Primal Blueprint Podcast

The vast majority of people need to nail the transition between the shod and barefoot ways of life. And until now, there simply hasn’t been a reliable, comprehensive resource for making that transition in a safe and effective way.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

It’s a familiar story. One partner takes on a new health commitment. Life changes for that person. He/she goes through struggles, triumphs, growth – an entire physical and psychological process that potentially leaves a relationship chasm in its wake. Then there are the logistics, a menacing obstacle course of loaded questions and irksome details. Do you still eat together? Who cooks (not to mention shops)? Do we have enough pots and pans to make two different meals each night? How do we handle the kids’ food? Finally, what does it mean for the arrangement when one person’s food expenditure overshadows the other’s?(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Grok walked a lot. Heck, he walked everywhere. Riding animals didn’t appear until after the agricultural revolution, so unless you buy into the ancient aliens theory, you accept that our paleolithic ancestors relied on self-ambulation to get around. It seems pretty plausible to suggest that we’re probably well-adapted to walking on a regular basis. I’d even go so far as to posit that walking might even be highly beneficial to our health and well-being. Given our extensive history with the activity, you might even say our genes “expect” us to walk.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Research shows that when kids avoid risky or scary situations (and thereby never get to see that they can do what they’re afraid to do and understand fear as a “manageable emotion”), they can actually become more anxious as a result.What can you do if letting the kids wander to their hearts’ content isn’t a realistic option for your neighborhood – or nerves? How can you offer them the opportunity to feel like they get to cut loose, experiment, walk the edge – and do it without the “lame” parental hand-holding?(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Host Brad Kearns talks to Dr. Kelly Starrett, the larger-than-life Cross Fit/Mobility/Physical Therapy industry leader who started the viral MobilityWOD.com (Mobility Workout of the Day).Starrett wrote the bestseller Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance, and Ready to Run (where he applies his revolutionary movement and mobility philosophy to the injury-plagued world of running). He has a lot to say on the subject of how general fitness enthusiasts and competitive athletes can benefit from strength training and other complementary movement practices. This is especially so for endurance athletes, who often adopt that narrowly-focused, mileage obsessed approach.Kelly has a doctorate in Physical Therapy, operates San Francisco CrossFit, and works with an assortment of elite athletes, including: NFL teams, Olympians, runners and triathletes. As a whitewater paddler, he competed for the US team in two world championships. He is curre

Of all Primal-approved food categories, none is more bedeviling to even seasoned followers of the lifestyle than nuts. The questions never end. So today, I’m giving you the definitive guide to nuts. After today’s post, you’ll have a solid grasp of which nuts you should and maybe shouldn’t be eating.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

People by the thousands are reclaiming their health and shedding diseases as well as excess pounds. Their shouts from the rooftops are giving credence to our movement: eating and moving naturally works. Our bodies are designed to be healthy, fit and lean. If we just give our genes the right input, everything will magically fall into place.Except when it doesn’t. Some of us have really buggered ourselves up by a lifetime of self-medicating and following conventional advice. We’re the ones that have to go the extra mile on our path to enlightened health and vitality—a standard ancestral diet just isn’t going to cut it. When autoimmunity is in the mix, all bets are off. You have to do things differently. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Tara Grant, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Last week’s post on the fear of death got quite a discussion going, and I appreciated the perspectives that folks shared on the subject. One interesting issue that people raised involved the circumstances of dying itself – specifically dying within a traditional medical setting where interventions and technology to prolong life abound. In a decidedly un-Primal medical world, what role can self-determination play in a “desirable” death as it does in a vibrant life?(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Restocking the purged pantry is a fundamental step toward going Primal — or strengthening your resolve. It’s one of the 5 Action Items in the 21-Day Challenge, and for my money it’s probably the most important because it can be a real springboard for the rest of your Challenge (and life). So you really want to get this right.So, without further delay, I present the definitive list of Primal pantry staples, complete with links, justifications, and suggested uses. I hope you find it helpful.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Description: Primal Blueprint Certified Expert Elle Russ guest hosts today’s podcast where she interviews her good friend (and fellow Certified Expert) Eli Rohde. Eli, an aesthetician, yoga instructor, and Primal coach, talks to Elle about how, after spending years as a vegetarian, she suffered from an assortment of health problems before discovering Primal-style eating, which changed her life forever. Eli details her previous maladies, such as joint pain and chronic inflammation, which she correlated with grain consumption after a 21-day cleanse and food reintroduction. Five years into primal living, Eli describes having more energy, absence of joint pain or inflammation symptoms, and even improved skin health. The latter is a topic of particular interest to Eli in her practice as an esthetician. She has convinced many clients to consider the link between diet and skin health with great success. You can learn more about Elle at paleoprimalcoach.com and about Eli at paleoagent.com. These two ladies are passio

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.What do we do when sugar naturally accompanies some of the healthiest fare out there? Do we forgo it altogether when a touch ties an otherwise good Primal recipe together? Are the typical substitutions any better when we choose to use a sweetener? We’ve covered the artificial options in the past, but today I’ll give several natural varieties of sugar their due – the obligatory facts, the practical details and a final Primal analysis.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

A definitive guide to overcoming the procrastination preventing you from accomplishing your goals, completing your duties, fulfilling your responsibilities, and realizing your dreams.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Last Sunday, I briefly mentioned a paper concerning a ketone metabolite known as beta-hydroxybutyrate, or BHB, and its ability to block the activity of a set of inflammatory genes. This particular set of genes, known as the NLRP3 inflammasome, has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, and age-related macular degeneration. In other words, it’s in our best interest to avoid its chronic, pathogenic activation, and it looks like going into ketosis can probably help in that respect.One thing led to another, and this paper got me thinking: once we “go into ketosis,” how long should we stay? If some is good, is more better? Is there a point where the benefits slow and the downsides accrue?(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

From an evolutionary perspective, we’re wired for survival. It’s the name of the evolutionary game itself – surviving and making sure our kin do as well in order to procreate and protect the genetic line. We’re built to fear death because how else were we to live? We fear ostracization because in primordial times, we weren’t likely to survive on our own. We fear conflict because in some deep, primeval chamber we associate it with death or disorder that can put the entire group at risk. Our ancestral memory can likewise flinch at the suggestion of want, neglect, or even change. Tens of thousands of years ago there wasn’t much room for error.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Today’s podcast features Camille Macres, an elite personal chef, author, cooking show host, and full-time foodie. She talks with guest host Elle Russ about her time as a private chef in the days before people paid extra attention to food intolerances. After years of fighting extreme exhaustion, she was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and adrenal fatigue. Originally trained in using the whole pantry to make a meal (grains and all), Camille talks about how, based on advice from top Paleo authorities, she reclaimed her health through revamping her cooking style. Eventually, after some diligent labor and research, Camille went full speed ahead and created her first cookbook, Paleogasm. Now, she’s starting her own cooking show, the first episode of which aired March 3rd, which you can catch on paleokitchen.tv.

The world is a maelstrom of choices. From smartphones (iPhone or Android?), diets (Primal or Paleo or vegan?), cars (electric or gasoline, SUV or sedan?), health plans (PPO, HMO, or health savings account?), to entertainment (TV or Twitter or YouTube or Xbox or Netflix), we’ve never had more options from which to choose. This is supposed to be a good thing. It’s supposed to be liberating. Having more options is supposed to help us make better decisions. But in reality, something called decision fatigue gets in the way.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Actually, like the grain-free diet, explaining the high-fat diet is not that hard. I’ll even promise you that there are ways to do it, explanations and answers that don’t make you seem like a crazy person who hates his heart (I make no such promises for those of you with a stick of butter with bite marks and a tub of coconut oil with a greasy spoon beside it on your office desk, however). Now let’s get right to their questions and responses you can use:(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

The “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” overachiever mindset assumes our bodies aren’t doing anything useful when we’re buried beneath the covers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sleep is an incredibly active time for our bodies and brains when we undergo all manner of growth and repair processes through a dynamic biochemical orchestration. When we know the facts on sleep, we’re more likely to give it our full respect – and wholehearted Primal commitment. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Nutrition trends swing like pendulums. We’re beginning to understand how to optimally fuel our bodies, but it’s a rocky and roundabout road to get there. We observe this firsthand every day in the mainstream media; consider the messaging around fat: “all fat is good”, then “all fat is bad”, then “some fat is good”, and now “(almost) all fat is good”.Tastes and food preferences vacillate, as well. Much like nutrition trends, these preferences reverse and re-reverse year after year, ebbing and flowing as we take cues from world-class chefs and influencers. At Exo, we’ve obviously thought about these movements a lot, since we’re essentially trying to bring back a food that humans have enjoyed for eons, but which has recently gone out of style: crickets. In fact, we’ve closely studied some of the foods that have undergone these wild transformations in perception, and successfully made the transition from weird to normal. Today we’re sharing a few favorites. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Gabi of

We're going to work out. We're going to stay active and move our bodies and challenge our limits, but we don't want to get injured. How do we limit these injuries? How do we make good choices?(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)