Mark's Daily Apple

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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Introducing Primal Cravings!

I am pleased to share Primal Cravings, the latest release from Primal Blueprint Publishing. This book will be available by direct order (with some cool additional free promo items, details below) for a limited time before it is released to the general public online and in bookstores. If you already have a collection of Primal/paleo cookbooks, let’s be clear that this volume distinguishes itself from the others in a few important ways. First and foremost is the emphasis on being able to enjoy your favorite foods, period. That’s right, it’s time to bring back some of your old favorites that were banished in the interest of going Primal! As you can see on the cover, this includes a big, fat, juicy burger with all the trimmings – even the bun! Oh, how about thin mint cookies, strawberry shortcake waffles, crispy chicken fingers, and the like? Get the picture? We’re talking delicious and highly creative meal and snack options that have been expertly modified by authors Brandon and Megan Keatley to be Primal-approved without sacrificing taste or texture.

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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15 Tips for Standup Workstation Users

A lot of people who embrace the standup workstation thing think the work stops once you stand up. Sitting is hard, standing is easy – right? I don’t blame them, because I was the same way when I began incorporating the standup workstation. But, like barefoot runners who toss the shoes and rush into 10ks and marathons and end up injuring themselves, workers who ditch the chairs and spend full workdays on their feet without thinking about how to stand often end up in pain. They don’t realize what kind of stress standing – often in the same place – for hours at a time can place on their bodies. It’s not enough to just stand. You have to do it right, and you have to make adjustments and move and stay on top of things to do it right.

Throughout my many years of standing up while working at a desk, I’ve picked up a few tips that make things go a little more smoothly. If you’re interested in hearing, read on:

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Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Dear Mark: Sleepy After Chicken, Microwaving Bone Broth, and Safest CAFO Meat

It’s time for yet another edition of Dear Mark, and this time I’m covering some interesting topics. First up is the phenomenon of sleepiness following a meal of chicken with the skin on. Far from being an unwelcome, foggy sort of fatigue, this particular brand of sleepiness is pleasing. Could it be something in the chicken? Next, I discuss whether or not the proteins in bone broth are irreparably alerted – in a bad way – upon microwave exposure. I don’t come to an ironclad conclusion, but I do try to give some perspective on the issue. Finally, I try to decide on the “safest” CAFO meat to order when you’re unable to procure grass-fed or pastured. Let’s go: Keep reading…

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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