Mark's Daily Apple

The Dirt on Dirt

The prevailing opinion at MDA is that listening to one’s body is good policy. Natural instinct has been kind to us over the years – just as long as we listen to it. Oh, sure, some instinctual behaviors have little relevance nowadays and should be ignored (like our tendency to tribalize and shun newcomers for protection – made sense when we were living off the land in small inclusive clans competing for resources, but today it just causes war, racism, and nationalism), but most instincts are hard-wired into us for a reason. Consider salivation, which tells us delicious, wholesome food is to be had (I know I’m not the only one with an utterly Primal tendency to drool at the prospect of a rare steak), or our sense of fairness, which makes for a more harmonious environment (good for survival and for everyone involved). We like to stress the importance of listening to your body’s natural inclinations.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Eating Habits and Memory Function

Diet is a powerful force as we say time and again. Most of the studies revolve around the physical aspects: inflammation, disease risk, body composition, blood markers, etc. But there’s the promise a good diet can offer other elements of health, including cognitive performance. With climbing rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s, these correlations are nothing to shake a stick at.

In that vein, this recent study caught our eye. Researchers from the University of Muenster in Germany followed subjects who had been grouped into three practices: a caloric restriction group (30% cut in daily intake), a group that increased their consumption of essential fatty acids (20% increase), and a control group. After three months, all subjects retook tests focused on memory activities. The group that cut its calories showed a “significant increase” in scores related to verbal memory. The apparent cognitive improvement could be correlated, the researchers say, with “decreases in fasting plasma levels of insulin and high sensitive C-reactive protein.” No noteworthy changes were seen in the other subjects.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Statins and Sprints: News Alert

You’ve probably noticed that we like to revisit subjects, no matter how exhaustive our prior analysis may have appeared. We do this for two reasons – to foster a running dialogue on a constantly evolving idea; and to make sure the Primal Blueprint remains supported by hard science.

Mark has always talked about his affection for the beach sprint (or any type of sprint) as a quick, intense, effective cardio workout in line with the type of daily activities Grok performed. He’s also conveyed his unease with our increasing reliance on Big Pharma for our health and wellness needs. Today’s post deals with two recent studies of particular interest and relevance to these topics. We found them quite interesting, and we think our readers might too.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Weekend Special: Human Foie Gras

Rejoice!

A new clinical study was just released linking a low-carbohydrate diet to reduced liver fat. Get this, though – the scientists actually compared the low-carb diet to a low-calorie diet and found the low-cal diet severely lacking. Their results aren’t surprising, especially to our readers. In fact, we’re almost tempted to put this in the “Duh” files, but these guys seem to be on our side: they went into it with a hypothesis that maybe, just maybe, a low-carb diet could be helpful, and the results speak for themselves. A study that’s actually intended to investigate the advantages of a low-carb diet without the underlying assumption that CW-driven low-cal diets are better? No way we’re passing up a chance to discuss it!

Posted By: Worker Bee

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The Recession Diet

Over the last year we’ve brought you tips on keeping your primal diet in line with your budget. It’s been a tough year after all. First, gas prices (among other influences) sent food prices soaring, and lately we’ve all been living under the cloud of an economic downturn that seems to be settling in as comfortably as an unwelcome, clueless house guest.

But as the country shores up for hard times ahead, the “recession” analysis has found its way beyond the money section and into the lifestyle pages. According to some experts, the economic trend has done more than alter grocery shopping habits; it’s spawned a dietary drift worthy of pop cultural commentary and a classification all its own: the “recession diet.”

Posted By: Worker Bee

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