Mark's Daily Apple

7 Characteristics Associated with Long Life (and How to Cultivate Them)

As much as we focus on food and fitness as the “physical” arbiters of health and longevity, there appears to be much more to it. In fact, most research fails to find any grand commonalities in the diet and fitness patterns of the longest lived. From Okinawans with their sweet potatoes to Japanese centenarians with their dairy to the Ashkenazi with their higher rates of smoking, drinking, and lower rates of formal exercise to the 107 year old with her butter, no exercise, and mistrust of medicine to the supercentenarians with their liver, bacon, wine, chocolate, and eggs to the other supercentenarians with their caloric restriction. Sure, they’re generally not eating Twinkies and Panda Express, but the secret to longevity – at least as it’s practiced by living centenarians – does not lie in one specific diet.

Keep reading…

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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The Missing Link: Movement as a Skill

This is a guest post from Kelly Starrett. Kelly is an expert on performance-based orthopedic sports medicine, and the founder and operator of CrossFit San Francisco. He also blogs at mobilitywod.com, presented at this year’s PrimalCon Oxnard to rave reviews, and has a great new book out, Becoming a Supple Leopard. He’s been busy! Now, enter Kelly…

Humans have the amazing ability to resolve their own pain and heal themselves…infinitely. Although this might be difficult to believe, especially if you are suffering from chronic pain, with the proper lifestyle choices, you have the brilliant capacity to correct motor control errors and alleviate pain at any age, forever.

However, a proper lifestyle doesn’t simply mean managing your nutrition, sleep, stress, hydration, and exercise. To become an impeccable healing machine, you also need to understand how to move safely and effectively in all situations.

The equation looks something like this:

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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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.

Keep reading…

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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