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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Look: I’m a man. I’ve lived a different experience than the average woman, with totally different equipment and different concentrations of hormones coursing through my body. But I have a daughter and a wife and a good head on my shoulders that’s spent the last 30 years thinking about health, nutrition, and fitness for humans, so I have a few things to offer.

So let’s get right down to today’s post. What follows are 12 tips for Primal women. Or any woman, really.

Were Grok and his kin really rock-throwing brutes, or would they likely show up us “moderns” in their adherence to relative order and harmony? In other words, how much is civility really dependent upon civilization?

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

How do we treat burnout once we find ourselves in this modern scourge? What can we do to recover both our emotional and physical vitality? And, even better, how can we avoid burnout altogether? The strategies, I’d argue, are largely the same if we can summon the motivation to follow through before we find ourselves hitting that bottom. Some attempt to address the physical manifestations of burnout, while others confront the core lifestyle issues that ignite and perpetuate it.

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

Seasonal allergies occur when your innate immune system perceives airborne pollen as a threat and overreacts to its presence in your body with a flood of histamine, producing runny nose, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, headaches, and other symptoms. This type of response makes sense with foreign substances that are intrinsically dangerous, like pathogenic microbes, poisons, and toxins, but there’s nothing inherently dangerous about pollen. What gives?

Host Brad Kearns joins firefighter and PrimalCon legend, Chris Adams, to talk about the stresses of shift work and sleep disruption, as well as how he helped Arizona firefighter academy students dramatically improve their performance by emphasizing aerobic exercise instead of stressful, higher intensity cardio training.

Chris and his partner Tina Leaman (Primal Blueprint audio engineer, who produces all podcasts and audiobooks) have the distinction of attending all nine PrimalCon events around the world from 2010-2014. They served as group and staff leaders to ensure guests had a fabulous time.

Working in high stress environments that involve sleep disruptions can be a real health challenge, and also interfere with fitness progress. Chris, a devoted CrossFit athlete with superhuman strength and athleticism, learned the hard way about burnout when he combined a heavy CrossFit schedule with his night shift firefighting work and guaranteed sleep interruptions. Chris talks about expertly managing the Adrenalin rush that comes when the bell rings for emergencies, how to manage the common "compassion fatigue" that afflicts public servants, and how to respect the big picture instead of "compartmentalize stress," i.e., making workout decisions based on workout schedule, but not respecting the influence of your work schedule.

Enjoy this informative conversation, especially if you deal with sleep disruption or are trying to balance enthusiastic workout goals with a challenging career. Learn how Chris helped fire academy students slow down and then deliver major peak performance breakthroughs on testing day.

Where’s the line between normal indulgence and chronic “abuse” of food? And what do we do when we find ourselves sliding into risky territory?

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

Whether because of old/current injuries, the general state of the body, or simple personal preference, a significant portion of the population isn’t going to be running sprints on a track. Maybe you hate it. Maybe it hurts too much, or you’re worried about throwing something out. Whatever the reason for your sprint abstinence, there are worthy alternatives to traditional sprinting.

Today’s article is a guest post by Dr. Mark Burhenne, the #1 bestselling author of The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox. As an authority on dental health, he is also on a mission to help shift the conversation about sleep from quantity to quality as the foundation for primal living. As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Burhenne blogs about the mouth-body connection on his website, AsktheDentist.com. Today, he addresses some of the most pressings topics surrounding oral health from an ancestral health perspective, which , if you think about it, can be summed up with the following question: If Grok didn’t floss his teeth, why should I, especially when I’m living a primal lifestyle?

Hosts Elle Russ and Brad Kearns tackle an assortment of topics influenced by podcast listener and MarksDailyApple.com reader comments, including low testosterone (problematic for both males and females) and natural ways to optimize hormones. They discuss concerns about HbA1c, a test that reveals long term blood glucose levels and has the potential to bring up concerns about metabolic damage caused by decades of SAD eating, and how it might delay results when going Primal. Discussion continues about the reframing of alcohol in The Primal Blueprint in the “Avoid Poisonous Things” category, given how it can compromise gut health and fat reduction goals, and contribute to other health concerns and conditions. At the end of the show, Elle discusses the journey of writing her book The Paleo Thyroid Solution, and dispenses some interesting advice to those aspiring to write.

Weight loss and the resulting health enhancements can top offthe natural contentment and confidence some people for the mostpart already have. Alternatively, it becomes a catalyst forpsychological work that matches the same vigor as their physicaltransformation.

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

Walking on flat, linear, manmade surfaces is certainly fine, especially if I’ve got my wife or dog or a friend—or I’m exploring a new city—but naturally deposited ground full of dips and peaks and studded with random deformations is ideal.

And there’s growing evidence that it’s better for you, too.

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

Today I’m talking limits—and how knowing where to draw the line is essential to living an awesome life.

Should you foam roll everything? Is it worth getting into those ridiculously contrived positions in order to hit some small ribbon of fascia hidden between limbs? Should you foam roll your face?

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

Chris and Jared are the only instructors in the U.S of  "The Wim Hof Method" certified by Wim aka the "Iceman" himself. Wim Hof teaches that through a proper breathing and training, you can train to hold your breath longer, making conscious contact with your heart, autonomic nervous system, and immune system. It also has a positive influence on your blood circulation.

Learn why people like Laird Hamilton, Orlando Bloom, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferris, and Oprah Winfrey, practice the Wim Hof Method and feel the amazing benefits of this powerful and healing breathing method supported by science!

Show Notes:

• What is the Wim Hof method? [00:01:05]
• How does the breathing technique set up the hormonal response? [00:07:17]
• What are the benefits of this ice bath? [00:08:49]
• Who is a good candidate for this breathing method? [00:11:25]
• Is the purpose of the Wim Hof method to increase the stress hormone response? [00:14:18]
• What are some of the success stories you have experienced? [00:15:41]
• How many people are trained to do these workshops? [00:23:16]
• What is the background of Jared? [00:27:15]
• How did Chris get into this area? [00:32:16]
• Look on Facebook for "Wim Hof method workshop"[00:37:19]

Beyond these suggestions from health-related research, there are experts who likewise push for a hobby comeback. One career coach shares that hobbies have helped her clients reduce stress, manage anger, and enhance work performance because of their potential to “improve…decision-making, creativity and confidence.”

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

First-press avocado oil retains most of the fat-soluble nutrients, antioxidants, carotenoids, and chlorophylls found in the fruit, just like extra virgin olive oil retains olive nutrients, first-press avocado oil provides the power of the avocado in a compact, reliable, convenient, pourable package.

And it lets you do lots of cool things...

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

Host Brad Kearns welcomes Matt Whitmore and Keris Marsden in a joint podcast with Fitter Food radio channel in London! Their second book, Fitter Food, Second Helping is coming out soon. Their first book was a big seller in Europe under the title, Fitter Food, and in the U.S. under the title Paleo Primer. They have their own training/fitness facility in London where they work with individuals helping them learn all about the paleo/primal lifestyle.

Keris and Matt discuss how a proper nutrition regimen for athletes has evolved over the years. They look at how much carbohydrate is needed for fueling exercise, as well as how much training is helpful or damaging. They explore how much ketosis is needed for high endurance performance and if are there negative side effects to long-term ketosis.

This entertaining podcast will inspire listeners to question what you thought you knew about training and carbo-loading.

Today, I’m going to discuss many of the reasons you shouldn’t trust the latest nutritional study without looking past the headlines.

How can our pre-industrial brains stay organized and focus on the things that matter? Here are a few tips to help.

Adversity varies and challenges us in different ways. But our ability to endure and bounce back from stress, struggle, and loss is what emotional resilience is all about. What can our ancestors’ examples teach us about psychological hardiness and mental fortitude?

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

Let’s take a look at five genetic mutations and how the Primal way of eating, living, and moving can help mitigate their downsides.

Elle Russ is in the studio today with fitness and personal development guru, Craig Ballantyne. Craig is the author of The Perfect Day Formula and has a set a goal to help 10 million people transform their lives, physically mentally, emotionally and financially by the year 2020.

Learn all about the “Five Pillars of Success” and how to become your best, and stay your best, in this eye opening episode.

Many people today lead lives of flatness or even despair in which they take paths dictated by cultural or familial expectation—or by the pursuit of money over passion. They go whole decades of life never asking what they’d rather be doing, and those frustrated inclinations end up coming out sideways in a midlife crisis or just a subtle resentment that smolders each day.

What if you didn’t eat the potatoes after a hard workout? What if you abstained from carbs entirely after a glycogen-depleting workout? What if you just went to bed without any (carbs in your) supper? What if you were an elite athlete and skipped the carbs?

That’s exactly what a team of French researchers had a group of highly trained male triathletes do, according to a study released a couple months back.

They were exploring the effects of a “sleep-low” eating regimen on the type of performance indices relevant to endurance athletes.

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

Mark is in the studio this week with Todd White, founder of revolutionary wine production company, Dry Farm Wines. Todd is a writer, speaker and leading authority on healthy, organic natural wines and supporter of micro-dosing alcohol for health, longevity and vitality. As an avid biohacker and health experimenter, Todd is also releasing a ketogenic cookbook called Keto Well that discusses his success in low-carb eating.

Todd is a bit of a Renaissance man, but for the last 15 years he has specialized in the natural health and wine business. He has dedicated his life to educating and helping people make better choices about food, nutrition, and how they think about consuming alcohol.

Today we’re getting a complete education on wine, including an in-depth look at common modern additives and the resulting issues they pose. If you're wondering where alcohol lands in your overall health goals, then this is the episode for you!

Sometimes it’s the people in our inner circle who are the inquiring minds. Other times it’s co-workers or even strangers. It might even be our doctors. Whatever the case, what might begin as a simple question can often devolve into a full-blown harangue about how we’re putting our health in grave peril. On the flip side, it may be we who descend into an extended diatribe on all things Primal as the other person tries to slink away, having just been intrigued by our lettuce wrapped “un-wich.” How do we respond in these conversations without losing all patience or perspective?

Are we shortchanging ourselves by complete elimination of potentially allergenic or sensitizing foods like wheat, peanuts, or dairy? Do we become even more sensitive to “bad” foods by avoiding them entirely? This question stems from two things I recently encountered. The first was a recent rewatcing of The Princess Bride. The second was the recent peanut allergy study.

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

Mark sits down for a lively chat with Melissa Hartwig, Certified Sports Nutritionist, New York Times Best Selling author of It Starts With Food and The Whole30, and co-creator of the wildly popular Whole30 movement. Melissa is no stranger to major media as she's been featured by The Today Show, Dr. Oz, The View, Outside, Shape and Self Magazines, and The Wall Street Journal. Melissa has presented over 150 health and nutrition seminars worldwide, and connects with over 1.5 million people each month through the Whole30 website.

Mark and Melissa run through a number of fascinating topics, including how Melissa developed the Whole30 program, nutrition's role in addiction recovery, whether or not alcohol can have a place in a healthy diet, and why the Whole30 program is meant to be learning tool to get you on the path of having a healthy relationship with food. This is truly an episode you don't want to miss!

Primal people tend to assume they have the B vitamins covered. It’s no wonder: punch a slab of beef chuck steak or a few ounces of liver into the USDA nutrient database and that whole B vitamin section seems to fill up.

Let’s take a look. You may be right. You may be totally fine. But it’s always nice to refresh your focus.

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

Readers of my blog are already familiar with my take on the minimalist, or “barefoot” shoe. Unencumbered by supportive arch inserts, stiff soles, and cramped dimensions, the healthy human foot performs, feels, and functions best in a minimalist shoe. It cuts out the fluff and the artifice, the rent-seeking yet unnecessary modifications and upgrades that characterize the modern shoe industry and distills the essentials of what shoe should do—protect the bottom of the foot without changing the heel height or cutting off incoming sensory data. Even if you don’t currently wear minimalist footwear, you grasp the argument, understand the appeal, and agree that minimalist shoes hew more closely to the ancestral environment in which our feet evolved. They are Primal through and through.

Does the same hold true for the growing minimalist movement? Was Grok a minimalist? Sorta…

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

Can we take what research tells us about the roughly prevalent hunter-gatherer model of leadership and decipher lessons for modern management? I tend to think so.

Here are what I’d consider 7 Primal ways to be a better leader….

Host Elle Russ sits down with Dr. Peter Osborne, the clinical director of Origins Healthcare Center in Sugar Land, TX, and author of No Grain, No Pain. Dr. Osborne is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist and an expert in orthomolecular and functional medicine. His clinical focus is the holistic natural treatment of chronic degenerative diseases with a primary focus on gluten sensitivity and food allergies. He has helped thousands of patients recover from mysterious medical illnesses.

Get ready folks, because this episode is chock full of fascinating (and digestible) facts on the issues grains cause within the body.

We all have people in our lives who avoid meat and/or animal products in general for multiple reasons—health, ethics, the environment, squeamishness, animal welfare—but we care about them. We also subscribe, with varying degrees of rigidity, to an eating philosophy based on the nutritional importance of animal foods. How do we reconcile these competing loyalties? Should we give up on them? Are they a lost cause? Should we simply wait for them to come limping toward us with sallow skin and low muscle tone? I kid, of course. We should absolutely help where and when we can.

Yet telling them to “just eat meat” doesn’t work. If anything, it’s counterproductive. Instead, we can offer productive, legitimately helpful advice from a Primal perspective.

Host Brad Kearns sits down with Dave Dollé, personal trainer and co-Author of Fruit Belly. Today we’re diving deep into Dave’s background and current career endeavors, including how he manages his two training facilities and keeps his clients motivated.

Not everyone has the luxury of buying and eating solely grass-fed, pasture-raised meat and dairy. Most folks have to choose. They have to pick their battles. Today’s post will help you choose wisely.

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

When we dump the pervading culture’s nonsense of obsessing over comparative perfectionism, we’re free to own our own sense of worth. We’re free to enjoy living in our bodies and reveling in their abilities. We’re free to actualize ourselves physically to our own unique potentials. That sounds to me like a much bolder and worthier project in this lifetime. Let’s look at a few ways to take up this challenge.

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

No, you yourself can’t save the world. You personally won’t make a dent in the climate, or the amount of plastic in the ocean, or the number of cute baby seals that are bludgeoned to death. But collectively, we can. The choices we make, the things we value, the food we eat, the way our food is raised, who we buy our food from, and how we conduct our day-to-day lives in attempted harmony with our Primal natures really does seem to mesh well with the environment. Multiply those small personal choices by millions of readers (and their dollars) and you get real change.

I’m not putting any extra pressure on you. These are things you’re already doing, by and large. These are the ways going Primal can actually help, not harm, the environment.

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

Research indicates that the growing emphasis on academic rigor in grade school is ineffectual at best and counterproductive at worst. Here's what I would do if I were in charge.

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

Abel James is a bestselling author of The Wild Diet, entertainer, and lifestyle entrepreneur. As the #1 rated Health podcast in 8+ countries, Abel's award-winning web series, Fat-Burning Man, has helped millions reclaim their health with cutting-edge science, outdoor workouts, and outrageously good food. When his debut cooking app, Caveman Feast, bested The Food Network and Martha Stewart with more than 1,000 5-star reviews in 48 hours, Abel became the first independent publisher to hold Apple's #1 food app and #1 podcast at the same time.

A leading voice in new media, Abel was named as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness along with Michael Pollan, Dr. Andrew Weil, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Deepak Chopra. Abel starred on ABC and has been featured in People Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, NPR, Forbes, and many more. Also a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Abel has toured internationally and won several awards for vocal performance.

After completing his B.A. at Dartmouth College a year early, Abel created his own interdisciplinary curriculum to study brain science, music, and technology, graduating as a Senior Fellow with Honors. He later independently published his research in The Musical Brain, which became a #1 Amazon bestseller.

On ABC’s “My Diet Is Better Than Yours” Abel’s contestant, Kurt, lost 87 pounds, 22% body fat, and is off all his prescription medications after 14 weeks on a high-fat, low carb diet. He practiced intermittent fasting (with butter coffee!), drank bone broth daily, and had plenty of organic veggies and pasture-raised meat and eggs, while staying away from processed foods and grains (except for a couple cheats).

The show based its competition on weight loss instead of fat loss. Even though Kurt lost the most total body weight and double the body fat of the other contestants (22%) he lost the competition to Jasmine who lost a higher body weight percentage. Jasmine only lost a total of 13% body fat.

Abel enjoys strong coffee and cheesecake, preferably together.

Today's show is brought to you by Casper. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/primal and using the promo code PRIMAL at checkout.

For years, the bodybuilding, protein-gorging community has maligned collagen for its inessentiality and lack of input into the muscle-protein synthesis process. From their perspective, it sort of makes sense. Why bother with “low quality” protein like gelatin/collagen when you can pound the whey, eat the meat, and focus on other sources of the essential amino acids directly involved in building muscle?

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

Hang around on nootropic forums where fans and users congregate and you’ll come away with the notion that you’re missing out on a leg up if you’re not taking the latest and greatest nootropic supplement. Nootropics promise vague benefits to “cognition” and “performance,” but what’s really happening? Do nootropics actually work as advertised? Some of them do, absolutely. But others, maybe not so much. 

Time and money—the sources of endless hand-wringing in modern society. No one ever seems to have enough, including the people we think probably do. Instead of struggling with primeval conditions of scarcity, many of us are encumbered with the so-called “first-world problems” of modern day. For most of us, there’s a whole range of choices and flexibility that Grok never had. That said, when we bring a Primal perspective to the fore, just what is a healthy and productive relationship to time and money? And how much of each do we need to be happy?

When we sit or stand all day long in the same position, our body is learning to be immobile. Children can’t sit still because they haven’t had the natural human need to move beaten out of them yet. Adults never feel like moving because we’ve grown accustomed to never doing it. Since we spend at least a third of our lives at work, our workstation must enable and even encourage movement.

How do we do it? What do we need?

On today’s special show, hosts Brad Kearns and Andrew MacNaughton connect with retired triathlon legend Simon Whitfield from Victoria, B.C., Canada. Simon details his remarkable victory in the inaugural Olympic triathlon in Sydney, Australia in 2000, along with other memories and perspectives gained from his lengthy career at the top of the sport. Simon is an extremely thoughtful, introspective athlete whose insights can provide great value to whatever peak performance or life goals you pursue. “If you love your pursuits, you’ll find a way to success. If you succumb to your fears and insecurities, your results will suffer accordingly,” says Simon. With refreshing candor, Simon mentions the dangers of drifting into a prima donna perspective and how to recalibrate to focus on the journey; especially having a strong and authentic support team. “Hard truths come with sharp edges, but they are the source of the greatest learning,” Simon offers. Simon updates us about his recent doings, including epic standup paddling adventures in Victoria. Enjoy this deeply revealing and impactful discussion with triathlon’s most thoughtful coach, Andrew MacNaughton, and most thoughtful elite athlete, Simon Whitfield.

While today we consider compassion one of the most esteemed human traits, what were its origins? Is this really a product of evolutionary forces rather than cultural response? How could it have grown out of the rough and tough, survival-of-the-fittest world of Grok’s day?

How can different populations tailor PBF to their needs, goals, and capacities? How does the retiree do PBF? The former CrossFitter? The recovering triathlete? The harried parent of twins? Let’s go through some basic archetypes and my recommendations for each.

This microscopic landscape is worth talking about again—specifically because it influences your brain (that grand master of all organs) and how well you’re likely to stick to all those newly adopted changes in the future.

If you don’t approach cooking 3+ meals a day with a strategy, you’ll start feeling like you’ll never get out of the kitchen, which isn’t such a good thing.

A collection of Primal recipes right at your fingertips definitely helps. But if you really want Primal cooking to be easy, convenient, and manageable in the long haul, then what you need most are some kitchen hacks that every Primal cook should know.

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

It seems like a universal dictum. When you start to make positive change, you’re going to get pushback. It’s not a magical force thing. The fact is, you’re rocking the boat. Your attempt to change, no matter how small, is throwing off the dysfunctional equilibrium you’ve been living with. Somewhere along the line you got used to how you live and how you feel. Inertia is as much a psychological as a physical phenomenon.

Tune into this special preview of Mark Sisson’s newest book, Primal Endurance. Show host and co-author, Brad Kearns, details 115 things you’ll need to know as a Primal Endurance Athlete, including: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Primal Endurance Athletes, what your training schedule should look like per season, over the course over the entire year, and the importance of strict rest and recovery periods.

Get better, faster, and stronger than ever before with the help of this groundbreaking release!

Real change is simple, but it’s not easy. It takes planning. It means facing fears and overcoming stress. To really succeed, you have to know what you’re changing and have the willpower to see it through.

Here are five tips for ensuring your success—in anything—this year.

You can still glean useful info and make realistic inferences from genetic research by examining the regional and ethnic distribution of various alleles (i.e. gene variations) and matching them against your own ancestry. Let’s take a look at some of the alleles for which we have the most data.

With a new year comes new goals, which is why our team is ready to announce our favorite, much anticipated goal achieving event of the season: The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge! This year’s challenge will run from Jan 11th-31st, and we have quite the lineup of contests, prizes, and all around fun activities planned for everyone who wants to participate.

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

An important piece of living well as you age that most never consider is taking advantage of the fact that time perception is entirely a construction of the brain. By slowing down the perceived passage of time, you seemingly have more of it and live longer—and better.

A recent review suggested “that in humans the changes in gut microbiota are an association with rather than the cause of obesity.” Rather than take their word for it, Let’s examine whether anything mediated by gut bacteria also changes body weight.

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

A couple weeks ago, I linked to an article discussing the “obesity paradox”—the idea that across many different studies and populations, people with slightly overweight and even obese BMIs often have the lowest mortality risk. The author is Harriet Brown, a supporter of the “Health At Every Size” movement, comes down hard on the side of overweight/obesity as safe and even beneficial. At first glance, she makes a strong case. She appears to cite compelling research. She talks to obesity researchers who’ve found protective links between higher BMIs and better health and been lambasted by their colleagues. And if the general consensus is right, and carrying extra weight is so unhealthy, why are obesity and overweight consistently associated with a lower risk of death?

Humans evolved within a seasonal context—without any of the modern accommodations that would buffer climate or weather influences. Why would our bodies not have adapted with responsive wiring?

I thought I’d offer some of my favorite responses (some serious, some not) to the common questions we field at the holiday dinner table. To all of our MDA community, I’m grateful for your valued following and your incredible contributions over the years. I hope you’ll add your own favorite personal retorts, strategic redirects and discussion starters for the dinner table today!

It’s a legitimate and even, in some regards, culturally (and probably politically) significant question: why were government dietary guidelines ever put in place—and what was the backstory of their uses and modifications over time? Finally, what perspective can it bring to our understanding of embracing a “niche” dietary model like the Primal Blueprint?

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

It happens to the best of us. You start sneaking a few more bites of bread when out to dinner and trying your buddy’s delicious-looking pizza. Your workouts trickle to once a week, sometimes none. You walk less, couch more. And then one day, you realize you’ve gone off the wagon. You’ve gained belly fat. You’re getting winded going up the stairs. Your once-pleasurable hikes have become grueling affairs that you dread and end up avoiding. Your fridge is full of takeout boxes and you realize you haven’t cooked in two weeks. You need to restart your Primal lifestyle, and fast.

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

A little discussed phenomenon is disturbingly common among health-conscious eaters, especially those diligent about eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains. Granted, not very primal, but even super-primal-aligned folks suffer from digestive difficulties related to eating their abundant servings of veggies and fruit. The condition is called Fruit Belly—a bloated cranky, gurgly, and visceral-fat-hoarding abdomen that grows (or refuses to budge) despite your best efforts to eat healthy, and even despite your success at sculpting the rest of your body.

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

While it’s important to think positive and focus on all the things you should be doing to achieve your goals, it’s equally important that we focus on those things that interfere with our goals and remind ourselves to avoid doing them. Some call it the “not to do list,” which I like. Many of the behaviors on not-to-do lists are deal breakers, so it’s arguably more crucial that we identify and curtail those that apply to our lives. But that’s hard; these are behaviors we might already be doing. Heck, they might be bad habits we’ve developed, or biases we’ve internalized. And so before adopting good behaviors, we should clear out the bad ones. Otherwise, we’re just pissing in the wind.

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

A few months ago, I wrote a guide to napping that included how, why, and when to flop down for a spell. That wasn’t a random throwaway post. It was the first salvo in a new war. I’m on a mission to legitimize the nap, to destigmatize the siesta for the average working human. And it’s not a selfish thing, because I can already pretty much take a nap whenever I want. I’m concerned about you. In a chronically sleep-deprived population such as ours, a 45 minute foray into the land of dreams can rejuvenate the mind, make up for sleep debt, and make us healthier and happier. Yet those who nap —or simply want to nap — often feel guilty about it, even if they have an hour or two to spare and are falling asleep at their desks. Perhaps it’ll make you feel better to know that some of the world’s greatest thinkers considered naps to be an integral part of their day — and their success.

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

A couple months back, I gave you a list of Primal Laws that didn’t quite make the cut, either because they weren’t “big” enough or didn’t apply to enough people. Turns out I was probably wrong: the response was huge and many of you were on the same wavelength. You even offered up some of your own ideas for honorable mentions. So today, I’m giving you 7 more honorable mentions that almost deserved a spot on the final list of Primal Laws. Read the post, take what resonates with you and discard what doesn’t. But give the article a fair shake and really consider how adopting these laws could improve your life.

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

It’s a regular headline: “# of People Sickened by Contaminated Food.” Most recently, it was a case of imported cucumbers with salmonella (one of the most common and serious foodborne pathogens) that resulted in at least 341 people ill and two dead across 30 states. It’s difficult when public service information shifts us toward viewing our food with a nervous eye. The CDC estimates approximately 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year. Of those, 128,000 are hospitalized and about 3000 die. So, what do we do with this information?

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

I’ve always loved to camp. From my early days as a kid growing up in Maine (where it seemed like everyone camped), to my death-defying adventures with Outward Bound in the wilds of New England as a teen, to my current setup running a business in the Malibu hills, I’ve been a camper. Even when I’d dedicated my life to endurance training and had little time for anything else, I always made it a point to get away to the woods with the family for a few nights whenever I could. The reasoning was basic: it was relaxing, enjoyable, decompressing, and just plain fun. And that’s why most people camp. It just feels right, doesn’t it?

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

It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon. What’s the condition of your backside? Can you feel your legs, or did at least one of them fall asleep a few hours ago? And your back? Neck, shoulders – how much tension are they carrying at this point in the day? Not to mention your mood and concentration? Does your attitude take a nosedive this time of day? Has your brain turned to mush? Did you just have to read the same set of instructions or email memo a couple of times because your mind wandered off? How often do you end up feeling like this in a typical afternoon?

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

Technology has improved our lives, whether through the creation of new tools or by upgrading existing ones. But are there limits to technological progress? Can technology improve everything? We’ll find out. There’s talk of a “food revolution” brewing in Silicon Valley, helmed by engineers and entrepreneurs convinced they can do food better than both nature and traditional agriculture.

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

Some foods and flavors are just made for one another. Bacon and eggs. Strawberries and cream. Basil and tomato. Oil and vinegar. Sweet and sour. The list goes on and on. But what’s behind these classic and nearly universal combinations? Does taste alone drive the decision to, say, add fresh herbs to a charred piece of meat? And if pairings are driven by taste, which sounds reasonably, could it be possible that healthy pairings naturally taste better because we’ve evolved an innate draw towards these powerful combinations? The jury may still be out on that one. Nevertheless, some foods, when taken together, make surprising nutrition sense.

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

We’re told time and again that in order to get healthy we need to let go of our “lower” instincts (e.g. conserving energy on the couch or preferring to go out and have fun) and embrace future goals. We need to take things seriously – have concrete objectives and clear steps to execute them. It’s about getting down to business and whipping ourselves into shape through the grit of sweat and discipline. Or? 

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

This is a guest post from expert biomechanist Katy Bowman, author of Don’t Just Sit There!

What research has demonstrated in the last few years is that people aren’t either active or sedentary—they can be both. Even the active people are, by a new definition coined in movement research, actively sedentary.

Our totally body movement often tends to boil down to what we do for a bout of exercise each day. Trying to extract all of your movement needs from one or two hours of daily exercise is like trying get all your dietary needs from a single daily meal crafted from the same handful of foods every day. This approach just won’t do. 

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

On today’s special show, Mark Sisson and Katy Bowman discuss their exciting joint project, “Don’t Just Sit There,” which is a comprehensive multimedia educational course designed to help people overcome one of the major health hazards of modern life: prolonged sedentary periods that compromise your health at the cellular level. Katy is a biomechanist (someone who studies living structures like the human body), author, and popular blogger at KatySays.com. Her focus is on how movement and variability are the keys to a healthy work environment. It turns out that true movement variability at work requires more than simply transitioning from a sitting to standing position at a standup workstation. And it’s not just about assuming the correct ergonomic positions at your keyboards, either. Anytime you have prolonged stillness, you are putting undesirable “loads” upon your cells that can lead to pain, dysfunction, and disease. This includes your eyes gazing at a computer screen at a fixed distance for hours.  

Katy and Mark talk about the many challenges of going dynamic instead of static, and some practical tips to mix things up in your daily routine (within the confines and restrictions of the modern workplace environment, of course). This is a great discussion to acquaint listeners with the Don’t Just Sit There program, which comes complete with a detailed eBook and a series of instructional videos to help you custom-design a dynamic workstation and a workplace pattern of movement and variability. So if you find yourself interested in learning more after today’s podcast, then you’ll want to act fast:

Tomorrow is the LAST DAY to grab the Don’t Just Sit There program for the reduced price of $27!

Plus, if you act now, you’ll receive a whole series of bonus items, which won’t be available past tomorrow evening.

So listen to the podcast, then sign up and get moving!

Today’s an exciting day for me. One of those jump out of bed early in anticipation of what’s to come days. Today is the day I get to announce the launch of Primal Blueprint’s Don’t Just Sit There program, packaged and perfected with my friend and world-renowned biomechanist Katy Bowman.

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

What I want to talk about today is something I’ll call hinge habits. They’re choices we make that – for our individual mentality – set the board for the rest of our day. The relative success and sanity of the day literally hinge on these simple practices. When we do them, the rest of the day seems to fall into place. We at least have an easier time staying on a solid, healthy path. Skip them, however, and everything else feels “off.” We flounder. Some days we can nonetheless steady ourselves, but it requires more effort.

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

While resting heart rate has long been the gold standard to measure an athlete’s general state of stress and recovery, heart rate variability (HRV) takes biofeedback to the next level by delivering more nuanced readings that accurately reveal conditions like hyper-arousal or burnout.

I’m so enthusiastic about promoting the concept of HRV that I partnered with the industry leaders at Sweetbeat Life LLC to create a customized iPhone app called PrimalBeat HRV.

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

Conventional wisdom demands skepticism. Whether it’s the official stance on high-fat diets (“they’ll give you heart disease, don’t work, or do work but not for long!”), exercise (“you must jog at a moderate pace for an hour a day, four days a week!”), organic food (“it’s nutritionally identical to conventionally-grown food!”), or sun exposure (“you must always wear sunblock!”), I always question conventional wisdom. And when it’s lacking (as is often the case), I rightly skewer it.

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

If you’ve been keeping up with Mark’s Daily Apple, you know that standup paddling is a longtime favorite pastime of mine. And though I was into it before it was “cool,” I’m certainly not the first. Fishermen have been paddling their water vessels from a standing position for thousands of years and pre-contact Hawaiian surfers employed long paddles to reach the best waves on their 3-5 meter-long boards. In the mid-20th century, Oahu surf instructors would lead classes atop longboards with paddles, but it wasn’t until Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama started standup paddling (and being filmed doing it) that the sport gained broad “sport” status and board makers began producing dedicated SUP boards. So, a lot of people have asked: why do I love paddle boarding so much?

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

I've got another sweet deal for you from Thrive Market: become a new member and get a free full-sized jar of Primal Kitchen™ Mayo. Just pay S&H of $1.95. If you’re an existing member, don’t worry. I wheel and dealed a perk out of Thrive Market for you too. Click here and you’ll get an extra 10% off your next order.

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

Time to take an informal poll. Who here fits in two strength training sessions, 1-2 sprint/interval sessions and 3-5 hours of walking or low level cardio on top of ample play time – every single week? I’m betting there’s still a lot of hands raised in this crowd, but I’m going to wager I lost quite a number as the list went on. In an ideal world with a perfect schedule, we’d all consistently reach these goals. The best results come from this general protocol. That said, this level of regularity is probably the exception rather than the rule if you’re talking about the long-term – month after month, year after year. And, yet, plenty of us are in great shape – even if we didn’t always fit in the above full regimen. Hmm… Maybe the concept of consistency is more nuanced than we normally give it credit for.

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

This is a guest post from Todd Kuslikis of AShotofAdrenaline.net. Warning: Some of you are about to think I’m crazy. For those of you who haven’t heard of isometrics, this strength building concept is going to make you think I’ve officially walked off the deep end. Functional strength and awesome muscle mass gains with out even moving? This must be some kind of joke, right?

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

Taking care of yourself can give you more energy (always a major plus). If your body is in good health, it will serve your hormonal balance and emotional resilience. You’ll likely sleep better and have a better immune response. You’ll be able to do more fun things like kayak or hike or surf for hours. There is almost no end to the benefits of being healthy and what it can do for your overall well-being. That said, let’s be clear. Getting fit and healthy won’t make you more lovable. You won’t suddenly be showered with good fortune. You won’t be released from all your unhealthy tendencies and personal faults. Bad memories and past indiscretions won’t be carried away by a blue balloon. Insecurities won’t disintegrate. Life won’t suddenly morph into a convivial Miller High Life commercial.

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

I’m not interested in talking about Supreme Court decisions, the Affordable Health Care Act or for-profit versus non-profit business models. No, today I have something else in mind. It’s a perspective on health insurance that gets almost no attention at all despite the high costs and even higher stakes.

Let’s look at an actual definition first. From Wikipedia: “Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals.” And can those darn expenses ever get expensive… Just as budget experts and lifestyle minimalists advise that the best price is no price when that’s an option, I’d argue the same principle applies here. The cheapest health bill is no bill. And what if our daily choices could help make this possible?

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

For almost as many years as I’ve been writing this blog and these books, I’ve also dreamed about providing a very real and concrete outlet for people who want (and need) delicious, nutrient-dense food without always having to make it themselves: a Primal restaurant. As much as this movement has grown, it’s still young, still small. Most people don’t know about it, and although restaurants are making initial overtures with gluten-free buns and lettuce wrapped burgers and salad options, the majority of quick and easy “on the go” options are of terrible quality. It’s easy to complain about the sad state of casual restaurants, but that doesn’t help the people who eat there. I wanted to help them.

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

If you’re up to speed on all the latest CrossFit Games news, then you’ve probably heard about the Grundler brothers. If you haven’t, you should. Bill and James Grundler have made a splash this year—and for good reason. The power duo are the first brothers to ever compete in the Games together, and they’ve shown that there’s a lot to be gained from having someone close, and knowledgeable, to help you achieve your goals. The two started off competing against each other in high school wrestling (proto-WFF stars by their own tongue-in-cheek accounts). But as the two grew up, they went their separate professional paths—Bill into a career as a high school athletics coach, firefighter and trainer, and James into the music biz, where he toured as the lead vocalist in a popular indie rock band. So how did CrossFit and primal living come into the mix?

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

I’m announcing a special offer to everyone interested in the Primal Blueprint Expert Certification program: gain instant access for just $1 down. When my team and I released the Primal Blueprint Certification program last year we had high hopes for it. We envisioned it taking the paleosphere by storm and bringing ancestral health principles deep into the mainstream. With a strong team of experts, we could reach so many more people, change so many more lives, and expand our community ten-fold.

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

What, exactly, are the minimum effective doses for exercise? How little do I have to train to stay and/or get fit? And what kind of effects can we expect to get from said minimal doses? The answers to those questions will depend on who’s asking, but we have a few specific examples of people maintaining, improving, or radically transforming their fitness levels with minimum effective doses of exercise. Let’s take a look. 

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

First off: This isn’t the start of a new longer-term Primal Challenge. 1000 days would be fun, but I’m pretty sure we’d run out of ideas — and sponsors. Apologies to everyone out there chomping at the bit for a few years straight of new contests and prizes. You’d get sick of it yourself; trust me. Plus, that shorter 21-day Primal challenge format works because it’s the perfect way to quickly kickstart real change, disrupt bad habits and establish new ones. Today’s challenge concerns long, lasting, sustained, momentous change that happens over a greater timescale. 

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

Today’s show features special guest Diana Rodgers, a nutritional therapist, sustainable farm advocate, and author of the inspiring new book, The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook—a stellar resource that shows how we can incorporate classic self-sustaining practices for a healthier life. As a small child, Diana was sickly. This carried over into adulthood, where she went through a rough period of digestion issues. Even so, she was still surprised when her doctor tested and diagnosed her with celiac disease. Heeding the new diagnosis, Diana jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon—only still with a carb heavy diet, which lead her down a path that was dangerously close to type 2 diabetes. But around that time, Diana’s husband landed a job as an organic farm manager. While hanging around the farm, customers showed Diana the benefits of various nutrient dense foods, many of which were higher in protein and fat. She noticed some huge results, and decided to take her knowledge to the next level. She got a certification in nutritional therapy and took on her own personal studies in ancestral health. Now, Diana is happier and healthier than ever.

So learn more about Diana’s journey through illness, her take on sustainable farming, how “gluten-free” doesn’t always mean “healthy,” and some awesome recipes to boot.

We’re looking at two sides of the same coin here really: how “basic”/preventative health care (for most people, ideally the span of insurance qualifying/tax deductible services) can evolve to effectively serve more relevant preventative purposes AND how physician training (particularly for family physicians and general internists) might enhance doctors’ effectiveness in promoting healthy lifestyle and behavior change. In the spirit of this latter point, I wanted to highlight a few unique programs that are breaking through old academic impasses and forging the way toward a new view (and practice) of med school instruction. We the public, I think, may have something to gain here. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

For the most part, your diet seems pretty solid. You’re eating eggs on a regular basis. You’ve got, like, six ways to make really good cauliflower. That subtle humming reverberating through the house is just your chest freezer full of half a grass-fed cow. Leafy green vegetables are staples, sweet potatoes appear post-workout, and you’re first in line to buy fresh wild salmon when in season (plus extra for the chest freezer). All your bases are covered, right? Maybe not. From all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve spotted a few consistent blind spots in the diets of the Primal community. In today’s article, I will reveal the 10 Primal foods you probably need to eat more often. After each entry, I’ll tell you the easiest (and tastiest) way I’ve found to integrate said food into your diet; no excuses.

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

Last week, I countered claims that “paleo gots no science” with summaries of five recent (and not so recent) papers supporting the paleo/Primal approach to diet. The reception to that post was strong enough that I got requests to cover a few more this week. So today, I’m going to explain the findings of five more relevant studies. Not all of these studies come from the original list, but each gives an accurate and important portrayal of the effects of eating in accordance with one’s biology. More importantly, these are all interesting approaches to the diet, with some examining higher-carb paleo, some looking at higher-fat and downright ketogenic paleo diets, and still others trying to disentangle the beneficial effects of the weight loss that normally occurs on paleo diets from the effect of going paleo.

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

What really should we be monitoring on an annual basis? As many of you know by now, I tend to embrace the devil’s advocate role, particularly in questioning conventional wisdom. It’s not that I’m out for blood or have a chip on my shoulder (although blatant misinformation does get under my skin). I simply don’t believe in accepting a truth or practice on the sole rationale of “that’s just how it’s done.” Standard health care parameters are no exception here. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

People constantly demand proof for the efficacy of the Primal eating plan. And I’m glad they do. The Primal Blueprint makes sense on an intuitive level, and those success stories we see every Friday sure are persuasive, but it’s also important to see broader support in the scientific literature. Many times, people demand proof without really wanting any; they assume it’s all imaginary just-so stories. “Where are the studies?” has become a retort rather than a legitimate query.

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