women deserve to feel happy, healthy and hot!  She loves showing busy women how simple lifestyle changes can help them look and feel amazing.  Elizabeth spent over 30 years as a vegetarian, pescatarian, and sometimes vegan. While she was always considered to be healthy, she struggled with cystic acne, digestive issues and anxiety. These problems were finally resolved after transitioning to a primal lifestyle.

Direct download: Ep138_PrimalBlueprint_ElizabethResnick.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

What are the health effects of wine consumption—positive and negative?

A vast amount of observational evidence suggests that wine consumption is good for us. These types of studies cannot establish causality, but plausible mechanisms exist which strengthen the associations.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct112016-TheDefinitiveGuideToWine.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:09pm PDT

Life is and has always been trial and error. Human—and all of—evolution was one massive set of false starts and broken lines with only a few (and their progeny) getting out alive. There’s perspective on the five pounds you gained over the summer.

It’s simple really. If we can just accept the patchy, errant nature of progress, we have a better chance of using our mistakes to propel rather than sink our success. Here are a few thoughts on that.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Oct062016-SixReasonsWhyMistakesAreImportantForSuccess.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Eating a variety of protein sources ensures you’re getting all the amino acids you need to perform basic physiological processes. So here are a couple reasons why balancing your protein intake from different sources is important.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

 

Direct download: MDA-Oct042016-WhyTheVarietyOfYourProteinSourcesMatters.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ talks with Brant Cortright, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and the #1 international Amazon bestseller The Neurogenesis Diet and Lifestyle: Upgrade Your Brain, Upgrade Your Life. He is a Professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in neuroscience-informed depth psychotherapy as well as a coaching practice focused on brain health, anxiety and depression. He is the author of two previous books, Psychotherapy and Spirit and Integral Psychology: Yoga, Growth and Opening the Heart.

Direct download: Ep137_PrimalBlueprint_BrantCourtright2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

People frequently wax sentimental for what they call “simpler” days—presumably times when the rules were fewer and clearer, when choices weren’t so overwhelming, when demands were less and common sense was more prevalent. Eating, of course, is no exception to this. If you listen to the dominant voices in the social-media-marketing-medical culture, it’s enough to ruin your dinner and make you feel guilty for skipping breakfast (Don’t buy the guilt trip). We’re fed contradictory studies, warned of the latest threats lurking in our food supply, told every bite squashes the life out of another ecosystem, and led through fluorescent-lit warehouses filled with more food options and label claims than one person should ever be reasonably expected to handle. It’s exhausting, frustrating and on certain days defeating. So what’s a reasonable approach in an age when anxiety too often overtakes enjoyment of eating?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept292016-7WaysToDealWithFoodAnxiety.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

How much of each type of fat should we be eating?

How should we balance our fat intake between the various types?

What’s the optimal dietary fatty acid ratio, Sisson? Include decimals if you can.

There’s no single right answer. It—sorry, folks—depends on a lot of factors.

It depends on your goals, your activity levels, the rest of your diet, your genetics. Almost everything, to be honest.
But there’s one universal factor determining an optimal fat balance that everyone needs to get right: their mitochondria.

That’s what we’ll be discussing today.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept282016-HowShouldYouBalanceYourFatIntake.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Just because conventional wisdom got animal flesh wrong doesn’t mean there aren’t better and worse ways to eat it.

Just as I’d say with any otherwise healthy food—cheese, almonds, broccoli, spinach, eggs, sweet potatoes—there are limits to healthy consumption. You shouldn’t eat unlimited amounts of anything. There are always downsides.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept272016-10WaysToOptimizeYourMeatConsumption.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Jean-Paul Sartre in one of his famous plays said, “Hell is—other people.” I think most of us might sympathize with that claim depending on the day and the person we’re dealing with. On the flip side, people can be the source of our greatest joys. His sentiment, regardless, speaks to the strong impact others can have on us. Whether we like it or not, we all live (and need to live) in some relation to others. None of us exist in a vacuum, and research on extreme isolation suggests the real hell on earth might be exactly that. So make no mistake—how people make us feel is not just the stuff of poetry and philosophy. Other people can and do influence our immediate physiology as well as our ongoing health. What does this process look like though? How does it play out in our lives? Let’s examine a few examples.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept222016-4SuprisingWaysOtherPeopleAffectYourHealth-.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:19am PDT

The growth of the Primal movement has not gone unnoticed. Food producers have latched on because, as much as we emphasize foraging the perimeter of the grocery store—the produce, the meats, the bulk goods—and eschewing processed foods, we remain creatures of convenience. Not everyone has the time or inclination to personally prepare every single morsel that enters their mouths. Sometimes we just need something quick and easy to snack on. And the food industry has risen to the occasion, offering ostensibly healthy Primal-friendly snack foods.

But are they really healthy?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept212016-How_to_Snack_Responsibly.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

While weight loss has the power to shift one’s entire health trajectory (not to mention life experience) may also be the most likely to come with unforeseen, even undesired results. I’m talking particularly about those who undergo dramatic transformations—the kind that can leave them feeling incredible, enjoying vitality, and (in particular) looking substantially different.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept152016-HowToAcceptYourBodyAfterSignificantWeightLoss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

By now, you’ve no doubt heard of CRISPR, the latest gene-editing tool sweeping research labs across the globe. It was first discovered in certain strains of bacteria, who use it as an important weapon against dangerous viruses. In bacteria, CRISPR identifies a virus that poses a threat, records the virus’ genetic data and imprints it onto RNA molecules. An immune enzyme called Cas9 grabs one of the RNA molecules and goes exploring. When Cas9 encounters a virus that matches the data on the RNA molecule, it latches on and slices the virus in half to prevent it from replicating and posing any threat.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept142016-CRISPR.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Ann Green is the founder and director of BLiSS Ann Green Yoga, a waterfront wellness studio in Barrie, ON, and the owner of SHiNE OM Yoga Teacher Education. Ann has over 25 years of movement expertise cross pollinating athletics, yoga, manual body care and pain management and holds a Masters in Exercise Science, a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Psychology and Physical and Health Education and 500 E-RYT.

Ann can always be found out in nature or on the water, doing SUP Yoga. Ann is licensee of Surfset Fitness Canada, a licensee and Director of Surfset Yoga, and also runs Canada’s first float yoga studio.

Direct download: Ep_135_PrimalBlueprint_AnnGreen1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

A few weeks back, I explored the potential benefits using fat as your primary fuel can have on cognitive function. While the strongest research centers on people dealing with age-related cognitive decline and other neurodegenerative diseases, and whether burning fat and ketones can boost cognitive function in healthy adults remains unconfirmed, the totality of the evidence suggests it can provide a benefit. Today, I’ll be discussing a related topic with more solid scientific footing: the effects of fat-adaptation on athletic performance.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept132016-HowUsingFatForFuelCanBoostAthleticPerformance.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm PDT

Acute pain can usually be trusted. Chronic pain is trickier. There may have been initial tissue damage, but instead of decreasing the pain as the damage healed, it increased: chronic pain usually gets worse, not better.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sept062016-HowToDealWithChronicPain.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Cancer survivors Domini Kemp and Patricia Daly offer the first comprehensive ketogenic cookbook based on the most exciting new research on nutritional approaches to the prevention and management of cancer, The Ketogenic Kitchen.

For decades, the ketogenic diet―which shifts the body’s metabolism from burning glucose to burning fat, lowering blood sugar and insulin and resulting in a metabolic state known as ketosis―has been used to successfully manage pediatric epilepsy. More recently, it has been used by the Paleo community as a weight loss strategy. Now emerging research suggests that a ketogenic diet, in conjunction with conventional treatments, also offers new hope for those coping with cancer and other serious diseases.

With endorsements from leading researchers and oncologists such as Dr. Thomas Seyfried (Cancer as a Metabolic Disease), The Ketogenic Kitchen offers more than 250 recipes, as well as meal plans and comprehensive scientific information about the benefits of a ketogenic diet.

Direct download: Ep134_PrimalBlueprint_DominiKempPatriciaDaly.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Today, by comparison, we have at least peripheral contact with sometimes hundreds of people on a daily basis.

We’re part of larger social groups, neighborhoods, families, social media cliques and work groups that, unlike the Paleolithic model, rarely overlap. We may not spend all day with these people hunting and dressing a kill, but we field countless micro-demands (e.g. favors, questions, invitations, feedback, etc.) from them in addition to more substantial requests and responsibilities.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Sep012016-TheDangersOfPeoplePleasingInTheModernWorld.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Wise men and women have been saying the same things for thousands of years around campfires, on scrolls, during lectures, in town squares, and on the printed page. Today, we’re going to read about ten of them.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Aug312016-TenPrimalFriendlyTipsFromWisePeopleThroughoutHistory.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Eileen Laird is a writer, podcast host, and autoimmune warrior, who is reversing rheumatoid arthritis through the Paleo diet and lifestyle. She's the author of the book, A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. Her popular blog, Phoenix Helix, receives 1 million unique visitors annually. There, she features recipes, research and personal stories about the autoimmune experience. She also writes Autoimmune Answers, a regular column in PaleoMagazine, and is the host of the Phoenix Helix Podcast, the only paleo podcast focused 100% on autoimmune healing.

Direct download: Ep133_PrimalBluePrint_EileenLaird.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:57pm PDT

I can’t guarantee a six pack or a complete eradication of baby weight. But all in all, eating and living Primally way seems to produce good results. You can, it seems, affect your health, body composition, and fitness.

But genes still matter. And there’s a large trove of evidence showing that a person’s genetics are really good at predicting their risk of obesity.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Aug302016-TheGeneticsOfObesity.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Do we really need to throw ourselves into exacting standards and maniacal will to achieve anything of substance? I think not. So let me say a few words on behalf of caring less.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aud252016-HowCaringLessCanHelpYouAccomplishMore.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm PDT

Muscle isn’t the only thing you’re impacting when you lift heavy things, though. You’re also imposing stress on your tendons and demanding an adaptive response. You’re training your tendons, too.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aug242016-WhyTrainingYourTendonsIsImportant.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

From FitBit to Jawbone to Apple Watch to dozens of others, the wearable fitness-tracking gadget industry is growing quickly. Venture capital has responded, pouring billions into the wearable industry.

Are they worth it?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Aug232016-ShouldYouWearaFitnessTracker.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT

A lack of confidence can naturally present a big obstacle when you’re trying to overhaul your diet and lifestyle or take up new fitness challenges. No matter what your specific goal, a healthy dose of self-confidence is pretty key to getting the job done. For the days when it feels like the motivational well is dry, let’s look at some ways we can shore up our store of confidence.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aug172016-8ConfidenceBuildingExercisesForPrimalSuccess.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:39pm PDT

When it comes to stress, the most pressing issue is how we take care of it. When we’re talking about pressure, however, the question is how we will meet it.

Let’s look at some Grok-style Primal examples, shall we?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aug112016-PrimalPerformance.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Things have been busy for the Primal Endurance movement since I released the book back in December. People have been eager to learn more about this novel form of training, so we’ve been answering a lot of questions. Much like how The Primal Blueprint received a lot of attention because it bucked against Conventional Wisdom, such has been the case for Primal Endurance. Lots of head scratching, balking, but then, after learning the science and seeing the results, a healthy curiosity or full blown conversion. So what’s Primal Endurance training all about? What are the fundamentals? Who’s practicing it? And where can you learn more about it?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aug102016-7HabitsOfHighlySuccessfulPrimalEnduranceAthletes1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ sits down with longtime friend and Paleo Thyroid Solution Cara Haun. Cara was mistreated with Synthroid (T4-only/Levothyroxine) for hypothyroidism by an uninformed endocrinologist for eight years, and during that time suffered from miscarriages, asthma, a variety of food and other rare allergies—along with weight gain, depression, and severe exhaustion. Finally, another doctor (a D.O.) tested her thyroid properly and took an in-depth vitamin/mineral/antioxidant blood test. The results were shocking. The D.O. discovered Cara not only had Hashimoto's disease but that due to her endocrinologists's failure to diagnose her properly—combined with medical mistreatment over eight years, Cara had developed the immune profile of someone who had just gone through chemotherapy!

Cara immediately ditched her endocrinologist in favor of a new doctor who started her on a compounded T4/T3 hormone combination, along with supplements, to support her drastically low mineral and nutrient levels. Cara's health was finally restored, hypothyroid symptoms vanished, her allergies and asthma disappeared, and she has been thriving ever since.

However, despite losing the hypo weight and remaining slim and trim—Cara was still a chronic cardio, grain-eating sugar-burner. Two years ago, she went primal and the experience has changed her life in profound ways. Aside from the benefits and joys being a fat-burner, Cara has experienced even more improvements in her health and life...most significantly, a drastic reduction of her Hashimoto's antibodies due to the elimination of grains.

Direct download: Ep130_PrimalBlueprint_CaraHaun.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

The low-carb flu is real and it’s terrible. While it doesn’t kill as many as the Spanish flu of 1918 did or inspire the amount of panic seen during the 2009 swine flu epidemic, low-carb flu has dissuaded millions of people from pursuing and sticking to a healthy diet. You can laugh now that you’re fat-adapted and humming along on stored body fat, but you’ve forgotten just how terrible the transition from sugar-burning to fat-burning can be. Do any of the following symptoms sound familiar?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Aug022016-10WaysToBeatTheLow-CarbFlu.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ chats with Sher Smith, a Paleo Thyroid Solution Success Story from Elle’s upcoming release!

By the age of 26, Sher Smith had resolved a decade long eating disorder but was struggling mightily with a laundry list of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. With the help of Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint (goodbye gluten, hello fat!), life got a little bit better. But after being told that her thyroid wasn’t “the problem” and that she had to “just workout more” to lose weight, she started to believe her body was just broken and this was the unhealthy hand she had been dealt.

Sher met Elle at one of Mark’s amazing PrimalCon’s in 2014 and since then, her life has completely changed. Over the last two years working with Elle and a doctor in Chicago, Sher has optimized her thyroid health. As a result, she has lost almost 60 pounds, resolved all her thyroid and adrenal symptoms, maintained a primal workout routine, and had a vibrant and healthy primal pregnancy and natural childbirth. As an unintended result of fixing her thyroid and regaining her health, Sher became an entrepreneur and now runs her own coaching business helping women permanently resolve their emotional eating without the decade long struggle that she endured.

Direct download: Ep129_PrimalBlueprint_SherSmith.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:47am PDT

Every day we’re barraged by “good ideas”—all the things we should be doing with our lives and could start doing today if we really cared enough. Too much advice can overwhelm us, and, more importantly, it can inflate the power of “should.” It can cement an insidious (and, in my experience, ineffective) framework in our minds. We risk framing every choice—from work to pleasure—as an obligation. Doing so burdens life with a constant sense of onus, constraint and deprivation—not exactly the stuff of grand motivation. In my experience, we aren’t in for much fun or long-term success with that brand of approach. Luckily, there’s a better way to talk to ourselves.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jul282016-HowLanguageAffectsYourFitnessAndWeightLossPractice.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Coffee is serious business. We Americans drink about 400 million cups of it per day and spend several billion dollars on it each year. It’s the most popular drug on earth, and certainly the most socially acceptable. In many ways, coffee’s the closest thing we’ve got to a universal, daily ritual, as just about every morning, billions of people across the planet prostrate themselves before the holy, energy-giving legume. It also hails from the same place the earliest members of our species do: East Africa (Ethiopia, to be exact). That the most industrious animal ever to walk the planet and the psychoactive legume that fuels said industry both hail from the same place on earth is pure poetry.

Coffee’s also delicious. I’d say you’d have to pry my coffee from my cold, dead fingers, only the ensuing struggle would slosh it all onto the floor, and that would be such a waste.

Yet it’s also considered to be a vice, one of those substances that “everyone knows” is bad for you.


Is it?
 
(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jul272016-TheDefinitiveGuideToCoffee.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ chats with Cassie Parks, a Lifestyle Design Strategist who loves the ocean, dancing for no reason, and celebrating with champagne. What she loves most of all is living a life a she loves. Cassie is a best-selling author, international speaker and coach whose passion is leading others to live the life they have been dreaming about. Her latest book, Manifest $10,000 is available on amazon.com.

Cassie is the creator of the Manifest $10k course which has helped thousands of people manifest more money into their lives. You can join the course at manifest10k.com and learn more about working with Cassie at liveyourchampagnelife.com.

Direct download: Ep128_PrimalBlueprint_CassieParks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Every day we’re barraged by “good ideas”—all the things we should be doing with our lives and could start doing today if we really cared enough. Too much advice can overwhelm us, and, more importantly, it can inflate the power of “should.” It can cement an insidious (and, in my experience, ineffective) framework in our minds. We risk framing every choice—from work to pleasure—as an obligation. Doing so burdens life with a constant sense of onus, constraint and deprivation—not exactly the stuff of grand motivation. In my experience, we aren’t in for much fun or long-term success with that brand of approach. Luckily, there’s a better way to talk to ourselves.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jul262016-TakeItEasyIncreaseProgress.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

There’s a Flaubert quote I stumbled on once: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” I’ve always been more of a science man than an artist of course (and I don’t know that carbohydrate curves or sprint intervals could ever be creatively “violent” anyway). Nonetheless, something about the underlying concept always stayed with me. It begs a fundamental, even pivotal question: where do you want the freedom to be bold and impulsive (or at least spontaneous) in your life, and where do you want the security of being fixed and (relatively speaking) unyielding?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jul212016-BoringMayBeBetter.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

The difficult thing about headaches is figuring out why they’re occurring. Pain in other areas is different. You can look at your hand if it’s hurting and figure out why. You can see the cut on your knee and know what’s going on. But you are your head, and the headache is inside. Your consciousness sits behind your eyes observing reality and directing your role in it. It’s all a big mystery. Or so it feels.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jul202016-3CommonTypesOfHeadache.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Matt is a social entrepreneur in the fields of personalized health and future medicine. A heart- centered visionary, Matt is focused on changing the health trajectory of the human race. He orchestrates a global collaborative vision to revolutionize the concept of health as we know it and facilitate personalized, predictive and preventive health change around the world.

Matt holds a masters in applied human sciences, is a lecturer and clinical educator at several universities in Australia, and has been recognized for his passion and excellence in educating doctors, health professionals and fitness experts globally over the past 10 years.

In 2013, Matt founded the Ultimate Human Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to transform world health and assist in eliminating chronic pain and disease from the planet. Matt has founded 7 businesses in health and medicine over the past 10 years, launching ph360.me, the world’s first smart health app based on personalized epigenetics and gene expression and most recently launching Shae, the world’s first virtual assistant to deliver interactive, intuitive, and personalized insights for health.

Direct download: Ep127_PrimalBlueprint_MattRiemann1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am PDT

Although mainstream sources still mistake “the brain needs glucose” for “the brain can only run on glucose,” regular MDA readers know the truth: given sufficient adaptation, the brain can derive up to 75% of its fuel from ketone bodies, which the liver constructs using fatty acids. If we could only use glucose, we wouldn’t make it longer than a few days without food. If our brains couldn’t utilize fat-derived ketones, we’d drop dead as soon as our liver had exhausted its capacity to churn out glucose. We’d waste away, our lean tissue dissolving into amino acids for hepatic conversion into glucose to feed our rapacious brains. You’d end up a skeletal wraith with little else but your brain and a hypertrophied liver remaining until, eventually, the latter cannibalized itself in a last ditch search for glucose precursors for the tyrant upstairs. It would get ugly.

That’s adaptation. But is there an actual cognitive advantage to running on ketones?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul192016-TheFatBurningBrain.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

How can you leverage doubt in pursuing a healthy life? Let me throw out a few takeaways and examples.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul142016-DontBeSoSure.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Bloating is mostly subjective. You can “feel” bloated without experiencing actual stomach bulging. Other times, it adds actual inches to your waistline.

Why does it happen? Why do our stomachs distend and our sphincters proclaim their gaseous intentions to the world? What causes this nebulous condition and how can we avoid and fix it?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul132016-12CommonCausesOfBloating.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ sits down with Dr. Glenn Livingston, a veteran psychologist and long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry. You may have seen his (or his company's)  previous work, theories, and research in major periodicals like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Indiana Star Ledger, The NY Daily News, American Demographics, or any of the other major media outlets you see on this page.  You may also have heard him on ABC, WGN, and/or CBS radio, or UPN TV.

Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to offer overweight and/or food obsessed individuals, Dr. Livingston spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and overeating via work with his own patients AND a self-funded research program with more than 40,000 participants.  Most important, however, was his own personal journey out of obesity and food prison to a normal, healthy weight and a much more lighthearted relationship with food.

Direct download: Ep126_PrimalBlueprint_GlennLivingston.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am PDT

I consider it my job to remove the stigma of healthful animal foods, to highlight the importance and vitality of meat in the human diet.

But that doesn’t mean it’s a free for all. There are upper limits on meat intake, just as there are upper limits on everything.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul122016-HowMuchMeatIsTooMuch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

How can we embrace adventure as a Primal force in our lives to enrich us, to move us forward, and to expand our sense of what’s possible? The idea here is less about life-endangering stunts (although those can have their merits, too) and more about expanding one’s field of experience to see what shows up and how it can enhance our Primal life. Let’s look at a few prospects rapid-fire style. And I hope you’ll add your own to augment this list.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul072016-WhyASenseOfAdventureIsImportant.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

There’s a whole host of benefits that swimming has to offer. So if you’re suffering from the summer heat and looking for a great way to cool down while getting in a pretty extensive workout, swimming should be toward the top of your list.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul062016-12ReasonsWhySwimmingIsAnEssentialPrimalSkill.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Becoming overwhelmed can happen when we take on too much at once or when our approach to an endeavor takes us too much out of our comfort zone too quickly. The Primal Blueprint absolutely fosters physical as well as psychological resilience, but we inevitably go through uneven terrain on the way to it. Primal life changes us, as life in general thankfully does, and we can bring a Primal attitude to its challenges for perspective along the way—including times of feeling overwhelmed.

So let’s look at a few ideas for how to do just that.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jul052016-FeelingOverwhelmed.mp3.part
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Let’s look at some of the most common fears that come into play when people of different bodies, ages and backgrounds move toward Primal-aligned health goals. And let me offer (and invite you to share your feedback on) some practical takeaways for overcoming situational fears as well as a few emotional insights for calling fear’s bluff.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun302016-WhyFearMayBeBlockingYourPrimalPath.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ sits down with friends Jimmy and Cara Haun, two vastly talented Primal converts, for a lively talk on overcoming Hashimoto’s symptoms and how they’ve improved their overall health.

Cara Haun has been producing music for commercials for 20 years for clients such as: BMW, Priceline, T-mobile, and Wells Fargo. Jimmy Haun is one of the music industry’s top composers and works with some of the biggest names in the business. He started playing with professional bands at the early age of 15. Following his musical dreams, Jimmy moved to Los Angeles, landed his first record deal with A&M and soon found himself touring with such rock legends as Sheryl Crow, Air Supply, Robin Beck as well as jazz artists Ronnie Laws and Michael Ruff, just to name a few!

Direct download: Ep125_PrimalBlueprint_CaraJimmyHaun.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Today, I’m going to explain why, in explicit detail, you should be eating more monounsaturated fat—if you aren’t already.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun292016-10ReasonsYouShouldBeEatingMoreMonounsaturatedFat.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Everyone knows it’s really hard, bordering on impossible, to out exercise a bad diet. You might be able to out exercise a bad diet if all you care about is abs and race times and make it your job, but eventually your poor health will catch up with you.

That doesn’t mean exercise doesn’t matter for weight loss, though. It does.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jun282016-WhyExerciseActuallyDoesMatterForWeightLoss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Everywhere you look, people are trying to get away from it all. Sensory deprivation, or “float” tanks, are springing up all over the world. Meditation retreats are exploding, and pretty much everyone has a meditation app on their phone (even if they don’t use it much). Google searches for terms like “float tank,” “silent retreat,” “mindfulness,” and “sensory deprivation” have been trending upward for the last few years. Silence is in.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun232016-FromFloatTanksToSilentRetreats.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

But from brain cancer to bone loss to sperm mutation to behavioral problems, EMFs (a byproduct of many electronic devices) have been blamed for many health problems. What does the evidence say? And if there are real issues, what can we do to mitigate them? How far should we go?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun222016-AreCellPhonesAndEMFsReallyHarmingYourHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Whatever the reason for its evolution, experiencing awe has several interesting effects on how we think, feel, and even heal.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun212016-WhatIsTheExperienceOfAweAndWhyDoesItMatter.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

We’ve heard it a million times: “Eat a well-balanced diet with everything in moderation.” After all these decades of clear failure, it’s a hazy cliché still delivered by physicians, dietitians and nutritional “experts” with earnest assurance. The same goes for exercise and stress. Moderate amounts of stress are okay, moderate cardiovascular work is good, etc. We accept the concept of moderation so readily, I think, because it sounds so rational and simple. If we follow common sense, moderation suggests, we’ll be fine. But if it were that easy, most people would be healthy—and statistics on the rising rates of obesity and chronic illness tell us otherwise. So what’s the problem?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jun162016-HowDefiningModerationCanHelpYouReachYourHealthGoals.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns catches up with our favorite guest Mark Sisson at his home in Malibu. (This episode is part of our new video podcast series, so you can enjoy also this show on YouTube.) Mark talks about his keynote address at Paleo Fx and some insights about where the primal/paleo movement is headed. He talks some recent business ventures and health/fitness endeavors during this wide-ranging, free-form discussion.

Mark is eager to engage with listeners during future shows, so if you have any questions you would like him to answer on the podcast, email info@primalblueprintpublishing.com.

Show Notes:

  • Mark describes the events at the PaleoFx and how the paleo world is expanding.  [00:01:28]
  • How is the movement going to be characterized now that it is more prevalent and people understand that it is not some fringe caveman fad? [00:03:54]
  • Mark compares today's exercise theories with the lifestyle of the primitive man. [00:05:46]
  • What about people's over-training for goals of big achievements? How does that fit with Mark's thoughts about exercise and training?  [00:08:30]
  • What is the most important part of the gathering at PaleoFx and the business part of the paleo movement? [00:10:47]
  • What is Mark doing to improve his paleo lifestyle? [00:13:50]
  • What is this new cooling mattress that Mark is trying out? [00:14:30]
  • How should I schedule myself in training for this lifestyle? [00:17:39]
  • How can I make choices so these changes are sustainable in my life? [00:21:49]
  • How does Mark handle his stressful life? [00:22:40]
  • What happened when Mark gave up drinking wine? [00:23:56]
  • How you think and talk to yourself interferes with your ability to handle life. [00:28:44]   

Selected Links:

Paleo(f)x



Direct download: Ep_124_PrimalBlueprint_MarkBrad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

After years of committees, debates, panels, “consensus-building” retreats, and literature reviews, the FDA has finalized the new nutrition label guidelines. Packaged food companies have two years to incorporate the new labels. At that point, anything in a package that humans eat must have labels that reflect these changes. You’re probably skeptical. I was. The FDA doesn’t have the strongest track record. But before we condemn the new labels sight unseen, let’s take a look at what’s actually changing and what the implications are.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-Jun152016-Top8ChangesComingToNutritionLabels1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

To sit in quiet or risk boredom isn’t the way of the world these days. So I’m going to venture that too many of us have forgotten what being rested actually feels like. In light of that, I thought I’d offer up a few suggestions to remedy the situation.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-Jun012016-WhyYouStillProbablyNeedMoreRest.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ sits down with Dr. Richard Veech, who has been a National Institute of Health scientist for over 45 years, and both a research biochemist and a medical doctor. Dr. Veech figured out a way to bottle ketone fuel, in a fat-free, salt-free, FDA approved concentrated food. So we're going to be talking a bit about that, as well as his vast research on ketosis.

Not sure what ketosis is? Is is safe? Can you treat insulin resistance with ketosis? These questions and more answered today!

Direct download: Ep_122_PrimalEndurance-RichardVeech.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01pm PDT

I’ve gotten a lot of feedback about my leadership post earlier this year—particularly from people who connected with the humility aspect. It’s a characteristic I think most people would agree is in short supply these days, but most of us still admire it when we see it. In truth, little in our culture today encourages a humble disposition, and I think that’s a relatively new development. More than ever it seems to be the loudest, boldest, and (often) most obnoxious voices that garner our attention. Brashness somewhere along the line became an asset rather than an irritation. We’re told we need to do more, be more, have more, “fight” for what what we presumably deserve, and push our way to the front if we want our good in life. Put yourself out there, talk yourself up, and—above all—look out for number one. Is anyone else exhausted by these instructions? The key (and related) question of the day, however, is this: what would Grok have said about this social shift?


(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-May262016-HumilityAPrimalVirtueWithModernValue.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Men I know. I am one, after all. Have been for many years. For the most part, I enjoy it. It’s worked out really well for me. I don’t find it particularly difficult to be a man. Once I dialed in the basics of this Primal stuff, my health improved and my fitness became more well-rounded and applicable to the things I enjoyed doing. I haven’t struggled much. But many people do. And while the majority of Primal advice is geared toward humans in general, I’ll just get this out of the way early: These “men’s tips” all apply to many women, too. And many of the “women’s tips” from last week’s post also apply to men. But ignoring the gender-specificity of general trends serves no one. Everyone has the capacity for competitiveness; men tend to have more. Both genders can benefit from fasting, but women are more likely to have negative responses. Men and women both need sleep; lack of it hits women harder. That’s all. As always, if you recognize yourself in these tips, go for it!

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)
Direct download: MDA-May192016-8EssentialTipsForPrimalMen.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Elle Russ sits down with CJ Hunt, writer, producer and host of the break out film hit (and first Paleo documentary), The Perfect Human Diet, and author of the how-to companion guide of the same title. Graduating Summa Cum Laude in Electronic Communication Arts BA Radio /TV from SFSU 2007, CJ has had a career that spanned motocross racing and theme park announcer to over 20 years in broadcasting, with voice-overs, TV host, television and movie actor and author of two previous books on diet and nutrition.

Direct download: Ep_121_PrimalBlueprint_CJHunt1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am PDT

There are days I genuinely think I’ve never had more fun, contentment and satisfaction in my life than I do right now. Unfortunately, the dominant culture pushes a different message for those of us over 50 (and definitely over 60). I’m talking about the message that these decades inevitably put us on the sidelines, ushering in an inevitable fade-out of all our faculties and enjoyments. But guess what? I’m here to tell you some good news: that doesn’t have to be your destiny. In fact, there’s a whole lot to look forward to as you grow older.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Direct download: MDA-May192016-6ReasonsToLookForwardToGrowingOld.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT