One of my favorite topics, as many of you know, is epigenetics. It’s the burgeoning area of science that has blown apart the traditional nature-nurture dichotomy by examining the lifestyle-induced activation or dampening of genes. Epigenetics is increasingly filling in the gaps for understanding and monitoring degenerative disease risk. If you’re relatively new to MDA, take a look-see at my past articles (Gene Expression, What I Mean By “Reprogramming Your Genes”, Gene Expression: Location, Location, Location, Environmental Toxins and Gene Expression, Epigenetics and Depression) for a good Primal introduction to the concept. That said, when it comes to science there’s always more to read and know. New discoveries. Bold initiatives. Elegant correlations. Confirmed expectations and unexpected wrinkles. It’s what gets me up and roaring in the morning. Gladly, I’m not the only one….

Mark,
I’m fascinated by the idea that all the signals I […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

For busy college students like Amy McMillin , easy-to-prepare meals that make the most out of a limited food budget are a necessity. “I like to make salads with fewer ingredients using unique combinations,” Amy told us, which is how she came up with her recipe for Curried Salmon Salad submitted for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook.
Salmon, lettuce, avocado, slivered almonds and green onions mixed with the complexity and bold flavors of an array of ground spices – garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne – makes this a delicious Primal dish.

Dried spices stay flavorful and aromatic for up to a year (even when stored in a dorm room) and are an economical way to punch up the flavor in just about anything you cook. If you want to make this salad even simpler, buy only the garam masala, which is an Indian spice blend that often includes the […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Oh yeah today we are working plyo’s in class. If you are unsure of what that is… guess your going to have to come see huh?!!

If you want to work your body and trim down this is just another tool we use to get in shape and burn that body fat at Warrior Fit. I can hear it now all the OMG’s, grunting and groaning then after we are done …. Aaahhh that was a good one, I’ll feel it tomorrow for sure.

Live lean, train hard and live life,

-Darrin

We mostly see them as flavorants, as the little jars of powder that line our cabinets and the bags of dried roots, barks, and leaves tucked away in drawers, designed to subtly or drastically alter the flavor profile of our “smart fuel” creations in the kitchen, but for most of human history, spices were also prized for their medicinal qualities. Turmeric for GI disorders and inflammation. Chili peppers for pain management. Ginger for diarrhea. These aren’t just exaggerated cases of “folk medicine” or “old wives’ tales,” either. Current research has confirmed that many common spices do indeed have medicinal properties. One of the most beneficial is also the most common: cinnamon.

It’s important to realize that there are multiple varieties of cinnamon.

There’s Ceylon cinnamon, or “true cinnamon,” or cinnamomum zeylanicum. Ceylon cinnamon comes from the crumbly inner bark of the cinnamomum zeylanicum tree, and its flavor is sweet and delicate. It […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

…skip breakfast.

(Hey you guys here is one of my favorite tips from a friend of mine,  Adam over at Body Weight Coach. I use this to keep that body fat burning. Use it and see what you think. -Darrin)

I bet you’re thinking I’m crazy. Right?

How many times have we been told that breakfast is the most
important meal of the day?

But here’s the simple truth: you’re either burning fat or you’re
storing it. There’s no in between. And the most efficient time for
fat burning is in the fasted state. So why not prolong that state
through to the noon hour?

“Well Adam, the reason you shouldn’t do that is because your
metabolism will slow down.” That’s what you’ve heard right?

Wrong…

Even after 72 hours of fasting there’s no noticeable effect on
metabolism. That’s right, even after three days of fasting your
body does NOT start to down regulate your fat burning furnaces. So
I don’t think skipping breakfast is going to hurt.

“OK, but I’ll lose all my muscle mass won’t I?”

Nope…

Not at all. In fact, if you are using resistance training
(bodyweight counts), you can actually GAIN muscle quite
effectively. Especially if you concentrate certain types of
calories around your workouts.

“Yeah, but what about all those studies saying that people who eat
breakfast do a better job of losing weight or maintaining their
weight loss?”

Not so “fast”…

You have to understand that those findings are not necessarily
CAUSAL. Often, people who skip breakfast are the types to grab a
doughnut and coffee at 10:30 in lieu of breakfast. But breaking your
fast at noon with a big salad and homemade vinaigrette is hardly
the same thing!

So there you go. One simple tip to extend your fasted state and
keep burning fat for hours longer than usual. And if you can add a
strategic and well planned workout in there, you’ll multiply your
results even more.

Cheers,
Adam

— ——————————————————–

I use this as often as possible and love the added energy it produces so give it a try and let me know how you do.

Stay lean and train like a Warrior,

-Darrin Walton

Warrior Fit Body Solution

Just some random stuff I’ve either discussed or thought about in the last few days. You can read part one here.
—
1. Some workouts don’t go as planned. Even if your diet has been on point and even if you feel well rested from your last session. If you are attuned to your body and it’s limits, you will often feel when that time is due early in your workout.
How do you feel it? The warm-up sets feel heavier than they should be. You feel a subtle soreness in your pecs in between your warm-up sets for bench presses. Knees feel sore after squatting. Lower back feels sore after deadlifting. When warming up for weighted chins, you might find that body weight chins go slow – when you’d normally be flying up for the first 4-5 reps. And when thinking about the weights you are supposed to use for your first […]

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Martin Berkhan)

You’ve probably heard of BLTs and BLTAs, but have you heard of BEATs? Bacon, Egg, Avocado and Tomato salad is a favorite around here for breakfast, lunch or dinner. When Vanessa Query sent us her quick and easy recipe for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook Challenge it was actually an EATs (Egg, Avocado and Tomato salad). However, it should come as a surprise to no one that we couldn’t resist crumbling crispy, fatty bacon on top.
The bacon adds even more protein and flavor to the salad and seasons it with a salty, smoky flavor. The egg and avocado add plenty of healthy fats, so no drizzle of oil is needed for this salad, although you can add a spoonful of mayo if you like. Vanessa makes her version with a generous squirt of lemon that heightens the flavor and also cuts through the richness, lightening and brightening the salad.

In the […]

Original post by Worker Bee

I knew I loved Asparagus!

Check out this article I received the other day.

This is from a friend

My Mom had been taking the full-stalk canned style
asparagus that she pureed and she took 4 tablespoons in
the morning and 4 tablespoons later in the day. She did
this for over a month. She is on chemo pills for Stage 3
lung cancer in the pleural area and her cancer cell
count went from 386 down to 125 as of this past week.
Her oncologist said she does not need to see him for 3
months.

THE ARTICLE:
Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a
friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy
of an article, entitled, Asparagus for cancer ‘printed in
Cancer News Journal, December 1979. I will share it
here, just as it was shared with me: I am a
biochemist, and have specialized in the relation of diet
to health or over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned
of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that
asparagus might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked
with him on his project We have accumulated a number
of favorable case histories. Here are a few examples:

Case No. 1,

A man with an almost hopeless case
of Hodgkin’s disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who
was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting
the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to
detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on a
schedule of strenuous exercise.
Case No. 2,

A successful businessman 68 years old
who suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years.
After years of medical treatments, including radiation
without improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3
months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor
had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

Case No. 3,

a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he
was put on the operating table where they found
lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable.
The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case
hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the Asparagus
therapy and immediately started taking it By August,
x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had
disappeared..
He is back at his regular business routine.

Case No. 4,

a woman who was troubled for a number of
years with skin cancer. She finally developed different
skin cancers which were diagnosed by the acting
specialist as advanced. Within 3 months after starting
on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin
looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman
reported that the asparagus therapy also cured her
kidney disease, which started in 1949. She had over 10
operations for kidney stones, and was receiving
government disability payments for an inoperable,
terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the cure of
this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of
materia medica’, edited in1854 by a Professor at the
University of Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was
used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even
referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of
asparagus in dissolving stones. Note the dates!
We would have other case histories but the medical
establishment has interfered with our obtaining some
of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers to
spread this good news and help us to gather a large
number of case histories that will overwhelm the
medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and
natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked
before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just
as good as fresh. I have corresponded with the two
leading canners of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I
am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or
preservatives.
Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to
make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the
patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and
evening. Patients usually show some improvement in
2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a
cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on
present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do
no harm and may be needed in some cases. As a
biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what
cures can prevent.’ Based on this theory, my wife and I
have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with
our meals. We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to
suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take
mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold. For years we
have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as
part of our regular checkups. The last blood survey,
taken by a medical doctor who specializes in the
nutritional approach to health, showed substantial
improvements in all categories over the last one, and
we can attribute these improvements to nothing but
the asparagus drink.
As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all
aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a
result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better
with the latest theories about cancer.

Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called
histones, which are believed to be active in controlling
cell growth.. For that reason, I believe asparagus can
be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth
normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and
in acting as a general body tonic. In any event,
regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is
a harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you
from using it and it may do you much good. It has
been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that
asparagus is the highest tested food containing
glutathione, which is considered one of the body’s
most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants.

In other words “Eat Your Asparagus!”

Live lean and Train Hard,

-Darrin Walton

Warrior Fit

All over, we hear over and over how important it is to “change up your workout routine often” so that you can avoid getting bored and keep motivated. The truth is that this is possibly some of the WORST advice that can be given to someone starting to work out – or someone who has been working out for awhile.
Here’s why.
There are two main factors that come into play when trying to get in amazing shape. They are:
1. Building habits.
2. Improving at what you’re doing.
NEITHER of the above can be accomplished if you constantly change up your workout routine. You can’t build habits when you keep doing something else, and you can’t improve at something if you don’t keep doing it!
That’s why it’s so important to NOT change your workouts often. Do bodybuilders ever stop bench pressing? Do swimmers ever stop swimming? Do soccer players ever stop playing soccer? No. […]

Original post by rafael@thefitnessadviser.com (Rafi Bar-Lev)

Do your shoulders slump and round when you walk, sit, or stand?
Do you have trouble keeping your chest up when squatting under a bar or lifting heavy things off the ground?
Do you get lower back or neck pain when doing twisting or rotational movements?
Have you resigned yourself to living with that nagging rotator cuff pain that flares up during workouts and in bed?
If you answered “yes” to any of those (and most people will answer yes to at least one), you may have poor thoracic spine mobility. Even if you don’t notice any of the symptoms leaping out at you, it never hurts to get more mobility, especially in the thoracic spine. And establishing good habits by actively maintaining and training mobility, as opposed to being content with what you have (even if it’s not optimum), is always a good move. Scoff at the prospect of thoracic spine mobility all […]

Original post by Mark Sisson