Enter your best Primal Blueprint recipes for your chance to win prizes and be featured in the Reader-Created Cookbook

The new theme: Primal Pork Recipes!

We’ve received some delicious Primal Snack recipes (the previous theme) from readers:

Sunflower Sesame Crackers with Shrimp Paté

Zucchini Chips with Spicy Salsa

Fat Guacamole Devils

Sweet and Salty Primal Trail Mix

All of these recipes will be featured in the Reader-Created Primal Blueprint Cookbook and the entrants have a chance to win an über cool Primal prize package.

If you’d like to participate in this contest send in your own favorite Primal recipes that relate to the current theme – Primal Pork Recipes.

What are your favorite Primal pork recipes? Melt-in-your-mouth ribs? Roasts? Chops? Bacon!? What else? Click here for all the contest details.

Stay tuned for today’s regularly scheduled post when I’ll expose the Top 10 Real Life Reasons the Primal Blueprint Works for Me.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Announcement: New Recipe Theme for the Cookbook Contest
2. Announcement: New Recipe Theme for the Cookbook Contest
3. Announcement: New Recipe Theme for the Cookbook Contest

I’m in the Army National Guard. I would really like to follow your workout guidelines, especially with regard to cardio (I actually hate running and I’m not very good at long distance), but with regard to the Army Physical Fitness test, which I have to pass, I have to run 2 miles in a set amount of time, less than 16 minutes essentially. I feel like the only way I can maintain this is to do sustained running sessions about 3 times a week for about 20 minutes a shot (Again, I hate running, haha). Do you think if I follow all of the workout advice in the Primal Blueprint, I can still pass this test?

Great question, and I’m glad you asked. The endurance training question presents a conundrum that plagues many of my readers, I’m sure, no matter how often I sound the drum against Chronic Cardio. Conventional Wisdom can be a nagging, persistent shrew, after all. So, how can avoiding long distance moderate-high intensity cardio in favor of slow moving (walking, hiking, etc) and sprinting possibly increase one’s aerobic capacity? On the surface, it defies logic. Train long to race long; train short to race short and fast, just like you lift heavy things if you want to move heavy things and get strong… right? Not quite. Or, rather, not necessarily. Read on.

I recall a little over a year ago, a somewhat similar question from a reader popped up. She wanted advice on training for a cross-country run (literally – she wanted to run across the entire United States) while sticking to the Primal laws. I had to be frank with her and withhold my blessing. Running a few thousand miles simply isn’t something we’re meant to do. Walking? Trekking? Hiking a thousand miles? Sure, Grok ranged far and wide. How else did human populations span the globe? But our ancestors did not make like Forrest Gump and run simply for the sake of running. It may have been bad news to her, but it was the right advice.

I’ve got some good news for you, though: the Primal Blueprint Fitness program is tailor-made for situations like yours. See, I was in a similar boat when I embarked on my initial Primal journey (You think running for 20 minutes is bad? Try running 1-3 hours straight, day after day for a decade!). Like you, I eventually decided I wanted to maintain a basic level of overall fitness, one that’d allow me to run a 10k (in the rare case that I actually felt like running one) without much trouble. I wanted to have a good strength-to-body weight ratio, and I was insistent on sparing my joints from overuse injuries and basic wear-and-tear (which should be anything but “basic”!). I wanted to be able to play fast, fun sports or to snowboard all weekend and be able to bounce out of bed on Monday without debilitating soreness. I did not, however, want to devote fifteen hours a week to the gym or the track. I was interested in shortcuts, in research-based fitness hacks that would keep me strong, fast, and fit without massive time commitments. I suppose I wanted it all, physically – who doesn’t, though? It’s completely natural, totally healthy, and – in my opinion – absolutely required for optimum health and happiness. The physical side of life needn’t be fraught with hesitance and plodding progress. You want to bound up the stairs, not hold on to the guardrails for dear life (or take the escalator).

You, reader, want to have the ability to run for moderately long distances without actually having to run moderately long distances. In short, you want to have your cake and eat it, too. This is entirely possible (ironically, you’ll probably have to give up sweetened, cereal grain-based baked goods for best results), even (or especially) within the confines of the relatively minimalist Primal Fitness regimen. You don’t actually have to engage in a hated activity to get better at performing said activity. You hate running, so don’t run much. It’s a pretty simple concept, but it’s one that too many fitness gurus ignore in favor of mantras like “No pain, no gain.” There’s some validity to that line of thinking – you do have to push yourself and keep up the intensity to get the most benefits from certain kinds of training, namely strength and sprinting – but to apply it blindly to all aspects of fitness is folly. For one, not everything (like sustained, low-level walking or hiking) should be performed at maximum intensity, and secondly, a fitness program has to be sustainable for it to be successful. If you make a trainee hate his or her life every workout session, chances are high that he or she will eventually stop coming.

But enough pontificating. Exactly how do Lifting Heavy Things, Moving Frequently at a Slow Pace, and Running Really Fast Once in Awhile positively impact your “long distance” endurance capacity? How do you get better at something without actually doing it often?

You’re probably familiar with Dr. Tabata’s famous experiment; I’ve mentioned it before. Tabata had subjects cycle in what has become known as Tabata intervals – eight sets of 20-second intervals of maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest – every weekday for six weeks (abstract). Compared to the subjects’ modest aerobic gains on a traditional 6-week moderate intensity endurance program, the Tabata subjects saw gains in both anaerobic and aerobic capacity. They got better at endurance training without performing classical endurance training, whereas the guys doing moderate intensity endurance training only improved their aerobic capacities.

In a more recent study by Kirsten Burgomaster, two weeks of sprint interval training, for a total of six sessions, were enough to increase muscle oxidative potential (resting muscle glycogen content) and aerobic endurance capacity in trainees. Subjects performed four to seven 30 second “all out” cycling reps, each separated by four minutes of recovery time. VO2 max was not increased, but this strangely didn’t impact or impair their aerobic capacity, which “increased by 100%.” That’s right – just fifteen minutes of actual sprint training was enough to double endurance capacity within two weeks’ time.

Burgomaster wasn’t through, though; in a 2007 study, she discovered that the metabolic adaptations produced by low-volume sprint training are remarkably similar to those produced by traditional endurance training. Two groups of “active but untrained” (that’s a fairly representative demographic, wouldn’t you say?) men and women were given six weeks of either sprint training or endurance training. Sprint training consisted of thrice weekly, four to six rep sessions of 30 second sprints/4.5 minute rests; endurance training consisted of 45-60 minute continuous cycling sessions, five times a week. The sprinters spent about one and a half hours each week (with most of that time spent resting) on the bikes, while the endurance subjects gave up four and a half hours each week (with most of that time spent pedaling). Huge time commitment discrepancy, and yet there was no discernible difference in metabolic outcomes. In fact, the authors conclude that sprint interval training is the more “time-efficient strategy” to obtain the benefits of endurance training. You don’t say.

How about arterial stiffness? Long distance Chronic Cardio has always been touted as the most “heart healthy” exercise regimen, but another study showed that sprint interval training is just as effective at improving arterial stiffness and flow-mediated dilation (FMD analysis is useful for early detection of atherosclerosis).

And how about actual performance outcomes? Another study found that low volume sprint interval training conferred rapid adaptations in skeletal muscle and exercise capacity – similar to those obtained via high volume endurance training.

Plus, there are other benefits entirely unrelated to increased endurance capacity that accompany sprint training. Sprinting increases anabolic hormones, including GH and testosterone (while keeping cortisol constant). It also improves insulin sensitivity quickly and efficiently, an especially relevant benefit for an otherwise sedentary or time-strapped populace. Simply put, it’s a quick way to get a fantastic workout without disrupting your strength training progress or your endurance training. In fact, weekly sprints are the perfect accompaniment to any regimen, which is why I include them in my Primal Blueprint Fitness program. It’s most likely the reason Grok was always fit enough to run long distances when he had to – without ever training specifically (i.e. Chronic Cardio) for that ability.

Bottom line: You don’t have to jog for half an hour every day to improve your aerobic endurance. You don’t have to waste your time doing something you hate. You can – and should – seek out fitness shortcuts whenever possible. They make staying fit more manageable and more sustainable, and they free up time for more leisurely, pleasurable pursuits. In the end, physical fitness is a tool; it serves us. We should never become slaves to the iron, to the track, or to the stopwatch. Work hard, yeah, but work fast and make it as short and as sweet as possible.

You’ll definitely pass the test. Increase the sprints to twice or thrice weekly, just to be safe (if you’re really worried). Then, maybe once every few weeks, test yourself in that two-mile to measure your progress. Let us know how it goes!

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Dear Mark: Running Across the U.S.
2. Dear Mark: Primal Compromises for Athletes
3. Dear Mark: Fiber, Fat and Fasting

If you’re a regular, you may have seen grass fed beefsters US Wellness pop up in the MDA forum (or occasionally as an MDA prize). They recently came under attack by a blogger making claims of GMOs in their beef. I highly suggest reading Cheeseslave’s incredibly thorough investigation into the matter and ultimate defense of US Wellness.

Via the Washington Post, the FDA wrote letters of concern over Camel’s dissolvable mint and coffee flavored tobacco strips. Hold on a sec. Camel is making tobacco candy?!?! And I was just being cheeky with the whole Marlboro Health Packs thing.

Thank you, Pay Now Live Later, for mentioning some truly disgusting pharmaceutical news happening right now.

Primal blogger Life Isn’t Over writes about his recent successful stats. Well done, sir.

Another Primal blogger, The Iron Disciple, goes Primal and packs on the muscle.

Six Until Me is a smacking good diabetes blog, and it was recently nominated for a medGadget award. Give the blog a read, and then give the blog a vote if you like it!

If you’re looking for a laugh, check out megacorp Unilever’s (don’t they make shampoo?) petty attempt to make “soft spreads” sound okay. I can’t believe they actually photoshopped flowers growing out of the I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-butter spread. (thanks for the find, Matt!)

Recipe Corner

• Eat This! (of CrossFit Santa Cruz) makes pistachio chicken with coconut chili ginger sauce and you should too.
• Because using “lettuce” just isn’t fancy enough, Elana’s Pantry makes a salad with radicchio and frisee.

Time Capsule

One year ago (January 31 – February 6)

• Real Primal: Hunting for Dinner – A reader shares his experience shopping at a grocery store called “The Great Outdoors” and paying for his food with bullets. Okay, that was a bit silly. It’s a post about hunting; health and ethics.
• Eating Habits and Memory Function – Some eat to remember, others eat to forget.

Comment of the Week

When I was in elementary school, the school cafeteria used to offer a discount of 75 cents on lunch when you got milk. That isn’t to say the milk was cheap, it means that it cost more to buy lunch without milk than with it.

While the jury is certainly out on milk, the point remains that schools are teeming with illogical policies that do not have childrens’ best interests in mind.

I staged my first protest over that milk policy (and won – not bad for 3rd grade). But saving 75 cents just meant I could buy a candy bar. Oh unintended consequences.

-Dave from this post.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Weekend Link Love
2. Weekend Link Love
3. Weekend Link Love

Most of the time, sliced raw vegetables are our favorite dipping device. But if you need variety every once in awhile, crackers made from seeds or nuts are a tasty alternative. The process is easy if you have a food processor. The only tricky part is rolling the dough, but if you aren’t obsessed with having uniformly shaped crackers this part is a breeze too.

As Jess suggests, adding herbs or spices to this cracker dough is an option, and adding salt is up to you, too. Jess uses equal parts sunflower and sesame seeds when she makes these crackers, but you can adjust the ratio to your own tastes. Sesame seeds have a distinct flavor that can be a bit too bitter for some people. If you’re one of these people, simply use less sesames and more sunflowers.

We’ve also included Jess’ recipe for Prawn Paté, which is delicious spread on top of these crispy crackers. Which reminds us, these crackers aren’t just for dipping. They also make a great base for appetizers. Stack them up with lox, cucumber slices, small slices of flank steak or whatever else you find in the fridge.

Sunflower Sesame Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup each of sunflower and sesame seeds
• A little bit of water – about 1/4 cup

Instructions:

In a food processor (or by hand if you’re game), create a sort of flour from the sunflower seeds. It will take about 2-3 minutes for the seeds to break down and turn into a more flour-like consistency, although it will be thicker and heavier than regular flour.

Add the sesame seeds and pulse a few times (or mix in by hand) and then slowly add water, stirring or pulsing until a thick paste forms that can be rolled out.

Between two greased pieces of baking (parchment) paper, roll out the paste as thinly as you can. Remove the upper piece of parchment.

Lightly score the batter into squares with a sharp knife, and sprinkle with salt and pepper/herbs if you’d like.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes, Allow to cool thoroughly before gently breaking into squares as scored.

Prawn Paté

Ingredients:

• 1 /2 pound peeled, cooked prawns
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill
• several tablespoons salted butter, softened (optional)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor, and combine thoroughly. Adding butter will give the pate a smoother, richer texture. If you don’t want to add butter, just use more lemon juice.

Chill and serve as is, or you can level off the top of the prawn mixture, melt more butter and pour it gently over the top. Chill for an hour before serving.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Coconut Shrimp and Chive Mayonnaise
2. Asian Cucumber Salad
3. Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Yes, we too often paint younger folks as the impulsive, devil-may-care madcaps or hapless Pied Piper targets. Truth is, there are plenty of those qualities in every age demographic. Kids aren’t the only ones who can dig in their heels after all. So, to take on the flipside of Monday’s question, what’s a Primal child (of any age) to do when Mom and Dad are the ones whose health needs a major overhaul?

I venture to say that many more people find themselves in the role of concerned progeny than those who commented Monday. Far too many of us, I imagine, have been grudging witnesses over the years to our parents’ destructive health habits – whether it be crummy diet, complete lack of physical activity, smoking, workaholic lifestyle, chronic stress, or – who knows –  compulsive use of household insecticides. Sometimes it’s ignorance on their part. Other times it’s denial. In some cases, it’s flat out apathy.

We drop hints at dinner. We drop pamphlets, articles or whole books on their coffee tables. At turns, we find ourselves lecturing. We argue. We offer to help – to make dinner, suggest some relaxation techniques or pay for a gym membership. In the midst of the back and forth, some of us deal with the frustration better than others. Perhaps those of us who recently moved out or are in the process of doing so are just glad to be on our own, away from the influence for a while. However, for many of us it’s an ongoing source of disappointment and even an emotional roadblock in the relationship.

The questions nag at the back of our brains and maybe tug at the heart strings a little. Why won’t they listen to reason? Why don’t they value their own health? Don’t they want to live to be there for their grandchildren – for me? How can it not bother them to be giving up decades of their lives or at least the hope of some additional active and independent years? What am I supposed to do here? Will anything I do or say make any difference whatsoever?

Step Back

As difficult as it is, maybe the first step in dealing with the quandary is this: we should all take a step back. (A big breath helps too.) There’s a certain freedom in accepting that you aren’t responsible for another person’s choices. Although you certainly have a big stake in their health, in their independence, in their well-being, in their being in this world period, the fact is and will always remain that you don’t run their lives. If you genuinely worry for them, it’s a painful realization, but at least it can stop you from beating your head against the wall. It’s not your fault. It’s not under your control. It’s sad and horribly unfortunate that they stand a big chance of missing out on some of their good years as well as your life and your kids’, but there it is. Ultimately, it’s out of your hands. Que Sera isn’t a comforting concept, but it can be a liberating one.

Don’t Apologize for Your Lifestyle

Just as they are going to live their lives the way they want, make no bones about doing the same for yourself. Stop feeling guilty for refusing your mother’s pie at Thanksgiving if you don’t want it. Stop apologizing for bringing your own food to their house or turning down Sunday night get-togethers if that’s a good workout night for you. Stop caving to their pushing treats on the grandkids. Maybe the more you stand by your lifestyle, the more seriously they’ll take it. If not, you’ll at least feel more in control of your own life and less swept up by their choices.

Appreciate Small Changes

Just because you accept that you don’t control the ultimate outcome doesn’t mean you can’t leave the door open for them to change or that you can’t make the adjoining room all the more inviting. I’d never say give up encouraging your parents to get healthy. Nonetheless, it’s all about perspective. When you take yourself out of the role of health director or even rescuer, you’re in a much better mindset to encourage, see and appreciate smaller changes. You’re not caught up in the vision of deep and desperate change for them. Once you take the pressure off, they might soften up a bit and surprise you.

Offer Some Healthy Bonding Opportunities

So, your dad probably isn’t going to ever accompany you to a PrimalCon event, but maybe you can convince him to go for a walk on a nice spring day. Though your mother will never give up her carbs, she’ll love spending Sunday brunch at your house (with your food) when she can have fun with the grandkids. Invite your parents to participate in your life – and the lifestyle that goes along with it. Find things that both of you can enjoy and get something out of.

Finally, however frustrating or unchanging your parents’ choices are, enjoy your time with them. Live life to the fullest with them as much as you can. Show them you care and that you enjoy their company. Let them know they’re an important part of your life. In the best or worst circumstances, you’ll be glad you did. There’s an old fable in which the sun and wind compete to see who can get the coat off a man passing by. In the harshness of the wind, the man simply clutches his coat more tightly. In the sun’s warmth, he happily casts it aside. In the best circumstances, perhaps warmth and love provide the best inspiration for healthy change.

Have your own stories and strategies for prodding your parents or other family members toward a healthier lifestyle? Thanks for reading.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Have You Decided to Be Healthy?
2. Dear Mark: How to Stay Healthy in College
3. Healthy Halloween!

What is Whey?

Whey is a byproduct of cheese production. It’s that pseudo-clear liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained that used to be tossed aside as waste material. Today, we know that it houses an impressive array of proteins: beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, and serum albumin. These are complete proteins, comprised of the essential amino acids central to protein synthesis and increased muscular hypertrophy. Our bodies can produce non-essential amino acids from lesser amino acids, but we cannot produce the essentials ourselves; we must eat quality protein sources. Whey is a naturally occurring, essential protein that satisfies the body’s protein requirements – hence its popularity.

Can Dairy-Sensitive People Use Whey Protein?

Whey contains trace elements of lactose, so the extremely intolerant may have problems digesting it properly. Because whey is, by definition, the stuff that separates from the casein when it curdles, it has even less casein (save for trace amounts), rarely enough to be noticeable to anyone but the most casein-intolerant. But that’s pure whey; whey protein powder has even less of both.

Lactose may pose a problem, but casein almost certainly will not.

Isolate vs. Concentrate vs. Hydrolysate

As for whey protein powder, you’ve got a couple options. Whey protein concentrate contains some fat and lactose, while whey protein isolate is pretty much pure protein with very little of the other dairy elements remaining. Concentrate is less processed and more whole, but has less protein. Isolate is about 90-94% protein, but it’s subjected to a more rigorous refinement process. Bodybuilders are drawn to the “purity” of whey isolate, lured by the moderately higher protein counts. Isolate is also considerably more expensive than concentrate, and the purported boost in beneficial effects on protein synthesis are overstated; drinking any kind of whey protein shake will have a beneficial effect on your muscle recovery and protein synthesis. Whey protein is whey protein, and concentrate allows you to get more for your money. Go with concentrate unless you’re terribly sensitive to dairy (in which case it might be a better idea to just eat a steak instead).

Whey hydrolysate is predigested whey protein that’s easily absorbed and virtually free of any potential allergens, but it’s (in my opinion) horribly overpriced. Whey in general is already highly bioavailable and easily absorbed by our bodies, so absorption is rarely an issue with whey. Hydrolysate is great marketing. That’s about it. The elite of the elite – those hulking magazine cover superheros with tanned, smiling faces atop straining, veiny necks – may have actual cause to maximize protein absorption, but you guys definitely don’t need to fuss over that stuff.

Is it Primal?

Whey protein falls into the 80/20 category. It isn’t strictly Primal (and certainly not paleo) in that it wasn’t available to Grok, but it can be an effective, occasional high-protein meal replacement with most – if not all – of the potential allergens mitigated or negated. It’s an analog, a bit like dairy itself. If you can’t handle any dairy, skip it (or try whey isolate) and take the time to prepare a meal. If you can handle dairy without a problem, a whey protein powder is a pretty good way to shuttle nutrients into your body, especially if you’ve chosen to go the post-workout nutrition route  – which I usually don’t.

Going Primal means acknowledging both the limitations and the advantages of modern life. I wish I could laze around on the savannah for days following a successful kill. I wish I had ten hours of leisure time every day. The reality is that we’re a busy bunch of people, and if we’re truly serious about maximizing our quality of life, slamming down a quick protein shake so we can get to the office a little earlier might mean we can leave earlier, too, and get home in time for a date with the significant other, a hike at dusk, or an extra couple chapters on that great book we’ve been meaning to read. If that isn’t a feature of modern life that can help us follow the Primal ways more easily, I’m not sure what qualifies.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. A Primal Primer: Animal Fats
2. Is All Cheese Created Equal?
3. 5 Sweet and Savory Primal Shakes

There has been media coverage of the barefoot trend in the past, mostly intermittent, in running magazines and always taking a patronizing tone. It follows the same formula: more idle speculation on a bizarre fad that a select few crazies are promoting, with plenty of “balance” from stuffy foot specialists expressing doubt that the inherently fragile, gentle human foot could ever withstand the rigors of walking unshod without “serious injury,” than any serious consideration of the merits. But now we’ve got a nice, juicy study to hang our hats (or our shoes) on, and media outlets are falling over themselves to get the scoop.

Witness the Boston Globe’s take on the whole thing, or the LA Times feature. The Edmonton Journal got into the action, too, as did the Telegraph, while even San Jose’s Mercury News mentioned the study. The Popular Science blog did a piece on it. And of course, the rest of the blogosphere picked up on it, too: Open Water Chicago, Conditioning Research, and the Chi Running blog, to name just a few.

The study in question was Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman’s on “Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners.” (See comparison videos below. The difference between shod heel strike running and barefoot forefoot strike running is visually and graphically captured. For more on what you’re seeing check out NPR’s coverage.) It’s hard to believe that this is the first study of its kind, though, probably because it actually isn’t. Last year, researchers ran a similar study and decided that “Footwear Alters Normal Form and Function of the Foot” by exerting acute pressure to sensitive areas of the foot, whereas barefoot walkers enjoyed wider forefeet and more evenly distributed locomotive stress. Interesting, but probably because it didn’t make any bold pronouncements and because it dealt with the relatively mundane act of walking (rather than running), the study didn’t get any press. They could have recommended people throw off their shoes, but that wouldn’t be prudent. It wouldn’t be responsible. I can’t fault them for that, really. Researchers need funding, and you don’t want to make bold pronouncements if it means getting cut off or reprimanded. Unfortunately, scientists need to be bold to effect real change.

Even when the “experts” get it so, so right, they do their best to get it wrong in the end, or they hedge their bets and stick with the safe answer, rather than question Conventional Wisdom entirely (even if the data contradicts CW directly). I’m reminded of when Gary Taubes famously lamented a similar mindset in physicians and obesity researchers who, although they understood (and even witnessed in a clinical setting) the chronic insulin/body fat connection, continued to recommend the standard low-fat, high-carb, low-calorie diet to their patients. They connect all the dots, but fail to see the bigger picture clearly outlined by those dots. To their credit, though, researchers can and do make sensible recommendations within the context of Conventional Wisdom. The researchers from that walking study did ultimately call for the design of “quality footwear” that doesn’t “hamper the foot’s biologically normal function.” Better than nothing, I suppose.

Now, even though I agree with Lieberman’s conclusions (actually, because I’m such a huge fan of barefoot), it pays to be critical. I know Lieberman has affiliations with Vibram – in fact, he may have even helped them design the Fivefingers – and that they probably funded the study, and I know that we hem, haw, and cast skeptical eyes on Pfizer when they fund yet another statin paper. There’s a major difference between the two, though: Lieberman is right. His data is strong. He isn’t hiding anything or fudging the results. We’re right. Barefoot is better. There’s no shame in that, you know – being right. There are objective truths out there, and the objective truth is that most people aren’t born with genetically defective feet. Everyone’s imperfect, sure, but for the most part we’ve all got the same basic equipment with the same basic biomechanics working under the hood. Unless you have a birth defect, no one is born with feet that “won’t work right” or that “require shoes”. The flat footed (no arch) argument doesn’t stand up as an excuse, except when you’ve already spent a lifetime coddling your feet in supportive casts. A cautionary word that anyone transitioning to a barefoot lifestyle should take it VERY easy at first.

There was one more response to the barefoot running study that bears mentioning: Brooks (world famous running shoe company) CEO Jim Weber’s scrambling blog post. You know – I feel for the guy. It’s gotta be tough to make a reasonable response to a scientifically sound piece of research that refutes almost everything you’ve built your business on. I mean, what is he supposed to do? Admit that he’s been wrong this whole time? Admit that his shoes are basically coffins for the feet? Naturally, he goes with the entirely unsubstantiated claim that the “vast majority of runners” should race “in a performance running shoe, not barefoot.” Apparently, we barefooters are a genetically gifted breed of athlete who are “biomechanically blessed” with “natural healthy gaits.” Hmm. So, the natural, normal gait is actually somehow rare and precious. It doesn’t occur naturally. Got it. Jim, did you ever stop to think why so many of your runners seem to lack that natural healthy gait? Perhaps it’s the shoes. Our “unique biomechanical needs” are only unique because we’ve been smashing, smushing, and confining our feet to too-small, too-constrictive, too-structured footwear for years. Check out your comments section, dude. The people have spoken. You can’t ignore anecdotal evidence pouring in from all sides forever.

I eagerly await your upcoming, inevitable barefoot-analogous running shoe model.

When the CEO of a major running shoe company makes a public acknowledgment, that’s a sign. A sea change is undoubtedly occurring here, folks. The media may help spur things along, but they’re just reporting what’s really happening out there. If there wasn’t a massive audience for the barefoot message present and willing to get out there and experiment for themselves, there’d be no story. Just check out the comment sections for all the blogs and all the newspaper articles dealing with the study. In previous barefoot articles, most of the comments were either dubious or dismissive of the “fad”; now, the naysayers clinging to their Nikes are being drowned out by barefoot evangelists. I applaud them.

You’re part of what made this possible. Now, let’s hope the rest of the Primal Blueprint gains some ground out there!

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. How to Strengthen Your (Bare, Flat) Feet
2. Barefoot Alternatives
3. Diggin’ a Hole to Install a Ladder to Wash the Basement Windows

Dear readers, here we are in 2010, with MarksDailyApple.com now nearly 3 1/2 years old. Thank you for your tremendous contribution to what started as a dream in 2006, and is now a thriving internet community of passionate and deeply connected Primal enthusiasts. As we celebrate the success of the book and the continued rapid growth of the blog, we also realize that in 2010, it’s time to take this community to the next level!

My staff and I have been dreaming and scheming behind the scenes for quite some time about “what’s next?”. Well, here it is: I’m extremely excited to announce the first-ever live, in-person, Primal Blueprint weekend experience! Finally, a chance for our virtual world to come alive and come together for an incredible 3-day event we’re calling PrimalCon.

We have secured a spectacular resort right on the beach in Southern California called the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach in Oxnard, CA. I’m almost embarrassed to say that even though it’s only 31 miles from my home, I’d never set eyes on this place until recently, and it is absolutely stunning. This is an all-suite resort with beautiful Spanish-style grounds right on the expansive Oxnard State Beach. We’re talking seconds from out your door to sand in your toes – no kidding. The weekend will consist of a stimulating mix of workouts, play, leisure, classroom education, and of course delicious Primal feasts. Here’s a quick overview:

• Seminars at the resort will include four general sessions with me, and numerous breakout sessions on topics related to the Primal Blueprint lifestyle
• Workouts will take place right on the sand or the expansive grass fields of an adjacent beach park. Experts in Primal strength training and sprinting will guide your activity in small groups segmented by ability. We’ll roll out some cool new stuff as we are currently building a comprehensive curriculum for Primal Blueprint Fitness.
• We’ll have all kinds of fun, games, and relaxation, including leisurely hiking on the beach and sand dune preserve, Ultimate Frisbee matches (of course, no good conference should be without), and the top secret Primal Blueprint Mind/Body Obstacle Course Challenge on the beach (don’t even ask, just show up ready for a challenge!)
• We’ll have lavish Primal feasts – omelets in the morning, fabulous salads for lunch and delicious barbecue in the evenings. Leave your cocktail attire at home, this is outdoors, Primal style – utensils optional!
• We’ll have “positive natural stressors” as in Primal ocean plunges in the morning and after workouts. Don’t worry though, you can reach the Embassy Suites jacuzzi in about 41 seconds from the water’s edge (might even count as a sprint workout!).

Getting Down to Details

Size: This is the first of what we hope will be several events a year in various locations across the country and abroad. To ensure an intimate experience, the conference is limited to the first 160 people who register.

Cost: The early-bird conference fee is $695 and includes all meals and a PrimalCon event bag stocked with incredible participant gifts, apparel, and nutrition. The price will jump to $795 once there are only 30 spots remaining, so register now to lock in this special rate. You will book your hotel directly and separately with the Embassy Suites. Suites start at $149/night. If you’re not familiar with Southern California resort lodging rates, this is an absolute steal for a suite on the beach. Couples staying together in double-occupancy suite get a $50 discount on the second conference registration fee.

Schedule: Sign-in Thursday evening, April 22nd, or Friday morning, April 23rd. Agenda begins Friday morning. Dismissal is Sunday, April 25th at 1:30pm. A convenient getaway weekend and then back to work a new person on Monday morning!

Travel: Oxnard is about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles proper, about 30 minutes south of Santa Barbara on the Ventura County’s Gold Coast. Los Angeles International (LAX) and Burbank (BUR) airports are your best choices.

Click here to check out the incredible discounted suite package we negotiated with the resort for the conference. Once you sign up for the conference, please book your suite immediately to ensure the currently published discount room rates.

Click here to read details about the PrimalCon agenda.

I’m hoping this post will stimulate a good bit of commentary and suggestion, as we are still formulating the details of the weekend agenda. I’d like to hear from you on a couple levels:

1. Would you attend for sure? Strongly consider? Maybe – need more info?
2. Do you have any suggestions about what programming, including meals, would be most important or interesting to you? Other comments about the basic concept presented here? Have you been to a health/fitness retreat and had a memorable experience – good or bad – that you might share?
3. If you’d like to receive regular PrimalCon updates as the speakers, events and meal plans are solidified sign up for this special newsletter. I’ll be sending an update every couple weeks until the event takes place in April.

I look forward to hearing from you…and perhaps seeing you in the flesh come April!

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Announcement: Free Events
2. Book Tour Update

Mark,

I have what I feel is an interesting question that I don’t see addressed anywhere on the site. I’m pretty sold on the notion of the Primal Blueprint and I’m ready to jump in full force to change my lifestyle. I’m about to get married to a wonderful lady with 2 kids and she’s on board for herself as well. The question has come up though about the kids. While we both agree that eating healthier is a wonderful thing for them (and the Primal Blueprint way seems to be the best thing I’ve found in years of reading and searching), the problem arises with the differences between households. The kids basically split time with her and their father, and their father is pretty much a couch sitter who doesn’t adhere to a very healthy lifestyle at all. His diet is pretty typically American, although not even typically “healthy” American (whole grains, etc.) The kids would have weeks of low blood glucose followed by weeks of bombardment with high GI type foods. A week with us with controlled insulin production and a week at their dad’s without control of insulin production. This seems like it could cause more harm than good. My question is this…. Will switching over to a completely primal diet in our house and then sending them off to their dad’s house – to relapse back into a carb-centric eating pattern every other week – do them more harm than good?

Thanks to reader Jason for this one. The basic principle here applies to a whole heap of scenarios, but let me respond directly to the particulars of this situation first. It’s great that you and your future wife have found a common appreciation for Primal living, and kudos for sharing those benefits with the kids. Let me say this first: don’t sweat the diet back and forth too much. You’re not talking about a meal to meal shift. A full week of good eating at a time is nothing to shake a stick at. Sure, one half of their food intake should change, but it isn’t the half you and your fiancée offer them. I know what you’re getting at with the swinging and spiking glucose, but I firmly believe that the “break” those kids’ bodies are getting with the Primal diet does them good. Although a week doesn’t allow time for a full metabolic resetting, so to speak, it does give the body a good stretch with stable hormonal balance. It gives the pancreas a rest from producing as much insulin, the liver a rest from (I’m imagining) filtering assorted junk foods, and the adrenal system a rest from coping with, well, the biochemical circus of carb overload. Rest assured, it’s better to be half Primal than not at all.

That said, I still think it’s worth trying to soften the blow of the alternating weeks. I don’t know what kinds of conversations your fiancée has had with her ex about the issue, but it’s a discussion worth having and even revisiting if there’s any chance for understanding or accommodation on his part. Obviously, these conversations can be emotional minefields, and I don’t pretend to know the particulars of your fiancée’s rapport with her ex. If it’s possible for her to have the conversation with him, keep it 100% focused on the kids and their health. After all, their well-being is a mutual concern. If he feels his role as caretaker is respected, he’s more likely to listen and engage. Just start by letting him know about the changes you’re both making for yourselves and the kids. Give him a chance to offer to make an accommodation or to at least show interest. If your fiancé thinks he’ll take the sharing as a personal affront to his own habits and intelligence, she can focus on the (basically true) “kids are still growing and need solid nutrition more than adults” angle. Even if he thinks the kids deserve some “treats,” it’s important to point out that the more unhealthy food they eat, the less healthy food they have room for. That said, it’s good to limit any negotiation/requests to a few carefully chosen foods/practices. It’s probably safe to say that the kids won’t ever eat Primally at his house. Pick your battles, as the saying goes.

And, again, the kids’ benefit isn’t dependent on the ex’s compliance. You and your fiancée are offering them Primal foods to fuel their physical and cognitive development. You’re boosting their immune function and promoting the healthy functioning of literally every bodily system they have. Another important point: you’re also increasing their insulin sensitivity as well as (I’d venture) their threshold for carb satiety. Although you probably don’t have the chance to observe it (and the kids the ability to realize it), they’ll probably choose to self-limit their sweet/carb intake more than they would if it were standard, full-time fare.

Ultimately, you and your fiancée have the opportunity to strongly and positively influence the children’s long-term choices as well as their understanding of overall health. No Primal parent can control every meal or outside influence. To some degree, we’re all in the same boat. I think the key isn’t to sweat the kids’ detours or derivations on Primal eating but to focus on the big picture. My son is a long-time vegetarian. It’s not the choice I would’ve made for him, but I respect his commitment. Over the years I’ve shared my perspective with him, and we’ve come to a middle ground that is considerate of his values and accommodating of my biggest concerns for his nutritional needs. I feel good knowing that he has the right knowledge about nutrition and a thoughtful approach to his diet.

At the end of the day, the best influence we can have over our kids’ diet (and overall health) is the model we present. They see us respect our bodies and make the time and effort to eat well. They see us make good nutrition a personal and financial priority. Although our particular choices might not always transfer at a given time, it’s the basic principles that definitely do set in over the long haul. It’s not about forcing Primal foods or manipulating them emotionally with warnings or judgments that will inevitably backfire (e.g. “You’ll get fat if you eat that.”). If they see us consistently value our physical health, they’ll learn to place value on theirs. With time and maturity, they’ll put those health values into practice on their own.

In the meantime, we can maximize their healthy choices in the here and now by stocking the house with only good Primal stuff and by engaging them in ways that make the “lessons” fun. We all know about the positive influences of eating together as a family, but consider taking it a couple steps further. Let your children cook with you and even shop with you. I know this can be an undertaking, but it can have big payoffs. Even better, grow a family garden or at least some window sill herbs and greens. Make the endeavor a family affair. Let the kids choose what to grow, and put them in charge of their own crops. Sure, all this lets them see how you make Primal choices from start to finish – seed packet/shopping list to dinner table, but it also gives you a chance to bond over food selection and preparation. They learn to enjoy food and see it as something to invest time, thought and enjoyment in. They gain pride in their efforts and accomplishments in the garden/kitchen. They have fun, and they get to spend quality time with you. In this way, you’re not just imposing your choices on them: you’re inviting them to participate in feeding and caring for the family. You’re sharing an experience with them. Put in this context, the “lessons” will teach themselves.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on going Primal with dual households as well as going Primal with kids in general. As always, thanks for the great questions and comments, and keep ‘em coming!

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Dear Mark: How to Stay Healthy in College
2. Dear Mark: Healthy Body Weight?
3. Dear Mark: Visting Family – Primal Compromises and Grain Alternatives

Cake or fruit cup? Do you have the guts to shoulder your way through this no-brainer? NPR has a fascinating piece on willpower and the war going on in your head.

Remember that awesome rib video from the 30 Day Primal Challenge? Well, Dan and his wife started a blog called Sweat. Give it a read.

Is it just me, or has the NY Times been getting things right recently? This week they dish out six meaningless claims on food labels.

Listen to the hoot of the bamboo flute over at Primal Wisdom.

Here are some useful instructions. (thanks, brian7972, for finding it!)

Recipe Corner

• Perennial favorite Girl Gone Primal just came out with a recipe index listing dozens of her best eats.
• The Super Bowl. It’s a national frickin’ holiday. Primal your Super Bowl with these recipes. Not enough? Make these too.  But whatever you do, don’t make this!

Time Capsule

One year ago (January 24 – 30)

• Meet Grok – The post that formally introduced the little jumping guy with the spear to the modern world. Find out who he is and what he has to do with your health.
• Primal Comfort Foods – Chicken soup, meatloaf, and butternut squash recipes. Both Mom and Grok approved.

Comment of the Week

“That’s music to my primal Texan ears. Guacamole and hot sauce are like water and oxygen in the south.”

-Doug from Fat Guacamole Devils

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Weekend Link Love
2. Weekend Link Love
3. Weekend Link Love