Weekend Link Love – Edition 337

Weekend Link LoveThe LA Times profiled some guy named “Mark Sisson” and something called “Primal living”.

Research of the Week

The more tofu they eat, the worse community-dwelling elderly Chinese perform on tests of cognitive function.

In addition to killing gut bacteria, antibiotics also have the potential to destroy intestinal cells and damage mitochondria.

Among Finnish men, frequent sauna usage (4-7 times per week) is associated with greater longevity than infrequent sauna usage (once per week).

Exercise makes junk food less appealing.

Oh, look. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is real, after all.

Mindfulness meditation improves sleep quality in older adults with sleep problems.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 56: Andrew Steele of DNAFit: Host Brad Kearns talks with Andrew Steele, British Olympic 400 m runner and Athletics Specialist for DNAFit. Loaded with PhD biochemists, molecular geneticists, and nutrigenomists, DNAFit is helping pro athletes, weekend warriors, regular folks, and even me optimize our diet and training.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Interesting Blog Posts

A summary of Tim Noakes’ recent talk at the Cape Town LCHF convention.

Disrupting animals’ circadian rhythms makes them more likely to be preyed upon in the wild. Could the same happen to humans?

Media, Schmedia

Fridge contents around the world.

Sugar sales are down in the UK.

Cholesterol (and coffee) is back on the menu.

Everything Else

Technology is great and all, but we’re really missing out on some serious stargazing as a result.

Luckily, an increasing number of “dark sky advocates” are speaking out.

Your dog knows when you’re lying.

Are you the parent of a “free-range kid” who has no one to play with? Find a free-range friend by registering here.

Bans on tiny plastic beads in soaps, scrubs, cosmetics, and even toothpaste are spreading nationwide. Good.

There’s a small Russian village where every able-bodied inhabitant is an accomplished tight-rope walker.

When you look closely, tree bark is really quite breathtaking.

Recipe Corner

  • Shredded beef ragu: serve it up with some zucchini noodles, over some spinach, or in a big bowl all by itself.
  • If it’s anything like her slow cooker kalua pig, you guys need to make NomNomPaleo’s pressure cooker kalua pig.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Mar 2 – Mar 8)

Email of the Week

Dear Mark,

The exact moment that I fell for my now wife was during Primal Blueprint inspired sprints on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. As a recent convert she had read about the unique benefits of sprinting on the Mark’s Daily Apple website.

Prior to sprinting on Ocean Beach we ate brunch at San Francisco’s famous Cliff House. She was wearing a stylish Sunday brunch dress; I was probably wearing something equally semi-formal. The original plan was to walk along the beach and enjoy the family-friendly weather, which is saying a lot because San Francisco beaches are not the fun-in-the-sun type deals that I envision with Malibu beaches. The beach was packed. On our walk we were dodging dogs, kids, waves, and frisbees. Somewhere along the way she suggested that we get some sprints in. I was like okay… expecting some smooth striding. But on ready-set-go her elbows were hammering back and I was looking at them from behind. On the third or fourth sprint she unexpectedly pulled up. When I circled back I learned that a bee stung her on the foot. In a matter-of-fact tone she explained what happened with no whining, or language that couldn’t be used in a Disney movie. As per usual, she was so cool about things. And though she isn’t a pedigreed (former) athlete like myself, I appreciated that she had initiated the sprints in the first place, nevermind that she was wearing a dress!

We had a term when I played college rugby, “pin your ears back;” it applied when you were running with abandon to score, or chasing someone down at full tilt. To get the picture just imagine the aerodynamics of a floppy-eared Golden Retriever recklessly chasing down a tennis ball. Right then I knew how lucky I was to find someone so cool, different and special. So I pinned my ears back on our relationship, later proposing at Ocean Beach over a bonfire. Since getting married in July 2014 much has transpired. We are expecting our first kid in September 2015. The woman who didn’t wince at a bee sting to the foot cannot escape the discomfort of first trimester nausea, and the real challenges of a Paleo pregnancy.

The main reason that I am writing is that I believe her pregnancy story will resonate with some of your Daily Applers. She created a blog found at paleoob.wordpress.com to document her experience. As the blog’s name suggests she is an OBGYN. Her blog offers a unique point of view from a Paleo medical professional who knows quite a bit about this pregnancy stuff from the other side of the exam table.

On a side note, she has been named the Healthy Weight Advocate for her OBGYN department, and she is a member of the Physician Health and Wellness Committee within her medical group. On your website I read that one of your goals is help 10 million people get healthier. I would like to think of my wife as one of the ripples in your pond.

Thanks for allowing me to share. And we are profoundly grateful for being exposed to a lifestyle that has changed our lives.

Jacques & Paleo OB

– What a great story, huh?

About the Author

Mark Sisson is the founder of Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. His latest book is Keto for Life, where he discusses how he combines the keto diet with a Primal lifestyle for optimal health and longevity. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending three decades researching and educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates Primal/paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly kitchen staples.

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