Contest: What Do You Want from Upcoming Book, Primal Woman?
The Prize:
The ULTIMATE posture correction package courtesy of Esther Gokhale, owner and founder of the Gokhale Method Institute!
Do you suffer from mild to chronic back pain, inhibiting your sleep and daily life? Have you succumbed to the fact that this is “just how it is?” Not so fast… The Gokhale Method is a systematic, non-surgical process of restoring pain-free posture and movement based on the way our bodies were naturally designed. Learn how to sit, sleep, stand, walk and bend in ways that actually protect and strengthen your bones and muscles.
The lucky recipient of today’s challenge will receive:
Stretchsit® Cushion: Unlike a lumbar support cushion, Stretchsit elongates rather than compresses your low back, giving you the natural, healthy spinal shape shared by children, athletes and people in traditional societies the world over. This mobile, adjustable cushion can be easily moved from the car to the office, so you can enjoy the benefits throughout the day.
8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: A step-by-step guide designed to help those suffering from back pain re-educate their bodies and regain the posture for which our bodies evolved.
DVD – Back Pain: The Primal Posture Solution: Follow along with Esther for 60 minutes of guided posture corrections and techniques as she addresses the root cause of most muscle and joint pain with healthy posture and movement techniques.
A hands-on Gokhale Method Consultation: A comprehensive evaluation of your current posture and how it relates to problems you may be having, a projection of what structural changes are possible, and some key ideas and practices to help you improve your structure immediately and long-term. This can be scheduled at one of the many Gokhale Facilities across the country and abroad. Or if that’s not available to you, you can even meet with a qualified teacher via Skype! Isn’t technology great?
Do you already have good posture and find yourself fighting the urge to adjust strangers on the elevator? You can train with the best and become a Gokhale Method teacher yourself! Click here for details about the program.
The Contest:
I’m pleased to announce that my wife Carrie – who many of your have met in-person at PrimalCon, or know through her past blog posts (Dear Carrie: Reader Question Roundup, Dear Carrie: Cellulite) – is writing a book due out at the end of next year tentatively titled “Primal Woman”. It will be her perspective on what it means to be a Primal woman in the modern world: her role as a woman, as a mother, a wife, an object of beauty, and a functioning member of society. She’ll likely be touching on a wide range of topics like body image, aging gracefully, handling relationships, raising a family, making a contribution beyond family, and health-related topics like menopause, PCOS, hormone replacement therapy, and the Primal Blueprint eating and exercise strategy for women to name just a few.
For this contest, Carrie wants to hear from you. In the comment board below, list your top 5 women’s health issues, topics, or questions you’d like to see addressed in Primal Woman, for a chance to win the prize above.
While the general scope of this book is outlined, this is your chance to impact its direction. Let her know what you want out of a book written by a Primal woman, for Primal women.
Eligibility:
U.S. residents only. All sexes welcome. You don’t have to be a woman to care about women’s issues.
The Contest End Time:
September 23, midnight, PDT.
How the Winner Will Be Determined:
A winner will be selected at random.
To track all the contests visit the 2012 Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge Contest Page for daily updates.
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
I can tell you what I don’t want from the book: any more mentions of women as “objects of beauty”. When paleo/primal turns into armchair evolutionary psychology, count me out.
I would definitely agree with that. Far too many women are already obsessed with themselves as an “object of beauty” (i.e. “trophy wife”, “arm candy”, “eye candy”, plus a million other pejorative descriptions that dehumanize women). Offhand, I can’t think of a more shallow aspiration for today’s primal woman. I hope Carrie will rethink that outdated notion.
For some women, being an object of beaty and desire is extremely important. Like when your life is no longer consumed by a career and/or raising young children, and you are pushing 50 or 60. I’m not sure what armchair evolutionary psychology has to do with being wanted and appreciated.
What I would like to see in Primal Woman are photos and stories of fit, acive women in ther 50’s, 60’s and beyond so that normal women can get a realistic idea of what is possible. We are bombarded by airbrushed images of 20-something flatbellies with no life experience and that is not really useful to me.
Agree!
… and it isn’t about “being an object of beauty and desire” for others.
It’s about feeling beautiful and desirable just within one’s own soul.
… and getting a compliment from someone else NEVER HURTS EITHER!
Amen to that.
For some men, being an object of beauty is extremely important. Yet the closest I’ve ever seen to that for them is LGN, which applies to women as well.
+1
I think it makes perfect sense to address the issue of woman as “objects of beauty” especially in relation to body image. The idea that strong is beautiful needs to be voiced loudly and often.
I agree with you that the idea that strong is beautiful and addressing body image issues is relevant, yes – but I think the “objects of beauty” bit is awkward phrasing.
I’d prefer not to be an “object” at all. And it would be pretty awesome to see performance improvements as part of the body image bit – measurements get a lot less important when a woman can take pride in how fast she can sprint, how heavy she can lift, or whatever personal parameters are important to her WHERE SHE’S AT.
We’ve got to start meeting ourselves where we are at as women rather than eyeing some brass ring of ideals.
I absolutely agree. I’m one of those pushing sixty and suffering the consequences of depleted hormones.
How do you feel like an object of beauty when your hair starts to thin so badly you can see your scalp? You have a belly bulge even when you eat and exercise correctly? Your neck and chin line sag? Etc…
At different ages beauty has different stages.
I’ve learned to laugh…a lot!
I hope I will always be an object of beauty to those who love me. And never in comparison to those in TV, movies, magazines, or even myself ten or twenty years ago. My beauty is better found at this stage of my life my in strength, knowledge, wisdom, patience, and a peaceful, calm spirit. And, a great sense of humor!
When society stops objectifying women, maybe then we can stop talking about it?
Thank you. I was just about to say the same thing. Ditto to the aging gracefully thing.
Just to be clear, I was agreeing with Emily’s original comment. (There were no other replies when I started typing).
I think Mark was paying his wife a compliment here…..don’t take things so seriously…
THIS IS AWESOME! Can’t wait for the book.
Here are my top 5:
1) dealing with hormonal issues – PCOS in particular (I used to have it and have kind of cured myself but would love more info)
2) body image
3) main differences in nutrition requirements for women and men
4) main differences in optimal exercise routines for women and men
5) fertility promoting things
Totally love the idea of highlighting differences here, particularly with respect to COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS.
I second this. I’d like to go more into body image things – like muscle v. fat issues.
Let me add: Primal pregnancy! “The ketones will retard your baby” OB threats scared me fat (I’m not carb tolerant and pregnancy makes me hungry) and then it was “don’t gain too much”. I just didn’t understand why a slightly pink early morning ketone test strip once in a while was a crisis when there are women who vomit their way into hospital stays, losing body fat the entire 10 months but who still deliver healthy babies. (Not that I’m going to try VLC, but if my appetite says “not hungry right now” what’s the harm?)
As far as I can tell, the “we think ketones are bad for the fetus” studies seemed to be based on malnourished/starving people — that means folic acid, iron, other b vitamins, protein, EFAs are all factors. Whereas the hyper-vomiters seems to be a better comparison for the true effects of a ketone/fat burning metabolism while pregnant. I hope there’s a break down before I have my next kid.
And I’d like for the establishment to explain why if ketones are so horrible for pregnancy then why were they so awesome for getting me knocked up?
+1
Agreed on the few items above. I am a female powerlifter who overcame PCOS/Metabolic Syndrome. I’d love some more information on dealing with hormonal issues and how intermittent fasting may impact women vs. men, menstrual cycles (and how to deal with those awful cravings), listening to your body and eating what it wants vs. will power and sticking to a specific diet (for me, high protein, moderate calorie restriction).
I’d be particularly interested to hear about hormone imabalances and how to rebalance them as naturally as possible. That often seems a very common problem that’s invariably skimmed over in terms of women’s health. Also information on intermittent fasting and how it relates to women’s health, as it seems to affect many women markedly differently to the way it affects men, whilst still retaining the obvious potential in terms of gene reprogramming.
Excited to see what she writes!
I agree, Rachel. I’d like to hear about women’s hormones and their effect on primal women. Also, I’m interested in how intermittent fasting relates to women’s health.
Also, do primal women have different dietary and exercise needs than primal men?
Also, just a side note…
I’ve noticed that my hair has quit falling out/shedding as much as it used to since going primal. I used to lose a clump of hair in the shower each day, and now only lose a few strands. It was an unexpected and happy side-effect, and I’m wondering if any other women have noticed this.
I have. I’d put my hair falling out down to stress but it stopped when I went Primal, thank goodness! Now I’m hoping it’ll grow back…
I’d noticed too, mine was falling out in huge huge clumps and had me quite scared after having alopecia in my twenties. I had to scoop handfuls out the bottom of the shower each time I washed it but now, theres hardly any loss. Thank you primal.
Just the opposite for me. My hair started falling out profusely after a few months of primal. I’ve read low carb suppresses the Thyroid. I’m not sure about that, at least not for everyone. But, since I already had Thyroid issues before going primal it may have contributed to this. I’ve tried everything to help my hair issues. MSM, Biotin, Gelatin, and so on…nothing has helped as yet. It’s gotten to the point I’m very self conscious about my thinning hair. It was a point of pride for me for over fifty years. I hope it will get better in time. I hope!!!
Ditto on the hormones. So much of the good emerging science about health and weight loss hinges on hormones: leptin, insulin, thyroid, etc. But men & women are so different in that regard!
Other issues that come up a lot on the forums: skin/acne/wrinkles, primal for the family, aging, autoimmune, fertility, pregnancy & postpartum.
Not interested in: look at all the hot primal babes (although we are, aren’t we?!).
I would also love to learn more about hormones and how the cyclical changes affect the body. Women experience so many hormonal changes in life (such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause) as well as a constantly changing hormonal cycle during the reproductive years. I don’t know enough about hormones, but I do know they have a significant impact in many areas of our lives, including how diseases affect people differently.
Seconded about the hormones. I was wondering just in the last few days if there is a way to combat that “must eat everything ever made/all of the chocolate ever” feeling I get exactly once a month! I know it’s all just hormones and probably evolved as a way to boost conception chances during our most fertile days, but it’s very hard to stick with Primal eating when it hits. Any tips or tricks to combat it would be awesome!
I totally agree Emily; if it’s not based on evolution and health then it probably shouldn’t be in a book called “Primal Woman” – if we have to be ‘objects of beauty’ then just call it “The Inner Goddess” and we’ll know to avoid it like the plague.
I agree that the term “object” is one to be avoided when talking about any person, but the desire and goal to be (more) beautiful – to yourself and to others – isn’t a bad one unless it becomes an obsession or subscribes to unhealthy practices like eating disorders or plastic surgery addiction. And to be honest, that’s a big draw of this kind of lifestyle for people who were already feeling and performing ok-fine to start with – not only is performance and mental state enhanced, but you also look pretty damn hot. For myself, at least, that makes a marked improvement not only in my mood but also in how others treat me, thereby essentially hacking my life to make every day a little more pleasant and easier. In addition, if you’ve got some of the classic evolutionary markers of beauty – 0.7ish WHR, clear and glowing skin, good posture, a smile, etc – chances are that you’re also pretty healthy and happy.
But yeah…Mark and Carrie, please don’t call people objects! I am a beautiful person!
1) body image
2) eating right
3) being a strong, independent woman
4) making workouts count
5) making mention that the new 21st century woman is no longer the stick-thin, durgged up model, but now the ripped, beautiful athlete.
#5:
Sounds like substituting one impossible or undesirable ideal for another.
I agree. The whole “strong is the new skinny” thing with posters showing women with six packs is pretty annoying. Not all women are 5’10 (or heck, even 5’5) with slim athletic hips and six pack abs. Not everyone WANTS to be that. Plus, what about the women that are naturally very thin, no matter what they eat or how they exercise? Is that saying that they are somehow unattractive, because they’re not a “ripped, beautiful athlete”? I think it’s best to let go of all notions of what a woman (or man) “should” look like. We’re all different. Period.
I completely agree with April re. the not everyone is going to be a ripped and beautiful athlete and holding up ONE image as the ideal woman is unhealthy to the point of harmful for women. This goes for ALL women.
Basic body types exist and a woman who’s short waisted is bound to be thicker than a woman with a longer waist. A woman with short legs (proportionately to her height) is not ever going to have a classic “ballerina” shape. These are facts that we just have to work with.
About priorities: Some of us want to look good in a bikini and some of us care far more about being able to haul a 35 pound pack the length of the Appalachian Trail. Some of us are 20 and some are 60. Some care deeply about supporting fertility, pregnancy, & nursing. Some of us are way beyond that, dealing with the potential issues of increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis that can follow menopause.
For the record, I’m almost 59, post-menopausal, and planning a 2013 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I will never have a 6 pack, partly because of my age and my extreme short-waistedness but mainly because it’s not as important to me as endurance.
“Age gracefully”? what does that even mean? it makes me think of sitting in a rocking chair all nice and sweet and calm. NOT ME! LOL!!
Amen. I was skinny most of my life and did model a bit as a youngster. Everyone thought I was bulimic/anorexic, which is not true and not very nice. However, now past menopause I have gained T&A, so I joke that I got puberty and menopause at the same time.
I work out regularly and there is no way I will ever be “ripped” or have a six pack or any such look.
You can be very athletic and not look like that, so the look itself only represents a tiny fraction of fit women out there and doesn’t really represent fitness itself.
Bunny: Hiking the Appalachian Trail at 59 is the best kind of aging you can do! What a great role model you make for women despairing of looking like magazine covers.
Thank you BillP and April!! I’m so glad someone has finally said it! This is one of the most annoying aspects of the primal community and a big reason I’m no longer in love with the movement.
AMEN to that!!!
1. Weight (How to lose it by eating primal, what to do if eating primal has resulted in a gain)
2. Exercise (What is a good plan?)
3. Cosmetics/Beauty Products (Can we translate the primal lifestyle to what we put ON our body as well as IN in?
4. Supplements (Women specific, what do we need, how to get it)
5. Aging (How to age gracefully using the Primal Blueprint)
+1
as to #3 there is a great website for stuff like that http://www.ewg.org/skindeep, but i agree it should also be addressed at how that applies to being primal, etc.
There’s also crunchy Betty http://www.crunchybetty.com/ who does a lot of natural beauty ie face cleaning and moisturising ( think cleaning your face with pure honey or pure oil)
+1
1. Hormonal impacts of the primal diet.
2. Hormonal impacts of stress and supplementation/primalism to fix it.
3. Effects of fasting for women.
4. Body dismorphic issues.
5. Lifting heavy things for women.
+1
Yes, agree with these five!
+1
1 heart disease prevention
2 hormonal balance
3 stress relief
4 menopause
5 family/community
1. Fat loss for the stubborn feminine areas and dealing with the 2-tier body structure – skinny on top, fat on the bottom
2. Muscle building (getting ripped) for a female
3. Nutrition and fasting for females
4. What works for Primal Men but doesn’t Work for Women
5. Sugar and Carbohydrate Issues for women
Agree with 2,3,4 & 5!!! Thanks Leida.
Im no woman, but Id love to get this with my back problems (2 surgeries – ouch!). I find that when Im 100% primal back pain is much MUCH less than when I succumb to SAD foods.
Anyways:
1. Fertility
2. Skin – sun exposure, etc
3. Primal benefits during pregnancy
4. How foods that benefit men may not for women
5. Fitness!
Totally agree, for me (with back problems) what I eat is so very important, eat bad and feel it in your back within a couple of hours.
I’d like to see:
1) More information about intermittent fasting for women–pre- AND post-menopausal.
2) Strategies for overcoming eating “disorders” (binging, obsessing, etc.) that may not necessarily be severe enough for a formal diagnosis.
3) Hormone replacement past menopause–some experts recommend progesterone or estrogen even for women who are clearly post-menopause.
4) Bone health; calcium supplements or not?
5) Carbohydrate and protein requirements during pregnancy; some research has shown that low carb intake for the mother during pregnancy correlates with higher obesity rates in children.
+1
Goldie–I really like your #2. Such a challenge for me not to eat to soothe emotions. Been doing it since I was about 6 years old. Still is my greatest primal challenge by far.
+1
I’m in peri-menopause now and it seems to affect everything in my life!
I’d like to see some info on weightlifting for women with an emphasis on the fact that lifting heavy does not turn you into a bulging bodybuilder. Some info on ways to make your skin care and hair care routine more primal would be nice. Finding the correct macro nutrients for women and fasting for women would be beneficial, since there are a LOT of posts in the forum about this. And lastly, some info on feeding primal babies.
Would love to read about anemia/iron deficiency!
Yes, that would be great and supplements in general. Does that Primal stuff they sell here work for both women and men? I often hesitate to buy something that’s not at the very least weight specific.
And adding to that, iron excess (cant think of the proper terminology at the moment- mind blank) past menopause and perhaps specific tests that should be run to check for it.
How about a chapter (or two) for the Primal “Old/Mature” Woman? I’ll soon be 65 and most current information doesn’t address the issues of trying to correct a lifetime of eating SAD. I’m healthier than I was 10 years ago, but feel there’s still room for improvement. Am I just dreaming? Is this as good as it gets for those who have managed to survive the SAD?
1. Body Image
2. Different nutritional requirements between men and women
3. IF for women? Discussion of pros and cons
4. Athletic women who participate in endurance activities – how best to approach fueling for these activities Primaly – and address any differences between younger and older women.
5. Hormonal issues
I agree to the general consensus against the whole women as “objects of beauty” topic. For me that would insure that I wouldn’t buy the book.
1. Thyroid issues: does Primal help deal with hypothyroid; should there be adjustments to way of eating to support thyroid when hypo?
2. Hormonal issues/menopause issues
3. Starting out and/or making big changes at mid-life or older
4. Empty nest time — what can/should change at this point
5. Skin care
Love the book idea! Here are my top 5, in no specific order:
1. Hormonal balance/health, especially PCOS, Fertility, Menopause, Thyroid.
2. Body Image, with a focus on non-scale methods of measuring weight loss/muscle building/body composition progress. Why are we so addicted to the scale?? It lies!!
3. Primal Beauty – treatments/solutions for dry skin, blemishes, etc. and primal beauty products/make your own?
4. Primal Family – the struggles of leading a primal family; how to explain your family’s choices to others, how to convince your husband and children that this lifestyle is to their benefit.
5. Mental health – women I know, including myself, feel like they have to ‘do it all,’ leading to stress and often disappointment. How to slow down, make time for yourself, and take care of ourselves.
+1 for number 4.
I have a heck of a time convincing my 9 year old that what they are teaching her in school about nutrition is wrong. Add to that the impossible-to-avoid wheat-sugar “treats” after a wheat-PUFA “meal” at various things she attends, and I am lucky (*lucky*) to have her eat primally 50% of the time. I can write a whole essay, but I’ll stop there. This is probably my biggest challenge.
Absolutely, I struggle with this too.
Regarding number five, I’d actually love to see a primal book about mental health, mental illness, and primal treatments that applies to both genders.
Here are my top five things I would like to see addressed in Primal Woman:
1. Scientific studies that feature women (so many of the studies we rely on to dictate our health use only male subjects).
2. Body image issues
3. Fasting for women (yay or nay?)
4. Skin problems (specifically acne and sun exposure)
5. Primal eating & pregnancy
1) I would love to see a detailed exercise section for women that starts at the beginner level.
2) I would like to read about how the primal lifestyle positively impacts women’s hormonal symptoms (PMS, cramps, etc).
3) I would like to read a lot of success stories (with pics, of course!) for inspiration.
4) I am interested in adding things like herbal teas to my diet….a section on herbs would be great.
5) I would like to read about the ways women’s nutritional needs differ from men’s.
Thank you!
Agree with #1 Exercise – I have read both the PB and 21 Day Quick start and it’s a little lacking in the exercise department. Individual exercises discussed ~ fine, but I want something more organized.
Lay out a week’s worth of exercise routines for women to do on a rotational basis. Maybe add in some quick exercises to do if time is short.
1) hormone therapy replacement during/after menopause
2) intermittent fasting for women
3) effect of carb restriction on fertility
4) effects of hormonal bc on health and future fertility
5) female-specific requirements for protein intake
Hormone balancing as it relates to
1. Menopause
2. Skin
3. Bones
4. Endocrine system
5. Aging gracefully
ditto
Ditto to all those things and Perimenopause. Should Hormone replacements, even bio identical, be considered?
Also what is a healthy amount of fat to carry during your post reproductive years?
Ooh and how to maintain a healthy libido after 40? I have had my kids and don’t have much drive but my husbands isn’t slowing.
yes to all of these
1. Taking care of myself & my family who may not be on board.
2. How to encourage family.
3. Hormone fluctuations & how we should aproach them.
4. Section relating to childrens primal needs & how to apply program to them.
5. How the primal lifestyle benefits womens health.
1) How to live the primal lifestyle during and after pregnancy.
2) An exercise section for women.
3) Health and beauty products that fit into a primal woman’s lifestyle.
4) Women specific nutrition needs and eating plans.
5) Quick, easy recipes since most women now work outside the home and still run their household.
1. Getting and being pregnant
2. Nursing and feeding baby
3. Raising a child / anchoring a family
4. Passing through menarche, menopause, and everything inbetween, gracefully.
5. Last but not least, how to make the most of your appearance — yes, how to be BEAUTIFUL — without relying on nasty chemical cosmetics.
Women — you are beautiful — get used to it.
first of all – beyond excited about the prospect of this book.
1. body image for women of all ages. i’ve seen articles with visuals for grown women in their 20s and 30s – but I want my 9 yr old to know she is not fat. My 60 year old mom would like to know what is realistic.
2. Primal living pre and post pregnancy
3. how to lead a non-primal family into some primal habits. how do i get my kids and husband to eat better (i.e. vegetables)? be more active? i want to inspire them – not force them
4. nutritional needs for women – i’m thinking specifically about things we are told we must consume as women – calcium, folic acid, etc.
5. i’d also like to learn how to navigate the ocean of health information to find answers about nutrition, disease, aging, etc., on my own. i know we should question, question, question – but is a study on breast cancer treatment applicable if the participants ate carbs all day? maybe just a list of starting places/resources (like those included in PB) that focuses on women.
Agree! I’m going primal during this pregnancy via intuition. I know every pregnancy is different, but would be good to hear a few well balanced case studies (for example I have gained 10 kgs in 7 months, where other primal pregnant blogs I have read they barely gain any weight).
Some scientific background on the pregnancy and ketones. There’s a lot of CW floating around out there about that!
A big thing for my family now ( now we are all 80% primal) is that now that we are trying to eat primally, including WHEN we are hungry instead of just because something said we should eat breakfast at a specific time… Sitting down and eating a meal at a table together. I know it’s bonding (think family grok around the campfire) but we are often not hungry at the same times!
This and any other tips for switching from a modern conventional life to a primal based lifestyle with retirement still being so far away still but from the point of view of a mother (working or stay at home)
1. Birth control options and their effects.
2. Skin issues and how primal can help.
3. Fertility issues and how primal can help.
4. Calcium and bone health.
5. Exercising and weight lifting for women.
I second the birth control options and fertility issues!
I second the skin issues
The benifits of a Primal Diet/lifestyle in regaurds to:
1. Hormonal issues including menopause issues
2. Fitness/excercising/lifting heavy things – proper eating on heavy workout days
3. Raising/feeding young & older kids – ideas for teaching/adapting the Primal Lifestyle changes
4. How has this changed your view and/or participation in society? Suggestions for others.
5. How, if at all, will this change the outlook of long term care when we do grow old gracefully.
I am soooo looking forward to Carrie’s book. I know you said 5 but I only have 1 concern that I’d like to see covered. What is the role of calcium (milk, cheese, yogurt) in the primal diet as it relates to post menopausal ladies. We are out here and it is one of my concerns.
Thanks
1. How to deal with painful periods without recourse to medication.
2. How the way we eat can affect our fertility.
3. How to ramp up upper body strength from virtually zero.
4. How to cook for growing kids on a budget.
5. What vitamins and minerals our babies most need when we’re pregnant and during lactation.
Melody, I’ve suffered with painful periods my whole life. Try a heating pad, when your having bad pain. It really helps.
My top five would be:
1: post-menopause weight gain. Eating primal but the weight is not coming off.
2: exercise for women
3: eating issues ie: emotional eating. Just because it is primal, mindless eating is still mindless eating
4: Time management issues. How to take time for ME but not drop the ball for the rest of the family
5:Macro-nutrients requirements for women
How primal living affects fertility
Primal eating and pregnancy
Exercise for women/weight loss for women
healing our bodies with primal eating
stress/emotional eating for primal women