Most people are at least cursorily familiar with the concept of the circadian rhythm. For those who aren’t, the circadian rhythm refers to our internal, approximately 24-hour cycle of biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes. Every living thing, from fungus to bacteria to plant to animal, has a circadian rhythm. External cues called zeitgebers (what a great word, huh?) help synchronize or alter our rhythms; they include temperature, nutrition, meal timing, social interactions pharmacological interventions (medicines, drugs), and, most prominently, the light/dark cycle of the earth.

Yes, light, or the lack thereof, plays an enormous role in the regulation of our cycles, especially our sleep cycle. For millions of years, light was an objective, exogenous measure by which organisms established behavioral patterns, hormonal fluctuations, and sleep cycles. Depending on the seasons, the position of the global axes, and the weather, you could pretty much count on light, bright days and deep, dark […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

The thing about overtraining is that it exists on a spectrum, without clear-cut rules or boundaries. As I said last week, sufficient training volume is entirely subjective, and it’s constantly changing depending on an individual trainee’s goals, nutrition, sleep habits, stress levels, and injury status. What worked well for the last three months might prove to be excessive if your diet gets disrupted. A particularly stressful stretch at the office could undo a heretofore-steady strength progression. The human body is resilient, but there are limits – and the limits aren’t always clearly delineated. To divine them, it takes finesse and thoughtful tinkering at the edges. Sometimes you have to fall off the edge to know where it is. It’s more art than science. There are some solid, basically objective ways to deal with it, though, even if you’re not sure what constitutes overtraining for you.

Outright avoidance is the most prudent […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

Isabel De Los Rios a Certified Nutritionist just sent me these awesome recipes…try them out and let me know how they turned out. I am defiantly going to ask my wife to make them so we can see how they taste. Heck maybe we will do it together as a project…if she doesn’t through me out of the kitchen for testing and tasting everything.

Here’s Isabel,

I haven’t tried these recipes yet, so we will be experimenting with these recipes together (mad scientist Isabel, remember), but I decided to pick one fast and easy one and one that would take a bit more time (but still easy). Normally I wouldn’t send you a recipe before I tried it myself, but I was so excited to discover these I wanted to share them right away.

Fast and Easy Raw Apple Pie

Crust

1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup walnuts
5 medjool dates-pitted

Mix in food processor. Spread thin in a pie tin. If you like thick crust, you can double this.

Filling

3 apples chopped in processor
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp juice from a lemon

Spread mix over crust. Chop 3/4 cup pecans spread around circumference of pie.
Refrigerate in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving but can also be eaten right away.
You may also want to top it with berries or even banana slices.

Not so Fast Raw Apple Pie (a little bit more time required)

Pie Crust

1 and 1/2 cups raw almonds
1 cup pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil Process almonds in a food processor until you have a coarse almond flour. Add the dates, coconut oil, and cinnamon to the food processor and process until the mixture forms dough. Press the dough into a pie pan.

Apple Filling

7 small fuji apples
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dates
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

Roughly chop 5 apples and pulse them in the food processor until they are in tiny pieces. Pour the lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over them and dehydrate them on low for a few hours. You can dehydrate apples by placing them in the oven at a low temperature (135 degrees) for 1-2 hours. Apples should have most of the moisture removed, but still be a best soft. No need to make them crispy. (Check them often. Yours may take longer or a shorter amount of time.)

In a blender blend 2 finely chopped apples (add to the blender first), 1 cup dates, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest to make an apple sauce. Mix the applesauce and the dehydrated apples in a bowl. Pour the mixture into a piecrust. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

I can’t wait to try this one. It sounds dee-li-cious! And only contains super healthy ingredients.

The only problem with the above recipes is that apple pie does not taste like chocolate. So what do you do when you’re a recovering chocoholic like me?

My first strategy is I do allow myself a small piece of organic dark chocolate when I just feel like having a little treat. I also found this great recipe that I’m actually going to try before I make the apple pie (a girl’s gotta have her priorities right?)

Coconut Carob Truffles

1 cup raw walnuts
3/4 cup medjool pitted dates
1/4 cup coconut milk
4 Tablespoons carob
4 Tablespoon honey (or agave nectar)
shredded dry coconut

Blend all ingredients in food processor (except dry coconut). Refrigerate until cold. Roll into balls and roll into shredded coconut.

I’m so excited to make these and, of course, I’ll let you know how my desserts turn out. You let me know how yours turns out.

Beginner Fitness Bootcamp starts March 2nd

KnuckleUp OBX Head Instructor Matt Costa has put together a beginner version of his famous fitness bootcamp and spots are going by faster than we expected.
Matt’s bootcamp has produced a series of marathon-level athletes, changed the way students see themselves, and burned well over 1000lbs over the past 12 months alone. Most of these students have been together since the first edition, which rose the level of difficulty at each new bootcamp edition.
This time, Matt created a brand new program, geared towards those who are looking to take their training to the next level, but havent yet gotten to the point of running marathons.
According to him, this edition is for students that are looking to lose those last few pounds before swimsuit season starts, or that have hit a plateau in their training and are looking for the next challenge.
The program, unlike past bootcamp editions, […]

Original post by knuckleup

When you spend some time among the ever-growing circle of evolutionary-based health writers, thinkers, bloggers, and doctors, you notice a curious thing happening. Conventional Wisdom is becoming turned on its head. Saturated fat is generally healthy and excessive endurance training is generally unhealthy become the presiding narratives. Grains are either unnecessary or have the tendency to attack the gut lining, even guts with “clinically undetectable levels of sensitivity.” You don’t need six square meals a day to keep your metabolism up and running, after all; one or two a day will do just fine.
Less is more – as far as exercise goes – is becoming another accepted truth, especially when you understand that 80% of your body composition is determined by how you eat.

If you dial the diet in (Primal Blueprint, of course), you just don’t need to “burn off” tons of excess calories with a lot of hard work. […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

According to the latest research, emphasising the emotional benefits of exercise is more effective at increasing levels of (teenage) physical activity than highlighting traditional health benefits.
Or, to put it in layman’s terms…

Teens like to do fun stuff
They don’t like to do stuff that is “good for them”

Well….duh!
.
But seriously, there is evidence showing that people who believe that physical activity is enjoyable and fun are more likely to engage in sport and exercise.
To test this concept, researchers investigated whether highlighting the emotional benefits of sport and exercise to young people increased their levels of physical activity.”
The Study
To test their hypothesis, the researchers  sent different types of SMS messages to kids (ages 16-19) encouraging them to “get active”.
Group 1 received messages that highlighted the emotional benefits of physical activity such as ‘Physical activity can make you feel cheerful. What activity will you do today?’ and ‘Physical activity can make you feel more […]

Original post by healthhabits

While most people eat sushi for a meal, we think it also makes a great snack. Bite-sized portions packed with protein and veggies, rolled up in one of the most nutrient-rich foods around, seaweed. What could be a better between-meal snack than that?
We know what you’re thinking…what about the rice? Well, what about it? Rice isn’t known for its bold flavor. When you taste sushi without rice you’re going to find that the sushi doesn’t taste much different. Rice, however, is great filler and glue, which is the main reason it’s used in sushi rolls. Sushi rolls without rice don’t always hold together quite as well, but there are a few solutions for this. One is to use a sushi mat and take care to roll the sushi slowly and tightly. Two, add something besides rice as filler, like egg. Whisk one egg, fry it into a thin circle, and […]

Original post by Worker Bee

You may have noticed all the different winter squash at the markets–acorn, butternut, spaghetti, kabocha, just to name a few. I absolutely love butternut squash, which is what I tend to use most often. I suppose we all tend to stick with what we know and like but lately I’ve had quite a few inquiries for what to do with a spaghetti squash, which is great because I really dig this squash too. Actually I’m really into pasta (gluten free) but I’m off heavy carbs in the evening thanks to DR, Mr. Health Habits himself with the training program I’m on so this squash, believe it or not, makes a brilliant substitute for pasta! Thought all you who are sticking to any sort of get-in-shape regiment and of course all the Paleos, would love this idea, too.
RECIPE:
Serves 2 with leftovers

1 medium spaghetti squash (preferably organic)
1 lb medium wild, locally caught […]

Original post by thehealthyirishman

Fried food is regularly pummeled in the village square by CW because of the fat content. We Primal types know better of course. Although we eschew the carb-based foods (potatoes, donuts, corn chips, battered/breaded everything) that disgrace fry pans and deep fryers everywhere, we get along fine with the fat itself. I get a lot of questions from readers about frying foods – whether frying is a truly Primal practice and how frying can be done properly to avoid oxidation and retain nutrients. I know there are a lot of fried fans at MDA, and I hope they’ll share their tips as well.

Is frying Primal?
I’d give that a solid yes. With the right oils under the right conditions, fried veggies and meats are perfectly acceptable Primal delicacies. Are there better cooking methods? Yes. But again, with the right fat, temperature and food (no traditional batters in sight), frying is an […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

This is a great look into one of my favorite nutritional specialists cupboards and fridge. Awesome in site, plus  some things to think about campers!

Enjoy,

-Darrin

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