The Lipitor paradox!

I would not take statin drugs if I were you!

But then, if you WANT to enrich the pharmaceutical companies, at the risk of your own health...
Go right ahead!

I, for one, would rather do things like:

eliminate wheat
cut back on sugar
and exercise a little...

But that's just me!

J

Paleo Spirituality

Today, while in church, I was struck with the idea of "Paleo spirituality"!  From these early paintings, from tens of thousands of years ago, we are struck with the strong need for humans of all early, and naturally later cultures such as our own, to fulfill their spiritual needs.


I think the idea of spirituality, of being in touch with something larger than ourselves, larger than our "tribe", and even larger than this world are universal.  In fact, I know that such is the case: however far back, and however wide you travel, spiritual things, universal truths, things we can never understand but that are crucial to us are understood to be of very great importance.

Even tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors, who were genetically identical to ourselves, spent vast amounts of time and interest in exploring the spiritual.

Lascaux Cave Paintings: the prehistoric Sistine Chapel

Known as "the prehistoric Sistine Chapel," the Lascaux Caves, a cave complex in southwestern France, contain some of the most remarkable paleolithic cave paintings in the world, from at least 15,000 years ago.

Altamira Cave Paintings: as Picasso famously exclaimed, "after Altamira, all is decadence"

Interestingly, these ancient peoples only showed the human form obscurely; there appears to be a religious taboo against that...  only spiritual reasons could make them obey such an edict, or to compel them to go deep underground into dark caves to draw these animals.

At any rate, my point is that spirituality is obviously very, very important to all of us humans!  

Just as in our diet, which we have messed with in our arrogance, putting mass-produced, genetically modified grains and beans in the forefront of our diet, and vilifying the animal products to which we owe our very existence and supremacy in the animal world, we are also ignoring the spiritual side of our human nature!  

Only in very recent, modern times; probably since Marx and his ilk, have we denied God. 

I think the resulting degradation of our diet is a small, but devastating result of this wrong-ness.

Our hubris in thinking that we are the "be-all-and-end-all" will destroy us totally, if we go down this path to hell...

We are part of Nature!  We are part of God's world!!  

We are meant to eat His food, do His work, and enjoy the life He has designed.

If not?

We will continue on the disastrous path we are on:

1. Eating industrial manufactured foods
2. Working as if we are in Mordor, endlessly and joyously for the "good of the state" and our personal doom
3. Devoid of anything of the spirit, or of community, or of play!

I think the Paleo Diet is the "canary in the coal mine" about all of this:

"Our diet is really important!

Look at all that is wrong!!"

That's a very important warning, paleo/canary!

J

Paleo diet to lose fat!

The Paleo Diet has shown remarkable success in helping people to lose fat/weight, and achieve a much better "body composition".   The amazing thing is that it can bring these changes about without:

1. Hunger
2.  Long sessions of exercise
3.  Injury from those long, boring exercise sessions you thought were necessary


Really!  But how can this be?

It's really just simple, proven science!

Our bodies are not designed to eat grains, particularly wheat, which has become a mainstay of virtually every processed food in America.  Wheat is now completely genetically modified to the point where it has no similarity to the ancient wheat of the Bible, or even to the wheat from the 1960's!!
This is a huge point: if you wish to research the topic in depth, I refer you to the book Wheat Belly by William Davis-  Wheat Belly the blog

But, since all carbohydrates,  like wheat, corn, white potatoes, etc. turns to sugar in the body, that is more than enough reason alone to severely limit them in the diet.


The other thing to limit greatly in your diet is SUGAR.


When you eat sugar, or its twin- carbohydrates- your body responds to the rise in blood sugar, (which is actually an emergency situation for your body!), by producing massive quantities of insulin.  Insulin, which as we know is what Type 2 (self-induced) Diabetics lose the ability to produce, after many years of ingesting so much sugar/carbohydrates that their body has become overwhelmed by the bodily insult!  Don't let this happen to you- it is becoming EPIDEMIC in modern America, largely due to the fact that now- 90% of food sold in the USA is PROCESSED: (Comes in a bag, or a box, and is not real food anymore, but industrial food.


Industrial food is loaded with sugar/corn syrup/wheat/soy and the other thing you need to get rid of on the Paleo Diet- industrial seed (grain!) oils!
Corn, Soybean, Crisco- these are all rancid, harmful oils that are not really food.


The Food Industry uses all of this stuff, in processed and fast foods (another no-no!), because it is CHEAP!  That is the only reason- nutritional value is not even on their radar!

So, bottom line, what do you need to do to-

Regain your health and lose fat?

It's really rather simple, and if you think about it, you probably already intuitively know this stuff-

You've just been brainwashed into the "low fat, high carb Standard American Diet"

for your whole life!

So, here is what you get rid of:

1. Eliminate fast food
2. Eliminate bread, pasta, anything made with flour
3. Eliminate Industrial oils- margarine, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil- any chemically processed oil
4. Eliminate Legumes- dried beans- irritate the gut lining, just as does wheat- this is a huge problem
5. Get long, painful, CARDIO/AEROBIC workouts out of your life (They lead to injury, burn very little in the way of fat/calories/, and do not build muscle, which is what you really want)
6. Stop Staying up late at night- (This interferes with your body in a minor way, stimulating the stress hormone "cortisol", which causes you to store fat, among other negatives).

 And here is what you replace the above with:

1. Whole eggs (free range is the best) 
2. Real, PASTURED butter (Kerrygold is the best)
3. All varieties of meat, and seafood  (Grass fed beef is best, but all of it is good- just be sure to include seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines)
4. Vegetables and fruits  (Berries are the best fruit!)  Don't go wild on fruit, but include it.  Eat LOTS of green vegetables.
5. Get on an intense, brief exercise program!  (Body weight exercise is best- pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups, brief sessions of sprinting and/or stationery bike "sprints" of 30 seconds or less, done for several "sets" lasting 20 minutes or less)
6. Get LOTS of sleep!  8 hours minimum (This is really crucial for health and fat loss- stress, like lack of sleep, causes your body to want to hang onto fat)

That's it!  Follow the above subtractions and additions in your life, and sooner than you think, you will look and feel better than you would believe!  This is a promise!!


I hear you asking:   "But how do I eat this way??

Simple:

1. Eggs and fruit for breakfast
2. Salad with meat or seafood for lunch
3. Grilled meat and vegetables for supper
4. Snacks- if you eat enough at meals, you probably won't get too hungry. But it you do:

Almonds,  dark chocolate, coffee with real whipped cream, macadamia nuts, olives, full fat cheeses, or again- meat, vegetables, sardines, etc. are all fair game


Or, you could make it easy, and make the Paleo Quick Start Smoothie!

It really makes the nutrition part almost effortless, and actually more "available" to your body, since it is all "broken down" and ready to assimilate, raw food enzymes and all!!

But anyway, there you go- try it for 3 weeks!  If you do, I guarantee you will not go back-
the benefits are that amazing!

I will leave you with this testimonial from an Australian farmer, who has transformed his own health, using the book by Nora Gedgaudus of Primal Body Primal Mind

J

Real salt versus FAKE salt!

What's so bad about SALT, anyway?

Actually, real salt itself is a tasty, nutritious food!  The problem is that, like most things in America's modern nutritional landscape, the real salt, the traditional kind that is gathered and dried in its natural state, has been replaced with a refined version.  This is the kind that you see daily in the salt shaker pictured above, and don't see in the many processed, and fast foods of our American culture today. (But it is there, insidiously and in quantity)!

This refined, fake salt starts out as real sea salt... but, then it is altered by the big manufacturer's methods of mass, cheap production.  It is heated to extremely high temperatures, stripped of its natural occurring minerals, loaded with potassium iodine instead of the "stripped" iodine that was originally there.  Then, after being stabilized with dextrose, which turns the "salt" purple, it is bleached white.

Sound healthy to you?

Natural sea salt, on the other hand, is a real food, just as God made it!  It is loaded with natural iodine from oceanic marine life, and a plethora of naturally occurring minerals.  You will be pleasantly surprised by the much richer flavor, and more satisfying texture.   It is just one more real food that your body needs and craves, that has been largely replaced by a highly processed, fake version in our lives. 

I would encourage you to:

1. Throw away your toxic, fake salt!
2. Avoid fast food, and processed foods from your grocery, both of which are loaded with the fake version of salt!  Did you know one of the main reasons that so much is used is to cover up "off" tastes in this cheap "food"?
3. Cook at home, and don't be afraid to use real sea salt in all of its delicious, nutritious varieties-
Your body will know how much you need!  You will be satisfied when your body has had enough, nutritionally speaking.

So there you go- there is no reason to be leery of real salt, just as there is no reason to be afraid of any real food!

J

Early to bed and early to rise- CRUCIAL FOR HEALTH!

I've been enjoying some vacation time!

I say this not to gloat (although it has been pleasant!), but to share with you some insights I've gained over this period:

Work/Activity is overrated!


All of us, Americans I believe in particular, have been brainwashed into believing that, if we are not being productive, i.e. engaged in making money, or preparing to make even more money, that we are wasting our time!

And on the other end, if we are spending our leisure time,  time we have gained away from work, we had better do it productively: 


Attending expensive spectator sporting events!
Luxury travel to far-distant "pre-packaged" destinations!!
Going to "spas" and "fat farms"; where we are told WHAT TO DO health wise!!!
And, don't just SIT!  Watch TV!!  It is at least 'mind-expanding'!!!!


I'm here to tell you, first-hand, that it is just not so!

Work is important; yes it's true!  Crucial even- but it needs to be real work!


How many of us can honestly say today that we go to work to... labor?  
To accomplish real, physical things?


Very few of us, in modern corporate America at least, can lay claim to doing so.  We sit in offices, we drive to conferences, we connect and network on our computers and other devices...

We don't really do honest work anymore!


I know, I know- I am pushing the point; of course we all are "stressed" mentally and socially, and have to cope with lots of paperwork and such...  but, my above point still holds.

THAT is why, when we are NOT engaged in "WORK", modern-style-


WE NEED TO REVERT TO OUR PRE-INDUSTRIAL AGE PAST!


1. Do LOTS of physical things!  
Work out.  Cut wood.  Hike.  COOK!!
2.  But also other "Physical" things we ignore:
Lie around.  Meditate.  Ponder things.  Sing and play with family and friends!  Pray!!

But mainly, we need to sleep!


The last few nights, I have gone to sleep around 8 PM or so.  And then, I have slept through the night, and not gotten up until 9 AM!


This from a guy who normally wakes up and gets going at 4:30 AM!

Why?  It is really a conscious decision to use my vacation to "reconnect" with my "paleo past" if you will...  and I believe it really paid off!
I have had several "lucid" dreams- strongly visual dreams that are actually more meaningful upon awakening than my real, actual life!  I am certain that these dreams are my "subconscious, inner self" trying to tell me what is really important.
Thinking about these dreams, and trying to interpret them, becomes more important than you would believe- if you have the leisure to actually contemplate them!


So, if you can, give yourself that leisure!  If you have a vacation coming up, don't turn it into a "work substitute", where you run from event to event, just like work! 


Try to actually relax; cut loose from things!  If you normally work out each day, don't!
If you rarely work out- DO! 


Try to eat really, really well- totally Paleo!  Vacations are where we are trained to "let it all go diet-wise".  Huge mistake- we want to get back in touch with our primeval selves!!

And then- sleep a lot!  I mean much more than usual- try out how it was for our primeval ancestors, before electric lights and alarm clocks.  Rejuvenating....

And if you don't have a vacation??


This is even more important for you:

Get to bed REALLY EARLY!  Early enough so you will have a good 8-9 hours of sleep....

GET UP really early!!  You will feel like getting up, since you've had ample sleep...

Work out, early morning!  If you do this one thing, you are setting yourself up for a happy, fulfilling, and ultimately very successful day!!

Start out with "mobility-type" movements, next do some stretches- include the Asian Squat-asian squat video

Follow up with self-resisted exercises- visualized, or self resisted exercises
Finish up with pushups, sit-ups, and hindu body-weight squats.  

If you do all of this, and if you are like me you will do it in front of the TV!!  Netflix streaming!!

Reward yourself for working hard!  You will come to LONG for your exercise sessions, if your restrict your TV watching to ONLY during those times!!

Trust me, you will feel great! Have a Paleo smoothie and toddle off to "work"-

Everything you experience there will "fall into place", and you will recognize everything for just what it really is...

And you will have some really interesting dreams to ponder, as you do your paperwork and teleconferencing and such...

J

The Importance of Planning Your Health Goals with Dr. Josh Axe

Vision Board!

Click the above link to view Dr. Josh Axe!

I hope you enjoyed that video with Dr. Axe as much as I did!  He really hits the nail on the head: we all too often plan our vacations, spend hours watching mindless TV shows, etc. but fail to make plans for our most important goals in life:  

Our plans for health and wellness, professional, financial, and personal fulfillment, spiritual goals, and relationship goals for those important to us in our lives!

It really is somewhat strange that, although we all have aspirations, most of us never make the first, most important, simple and easy step- 

Make our plan to achieve our goal, and then write it down!

This vision board is a great, simple idea to accomplish this, and to then continuously remind ourselves of what we are all about, just by looking at it.  I especially like his green drink daily breakfast idea!

Check out this link to get started:

Paleo Quick Start Smoothie #1 aka "SUPER Green Drink!"

That can be your first, primary (or PRIMAL) health goal!  

Next, you could put up some photos of bags of sugar, or processed foods, or "food porn" like bakery products, chips, or bread... with big red "X's" drawn over them.  (Just some ideas here...)

I think most adults already have professional types of goals; but very few, especially as they get older and it becomes ever more important! have any health plans or goals whatsoever!  We work so hard at our adult roles and goals of finance, child raising, helping out with family and friends, etc. that we feel we just don't have time or energy to work on our all-important health!

Ironically, it is a truism to say, but if we lose our health we lose everything else!  

Money, retirement, the ability to enjoy ourselves, to help our children, family and friends- everything!!

So go make yourself (and your family) a vision board!  Put your priorities back into place!

Then, your whole life will have purpose, make sense, and most importantly-

Take you exactly where you want to go!

J

Here is my "health goal photo" :)

Paleo Health Success Story!

WHY would anyone eat anything else?

Clockwise: Cameo Organic Apples, Fresh Nova Salmon, Free Range Egg Salad from local health food store on Broadway, Fresh Organic Spinach and Mushrooms Sauteed in KerryGold!

Thank you all for bringing such wonderful quality of life into my life. I feel so much better!! And this food ROCKS!!!

This is the result had from a dear friend who "went Paleo"- She'd had a major incident with bleeding ulcers, the last of which caused her to wind up in the hospital for a week!  She lost approximately 1/3 of her blood in this health calamity, and knew it was time for a change...

Upon introducing Barb to the Paleo way of life, and specifically the Paleo Quickstart Smoothie via my book and blog by the same name (hey- you knew that though, right?) she immediately changed her diet!  Some people are motivated enough to go "all out Paleo", if they are just exposed to the ideas, and some of the underlying science behind it all!  (I know I was!)

Especially if their health is becoming really problematic- this causes a strong incentive to change for the better!  This was Barb's case, and she met the challenge:

She immediately eliminated grains, white potatoes, sugar, and all but full fat dairy, i.e. cream, kefir, greek yogurt, and pastured Kerrygold butter


She incorporated the Paleo Smoothie into her diet each morning, starting with day #1.  (This gave her efforts an impressive "jump start" into radically nutrient dense nutrition!)

Barb has suffered for years chronic stomach aches and severe migraine headaches- 

SINCE STARTING PALEO SHE HAS HAD NO HEADACHES

AND ONLY 1 STOMACH ACHE-

This last stomach ache came from eating some small biscotti somewhere- she immediately had a stomach reaction- and has vowed to never make the same, grain-eating mistake again!

It's just not worth it...

This is how dramatic recovery can be on the paleo diet!

It really is that extremely life changing!

Jay