Mark's Daily Apple

Dear Mark: Hiking Around the World

Today’s edition of Dear Mark is different than most. Instead of doing a roundup of questions, I’m focusing on a single email from a reader who’s hiking around the world in three years and needs a few bits of advice. Of course, this particular reader’s question contains four separate questions, so it’s kind of like a roundup. First is my opinion on the ideal macronutrient ratio – if such a thing exists – for an 18,000 mile hike lasting three years. Second is my opinion on a “fast and feast” cycle for the duration. Third is my take on the place of noodles and rice on a three year hiking trip. Fourth, I offer one final piece of advice.

Let’s go:

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Weekend Link Love

Research of the Week

Kids whose parents sucked their pacifiers to clean them ended up with fewer allergies, lower rates of eczema and asthma, and lower levels of a blood marker that indicates the presence of allergies. I figure the squeamish among us can still give the same benefits by sucking it after it’s been cleaned by hand.

Up to 40% of all chronic back pain may be caused by a bacterial infection – and could be cured by antibiotics.

Interesting Blog Posts

What causes elevated LDL particle number? Chris Kresser weighs in.

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Hazelnut Coffee Pancakes

This is a recipe from the brand new Primal Blueprint Publishing book Primal Cravings: Your Favorite Foods Made Paleo. Order your copy today and claim a bunch of free gifts while the limited-time offer lasts. See all the details here.

Hazelnut, coffee, and maple together in a harmonious breakfast package. Take a traditional pancake, jack it up with some of this morning’s coffee, mix in some crushed hazelnuts, and top with a few pats of butter! It’s a great grain-free take on an old non-Primal favorite.

Now, should these pancakes become a staple of your diet, completely replace your morning omelet? No. Should you drown the pancakes in maple syrup? I wouldn’t advise that. A little drizzle is probably more than enough. And for some people, perhaps too much. Know thyself.

But, these pancakes are perfect for certain occasions:

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Posted By: Worker Bee

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Concrete Reasons to Continue on the Primal Path

Mark,

I want to start by saying THANK YOU. Without you (and several thousand years of common sense), I was on the road to a significantly shorter and less fulfilling life.

My Primal success story was unintentional, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. My father was one to hop on random health crazes for a few weeks in order to lose weight, and the Primal Blueprint was his newest of many…or so I thought. I didn’t take it very seriously when he talked about it, but I figured I’d go on it with him for a week or so to try to keep him motivated.

This was me before that.

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Why We Crave Comfort Foods

We all have them – ”comfort” foods that feel like more than just food. Far beyond the random edibles of our day, these are imbued with the likes of positive memories, celebratory identities, nurturing associations. They’re the feel-good recipes or psychological standbys that satiate us on a deeper level. Irrational as it might sound (but isn’t really), food is more than function. It’s more than taste or even nutrition (gasp!). Food, specifically our personal list of comforting favorites (resulting from cultural and emotional experience), has the power to shift our mood as well as our physiology.

When we go Primal, we end up rethinking our relationship with these old standbys. In some cases, we cherish the memory but let them go for the sake of health goals. We might experiment with adapting them, or we might simply reserve the right to enjoy them in their original forms on special occasions. However we re-envision our favorites post-Primal, I’d suggest we don’t need to throw out the concept of comfort food itself. Though the actual preferences are personal, the impact of comfort food as a whole is real – and measurable. Research has shown that eating – or even writing about – comfort food actually blunts negative emotions like loneliness. As with any phenomenon, the more we understand it, the better able we are to use it for good in our lives and health.

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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