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Parents, right off the bat, let me say that there is no right way to be feeling about the current situation. Relief, anxiety, excitement, dread are all normal. We’re all figuring this out as we go along and doing the best we can. Virtual high-five!

This is not a homeschooling post per se. This is about the importance of play as learning, and letting our kids play to restore some balance we don’t always manage in our typical over-scheduled lives.

Here’s the good news if you’re stressed about making sure your kids are still learning why they are at home: they are. I recently attended a workshop with a local homeschool coordinator. The biggest thing I took away was a reminder that all play is learning.

Why Kids Need to Play

Play is how kids learn about the world. Theoretical and Applied Playworker Bob Hughes (awesome title!) lists 16 different types of play that are central to physical, mental, emotional, and social development. By manipulating objects and trying things out (“I wonder what will happen if I give the dog a haircut?”), using their imaginations to role play different scenarios, and moving and challenging their bodies, kids play to learn:

• How their bodies work
• Laws of physics
• Laws of nature
• How to interact with other people, and the consequences of breaking social norms
• How to follow rules, and the consequences of breaking those, too

Play builds neural connections and motor skills. Through play, kids get to act out adulting (as in playing house), tap into their creativity, and discover their passions.

Importance of Play

Play is not optional. There is a reason that it’s Primal Blueprint Law #7 and Mark has written about it frequently here. (I’ll put some links at the bottom.) Yet, we all know that kids don’t play today like they used to for a variety of reasons. If this time at home offers one thing, it’s time for playing. This means getting free play, movement time, social time, music and arts time, and family time—checking a bunch of Primal boxes.

I’m not just talking about the kids, by the way. I’m talking about the adults in your house too. How much do YOU play in your normal life? I’m guessing not enough. A lot of the ideas here are fun for the whole family.

Play to Learn: Indoor and Outdoor Activities for Kids

For obvious reasons, I’m not listing things that involve going to parks or other public places. If you can still go for bike rides or kick the soccer ball around outside, great! You can do these inside or in your yard if you have one. I also didn’t list too many options that might necessitate shopping for materials. Pick the ideas that work for you given the ages of your kids, what stuff you already have at home, and how much space you have.

Before You Begin…

If you’re like us, you have a stash of art supplies, board games, boxes of legos and blocks, and sports equipment stuck on shelves and in closets. Dig it out and take inventory. What do you already have in your home that your kids can play with? Even bigger kids enjoy revisiting things like blocks and playdough, especially when they’re stuck at home.

Creativity Stations

I have a friend who, when her kids were little, would put out a craft or art project every night. When her boys woke up in the morning, it was waiting for them to explore at their leisure. It made for a lot of fun and peaceful mornings in their house. (Yes, she’s a supermom.)

I’m adapting this idea by designating a “creativity station.” Realistically, you might as well call this the “mess station.” Maybe it’s a card table in a corner of the living room, on the deck, or in the garage. I’m just giving up my kitchen table for now. Lay out a bunch of supplies and let them have at it. These stay out for several days at my house, then we clean it up and get out something else. Here are some ideas:

Art labs

Coloring/painting

• Supplies: paper, coloring books, crayons, markers, paint, stamps, stickers—whatever you have!
• Ideas: Encourage kids to explore textures by using different types of objects as stamps: sponges, cookie cutters, leafs and sticks from the yard, legos, etc. Make footprints with action figures. Keep a bowl on hand that they can put dirty stuff in to wash. Also keep a pile of rags nearby for wiping dirty hands before they touch the wall.

Collage

• Supplies: Paper; old magazines, newspapers, circulars, coupon mailers; glue; safety scissors
• Ideas: Give kids a theme (e.g., food, their favorite person) or just let them make whatever they want.

Mosaic

• Supplies: Construction and tissue paper in different colors; glue; scissors (optional); bowls to keep colored confetti separated (optional)
• Ideas: Have kids cut or tear colored paper into small pieces like confetti, then use the pieces to create mosaic art. You can use coloring book pages as a “pattern,” or they can draw their own or make it free-form.

Science lab

• Supplies: Plate or baking sheet; plastic table cloth or drop cloth (optional); containers of different sizes for mixing and pouring; water; food coloring; baking soda; pipettes, medicine droppers, etc. (raid the medicine cabinet); measuring spoons; baking soda; vinegar in a spray bottle; dish soap
• Ideas: Let kids make “potions” and practice pouring from one container to another. Sprinkle baking soda on a plate, “decorate” with drops of food coloring, then spray with vinegar.
• There are a ton of ideas for easy and fun science experiments online, too. Check out this lemon volcano and these 10 experiments you can do with water.

3-D creations

• Supplies: Clay, playdough, tape, toothpicks, chopsticks, straws, rubber bands, paper clips, corks, pipe cleaners, anything else you can find around
• Ideas: This is fun for free play, or you can challenge your kids to build something specific, like a bridge that will actually hold a small weight.
• Make your own playdough recipes here and here. (Yes, these are not Primal recipes!)

Archeological dig

• Supplies: Plastic tub with moon sand, kinetic sand, or dirt; small toys (e.g., plastic animals, blocks, marbles, plastic eggs filled with “treasure”); spoons, paint brushes
• Ideas: Bury objects for your kids to “excavate.” Have them build ancient ruins.
• Make your own moon sand recipes here and here.

Family Time

• Family dance party
  • Let older kids create a custom playlist
  • Freeze dance: Let someone control the pause button; when the music stops, freeze and hold the position
• Minute to win it games (check Pinterest for ideas)
• Family book club
• Sing-alongs
• Card games
• Board games
• Dice games
• Have a “campout” in your backyard. Make a campfire in a fire pit, place a bunch of candles in a circle, or have your kid make a pretend fire out of sticks and paper.
• Make a family tree (including genealogy research if you want)
• Go on a family vacation without leaving the house! There are so many ways to “travel” online. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• • Visit the Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa
  • Watch the Northern Lights live (best viewing hours are 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. EDT.)
  • Tour the Carlsbad Caverns
  • Visit a museum
  • See the Great Wall of China
  • Tour the Vatican
  • See the animals at the San Diego Zoo and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Go to the opera
  • Take in a Broadway play
  • Go scuba diving
  • Go to outer space

71 More Activities for Kids

1. Color the driveway with chalk
2. Use chalk (outside) or masking tape (inside) to make hopscotch or foursquare
3. Make noodle or bead necklaces
4. Draw a comic
5. Illustrate a favorite book or story
6. Listen to a song and “draw” what you hear
7. Origami
8. Make a flexagon
9. Gather up broken crayons make something new with them
10. Move like an animal; take turns guessing which animal the other person is being
11. Primal essential movements
12. Resistance exercise with (light) hand weights and resistance bands
13. Make an obstacle course
14. Jump rope
15. Hopping on one foot contest
16. Do a handstand
17. Play hacky sack (make your own filled with rice or flour)
18. Put on as many clothes as you can, then try to do jumping jacks or burpees
19. Learn to breakdance
20. Yoga
21. Meditate
22. Make a drum kit with bowls and buckets
23. Make “instruments” like castanets and boomwhackers with household objects
24. Build a pillow fort
25. Build a cardboard box fort, paint and decorate it
26. Build a catapult
27. Build a Rube Goldberg machine
28. Make a birdhouse
29. Identify birds or bugs in your backyard
30. Learn about animal tracks and make your own
31. Weed the garden
32. Dig a hole
33. Plant an indoor herb garden
34. Cook together
35. Learn about food preservation; make sauerkraut or yogurt
36. Smell boxes: place objects with a distinctive smell—a candle, an orange cut in half—inside an empty tissue box and take turns guessing what’s in there
37. Touch boxes: same as above, but you have to reach in and feel the object without looking
38. Learn to tie knots
39. Make a solar oven
40. Learn how to build a fire (supervised, obviously)
41. Make a sundial
42. Learn how to use a compass
43. Get a bucket of water and test what sinks or floats
44. Learn to sew
45. Follow a finger knitting tutorial
46. Crochet a small project
47. Make a t-shirt scarf out of an old shirt
48. Make tissue paper flowers
49. Play charades
50. Make puppets and put on a show
51. Play hide and seek
52. Play sardines (the opposite of hide and seek – rules here)
53. Make the letters of the alphabet with your body
54. Play 20 questions
55. Play I spy
56. Make a word chain
57. Dig out the old point-and-shoot camera and learn to take pictures
58. Cloud watching
59. Build towers and knock them down
60. Yard scavenger hunt
61. Find something in the house for every letter of the alphabet
62. Make a yarn spider web
63. Juggle
64. Speak pig latin
65. Learn a new language
66. Use a magnifying glass to explore objects up close
67. Freeze little plastic toys, marbles, etc. in bowls of water, then test ways to free the toys most quickly. Try different techniques like rubbing, spraying with warm water, or sprinkling with salt.
68. Blow bubbles; make your own bubble solution and bubble makers
69. Bring some flashlights in a dark room or closet and make shadow puppets
70. Balloon “hockey” with balloons and brooms
71. In the snow: fill spray bottles with water and food coloring and “paint” the snow

Give the Kids — AND YOURSELF — A Break

The idea isn’t to keep your kids occupied every minute of the day. It’s ok if they complain about being bored every once in a while. If they are like most modern kids, they aren’t used to having a ton of time on their hands. Present them with options, but let them figure it out on their own if they are old enough.

Your house might be messy and chaotic right now. Your kids might be too. They are certainly not immune to the stress and anxiety in the world, especially your older kids. It’s ok if you don’t have a schedule with neat blocks of school time, movement time, snack time, and chore time, and if your kids haven’t gotten out of their pajamas in a week. Your kids are going to be fine no matter what.

This is not nearly an all-inclusive list. What else has your family been doing to have fun while #stayinghome?

Resources

More play activities and lots of homeschooling resources from Unschool.school

100 Ways to Play from the Boston Children’s Museum

More play activities and homeschool ideas from Beyond the Chalkboard

Related posts from Mark’s Daily Apple

The Definitive Guide to Play

The Lost Art of Play: Reclaiming a Primal Tradition

15 Concrete Ways to Play

Why You Absolutely Must Play, Every Day! (plus 10 Pointers for Successful Playtime)

The post Learning Through Play: 101 Ways To Keep Young Minds Occupied At Home appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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It’s Monday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Monday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

Folks, I have been grateful for every story that has come my way over the years. It’s an incredible privilege being on the receiving end of your reflections and evolutions, and they are why I’ve kept at it all these years—knowing the message and information have made a difference in people’s lives. I appreciate every single one. Here, you’ll read about a woman who went through a long period of trial-and-error and ultimately realized that conventional advice was hindering her progress. Thank you to reader, Karine, for sharing your story, and for using your personal transformation to inspire others as a health coach and mentor!

Switzerland, April 2008, I decide to get ski-fit. I think I am healthier than the average. I am not eating junk food, not smoking and not drinking alcohol. But I am very sedentary, apart from a bit of skiing in winter. I am already a decent skier but need to be fitter to go back-country skiing. This is when you climb the mountain with skins under your skis to find true off-piste skiing.

I buy a gym membership and quickly become addicted. I start lifting (very light) weights every day. I also throw in some cardio to lean out and increase my stamina. I start reading articles about nutrition and fitness and change my nutrition. I follow the nutritional advice from the fitness industry: 5 to 6 meals a day, very high in lean proteins for muscle synthesis and very high in carbs for energy. I am not a big meat eater and there is just so much chicken breast that I can eat everyday! I have to supplement with a lot of protein powder. I am convinced I am doing the right thing.

Australia, 2017. After 9 years of training, I am much fitter, have more stamina and can lift “decent” weights. But I still do not look lean and toned. My first DEXA scan gives me 26% body fat. Very average and unfair, considering that I am training 2.5 hours a day and not over-eating! And I am starving ALL THE TIME. I cannot go 2 hours without eating. Food becomes an obsession and a constant struggle. I also have really bad cravings for sugary food. I need so much will-power to resist banana bread and cookies or not to go overboard with fruits. I eat about 2,200 calories a day, as I exercise a lot, but I am never satiated. According to the calorie in / calorie out principle, I should be losing weight. But this is just not happening. It DOES NOT WORK. Something has to change.

The Shift to a Life Without Cravings

July 2018, I start the Primal Health Coach course. This is a revelation. My big AHA moment. I understand that if I eat a lot of carbs or even very lean proteins, I raise my insulin, which puts me in a fat storage mode. And it is even worse as I eat 6 meals a day. I remain in a fat storage mode all day! The calories in / calories out concept just doesn’t take into account the physiology of our body and how different macronutrients are metabolized differently. It suddenly all makes sense!! I understand why I am so hungry all the time, why I am bloated and have cravings. This is such a relief: I now know what to do. But it is also so frustrating. I have basically wasted 9 years working out super hard to improve my body composition, without any success.

I change my nutrition right away. I start with paleo, low carb, high fat. Mind-blowing! After one week, all my hunger and cravings are gone. I am not bloated anymore. After two weeks, I start losing weight. I decide to go full keto. So easy, and the food is delicious. I love all the healthy fats: avocados, macadamia and pecan nuts, olive oil, fatty pieces of meat. Yum! I don’t feel restricted at all. On the contrary, I don’t think about food all the time anymore and don’t even crave unhealthy processed and sugary foods. After 6 months, my body fat percentage is down to 21%. I still eat the same amount of calories as before, but with different macro nutrients.

I am no longer hungry in the morning and it is also very convenient. I continue to lose some excess fat. After a year and a half on keto, I am now around 16% body fat, which seems to be my happy set point. I am now regaining a bit of weight, but it is only muscles! Six months in, I stop the cardio. I realize that I was overtraining, and my stress levels are a bit high. I also start time restricting eating. I skip breakfast and have a larger lunch and dinner. It is actually very easy.

Not bad for a 47 year old. And all these improvements without much effort. I really wish I had known all this back in 2008…

Mental Benefits of Keto

The other benefits I can see of going keto are that I am far less anxious and stressed than before, and my mood is more stable. I have never suffered from brain fog, but my brain feels super clear in the morning, when I am fasted. And if I am away from home without access to healthy food, I can skip a meal without being hungry.

In the meantime, I discover that I am highly toxic in heavy metals, especially arsenic and mercury. Probably from low-quality protein powders, tap water, dental fillings and conventional food. Another big awakening! I ditch all my conventional cosmetics and cleaning products and replace them with organic non-toxic products. I install a reverse osmosis water filtration system and start buying organic veggies, pasture-raised and grass-fed meat. The heavy metals are going down, but I probably need another year or two to get rid of them.

Sharing what I’ve learned

After taking the Primal Health Coach certification course, I continue studying nutrition with two courses from the Nutrition Network: Low Carbohydrate High Fat / Ketogenic Nutrition & Treatment and LCHF in Clinical Practice. I also start studying the other pillars of a healthy lifestyle: sleep optimization, stress management, exercise and toxin reduction. I am now officially a health coach and nutritionist and start coaching friends and relatives.

The more I learn, the more frustrated I am with the poorly researched, wrong or conflicting mainstream information about nutrition and so-called healthy lifestyles. I realize that, when I talk to people about bad oils, added sugar, excess carbs and gluten, about going to bed at 10 pm to get 8 hours of sleep, about grounding or turning off their phone at night, they look at me as if I were coming from another planet. They have heard a different message pretty much since they were born and it is difficult for me to prove my point over a fifteen-minute conversation.

September 2019. I set up my own website and start blogging about nutrition, sleep, stress, toxins, exercise and anything that can help people getting healthier and feel better. I keep the articles short: a bit of information on how our physiology works and many practical tips that are easy to squeeze into our busy days and have be proven by the research to work.

I just want to raise awareness. It is not because a product is sold in our favorite supermarket that it is healthy. Our modern lifestyles are harmful in so many ways and it is not enough to just avoid junk food and give up smoking. We need to do much more than that: pay attention to what we buy, how much we move, what we think about, the water we drink and how we use technology. We all need to be so much more mindful. We can no longer be on auto-pilot and hope that we will stay healthy. This was my realization anyway. I hope it will make your readers think about it.

Karine

The post Success Story: Life After Cravings appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Just a peek at the news can send anyone into a downward spiral of despair these days. We must celebrate the many good things (and there are many) that are happening in light of this pandemic. This does not in any way undermine the seriousness of the current state of affairs all over the globe, […]

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

The split jerk is actually a two-step with the back foot landing first and thus gaining traction first. This has the effect of pushing the bar forward under the bar as it locks out overhead.

read more

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It’s a common misconception that casseroles are off the table once you shift to a Primal lifestyle or start a keto diet. After all, the casseroles you grew up with were likely packed with noodles or rice, had very little vegetable, and were almost universally held together by a can of condensed soup.

With a few ingredient swaps, casseroles are back, and just as cozy as ever. This Keto Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe has the creamy, dreamy consistency you know and love, without the digestive upset that comes with a heavy, cheesy casserole. Plus, everyone loves the convenience of a one-pan meal – less cooking and clean up time!

Instead of using cream-of-whatever soup, you’ll create the velvety effect by combining dairy-free ranch dressing with a cashew sauce so good that it stands on its own as an addictive vegetable dip. (Do yourself a favor – make a little extra cashew sauce.) The nutritional yeast is optional, but can give your keto chicken casserole a “cheesier” flavor if that’s how you like it.

This recipe uses homemade almond milk which is mild in flavor and higher in fat than a store bought dairy-free milk, but store-bought will work for this recipe if that’s what you have on hand. Aim to use something with a neutral flavor to allow the bacon and ranch to shine through.

Keto Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

Servings: 4-5

Time in the kitchen: 40-45 minutes (including 15 minutes cook time)

Ingredients:

Cashew Sauce:

• 3/4 c raw cashews, soaked for minimum two hours
• 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Optional: 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Casserole:

• 5 oz bacon
• 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 2 chopped cloves garlic
• 3 c cauliflower rice
• 3 c spinach
• 1/4 c Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing
• 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Drain the cashews and place them in a high-speed blender with 1/2 cup almond milk, lemon juice, tahini, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard powder. Blend until very smooth. Mix in the fresh dill and chives.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the bacon in an oven-safe pan. Place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon reaches the doneness of your liking. Remove the slices of bacon and set them aside. You may want to drain out a little bacon fat if there’s a lot in the pan.

Heat the pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sear for 1-2 minutes on either side. Add the diced onion and mix it around in the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the chicken and bacon and set aside.

Place the pan back over the stovetop and add the chopped garlic. Once it is fragrant, add the cauliflower rice and stir. Stir for a few minutes or until it begins to soften, then add the ranch dressing and almond milk. Once the cauliflower rice is soft, add the spinach. Fold the spinach into the cauliflower rice and remove the pan from the heat. The residual heat from the pan will wilt the spinach. Mix in the chopped bacon and spinach, and 2/3 of the cashew “cheese” mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add in some chopped fresh herbs like parsley or dill, if you’d like.

Grease a baking dish with avocado oil (avocado oil spray works well for this) and pour the casserole mixture into it, using a spatula or a spoon to spread it out evenly. Pour the remaining cashew cheese mixture on top of the casserole and spread it out evenly. Place the casserole in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the top turns slightly golden. Top with black pepper and chopped chives.

Nutrition Information (1/5 of casserole):

Calories: 415

Total Carbs: 11 grams

Net Carbs: 8 grams

Fat: 28 grams

Protein: 28 grams

Nutrition calculated using Cronometer

The post Keto Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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The old saying, “You are what you eat,” is true and also accurate is the saying, “You are what you eat has eaten.” Let me break it down for you. If you consume fish, chicken, beef, or other meat, how that fish or meat was raised and what it has eaten during its lifetime has […]

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The ability to cultivate joy and be resilient are important life skills at any time, but they are vitally important during times of crisis. I held a live webinar on March 24, 2020, to focus on tools and resources we all can use to build these skills and manage stress in difficult times. Join me as we focus on mindfulness, exercise, pleasure, connection, and being of service to others.

The post ADAPTing: Creating Health and Joy in the Face of Uncertainty and Challenge appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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How can you maintain a healthy Paleo diet without easy access to fresh foods? In this article, I discuss your options for COVID-19 prep and the best shelf-stable and frozen foods out there.

The post COVID-19 Prep: How to Stock up Your Paleo-Friendly Pantry and Freezer appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Research of the Week

Even medical students touch their face dozens of times each hour, almost 50% of the time a mucous membrane.

A clinical trial is underway looking at the effect of chloroquine on coronavirus.

A neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio indicative of insulin resistance predicts severe illness in COVID-19 cases.

ACE inhibitors and coronavirus.

Dairy appears to promote better bone mineralization in post-menopausal women.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 413: Karen Martel: Host Elle Russ chats with Karen Martel, expert on women’s health and weight loss.

Episode 414: Listener Q&A: Host Brad Kearns answers your questions.

Primal Health Coach Radio, Episode 53: Laura and Erin chat with Mitch Webb about the importance of establishing a strong why.

Media, Schmedia

A new coronavirus model predicts far fewer deaths. Hopefully this is accurate.

NY doctors are using IV vitamin C for coronavirus patients.

Interesting Blog Posts

Is the USDA using the latest science to determine the healthiest diet?

Human ingenuity always wins.

New editorial from Fauci on coronavirus. Seems like improved news.

Social Notes

I chuckled.

The Italian response to quarantine is to be admired.

Everything Else

Masks work.

Even scuba masks.

Pollution plummets.

The origin of hand-washing.

What happens if you break quarantine in Punjab.

Nature versus nurture versus… noise?

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Story I enjoyed: Regular folks are making masks with sewing machines.

Stat I found interesting: About half of NYC’s coronavirus cases are under 45 years of age; 9% of that group is hospitalized.

Video I enjoyed: How Grant Schofield and his family stay sane during lockdown.

How I’m saying hello: Jocko’s heart hammer.

More silver lining: The return of victory gardens.

Question I’m Asking

What long-term effects will the coronavirus have on the world?

Recipe Corner

• Garbage stir-fry with curried cabbage.
• 40 recipes that freeze well.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Mar 22– Mar 28)

• The Definitive Guide to Autophagy (and 7 Ways to Induce It) – What’s the deal with autophagy?
• Seasonal Eating: 9 Tasty Springtime Recipes – What to make.

Comment of the Week

“Hollow body rocks are more fun to do if you pretend you’re a banana that’s rocking back and forth. We had to to them all the time in crossfit and the only way I could get through them is to say in my head “I”m a rockin’ banana!” That may just be me though. 
In related mind games, it’s much easier to do a row sprint if you imagine a crocodile chasing you behind your rowboat.”

– I like that, starmice. Better make sure it’s a green banana to reduce absorbable glucose, though.

The post Weekly Link Love – Edition 74 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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What better time is there than now to start growing your very own microgreens? Microgreens were first introduced in California restaurants in the 1980s and have exploded in popularity since this time. Also known as micro herbs or vegetable confetti, microgreens may be small but offer a massive nutritional punch that is often more powerful […]