Primal Blueprint Podcast

This Mark's Daily Apple blog post podcast is an episode of the Primal Blueprint Podcast. You can find the Primal Blueprint Podcast on iTunes, and all other Primal Blueprint Podcast episodes on the Primal Blueprint YouTube channel.Are essential oils a panacea that can replace every modern medicine, both over the counter and prescription? Or are they simply glorified air fresheners without any evidence of efficacy? Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between...(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Two young dynamic Paleo women, Elle Russ and Eli Rohde, present an information packed podcast about their own personal experiences with the Primal/Paleo lifestyle. They discuss the misconceptions, excuses, and objections that prevent people from taking the plunge, and offer their own wisdom and encouragement in response. They cover topics spanning saturated fat, the U.S. food pyramid, vegetarianism, going Primal on a budget, and CrossFit. Each offers their own personal coaching service, which you can learn more about at Paleoagent.com and PaleoPrimalcoach.com.

One of my favorite events of the year is Paleo f(x), the world’s largest paleo gathering. Folks from around the globe gather in downtown Austin to celebrate the ancestral health movement and learn from health and fitness pros who have dedicated their careers to promoting Paleo/Primal principles. I have had the honor of participating in past Paleo f(x) events, and I have the pleasure of doing so again this year, at Paleo f(x) 2015 from April 24-April 26th at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas.  (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)  

In this colorful episode, Brock Armstrong interviews Robin Mazumder, who sheds some light on his life as a community builder dedicated to making his city a fun, vibrant, and socially inclusive place to live. His passion and expertise lies in using city building and urban design to encourage wellness for entire communities, particularly in the realm of mental health. He discusses the prevalence of Seasonal Affective Disorder, and how some creative engineering can brighten up a city, even in the darkest parts of the year. Robin also discusses the many ways each of us can take to the streets, right now, to create a happier, healthier community. You can learn more about his thoughts and projects at robinmazumder.com.

There’s no official limit for sugar consumption in the U.S. What’s going on? Well, since sugar’s not an essential nutrient, the Institute of Medicine hasn’t issued a recommended daily allowance (RDA) for it like they have for calcium, total carbs, fat, selenium and all other essential nutrients. They have, however, suggested people get no more than 25% of their calories from added sugar. Yes: 25%. You’d hope the premier health organization in a first-world nation of 300+ million people would have higher expectations for its subjects, but nope. They’re apparently happy as long as you “only” eat about a quarter of your calories as pure white sugar. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

I always find it funny when I write about something and suddenly I find other incredible angles of the topic coincidentally pop up in my newsfeed or even conversation. Such was the case a couple weeks following my post on free-range kids. It’s true some other major media outlets took up the general subject in their op-eds, etc. More interestingly, I’ve stumbled across commentaries that cover everything from the value of tree-climbing to the no-fuss, no-guilt philosophy of 70s mothers. Sound familiar to anyone? The most intriguing find, however, was an NPR article highlighting a children’s “adventure park” in Wales inspired by the unofficial play havens of bombed out buildings during/after WWII. The unconventional playground, called simply “The Land,” is apparently one of dozens in Europe (with a small handful in the U.S. - including one in Berkeley, CA, and a few in New York). (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

On today’s show, host Brad Kearns sits down with Mark Sisson to catch up on all the latest news at Primal Blueprint headquarters. They discuss the launch and overwhelming success of the Primal Blueprint Expert Certification program, the launch of the new Primal Kitchen line of foods (including the astounding success of Primal Mayo), and the upcoming titles from Primal Blueprint Publishing. Mark also takes on listener submitted questions ranging from what to do when your weight loss has stalled, to the dangers of constant snacking. As always, he shares his own personal experiences, experimentations, and science-backed advice to help listeners lead a more Primal-aligned lifestyle. Today’s episode is chock full of essential information, so you won’t want to miss it!

Anytime I discuss supplements, some readers balk. For them, if Grok didn’t do it, we shouldn’t either. And you know what? If that describes you, I get where you’re coming from. Ideally, optimal health develops organically — from the food we eat, the sun, sleep, and movement patterns we follow, the lifestyles we develop. But we don’t live in Grok’s world any more. We don’t have access to the same nutrient-dense plants and animals he did, and we face entirely new stressors and endure novel deficits previous generations never have. These new challenges call for new solutions, and supplements can be one of these solutions. As a supplement maker, I always take cues from Grok’s behaviors, physiology, and requirements and use modern day science to produce quality products. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

When I look back on my life and take stock of the things that have made and make me happiest, I don't think about the material objects I've procured. I don't think about the money I've made or the cars I've owned or the possessions stashed away in my garage. I think about the experiences. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

I’ve said it, your doctor says it, and anyone who’s ever had a bad night’s sleep and felt like death the next day will say it: sleep is absolutely essential to happiness, health, and longevity. On the positive side, there’s nothing quite so pleasurable as a good night’s sleep, from the initial application of one’s head to the pillow, to the insanely vivid dream-visions that descend upon you in the midst of it, to the peerless happiness and boundless energy you feel upon waking. Sleep’s the best, so you want to get it, and get it good.You know it, of course. I harp on it enough. And chances are, you’re doing your part to get good sleep. But what if you can’t? What if sleep is bad, or inadequate, or unfulfilling? What might be causing it? Let’s find out.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

A few years back, I briefly covered a throwaway Yahoo! article about how “carbs will make you lose weight” because so many readers had emailed about it. It turned out that the “carbs” in the article were resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that our digestive enzymes cannot break down. I’ll admit now, with regret, that I didn’t look as deeply into the matter as I might have. I didn’t dismiss resistant starch, but I did downplay its importance, characterizing it as “just another type of prebiotic” – important but not necessary so long as you were eating other fermentable fibers. While technically true, we’re fast learning that resistant starch may be a special type of prebiotic with a special place in the human diet.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

In a culture that worships impulse, self-control has all the appeal of soggy blanket. We see discipline as an imposition and chafe against the curtailment of our will. Cultural messaging and social belonging often hinge on following blind custom or our most unhealthy momentary inclinations. We exercise our autonomy or “choice” through (often market influenced) poor decisions. Freedom is conflated with whim. Any attempt to rein in stupidity is more than just the voice of a killjoy but an act of aggression. We’ve become such a precious, entitled bunch that the mere suggestion we temper our instinctive response feels like an insult. Where does that leave our health? Look around… (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

You won’t want to miss today’s special episode, hosted by Mark Sisson himself. He has a lively discussion with his good friend and guest, Abel James, a bestselling author, musician, speaker, and entrepreneur. As the number one rated health podcast in more than eight countries, Abel’s award-winning web series, Fat-Burning Man, has helped millions reclaim their health with outdoor adventures, cutting-edge science, and ridiculously good food. When his debut cooking app, Caveman Feast, bested The Food Network, Nickelodeon, and even Angry Birds with more than 1,000 5-star reviews in 24 hours, Abel became the first indie publisher ever to hold Apple’s #1 Food App and #1 Health Podcast at the same time. Among his accomplishments, Abel has presented keynotes for the federal government, lectured at Ivy League universities, and advised Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Shell, and Lockheed Martin. Now, he’s here on The Primal Blueprint Podcast to talk about his upcoming book, The Wild Diet, which you can pre-or

Insulin does a lot of important things for us. It pulls glucose from the blood and fritters it away into our cells to be burned for energy or stored as glycogen. It prevents hyperglycemic toxicity to neurons, pancreatic cells, the arterial walls and the generation of excessive levels of reactive oxygen species. It even promotes muscle protein synthesis and helps augment muscular hypertrophy, especially following resistance training. Clearly, we need insulin. Obviously, we don’t want to be insulin resistant. We want to be insulin sensitive. But how do we do it?  (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)  

I decided to explore the health benefits of acute heat exposure in the form of saunas, baths, and steam rooms for one main reason: the sauna is a near-universal human tradition, and I’m always curious about those. Are all these many billions of people across time and space sitting in heated rooms for the heck of it? Luckily, we don’t have to guess: extensive research into the health benefits of saunas, steam baths, IR saunas, and other forms of acute heat exposure confirms that the human universal of getting really, really sweaty, hot, and steamy on purpose has merit. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

I’ve steadily been accumulating questions from readers with food allergies and food restrictions looking for assistance. They are all interested in giving the Primal Blueprint lifestyle an honest shot, but because they can’t eat certain foods, many of which enjoy an (real or imagined) exalted place in our community, they need help. Can it be done without eating red meat? Can it be done as a vegetarian? Can one eat Primal without eating land animals? Can a person succeed without tree nuts? Without coconut products? Are almonds essential? Can a vegan succeed on this eating plan? Are these nothing but minor speed bumps on the road to Primal, or something more serious? Let’s find out. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Before huge multinational corporations did it for us, humans had to figure out how to turn raw, unrefined formerly-living things into food that could be cooked or eaten. And before standup freezers, refrigerators, ice boxes, canned soup, bagged bread, tinned fish, and grocery stores hit the scene, we had to figure out how to preserve foods.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Is the inertia all in our heads? Should exercising on “day one” really be any harder than on “day ninety-one” when workouts are tailored to respective fitness levels? What about eating? Does healthier eating really become more appealing over time, or is just a matter of mental discipline and habit? Is it just our tastes and routines that adjust, or do our brains change as well? You might be surprised….(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Brock Armstrong hosts today's broadcast and interviews Brad Pilon, who discusses his book on intermittent fasting, Eat Stop Eat. Intermittent fasting is a topic that most followers of Mark's Daily Apple, The Primal Blueprint, or this podcast series should be quite familiar with. But today’s episode delves head first into the subject. Applied Human Nutrition and Nutritional Sciences are Brad's fields of study. He spent several years in the R&D department of the Canadian sports nutrition industry before he returned to school to study “No Nutrition,” aka, the science of fasting. In this show, he gives evidence-based guidelines on how to fast and why it benefits the body, cautions against fasting in conjunction with other diets, provides fair warning to lean individuals who want to try the practice, and spends quite a bit of time explaining why women and fasting has a bad rap.

If you've ever wondered whether chia seeds are good to eat, or sesame seeds can be legitimate snacks, or flaxseed actually isn't as good (or bad) as you may have thought, this is the post for you.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)