Suggest a Blog Post Topic page 15

[tcb]

Mark,

Im not sure where else to post this, but the freakin spammers are taking over this board. Are there any moderators?

[Danielle5690]

I ran across coconut sugar at the grocery store the other day, and I'm curious. I did a search here but didn't find much information except that it was listed as an ingredient in a linked recipe. How processed is it? How does it stack up in terms of impact to blood sugar/insulin in relation to other recommended sweeteners (raw honey, maple syrup, stevia)?

I try my best to use little or no sweeteners and get used to the taste of food without them, but I wonder about using it for occasional treats.

[Infidel06]

Dear Mark,
I am in need of your advice. I am in the military, and due to the nature of my job, i deploy every three months for three months. Whenever I am home, I eat an all organic, strictly primal diet and follow your guidelines to the best of my abilities. I feel great. The problem is when I deploy I have no control over my diet and I have to eat processed foods loaded with preservatives. I try and make primal choices as much as possible, i.e. sticking to meat and veggies and skipping bread, pasta and dairy. But there is something just not right about a t-bone steak or chicken breast with a 10 year shelf life. Towards the end of the three months I start to feel sluggish and can feel my body making the transition back into inefficiency. And I feel sluggish for up to two weeks after I get home until my body cleanses itself. My question for you is this, "Are there any primal ways to speed up this detoxification period and get me back on track, or possibly minimize the effects of these preservative based diet'? Many thanks for your help.
Sincerely, A thankful Sergeant
p.s. I know that you get this a lot, but your book completely changed my life, thank you.

[auntie thesis]

I'd like to see a response to those raw vegans out there. Raw veganism is so extreme and I've often wondered if there is any real, verifiable, legitimate evidence that raw veganism is actually a healthy long term way of life. I'd also like to to see a cost breakdown of primal vs. raw vegan diet. Also, which diet is truly best for the planet in terms of sustainability?

These are all points that raw vegans seem to imply on there on the interwebs. They say that if everyone would just eat more raw plant foods, everything would be so mind-numblingly awesome that we'd all vibe ourselves off the face of the earth due high levels of raw bliss. Personally, I don't believe it.

Raw veganism doesn't seem to make much sense if you look back on our ancestors lived. Prior to the advent of agriculture, plant foods had to be foraged and they were most likely part of a varied diet that included both animal and plant sources. Now, I'm sure when the hunt wasn't successful, our ancestors probably ate more plants and when winter came or drought happened, they probably relied more heavily on animal sources to supplement their stores of plant based foods (if they had them.) That's just common sense and that's what a lot of people still do today.

The only thing that makes raw veganism possible is the year-round, widespread availability of plant foods which is in turn made possible by a vast network of global food interests. In my humble opinion, the Primal way of eating makes more sense because we are utilizing our food sources to maximum efficiency when we can, unlike raw foodists who do not eat 3 of the 4 food groups. The get very little usable protein, almost no B12 (unless it comes in supplemental forms), and little fat in their diets. Those who follow the Primal way of eating eat pretty much everything that qualifies as food, except for bread/gluten (which both raw foodists and groks can agree is not food.)

Well, I'm cutting myself off to keep from writing an article here lol.

[oxide]

Cost comparison between SAD and primal? I've heard a lot of vague lectures about how it's okay to spend lots of $$$ because our health is more important than saving a few bucks yada yada, but couldn't find anything quantitative or definitive on that topic. I think it would be fun to compare the costs of a month's menu of: "heart-healthy" SAD vs. VLC vs full-on pastured primal. It's doable, but would take some time.

[Philmont Scott]

I am not sure whether it has been covered in depth before, but as I just noticed in the Primal Blueprint that Mark likes backpacking, I would love to see more information, or a compilation all in one place, of backpacking friendly Primal food information. I am looking for food to fuel a serious, multi-day expedition backpacking trip, which is my idea of play, not just weekend excursions.

I know that dehydrated or freeze-dried food is inherently more processed than is ideal for a Primal diet, but I would love ideas about how to get as close to the ideal as possible while minimizing weight. There has to be a right way to do this without jumping completely off the bandwagon and setting it aflame.

Also, while I love the idea of hunting and foraging, we need to be realistic that it is not practical and/or legal in many places that we might like to go.

[NorthernMonkeyGirl]

Is dairy paleo? Revising history with new persectives on flocks of goats, femur bones and feckless nutritionism | drcate.com

Has this been flagged up yet? Interesting

Hope the link works, my internet is having a moody day today!

[Phocion_Timon]

Mr. Sisson,

On various blogs I occasionally come across references to people with metabolisms that are "broken" due to a history of excessive refined-carb intake, usually referring to the obese. The blogger will often remark that such metabolisms simply cannot handle carbs in any amount without a serious backlash of some kind thus ending any discussion of the subject.

I certainly fall into that class as I am an avowed sugar junkie. (Or I should say a former junkie.) I am also obese, though I am 30 pounds less obese now than I was a year ago, thanks to you. I've read though that a very low carb menu can lead to various difficulties. Paul Jaminet, for instance, says, if I recall correctly, carbohydrates will keep a variety of intestinal problems at bay while a meat-and-fat menu will create problems. (Stomach cancer is the malady I remember from his book.)

Having read these dire predictions I am having difficulty reconciling these statements with the idea that carbs, per se, are not a required nutrient as our bodies manufacture whatever glucose we need. I have done a lot of experimenting in the past year and I can tell you that a small amount of sugar or a slice of bread or even a banana will cause a rather alarming blood glucose spike according to my test meter. (The banana sent the metered result to 146 mg/dl.) Even a sweetener like Truvia will send my desire for sweets to atmospheric heights, making the next 48 hours positively miserable while I fight the desire. It's gotten to the point I am almost phobic about carbohydrates of any form or in any amount.

Do you have any thoughts on this idea of a "broken metabolism" and this seeming dichotomy of "must ingest carbs" and "don't need the carbs?" (I am discounting the traces of carbohydrates found in green leafy vegetables, meats, etc.) In your opinion, can a carbophobic fat guy like me survive on an essentially carb-free diet? (A side note: I feel good on my current menu of meat and fat and very low carbs but I thought I felt good on my former SAD diet also.)

Thank you,

Phocion Timon

[Clabbergirl]

Suggestion: blog post on cold adaptation/therapy for fat loss.

[Gadsie]

Hey mark,

It would be great if you did an article on the oldest people that have ever lived and talk a bit about their diet and lifestyle etc.
Just an idea