Mark’s Daily Apple

How to Shop a Farmers’ Market3

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They’re good for the environment, they help pad farmers’ pockets, they increase fresh produce consumption and strengthen community bonds. Seriously, is there nothing a farmers’ market can’t do?

To follow up on all our recent chatter about the benefits of farmers’ markets, we found this helpful video about what you can expect from your local farmers’ market, the benefits of keeping it local and how to get the most out of your retail experience.

via YouTube via foodtv.ca

Some take-home messages:

1) Don’t be scared to ask questions – Farmers are generally happy to discuss their growing process and can also tell you first-hand which produce is the best (or even give you serving suggestions!)

2) Think farmers’ markets are just for vegetables? Think again! Many farmers’ markets are also home to vendors selling meats, cheese, eggs or other products.

3) Don’t write off your local farmers’ market in the winter months – even though growing conditions may be bleak, many farmers will bring in produce from more far-flung locales, allowing you access to the foods you want while still allowing them to earn a living.

4) Although it’s preferable to eat locally-grown produce, regional climates, seasonal changes and growing cycles can seriously limit your selections at certain times of the year. A better policy is to stock up when an item is in season, but be amenable to subsidizing your selections with out-of-season items.

5) Don’t get hung up on price. You may pay more for organic or local produce, but the freshness (sometimes picked that same day), value and the knowledge that your supporting your local farming industry (and decreasing your carbon footprint) should more than make up for the slightly higher cost.

If you’re interested in learning more about farmers’ markets in your area, visit this USDA web page.

Further Reading:

Community Supported Agriculture

Urban Gardening

10 Ways to “Eat Green”

Posted: How To, Videos

10 Ways to “Get Primal”26

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.

Read on to learn how you can get primal on every level on every occasion:

Hike:

Whether it was searching for food, shelter or just greener pastures, our ancestors spent a lot of time taking the heel-toe express! (Though, it wasn’t exactly heel-toe in those days.) These days, of course, we have planes, trains and automobiles to get us from A to B, which means hoofing it has become our least likely mode of transport. To get back to the Primal Blueprint, set aside some time every week to participate in sustained activity as a way to return your body to its natural state (that is, being in a constant state of motion). And, although hiking was the primary modality for sustained exercise for our predecessors, feel free to substitute it for biking or any other low-level physical activity you can do for a long period with little interruption.

Sprint:

Although eat or be eaten is no longer really considered a threat in today’s society, for our ancestors, it was a pretty big (and potentially lethal) deal. The solution? Run fast, run hard, and run for your life! You can incorporate these same theories by adding a series of short sprints into your exercise routine (see Mark explain his sprint routine here). The idea here isn’t necessarily to be the fastest kid on the block (although that would be awesome), but rather to give all you’ve got for a brief period of time. Also, bear in mind that this concept of going hard and fast for a few seconds isn’t limited to the act of sprinting; you could try water sprints, power cycling, jump rope intervals or any other activity that requires short, intense bursts of energy.

Lift Hard:

Think Cavemen killed time pounding weights in a dingy gym? Think again! Our ancestors tested their strength only in real-life situations (as opposed to having a pose-off with the meathead in the cut-off shirt!) and grew strong by doing, for the most part, weight bearing exercises. Naturally, they focused on activities that would help them carry out real life functions. Want to work out like your primal ancestors? Try weight bearing activities such as squats or dead lifts, which our ancestors did when lifting a heavy rock or log for building; lunges, which mimic the action of transversing steep terrain or stepping into a throw; pull-ups and standing rows to mimic the movement of pulling a heavy object towards the body; pushing, to mimic the motion of… well, pushing things; and twisting motions such as medicine ball throws or cable woodchoppers, which our ancestors did when throwing spears or hoisting objects. For a new challenge (and an exercise that combines just about all of the above motions, try the Turkish get-up:

Ditch Grains and Sugar:

With the tagline “so simple even a caveman could do it,� the commercial suggests that our ancestors were, well, not the sharpest tools in the shed. But, clearly they were smart enough to shun grains and sugar (a feat that the majority of current day Americans have yet to accomplish). In fact, according to some anthropologists, our ancestors only consumed about 80 g of carbohydrates per day, largely because sources of carbohydrates – such as grains, beans and potatoes – are toxic in raw form. To keep it primal, avoid all grains, including bread, pasta, rice and noodles, and all refined sugar. It should also probably be noted that the majority (if not all) of processed foods are packed with carbs - either in the form of a grain, sugar, or both - so it’s best to cut those out too!

Eat Meat and Fish:

When dinner time rolled around for our ancestors, they weren’t exactly reaching for the yellow pages! Instead, they were reaching for a spear, ax or some other weapon to catch their meal. While we’re certainly not advocating that you begin hunting for your own entrees (people might talk!) we do recommend that you begin thinking about your diet in a way that resembles their dietary habits. That is, if you can’t catch it or find it in nature, you can’t eat it. In short, opt for meat and fish and don’t get hung up on the fat content. Not only is fat integral to health, it will also help keep you feeling satiated longer!

Eat Berries, Nuts and Unbridled Amounts of Veggies:

Again, when selecting foods, remember that you’re playing the role of the hunter and gatherer, so feel free to indulge in foods you would find in nature. Specifically, the Primal diet recommends berries, which are low in sugar and packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients, and nuts, including walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamias and almonds (but not peanuts which are a legume and should also be avoided for fear of aflatoxins). When it comes to vegetables, seek out root vegetables including carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and Swede (but not potatoes or other starchy, high-carb varieties), leafy greens, tomatoes and other brightly-hued vegetables (which not only add color to dishes, but also seriously improve the nutrition value).

Drink Water:

Although there is some back and forth about how much water our early ancestors actually consumed (with some anthropologists suggesting that early man got most of his water from the vegetables he consumed as opposed to risking his life standing in line with the other predators and prey at the local waterhole), the reality is that even if early man didn’t consume that much pure water, he certainly wasn’t reaching for a Coke. Get back to your primal roots by ditching the Gatorade, the soda (including the diet ones – they’re nearly as bad!) and especially the juice. All you really need is water, and lucky for you, it’s as easy as turning on the tap.

Sleep Smart:

When the sun went down, early man started prepping for bed. When the sun sets today, most men (and women) will do the dishes, watch Grey’s Anatomy, finish up paperwork, pay bills and check their email before falling asleep with the television blaring Conan O’Brien. No offense to Mr. O’Brien, but when nature starts heading to bed, so too should you. To catch Zzzs like our ancestors, remove all electronics from the bedroom and focus on creating an environment that is dark, quiet and serene. Also, while it might seem counterintuitive to not close the blinds, allowing natural light to be your wake-up call is far more refreshing (and natural) then waking to the shrills of an alarm clock.

Relax:

As much as we harp on about how hard early man had it (what with having to work hard to survive and all that), make no mistake, early man liked his downtime too! Unlike our ancestors, however, many of us tend to spend our downtime plunked in front of the TV or computer engaged(?) in mindless activity for hours on end. To get back to our primal roots, select an activity that will clear your mind and help you recharge and refocus. And don’t forget that part of this getting up and moving around a bit.

Crack a Coconut, Spear your Dinner and Sleep in a Cave:

Ok, maybe we’re kidding on this last one. But imagine how primal it’d make you feel!

mutbka, Jasmic, hrtmnstrfr, Bern@t, Genista, paurian, Snap, jahdakine, Mai, OnuRoca Flickr Photos (CC) and nightowl27 YouTube Clip

Further Reading:

My Knee is Killing Me… No Really.

Would Grok Chow the Cheese Plate?

What Mark Eats in a Day

Posted: Diet, Fitness, Health, How To, Nutrition, Personal Improvement, Primal Health, Stress, The Tuesday 10, Videos

Household Cleaners and Health Risks5

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

Urban Gardening12

Those of us who live in larger cities value the diverse culture, the big-time arts and sports, the good job market, the easy travel access, and the many other lifestyle options city living provides. Among those aspects you don’t hear as often: the gardening. The fact is, you don’t have to live in Green Acres to raise a rich, plentiful, even income-generating (yes, you read that right) garden. Check out this video of the Dervaes family and their quest to live close to their 1/5 of an acre of land.

And this local news coverage of the family and their garden:

Now that’s motivation and ingenuity. Let’s just say their example is both humbling and inspiring to those of us who celebrate getting young berry bushes through the winter. Most of us can’t imagine what it would mean to grow even a fraction of our own food let alone enough to feed our families and the restaurant down the block. Four hundred food items! Now that’s veggie and fruit diversity!

While the Dervaes family is truly exceptional, urban gardens (popular for decades in Europe) are taking off in a number of American cities these days. Urban singles and families appreciate the simple enjoyment of the pastime as well as the budget-sparing fruits of their labors. City governments, on the other hand, value the “greening� and beautification of city lots as well as the increased social investment gardening residents make in their urban neighborhoods.

And the benefits don’t end there. A study published in this month’s Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that, among 766 surveyed adults in Flint, Michigan, those who participated in community gardens “consumed fruits and vegetables 1.4 more times per day than those who did not participate, and they were 3.5 times more likely to consume fruits and vegetables at least 5 times daily.�

Not only do urban gardens offer the chance and incentive for better dietary health, we’d argue they offer other health advantages as well, especially for young urban seedlings, who, as we shared last week, stand to benefit from the time outdoors.

For more information on the Dervaes family and their project, check out their website, Path to Freedom. You can find their online journal, Little Homestead in the City.

And send us your thoughts, experiences and tips for urban (or rural/suburban!) gardening.

Posted: How To, Personal Improvement, Raise Healthy Seedlings, Videos

Smoking Gun2

We know, we know, there’s very little chance that you, dear reader, are struggling with smoking, but here at Mark’s Daily Apple we’re suckers for a good science experiment (especially ones with high volumes of grammatical and spelling errors!)

With that being said, can you believe that in the year 2008, with as much information as we have on the dangers of smoking, people are still puffing away? We’ve know for decades that this stuff will kill you! We know for some smokers, scare tactics (this video, the entire “Truthâ€� anti-smoking campaign, and the fact that in many states, you and your filter-tipped buddy are no longer welcome in restaurants and bars) simply aren’t going to be effective. After all, if they were, the tobacco industry would have gone bankrupt years ago and been nothing more than a nearly forgotten, laughable relic of yester-year.

But every now and then, reminders such as these can, for some smokers, make them think about what they’re doing and perhaps encourage them to take incremental steps towards kicking the habit for good (or at least gross them out for a few minutes!)

Further Viewing:

More Videos!

Posted: Health, Prevention, Videos