Mark’s Daily Apple

Household Cleaners and Health Risks5

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We’ve talked a couple times this week about compromises of circumstances, which included environmental toxins. Although we can’t control everything around us, one simple (and economical) step we can take is to replace standard household cleaners with less toxic, naturally based products.

For now, check out this newscast feature from BostonChannel.com. Environmental and public health advocates in Massachusetts are lobbying the state to pass the Safe Alternatives Bill, which would require cleaners used in public buildings, schools and hospitals to be part of a safe product list already established by the State.

As the report explains, common cleaners like air fresheners, Lysol, Clorox and ammonia are potential contributors to the rising rate of asthma in the U.S. Twenty million people have asthma in this country, which the report says is three times the rate seen 25 years ago. Ten percent of school age children have the disease. Overall, asthma results in 16 billion dollars of health care costs. (Anyone who’s seen the annual cost of Advair –more than $2200 – will agree that asthma puts a financial strain on families, insurance groups and government agencies.)

The advocacy consortium, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, (along with countless other health groups) warns that many conventional cleaners have a negative impact on the reproductive, endocrine and immune systems. As the report cites, unidentified ingredients can make up 99% of a cleaner. Current laws don’t require full disclose of all ingredients. Much of this unlisted content is synthetic “fragrance,� which contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of these substances, yet they’re often exposed more often than adults, given the daily use of these types of cleaners in schools and care centers. The bill proposed would replace the worst offending cleaners with effective, less toxic alternatives. Similar legislation has been passed in other areas of the country, including Minneapolis, Minnesota.

We always recommend limiting toxic chemical exposure. Modern living inevitably puts new and novel toll on our bodies. As for choosing safer alternatives for household cleaning, it’s a simple change that can have significant impact for you and especially for children and pets. The chemicals we so liberally spray, wipe, spread and apply present an unnecessary risk. With so many effective, cheaper alternatives out there, it just makes sense to choose safer options. Your endocrine system will thank you for it.

For more on the bill and the effects of cleaners, check out this PDF at Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow.

Have suggestions, comments? We want to hear them!

Posted: Health, Prevention, Videos

Community Supported Agriculture12

Trustworthy

As reports of tainted food continue to roll in, more Americans are questioning the safety of a now largely imported food supply. Add to these fears the lack of disclosure and labeling laws for foreign and domestic genetically modified foods, and consumers feel as though they’ve been hung out to dry by the food industry and the government agencies they expect will protect their families.

In the face of these concerns and in keeping with the recent trend toward “eating local,� CSA (community supported agriculture) farms present a reasonably priced alternative to grocery store fare. Consumers become “members� of the farms, buying a share of the annual yield, which can include not just vegetables and fruits but meat, poultry, eggs, coffee, and dairy items. Members often pay a fraction of what they would at the grocery store, especially for organic/grass-fed items. Deliveries come every week to two weeks and extend through the region’s growing and harvest season. Some CSAs offer special winter packages or holiday baskets.

In addition to the quality and freshness of the food, which is sustainable and often organically grown, members also enjoy the wide selection of produce and the chance to try new, regional, and heirloom varieties of items. Restaurants are also tapping into the CSA market and reaping financial benefits by offering their customers the freshest taste and a local, sustainable label.

Most of all, members appreciate knowing who’s growing their families’ food. Many CSA farms, like Harmony Valley Farm in Viroqua, Wisconsin, send newsletters with each delivery that offer members updates on the farm, information about its practices, recipes for featured items, referrals to other CSA and family farm businesses, as well as spotlight stories on farm staff members. Most farms host member events like family strawberry picking, midsummer festivals, barn dances and harvest days.

Because they don’t receive the large government subsidies that most big, industrial farms get (including subsidies for planting Monsanto’s GMO seed!), CSA’s understand that customer service and communication are vital to their business. Sharing information with their members about farm practices is more than basic disclosure; it’s their biggest marketing tool. As a member, you can feel you’ve bought into more than a financial share of a harvest. You’ve joined a responsible community of local growers and supporters. Now that’s peace of mind.

As Charlotte posted earlier this week, here’s a great website to find CSAs near you: www.localharvest.org

Have you joined CSAs before? Are you considering it? Tell us your experiences and suggestions.

verseguru, riebschlager Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Affording Organics

Urban Gardening

Thrift Cuts

Posted: Diet, Health, How To, Nutrition, Reviews

Gene Expression: Location, Location, Location9

Blue Genes

Geneticists at North Carolina State University have revealed an interesting lesson in gene expression: where you live can have significant impact on how your genes are expressed.

The scientists focused on a sample of 46 Moroccan Amazighs, a relatively homogenous group genetically-speaking. The subjects included desert nomads, mountain agrarians and coastal urban residents. The researchers analyzed the white blood cells of the group “to study the impact of the transition from traditional to urbanized lifestyles on the human immune system.� The results surprised even the scientists themselves: gene expression in the group varied by up to one-third based on geographic location and corresponding lifestyle.

They used the latest tools for characterizing the sequence and expression of all 23,000 human genes to compare the three Moroccan Amazigh groups. These groups were chosen because they have a similar genetic makeup but lead distinct ways of life and occupy different geographic domains. Thus, differences in gene expression profiles between the three groups would likely be due to environmental and not genetic factors. The team uncovered specific genes and pathways that are affected by lifestyle and geography. For example, they found respiratory genes were upregulated, or turned on, more frequently in the urban population than in the nomadic or agrarian populations.

via Science Daily

To confirm that differences were environmentally related, the scientists reviewed the genetic profile of random subjects in the three groups and found very little genetic variance. As they had expected, the significant difference in gene expression was initiated by environmental factors.

The differences they found in genetic expression logically fit with the environments’ corresponding challenges. The urban dwellers dealt with the city’s manufacturing-associated air pollution and higher level of viral pathogens on a daily basis. The upregulation observed in their respiratory genes, the scientists submit, is a response to the compromises present in their urban environment. And pollution was only one piece of the environmental picture and the impact of modern urban living. According to the scientists, the striking differences in gene expression were the likely result of a “combination� of lifestyle factors, including “nutrition, history of immune exposure, and psychological stress.�

This study, along with other research that examines the impact of environment on gene expression, affirms the message we try to offer on a regular basis: we are not at the mercy of our genes. How we play our genetic hand can matter as much as the cards we hold. Where we live, what we eat, what we’re exposed to and how we’re medically cared for, how active we are, and what levels of stress we deal with influence the expression of our genes. In keeping with this principle, the scientists who conducted the study offer this recommendation for future medical research and care:

Insight gained from this study highlights the impact transitions from traditional to modern lifestyles likely have on human disease susceptibility and further warrant the need to incorporate gene expression profiling alongside genetic association studies for the prediction of disease susceptibility.

Our modern lifestyles, as we say in the Primal Blueprint, create a deep chasm between our genetic expression and that of our ancestors. This study of populations in Morocco gives us a hint of that gap. It’s no coincidence that the Blueprint incorporates diet and physical activity similar to that of our primal history. (With good old Grok as our distinguished guide.) Likewise, the Primal Blueprint includes understanding and mitigating the damage created by the compromises of modern circumstance. Our bodies are remarkably adaptable, and genetic expression is evidence of this. However, this adaptability, constantly challenged and finally overstrained, cannot by itself compensate for the many modern burdens we impose. Our day to day choices matter, and knowledge is key.

Thoughts? Check back for more along the lines of lifestyle choices and gene expression in the future.

gabyigl, freckle m Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

More Primal Blueprint talk

Primal Blueprint Success Story

Nature Tops Nurture? Scientists Wrong Again…

Posted: Health, Personal Improvement, Primal Health

Smart Fuel: Lamb8

Grass Fed

According to the old school nursery rhyme, Mary had a little lamb, but chances are, after reading the post, you’ll want one too (although, admittedly, you’ll probably not be using your lamb for the soul purpose of causing a brouhaha on the playground)!

Although lamb has many redeeming qualities (which we’ll touch on below), if you only had one reason to rationalize serving this oft-overlooked meat at your next meal, let it be this: It isn’t chicken, beef or fish. Think we’re kidding? Consider this: If you do a Google search for chicken recipes, you’ll receive approximately 2,430,000 search options. A search for beef or fish? 1,130,000 and 824,000 hits, respectively. A search for lamb? 394,000 (although admittedly, there is an entire website called lambrecipes.com!)

Lovin’ Lamb:

But why choose lamb? Nutritionally speaking, lamb is an excellent source of a nutritionally complete protein, meaning that it contains all 8 essential amino acids, as well as vitamins and minerals. Specifically, lamb is an excellent source of several B vitamins, niacin, zinc, and as with all red meats, is an excellent source of iron. In addition, lamb is one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a compound manufactured naturally in the stomachs of cows and sheep (but not humans) that is thought to spur antioxidant activity and may also have anti-cancer properties. Still leaning towards regular old beef? Consider this: When compared to other meats, lamb contains very little fat in the grain of the meat, with what fat there is generally located on the outside edges of the meat where it can easily be trimmed away without compromising flavor or tenderness. We’re not anti-fat, but at least here you have a choice to match your own preferences.

In terms of taste, lamb is relatively mild and is generally used as a vehicle for spices, marinades or simply as an accompaniment to more strongly flavored dishes. As the lamb matures and becomes mutton (a sheep aged 1 year or older) it has a stronger taste and may also have a more grainy texture. If you’re looking for something more flavorful but don’t want to go for mutton, try Yearling mutton, which is the meat from a sheep that is between 1 and 2 years of age and has a flavor somewhere in between that of lamb and mutton.

Now let’s talk prices: Given that veal (young beef) is more expensive than regular old beef, it would make sense that lamb is pretty expensive too, right? Well, no. In actuality, lamb and beef, for the most part, are pretty evenly matched in terms of price.

Store Bought:

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably considering giving lamb a try. Good for you…now let’s hit the store! When purchasing lamb, look for pink meat with white fat. If the meat is a brighter shade of red or has yellow fat, it’s indicative of a cut from an older lamb (and is therefore tougher in texture). In terms of cuts, you can opt for lamb shoulder, an economical cut that, depending on location, lends itself well to roasting; lamb ribs (rack), which are excellent for grilling or broiling; lamb loin, which is the most expensive but by far the most tender; and lamb leg, the most popular, which you can do just about anything with! You may also purchase several sub-primal cuts, including the neck, foreshank, breast/brisket, and flank, which are great for use in casseroles and stews.

Similar to other meat, poultry and fish, you can find organically, grass-fed lamb in many supermarkets. And, similar to most other meat, you will pay a bit more per pound for this option. However, as many chefs will tell you, the finer taste and texture (as well as the knowledge that your little lamb had a nice life!) is well worth it.

What’s Cookin’:

When cooking lamb, the key to keeping the meat tender and flavorful is to never overcook it. Regardless of the cut that you are cooking, lamb should always be pink on the inside when served, a fact that should be particularly observed when cooking more tender cuts such as the loin. In fact, a good rule of thumb when cooking any cut of lamb is to always treat it like a very expensive cut of beef.

In general, lamb lends itself well to dishes with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian seasonings, although to be honest, lamb can serve as a welcome substitute to just about any chicken dish! Making a salad? Try topping it off with thin strips of marinated lamb (extra credit if you can rustle up some feta and a good balsamic vinegar to really take it to the next level!) Holding a BBQ? Consider throwing a marinated, butterflied lamb loin on the barbeque. It really is that easy, and you’ll be amazed at just how good this little lamb can taste!

will hybrid, Amigurumi Kingdom, Alexandra Moss, Chewy Chua Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

More Smart Fuel

How to Eat Enough Protein

The Migraineur: Turkish Lamb

Posted: Diet, Health, Nutrition, Smart Fuel

The Art of Compromise5

Naughty and Nice

We arm ourselves with knowledge. We gauge the evidence and outline a plan. We form our ideals and establish steps for carefully considered goals. We seek out support and put our noses to the grindstone. We stay focused, keep learning and hone the design with time and experience.

Goals require responsibility, commitment and fortitude, but life invokes flexibility, compromise. In the midst of all the good, the bad and the ugly we hash out here (in the name of the Primal Blueprint), there it is at the end of the day: the compromise.

We talk about both ends of the stick here: the compromises we choose and those we’re more or less handed by life. Those we elect, the sensible vices and occasional indulgences we adopt? They’re ours to own and savor. It’s the glass of wine, the dark chocolate bar, even the piece of French bread during a long awaited dinner out on the town. A compromise of choice isn’t a weak moment or a giddy transgression in which we feverishly relish cheating – on ourselves. (What’s that about anyway?) Compromise in the Primal Blueprint is a fully informed and intentional act. We consciously choose how we will balance the enjoyment of everyday life with the commitment to cultivating health and well-being. We consider and select what we let into our lives, our diets, our bodies.

On the other end of things, we find the compromise of circumstance. Just as we bring a consciousness to the choices we make, we bring deliberation to the impact of conditions we can’t control but can mitigate: aging, stress, environmental toxins, etc. We take responsibility by seeing, sensing, learning about what is going on in us and around us. When it comes to the compromise of circumstance, we own it by knowing it. We do what we can to mitigate the damage.

To maintain the muscle mass and organ reserve of our younger years, we include weight bearing exercise in our workout routines. We maintain good protein intake. To alleviate stress, we meditate, take part in yoga, and spend time outdoors. To lessen the impact of toxins, we limit our use of synthetic chemicals and toxic substances, eat a clean diet and use wise supplementation (Mark’s store) to help ensure optimum health.

Some of you who have adopted the Primal Blueprint have commented on an evolving sensitivity to the body’s messages. You might react more strongly to a dessert or alcohol than before. You might feel unusually restless from skipping a workout day. True wellness involves both a deliberate attention to and naturally heightened perceptiveness of the subtleties of our physiological response. Not to sound too new age, but when we’re in tune with our bodies, we’re in a position to make better decisions about our daily health efforts. (Our bodies seem to have a lot more to say, but it’s likely the fact that we’re listening more intently.) We’re able to develop more individually appropriate, balanced responses to life’s compromises. And when we feel that keyed in, that aware and in charge, it’s easier to own the compromises we make and not feel frustrated or powerless in the face of compromises that are out of our hands. We also don’t end up “splitting� our life and health efforts between the good, obedient and the flawed, escapist. It’s all one picture, and the perfect doesn’t have to be the enemy of the good.

Everybody’s experiences with the Primal Blueprint framework and their own implementation of it are inherently different. We’re all coming to this with varied histories, conditions, frustrations, life situations, levels of fitness and health knowledge. Some of us have been pretty aware and honest with ourselves all along. Some of us had to turn over a new leaf and take charge. We hope the Primal Blueprint, in both its ideals and respect for life’s compromises, has helped you construct your own design for a consciously healthy and enjoyable life.

What are your thoughts and experiences with the Primal Blueprint – whether you’re just beginning to try things out or you made a solid commitment to the basic principles long ago?

robsmith-qld, Bethany L King, airpark, Wes & Eli Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

What is the Primal Blueprint?

Veganism - A Very Big Compromise

Are there any good carbs?

Posted: Health, How To, Personal Improvement, Primal Health