Marks Daily Apple
Serving up health and fitness insights (daily, of course) with a side of irreverence.

Mark's Daily Apple

23 May

Raising Your Kids on Primal Foods (plus Mealtime Strategies for Picky Eaters)

hamburgerkidThe fact is, feeding children is never for the faint of heart or stomach. It’s an entirely different solar system when it comes to dining experience – the noise, the spills, the frantic pattern of go-get-this, can-you-help-me, cut everyone’s food until your own is stone cold, precise timing of chewing to complement your expected participation in knock-knock jokes – you get it. In the years my children were small, Carrie and I would relish the times when we were able to go out to dinner alone or when family members took the kids and we had a solo meal at home. The silence and ability to eat – uninterrupted – at a normal pace were enough to make us ecstatic. I think most of the time we didn’t even talk – not a word, and we each understood exactly why.

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22 May

5 Helpful Analogies for Understanding Complex Health Issues

HiResFor millennia, the best teachers have used stories, analogies, and parables to break down complicated concepts into understandable bits that everyone can grasp. Aesop’s fables, the greatest religious texts throughout history, and Plato’s allegory of the cave are some of the most famous, showing us how to live morally, contemplate our existence, and make our way through the dilemmas that comprise everyday life. Today, I’m going to discuss five simple analogies that can help you understand five complex health topics a bit better, or perhaps be able to introduce them to the people (often skeptical or less-than-scientifically-inclined friends and relatives) around you who could use the lesson.

Let’s get right to it:

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21 May

Mental Toughness Training in the Primal World

dontgiveupThis is a guest post from Jack Yee. Jack’s Primal Blueprint Real Life Story “Free at 50” was published a few weeks ago here on Mark’s Daily Apple. In this article, Jack shares his four strategies for conquering intense workouts, and becoming both physically and mentally stronger as a result. Enter Jack…

When I first made the transition from conventional bodybuilding training to full body primal workouts, I quickly realized it was one of the best things I ever did. I used to look forward to doing the primal workout of the week or the contest WODs that were sent in by some of you. There was something so liberating about pounding a sledgehammer, crawling on grass, or throwing a stone and running as if I was being chased by a saber-tooth predator (all while being outside soaking in some much needed vitamin D). The primal workouts were fun, but very difficult to get through due to the high intensity that each workout demands. Many times, I wanted to quit, but I didn’t. As a result of this training – along with the Primal eating plan – I was able to get in the best shape of my life. But, something unexpected also changed in me; I became mentally tougher.

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20 May

Dear Mark: Your Primal Cravings Questions Answered

cravingsleftfacing 1The response to the early release of Primal Cravings: Your Favorite Foods Made Paleo has been incredible. I understand that thousands of you have now received your copies and bonuses in the mail, and from the Facebook comments and emails I’ve received, you’ve made it loud and clear that you’re loving these innovative new Primal recipes. Thank you so much for your feedback.

Some of you have emailed with questions about the book, so I thought I’d use today’s Dear Mark to answer your inquiries. Below you’ll find the Table of Contents, the Index, the Nutrition Index and some words from the authors of this book, Brandon and Megan Keatley, to hopefully give you a better picture of what this book includes and is all about.

Let’s go!

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19 May

Weekend Link Love

chain 1Research of the Week

When given a diet based on farmed salmon, lab mice got fatty liver and developed insulin resistance if the salmon was raised on soybean oil.

Eating Splenda (sucralose) has a negative impact on a person’s glucose tolerance in response to subsequent sugar ingestion.

Interesting Blog Posts

Should vegans and paleos stop bickering and join forces?

Media, Schmedia

Dr. Hamilton Stapell, the professor responsible for putting together the 2013 Ancestral Health Survey, discusses the future of paleo in a recent Paleo Magazine podcast.

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