Good morning, folks. With next week’s The Keto Reset Diet release, I’ve got keto on the mind today—unsurprisingly. I’ve had a lot of questions lately on duration. As I’ve mentioned before, a good six weeks of ketosis puts in place all the metabolic machinery for lasting adaptation (those extra mitochondria don’t evaporate if/when you return to traditional Primal eating).
But what about the other end of the issue? How long is too long? I don’t do this often, but today I’m reposting an article from a couple of years ago on this very topic. I’ve added a few thoughts based on my recent experience. See what you think, and be sure to share any lingering questions on the question of keto timing and process. I’ll be happy to answer them in upcoming posts and Dear Mark columns.
Read MoreLast week’s post on testosterone replacement therapy generated a lot of comments and questions, so for today’s edition of Dear Mark I’ll be answering some of them.
From the prostate and heart disease issues to the high T/low free T phenomenon to the question of women and TRT to keto’s effect on testosterone to chronic cardio’s, you folks came up with some good ones.
Read MoreFor today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions. First, what’s the deal with the relationship between ketosis and methylglyoxal? Second, why did I recommend using the microwave to cook vegetables in the post from last week? Third, why do chefs use so much salt in their cooking? After all the questions, I throw in a couple more vegetable cooking tips I missed last week.
Let’s go:
Read MoreLiver is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. A little bit is all you need to get a healthy dose of the vitamin A, copper, folate and zinc that liver offers. So, serving liver as an appetizer, instead of a main course, makes plenty of sense.
If you never eat liver because you’re not entirely confident about how to cook it, try this: skewer it and grill it. It really is that easy. Use chicken livers, which are naturally small and easy to skewer. Grill for about 6 minutes, then pour on the butter and fresh herbs. It’s hard to find an appetizer that is both easier to make and healthier than this one.
Read MoreI’ve got more coming this morning, but I wanted to make sure folks knew about the private (and totally free) Facebook group I have going devoted to keto living. It’s taking off in big ways, and I don’t want you to miss this discussion!
My vision with the Keto Reset book and the Facebook community is to guide you through an evidence-based approach to keto, one that focuses on achieving maximum health, fitness, and longevity by combining a ketogenic eating pattern with the Primal lifestyle practices I have written about for years on Mark’s Daily Apple and in The Primal Blueprint.
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago I sat down with entrepreneur extraordinaire, multi-sport athlete, and consciousness explorer, Aubrey Marcus, for an in-depth and entertaining discussion of everything from hangover cures to keto philosophy.
Marcus has always been one of my favorite people to talk with, and that morning in my backyard was no exception. We covered all things keto—from the mistakes people make in bottoming out their carbs instantaneously to the advantages of stair-stepping the process. I had a chance to share about my upcoming Keto Reset Diet book as well as personal details of my own experience with the keto state. Aubrey offered his latest favorite recipes (inspired by Primal Kitchen® products, no less!), and we talked in full but casual detail how keto dives set us up for genuine, lasting metabolic flexibility and overall health. There’s a lot of science and plenty of laughs here. I hope you enjoy, everybody!
Read MoreAs you probably already know, the ketogenic diet has become an extremely popular health trend as well as a personal passion of mine. Google data indicates that “keto” has now surpassed “paleo” as the most popular diet-related search term. Both mounting science and user experiences are validating keto as highly effective for reducing excess body fat quickly, improving cognitive function, minimizing disease risk factors, improving athletic performance, and promoting longevity. I sincerely believe that a ketogenic eating plan could represent the greatest breakthrough in the history of nutritional science—and the history of dieting (finally!)—to promote successful long-term fat loss and weight management.
Unfortunately, the booming popularity of keto has also made it the latest fad diet, replete with marketing hype, oversimplification, misinformation, and promoters misinterpreting the foundational science and proven strategies. Through my own personal keto journey and extensive consultation with the world’s most respected scientific experts, I’ve discovered that there’s a right way and a wrong way to go keto—and knowing the right way can make all the difference in the results you achieve.
Read MoreKeto is fantastic, everyone says. It’s a great way to lose weight, improve cognition, and stave off degenerative disease. It may help your performance in the gym and on the track. It could even give Grandpa some respite from Alzheimer’s.
But it’s hell on your thyroid. Right?
Keto detractors and proponents alike often warn that remaining in ketosis will tank your thyroid. The thyroid’s an important gland, exerting major influence over essential systems like fertility, energy, metabolism, body temperature regulation, blood lipids, and general wellness. It controls the metabolic rate of every organ in the body. We want it working well, so this is a major blow to keto—if the criticism holds true. Fortunately, there’s much more to this story.
Read MoreGuacamole is an easy sell. Put a bowl out at a party, and immediately the entire group is hovering over the bowl ready to dip in. So, imagine what might happen when a bowl of bacon guacamole is served. Stand back—this is a flavorful, high-fat snack that people are going to run towards.
Basic guacamole doesn’t really need a recipe. In essence, it’s just avocados, lime and salt. However, if your usual go-to has tasted a little ho-hum lately, this recipe will guide you back to an amazing bowl of guacamole. Ripe avocados are mashed with shallot, garlic, cilantro, lots of lime, and yes, bacon. Bacon is the perfect salty, crunchy topper for guacamole.
Read MoreA slice of warm buttered bread can be hard to resist. When that slice is Primal keto bread, you don’t have to resist. Primal keto bread makes delicious toast and sandwiches a real possibility, whether you’re following a ketogenic diet or simply keeping things Primal.
Before slicing into your first loaf of Primal keto bread (and it does slice beautifully) you should know that it isn’t going to taste exactly like “regular” bread. Keto bread is more similar to quick bread, with a soft almost cake-like texture and thin crust. The recipe here takes inspiration from recipes by Elana’s Pantry and Keto Connect, which both use almond flour and eggs as the main ingredients for keto bread.
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