The Primal Kitchen Podcast

When I look back on my life and take stock of the things that have made and make me happiest, I don't think about the material objects I've procured. I don't think about the money I've made or the cars I've owned or the possessions stashed away in my garage. I think about the experiences. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

I’ve said it, your doctor says it, and anyone who’s ever had a bad night’s sleep and felt like death the next day will say it: sleep is absolutely essential to happiness, health, and longevity. On the positive side, there’s nothing quite so pleasurable as a good night’s sleep, from the initial application of one’s head to the pillow, to the insanely vivid dream-visions that descend upon you in the midst of it, to the peerless happiness and boundless energy you feel upon waking. Sleep’s the best, so you want to get it, and get it good.You know it, of course. I harp on it enough. And chances are, you’re doing your part to get good sleep. But what if you can’t? What if sleep is bad, or inadequate, or unfulfilling? What might be causing it? Let’s find out.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

A few years back, I briefly covered a throwaway Yahoo! article about how “carbs will make you lose weight” because so many readers had emailed about it. It turned out that the “carbs” in the article were resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that our digestive enzymes cannot break down. I’ll admit now, with regret, that I didn’t look as deeply into the matter as I might have. I didn’t dismiss resistant starch, but I did downplay its importance, characterizing it as “just another type of prebiotic” – important but not necessary so long as you were eating other fermentable fibers. While technically true, we’re fast learning that resistant starch may be a special type of prebiotic with a special place in the human diet.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

In a culture that worships impulse, self-control has all the appeal of soggy blanket. We see discipline as an imposition and chafe against the curtailment of our will. Cultural messaging and social belonging often hinge on following blind custom or our most unhealthy momentary inclinations. We exercise our autonomy or “choice” through (often market influenced) poor decisions. Freedom is conflated with whim. Any attempt to rein in stupidity is more than just the voice of a killjoy but an act of aggression. We’ve become such a precious, entitled bunch that the mere suggestion we temper our instinctive response feels like an insult. Where does that leave our health? Look around… (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

You won’t want to miss today’s special episode, hosted by Mark Sisson himself. He has a lively discussion with his good friend and guest, Abel James, a bestselling author, musician, speaker, and entrepreneur. As the number one rated health podcast in more than eight countries, Abel’s award-winning web series, Fat-Burning Man, has helped millions reclaim their health with outdoor adventures, cutting-edge science, and ridiculously good food. When his debut cooking app, Caveman Feast, bested The Food Network, Nickelodeon, and even Angry Birds with more than 1,000 5-star reviews in 24 hours, Abel became the first indie publisher ever to hold Apple’s #1 Food App and #1 Health Podcast at the same time. Among his accomplishments, Abel has presented keynotes for the federal government, lectured at Ivy League universities, and advised Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Shell, and Lockheed Martin. Now, he’s here on The Primal Blueprint Podcast to talk about his upcoming book, The Wild Diet, which you can pre-order on Amazon before its release on April 7th.

Insulin does a lot of important things for us. It pulls glucose from the blood and fritters it away into our cells to be burned for energy or stored as glycogen. It prevents hyperglycemic toxicity to neurons, pancreatic cells, the arterial walls and the generation of excessive levels of reactive oxygen species. It even promotes muscle protein synthesis and helps augment muscular hypertrophy, especially following resistance training. Clearly, we need insulin. Obviously, we don’t want to be insulin resistant. We want to be insulin sensitive. But how do we do it?  (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)  

I decided to explore the health benefits of acute heat exposure in the form of saunas, baths, and steam rooms for one main reason: the sauna is a near-universal human tradition, and I’m always curious about those. Are all these many billions of people across time and space sitting in heated rooms for the heck of it? Luckily, we don’t have to guess: extensive research into the health benefits of saunas, steam baths, IR saunas, and other forms of acute heat exposure confirms that the human universal of getting really, really sweaty, hot, and steamy on purpose has merit. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

I’ve steadily been accumulating questions from readers with food allergies and food restrictions looking for assistance. They are all interested in giving the Primal Blueprint lifestyle an honest shot, but because they can’t eat certain foods, many of which enjoy an (real or imagined) exalted place in our community, they need help. Can it be done without eating red meat? Can it be done as a vegetarian? Can one eat Primal without eating land animals? Can a person succeed without tree nuts? Without coconut products? Are almonds essential? Can a vegan succeed on this eating plan? Are these nothing but minor speed bumps on the road to Primal, or something more serious? Let’s find out. (This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Before huge multinational corporations did it for us, humans had to figure out how to turn raw, unrefined formerly-living things into food that could be cooked or eaten. And before standup freezers, refrigerators, ice boxes, canned soup, bagged bread, tinned fish, and grocery stores hit the scene, we had to figure out how to preserve foods.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Is the inertia all in our heads? Should exercising on “day one” really be any harder than on “day ninety-one” when workouts are tailored to respective fitness levels? What about eating? Does healthier eating really become more appealing over time, or is just a matter of mental discipline and habit? Is it just our tastes and routines that adjust, or do our brains change as well? You might be surprised….(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)