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Over the past nine months, you have been preparing your body and mind for this moment, and the day has finally arrived! As you welcome your new baby into the world, the real work begins.

In addition to healing your body after this life-changing event, you have the new full-time job of protecting and feeding this tiny human being.

When it comes to feeding your little one, there is a vast ocean of information available about what, when, and how to feed your baby as well as what, when, and how you should eat—particularly if you’re breastfeeding.

While this article is about nutrition considerations for breastfeeding, it is not our assumption that all mothers can and want to breastfeed. We understand that this is a very personal matter and we encourage you to take the course of action that you feel is best for you and your baby, based on your individual circumstances.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Research (and the experiences hundreds of generations of women) have shown that breastfeeding offers numerous benefits to both mother and child. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Medicine, and the World Health Organization have documented an expansive body of research and data on these benefits^1a-d.

Breast milk is considered nutritionally complete, delivering precisely the nutrients your baby needs. These nutrients can help reduce your child’s likelihood of obesity and diabetes later on (of course, all of those outcomes will also be influenced by your child’s nutrition and activity level as he or she grows and develops)^1a-d.

In addition to providing the ideal combination of nutrients your newborn baby needs to thrive, breastfeeding benefits you, both psychologically and physiologically ^1a-d. For example, breastfeeding can help guard against postpartum depression^{1a, 2}, helps forms a strong bond between you and your baby, and reduces your long-term risk of Type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer^1a-d. Breastfeeding also helps your uterus return to its normal size via the release of the hormone oxytocin, which causes the uterus to contract more vigorously (which is why you may experience discomfort in your uterus when you first begin breastfeeding)^1a.

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When Breastfeeding Is Not Possible Or May Not Your Best Option

Sometimes a new mother has full intention of breastfeeding, but it may not be possible or realistic for a variety of reasons. For example, the baby may have trouble latching, which reduces milk production and makes it difficult to provide enough milk for the baby. Or, breastfeeding may be incredibly uncomfortable or painful for the mother, which makes it unsustainable long term.

Additionally, while you may often hear about the bonding benefits of breastfeeding, something that isn’t discussed as often or as openly is how emotionally taxing breastfeeding can be on a new mother. The frequent feedings can become very stressful, and the mother could become frustrated and start feeling detached from the experience, from her body, and from her baby. This usually occurs in the first couple months until you feel more comfortable with breastfeeding and the use of your breasts as a feeding implement. Family, friends and your OB/GYN are all helpful at this time to help you deal with the initial discomfort and emotional toll.

It may also be helpful to meet with a lactation consultant to work through some of the issues that may arise if you’re having trouble breastfeeding and want to keep trying. A lactation consultant is specially trained to help you have the best outcomes and experiences with breastfeeding if you so chose to pursue it. She may suggest pumping exclusively if you are struggling with latching, discomfort for you, and time management. Some initial issues (like low milk production, for example) can often be resolved when the mother makes a few nutritional changes, coupled with the support of a lactation consultant and/or her OB/GYN, who can make sure you and your baby’s technique is ideal.

With respect to your nutrition, if you are currently struggling to breastfeed your baby, you may find some helpful information in this article.

Note: As we said, breastfeeding certainly isn’t the only way to provide your baby with the necessary nutrients to grow strong and healthy. If you have decided not to breastfeed, or are unable to breastfeed, there are many excellent infant formulas available, specially created to meet your baby’s nutritional needs. We recommend that you seek guidance from your OB/GYN doctor, lactation consultant or a registered dietitian who specializes in infant nutrition.

This article highlights several key considerations aimed at optimizing your nutrition to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients necessary to heal and fuel your body and produce ample, high-quality breast milk to nourish your baby.

Calories

Consuming adequate calories is the most important factor in maintaining a steady supply of breast milk. Exactly how many calories a breastfeeding woman needs depends on her body fat and lean mass levels and how active she is. The standard recommendation for a woman who is breastfeeding (not taking into account the aforementioned factors) is to consume an additional 450-500 calories above non-pregnant energy needs daily^1a. This could be too much for some women, and insufficient for others.

Some organizations suggest that you will not need these extra calories in the first six months of breastfeeding, because your body will use your maternal fat stores to give you the extra energy you need. Others suggest those extra calories are needed right away, given that you are expending a lot of calories both, to repair your body after birth, and to make breast milk³. The truth is, your body is very dynamic during this time, and every woman’s body is different. It’s impossible to give an exact recommendation for many calories you should be consuming. You may realize these extra calories are too much if you are gaining body weight or excessive body fat. Likewise, if your are losing weight rapidly, you’re not producing enough breast milk, or you’re feeling excessively lethargic, it is likely that you’re not consuming enough calories.

Right after giving birth, and for a while afterwards, your body will not look, function, or feel the same as it did before you became pregnant. While you may feel tempted to eat fewer calories in an effort to speed up post-baby weight loss or “get your pre-baby body back,” we encourage you to take your time and enjoy bonding with your baby—especially during these first six to nine months. In addition to nourishing your baby, our body is trying to recover and heal after growing and changing dramatically for the past nine months.

I personally breastfed for 11 and a half months (I tried to make it to a full year, but just couldn’t due to work demands). My body finally felt normal a few months after i stopped breastfeeding. This was my own experience, and yours may be different.

As noted above, with respect to needing fewer calories, if you gained more than the usual 25-30 pounds during your pregnancy, some of your calorie requirements might be supplied by stored body fat during the first six months of breastfeeding. Thus, calories will not need to be provided entirely by your daily food intake.

Similarly, if you were very active during pregnancy and did not gain a lot of weight or fat, or are very active post-pregnancy now (especially if you have another toddler at home to keep up with), you may need to maintain a higher calorie intake to ensure you’re producing enough breast milk. You also may need to consume higher calories if you are breastfeeding more than one child, if you are in your teens, or if you become pregnant again while you are still breastfeeding.

The quality of the calories you consume is just as important as the quantity. It’s OK if your nutrition was a little less-than-optimal for a while during your pregnancy. In fact, it’s totally normal, given the wild hormonal changes your body has experienced over the past nine months. If you were practicing healthy nutrition habits before you became pregnant (before all the weird food cravings and aversions!), it’s time to dust them off and start practicing them to some degree again. Give yourself some grace, particularly during this period.

You are still dealing with a plethora of hormones that weren’t there pre-pregnancy, so don’t get frustrated if you can’t always take charge of a “perfect day” of eating.

Most importantly, eating a variety of healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates (vegetables, grains, and legumes), fruits, and fats (nuts and oils), is all you really need to focus on. If you have strange cravings for other foods you don’t normally eat, that’s OK too. Your body is pretty smart and can help you understand what you need. And if you’re starting to make improvements to your nutrition for the first time too, that’s great!

What should you eat if you are breastfeeding?

A healthy diet for a breastfeeding woman includes the following:

Protein

As you may already be aware, protein is a building block for your muscle tissues, it is also one of the building blocks of breast milk. Although it is present in small quantities in breast milk (0.9 grams of protein per 100 mL fluid, which is less than unprocessed cow’s milk) it is one of the key nutrients in breast milk, which your baby needs in order to develop all the various proteins within their own body (muscle, enzymes, contractile proteins and even hormones, oh my!)³. Your body is smart and does a very good job ensuring that your breast milk contains enough protein.

However, to prevent your own body from breaking down its own muscle tissue protein to provide it for your baby, you need to make sure you’re consuming at least 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight, or at least 71 grams of protein per day³. You can get this easily with a daily variety of pastured/grass-fed beef, chicken, eggs, or wild caught, low-mercury fish such as salmon (see NRDC Mercury Guide for more information), organic dairy, and legumes. Common servings sizes in each meal for protein include one or two whole eggs, a palm-size amount of meat, poultry, or fish, and a one-third cup portion of beans or legumes (like hummus). Protein powders (such as whey, pea, or rice) that contain minimal or no artificial ingredients or sweeteners can help you supplement your daily protein intake, if you’re having issues eating whole food proteins in your meals due to time or taste aversions.

Fat (Especially Omega-3 and Omega-6)

Both, during pregnancy and when you’re breastfeeding, it’s crucial to consume a variety of fat and essential fat sources. This is what your baby’s brain is made up of and what it needs to develop properly. There is a rapid accumulation of arachidonic acid (AA, an essential omega-6 fatty acid) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid) in a newborn’s brain, as well as DHA in the retinas, and AA in their entire body⁴. In a moment, we’ll take a closer look at these essential fats and their importance.

Try to include a serving of healthy fats in each meal and snack you eat. One serving can be: one whole egg yolk, a palm-size serving of salmon, a small handful of nuts or seeds, or one to two tablespoons of natural nut butter. The total amount you should consume per day will vary depending on your unique caloric requirements and should be no less than 20 percent of your total calorie intake³.

Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables and fruits should always make up a large portion of your daily food intake because they are an excellent source of the dietary fiber, which is necessary for proper elimination and prevention of cardiovascular disease. These foods also provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help prevent disease and promote ideal health. Just like with fats, at each meal include vegetables (non-starchy such as leafy greens and colorful, watery veggies, and starchy like squash, parsnips, or carrots), and fruits and berries that you enjoy. The serving size of vegetable you should consume depends on its nutrient and caloric density; non-starchy, leafy greens and colorful veggies are low in calories and can be eaten in large quantities (two to three cups in a meal). Starchy veggies like squash, and fruits like bananas, are higher in carbohydrates and calories and should usually be served in smaller quantities.

Carbohydrates

Combined with protein and fat (for example, oatmeal with whey protein and peanut butter) carbohydrates help keep your blood sugar stable, and if you’ve resumed working out, they restore the glycogen you used during exercise. Choose whole-food carbohydrate sources such as sweet potatoes, white and red potato varieties (one large or medium potato per meal), whole grains such as oats (one-third cup dry), rice or quinoa (one-half cup cooked), or sprouted grains (two slices of Ezekiel bread). Include a serving in your meals any time, but especially with your pre- and post-workout meals.

When and how much should you eat?

There is no “best” way to structure your meals, so long as you’re focusing on the recommendations mentioned above. It’s all about listening to your hunger cues. Some breastfeeding women end up grazing all day because they always feel hungry. If grazing or eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day works for you, great. If you would like to minimize grazing, try having slightly bigger meals with a little more protein or fat, to help you feel fuller and help you go a little longer between meals. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re satisfied, and eat as often as you feel you need to.

Key Nutrients for Breastfeeding Women

In addition to calories, several nutrients are particularly important when breastfeeding.

Calcium

Many breastfeeding women worry about their calcium status given that they are producing milk. Naturally, calcium is an important ingredient in a balanced diet, but your requirements during breastfeeding are no different than when you are not breastfeeding. The amount you need now is the same you needed before you started producing milk, which is 1000mg per day. If you ate dairy before you were pregnant, you can continue to do so while breastfeeding, unless your baby has a particular issue with dairy foods in your breastmilk as mentioned above. You can obtain ample calcium from other foods, such as kale, collard and turnip greens, cabbage, bok choy, canned fish such as sardines or salmon (with bones), fortified soy or almond milk, and soybeans, and tofu products made with calcium sulfate⁶.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids

Breast milk delivers a rich supply of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that your baby needs for proper brain, nervous system and eyesight development. As mentioned earlier, DHA and AA (also known as ARA) are two of the essential fatty acids your baby needs the most, and are supplied in high quantities in breast milk. Babies don’t produce these fatty acids easily on their own, and will suffer without them. Look at the label for any baby formula, and you’ll notice DHA and ARA are often singled out and promoted on the front of the packaging and included in the ingredients list.

During breastfeeding, especially the early months, you may feel a craving for fatty fish like salmon, and high-fat foods like nut butters and egg yolks. Your body is giving up a lot of its own essential fatty acids and stored fat toward the production of breast milk for your baby. Choose foods rich in omega-3 (such as salmon, fish or krill oil, flax seeds and oil) and omega-6 fatty acids (such as nuts and nut butters, and hemp seeds and hemp butter). Add flax seed oil to your salads or cooked vegetables, snack on some some walnuts, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, and eat salmon or tuna at least once or twice a week. Even if you don’t crave these foods, you will benefit from including more of them in your diet.

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Pastured/grass-fed beef and certain products fortified with omega-3 or DHA (eggs, dairy, orange juice, for example), are not only excellent sources of protein, but they can also help you get a bit more of those essential fatty acids. You can also add a supplement rich in DHA, such as krill oil or algae DHA oil. Increasing DHA in your diet will increase DHA in breastmilk; 200 mg per day is recommended during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. As long as you consume foods rich in linoleic acid (an omega-6), you will get enough ARA. Most foods that contain fat contain some linoleic acids, particularly nuts, seeds, and animal fats. As you may have gathered by now, following a very low-fat diet while breastfeeding is not recommended.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for the health and development of a growing infant, to support bone health and prevent rickets. However, breast milk is typically low in vitamin D. Very few foods are high enough in vitamin D, making it very difficult to obtain this nutrient strictly through your diet. Supplementation is the best way to increase the vitamin D content of your breast milk.

A study of breastfeeding mothers recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition⁷ showed that there was a significant difference in vitamin D breast milk content when a mother supplemented with 2000 IU per day of vitamin D3, compared to 1000 IU per day, or no vitamin D at all. These mothers took two doses of 1000 IU of vitamin D3 per day, starting at 27 weeks gestation, although starting supplementation earlier may be beneficial to build up adequate stores upon delivery, or in the case of premature birth.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that direct supplementation of 200 IU VItamin D3 to your infant is ideal. Your pediatrician will also suggest this to you, and you can find many over-the-counter vitamin D3 drops at your local pharmacy.

Hydration

The final and most important aspect of lactation is your fluid intake. Breast milk is primarily made up of water, therefore your hydration status is very important.

In a recent study completed by some of my colleagues at the University of Connecticut⁸, it was shown that a mother’s body will defend the volume of fluid in breast milk over and beyond the total amount of fluid she takes in each day. Plainly stated, if your fluid intake is inadequate, your baby takes priority, and you will be the one feeling the negative effects of dehydration. You will produce less urine and have a higher urine osmolality (the concentration of bodily substances, such as sodium, potassium, glucose and urea, in your pee). This could lead to bladder or kidney infections, or symptoms of dehydration such as dizziness, moodiness or confusion.

Should breastfeeding women avoid athletic supplements?

A common question among active breastfeeding moms is whether they can continue some of their previous sports nutrition products while breastfeeding. Supplements such as creatine and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).

To my knowledge there is no evidence in the scientific literature indicating that those supplements are harmful or unsafe for your child, so my answer is that the choice is always yours. Some experts suggest that creatine or BCAAs are safe, while other say it can be potentially hazardous, but again, as far as I know, there is no literature to support any claims of potential hazards. Your best bet during this time is to consume a nutritionally adequate diet as described above, with plenty of high-quality proteins, vegetables and fruits, and fluids. This tactic should give your body what it needs to help with exercise recovery, and once you are done breastfeeding, you can resume taking your sports supplements.

Can the foods you eat affect your baby’s digestion and well-being?

Some foods you eat could cause your baby to have excessive gas or other digestive issues, or could create an aversion to breast milk. Many people believe that spicy, garlicky, or acidic foods can be troublesome for a baby’s digestion, but the current available research doesn’t support that notion. In fact, most foods (including spicy and exotic ones) eaten by the mother are well tolerated by breastfeeding infants⁵. You may need to experiment if you notice changes in the way your baby is feeding after you’ve eaten some of these foods.

Dairy, Caffeine, and Alcohol

If you’ve eaten dairy products and your baby is sensitive to milk proteins passed on via your breast milk, (which is quite common in lactation) you will need to avoid whey protein and foods that contain dairy, and opt for non-dairy protein options instead. Signs that your baby may be sensitive to dairy proteins can include: colic-like symptoms, eczema, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, hives, and/or a stuffy, itchy nose. Always consult with your pediatrician.

While breastfeeding you should also try to limit your intake of caffeine. Caffeine in breast milk may lead to prolonged waking periods or agitation in your baby. One cup of coffee per day in the morning is usually normal and OK⁵.

Alcohol should be limited to an occasional single drink, because it is transferred to breast milk. The Institute of Medicine reports that eight ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or two ounces of hard liquor are safe if breastfeeding is then delayed for two hours⁵.

Breastfeeding and Weight Loss / Fat Loss

It’s not uncommon to hear new mothers talk about breastfeeding as a weight loss “bonus” because they believe the increased calorie burn will help with weight loss. With the ever-present pressure to not only be a perfect mother right from the start, but to also “get your pre-baby body back” it’s no wonder many new mothers share this sentiment. While fat loss—or simply getting to a point where you feel more comfortable with your body post-pregnancy—is a wholly valid goal, we urge you to practice grace and compassion toward yourself, your body, and your new role. You just created and gave birth to a human, after all! Take your time during this period to focus on bonding, adjusting to a new schedule, and nourishing your baby.

Summary

Whether or not you are breastfeeding—and regardless of how long you can or will breastfeed—your nutritional choices can make a big difference postpartum. If you’re breastfeeding, the foods you eat greatly impact the quality and quantity of the breast milk you produce for your baby. If you are not breastfeeding, your body still needs good nutrition now more than to recover and heal from labor and delivery, and to help you maintain the energy that caring for a newborn requires.

Speaking of energy, if you’ve recently had your baby and are considering starting (or restarting) your exercise routine, you’ll want to read this.

Our FREE post-pregnancy exercise report is great for brand-new mamas, although many of the exercises are also appropriate for women who are much farther along in their postpartum recovery but haven’t yet done specific exercises to heal their core and pelvic floor.

If you or anyone you know has had a baby, and hasn’t done a specific core and pelvic floor healing protocol, make sure you download our FREE report.

Click to grab our FREE Post-Pregnancy Exercise Report

References

1. Breastfeeding Benefits:
   a. American Academy of Pediatrics Policy on Breastfeeding and Use of Human Milk
   b. World Health Organization, 10 Facts About Breastfeeding
   c. The Endowment for Human Development, How Breastfeeding Benefits Mothers and Babies
   d. Shamir R. The benefits of breastfeeding. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2016;86:67-76
2. Henderson JJ, Evans SF, Straton JA, Priest SR, Hagan R. Impact of postnatal depression on breastfeeding duration. Birth. 2003;30(3):175–180pmid:12911800
3. American Academy of Pediatrics, Dietary Reference Intake: Macronutrients
4. Clandinin MT, Flieth M. Dietary PUFA for preterm and term infants: review of clinical studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2005;45(3):205-29.
5. American Academy of Pediatrics, Bright Futures: Nutrition Issues & Concerns
6. USDA MyPlate, Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium
7. Wall CR et al. Vitamin D activity of breast milk in women randomly assigned to vitamin D3 supplementation during pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Feb 103(2); 382-8
8. McKenzie A et al. Relationships Between Fluid Intake, Breast Milk Volume, and Urine Volume in Lactating Women. FASEB J April 2015 29:133.3

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Coffee is serious business. We Americans drink about 400 million cups of it per day and spend several billion dollars on it each year. It’s the most popular drug on earth, and certainly the most socially acceptable. In many ways, coffee’s the closest thing we’ve got to a universal, daily ritual, as just about every morning, billions of people across the planet prostrate themselves before the holy, energy-giving legume. It also hails from the same place the earliest members of our species do: East Africa (Ethiopia, to be exact). That the most industrious animal ever to walk the planet and the psychoactive legume that fuels said industry both hail from the same place on earth is pure poetry.

Coffee’s also delicious. I’d say you’d have to pry my coffee from my cold, dead fingers, only the ensuing struggle would slosh it all onto the floor, and that would be such a waste.

Yet it’s also considered to be a vice, one of those substances that “everyone knows” is bad for you.

Is it?

Before I get into the evidence, let’s give the ending away early: it’s (probably) good for (most of) you. And yeah, I’m biased as hell. So what? It’s based on considerable evidence, and you likely share the same pro-coffee bias.

The majority of the evidence in favor of coffee consists of epidemiological studies—making observations of and gathering data from large populations. These cannot establish causation, but the trend is clear: it seems to be good for us.

Breast cancer: Consumption of caffeinated coffee, but not decaf, has a protective effect on postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

Cancer: Coffee consumption is associated with a modest reduction in cancer “at any site.”

Cognitive decline: Coffee consumption is consistently associated with lower rates of age-related cognitive decline.

Colorectal cancer: Most research shows an inverse relationship between coffee drinking and colorectal cancer. Some research suggests a positive link, but the results are muddied by the fact that coffee drinkers were more likely to be smokers.

Diabetes: Increasing your coffee intake results in a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, even if it’s decaf.

Endothelial function: Coffee polyphenols improve endothelial function after glucose loading in men, ameliorate the endothelial dysfunction that normally follows a meal, and prevent the hyperglycemia associated with endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress.

Gallstones: Among American men, coffee intake protects against symptomatic gallstone disease.

Inflammation: After abstaining from coffee for a month, habitual coffee drinkers were given 4 cups a day for the second month and 8 cups a day for the third. Markers of subclinical inflammation all dropped and HDL cholesterol increased with coffee consumption.

Liver cancer: Coffee has a protective relationship with liver cancer mediated by markers of liver damage and inflammation.

Mortality: Coffee consumption has an inverse relationship to all-cause mortality. Early mortality, that is; it doesn’t make you immortal. Though nurses who drink the most coffee do have longer telomeres.

Oxidative stress: Women with higher caffeine intakes (via coffee and tea) show evidence of lower oxidative stress, less DNA damage, and a greater capacity for DNA repair.

Parkinson’s disease: Higher coffee intakes predict slightly lower rates of Parkinson’s disease.

Prostate cancer: Coffee consumption reduces risk of prostate cancer.

Stroke: Moderate coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of stroke. Even high coffee consumption (8 cups a day) appears slightly protective.

Sun damage: Coffee and its polyphenols are associated with protection against photoaging.

It becomes even more convincing when you realize that coffee isn’t a conventionally “healthy” beverage. There’s very little room to make the “healthy user bias” argument.

Potential disease and death avoidance is an important feature of coffee, to be sure, but what about the shorter-term benefits? Most people don’t drink coffee to “improve their postprandial hyperglycemic response.” They drink it because it makes them feel good and improves their performance.

Coffee improves cognitive function

It boosts executive functioning and working memory (so long as the task isn’t highly dependent on working memory). Coffee also improves your mood and makes you think you’re drawing from a bottomless well of mental energy, an effect that may be even more important than the actual physiological effects on cognition. I call it productive optimism, and I rely on it for quick bursts of creation and idea generation in the morning. Even decaf works, as the chlorogenic acid present in both decaf and caffeinated coffee have been shown to improve mood.

Coffee is great for workouts

Whether it’s endurance, HIIT, sprint, badminton, resistance training, or almost any athletic pursuit you can name, a cup or two of coffee before your workout can improve performance.

And contrary to popular belief, coffee does not dehydrate you. Studies show no difference in hydration status between people drinking coffee, water, or other beverages. One measured fluid, electrolyte, and renal indices of hydration over eleven days of caffeine consumption in human subjects, finding that doses of up to 6 mg caffeine per kilogram of body weight had no effect on body mass, urine osmolality (urine concentration), urine specific gravity (concentration of excreted materials in urine), urine color, urine volume, sodium excretion, potassium secretion, creatinine content, blood urea nitrogen (forms when protein breaks down), and serum levels of sodium and potassium.

Coffee is the biggest dietary source of polyphenols

Maybe if goji berry tea shops were on every corner, every man, woman, and child ate acai bowls for breakfast, coffee wouldn’t be the biggest source of phytonutrients. Gram for gram, coffee ranks behind most berries. But in the real world, where most people drink several large cups of coffee each day, coffee is the the primary way we get our antioxidants. That’s true for Japan, Spain, Poland, and many other countries.

You Primal folks reading this over your Big Ass Salads full of colorful veggies and typing away with your turmeric-dusted fingers get the best of both worlds: the big load of coffee polyphenols plus the antioxidants found in all the other colorful produce the world has to offer.

True, there are some negative studies. Animal studies in particular are more likely to show negative results. But it’s important to realize that animals are not habitual coffee drinkers. Giving a group of lab mice a bunch of caffeinated coffee isn’t the same as giving it to humans who’ve been drinking it for years. Caffeine, like so many other plant compounds we hold in high regard, is a natural plant pesticide that certain plants (like coffee and tea) employ to ward off and even kill small predators. The bulk of the evidence suggests that humans have co-opted this “toxin” and made it healthy, hormetic input that, in the right doses, improves our health and well-being.

That said, not everyone should start a pot-a-day habit. Depending on several variables, coffee consumption has its downsides.

Coffee and sleep

Coffee has an obvious relationship with sleep: it counters it. The most common use of coffee is to stay awake. It can’t replace sleep over the long term, but in the short term it can mitigate the cognitive deficits.  And studies indicate it can have a bad effect on sleep if consumed at the wrong time:

• Drinking coffee at night impairs melatonin secretion and reduces sleep quality and quantity.
• Drinking coffee all day maintains alertness and cognitive performance, but detracts from sleep quality and quantity.
• Having a double espresso three hours before bed phase-delays your circadian rhythm by 40 minutes, effectively pushing back the regular bed time.

No surprises here: don’t drink caffeinated coffee at night and hope to sleep normally.

Coffee and pregnancy

Caffeine crosses the placenta, and numerous studies indicate it has a deleterious effect on the unborn. Some possible effects:

• Low birth weight.
• Reduced fetal leptin.
• Increased childhood obesity.

Moms-to-be, stick to decaf.

Coffee and cortisol

Studies show that coffee induces a modest but noticeable spike in cortisol that levels off as you become habituated to coffee. However, it may inhibit your ability to modulate existing cortisol levels. If you’re already stressed out, turning to the bean may make things worse and keep cortisol elevated.

Folks who drink coffee regularly probably don’t need to worry about cortisol, since their bodies have acclimated to it and no longer register coffee as a “stressor.”

Slow versus fast caffeine metabolizers

Caffeine is metabolized by a liver enzyme encoded by the CYP1A2 gene. If you have the CC variant of CYP1A2, you are a slow caffeine metabolizer. If you have the AC variant, you are a moderate metabolizer. And if you have the AA variant, you are a fast metabolizer of caffeine.

In slow and medium metabolizers, caffeine lasts longer in the blood and has a stronger effect. They’re the ones who get cracked out after a half cup of coffee, or can’t have caffeine after noon if they want to sleep that night. Fast metabolizers are the opposite. They process caffeine very efficiently, and it affects them less. These are the types who can have a quad espresso before bed and sleep like babies.

Is stronger, longer caffeine a good thing?

Caffeine isn’t an upper in the classical sense. Instead, caffeine acts by mimicking a compound called adenosine and binding to its receptors before the real thing can. Adenosine is a byproduct of neuronal activity. The more active your brain is, the more adenosine it produces. When adenosine levels get high enough, they bind to adenosine receptors and trigger sleepiness. By blocking adenosine, caffeine counters sleepiness and increases cognitive function, but it also inhibits another, more helpful effect of adenosine: vasodilation, or widening of blood vessels.

Consequently, slow caffeine metabolizers who drink a lot of coffee appear to have higher rates of diseases linked to poor vasodilation:

• Hypertension.
• Glucose intolerance (if hypertensive).
• Non-fatal myocardial infarction (a garden-variety heart attack).

These aren’t good. Research shows that slow metabolizers can get away with about a cup or two of coffee a day, but not 3+.

Women taking hormonal contraceptives also have reduced caffeine metabolism.

Nicotine increases caffeine metabolism, so smokers, snuff-users, and nootropic fans exploring the cognitive effects of isolated nicotine can handle more coffee.

How to do it right.

Try different brewing methods until you find one you love and don’t mind doing

I won’t debate the various brewing techniques. No one way is best, and everyone has their favorite method. But a new method that’s been taking the world by storm is cold brew. Try 12 ounces of coarsely-ground light roast beans (one of the “third wave” single origin fancy types featuring “laced with toasted cacao nibs” and “ribbons of nougat and hints of boysenberry” on the label) to 60 ounces of filtered water with a few splashes of Trace Mineral Drops. Sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours and filter through a French press. The result is an intense coffee concentrate, sort of a “cold espresso.” You can drink it straight up in small amounts with a dash of cream. But personally, if it’s colder out, I’m still a sucker for my dark roast brewed in a French press with a bit of pastured heavy cream and a teaspoon of sugar.

Don’t drink it first thing in the morning

Cortisol follows a circadian pattern. Right before you wake up, cortisol spikes to prepare you for the day. Right after you wake up, it spikes again, pushing you to the highest levels of the day. Drinking coffee when cortisol is high is somewhat redundant. Since you’re getting less of an effect from the coffee, you’re more likely to double up the dosage and therefore spike your tolerance. A better way is to wait about an hour after you wake up to have your first cup.

Drink coffee when you don’t need it

This seems counterintuitive, but bear with me.

Coffee works much better when you’re well-rested and those adenosine receptors are clean as a whistle. That’s when coffee truly shines. Rather than waking you up, it propels you forward to productivity, optimism, and greatness.

Coffee does help counter fatigue and sleep deprivation in a pinch, but it’s more of an equalizer than a booster. And it’s not a good long-term solution for lack of sleep. Nothing is, really, except more sleep.

Don’t worry too much about organic

Studies show that coffee processing destroys the vast majority of coffee pesticides. In one extremely reassuring study, washing the green coffee beans eliminated 15-58% of pesticides and roasting eliminated up to 99.8%. By the time they got around to brewing, none of the 12 studied pesticides were detectable.

Some people under certain contexts, or with certain genetic variants, shouldn’t drink as much coffee as the rest of us. And you probably shouldn’t drink coffee at night, or count on it to replace sleep. But all in all, coffee has some very cool effects.

It’s great for training.

It’s good for productivity and mood.

It contains a whopping dose of antioxidants.

It’s consistently associated with protection against a host of diseases and conditions.

Drink up!

What do you think, folks? Do you drink coffee? Is it nectar from the gods or bile from the underworld? Maybe both, depending on the day?

Prefer listening to reading? Get an audio recording of this blog post, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast on iTunes for instant access to all past, present and future episodes here.

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I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my friend and business and training partner Brad Kearns for the upcoming Primal Endurance Online digital course (more about that later). It was more of a discussion, really, and we kept coming back to the same three elements for constructing any successful training program. I’m going to present them as they came to me—as bullet points, as tangentially related thoughts. Then I’ll expand on them from there.

Without further ado…

You don’t really need to train the heart to beat faster. The heart easily responds to exercise stress by elevating rate and stroke volume, even in an unfit person walking up the staircase! Anyone who’s ever had to speak in public knows that your heart rate jumps up to 150 BPM 10 minutes before its your turn without you doing anything overtly physical. The heart knows.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do hard stuff. You can train the heart to withstand greater demands and you can increase lung volume as well by doing very specific, strategically placed high intensity workouts (sprints, intervals, tempo runs). But when you train the heart “hard” you do it sporadically, not every day, not even more than once or twice a week. We used to think you trained the heart at high heart rates every day, or several days in a row, to get the cardio part dialed in. We know now what’s more important is focusing on the biochemistry and energy production at the level of the muscle cell. And to dial that in, we must engage in copious amounts of low-level aerobic activity at or below the 180-minus-age fat-burning heart rate zone to build more mitochondria. The more mitochondria you build at the muscle site, the more efficiently you produce energy, and the less you have to rely on your heart pumping faster and harder and in so doing risking all the fallout (high stress hormones, decreased immunity, burnout, injury, etc). With more available mitochondria turning fuel into energy, each pump is more efficient.

You don’t need to train the brain to suffer. The brain will be ready to suffer when it’s asked to. This is the fight or flight response after all. 

Suffering is overrated.

We’re set up to respond to stressful situations with a flood of hormones that support and enable a suitable response. Those responses are hard wired in us, which is why you hear about the 130 pound mother lifting the back end of a station wagon off her kid, the man rushing into the burning building to save someone without thinking, the newbie conscript performing medal-worthy acts of bravery on the battlefield. They didn’t train for those specific situations. They rose to the occasion. Those responses don’t go away because we don’t train them three times a week.

And if you’re not competing, why suffer?

I get climbing Mt. Shasta with your pals on a long weekend. I understand running the ultra, or going for a deadlift PR, or doing a Spartan Race, or slipping on your own sweat on the final rep of the CrossFit WOD. Those quiet feats of elective heroism are important in a safe, sterile world that no longer demands we place ourselves in mortal danger just to survive. To feel human, to feel alive, we need to overcome obstacles, even if we have to erect them ourselves.

Just save the suffering for those heroic efforts. Save it for the race. Training shouldn’t cause suffering, only discomfort. Training shouldn’t simulate competition.

After you build the aerobic base, all that’s left is to train the muscles to perform the desired activity: run a fast 5k, a slower marathon, or perform well at the Crossfit Games.

First you build the aerobic base—or actively pursue it—and then you train your muscles for the desired activity.

As it turns out, skeletal muscle fiber physiology dictates this training approach. There are two primary types of muscle fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch muscles aren’t very exciting. They contract slowly, making them perfect for aerobic, everyday activities like walking, controlling your posture, standing up from a chair, gardening, shopping. Anything you do without being out of breath utilizes slow twitch fibers. Fast twitch muscles contract quickly and are used to perform high-intensity, explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, throwing, and lifting. Some of us have more fast twitch muscle fibers than others, while others trend toward slow twitch dominance, but the fact remains that everyone has and needs both types.

Slow twitch fibers recover faster than fast twitch fibers, which is why we should walk but not sprint every day, garden but not squat heavy every morning, and do housework but not run a 5k daily. This physiological reality—that sans external aids slow twitch fibers can handle more frequent utilization—underpins Primal Blueprint Fitness and Primal Endurance. A ton of slow easy movement (walks, hikes, light runs) interspersed with infrequent bursts of intense activity (strength training sessions, sprinting, CrossFit workouts, race-pace runs) really does get you stronger, fitter, and faster while allowing ample recovery for the muscle fibers used in each session.

Training those slow twitch fibers through aerobic base-building isn’t only for endurance athletes. When you build a base, your cardiovascular system will grow and adapt and become more efficient at shuttling blood and oxygen to your tissues, aiding in recovery and performance. Your muscle fibers will have more mitochondria willing and able to do their bidding, and any type of training becomes more fruitful, more productive, and easier with more cellular power plants at your disposal.

That’s why the aerobic base is so crucial: it builds those mitochondria that power your efforts and turn fat into fuel.

Sprinters need an aerobic base.

Lifters need an aerobic base.

CrossFitters need an aerobic base.

To get the aerobic base, you need to take it easy. Go slow and go long. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again because people never believe me: make your long workouts longer and easier.

I can already sense the emails coming in: what about breakthrough workouts? According to the post I wrote on breakthrough workouts, there’s real value in pushing past the sticking point, in going harder, farther, and faster than you ever have before. Breakthrough workouts are extraordinary efforts that produce psychological and physical training effects, building mental and muscular toughness with lasting benefits for your performance.

But breakthrough workouts are few and far between by design. They only work when laid atop a foundation of regular, consistent training sessions.

But the pros, Sisson! The professionals aren’t taking it easy! They’re leaving it out on the track/in the weight room/on the court/etc every single day. Right? The pros do a lot of things wrong. They get away with it because they’re the pros. They often have superior genetics that allow quicker recovery and resistance to injury. They “know” their way is correct because it’s how everyone who came before them have always done it. They’ve also got their egos to contend with—the need to be tougher and put in more miles every week than the other guys. Doesn’t mean it’s optimal. There’s little doubt in my mind that the ultra-marathoners I know who insist on doing all-day hard runs every weekend in preparation for the Western States 100 (a 100 mile ultra run through the Sierras at the end of June that draws the best of the best) would be better off sleeping in and doing an easy longish jog 3/4 of the time.

Besides, the professionals are coming around to smarter, more sensible training.

I agree with Phil Maffetone, who thinks that the path to a 1:59 marathon will be a counterintuitive one: once the elites start training less and going easier, they’ll break the record. Ego is a mighty dragon.

It’s time to slay it.

So I’ll end with an ask. I want everyone to try something new and a little counterintuitive the next time they have a hard workout session:

Quit while you’re ahead. Cut it in half. Drop the weights. Don’t finish the WOD.

Keep up the intensity. Go hard. Just not for so long.

If you’re running hill sprints, don’t go till you puke. Leave a little in the tank.

If you’re mentally preparing for a CF WOD after you get off work, maybe Fran, maybe AMRAP clean-and-jerks of varying weights in 20 minutes, plan to cut the session in half.

If you’re doing a tempo run in preparation for a race, maintain the pace but cut the distance in half. Don’t run a facsimile of the race.

What you notice is that cutting your hard workouts short end up making them harder, more intense, and—wait for it—more effective. You lift heavier weights, and the reps feel more smooth. You run at race pace for thirty minutes instead of the hour you’d do otherwise, and you get the training effect without the cortisol cascade that impairs you for days afterward.

Try that and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care!

Prefer listening to reading? Get an audio recording of this blog post, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast on iTunes for instant access to all past, present and future episodes here.

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The following situation may sound all too familiar to some of you…

Recently, a girlfriend and I took off on a little weekend getaway, and at the start of our trip, my friend announced that this was her “cheat weekend”—she planned to indulge in whatever food she wanted to have.

When we stopped for dinner that Friday night, we both ordered burgers and sweet potato fries (boy, do I love a good burger!), but before my friend even started to eat, she was already agonizing over her choice.

“I really shouldn’t be eating this.
It’s got so many calories!
But I’ve been so good on my diet lately!
I’ll get back on track Monday.”

This conversation went on throughout the meal.

With every bite she took, she told me how guilty she felt.

She would quickly rationalize it by saying she deserved it because of how “good” she had been, and vowed to tighten things up next week.

The rest of the weekend followed the same pattern. The more she indulged, the more guilt she experienced, and the stricter she said she would have to be to make up for it, come Monday.

By the time Sunday night rolled around, her stomach was a mess from three days of overindulging. She was consumed with guilt over all of the things she had eaten, and the thought of being extremely restrictive the next day was daunting. She didn’t give me specifics of her weekday diet, but I could tell she didn’t enjoy it at all. She lived for these “cheat” days… but was riddled with remorse, and a sick stomach for days after.

My friend was trapped in the same vicious cycle that I experienced many years ago: the “All or Nothing” cycle. Having been there before, I could see exactly what was happening, and could predict how it would play out.

When I was on the “All Or Nothing” merry-go-round, I would be incredibly strict with my diet throughout all week, rotating the same unsatisfying foods over and over again: egg whites, asparagus, ground turkey, chicken, steamed broccoli, and a few other equally blah staples. Monday through Friday, I’d white-knuckle my way through each meal, carefully weighing and tracking every morsel of food that I consumed.

By the time the weekend rolled around, I was fried. I was sick of being so restrictive and sick of eating foods I hated. My willpower was zapped, and much like my girlfriend, I would give myself permission to indulge on Saturdays. The thing is, I always ended up overdoing it. Partly because I felt like I had earned it by being “so good,” but mostly because I hated the way I ate throughout the week and desperately found myself needing a reprieve from it.

I usually spent Sundays full of guilt and with a pretty sick stomach, overwhelmed by the thought of returning to my horrible diet the next day.

Strict deprivation. Overindulgence. Guilt.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Sound familiar? Many people think that in order to benefit from something, they have to go all-in. The problem with this is that, for most people, the opposite of going all-in is going, well, all-out. Going all-out is about much more than the extra calories consumed. Going all out can lead to some pretty destructive eating behaviors and habits. Behaviors and habits that can be really hard to break, like eating until you are absolutely stuffed, or eating anything in front of you simply because it’s there.

And it’s not just a detrimental approach to eating. When it came to workouts I had the same “all or nothing” mentality. If I didn’t have at least a full hour to devote to working out, I would skip my session altogether that day. There were times when I bagged an entire week of training, simply because I skipped one session. I thought the whole week was a loss if I wasn’t able to get in every single session exactly as planned. Looking back, I realize just how silly and counterproductive that was. It’s akin to losing $1.00 out of your wallet, and throwing the entire thing in the garbage. Or getting a flat tire and slashing the other three!

No matter what reasons I gave myself for continuing this cycle, I certainly did not enjoy being trapped in the “all or nothing” mindset. Come to think of it, I actually don’t know anyone who does enjoy it.

If you’re reading this and it hits a little too close to home, know this: you can break free from “all-or-nothing” thinking. The two most important things you can start practicing today, to help you step off this ride are: finding your middle ground and letting “good enough” be good enough.

Find Your Middle Ground

Your “middle ground” is a satisfying way of eating that you can happily maintain seven days a week. No ups and downs. No on and off. No strict days and cheat days. The middle ground is where the magic happens, because it allows for better overall consistency—and when it comes to results, consistency is king.

Find your middle ground during the week by adding things to your foods, or whipping up recipes that ensure that you enjoy your food completely. From a caloric standpoint, you are far better off adding 150 to 200 calories to your day with flavor- and enjoyment-boosting tactics, as opposed to torturing yourself with horrible tasting food, and then consuming thousands of extra calories on Saturday and Sunday.

To keep me from going crazy-town-banana-pants on the weekends, I regularly do a few things to make my food more satisfying every day, like:

• Adding some bacon bits to my salad
• Putting creamer in my coffee
• Using real butter on my vegetables
• Sprinkling a bit cheese on my eggs

These small additions really pack a punch of flavor and keep me satisfied and happy. When I don’t feel restricted and love the way I eat, I don’t feel a need to “take a break” or “cheat” on the weekends or on vacation.

Your middle ground may look different than mine. Find your middle ground.

When you love the way that you eat, continuing to eat that way feels effortless, regardless of the situation.

Willpower is short-lived, and if you are relying on it to get you through every single, utterly unenjoyable meal Monday through Friday, you are likely setting yourself up to experience a nutritional fall-out and an emotional rollercoaster on the weekends.

By focusing on satiety instead of deprivation, you may find that how you eat on the weekends ends up being very similar to how you eat during the week. Eating in a similar manner every day is much more sustainable and enjoyable than being too restrictive or overindulging (and everything that tends to come with that).

Let Good Enough be Good Enough

Once in awhile, the stars may align and you’ll find yourself in kitchen perfectly stocked with a variety of protein options and produce galore, ready for you to create a healthy culinary masterpiece. Your schedule goes exactly according to plan, and you’re able to devote enough time to each and every pre-planned workout.

However, more often than not, this thing called real life happens, and things don’t go according to plan. This is when you have a choice: you can say ‘forget it!’ and go down in a blaze of glory, promising yourself to start next week (which, by the way, is a terrible idea), or you can learn to navigate less-than-perfect, real-life situations like this, and do your best with what’s available.

I don’t think I need to tell you which option I vote for.

Find peace in the fact that something is always better than nothing. For example, maybe the only vegetables you end up having with your dinner are a few carrot sticks that you have leftover in the fridge. Perhaps your protein source for lunch during a particularly busy work day is a few slices of deli meat with a slice of cheese.

Just because it’s not grilled chicken and steamed broccoli doesn’t mean that you aren’t getting the job done. Even if it’s not ideal, it’s good enough—and good enough, done over and over again, can make a huge difference.

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.” – Voltaire

The same holds true for your workouts. It’s not at all uncommon for me to get to the gym, knock out a great (and short) workout, and walk out exactly 30 minutes later. Just because you don’t have time to do your entire session of programming doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from doing something. If you are well-rested and properly fueled, any movement is better than no movement.

Some days you’ll have enough time to complete your full, hour-long workout. Some days you’ll have the opportunity to just go with the flow and see what you can get done in 30 minutes. And Some days, the only movement you get might be a 10-minute walk. It’s important to remember that the 10-minute walk is better than no walk.

When it comes to feeling your very best, every little bit counts. Getting into bed ten minutes earlier, or doing a five-minute meditation, or taking a 15-minute leisure walk to unwind… it’s all beneficial, and it all adds up!

You will get results based on what you do the overwhelming majority of the time. Being able to enjoy the process is absolutely crucial when it comes to sustainability. Give yourself grace and find your flow when circumstances aren’t optimal, and you will get results.

Figure out what some of your most common challenges are and have some alternate plans in your back pocket for when these situations arise. For example, compile a list of quick workouts you can do when you’re crunched for time, and pick a few ways to boost the flavor—and therefore satisfaction factor—of your meals so that you’re not jonesing for junk food once the weekend rolls around.

Learn to navigate the middle ground and enjoy the big and small success that “good enough” brings. As with a lot of things in life, the more you practice, the easier it feels—way easier than living on the “all-or-nothing” rollercoaster, that’s for sure!

And if you need a little helping hand, we’re here for you.

In our Strongest You Coaching program, we help women just like you reach their health, physique, and mindset goals. Strongest You Coaching is about more than just training and nutrition. It’s about changing your self-talk and inner dialogue, learning to let fitness enhance your life instead of rule your life, and finally healing your relationship with food and your body, all with the help of your Girls Gone Strong Coach, and your fellow Strongest You Coaching group.

Strongest You Coaching is a 9-month online group coaching program that gives you tools to succeed and puts the power to make lasting changes in your hands. We teach you how to finally eat and exercise in a way that you love so you can sustain it forever.

We only open up this program 2-3 times a year and it always sells out fast. If you’re interested, put your name on the pre-registration list now!

Pre-Register Here!

The post How to Kick the All-Or-Nothing Approach to Fitness and Nutrition appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

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(Image credit: Hamptons Lane)

We are forever dreaming of France! The food, the wine, the people… can you say “C’est Magnifique!?” Enjoy the French lifestyle with an out-of-this-world vacation with three incredible nights in Paris and four nights in a picturesque chateau!

Enter Now!

Prize Includes:

• Round-trip airfare for two to Paris
• Four night stay at Chateau D’Esclimont
• Three night stay in Paris
• Four day rental car
• Wine and cheese tasting
• French cooking class
• French Kitchen Essentials box from Hamptons Lane

READ MORE »

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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering two questions from readers. First one comes from Debbie, a prolific hiker and backpacker who can’t seem to shake terrible thigh muscle cramps during steep climbs. She’s tried all the conventional advice. She’s taking electrolyte tabs. She’s staying hydrated. Nothing works. What does? And then, Brad wonders about parasympathetic overtraining, a type of overtraining you don’t hear much about. What does it mean and how should he respond?

Let’s go:

Hi Mark,

I do a lot of hiking and backpacking in Southern California and the Sierras. I’ve recently begun to experience excruciating thigh cramps on steeper hikes, especially on the step-ups. I always carry electrolyte supplements and take them before the hike, during the cramp, and afterwards, so I don’t think it’s an electrolyte problem. I stay hydrated throughout the hike. I read recently that cramps are really caused by a nerve dysfunction and that spicy or intense foods like ginger, cayenne or cinnamon (there is at least one product on the market) taken before or during a cramping episode can relieve the symptoms. I was hoping you could comment.

Thank you!

Debbie

Ah, man, muscle cramps during exercise are the absolute worst. And so frustrating: the literal loss of control over your usually trusted movement allies when you need them most. Yet according to the best research we’ve got, neither electrolyte replenishment nor hydration status actually affects cramping. It’s weird and unexpected, I know, but that’s what the research says:

In one study of Ironman triathletes, running speed and previous history of cramping predicted muscle cramps, not electrolyte balance or hydration status.

Another study in distance runners also found that neither electrolyte status nor hydration could predict cramping.

What does seem to cause cramps?

Altered neuromuscular control.

The more you use a muscle (and the harder you push it), the more fatigue sets in. Fatigue disrupts the balance between excitation of the muscle and inhibition of the muscle; it increases the former and decreases the latter. Tired muscles are more likely to go into excitation mode—to rapidly and repeatedly contract. That’s a cramp.

Pickle juice works against cramps, but not because of electrolyte repletion. It actually has no real impact on hydration or electrolyte status, and drinking it resolves muscle cramps faster than the gut can absorb it. TRP ion channels in the oropharyngeal region (tongue/mouth/throat) react to something in the pickle juice—probably the vinegar—and short-circuit the excitation of the muscle. Pretty cool.

Other TRP ion channel activators are found in cayenne pepper, ginger, and cinnamon, and researchers have created a blend of extracts from all three plants that shows efficacy against muscle cramps. It’s called Hot Shot.

That’s not to suggest electrolytes and hydration aren’t important. They are, especially when you’re hiking or training or otherwise exerting yourself physically. Adding salt to your water before a session does improve performance, particularly in warm climates. You could make my blackstrap molasses electrolyte drink mix. It’s not exactly delicious, but it does the trick. Salted OJ is also good. Tastes like Sunny-D, only with actual fruit. But electrolytes and hydration clearly have little to do with muscle cramps.

If you have access, try salgam. It’s a Turkish drink made of fermented black carrot juice, sometimes with added pepper juice. I only know about it because one of my training partners from way back in the day was always into obscure ferments from other cultures. Beet kvass, kombucha, coconut water kefir. These are relatively common today, but back then they were totally new and very weird. One day on a run he was toting this bottle of black liquid around, touting its benefits. Feeling parched, I asked for a swig of what turned out to be salgam. It was salty, briny, vinegary, and incredibly refreshing. It revitalized me.

You may not be able to find it. You might have to make it. And it’s not quite Primal: traditionally, bulgur wheat is added to aid in the fermentation, though likely not in significant enough proportions to impart serious amounts of residual gluten (celiacs and the gluten sensitive should avoid). But I bet it would really work well against cramps, due to the acidity triggering the TRP ion channels.

Some other tips:

Stretch out the muscle currently cramping. If your feet cramp, pull your toes toward yourself. If your quad cramps, grab your ankle and pull your feet toward your butt.

Stay hydrated and keep using electrolytes. They can’t hurt and may provide a base layer of support against cramps, but aren’t any type of cure.

If you’re consistently getting muscle cramps, you might be hiking too hard and your muscles are protesting. Consider shortening the distance and/or the difficulty.

Good luck!

Hi Mark,

I’ve been monitoring my HRV every morning for a little over 2 months, mainly out of a curiosity to see if there are any trends I can use to my advantage. After paddleboarding the last 3 days in the heat (90+ in the northeast), my HRV indicated I was in an overtrained state with abnormally high parasympathetic activity. My hunger in the heat is usually less, however today I feel ravenous.

My questions are: 1) is there any research you’ve come across looking at the connection between parasympathetic activity and hunger levels? And 2) should I look at this as an opportunity to eat more today than usual and see some good results in terms of muscle growth and recovery?

Thanks for everything.

Brad

When most people discuss overtraining, they’re talking about sympathetic overtraining. That’s where stress hormones are high, resting heart rate is elevated, heart rate variability is low, sleep is awful (“tired but wired”), performance is bad, appetite is down, blood pressure goes up, and bodyweight (usually lean mass) drops. If you remain in that state long enough without doing anything differently, you progress to parasympathetic overtraining. That’s what happens when your sympathetic nervous system exhausts itself, when the adrenal gland just can’t pump out any more adrenaline and cortisol, when you’ve made your sympathetic nervous system so weak that the neglected parasympathetic pathway dominates.

It’s characterized by fatigue, a low resting heart rate (which can make people think their fitness has improved), increased appetite and weight gain, low libido, low blood pressure, and excessive sleep.

Parasympathetic is the “rest and digest” pathway, so it makes sense that you’d be hungry. Consider it your body’s way of telling you to chill the hell out, put your feet up, and eat some real food. Stay with healthy, Primal fare. Go lowish carb, as you won’t be doing much in the way of training and don’t need much glucose.

For exercise, don’t. Take a few days off from any real training. Instead, just walk. Hang out at the beach. Maybe go for a lazy paddle. Stay hydrated. Get some shade.

That’s it for today, everyone. Thanks for reading and take care!

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

This article is written by NF Rebel Correspondent, Dan.

New parent? Thinking of having kids? Thinking of not having kids?

Today we’re going to bring you some hard truths.

I‘ve just had my third child because I am a crazy person I love being a dad so much, and there are still things that happen each day where I think ‘huh, never knew that!’ Even though I’ve been a parent educator for years, I still get shocked about how little I know.

I’ve spoken to hundreds of expectant mothers and fathers in ante-natal classes, giving them the general rundown on pregnancy, birthing, raising kids, child development and parenting. Today you are getting the real scoop: the stuff I don’t even cover there.

The decision to go for completion of the “parenting quest” is not to be made lightly. We’re going to arm you with the knowledge of traps, bosses, and challenges that lie ahead.

Being prepared is key, so let’s stock our inventory with some rarely passed on knowledge.

Shit they don’t tell you: Pregnancy

“It’s not that uncomfortable.”

“It’s the best time of your life.”

“You’ll be ‘glowing’.”

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Here’s what to really expect when you’re expecting:

1. It can be hard to even get pregnant:

We were told all through high school, if you have unprotected sex, you will definitely get pregnant (and die). Sure, it can (and in my public high school, often did) happen, but it can take months, even years, for a perfectly healthy, young couple to conceive.

At the age of 30, out of 100 couples trying to conceive naturally, only 20 will conceive within one month and around 85 will conceive within one year.

Many couples spend years doing everything they can to not get pregnant, only to then spend years trying to get pregnant. It can be a super tough time on the couple, who are often suffering in silence.

2. It can be hard to stay pregnant:

Sometimes nature is a complete asshole. You’ve spent months (or years) trying to fall pregnant and it’s finally happened. You’re so excited, you start planning names, telling family the good news, imagining the life ahead, when all of a sudden… sorry, back to the start of the first mission.

Speaking from experience, it’s impossible to describe how devastating this is.

Nobody really talks about it, but miscarriage is  very common, even if you’re in those ‘prime baby makin’ years’. To reduce your risk, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, weight and diet is the most important thing you can do (there’s a great website that can help you with all of that). If you’re having recurrent miscarriages, go see a medical professional.

Just on these first two points (which are super depressing, sorry about that), please be aware that your friends may be trying to have children with no luck, so please try and avoid the classic “Why haven’t you guys had kids yet?” question at social gatherings. We know you mean no harm by it, but it can make the couple feel a little awkward.

3. Pregnancy is long and messy:

Not surprisingly, making a human inside of another human takes a huge toll on the body. Things start moving, not working, squirting, ‘in’ things start to become ‘out things,’ and everything hurts.

Nearing the end of my wife’s first pregnancy (she gets ‘super pregnant’) she said to me “If anyone looked at my Google search history over the past 8 months, they would think I was the most disgusting human ever.”

By the end, most women can’t wait for it to be over. Be prepared to be uncomfortable, sick, and cranky. Partners, be prepared to be more supportive (and thick skinned) than you’ve ever been before.

4. The birthing process is also long and really messy:

Don’t expect it to be like the movies. Every birth and labor is different, but the whole process can take anywhere up to and over 24 hours. It can be messy, bloody, and extremely draining (both physically and emotionally) for all involved.

The good news is, a lot of that is quickly forgotten once baby arrives (who will also be messy and gross looking). Think of this like hitting your first checkpoint/save point along the quest.

You’ll be glad for the breather.

Shit they don’t tell you: Newborns

“They’re so beautiful.”

“The hard part is over now.”

“She looks just like you.”

Wrong, wrong, and I sure hope not.

5. Newborns and infants are just messy:

As mentioned above, they’re not the prettiest things when they first come out. People like to pretend they are, but they’re definitely not.

Depending on the birth, a newborn can be bruised, have a misshaped head, and be covered in a gooey substance. This is all very normal, and they start to look (almost) human shortly.

But it doesn’t end there. New parents are often shocked at how messy babies are. Babies may be small, but they can poop and puke like nobody’s business. Your stomach gains superpowers in the first few months. What you would “never” be able to handle before all just becomes part of the routine.

6. Everyone’s an expert, you’re a n00b:

Consider yourself warned: On every topic, be it feeding, sleeping, wrapping, carrying, playing, whatever… everyone else, even those without kids, is an expert and you don’t know shit about your child or parenting.

Even when you try to educate yourself a little bit, you’ll will find contradictory evidence for every side of every argument, no matter what topic you’re looking into.

My advice (for what it’s worth): try a few things and figure out what best works for your family. As long as you’re not doing your child or yourself any harm, this is usually the best way to go. Don’t always trust the ‘experts’ (this definitely DOES include me). I’ve worked with so many high ranking child and parenting specialists who I would not trust my kids with for a second.

Nobody knows your child better than yourself.

7. You may not love your child straight away, and that’s totally OK:

A lot of parents will talk about an instant and extreme bond with their newborn, and yes, this happens for a lot of parents. But for many others, there is a ‘breaking in’ period, where you’re not so sure about the little screaming alien looking thing, and you surely can’t be expected to love it, right?

You know you are supposed to love them, because it’s the ‘right’ thing to do as a parent. But deep down you know you don’t. Does this make you a horrible person? Of course not.

Think of having a newborn as the tutorial level (side note: I hate tutorial levels, Driver on the PS1 scarred me for life). It’s all new and different, and it’s probably not showcasing the features that will make it your new favorite game. It takes the time and experience, struggling and fumbling your way through things for a lot of parents to start enjoying it all – and that’s ok!

Similarly, even as they grow, there will be times where you actually dislike your children (they can be really mean) and you will feel really guilty because of this. This too is ok, and believe me, you are definitely not alone.

8. You will worry, A LOT:

Yes yes, you think, “obviously I’ll worry.”

No, you don’t understand. I’m telling you there’s a boss behind the door that you don’t know about. His name? The Worry. [Cue the dramatic music.]

The Worry is possibly the hardest and least relenting battle on the quest. The Worry got me in my early quest days, and still continues to reappear along the way.

“What if she dies?” “What if I die?” “What if my partner dies?” “I don’t make enough money and never will.” “What if they’ve got (insert any disease here)?” “What if they’re Trekkies even though I’ve raised them on Star Wars?” “Team Valor is clearly superior, but what if they choose Team Mystic when they grow up?”

All important questions, which will cause worry in any parents mind.

I’ve yet learnt how to fully slay The Worry beast, but I’ve become better at managing it. As many do with time and practice. But fact is, you will always worry, so try your best to accept and get used to it.

You will think they’re dying at least a dozen times in their first year (kids get sick all the time) and even as they grow, they’re always preoccupying your mind. They become your top priority, always.

The Other Shit They Don’t Tell You

“It’s not really that much of a change.”

“You’ll still do all the things you used to.”

“It gets easier over time.”

Wrong, wrong, and… kinda wrong.

9. Your relationship will change, A LOT:

Lifestyle changes naturally occur with having a children. A loss of freedom and loss of time together as a couple are challenges for all parents and can be overwhelming at times.

You’re both much more tired, worried, and overwhelmed than you’ve ever been before. You realize how much better sleep is than sex, and you’re no longer each other’s top priority. Children can put a strain on any relationship, no matter how strong it is.

You’ll both start disagreeing more (please remember that with parenting there is often more than one correct way to do something), and traps will start arising in the most unlikely of places (jealous your partner goes to work where they can ‘rest’, while you have to stay at home doing a much harder job).

But if you’re lucky enough to have someone pick up the weird third party controller and make the quest multiplayer, your battles are going to be much easier. However, your communication and teamwork will always have to be top notch.

10. Having kids is totally optional:

Obvious, right? I thought so too, until I started speaking at pre-conception groups for young couples.

You don’t have to have kids because ‘it’s the right thing to do’ or you’re ‘getting to that age’ or ‘our parents want grandkids’. If you don’t want kids (I must say after the week I’ve had, totally not a bad choice, by the way), don’t have them.

Sure, those without kids may think every now and then ‘gee, I wonder what my life would have been like with kids?’, but I guarantee you every parent also thinks ‘gee, imagine what my life would have been like without kids.’

Don’t feel it’s something you need to do to simply ‘tick off the list’. It takes a lot of hard work, time, sleepless nights, and money. It’s ok to not have kids and be happy with your life. If you know it’s not for you, don’t kid yourself. This quest is optional, and not devoting an enormous part of your adult life to a single quest won’t stop you from leveling up your life. If it’s the right choice for you, it may even help.

11. You will change, A LOT:

Your sleep habits are forced to change, your lifestyle is forced to change, your finances are forced to change, and you as a person will change too.

Expect to become different. Boring, safe, sensible, tired, soft and lame…and what’s even worse is, you’ll love it. You will become way more empathetic (I got a little choked up this week by, of all things, a freaking golf store commercial!) because you’ve now got a whole new perspective on life.

Things you used to be so passionate about will take a back seat. Jerry Seinfeld put it very well when he said “Once a man has children, for the rest of his life, his attitude is, “To hell with the world, I can make my own people.”

To hell with the world indeed; my whole world is under one roof. Sure, I still view myself as a gamer, punk rocker, good husband, weekend golf pro and outright geek, but above all, I’m a dad, and will be for the rest of my days.

12. You won’t be as great of a parent as you thought you’d be:

Yep, sorry, that does even mean you rebels who are actually taking time to read parenting articles and advice.

We all start off with grand ambitions of being #1, or ‘World’s Greatest Parent‘, but when reality kicks in, a lot of days we’ll settle for ‘World’s okay-est parent.’

You’re going to mess up, you’re going to take a while to get things right, and you’re certainly going to be that parent in the store one day. I’ve yet to meet a parent who’s got it all together, all the time. Even us ‘experts’ are just making it up as we go along.

As bad as I just made it sound, it’s totally worth it.

So, have I turned all you nerdy parents-to-be off of having children yet? I sure hope not. We need to be building a better, nerdier next generation. I don’t want the world to become (more) like ‘Idiocracy’.

In the scheme of things, the reason nobody tells you this shit is because…a lot of it doesn’t really matter.

The smile on your baby’s face when they first recognize you. The laughter and pure joy they get from rolling around on the floor with you. The wonder in their eyes as you do stupid dad magic. Their name for you being their first word. Creating and shaping a human life. THAT is the shit that really matters.

Yes, choosing to take on the parenting quest instantly increases the difficulty, but in terms of the XP and treasure you’ll gain, it’s so worth it.

You’ll rise to challenges you never thought you could defeat, you’ll battle the bosses of teething, feeding, tiredness and the dreaded Worry. You’ll constantly be switching between hero and villain, and even though you may lose a bit of your loot along the way, you’ll have the best damn sidekick to share, and conquer, the lifelong game with.

It’s messy, terrifying, and really bloody tough. It’s not for everyone, but those of us currently on the quest won’t be hitting the reset button any time soon.

You have the most important job in the world, you’re the boss of leveling up the future, leaving a legacy on this planet, and laying big plans for a better tomorrow. If you’re up to the challenge, rise to it, for them, for you, and for the future of the Rebellion.

Future parents, what else do you want to know?

Noob parents, what other shit weren’t you told about?

Leet parents, what wisdom can you bestow upon us?

Non parents, what does a hot meal taste like?

Let us know in the comments,

– Dan

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Is your slow cooker is gathering dust at the back of some cabinet or shelf at this very moment? If the answer is yes, it’s time to dig it out, get it cleaned up, and put it to use! You might not think it, but summer is one of the best times to use this ultra-handy appliance: It helps you put a warm meal on the table without turning on the oven or heating up the kitchen.

From breakfast casseroles and crispy granola to shredded chicken tacos, sloppy joes, and fruit-filled cobbler, here are 26 slow cooker recipes to make right now.

READ MORE »

https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Name:   Brittany van Schravendijk
Age: 24
Location: San Diego, California

What does being a Girl Gone Strong mean to you?
Being a Girl Gone Strong means defying society’s stereotype of the “ideal” female body type and instead focusing on using your body to do something that empowers you and makes you physically and mentally stronger—lifting weights, playing a sport, or just training hard.

How did you get introduced to strength training, and how long have you been training?
I have been strength training since high school when I joined the Track & Field team. Since then, I dabbled in powerlifting and simply lifting for fun, before getting serious with Kettlebell Sport in 2012. All in all, I’ve been lifting weights regularly for about nine years.

What does a sample workout look like for you?
Currently, I am focused on training to become a Master of Sport in kettlebell lifting for 2x24kg Long Cycle and 24kg Snatch. A typical workout would include Long Cycle interval training, or an 8-12 minute Snatch set with varying weights.

Accessory work includes squats, deadlifts, running, and some hand balancing!

Favorite Lift:
Long Cycle (Clean and jerk) with two kettlebells is my favorite lift.

Most memorable PR:
I hit two PR’s (and two World Records for my weight class!) in 2x16kg Biathlon (Jerk and Snatch) and 2x16kg Long Cycle at the Orange Kettlebell Club California Open 2016 at the end of February. My coach, Denis Vasilev, was there to help me through my set, and I was neck and neck with my competitors for both events. I managed to clinch it in the last few seconds of the 10-minute set! I won the Best Overall Lifter trophy for both events.

Top 5 songs on your training playlist:

1. ‘Til I Collapse – Eminem
2. Mirrors – Justin Timberlake (my kettlebell Snatch song!)
3. Champion – Stic.man
4. Family Affair – Mary J. Blige
5. Jungle Remix – X Ambassadors

Top 3 things you must have with you at the gym or in your gym bag:

• Weightlifting shoes by Adidas or Nike
• Weightlifting belt by Bellevator
• Water bottle

Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
I usually train alone because my schedule is different from most people. Since I lift where I work, I train during off hours, otherwise I get distracted by talking to clients. I prefer lifting with others though—it gives me that extra motivation to push harder!

Best compliment you’ve received lately:
John Wild Buckley (founder of the Orange Kettlebell Club) called me the best pound for pound female kettlebell lifter in America. He also said I reminded him of a lioness when I lift, which is a compliment I enjoyed even more.

Most recent compliment you gave someone else:
I complimented one of my clients for doing an amazing chalk job on his kettlebell!

Favorite meal:
Fried eggs, sautéed kale and tomato, and a baked sweet potato with peanut butter.

Favorite way to treat yourself: 
Get a massage and cupping, or take a nap.

Favorite quote:
“Any skill worth having is worth working for.”
“If you want something bad enough, there’s always a way.”

Favorite book:
Harry Potter, hands down.

What inspires and motivates you?
There are many people who inspire and motivate me, including many strong women like those at Girls Gone Strong and in the kettlebell community, but mostly I am driven by an internal desire to be my best self.

I am motivated when I see my hard work earning me the results I want and getting me closer to my goals.

What do you do?
I work at KOR Strength and Conditioning teaching group fitness and as the head coach for Kettlebell Sport. I also travel around the world to teach Kettlebell Sport workshops.

What else do you do?
I maintain my blog, travel for kettlebell competitions, practice handstands all the time and everywhere, go to the beach, and hike mountains.

What does a typical day look like for you, from waking up to bedtime?
If I work at KOR that day, I am there teaching classes and working with clients from 9am to 1pm, and again from 4pm to 9pm. Between 1 and 4pm I either train, film videos, or go home for a quick lunch.

If I don’t work at KOR, I usually start the day by working on articles or projects for my blog and communicating with clients. Then I go to the gym and do my Kettlebell Sport training. Some days I go hiking, head to the beach for outdoor playtime, or meet up with a friend.

I’m not a nightlife person—I prefer to stay at home and plan for the next day, read, or catch up on my social media newsfeed before I go to bed.

Your next training goal:
I’m working towards competing in Long Cycle with two 24kg kettlebells.

What are you most grateful for?
I’m grateful for the people and opportunities that have come into my life in the past year. When I moved to San Diego a year and a half ago, I had no idea where I was going to work or live, and I barely knew anyone. Now I absolutely love every day of my life, from the people I work and hang out with to the way I spend my time.

What life accomplishment are you most proud of?
What many people don’t know about me is that I have a degree in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley. During the third year of my studies I came to the realization that I really didn’t feel passionate about engineering, and the idea of sitting behind a computer every day from 9 to 5 was looming before me like a prison sentence. I decided to ignore what everyone else would think and made my part-time job at a gym my full-time job—and I’ve never looked back! I’m proud of having an engineering degree from UC Berkeley, but I’m also proud that I decided to follow my heart and work in fitness instead.

Three words that best describe you:
Friendly, passionate, and strong.

What’s the coolest “side effect” you’ve noticed from strength training?
Strength training has increased my self-confidence tremendously. Feeling physically strong makes me feel empowered because I’m proud of what I can do with my body and what I look like.

This confidence transfers over to everything from learning new skills to talking in front of a room full of people.

Oh, and my defined arms and chiseled abs!

How has lifting weights changed your life?
Lifting weights completely changed my life—especially the day I first picked up a kettlebell. Who knew that lifting kettlebells would literally become my whole life, and my career? I can’t believe that what I absolutely love to do (coach and lift kettlebells) pays my bills and allows me to travel the world and meet amazing friends.

What do you want to say to other women who might be nervous to start strength training?
We’re all scared of trying new things, but don’t let that fear stop you from discovering your true potential! I don’t know anyone who lifts weights and regrets having started—and what have you got to lose? Strength training is a great way to build a strong body and mind.

Feeling inspired?

Are you feeling inspired by Brittany? Read on to learn more about—and join!—our community of strong, inspiring women…

The post GGS Spotlight: Brittany van Schravendijk appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

http://chriskresser.com/

Numerous environmental factors have been implicated in the development of autoimmune disease, including antibiotic use, birth by cesarean section, chemical exposure, poor diet, and sleep deprivation, among others (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). While it is widely believed that disease onset requires an environmental trigger, most autoimmune conditions have a genetic component as well (6).

Genetic information can be a powerful tool in aiding both diagnosis and treatment. One particular group of genes that has been strongly associated with various autoimmune diseases is HLA-B27. In this article, I’ll discuss HLA-B27, the role of a gut microbe called Klebsiella, and why a low-starch diet may be effective for those who have an HLA-B27-associated autoimmune disease.

What’s this about HLA?

HLA is short for human leukocyte antigen. “Leukocytes” are the white blood cells responsible for protecting your body from infection and foreign substances.  “Antigen” in this case refers to cell-surface proteins. Putting it together, HLA is essentially a group of genes that determine which proteins are present on the surface of your immune cells.

Humans have a total of 23 pairs of chromosomes, with one of each pair coming from each parent. You therefore inherit one set of HLA genes from your mother and one from your father, on the maternal and paternal versions of chromosome 6. HLA is a highly polymorphic gene, meaning there are many different possible gene set variants, or “haplotypes,” that you can have.

The astounding number of haplotypes for HLA likely evolved to allow for the fine-tuning of the human adaptive immune system, but certain haplotypes can also predispose an individual to a particular disease of the immune system. You may have read my previous article in which I mentioned the role of HLA haplotypes in susceptibility to mold illness. HLA-DQ haplotypes have also been associated with celiac disease (7), while HLA-DRB1 has been associated with rheumatoid arthritis (8). For the remainder of this article, I’ll focus on HLA-B27 and its connection to autoimmune disease.

The genetic link between autoimmune disease and dietary starch.

HLA-B27 is associated with various autoimmune diseases

The prevalence of HLA-B27 varies between ethnic groups and populations worldwide but is generally not a very common haplotype. Only 8 percent of Caucasians, 4 percent of North Africans, 2 to 9 percent of Chinese, and 0.1 to 0.5 percent of Japanese people possess HLA-B27 (9).

The most closely associated autoimmune disease with HLA-B27 is ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory disease in which some of the vertebrae of the spine fuse together, inhibiting mobility. An estimated 88 percent of people with AS are HLA-B27 positive, yet only a fraction of HLA-B27-positive people will develop AS (10). Other autoimmune diseases that are associated with an HLA-B27 haplotype include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, reactive arthritis, and uveitis (11).

Making things a bit more complicated, HLA-B27 is itself polymorphic, with more than 100 different subtypes (12, 13). These are distinguished by a two-digit number added to the “parent” haplotype. Many of the most common subtypes of HLA-B27 (such as B2704 and B2705) are associated with increased risk of AS, while other subtypes (like HLA B2706 and B2709) actually appear to be protective against the disease (14, 15). This is likely due to the structure of the protein encoded by the HLA gene, as we’ll explore more in the next section.

The Klebsiella connection

As early as 1980, AS patients were identified as having elevated levels of serum IgA, suggesting the abnormal movement of microbes from the gut into the bloodstream (16). More recently, microbiome analyses identified greater abundance of a gram-negative bacterium called Klebsiella in stool samples of patients with AS (17). Fitting with their hypothesis of bacterial influx into the bloodstream, researchers found that these patients also had elevated levels of anti-Klebsiella antibodies in the blood (18).

Biochemical studies have found that Klebsiella have two molecules that carry sequences that closely resemble HLA-B27 (19, 20). Scientists have hypothesized that this “molecular mimicry” allows for cross-reactivity. In other words, the immune system produces antibodies against Klebsiella in an effort to remove it from the bloodstream, but these antibodies can also “accidentally” bind to HLA-B27. This idea of antibodies binding to “self” is characteristic of autoimmunity.

Although Klebsiella is one of the most widely studied microorganisms in relation to HLA-B27 and autoimmune disease, the concept of cross-reactivity applies to a number of different microbial (and dietary) antigens. For example, Proteus bacteria have been suggested to be involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis via the same molecular mimicry mechanism as Klebsiella (21). As we’ll see next, knowledge of these mechanisms and the bacteria involved can really help shape our approach to treatment.

Why a low-starch diet might help

The composition of the gut microbiota is constantly shaped by the influx of dietary substrates (22), including proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Within carbohydrates, substrates can be further categorized as simple sugars and polysaccharides like starch or cellulose.

Biochemical studies of Klebsiella have shown that this bacterium does not grow on cellulose derived from plants but can grow readily on more simple sugars (23). Most simple sugars like glucose are absorbed in the proximal small intestine and therefore do not travel as far as the large intestine, where the majority of microbes are located. Simple sugars from the diet are therefore unavailable to Klebsiella.

Starch, however, is not as easily digested or absorbed, and some of it remains intact when foodstuffs finally reach the colon. Klebsiella have been shown to manufacture pullulanase, a starch-debranching enzyme, that enables them to break down starch into simple sugars for energy and growth (24).

Several studies have applied this information in humans. One randomized control trial split people into two groups: a high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet or a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. They then compared the abundance of Klebsiella in fecal samples. The average number of Klebsiella was 30,000/gram in the high-carb group compared to 700/gram in the low-carb group (25). Another study found that a low-starch diet reduced total serum IgA in AS patients (26). The majority of these patients also reported a decline in symptom severity and, in some cases, complete remission.

Take steps toward remission

Now that you better understand the science behind HLA-B27-associated autoimmune disease, here are three things you can do to take action.

• Find out your haplotype
  Currently, there is no readily available, user-friendly means of determining HLA haplotype from full genomic sequencing data (from companies like 23andme). While there are a few HLA-related SNPs that can be identified in the raw genetic data, at best these are only correlated with HLA haplotype and do not provide information about subtype. The best and most accurate way to determine your haplotype is to request a blood test from your healthcare practitioner that uses a more targeted DNA sequencing approach to identify which alleles you carry (27).
• Experiment with your starch/carb intake
  Even if you don’t have access to genetic testing, or if you’re HLA-B27 negative, you can still do a self-experiment to see how you personally tolerate starch. I am a big proponent of n=1 experimentation and finding the diet that is right for you. Eileen Laird of Phoenix Helix has written an excellent post in which she shares the results of her own and several other Paleo autoimmune bloggers’ starch experiments. Many found that they can tolerate some forms of starch but not others. This is really valuable, since we know that a diet devoid of fermentable fiber like starch can be detrimental to the long-term health of the gut microbiota (28).
• Heal your gut
  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, healing the gut is absolutely critical to achieving and maintaining optimal health. A leaky gut allows bacteria and dietary proteins into the bloodstream, which provokes an immune response. Regardless of your HLA haplotype, strengthening the integrity of the intestinal barrier is an important step towards achieving remission. Supporting a diverse, healthy microbiota can also help to keep Klebsiella and other potentially problematic microbes at bay.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Do you know your HLA haplotype? Have you noticed a change in your autoimmune disease symptoms by increasing or decreasing your starch intake? Share your experience in the comments section below.