I’m going to say it outright: I’m not a fan of what most people mean when they say “cold cuts.” The water-laden, gummy, super salty, uniformly shaped, barely recognizable sheets of condensed animal parts just don’t whet my appetite. Yeah, it’s technically meat, but it’s really pushing it. That’s the cheap stuff, though. Those are the cold cuts that come pre-wrapped in the refrigerated section next to the American cheese sliced singles. They run a couple bucks for maybe half a pound but a quarter of it is water. Think bologna, cheap ham, slimy chicken, shiny turkey. I’ll pass, thank you.
But are all cold cuts created equal? I often get the question of whether deli meats are healthy Primal fare. Let’s take a closer look.

Beyond the pale pink, mass-marketed luncheon meats there are better options, the acquisition of which involves approaching a counter, taking a number, placing an order, and […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

“Live long and prosper.” -Spock
“Live long and drop dead.” -Grok
Got your attention? (Thought so.) Sisson’s gone morbid, you say. Not exactly. Death is on the docket for today but more so the time leading up to death – (for some) a period of morbidity during which we experience major illness and impairment. We live, of course, with the prospect of our own mortality and how it will befall us, but we’re also emotional witnesses to that of our loved ones. I’ve lost many family and friends at this point in my life. Although I believe most had a good life, not many had what any of us would consider a “good death.”

I’d venture to say that most of us have known someone, perhaps even someone very close, who lived their last years with serious disease and debilitation. Perhaps they were in and out of the hospital, caught in continual throes […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Have you heard of The Slow Carb Diet? This is an eating approach outlined by Tim Ferriss in the book The 4-Hour Body. I’m a big fan of the book, but not the biggest fan of the diet plan.

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Original post by admin

Even if your workdays consist of alternating between hunkering down over the laptop in a full Grok squat with perfectly neutral lumbar spine and standing up at a standing workstation for the entire work day you’re likely still engaging in some anatomically novel and potentially problematic habits. The bulk of you folks might get away with wearing minimalist shoes to work or maybe padding around the office in socks, but I imagine most people are sitting down, staring at a screen, and making strange tapping motions with their fingers splayed out in front of them for seven to eight hours a day. If this sounds a little too familiar you could probably use some help. I know I could.

There’s nothing wrong with this picture, of course. I mean, that’s life. That’s reality, and we can’t always change it. We have to work with it, and if we play our cards […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

It’s been a while since I published a Dear Mark post and it’s been a fairly anemic news week, so I thought I’d address a trio of (related) reader questions.
If you’ve ever wondered what it means for a fat to be rancid (both for the fat and your body if you consume it), whether eating just a little store-bought every once in a while is all that bad, or where rice bran oil falls in the spectrum of Primal fats read on.
The first comes from reader Timre –
I am a newcomer to the blog and I have been reading up on oils and fats in here and there is a lot of great information but I am having trouble understanding what fats going rancid and oxidizing under heat means to my health. Can you elaborate on this for me?
Timre

Fantastic question. Before I answer, let’s make sure we understand exactly what […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Complete 4 cycles:
20 Walking Straight Leg Deadlifts (alternating sides)
10 Handstand Pushups
20 Walking Lunges
10 Pullups
5 Burpees

How-to:
Warmup: One minute Grok Squat.
Supposedly, spring is here in the northern hemisphere, but I’m not seeing it. I’m seeing rain and overcast skies and cold weather, all staunch adversaries of outdoor workout enthusiasts (among which I count myself). What to do?
A normal person would retreat to the gym, or devise some living room workout routine – anything to escape the elements. But, this week, try something different. Instead of admitting defeat, challenge yourself and the unseasonably harsh cold/rain/snow by exercising outdoors with the express purpose of exposing yourself to momentary hardship. Consider that exercise itself is a type of stressor that, when applied to the body, creates a net beneficial result. Sometimes you fear the weights or the hills, but you do it anyway because it’s good for you. Well, this week, you’re adding another layer to […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

I’ve updated www.inflammationtheory.com to include a new video exploring the role that leptin plays in the inflammation response.
As with the theme on inflammationtheory.com, this video is theoretical and explores the possible relationship between leptin, inflammation and ectopic fat storage.
(WARNING: It does get a bit technical)
Also, I apologize for some sound issues …I need to get some new headphones
Video Here ==> Leptin and Inflammation
BP

Original post by Brad Pilon

Instead of going on and on about how good butter is and stringing together mouth-watering adjectives to describe the nuances of flavor and incredibly rich texture, we’re going to assume that butter needs no introduction. It’s butter, for Pete’s sake. We’ve all tasted it before and all of us are probably more than familiar with its charms. However, consider yourself warned that the recipe we’re sharing here is a little bit dangerous – it’s not just for butter, it’s for homemade cultured butter. If you find store-bought butter hard to resist, you don’t stand a chance against homemade cultured butter. For better or for worse, you’re going to want to eat this stuff with a spoon.

Homemade cultured butter has a rich, glossy texture that’s silky, not waxy. But it’s not just about texture. Unlike most supermarket brands of butter, homemade cultured butter has noticeable flavor: tangy, fresh, lightly sweet and […]

Original post by Worker Bee

For anyone that’s had the thought, “Never in a million years could I…”, these stories are for you. For any athlete looking to go Primal and improve performance, these stories are for you. For anyone that thinks the Primal Blueprint is best suited for men, these stories are for you. These two female fighters are strong. Primal strong. Read on for your weekly dose of inspiration, and then get out there and break your own million year misconceptions.

And if you have your own Primal Blueprint success story you’d like to share with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I can only keep publishing these each Friday as long as they keep coming in and I know you’re out there, so shoot me a line and we’ll work out the details. Have a wonderful Friday, everyone, and thanks for reading!

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Erica’s […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

 
IMPORTANT – The post is written under the assumption that Mike, and the rest of the top bodybuilders of his era, used steroids. If you don’t like this assumption, please don’t read the rest of the post.
 
Mike Mentzer  may have been the smartest body builder of all time – or at least of his generation.
He seemed to have realized something that none of the other trainers of his day realized – Time is extremely valuable.
And, Mike may have also realized that he could let the anabolic nature of steroids do the majority of the growth inducing work – That there was a MAXIMAL rate (speed) at which his muscle could grow or increase in size. And once that rate was hit by using the right amount of steroids, all the bench presses, dead lifts and squats in the world were not going to speed it up to any noticeable degree.
Think […]

Original post by Brad Pilon