The Primal Kitchen Podcast

A few months back, I put together an article on alternative therapies for depression. Many readers  showed a lot of interest in some of the emerging non-drug treatments in that field, and, more importantly, many began to relay their own stories about how they overcame or successfully managed their depression through various strategies. That’s what I love the most about this community—sharing experience and expertise in the interest of broadening available solutions beyond what conventional thought tells us.

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

Direct download: MDA-Dec272017-10AlternativeTherapiesForADD26ADHD.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns talks about the contrast between liver function in a carb dependency state (hint: overwhelmed in processing excess glucose into fat and eventually becoming insulin resistant) versus a fat- and keto-adapted liver function (elegant regulation and dispensation of the exact amount of energy you need in your bloodstream any time. Enjoy a great excerpt from the Keto Reset Diet called “Keto vs Carbo…Whoa!”


The amazing liver is the control tower for energy processing and distribution throughout your entire body. It’s amazing to reflect on the liver’s exquisite regulation of blood glucose within an incredibly tight range at all times. Our optimal circulating glucose level is only around five grams (a teaspoon) within a total blood volume of around 1.5 gallons (5.5 liters) of blood. In the typical modern human carbohydrate dependency eating pattern, your liver will fight valiantly under adverse circumstances to keep you energy balanced until finally it succumbs to insulin resistance and you end up with type II diabetes. In a fat- and keto-adapted eating pattern, you allow your liver to really shine; energy to brain and body is readily available, and no wasted energy or inflammation from excess caloric intake and hormonal imbalances.

Direct download: Ep5_PrimalBlueprint_KRD_TheLiverShow.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am PDT

Host Elle Russ chats with hilarious and fun-spirited podcasters Jason Leapai and Jason Sikorski. The Jasons host The Savage Podcast, where they chat with guests about topics ranging from MMA, sex, and even mind control.  Both avid outdoorsmen and lifelong martial artists - both of their lives were transformed for the better after adopting a paleo/primal lifestyle. With an advanced understanding of primal living, they explain and discuss key nuances of living a primal lifestyle.

Direct download: Ep_205_PrimalBlueprint_LeapaiandSikorski.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Each year is fuller than the last. More and more scientific papers are published each year, and that trend is only quickening. The same trend goes for books, products, businesses. Humans are incredible producers. It’s what we do—create and consume.

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

Direct download: MDA-Dec202017-TheBestOf2017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns talks about one of his recent favorite subjects, exploring the long scientifically validated benefits of fasting. We know that your body works more efficiently and burns fuel more cleanly (less production of free radicals than when you are glucose burner) when in a fasted state, but that long-term extreme calorie restriction is not a viable option in daily life. By eating in a ketogenic pattern, you can enjoy fasting-like benefits while enjoying nutrient-dense, high satiety, high fat meals. You can also improve your metabolic fitness through keto such that you can fast more frequently, for longer periods, while enjoying peak cognitive and physical function and not suffering from hunger.

Fasting and ketogenic eating helps upregulate fat metabolism and free you from carbohydrate dependency that is endemic to the modern diet. Fasting also stimulates autophagy, the natural cellular detoxification process that promotes longevity and disease protection, and apoptosis, the programmed death of dysfunctional cells that can nip cancer in the bud before it spreads. Athletes who develop excellent metabolic fitness can combine strenuous workouts to accelerate progress and “violently rewire appetite hormones” away from carb dependency. A great way to get started with fasting is to become fat-adapted through primal/paleo/ancestral style eating, then wait until you experience true sensations of hunger before consuming your first calories in the morning. Brad discusses his 140-day experiment with nutritional ketosis and how he landed on a long-term routine of a morning fast until midday as a foundational lifestyle pattern.

Direct download: Ep4_PrimalBlueprint_KRD_AllAboutFasting.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am PDT

Host Brad Kearns catches up with the legendary Dave Scott, a 6-time Hawaii Ironman world champion and respected coach of both elite professional and amateur multisport enthusiasts. Dave is perhaps more steeped in the science of nutrition and exercise physiology than any other endurance athlete ever, so this show will give you insights on both cutting edge science and also the competitive mindset of a champion athlete. Brad gives you a brief intro in case you’ve never heard of Dave, then they jump right into it. Dave describes his transition from a high carb pioneer back in the 80’s to his current support of primal/paleo/ketogenic eating patterns. He describes the science behind keto, and how it can protect your health and your heart from potential damage caused by strenuous training. On the long-standing topic of “intensity vs. volume” Dave sets people straight by detailing the huge mistake of going “kinda hard” on a regular basis. Not only will your burn out in performance, you are putting your health at serious risk. Instead, Dave details his unique methods of introducing an assortment of distinct interval patterns that help to cleanse the cardiovascular system, protecting it from damage caused by excessive kinda hard endurance workouts. Yes, Dave even advocates strength training year-round for endurance athletes! Dave talks about the problem of excess body fat on hard training endurance athletes and how to right this unfortunate trend. In the age of the internet and social media frenzy, lots of athletes and coaches are full of themselves. Dave is full or experience and wisdom so give this show your undivided attention!

Direct download: Ep_203_PrimalBlueprint_DaveScott.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve been spreading the word about the primal lifestyle for over a decade now, and while the information on this blog and in my books has reached millions, I wonder how many of these millions have actually been able to live some version of a primal life consistently and confidently. My guess is, not as many as I’d like.

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

Direct download: MDA-Dec142017-TheFutureOfHealthCareIsHealthCoaching.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

No matter what kind of evidence comes out to the contrary, the anti-saturated fat sect won’t relinquish its dogma. Whenever its advance is rebuffed—perhaps by an observational study showing the lack of relations between saturated fat intake and heart disease, or a study showing the beneficial effects of saturated fat on multiple health markers—they regroup and try another route. The latest is a study that several readers sent to me, worried that the attack had finally made it through the defenses. In it, researchers purport to show that saturated fat increases the solidity and rigidity of cellular membranes, reducing membrane fluidity and eventually leading to cell death.

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

Direct download: MDA-Dec132017-WillSaturatedFatKillYourCells.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns talks about his first failed attempt at keto (lasted 3 weeks doing really great, then a bomb-out at the Burbank Airport snack shop!), and how you can ensure that you are well-prepared for keto before struggling, suffering and backsliding. If you’re nervous about your metabolic fitness and whether you can handle the rigor of a ketogenic eating period, realize that any effort you make in the direction of fat- and keto-adaptation will improve your metabolic fitness and progress you closer to your goal of being a fat burning beast and further away from the disastrous state of carbohydrate dependency that the civilized world lives in.

Learning from your mistakes and detours, you will have heightened awareness of your behavior patterns. Then, you can build more natural, healthy resolve to stay keto-aligned in the future. Absorb the lessons offered, accept that you’re not perfect, let it go, and brandish your weapon once again by engaging in an intermittent fast, a fasted workout, and a sustained pattern of high fat, moderate protein, low-carb succession meals.

Direct download: Ep3_PrimalBlueprint_KRD_AreYouReadyForKeto.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:15am PDT

Elle Russ chats with Anthony G. Jay, Ph.D. about his new book Estrogeneration: How Estrogenics Are Making You, Fat, Sick, and Infertile. It was in college where Anthony began researching inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and after college, Dr. Jay began working in an Alzheimer’s disease lab in Boston for the U.S. Veteran’s Affairs. Ultimately earning his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, he began researching different types of fats and cholesterol. Today, Dr. Jay continues to lead the AJ Consulting Company, which he founded in 2010, where he predominantly analyzes DNA for high performing individuals. Dr. Jay has other upcoming books as part of this book series called “Chagrin & Tonic” and a YouTube channel under that name, all focused on simplifying important scientific ideas.

Direct download: Ep_201_PrimalBlueprint_AJConsulting.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Host Brad Kearns talks about the methodical process outlined in The Keto Reset Diet and the Keto Reset multimedia online course, where you progress steadily away from carbohydrate dependency and toward fat- and keto-adaptation without the struggling, suffering, and backsliding that typically occurs when you fail to do your homework or follow an ill-conceived approach. This overview shows covers the 21-Day Metabolism Reset, where you ditch grains, sugars, and refined vegetable oils in favor of primal-approved foods, integrate the lifestyle elements of exercise (move more frequently, avoid chronic patterns), sleep (avoid excess artificial light and digital stimulation after dark), and stress management

Direct download: Ep2_PrimalBlueprint_KRD_ComprehensiveApproachToTheKetoResetDiet.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:55pm PDT

If you look at the latest stats, you might assume there’s no cognitive health crisis. The overall number of dementia cases are going up, but that’s because the aging population is growing. Older folks are living longer than ever before, so there are more people around who can develop dementia. Dementia and Alzheimer’s rates are dropping in the Western world. Politicians, those archetypical paragons of cognitive aptitude, are hanging around in office longer than ever. Technology, science, and other fields that require large amounts of cognitive ability are progressing.

But broad trends and large numbers are just statistics. However reassuring they are to public policy analysts, they mean nothing to the individual suffering from cognitive decline. They’re too abstract. Your grandpa no longer knowing who you are? That’s real. You, personally, don’t want to lose your cognitive abilities as you age. You, personally, don’t want to see the people you love get Alzheimer’s. Individual cases matter to those individuals and their loved ones. And it’s still happening more than it should.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov292017-WhyArentWeTalkingAboutTheCognitiveHealthCrisis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:37pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Ken Berry, MD, about his new book Lies My Doctor Told Me. Have your doctors lied to you? Chances are they have, and most likely unknowingly. If you've been misled by bad medical advice your health will suffer. It is time you discover the truth. Medical research is expanding so quickly that only the most dedicated doctors can keep up with it all. Is your doctor that dedicated? Lies My Doctor Told Me reveals the truth behind the lies told by well-meaning doctors. Whether it's recommending a low-fat diet, or warning you to avoid the sun, these medical lies can cause really harm to your health. Does your doctor still recommend that you avoid cholesterol and eat lots of whole-grains? What about a paleo diet or ketogenic diet, have they been mentioned in an office visit? So much of the nutrition and lifestyle advice doctors give is just plain wrong, and that can be dangerous. This book will help you sort through the medical myths and the outright lies, and begin to develop a health partnership with your doctor.

Dr. Berry has been practicing Family Medicine in rural Tennessee for over a decade. He is board certified in Family Medicine, and was recently awarded the degree of Fellow by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Having seen over 20,000 patients of all ages over his career, he is uniquely qualified to advise on both acute and chronic diseases. Dr. Berry has focused of chronic disease caused by the Standard American Diet and Lifestyle, and has made it his mission to turn the tide on the epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes, chronic inflammation and dementia.

Direct download: Ep198_PrimalBlueprint_KenBerryMD_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

The book is an ancient technology whose importance has only increased in modern times. With a book, you gain access to another person’s mind or life experiences. That’s hard to beat. People who aren’t reading are really selling themselves short and missing out on an enjoyable pastime as well as a leg up on the competition.

Here are some fantastic books to dig into this coming year. Most of them are new and deal with health, fitness, and nutrition. Others are about history, productivity, or self-improvement. Some are just fun reads. They’re some of my recent (or long-time) favorites and all great options for people looking to read more this coming year.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov302017-21BooksToBegin2018.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Host Brad Kearns, the co-author with Mark Sisson of The Keto Reset Diet, welcomes you to the podcast about going keto the right way and enjoying the life-altering benefits of being fat- and keto-adapted. This show features an assortment of bite-sized content on specific topics that are sure to motivate and inspire. We pair the shorter shows with detailed discussions with the world’s leading experts in the world of ancestral living and ketogenic eating. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to contribute by emailing info@ketoreset.com to provide all forms of feedback and suggestion.

Direct download: Ep1_PrimalBlueprint_KRD_WelcomeToTheKetoResetPodcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:05pm PDT

Sure, this post comes right on the heels of Cyber Monday…but is there ever a perfect time for a message like this? Yes, I run a business, but I still don’t mind kicking the cultural hornet’s nest. Some things don’t change.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t contradiction. Here I am doing my own holiday shopping today (don’t tell Carrie)—and offering my own deals to those who are interested. The holidays—with all the shopping and parties and prep—are fun. No doubt. Simultaneously, I know financial stress takes a major toll this time of year, and it doesn’t have to be that way.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov282017-TheHealthTollOfFinancialStress.wav
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Mark Sisson chats with Jacques DeVore about his book Bicycling Maximum Overload for Cyclists - a radical strength-based training program aimed at increasing cycling speed, athletic longevity, and overall health in half the training time. Rather than improving endurance by riding longer distances, you’ll learn how to do it by reducing your riding time and adding heavy strength and power training. Traditionally cyclists and endurance athletes have avoided strength and power training, believing that the extra muscle weight will slow them down, but authors Jacques DeVore and Roy M. Wallack show that exactly the opposite is true.

The Maximum Overload program uses weightlifting to create sustainable power and improved speed while drastically reducing training time and eliminating the dreaded deterioration that often occurs during the second half of a ride. A 40-minute Maximum Overload workout, done once or twice a week, can replace a long day in the saddle and lead to even better results. This comprehensive program includes unique takes on diet, interval training, hard and easy training, and sustainable power. Backed by the most trusted authority in the sport, Bicycling Maximum Overload for Cyclists is a book that no cyclist should be without.

Jacques DeVore is the founder of the Sirens & Titans Fitness Training Centers in West Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, and licensed as an expert USA Cycling Coach. DeVore is the creator of the Maximum Overload training plan. DeVore has successfully trained hundreds of cyclists and triathletes with this program, including pro rider Dave Zabriskie. He lives in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA. Roy M. Wallack is a fitness columnist at the Los Angeles Times, has freelanced for Outside, Men's Journal, Bicycling, Runner's World, and Competitor, among other publications. He the author of seven books including Bike for Life, The Traveling Cyclist, and Barefoot Running Step-by-Step. Wallack is also an endurance athlete and has competed in some of the most difficult athletic challenges on earth including the 750-mile Paris-Brest-Paris ride, and the Badwater Ultramarathon across California’s Death Valley. He lives in Irvine, CA.

Direct download: Ep197_PrimalBlueprint_JacquesDevore_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

For most of my life, Thanksgiving was spared the overt commercialization of the other holidays. Christmas has the gifts, Halloween the candy and costumes, Valentine’s the chocolates, roses, jewelry, and guilt—perfect avenues for commercial interests. But Thanksgiving genuinely felt different, as if it was only about getting together with friends and relatives over a crispy-skinned bird and offering gratitude for what we had and who was still with us.

These days, commercialization has crashed the party. You’ve got Black Friday. Then Small Business Saturday. Then Cyber Monday. (Giving Tuesday I can get behind.) The “Black Friday” deals on Amazon started going last week and should continue well past the holiday.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov212017-14HealthierWaysToSpendBlackFriday.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with husband and wife team Cindy Lu and Earl Martin who founded Malibu Essential Oils in 2013. After experiencing profound personal benefits, their curiosity led them to become Internationally Certified Aromatherapists. Now they blend both their classical training with modern essential oil usage which includes internal applications. They are education driven, teaching classes weekly in various locations. They believe that aromatherapy is a healing art and they enjoy helping their clients choose the purest oils available and let them develop their own personal style that they feel is safe, beautiful and effective. As master blenders, their unique oil offerings such as High on Life (an energizing mood booster), Brain On (for mental clarity), Deep Sleep and Sex Mix are sought after week after week and will be discussed in detail in this episode. CindyLu & Earl also create customized blends based on client needs, scent preferences and muscle testing.

With clients worldwide, private consultations are available in person, via phone or Skype. Their mentor program trains oil enthusiasts to become a part of their team, build their own essential oil businesses or become healers in their own homes. Googling “essential oils” is a rabbit hole of unregulated yet FDA restricted advice that is hard to decipher in its contradictions and opinions. Cindy and Earl like to teach people their options and how to find the most reliable information and the purest oils. Don’t let the confusion and the ineffectiveness of many store bought brands discourage you. Therapeutic grade oils are versatile and gentle, yet potent enough to effect real change.

Direct download: Ep196_PrimalBlueprint_CindyLuAndEarlMartin_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:13am PDT

It’s easy to get into the habit of assuming that certain things “just happen” as we get older. As the years pile up, we brace ourselves for brittle bones, expanding waistlines, failing eyesight—and a propensity for falling asleep in front of the T.V.

Statistically speaking, they do loom largely. This is what we often see around us after all. But, of course, we know it’s not the whole story. We certainly can resign ourselves to a common fate, but that’s probably not why anyone is reading today. Most people who visit this blog (and definitely those who frequent it) want more. They want something better, and they’re willing to learn, move, and eat to get it.

And as with our bodies, so with our skin…

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov142017-CollagenForSkin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:02pm PDT

Mark Sisson chats with Chris Kresser about his new book Unconventional Medicine. The world is facing the greatest healthcare crisis it has ever seen. Chronic disease is shortening our lifespan, destroying our quality of life, bankrupting governments, and threatening the health of future generations. Sadly, conventional medicine, with its focus on managing symptoms, has failed to address this challenge. The result is burned-out physicians, a sicker population, and a broken healthcare system. In Unconventional Medicine, Chris Kresser presents a plan to reverse this dangerous trend. He shows how the combination of a ancestral diet and lifestyle, Functional Medicine, and a lean, collaborative practice model can create a system that better serves the needs of both patients and practitioners. The epidemic of chronic illness can be stopped, if patients and practitioners can adapt.

Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac., is the CEO of Kresser Institute, the co-director of the California Center for Functional Medicine, the creator of ChrisKresser.com, and the New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Cure. He is known for his in-depth research uncovering myths and misconceptions in modern medicine and providing natural health solutions with proven results. Chris was named one of the 100 most influential people in health and fitness by Greatist.com, and his blog is one of the top-ranked natural health websites in the world. He recently launched Kresser Institute, an organization dedicated to reinventing healthcare and reversing chronic disease by training healthcare practitioners in functional and evolutionary medicine. Chris lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife and daughter.

Direct download: Ep_195_PrimalBlueprint_ChrisKresser.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

"Apps aren’t paleo, Sisson. Grok waited for days for aurochs to wander within spear-chucking range, not overnight for the release of the iPhone X.” True. But this is the world we live in. These are the tools we have.

If you’re going to lug around an addictive piece of tech in your pocket all day, it might as well contain some apps that make living healthy and living Primal easier, rather than harder. What follows are some of the best paleo/Primal apps I’ve found. Some I use, some I don’t. They’re not all explicitly “paleo,” but they’re all at least tangentially related to this thing we call the pursuit of optimal health and happiness.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov092017-Top10PaleoApps.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Most discussion of chronically-elevated insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia) and insulin resistance revolves around their relationship to bodyweight. This is unsurprising. Bodyweight’s what “sells tickets.” It’s why most people get interested in diet, health, fitness, and nutrition—to lose weight or avoid gaining it.

But improving insulin sensitivity and reducing fasting insulin levels have major ramifications for your health, longevity, and resistance to disease. And it’s not just because “weight gain is unhealthy.” Insulin itself, in excess, exerts seriously damaging effects. Today, I want to impress upon you the importance of controlling your insulin response by laying out some of the health problems that stem from not controlling it.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov082017-TheInsulinIllnessConnection.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Thor Conklin about romantic relationships from their perspectives and experience. Thor is an entrepreneur, profitability consultant and host of his daily podcast, Peak Performers Podcast. 2017 marks his 17th year as an entrepreneur. The first company Thor created was a global risk management consulting firm that served the private equity community. His top 15 clients had a combined revenue of $12.7 billion USD and operated in over 100 countries worldwide. Thor has started, bought and sold several multi-million dollar businesses making him a sought after, cross-industrial resource for entrepreneurs and executives in all stages of business. Thor lives a Paleo lifestyle and believes achieving optimum health is a critical co-factor in business success and becoming a Peak Performer.

Thor has a talent for slicing through the noise of every day distractions and bringing his clients and audiences intellectual commodities like his: “Ultimate Success Map”, a simplistic, easy-to- follow guide for individuals who need to break through to the next level of achievement. Thor’s gritty, no nonsense and direct approach uncovers the real truth about what is holding people and organizations back from realizing their full potential. He can illuminate even the most successful and confident leader’s limiting beliefs. He is known as the Accountability & Execution Guy. Through his latest venture, Peak Performance Group, he teaches the tools, tips, tricks, psychology and strategies necessary to be a Peak Performer. He qualifies the psychology of success in one word: execution! “Nothing you’ve learned matters – unless you can EXECUTE!"

Direct download: Ep_194_PrimalBlueprint_ThorConklin_pt21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

A few weeks ago, I went over 7 of the most important longevity biomarkers to track. Today, I’m shifting gears a bit. The theme remains longevity markers, but the markers I’ll discuss today are subjective, logistical, and psychological ones. A couple involve physical sense but you can’t measure these with a blood draw or a lab scan. The only way to assess your standing is through some genuine self-experiment and honest soul-searching. Or by, in one case, running a mile.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov012017-720SubjectiveLongevityMarkersToTrack.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:40pm PDT

I have a German friend who, after one of her fantastic meals, breaks out her Kräuter and fills aperitif glasses for everyone. To her it’s simply tradition. For the rest of us it’s a pleasant extension of her unmatched hospitality—and a welcome end to a heavy dinner.

Digestive bitters have been used for centuries as a highly effective way to boost digestive capacity, and naturally occurring digestive compounds in foods have been an integral part of our ancestral diets since day one. My friend says bitters are the secret to a hearty constitution. Knowing the science—and seeing her example, I’m unlikely to argue there.

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

Direct download: MDA-Nov082017-Bitters.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I’ll take the holiday bait today. It’s true…with its emphasis on candy consumption, many Primal types feel lost on Halloween. They don’t know what to do with themselves.

The costumes are fun, and being with friends is always a good time, but how should they react to all that sugar? It’s a hard thing.

Luckily, today I have 6 ways you can observe Halloween while staying true to your Primal roots.

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct312017-6WaysPrimalTypesCanObserveHalloween.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:58pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D., about his new book The Salt Fix. James is a cardiovascular research scientist and doctor of pharmacy at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. A well-respected and internationally known scientist, and expert on health and nutrition, he has contributed extensively to health policy and has even testified in front of the Canadian Senate regarding the harms of added sugars. He serves as the Associate Editor of British Medical Journal’s (BMJ) Open Heart, a journal published in partnership with the British Cardiovascular Society. He is the author or coauthor of approximately 200 publications in the medical literature. He is also on the Editorial Advisory Board of several other medical journals, including Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases and International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology (IJCPT).

Direct download: Ep_193_PrimalBlueprint_JamesDiNicolantonio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Today I’m going to address a big question some of you have been asking in the comment boards and via email:

Where does the Primal Blueprint eating plan fit into the Keto Reset diet?

It’s a good question. An expected one. It’s true that I’ve been focusing almost entirely on the Keto Reset in 2017. I’m passionate about it. I truly believe it can help almost everyone, and I want to get the word out to as many people as possible.

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct252017-HowDoesTheKetoResetFitIntoThePrimalBlueprint.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:18pm PDT

Mark Sisson chats with Joe De Sena—founder and CEO of Spartan Race, the world’s leading obstacle racing company. Joe has demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive since his pre-teens. From selling fireworks at age eight, to building a multimillion-dollar pool business in college, to creating a Wall Street trading firm, and now the world’s fastest growing sports movement, De Sena is a living definition of the word entrepreneur. Following a successful career on Wall Street, De Sena moved his family to Pittsfield, Vermont to operate an organic farm, a bed and breakfast, and a general store for hikers. It was here his passion grew for ultramarathons, adventure races, and endurance events; and thus the idea for the Spartan Race was born. With more than 200 events in 30+ countries planned for 2017, Spartan Race has more than 1 million global participants offering open heats for all fitness levels and ages, as well as competitive and elite heats. The company has more than 5 million passionate social media followers, health and wellness products, and two popular NBC television series, making obstacle racing one of the fastest growing sports—and lifestyles— in the world. As a leader in the sport, Spartan Race is the first obstacle racing company to feature timing and global rankings.


Joe’s message of inspiration and personal transformation, combined with his status as a two-time New York Times Best Selling Author of Spartan Up and Spartan Fit, makes him a popular keynote speaker and public figure. Throughout his lifetime, Joe has competed in any extreme sports adventure he could find, testing his mental and physical endurance against nature. Joe turned an interest in endurance racing into a passion. His racing resume is the stuff of legend – over 50 ultra-events overall and 14 Ironman events in one year alone.

Direct download: Ep_192_PrimalBlueprint_JoeDeSena.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Some months ago the issue of gender bias in medical research came up on the comment board. It was certainly an issue I’d occasionally read about. But I’m also a proponent of lifestyle design and intervention. I don’t spend as much time as others on the nitty-gritty of medical treatment for good reason, but the conversation got me thinking. Maybe it was time for an article after all….

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct172017-GenderBiasInMedicalResearch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:29pm PDT

With more people enthusiastic about the ketogenic diet comes more talk about potential adverse side effects. Upon closer examination, almost all of the complaints can be traced to a flawed approach. Granted, if you are coming to the game with significant metabolic damage from decades of carbohydrate dependency, or not paying attention to some common sense best practices, such as choosing healthy foods instead of blindly focusing on macros, you will likely struggle with something as stringent as keto.

Let’s cover some of the common keto complaints being bantered about these days, examine what’s really going on, and discuss strategy for how to avoid any adverse side effects to going keto.

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct182017-TheRealLowdownOnKetoSideEffects.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Steven Gundry, M.D.—who during his 40-year medical career performed over 10,000 heart surgeries and developed patented, life-saving medical technology. After discovering key secrets to health 15 years ago, his mission is to prevent surgery by helping patients heal themselves through proper nutrition. His best-selling book from 2008, Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution, focused on specific diet principles for weight-loss and disease reversal. His second book, The Plant Paradox, further illuminates truths about hidden dangers of supposed "healthy" foods.

Dr. Gundry founded Gundry MD in 2016—a wellness blog, YouTube channel and supplement company to achieve optimum vitality. He practices medicine at the International Heart & Lung Institute and Center for Restorative Medicine in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara, CA.

Direct download: Ep_191_PrimalBlueprint_StevenGundry.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Last year, I wrote about 10 of the most interesting predictors of longevity. Many of them were subjective, but, as we all know, the objective physiological processes that occur in the human body also predict how long we live. Luckily, we can measure most of them. Some are standard at doctor’s checkups. Some require more involved (and expensive) testing. Some you can complete yourself at home with simple household objects.

But if you care at all about how well you’re doing in the longevity game, it’s worth paying attention to some of them.

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct112017-7LongevityBiomarkersToTrack.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:51am PDT

Few would disagree that a Primal way of life advocates simplicity above all else. Nutritious foods, strategic movement, and an aversion to stress bordering on (healthy) obsession.

This “simple is good” mentality works swimmingly most of the time. Aligning our lifestyle to our evolved biology allows us to achieve a modern semblance of that all-important homeostasis, and I generally see no reason to tinker if it ain’t broke.

But, unfortunately, it’s not always black and white….

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct102017-EnzymeSupplements.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:10pm PDT

Description:  Elle Russ chats with Lynne McTaggart - one of the central voices in the new consciousness movement. Lynne is the award-winning author of seven books, including worldwide bestsellers The Field, The Intention Experiment, The Bond, and her latest book The Power of Eight. Lynne is consistently listed in the Watkins’ annual list of the 100 most spiritually influential people in the world. As Editorial Director of What Doctors Don’t Tell You (www.wddty.com), she publishes one of the world’s most highly praised health publications and runs highly popular health and spirituality teleconferences and workshops. For the third time, What Doctors Don’t Tell You has been awarded “Best” and “Most Popular” website of the year for health and wellbeing. Lynne is also the architect of the Intention Experiments, a web-based “global laboratory,” which was prominently featured in the plotline of Dan Brown’s blockbuster "The Lost Symbol.” Lynne is a member of both the Transformational Leadership Council, launched by Jack Canfield, and the Evolutionary Leaders, launched by Deepak Chopra. She has appeared in many documentaries on the science of spirituality, including “What the Bleep?!: Down the Rabbit Hole,” “The Living Matrix,” “I Am” and “The Abundance Factor.” She is a highly sought after public speaker, speaking at conferences and workshops around the world. Lynne and her husband, WDDTY co-founder Bryan Hubbard, live and work in London, UK. They have two adult daughters. For more information, visit LynneMcTaggart.com.

Direct download: Ep_190_PrimalBlueprint_LynneMcTaggart.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to interesting places. The trips I’ve taken in the last 10-15 years, during my “Primal period,” have been the most meaningful, rewarding, and downright enjoyable because I’ve been able to view other cultures and customs through the prism of health, nutrition, and human evolution. I bring something back every trip—a tip, an insight, an alteration of an existing conviction. Travel abroad isn’t just a good time. It’s educational.

What have I learned eating abroad?

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct052017-WhatIveLearnedFromEatingAbroad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:11pm PDT

The explosive growth of interest in the ketogenic diet has been a net good for the state of nutrition. For one, people have accepted the fact that eating fat won’t kill you, and they’re even getting clued into the benefits of eating it.

But there are places where I part ways with the popular keto movement.

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

Direct download: MDA-Oct042017-WhereIPartWaysWithThePopularKetoMovement.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Mark Sisson, bestselling author of The Primal Blueprint, a former world-class endurance athlete, and one of the leading voices of the Evolutionary Health Movement. His blog, MarksDailyApple.com, has paved the way for Primal enthusiasts to challenge conventional wisdom's diet and exercise principles and take personal responsibility for their health and well-being. Today's episode focuses on Marks NEW book, The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot Your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever. Learn how to make perhaps the most profound health and weight loss boosting lifestyle change you will ever make by transforming your body from carbohydrate dependency to become a fat burning beast.

In his new book, Mark Sisson reveals his proven effective ketogenic eating strategy for losing weight and improving health. When you go keto, you will reset your metabolism for effortless fat loss using a targeted ketogenic diet of high-fat, low-to-moderate protein, low-carb foods, and complementary lifestyle practices that help optimize metabolic and hormonal functions.

Unlike other ketogenic plans, Sisson first teaches readers the real secret to rapid and sustained weight loss, which is in becoming "fat-adapted" before entering full nutritional ketosis. This process allows your body to learn to burn fat more efficiently, resulting in increased and sustained weight loss over the long-term. It takes as little as 21-days to reprogram your metabolism to burn fat for fuel, by ditching processed grains, sugars, and refined vegetable oils in favor of nutrient-dense, high fat, primal/paleo foods--and you'll see immediate results. Next, you’ll fine-tune with Intermittent Fasting and then foray into full ketogenic eating for a further weight loss boost and improved health. In this way, you will achieve the highest level of what Sisson calls metabolic flexibility—the key to health, weight control, and longevity. The Keto Reset Diet is the definitive guide to help the keto-beginner or the experienced health enthusiast understand the what, why, and how to succeed with ketogenic eating.

Direct download: Ep_189_PrimalBlueprint_MarkSissonKetoReset.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

Today, I’m going to give you some tried and true methods for helping to normalize your endocrine health. These are things that apply to everyone, as far as I can tell. They won’t fix every problem, but they’re good places to start. Whether you’re a post-menopausal woman, a 21-year-old bodybuilder worried about overtraining, or a thyroid patient, these interventions can’t hurt and will probably help.

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep272017-9WaysToNormalizeYourHormones.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:59pm PDT

After I turned 60, a routine checkup showed that I had lower-than-normal free testosterone levels. I hadn’t noticed anything that would have alerted me. No symptoms. No indication. Everything worked well. But it nagged at me. I knew testosterone did much more for a man’s health than just “build muscle”—which I had no real interest in at this point—so I decided to explore TRT, or testosterone replacement therapy.

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep202017-TestosteroneSupplementation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:43am PDT

Elle Russ chats with Rohini Ross - a Psychotherapist, Leadership Consultant, Transformative Coach and a regular blogger for the Huffington Post. She helps organizations, leaders, couples, and individuals to experience more wellbeing and greater success. Rohini was a faculty member in the University of Santa Monica’s Masters program in Spiritual Psychology from 2011 to 2016, and the former Executive Director of Operations for Vive Family Support Program. Rohini brings the richness of what she has learned about success, transformation and reinvention from her diverse life experience to her clients. She is constantly evolving in her own life and has gone from being a cultural geographer researching anthropological work about the Mayan’s in Guatemala to working as an international model in Europe, to becoming a psychotherapist, and then working as a coach and consultant. She has also been on her own personal healing journey both physically and emotionally using a holistic approach to health and emotional wellness. She lives with her husband of over twenty years, and her two teenage daughters in Topanga, CA. You can learn more about her work and sign up for her weekly blog at her website www.rohiniross.com.

Direct download: Ep_188_PrimalBlueprint_RohiniRoss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Any old time readers remember the Fuming Fuji? He was the lovable yet ornery food critic of early MDA who railed against chocolate milkcocoa puffschicken friesapplesauce (he was seriously biased here), and frozen waffles. He’d get a little carried away, and we eventually had to put him down (ironically, by turning him into applesauce), but his heart was in the right place. Today, I’m paying homage to the Fuming Fuji by having a little fun with some of today’s more absurd food offerings. Then I’ll follow up with some that I’m enjoying these days.

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep262017-6FoodProductsILoveToHateAnd5IJustLove.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Evan Brand—author, podcast host and Louisville, Kentucky-based Board-Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, Nutritional Therapist, and Personal Trainer. He is passionate about healing the chronic fatigue, obesity, and depression epidemics after solving his own IBS and depression issues. He uses at-home lab testing and customized supplement programs to find and fix the root cause of a wide range of health symptoms. His Not Just Paleo Podcast has over 6 million downloads and counting. He is the author of Stress Solutions, REM Rehab and The Everything Guide to Nootropics. He offers free 15-minute functional medicine phone consultations at his site EvanBrand.com

Direct download: Ep_187_PrimalBlueprint_EvanBrand.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I joke around a lot and give them hell, but I have love and respect for plant-based diets and the people who eat them. These folks come at health from an entirely different place, and, it’s true, I don’t think their diets are optimal. I think they get a lot wrong. They often misconstrue what Primal is all about. I’ve even received threats from some of the less grounded members of the community, though I know that these are the outliers, the extremists, and I never took them seriously.

But…I’d also suggest plant-based dieters get a lot right. More than you’d think.

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep192017-WhatPrimalTypesCanLearnFromPlantBasedDiets.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Even having finished and printed The Keto Reset, the quest for deeper understanding continues. I keep researching, thinking, revisiting, and discussing the science and practice of ketosis. My writing partner, Brad Kearns, and I maintain a running dialogue on all things keto. The latest conversation revolved around two very common questions or “problems” that keep coming up in the ketogenic community.Why do some people on a keto diet blow high numbers of ketones while others eating the same way blow low numbers?

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep132017-WhyAmIGettingLowKetoneReadingsOnAKetogenicDiet.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Craig Ballantyne—author of two books, The Great Cardio Myth and The Perfect Day Formula. He has been contributing to Men's Health Magazine since 2000, when he also created the revolutionary home workout program, Turbulence Training. On his journey to success, Craig had helped over 151,000 men and women use his 5 Pillars of Transformation to lose 20-50 pounds in his 12-Week Transformation Contest programs. You can read his daily essays on success, productivity, and health at EarlyToRise.com. 

Direct download: Ep_186_PrimalBlueprint_CraigBallantyne.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

In the last several weeks testosterone has come up on a pretty regular basis. I’ve written about it before, of course, but there’s something about the novel elements (e.g. solar irradiation for certain choice body parts) in recent conversations that’s kept the exchange going.  I thought I’d pull back from the peripheral findings a bit today and re-center the discussion.

As you know, testosterone plays a pivotal role not just for libido levels (although we won’t leave that out), but also for bone density, protein synthesis and muscle building, hair growth, estrogen production, red blood cell production, sperm production—amid other key functions in the body (for men and women by the way).

So, what are some factors that influence testosterone levels for the better and worse for both genders? What are the mechanisms behind these associations? And how do they relate to a healthy Primal life?

Let’s dig in…

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep072017-9FactorsThatInfluenceTestosteroneLevels.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:03pm PDT

This spring when I asked what nutrition topics folks would be interested in reading about on the blog, the subject of vegetables came up repeatedly. Specifically, several readers wanted more ideas for how to cook them—with a mind to preserving (or enhancing) both nutrition and taste. As much as I love my big-ass salads, I get it. Sometimes you need to mix it up, and moving toward the cooler seasons only underscores the point.

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

Direct download: MDA-Sep122017-8TipsForCookingVegetables.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Diana Keuilian - the author of the best selling cookbooks The Recipe Hacker and Recipe Hacker Confidential. She's passionate about removing the gluten, dairy, soy, grains, and cane sugar from traditional comfort food recipes like cake, tacos, cookies, waffles, and enchiladas. You can visit her popular blog RealHealthyRecipes.com, where she shares hundreds of delicious recipes with mouthwatering photos.

Direct download: Ep_185_PrimalBlueprint_DianaKeuilian_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Mark Sisson chats with Elle Russ about her book The Paleo Thyroid Solution -  Elle also gives some recent updates on her personal thyroid healing journey. The Paleo Thyroid Solution dispels outdated, conventional thyroid wisdom still practiced by uninformed doctors, and provides the in-depth guidance necessary to solve hypothyroidism, achieve vibrant health, and optimize thyroid fat-burning hormone metabolism. Over 200 million people worldwide and over 25 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, but 60% are undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. Undiagnosed or mistreated hypothyroidism can put people at risk for serious conditions, such as: depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, gynecological issues (infertility/miscarriages/fibroids/PCOS etc.), hormonal imbalances, adrenal fatigue, anemia, and other diseases. The Paleo Thyroid Solution provides the only lifestyle and weight loss plan specifically targeted for maximizing thyroid hormone metabolism in harmony with paleo/primal/ancestral health principles.

Elle Russ is a writer, coach and host of the Primal Blueprint Podcast. She is becoming the leading voice of thyroid health in the burgeoning Paleo, Primal, Ancestral Health movements. Originally from downtown Chicago, Elle lives and plays in Malibu, CA. You can learn more about her at elleruss.com. Elle wrote The Paleo Thyroid Solution after consulting with over two dozen endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, and general practice MDs...but her thyroid condition was only getting worse - and nothing from doctors resembled a solution, or even hope. Exasperated and desperate, Elle took control of her own health and resolved two severe bouts of hypothyroidism on her own – including an acute Reverse T3 problem. Through a devoted paleo/primal lifestyle, intensive personal experimentation, and a radically modified approach to thyroid hormone replacement therapy…Elle went from fat, foggy, and fatigued – to fit, focused, and full of life!

Direct download: Ep_184_PrimalBlueprint_ElleRussMarkSisson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve taken up the subject of adaptogens over the last several weeks, and today I’m wrapping it up with two of my favorites: Rhodiola rosea and Bacopa monnieri.

Primal aficionados from way back will know that I’m a big fan of Rhodiola rosea. It’s an integral component of one of the original Primal Blueprint supplements, Primal Calm. It’s a formula I put together for my own needs and eventually decided to offer in the supplement line. (That seems to be how I come up with things, I suppose….) I’ve written in the past about stress being one of the issues I’m still working on in my Primal life, and adaptogens have been a useful tool I’ve employed. Living with an ancestral template doesn’t preclude being scientifically resourceful. 

But let’s dig into these final two players….

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

 

 

Direct download: MDA-Aug292017-TwoFinalAdaptogensRhodiolaRoseaAndBacopaMonnieri.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Keto is fantastic, everyone says. It’s a great way to lose weight, improve cognition, and stave off degenerative disease. It may help your performance in the gym and on the track. It could even give Grandpa some respite from Alzheimer’s.

But it’s hell on your thyroid. Right?

Keto detractors and proponents alike often warn that remaining in ketosis will tank your thyroid. The thyroid’s an important gland, exerting major influence over essential systems like fertility, energy, metabolism, body temperature regulation, blood lipids, and general wellness. It controls the metabolic rate of every organ in the body. We want it working well, so this is a major blow to keto—if the criticism holds true. Fortunately, there’s much more to this story.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug232017-IsKetoBadForTheThyroid.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Elizabeth Baldwin-Lodge about her new book, Simple Suggestions to Nourish the Mind, Body, and Spirit - a guide to help readers feel happy every day. Baldwin-Lodge offers insights into nourishing knowledge and inspiration, and provides activities to enhance thought and feelings of joy. Baldwin-Lodge was inspired to write the book after two failed celebrity marriages. She explains, “The first marriage was to one of the famous Baldwin brothers and the second marriage was to one of the sons of, the famous rock and roll band, The Moody Blues.” While seemingly having everything, Baldwin-Lodge felt a void in her life. It was not until she found happiness within herself, by changing her thoughts through the art of simple suggestion, that she understood the process that happiness comes from. In the book, Baldwin-Lodge shares the tools she used to help guide herself toward a feeling of well-being when she was trapped in negative thought patterns.

Elizabeth Baldwin-Lodge is an actress, interior designer and family-proclaimed fabulous chef. Baldwin-Lodge achieved her childhood dream of moving to Hollywood and becoming an actress. Her television and film credits include “Days of Our Lives,” “The Hogan Family,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Mike Hammer Private Eye” and “Watercolor Postcards.” Baldwin-Lodge also designs residential interiors and was voted one of the Design Minds of the Year in 2010. She has received several other design awards of distinction. Elizabeth Baldwin-Lodge received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Theater Arts from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

Direct download: Ep_183_PrimalBlueprint_ElizabethLodge.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

There are some who hold the view that at birth, each of us is allotted a finite supply of energy which exercise depletes, thus hastening our demise. An intense regimen like CrossFit, in this paradigm, would hasten a person’s demise.

That’s wrong, of course. Those who remain sedentary their entire lives often have short, miserable ones, while regular exercisers enjoy better health throughout their time on earth. Exercise has real potential to prolong life and compress morbidity. But it is a major stressor that, if applied incorrectly or excessively, can reduce health and overall wellness.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug172017-CrossfitForHealthAndLongevity.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:41pm PDT

The article doesn’t come to a neat conclusion. There’s no prescription at the end. It meanders. It explores. It’s messy. I think that’s exactly how most people feel when trying to tackle this diet/health/bodyweight/eating thing: confused, lost, conflicted, overwhelmed.Go look at the comment section from the article, and you’ll see that pretty much everyone got something different from it.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug162017-_IsThereAProblemWithWeightLossCulture.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Ben Greenfield - a biohacker, human body and brain performance coach, ex-bodybuilder, Ironman triathlete, professional Spartan athlete, anti-aging consultant, speaker and author of the New York Times Bestseller Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health and Life and creator of the Christian Gratitude Journal. In 2008, Ben was voted as NSCA’s Personal Trainer of the year, in 2013 and 2014 was named by Greatist as one of the top 100 Most Influential People In Health And Fitness, and Ben's articles, podcast and videos reach over a million unique views each month.

Direct download: Ep_182_PrimalBlueprint_BenGreenfield.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve covered a number of adaptogens over the past few months including American and Asian ginsengashwagandha, astragalus, and holy basil—and for good reason. They offer an effective means to combat stress as well as boost health and performance from a number of angles. I’ve enjoyed experimenting with many of them and even use some on a regular basis. 

I thought I’d continue the series with a look at 3 additional adaptogens: maca, sea buckthorn, and schisandra. See what you think.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug152017-AdaptogensMacaRootSeaBuckthornOilSchisandra.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Exercise is a major stressor. But it’s a major acute stressor, rather than a chronic one. It hits us, then it’s over, and we recover. When the next session rolls around, we’re better/faster/stronger/fitter. We adapt. At least, that’s how exercise is supposed to go if you have enough buffer time between sessions. Most people do provide enough buffer time between their exercise sessions to promote recovery. Many provide too much, leading to detraining.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug092017-CrossfitTrainingHowGoingPrimalWillEnhanceRecovery.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:42pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Primal Endurance Podcast host Brad Kearns for the second part of the Primal Endurance Online Mastery course discussion about how Primal-style eating integrates into endurance training goals. Becoming fat adapted through dietary transformation can actually make you a faster endurance athlete, by improving your ability to burn stored fat for energy. Eating a high carbohydrate diet and training in chronic patterns can make you overstressed, inflamed, and carrying excess body fat despite devoted attention to training. What's more, the traditional "struggle and suffer" approach to endurance training can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease! Even if you are walking around as a fit and ripped specimen, bad things happen inside your body when you are in the carbohydrate dependency training paradigm. Slow down your cardio workouts, ditch grains, sugars, and refined vegetable oils. All these topics and more are carefully organized in the Primal Endurance online course to give you the most comprehensive education on endurance training ever created. Check it all out at primalendurance.fit (including the introductory discount and special bonus offer).

Direct download: Ep_181_PrimalBlueprint_BradKearns_pt2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.

Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug2017-TheDefinitiveGuideToBoneBroth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:34pm PDT

Gaining mass and building strength while CrossFitting should be a breeze. You’re lifting heavy things using compound full-body movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses, providing a potent growth stimulus to your muscles. Yet, many people fall short of their goals, perhaps losing weight and improving performance but failing to really gain any real muscle or strength.

Today, I’m going to explain how going Primal can help you achieve both goals.

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

Direct download: MDA-Aug012017-CrossFitTrainingHowToAddMassAndBuildStrengthWithPrimal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:22pm PDT

Primal Blueprint Podcast hostess Elle Russ joins Primal Endurance Podcast host Brad Kearns in Malibu to discuss the release of the long-awaited Primal Endurance Online Mastery Course. This ambitious project is a comprehensive multimedia educational experience that essentially brings the book Primal Endurance to life through videos, eBooks and audio presentations. In this part 1 podcast, Brad and Elle discuss the importance of slowing down to develop an aerobic base and avoiding overstress patterns; the importance of an intuitive approach, instead of a robotic, regimented approach; and how an evolved and pure approach to endurance goals can carry over into peak performance and happiness in all other areas of life. Brad's online course features over 120 videos covering every aspect of the book content as well as in-depth interviews with many of the world's leading endurance athletes, coaches, and scientific and medical experts. All these topics and more are carefully organized in the Primal Endurance online course to give you the most comprehensive education on endurance training ever created. Check it all out at primalendurance.fit (including the introductory discount and special bonus offer).

Direct download: Ep_180_PrimalBlueprint_BradKearns_pt1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

CrossFit is well-known for leaning people out. But there’s also a small but significant portion of people who struggle to lose body fat despite—or perhaps because of—hitting the box religiously and doing all the workouts. This post is for them.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul272017-CrossFitTrainingHowToLoseFatWithPrimal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

My friend, former co-competitor, business partner, and writing buddy Brad Kearns had been on a “Quantified Self” kick, tracking biomarkers, testing blood sugar and ketone levels, and staying abreast of all the various ways we can quantitatively check our progress. He’s months into a ketogenic experiment and had hoped to marry his subjective impressions to objective measurements to strengthen his intuition and improve his results.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul262017-StopObsessingOverTheNumbers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:17am PDT

Thor Conklin is an Entrepreneur, Profitability Consultant and host of his daily podcast, Peak Performers Podcast. 2017 marks his 17th year as an entrepreneur. The first company Thor created was a global risk management consulting firm that served the private equity community. His top 15 clients had a combined revenue of $12.7 billion USD and operated in over 100 countries worldwide. Thor has started, bought and sold several multi-million dollar businesses making him a sought after, cross-industrial resource for entrepreneurs and executives in all stages of business. Thor lives a Paleo lifestyle and believes achieving optimum health is a critical co-factor in business success and becoming a Peak Performer.

Thor has a talent for slicing through the noise of every day distractions and bringing his clients and audiences intellectual commodities like his: “Ultimate Success Map”, a simplistic, easy-to- follow guide for individuals who need to break through to the next level of achievement. Thor’s gritty, no nonsense and direct approach uncovers the real truth about what is holding people and organizations back from realizing their full potential. He can illuminate even the most successful and confident leader’s limiting beliefs. He is known as the Accountability & Execution Guy. Through his latest venture, Peak Performance Group, he teaches the tools, tips, tricks, psychology and strategies necessary to be a Peak Performer. He qualifies the psychology of success in one word: “Execution”! “Nothing you’ve learned matters – unless you can EXECUTE”!

Direct download: Ep_179_PrimalBlueprint_ThorConkiln_pt1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Our goal, then, is to improve our microbiological real estate in the many areas of the body that commensal and symbiotic bacterial like to put down roots—the gutmouth, lungs, skin, reproductive organs, and so on. The average Primal enthusiast is well-versed with the role of food choices and smart supplementation (although research is always uncovering new wrinkles—more on this to come). 

I thought I’d give a little attention to some of the other basic practices that can influence microbial diversity and homeostasis. There are more answers and nuances than I can cover today, but let’s start with some of the fundamentals.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul252017-5NonDietaryFactorsThatInfluenceYourMicrobiome.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Over the past two posts in this series, I’ve explained how a Primal way of eating can not only support a heavy CrossFit schedule, but elevate it. Today, I’m going to explain how going Primal can help fix a common complaint among CrossFitters: fatigue. No energy. No pep. A distinct lack of physical and psychological motivation to train, let alone hit PRs. This doesn’t just make it hard to finish workouts and make gains. It bleeds into the rest of your life and makes that worse, too.

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

 

Direct download: MDA-Jul202017-CrossFitsCriticismsHowDoIKeepEnergyLevelsHighOnPrimal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:19am PDT

I’ve gotten a lot of requests for a post about children’s nutrition, so it’s long overdue. When it comes down to brass tacks, kids really are just small people. They aren’t a different species. They use the same nutrients their parents do. They need protein, fat, and glucose just like us. So in that sense, feeding kids is simple: Give them all the nutritious foods you already eat and know to be healthy.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul192017-TheDefinitiveGuideToChildrensNutrition.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Aarn Farmer has been a frugal blogger for over seven years at GroceryShopforFREE.com and GroceryShopforFREEatTheMart.com. At 40 years old he was over 400 lbs, had a blood pressure of 200/160 and was diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome. His wife was also more than 100 lbs overweight and had Type II Diabetes. As he looked for a way to get his health under control, he found out that weight loss was primarily controlled by hormones and not calorie restriction as he previously thought.  After more than two years of a low carb diet, followed by a ketogenic diet, Aarn has lost over 175 lbs, dramatically lowered his blood pressure, and no longer has Metabolic Syndrome. His wife has also lost over 100 lbs and no longer has Type II Diabetes.

Aarn shares his story at MySugarFreeJourney.com where he blogs about how insulin is the main hormone responsible for weight gain and teaches how to eat a healthy diet while being frugal.

Direct download: Ep_178_PrimalBlueprint_AarnFarmer_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

First off, let’s settle one thing right away. Grilling is not the same as barbecuing. Barbecue means big cuts of meat cooked low and slow. Depending on the animal, it can be an all-day affair with hours of preparation and plenty of leisure. In other words, it’s an actual event. With the time and labor intensity, barbecuing (as Michael Pollan put it so well recently) is the stuff of primal ritual, the site of social cohesion in our evolutionary story. Grilling, on the other hand, offers the smoke and fire experience without the bigger doings. While not as idyllic a prospect, it’s convenient. It means throwing a steak on the grill after work and eating it 20 minutes later. That’s the beauty of grilling. It’s relatively quick, requires very little clean up, and let’s you kick back outdoors while cooking dinner.

 

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul182017-8PrimalGrillingTipsAndTechniques.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Considering how essential bones are to our existence, it’s surprising how most people take them for granted. A lifetime of neglect can suddenly reveal to us just how sensitive and integral this living framework is. Yet, there’s so much more to this truth than we commonly assume. 

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul122017-NeedToKnowFactorsForBoneHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:31am PDT

Elle Russ Chats with Loretta Breuning, PhD - Founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, which helps people manage the brain chemicals we’ve inherited from our earliest ancestors. She's author of Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain your brain to boost your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels, and The Science of Positivity: Stop Negative Thought Patterns By Changing Your Brain Chemistry.  She’s Professor Emerita of Management at California State University, East Bay - and the mother of tax-paying adults.

Direct download: Ep_177_PrimalBlueprint_LorettaBreuning.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

By far the single most common criticism levied against paleo by CrossFitters is that it’s too damn difficult to eat enough carbs to maintain performance during workouts. There is definitely truth there.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul062017-CrossFitsCriticism.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Conventional wisdom teaches us to accept our fate when it comes to hair loss. “Runs in the family,” we’re often told—and sometimes it does (but that’s usually not the full story). “It’s just part of getting older,” people say, too—and there we again find only partial truth at best.

But the Primal path is one of thoughtful scrutiny, not blind acceptance. While most people would file hair loss under aesthetic concerns (ranging from neutral to negative depending on social norms and personal views), it’s not always that innocuous. Let’s look today the bigger picture behind hair loss and the situations in which it signifies a genuine health concern.

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

 

Direct download: MDA-Jul042017-HairLoss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:24pm PDT

Back when they were infants, CrossFit and paleo were the best of friends. Robb Wolf was giving CrossFit nutrition seminars. CF boxes were running paleo challenges and offering meal plans to clients. Tens of thousands of people were introduced to paleo through CrossFit and CrossFit through paleo.

Over time, however, they drifted apart. CrossFit met and fell in with the Zone Diet—a calm, well-mannered lad with impeccable balance, and paleo’s dad got a job in another city. They ended up going to different schools. These things happen. It’s fine. Both CrossFit and paleo are better versions of themselves for having met each other.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jul052017-AreCrossfitAndPrimalCompatible.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Mark Sisson chats with Derek Flanzraich—an entrepreneur on a mission to give everyone a "healthyish" attitude. He is the CEO & Founder of Greatist, a next-generation media startup working to make healthy living cool and build a truly trusted consumer-facing healthy living brand. Greatist reaches more than 10 million unique visitors per month.  Flanzraich was previously with Clicker.com (acquired by CBS) and NBC Universal's Digital Entertainment Strategy & Operations, graduated from Harvard, and has been building brands and organizations that last since his dog-walking business at 10 years old. Besides everything health and wellness, he also loves theme parks and theme bars.

Direct download: Ep_176_PrimalBlueprint_DerekFlanzraich.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Last week I waded into the adaptogen theme, examining the many ins and not-so-many outs of American and Asian ginseng. It got me thinking—why not keep the ball rolling? The ginseng varieties I mentioned are only two among many adaptogens after all.

Let’s dive right in and take up three additional adaptogen choices—along with some additional suggestions for discerning the safest and most potent formulations. 

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun292017-MoreOnAdaptogens.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I was beginning to rest on my laurels. It had been months since the inbox had flooded with upset readers asking me to address the latest episode of the conventional establishment’s attack on healthy food and living. Until last week, when people starting freaking out about the American Heart Association’s attack on coconut oil. As USAToday put it, “Coconut oil isn’t healthy. It’s never been healthy.”

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun2017-CoconutOilIsGoingToKillUsAll.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Cassie Parks loves the ocean, dancing for no reason and the power of possibly. Her best-selling books include the topics of money, business and lifestyle design. She is a mentor for those who want to turn their wildest dreams into their dreams come true.  She is the host of the podcast Happy Ever After and the co-host of the Manifest it Now show on the Law of Attraction Radio Network. Other highlights include speaking at TAI talks and being a real estate investor who retired at 32. She is the creator of the Manifest $10K Course and the Double Your Business Workshop. Her forthcoming magazine is called Possible. Cassie loves to travel, being with those she loves and laughing a lot.

Direct download: Ep_175_PrimalBlueprint_CassieParks_NEW.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

I’ve been using adaptogens for quite some time, but in the last year I’ve been experimenting a little more with them. You may have caught my mention of a few adaptogenic varieties in one version of my daily big ass salad (not for a flavor hit). I’ve also briefly highlighted ashwagandha and holy basil, and I’ve always been a big believer (and user) of Rhodiola rosea for normalizing stress response.

All well and good. But what’s the backstory on adaptogens? What is there to gain? And what about the other options? 

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun222017-AdaptogenEffects.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP -  a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner about her new book The Alzheimer's Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline. She is a US Air Force veteran who now specializes in using low-carbohydrate nutrition to help people reclaim their vitality. You can read her blog at www.tuitnutrition.com, where she writes about a wide range of health and nutrition-related topics, such as insulin, metabolism, weight loss, thyroid function, and more.

Direct download: Ep_174_PrimalBlueprint_AmyBerger.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm PDT

In a few months, I’ll be releasing a book extolling the virtues of a ketogenic diet. I’m currently several months into a ketogenic experiment, which is going well. I just wrote a Definitive Guide explaining why you should consider going keto. I’m on record as stating that everyone should dip into ketosis from time to time. You’d think I’d recommend that everyone go keto. Right?

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun212017-IsKetoForEveryone.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Going ketogenic has made me hone in on my fat sources even more than before. This is an essential practice for anyone seriously pursuing a ketogenic diet. As fat will comprise the majority of your calories, you need to maximize the nutrition you’ll obtain from the fats you choose. 

Direct download: MDA-Jun142017-My16FavoriteFatSources.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chat with Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic, is on a mission to make medicinal mushrooms, some of the world’s most researched superfoods, more accessible to everyone. Born in Finland to an agronomist father and nursing teacher mother, Tero grew up on a farm his family has owned since 1619. There, he foraged for mushrooms and other wild foods while learning about the natural food space at an early age.

Following his early education on the farm, Tero later completed a Degree in Chemistry and a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University. In 2006, he won a Finnish innovation award for discovering that the sought-after Japanese culinary matsutake mushrooms also grow in Finland. Tero is a reputable source on superfoods, an expert on natural health and has been a featured speaker at Summit Series, Wanderlust and WME-IMG.
Tero has lived in eight countries on three continents. He has a strong personal interest in health and wellness, which includes activities like making raw chocolate and practicing yin yoga. He has also recently taken up a unique practice of napping on a nail mat, which is a modern form of acupressure and helps to energize his busy life.

Tero founded Four Sigmatic in 2012 and its products are now sold in over 25 countries. In 2015, the company launched in the U.S. and relocated its headquarters to Los Angeles, California. Four Sigmatic’s functional mushroom coffees, hot cacaos and elixirs are sold at retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods and other natural grocers, as well as online at FourSigmatic.com and through online health websites like Thrive Market. Tero is a reputable source on superfoods, an expert on natural health and has been a featured speaker for example at Summit Series, Wanderlust, Further Future, Culinary Nutrition Conference, and WME-IMG.  Tero was also chosen as one of the world's TOP 50 Food Activists by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition.

Direct download: Ep_173_PrimalBlueprint_TeroIsokauppila.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

Most people come to the Primal Blueprint because they want to lose weight. Ask any purveyor of a specific diet and they’ll say much the same thing. The majority of people are interested in dropping body fat, looking good naked, and fitting into their clothes. The interest in overall health, fitness, and lifestyle tends to develop organically out of that. Come for the weight loss, stay for the blue-blocking goggles.

There’s a tendency to view weight loss as superficial compared to the other stuff. That’s a mistake. Weight loss isn’t just about belt notches and positive experiences with mirrors. It confers measurable and, most importantly, tangible benefits to health, happiness, and daily functionality almost immediately. Fat loss, it turns out, isn’t a flighty pursuit. It solves a lot of serious problems and makes some really cool things happen.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun132017-CoolThingsYouNoticeHappeningOnceYouStartToLoseWeight.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

It’s fair to say that I gravitate towards tangible, actionable subject matter when it comes to improving my own and others’ health. Things like nutrition, fitness, sleep, hormonal responses, and supplement science may seem like a lot to chew on for the layperson, but these are my personal passions as well as my long-time profession.

And while these are certainly the big, actionable players in the game of health, I fully acknowledge there may be more lurking behind the scenes than we realize. A body that refuses to heal no matter how Primal you eat. Stubborn health conditions that simply refuse to fully go away, despite all the changes you make in your life. A propensity for disease that defies everything you’ve learned about ancestral nutrition and wellness. An intriguing new angle in the health sphere suggests the hurdle for some people may be embedded deeper than outer changes can access. 

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun082017-ACEsAndPrimalHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

I use my Los Angeles surroundings as a barometer for changes in the mainstream approach to health, and it holds up quite well. Silicon Valley can claim to be the cradle of technology, but L.A. is definitely the cradle of diet and fitness trends; and the latest is most definitely keto. At the local cafe where every species of Malibu fitness enthusiast gathers to gossip and fuel up, I’m seeing fewer gels and energy bars, and way more butter coffees and discarded packets of the new powdered ketone supplement products.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun072017-TheDefinitiveGuideToKeto.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with PaleoPorn.com co-founder Marla Sarris.  After dedicating six years to teaching at one of the nation's top high schools, Marla left her career to pursue a healthier, sustainable lifestyle.  She discovered paleo in 2009 and continues to indulge her passion for teaching through PaleoPorn.com and her cookbooks - Pigskin Paleo and the upcoming Paleo MX (Authentic Paleo Mexican Recipes).

When she's not in the kitchen, Marla makes up one-third of SPYR, a brand development agency. She is Executive Producer of the #1 indie documentary of 2016, Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things and co-creator of the meditation course Week of Zen.  Use code Primal20 for 20% off the Week of Zen course.

Direct download: Ep_172_PrimalBlueprint_MarlaSarris.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

As I discussed last month, depression is the yin to anxiety’s yang. Between these two troublemakers, they’ve got dark clouds hanging over both the past and the future, making the present moment complicated at best (and for some people unbearable). Taken as a human composite, it’s an unfortunate trade-off for being cognitively complex. As individuals, however, we naturally just want a solution.

The problem is, there’s just so many confounding factors surrounding depression that it’s hard to know where to start. Your mind is an infinitely complex latticework of moving parts; one which continues to baffle and divide the scientific community. How does a practitioner prescribe suitable treatments for a problem they don’t fully comprehend? And, yet, medical science often (and perhaps inevitably) works with incomplete information.

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

Direct download: MDA-Jun012017-7AlternativeTherapiesForDepression.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

At the onset of our annual 21-Day Challenge this past January, I offered up a post that proposed thinking small—“41 Primal Action Items and Individual Experiments for Success in 2017.” The idea here wasn’t shrinking our scope to the exclusion of big visioning, but homing in on the day to day aims we can set for ourselves that make the big changes happen.

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

Direct download: MDA-May312017-SummerReset2028229.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats with Genevieve Howland, author of The Mama Natural: Week to Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth - the modern (and yet ancient) approach to pregnancy and childbirth. “Natural” recognizes that pregnancy and birth are normal, and that having a baby is a wondrous biological process and rite of passage—not a medical condition.
 Full of weekly advice and tips, Howland covers vital pregnancy nutrition, natural remedies for common concerns, as well as the appropriate (and inappropriate) use of medical interventions. Peppered throughout are positive birth and pregnancy stories from women of all backgrounds (and all stages of their natural journey) along with advice and insights from a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) plus a Registered Nurse (RN), doula, and lactation consultant. With over sixty million views on her YouTube channel, Genevieve Howland’s funny but informational videos have empowered millions of women to embrace natural pregnancy and parenting.

Direct download: Ep_171_PrimalBlueprint_GenevieveHowland.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

With Memorial Day come and gone, we’re rounding the corner to summer. Even in the northern-most regions of the country, farmers markets are back (if they ever closed where you live). Ten years ago when I started MDA, they were still a rarity in most parts of the country, but times have changed.

Farmers markets aren’t just about local, seasonal produce. Sure, that’s a great reason to show up every week, but I’d argue also for some of the less noted (in some cases even less tangible) benefits of hitting these markets.

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

Direct download: MDA-May302017-6PrimalMindedReasonsToHitTheFarmersMarketThisWeekend.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Serotonin is a major regulator of mood and depression risk. These are important, vital roles, to be sure. Your mood describes how you experience and interpret the world. If it’s consistently bad, you’regoing to have a rough time. Yet, serotonin is much more than the “feel-good hormone.” It also influences sexual desire and helps us remember. It’s the precursor to melatonin, the neurotransmitter that allows us to sleep.

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

Direct download: MDA-May242017-10TipsForBoostingYourSerotoninLevels.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

While I don’t recommend making Primalized versions of grain-based foods a staple, the fact remains that people love them. They’re going to want them. There’s not much you can do about that. And if we want to incorporate pancakes, muffins, cookies, and other flour-based items into our diets without ruining everything we’ve worked toward, we need the healthiest, most Primal flours.

The alternative flour market has exploded in recent years. A decade ago, you had gritty almond flour and fibrous coconut flour, and that was about it. Today, there are many more flours to sift through. But what are the best ones? Which ones fit best into a Primal way of eating, and why?

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

Direct download: MDA-May232017-8PrimalFriendlyFlours.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

In response to my post on oral health a few weeks ago, one reader offered a comment about the oral biome, and it’s a worthy follow-up, I’d say.

The human oral cavity is home to hundreds of microorganisms. Latest estimates place the number of bacterial species in your mouth at close to 700, with the odd fungus, protozoa and even virus thrown in for good measure. This oral microbiome isn’t a whole lot different than that of our gut, but where things get interesting is when we consider the diverse range of habitats within the mouth: teeth, tongue, cheeks, gums, tonsils. All provide different living conditions for those microorganisms that colonize them, but that diversity of habitats also encourages a diversity of species.

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

Direct download: MDA-May182017-HowYourOralBiomeInfluencesYourOverallHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Wheat gets a bad rap in the alternative health sphere, receiving blame from all sides. Today, I’m here to provide the other side. Today, I’m going to give you seven solid reasons to love wheat, ranging from its effects on the environment, its role in the foundation of the American republic, its effect on gut bacteria and your health, its ability to stamp out hatred, its protective role in the lives of Bronze Age Chinese women, and its status as an enduring symbol of human rights and prosperity.

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

Direct download: MDA-May172017-7ReasonsToLoveWheat.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Elle Russ chats about living an expanded life with Adam & Vanessa Lambert - both exceptional paleo health and lifestyle coaches who make a uniquely formidable team. Adam’s knowledge is rooted in research, and he approaches wellness largely from a scientific perspective. Vanessa is more of an experiential learner who relies on intuition and feeling in her coaching practice. Together, these pros have all the bases of the wellness picture covered—which is why they appeal to such a broad and diverse spectrum of clients.

Through Bee The Wellness and its diversity of programs and offerings, Adam and Vanessa leverage their incredible wealth of knowledge to help clients make real, manageable changes that are sustainable for life. They are known for their non-judgmental point of view, caring nature, passion, and commitment to helping people achieve their own personal formula for success. These traits are what truly make them a one-of-a-kind wellness team.  Use the code "primal" to receive a 10% discount on the Bee The Wellness 2017 Costa Rica Retreat.

Direct download: Ep_169_PrimalBlueprint_AdamVanessaLambert.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am PDT

As much as humans think they’re objective beings whose every decision emerges from cold logical calculation, we’re just irrational, emotional animals. That’s why stories and anecdotes are more convincing than facts, why people fear losing money twice as much as they enjoy making it, and why the guy making $100k per year feels poor if his neighbors make twice that. This kind of phenomenon is best explained by behavioral economics, a method of economic inquiry that uses psychological, emotional, cognitive, and social factors to explain why we make the often-irrational financial choices we do. And it has some interesting applications for health…

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

Direct download: MDA-May162017-HowShouldWeHarnessBehavioralEconomicsForBetterHealth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

The paleo diet and Primal Blueprint way of eating (a.k.a. Primal) are both based on similar evolutionary science. The story goes something like this. Our modern Western diet bears little resemblance to the eating habits of early humans throughout several 100,000 years of evolutionary history. Instead, since the Agricultural Revolution some mere 10,000 years ago, we’ve adopted a nutritional regime to which our physiology is poorly adapted. When the basics of our diet return to the patterns of our pre-agricultural ancestors, we work with, instead of against, our physiology. More simply: eat as our ancestors ate, and we’ll be healthier for it.

 

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

Direct download: MDA-May112017-WhatsTheDifferenceBetweenPrimalAndPaleo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT