Sensible Vices: Round 2

What can we say? We love our vices: those delightful, scrumptious, indulgent little morsels of gratifying transgression. O.K., this isn’t really how we look at it, but it’s kind of fun (and relatively harmless) to linger for a moment in imagined decadence.

In reality, our vices are simply healthy pleasures, satisfying and rather sensible indulgences. More Tom Hanks than Steve McQueen. More Jane Austen than Candace Bushnell. (Whatever floats your boat – you get our meaning.) The point is, these are vices that come without the guilt. What a deal! 100% satisfaction with no self-imposed penitence. Sign us up!

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Dear Mark: Decline in Mental Energy

Dear Mark,

Have you noticed a decline in mental energy or focus since not doing “cardio”? I have read several reports that indicate that aerobic exercise is best for mental performance. Any thoughts?

Thanks to reader Phillip for his question on the comment boards. I’ve talked a lot over the course of the last few months about chronic cardio and the very real disadvantages of this type of training (higher cortisol levels, oxidative damage, systemic inflammation, depressed immune system and decreased fat metabolism, etc.). However, just because I don’t do chronic cardio anymore doesn’t mean I don’t get huge cardio benefits from the high intensity sprints and other interval exercises I do. This high intensity part of my workout is short compared with the hours I used to used to spend training. I choose to consider efficiency as a factor in my training program, and (as I’ve said on a number of occasions) I’ve never felt better than I do now.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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10 Ways to “Get Primal”

Here at Mark’s Daily Apple, we advocate the Primal Blueprint Lifestyle, that is, a health philosophy that in large part acts to mimic the diet and physical activity of our pre-agricultural ancestors.

And, while we’ve explained in the past what it means to “Get Primal,” we figured what’s not to love about a bulleted list that reminds us how to incorporate these methods into our everyday lives.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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The Benefits of Short Breaks

It’s a long afternoon in the office, and your focus is waning. After staring out the window for a few half-conscious minutes, you tell yourself, “Maybe I’ll just get up and take a lap. I’ll get some water or see what my buddy is doing down the hall.”

It turns out your break is more than just a cubicle “coping mechanism” or even a recharge for a distracted mind. New research out of Australia shows that frequent breaks with even a modest amount of movement (like standing and stretching) have significant physical benefit. The study measured the impact of “light activity” on a number of health markers in 168 healthy adults.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Antioxidants and the Stress of Eating

Sorry, we’re not talking about how to politely show your Aunt Mildred how much you appreciate her tomato jello mold. Research from the Agricultural Research Service suggests that eating antioxidant rich foods such as berries with each meal can neutralize the free radicals inevitably created by the oxidative stress of regular digestion.

As if you needed another reason to eat your fruits and veggies…

Posted By: Worker Bee

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