why mark? page 9

[JoanieL]

When looking at "research," try to follow the money. I.e., who funded the research. You will find that much of the money for the research that has been telling us to eat lots of grain, soy, etc., comes from the companies who produce those products.

It is also all too human to try to prove a hypothesis rather than to really test it.

[CaveWeirdo]

I find MDA and Bulletproof Exec and similar websites are useful for getting the info I need, but the thing that convinces me is the fact that it works for me. I trust the word of people on this forum just as much as I trust anyone who's actually qualified, many of us might be wrong on some things or have individual quirks but generally speaking, if eating real food works for a lot of people here then it's going to work for human beings generally. CW and the low quality food that is peddled as health food, is clearly not working, as it has made half the population of the developed world overweight!

Read as many studies as you like, but they are always going to have confounding variables because diet is such a difficult thing to study objectively. It's much easier to self-experiment. For example if a study says 'high fat diet', that's a vague term and could mean the subject is an average Joe who eats processed foods - whereas if you only use yourself as a test subject, then you know for a fact you're eating the right fats, so you can study the effect of 'fat' in isolation.

[laura642]

Marks basic info on what to eat makes sense to me.

For me personally, If God didn't create it don't eat it. I don't know about you, but I have never seen a box of cereal being picked from the trees. Or a bunch of human made chemicals popped like berries. My motto "if it was made in a lab don't eat it" If they modified it to make it "better" put it back.

[Knifegill]

Already posted in this thread, but I have to agree with this sentiment as well. Tried it, it worked. It's the most nutritionally rich and complete way of eating I've ever met. It will prevent almost all nutritional deficiencies. It cured my: Gas, skin boils, tooth decay, bloat, constipation with bloody stools, mood swings, cravings, and even the reversed the skin fungus that had begun to cover my leg. I'm sure there's more - it raised my HDL! And it's delicious and filling. I never have to be hungry!

But I confess I also did the autoimmune protocol and nightshades were a problem, as are most dairy and overcooked eggs. Primal generally includes these. So I have my own version. But it's mostly animal/plant fat-based foods, meat and greens - and berries, nuts and a TINY bit of raw cheese now and then. Yes, I'm adding muscle and have lost 30 pounds (the first 20 were just quitting soda and candy before I found Primal). I have never felt better in my life and I really do owe Mark and his open-minded attitude about new research my health.

Mark is not afraid to say he was wrong about something, and he's not afraid to admit he just doesn't know. Respect.

[zizou]

This is one of the best threads on this site i think. It's really important for people to read, could even be stickied.

I have been on primal ways or trying to adopt what this diet entials since the beginning of the year. It's been a roller coaster ride. From really high high's to low low's. Currently i'm at a low. But the beauty is that i have come to a realisation, that i'm just not listening to my body, and i am taking others words on board too easily. From this forum, you'd think high fat and high meat is the way to go with fruits and vegetables being your other staples. That's a pretty simple way of looking at it, and if your a healthy individual, it's pretty fool proof when you think about it.

However, as been mentioned countless times, it's not exactly for everyone. I think at the end of the day, balance is the simple thing everyone must strive for, not just diet, but lifestyle and their life in general. For me personally, i think i will have to switch to a 3 meal day plan, adding upto about 2000cal, i'm 6'4 weighing 73kg, 24 years of age and that's all there is to it. If my body feels good on this plan, then that's all there is to it. I would love to gain weight, muscle etc, but i can't attempt to do it if i don't feel right.

I know for a fact if i didn't have my digestive conditions, i would strive on a more fat+meat diet with fruits and veggies, but alas i have to keep fat moderate which means i must throw in some carbs to make the gap. I'm thinking something liek the PHD protocol might be more aking to my needs. 15% protein 35% safe starches and 50% fat or something? That might not be the 'balance' for me so i will pay a bit attention until i have it locked down on what works for me. I think above all if my diet caters for my vitamins and minerals then the rest is void aslong as i feel good. I will most likely continue to have rice, but perhaps there could be more benefit in getting more starches strictly from tubers. Unfortunately i don't feel safe on fruits, at least wait for some nice ones to be in season in the summer, until then tubers and rice i think would be go to avenues.

[lssanjose]

I'm one to dive in, with both feet. This said, I was doing everything, the CW way, before adopting this lifestyle. All it gave me were prediabetic readings, and erratic lethargy. Since shifting to a primal lifestyle, my energy levels have been more consistent, and I'm able to get away with eating not as much as I used to. I don't have the same obligatory impulses to eat, as I did prior.

Adding to knifegill's point about Mark's admission if he doesn't have the knowledge on hand, as I've stated before, I respect him because he takes as spectrum-based approach on certain matters (starches are one example).