Mark's Daily Apple

The Primal Blueprint Sneak Preview

As you may know, I’ve been working on my comprehensive diet, exercise and lifestyle book, The Primal Blueprint, for nearly two years now. This exciting project is nearing completion, with a planned publication date of April, 2009. In the spirit of the holiday season, I want to give you a detailed sneak preview! The message is aligned with many of the concepts and topics I address on Mark’s Daily Apple, but finally organizes the entire “primal” philosophy into a single work – your “owner’s manual” for all things primal. At 300+ pages, The Primal Blueprint will be an extremely comprehensive work, but I also envision it as a mere starting point for a brand extension of more specialized publications (e.g. – companion workbooks for athletes, weight loss enthusiasts, healthy families), a DVD series that is already in the works, live seminars and much more.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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In Vino Veritas (and Health?)

With the holiday season upon us, we thought it might be helpful to perform some healthy rationalizations for our alcohol consumption. Yay!

Now, obviously, people have been getting intoxicated for many millennia (animals will seek out fermenting fruit, too, so it’s not an “unnatural” desire by any means), and that includes our beloved Grok. Neither a teetotaler nor a raging drunk, Grok probably limited his consumption to very rare occasions: namely, whenever he happened across a stash of fermenting fruit. See, all evidence suggests that the purposeful production of alcoholic beverages didn’t begin until around 10,000 BC – pretty much in line with our estimations of the advent of agriculture. Indeed, the process of purposeful fermentation could be said to run against Primal ideals – our commitment to fresh, whole foods, free of artificial additives or manmade machinations – especially nowadays, with enormous industrial factories dedicated to churning out millions of gallons of beer and liquor. That said, fermentation itself is a wholly natural occurrence; beer factories and whiskey mills simply exploit and amplify the process.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Handy Recipes: Primal Finger Foods

So, yesterday we established that while you do in fact eat like Grok, what you really mean is that you eat the same types of food as Grok, but your use of a knife, fork and spoon means that you aren’t actually eating like Grok.

Here’s the challenge: For just a day, ditch the eating utensils (we’ll even let you pick the day so that you don’t find yourself drawing stares at your spouses fancy schmancy office party!) It’s a fun way to get in touch with your inner Grok (as well as save up some valuable space in your dishwasher!)

The following is a dinner menu you should consider getting your hands on…literally.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Eat with Your Hands

We follow the diet of Grok, we exercise the same muscles with the same movements that Grok used, and we just generally do our best to live Primally in a decidedly modern world. At the same time, though, we use cell phones and computers. We drive cars or take public transport. And unless your HMO covers shaman visits, we go to the doctor when we fall seriously ill or break something. I guess what I’m trying to convey is that, as followers of the Primal Blueprint, we get the best of both worlds. We’re Primal, but not to a fault (no coming-of-age blood initiation rites, no dying out because of a sprained ankle). Likewise, we’re modern (modern evolutionary science has given us the tools to conclude that the Primal way is the best for us), but cognizant of the considerable downsides this world entails.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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My Self-Experimentation and Transformation

Thanks to Richard Nikoley of Free the Animal for this Guest Post! Here is more anecdotal proof that a high fat diet coupled with intermittent fasting can improve body composition. If you’re interested to know more about Richard’s transformation visit his site, or simply ask him a question in the comment board where he’ll be fielding inquiries. Thanks, Richard!

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I’m a blogger with over two thousand posts under his belt going back five years this month, to November of 2003. And, until May of 2007, about 18 months ago, I was a big fat blogger — one usually filled with rage over politics and all sorts of other societal elements far removed from my direct control. The blog was supposed to be an outlet; but instead, I was a basket case of stress, with blood pressure consistently measuring 145-160 / 95-105, probably well on my way to some cardiac event or stroke within a decade. To make matters worse, I took prescription medication daily, both for gastric reflux (pretty predictable) and for sinus allergies I’d suffered from since my teen years.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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