User fed at livecaveman.com - PaleoHacks.com

Scientific study links agriculture to crowded teeth, but then drops the "soft" ball.

2011-11-22T02:13:03Z

I got super excited today when I searched Google News today and saw this...

"Blame Your Crooked Teeth on Early Farmers" (Wired.com), "For Perfect Teeth, Start Hunting and Gathering" (History.com), and "Wisdom teeth hurt? Blame your ancient ancestors" (MSNBC.MSN.com).

All three articles linked to a study recently published in the scientific journal PNAS (snicker) called "Global human mandibular variation reflects differences in agricultural and hunter-gatherer subsistence strategies" by Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel.

The abstract reads as follows:

"Variation in the masticatory behavior of hunter-gatherer and agricultural populations is hypothesized to be one of the major forces affecting the form of the human mandible. However, this has yet to be analyzed at a global level. Here, the relationship between global mandibular shape variation and subsistence economy is tested, while controlling for the potentially confounding effects of shared population history, geography, and climate. The results demonstrate that the mandible, in contrast to the cranium, significantly reflects subsistence strategy rather than neutral genetic patterns, with hunter-gatherers having consistently longer and narrower mandibles than agriculturalists. These results support notions that a decrease in masticatory stress among agriculturalists causes the mandible to grow and develop differently. This developmental argument also explains why there is often a mismatch between the size of the lower face and the dentition, which, in turn, leads to increased prevalence of dental crowding and malocclusions in modern postindustrial populations. Therefore, these results have important implications for our understanding of human masticatory adaptation."

If you noticed the bit about "masticatory stress", then you get the gist of the authors explanation. Basically, she (and the subsequent "science" journalism) focus entirely on the idea that "soft" foods are what led to our agricultural ancestors (and by extension, us) having bad teeth. She seems to also think that cooking coincided with the advent of agriculture (the use of fire actually predates the Paleolithic, stretching all the way back into middle Pleistocene).

There is not a single bit of exploration into the possible role of nutrition in the development of crowded teeth (Weston A. Price would must be rolling in his grave) and I couldn't believe that none of the coverage of the paper broached the topic as well.

I felt pretty annoyed (so much so that I banged out a quick post, "Do You Have 'Farmer Face'") and wanted to know, is there any way that "hard" foods could actually lead to a larger, roomier jaw? Or, is this in fact BS (which is my feeling) and crowded teeth are more likely due to (possibly multi-generational) nutrient deficiencies?

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for How do I eat banana on paleo?

2012-09-26T04:32:27Z

Eating bananas....So simple, even a little monkey can do it.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Pros of starting the day off with only fat

2012-09-17T18:44:15Z

A high-fat/low-carb breakfast (a la "bulletproof" coffee) will likely affect the body in ways similar to fasting. To see how this works, we can look at the following graph which tracks the respiratory quotient of individuals under different circumstances and metabolic inclinations.

In the upper left hand corner of the graph, you can see the shift in metabolism from "glycolytic" (ie. sugar burning) to oxidative (ie. fat burning) over the course of an overnight fast. The black dotted line shows a "metabolically flexible" person (the term refers to the capacity to match metabolic processes to the available fuel source) while the white dotted line shows a metabolically "inflexible" person (typical of obese or T2 diabetics).

You can see how the overnight fast in the upper left hand corner is similar to the high fat diet in the lower right corner.

Conversely, you can see how a high carbohydrate diet is similar to an "insulin clamp" (a simultaneous infusion of both glucose and insulin).

This shows that the metabolically flexible person is both better at burning glucose and burning fat than the metabolically inflexible person. The underlying causes of metabolic flexibility/inflexibility are likely related to numerous factors, but it seems at least theoretically possible that you would enhance metabolic flexibility by challenging the body to switch from one fuel source to another.

Any regimen where you prolong fat metabolism (by fasting completely or eating only fat for breakfast) and only intermittently spike insulin release/glucose may accomplish this.

(Graph from "Metabolic flexibility and insulin resistance" Jose E. Galgani1, Cedric Moro1, and Eric Ravussin)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Bicep curls a common natural movement?

2012-09-17T18:10:47Z

Looks like a bicep curl to me...

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Beef bacon fat. Same as pork bacon fat?

2012-09-03T19:59:41Z

Being that it is beef fat (tallow) it will have a significantly higher percentage of saturated fat vs pork fat. This would suggest that it would keep longer than lard (pork fat) and could be used in higher temperature cooking situations (ie. frying).

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Crock Pot Beef Bone

2012-09-03T18:18:15Z

Its funny that this question came up as I just cooked up some marrow bones in a crock pot.

They were selling grass-fed beef bones for 2.99/lb at Whole Foods so I picked up a couple lbs.

If you JUST want to eat the marrow, I suggest simply roasting them in the oven (450 for ~15-20 minutes).

You could then spoon it out and eat it straight up, or, spread it on something. I made some coconut flour and organic red palm oil bread, toasted it, and spread it with marrow and a parsley/radish/lemon juice/EVOO salad. It was a party in my mouth.

(Full marrow and coconut bread recipe here)

If you're set on using a crock pot, however, I would suggest taking the bones...

And some beef (I used a grass-fed 3lb beef chuck shoulder roast that was on sale at Whole Foods for $3.99/lb woot woot!)...

Smear the roast with bacon fat and sear it on all sides...

Then, toss the roast, the bones, 10 cloves of garlic, 2 cups of previously made meat jello (ie. cold bone broth), dried herbs (rosemary, parsley, and thyme), and a water into your crock pot...

Set it on "low" and forget about it for awhile (I let mine go about 16 hours total). By then the roast will be falling apart and the marrow and connective tissue will have melted into the broth which you can sop up with the shredded meat.

(Full "Bones & Beef" recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Coffee and what substitute for milk ?

2012-09-02T20:44:14Z

You could blend your coffee with a little coconut oil (mixes it so you don't get an "oil slick") or buy the real coconut milk in a can (full fat and not thin at all). Ghee (clarified butter) is technically "dairy" but the compounds that are considered to be potentially problematic (casein and lactose) are almost completely eliminated. It would be the same procedure as the coconut oil; toss a chunk of grass fed ghee into your coffee and blend it up to emulsify.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Amount of liver per week, safety wise?

2012-09-01T20:50:27Z

I stick with Paul Jaminet's PHD supplement recommendations:

"¼ lb beef or lamb liver, weekly (copper, vitamin A, folate, choline)"

I like to grind it up with an equal amount of grass-fed beef, egg yolk, garlic, onions, herbs/spices, and pan fry it into patties in a little bacon fat or cook it as a loaf in a bread pan (this is good if you are cooking a larger quantity).

See full PHD Supplement recs here

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Are Tattoos paleo?

2012-08-28T22:09:15Z

Otzi the "Iceman" provides some of the earliest concrete evidence of humans practicing tattooing and, given that he is estimated as having lived around 3,300 BCE (over 5,000 years ago), I would have to say that AFAIK tattoos aren't "paleo". Then again debating such things on an interconnected network of programmable machines while staring into an artificial light source would have to qualify as far less "paleo" than tattoos. For those of us who are descendants of Europeans, tattoos would also be far more "paleo" than New World foods such as tomatoes, potatoes (regular and sweet), chocolate, etc.

In conclusion, tattoos are "paleo" enough for me to feel comfortable in sporting a few on my backside (see bottom picture).

Locations of Otzi tattoos:

Actual picture of tattoo on Otzi's back:

Actual picture of tattoos on my back:

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Fed up with acne - starting a very low dose (i.e. 10mg a week) accutane treatment

2012-08-05T18:08:33Z

Both my sister and I used Accutane as teenagers to treat cystic acne that was not responding to other treatments (oral/topical antibiotics, retin-A cream, etc.)

After a few months of extremely dry skin, chapped lips, etc. (and actually worsening acne) my skin started to clear and since then I have had ZERO problems with my skin. My sister had the same experience as well.

If I had it to do all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Years of failed treatment exert a huge emotional, psychological, and physical toll and IMHO it is worth taking Accutane as long as you are properly educated with regards to the risks and things that you can do to emeliorate them (i.e. avoiding anything that can tax your liver such as alcohol, having regular blood work to detecte elevated liver enzymes, etc.)

Note: My doctor accidentally prescribed me a double dose of Accutane so I was on 160mg/day during the course of my treatment. Despite this, I have no persistent side effects. The typical dosage is in the neighborhood of 40-80mg/day.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for "Vegetarians" eat as much meat as omnivores?

2012-08-05T17:45:02Z

I don' t think this is what you are looking for, but it is interesting nonetheless.

"Why being vegetarian can kill more animals than eating meat"

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Just how paleo is your paleo? Just how stridently do you embrace paleo.

2012-08-05T00:39:50Z

It seems like we are discussing where along the Paleo continuum each of us resides.

If this continuum (assuming that we can all agree on what is truly "paleo") runs from total reenactment to the Standard American Diet then I probably hang out somewhere in the middle.

For me, the "middle" is the where I am able to reach my goals (which include not just physical goals, but emotional, social, and psychological needs) and in general this involves eating things that I can identify by sight and, if it has an ingredients label, the label reads like a recipe rather than a science experiment.

Of course, there are wild swings from time to time, and this can manifest as cracking open bones for their marrow to cracking open a Rockstar "lo-carb" energy drink.

Note: I watched Pururambo and enjoyed it. The documentarian has done a few other movies as well, visiting other isolated HG tribes.

I think that there are things that we can learn from our ancestors and those who live in the closest modern approximation of our ancestral lifestyle, but we (as in Westernized/Industrialized humans) are like the domesticated cow. It's lot in life can be made better or worse, but it wouldn't last a second in the wild.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for What are the Movnat basics?

2012-07-24T12:12:27Z

I've attended several MovNat workshops and the workouts themselves are not inherently structured (i.e. do X,Y,Z for 8 reps x 3 sets x 3 days a week), but they can be.

A typical MovNat workout may start with a mobility series. For example, sitting down with your legs folded underneath you and stepping out into multi-directional lunges. Going from a full squat (butt on the ground) to standing in various ways (using both hands to assist, using one hand to assist, using no hands to assist by rocking back first and then rocking forward onto the feet).

After warming up, a "combo" may be constructed based on what is available in the environment. Is there a log or heavy stone around? Good! That can be either picked up in a deadlift style, hoisted to shoulder height and carried for a distance, pressed over head, or thrown. If there is a post or a pole, it could be used to climb on (like climbing a coconut tree, keeping your feet under your hips and you legs splayed out). If there are some monkey bars, they could be used for brachiation (swinging like a gibbon) or if it is a single pull-up bar, you could work on your single leg swing, forearm kip, "dough boy", or muscle up (all ways to get from a dead hang position below the bar to on top of the bar.) If you have a little space, you can practice landing softly with tuck jumps, or landing broad jumps precisely by focusing on a specific target. You could also incorporate some crawling patterns by moving on all fours in different directions ("cat walk", "monkey walk", etc.) A sturdy fence might provide an opportunity for balancing, and if you can do that, perhaps walking along the fence, moving into and out of a squat, or doing "kick throughs" (placing one hand on the beam while kicking the inside leg forward and then back, switching sides and repeating with the other leg).

I hope this makes some sense, but in essence, MovNat is about exploring your environment with mindful movements. It's not about tearing around as fast as you can while huffing and puffing, it's about efficient coordination and effective technique while locomoting (climbing, running, jumping, crawling, swimming, etc.), manipulating (throwing, catching, moving objects), or combating (self-defense in the style of Krav-Maga).

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Are tortillas really that bad?

2012-07-22T19:46:39Z

I would say that the ingredients and preparation method of the tortilla would make or break whether or not I considered them ok to eat every now and again.

First off, I would not consider wheat based tortillas a viable alternative (unless I was actually starving, in which case I would eat just about anything) so my answer is specifically tailored to corn tortillas.

I would want the tortilla to be made of ground corn only, preferably traditionally prepared with lime.

From "Calcium Absorption from Corn Tortilla Is Relatively High and Is Dependent upon Calcium Content and Liming in Mexican Women Jorge L. Rosado1, Margarita Díaz*, Angélica Rosas*, Ian Griffit†, and Olga P. García"

"In Mexico, corn tortilla is the most widely consumed staple food. The corn dough used for tortilla preparation is traditionally prepared by boiling corn in a lime solution that contains calcium, and letting it stand overnight. This process is called nixtamalización"

This has been demonstrated to improve nutrient bioavailability (in this particular study the focus is calcium absorption) by either the addition of calcium during processing (from the lime/calcium hydroxide itself) and/or the reduction of phytase activity (a portion of which may even be neutralized by simple digestion, highlighting the importance of in vivo studies of nutrient availability).

"In addition to calcium content, calcium absorption from food sources is also determined by food composition. Food components such as oxalate, phytate, fiber, lactose, and protein, affect the efficiency of calcium absorption (3–7,30). In green leafy vegetables, almost all of the calcium is bound to oxalate. Studies showed that the absorption of calcium from food sources such as spinach is very poor because of the high content of oxalic acid (4,11,31). The percentage of calcium absorption from spinach is ∼5% (31). Phytic acid is a food component that has the ability to chelate multivalent metal ions, especially zinc, calcium, and iron. The binding results in very insoluble salts, which are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract (32). However, although calcium phytate is a complex that is not absorbed, phytate is digested to some degree in the lower intestine by bacteria, and this might contribute to calcium bioavailability (4). Even though the amount of phytic acid in the tortillas is high (>1500 mg/180 g of tortilla), the percentage of calcium absorption was high. Among other possibilities, this may be due to a partial digestion of calcium phytate in the lower intestine, which allows the calcium to be free for absorption. In addition, some of the phytate in tortillas could be hydrolyzed during the process of tortilla dough preparation. These results agree with studies using animal models in which lime-treated tortillas proved to be a good source of calcium, despite the phytic acid content (17–19)."

The final factor would be your own individual response to corn. If it does not pose a allergy threat, create intestinal distress, or set off psychological cravings then you are probably good to go. If it does, however, I would avoid and simply have my tacos served "naked" (wrapped in lettuce or on a plate to be eaten with a fork).

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for ways to eat kale raw

2012-07-07T19:30:58Z

Best way to eat raw kale is in a smoothie. Blend it up with some fresh fruit, ice, nuts, etc. and you will barely even taste it!

(full recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for How are you all preparing your meat if not grilling?

2012-07-04T22:25:56Z

Broiled...

(recipe here)

Baked in foil packets...

(recipe here)

Seared on the stove top then baked...

(recipe here)

Or, in the grok pot :D

(recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Question for IF Experts

2012-07-04T20:06:37Z

I would not say that I am an "expert", but in the past two months I have found success in implementing a daily IF (8/16) and have achieved much better results than paleo or primal on their own.

I do not count coffee with a tbsp of coconut oil or butter, fish oil, fasted pre workout BCAAs (10-15gms) or my 2 daily Brazil nuts into the "feeding window" and only consider my first real meal as the official start. I do tend to eat my second meal about 4 or 5 hours later, so sometimes the coffee/supplements/etc. do fall into the 8 hour period, but more often than not they don't.

My abs are visible for the first time in a while and my strength and muscularity have been maintained unlike what happened when I followed a strict Loren Cordain style paleo. That time, I got abs, but I also looked rather skinny and emaciated.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for High fat foods like bacon and eggs linked to heart disease???

2012-07-02T13:15:35Z

Had three of these for dinner the other day. Heart feels fine :)

(I've even got the lab tests to prove it: HDL 74, TC 190, Trig. under 50, Glucose 88, BP 110/70)

(recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Paleo communities other than PaleoHacks...

2012-07-01T18:09:28Z

The Paleo sub Reddit is pretty lively as there are over 16,000 subscribers (not all active, but enough to keep it going at a good clip) http://www.reddit.com/r/Paleo/

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Tips for getting past the fasting "hump"

2012-06-25T14:52:55Z

I've been hitting an 8/16 daily IF for the past month and have found that coffee blended with cinnamon and about a tablespoon of fat (coconut oil, butter, or ghee) seems to do the trick.

I'll also have a large glass of cold water mixed with some (powdered) BCAA (10gms), a little magnesium blend (citrate and a few other types) and just a splash of fruit juice (less than an ounce) in the morning and another mixed with glutamine (instead of BCAA) at night.

I'll typically have two large meals during the feeding window (and maybe a snack if I'm particularly inclined, but this is rare) and so far I have been consistently dropping weight and bodyfat while feeling good during the process. My diet is mostly paleo, but I have been eating some white rice, corn, and well cooked beans as well.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Sitting and quad dominance

2012-06-23T13:44:12Z

Kettlebell swings are a great exercise for developing the "posterior chain" (basically everything from the back of your heel to the back of your head, including calves, hamstrings, glutes, low back, etc.)

The rotational angular momentum of the kettlebell helps to really activate the glutes in a way that even squats cannot. The movement of the kettlebell matches the movement of the hips as they go from flexion to full extension.

I was playing around with my camera a few weeks ago and made a video of me doing some kettlebell swings. I was going for a max repetition effort, but you can see the technique pretty clearly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTDe9Ztpfbs

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Best 'paleo' brownie recipe?

2012-06-17T17:58:05Z

I made some almond milk awhile back (yes, you can milk an almond) and used the leftover dried meal to make some flourless brownies.

They were very rich and almost fudge-like in texture. I also used sunflower-seed butter instead of peanut butter for the "swirl".

(full recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Total IF vs. Controlled Fast

2012-06-09T19:26:17Z

The short answer is "yes" as I do have some experience with consuming lipids+coffee in the context of daily fasting.

I am currently doing the following:

Wake up ~9am

10am French pressed coffee (~2 standard cups, strong brewed) with 1-2 tbsp of grass-fed butter or ghee or organic coconut oil (equivalent of 100-200 calories)

11am Water with splash of grapefruit juice + 15gms BCAA + ionic zinc + magnesium

30-60min exercise (either compound lifts, running, parkour/mov nat, kettlebells, etc.)

Noon - first meal of the day (generous portion of meat, nuts, fruit, maybe coconut water)

5pm - second meal of the day (generous portion of meat, fresh and cooked vegetables, some starch from sweet potato or rice)

6pm - 30-60 min light activity (skill work, general goofing around)

11pm - water with splash of grapefruit juice and 10gms glutamine

midnight - sleep

The results so far (about two weeks in) have been about 1-2lbs weight loss each week with a concomitant decline in bodyfat. I'm also experiencing and increased desire to move/exercise and my sleep quality has improved. It is worth noting that I am not under a lot of life-stress in general and that during the "fast" I have not experienced physiological hunger. The lipids+coffee have fallen within the 8-hour "feeding window" so I am still technically "fasting" for the remaining 16 hours of the day.

However, I am definitely not consuming the quantity of fat that is prescribed in the bulletproof coffee recipe. The idea of having some coffee with my butter is not so appealing, but when the ratio is flipped (mostly coffee with a little butter blended in a blender) I find the results quite delicious (especially with a nice dash of cinnamon!)

I have been following a Paleo/Primal type of diet for over a year and after an initial period of weight loss, I found that I could quite easily put on weight even with 100% adherence. (I don't count calories, but I do think calories count.) After one year I ended up at the exact same weight and bodyfat percentage as I had been "pre-paleo" and so this current plan of paleo/primal foods + food/exercise logging + IF is focused on creating improved body composition (currently ~12-13% bodyfat at ~190lbs goal ~7-8% bodyfat at ~180lbs).

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Advice for Tough Mudder Training

2012-06-09T18:57:16Z

I'm actually working on an article about "Adventure Race" training (tough mudder, spartan race, etc.) so this topic has been on my mind.

(Note: A few weeks ago I did a 6.5 mile mud run with about two dozen significant obstacles and was able to put up a competitive performance so I'm not talking completely out of my a$$.)

First off, you want to train as specifically as possible.

Looking at the obstacles involved in your particular race (http://toughmudder.com/events/norcal-tahoe-2012/) you can see that the general skill involved include:

Cold water immersion

Running and swimming through water/mud

Climbing through tunnels

Crawling on your stomach under obstacles

Vaulting over walls

Climbing/running up challenging terrain

Climbing rope nets

Balancing on small rails

That gives you about 8 specific areas on which to focus your training. Obviously, some of these can be combined (i.e. running/swimming in water + cold water immersion) and some may need to be approximated (i.e. if you don't have access to a rope net, you can likely find an indoor rock wall/climbing gym that will let you train the same basic movement patterns and develop the requisite conditioning).

However, focusing on the obstacles is only half of the equation. As you have already acknowledged, some "forcing" yourself to run is absolutely essential. While there are 28 obstacles during your run, each of them will likely only take a few minutes to accomplish. The rest of the time is going to be spent running 10+ miles over some rather treacherous terrain (muddy, pot-holed, uneven). If you can't run 10-11 miles without obstacles, you can't really expect to do it with them.

I would suggest looking up some local hiking trails, MTB trails, or other outdoor running opportunities. Start putting together some routes and gradually increase the mileage each week leading up to the event. You can even look for opportunities to incorporate "obstacles" into your run. Running near a river? Run through it! Running by a park bench? Vault over it! You get the picture. Also, be sure to train in the type of shoes you will wear to the race and eat for the race the way you eat while you train. An event such as this isn't the time to experiment with "carb-loading" or anything novel.

From my personal experience, running a this type of race with minimalist shoes (in my case vibram five finger bikila's) was ideal. Many participants were losing their conventional sneakers in the mud (as well as other things like shorts and even a wedding ring). I also recommend wearing some good compression type shorts under your running shorts as well as quick drying clothing in general.

You still have over three months to train for this, and if you begin now, that provides ample opportunity to gradually increase the duration/intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves. Assuming this happens, you should feel confident on the day of the event that you will accomplish your goal.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Negative effects of stimulant ADHD drugs?

2012-06-09T00:46:17Z

After a lifetime of struggling in school, I was prescribed Adderall for ADD and it was initially a godsend. For the first time, I could sequence my thought process, focus on something, and stick with it till it was completed.

A few months into it, however, I noticed significant personality changes (I was more "serious", less light-hearted about life, etc.) and was slightly more anxious and temperamental than usual.

I realized that I could not continue to take these drugs forever and decided that I would figure out how to get myself off of them without returning to my previously debilitated state.

I began eating salads every day as well as taking fish oil. I started to exercise regularly again (I had worked out on and off for several years at this point) and, most importantly in my opinion, got into the habit of making a schedule and creating daily to-do lists. I also practiced tai-chi and yoga for the first time.

I took about two years all told, but I gradually weaned myself off of the Adderall and have stayed off of it for the past 10 years. I'm successful at my day-job and am even taking on additional projects as my ability to focus and stay motivated grows (my blog, article writing for magazines, etc.). My wife, who I started dating when I was still on Adderall will often remark that she didn't think I was "funny" when we first started dating, but now laughs both with and at me everyday. Obviously my diet and exercise routine have continued to evolve as well (which I why I ended up here on PaleoHacks).

I'm sharing this because I feel like it is possible to manage ADD successfully without drugs even though they can be helpful as a temporary intervention. They are powerful stimulants and absolutely have negative long term effects (Adderall is technically a combination of the D and L forms of amphetamine).

The key is to discover what diet, exercise, and lifestyle elements such as the type of work you do, amount of quality sleep, relationships, etc. allow you to be the best you. Seek out ways to support your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and you can absolutely make the positive aspects of "ADD" (creative lateral thinking, energy, open mindedness, etc.) work for you.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for When did your internal dialogue change from calling you a "Boy" to a "Man"?

2012-06-04T00:43:15Z

I think it's an interesting question because, at 29 and married, I am only now starting to consider myself a "man".

Perhaps it is because I have been self-sufficient for the better part of a decade, have been in a stable monogamous relationship for 8 years, and have been working in the same field (exercise/fitness/health) for my entire professional career.

Maybe it has to do with taking responsibility for my life and getting over hang-ups about being "cool" (I've decided that I prefer to be myself, a natural "dork").

My relationship with my parents is also completely different than it was when I was a "kid". I don't depend on them and don't expect them to provide for me. Without this pressure on the relationship, we can relate more like friends and peers which makes me feel "grown up."

Also, I discovered my first gray hair a few months ago, which pretty much sealed the deal.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Potatoes Vs. Fruit for Carb Intake??

2012-06-03T20:32:53Z

I'm not "anti-fruit" by any means, but I do think that a given quantity of fructose is more damaging metabolically than the same quantity of glucose.

From Medical News Today...

"If you feed fructose to animals they rapidly become obese, with all features of the metabolic syndrome, so there is this strong causal link," Johnson said, "And a high-fructose intake has been shown to induce certain features of the metabolic syndrome pretty rapidly in people."

(Read the full article HERE -> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/34669.php)

I'd also like to offer the following conjecture from an evolutionary perspective:

Fruit is a means by which plants entice animals to disperse their seeds. Therefore, the evolutionary pressure for the plant is to product the most enticing fruit possible that justifies it's resource investment. However, this does not imply any evolutionary pressure for the plant to produce a fruit that ensures the long-term survival of its animal "seed distributor". As long as the seeds are effectively propagated, it is immaterial to the plant whether this was done by one animal or several generations of animals.

Tubers, on the other hand, represent an underground energetic storage device that, for the plant, is better off never eaten. For this reason, they are typically located underground (out of sight out of mind) and possess compounds in their skin that dissuade predation by microbes, insects, etc. However, with the advent of cooking and other techniques (fermentation, pickling, etc.) humans have discovered ways to neutralize the toxic compounds present in many starchy tubers (for ex. solanine in potatoes). Heat also gelatinizes starch, making it more digestible and "open" for enzymatic action. Ultimately, this starch is metabolized into glucose which is the primary fuel source for mammalian cells. In glucose (as opposed to fructose) we would expect evolutionary pressure for tolerance as it is constantly present in the body.

That's my theory at least.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for How do you use dry rubs?

2012-06-03T18:25:35Z

I use dry rubs on meat that is either going to be slow cooked or smoked.

Generously coat the meat the night before, put it in the fridge, and the next day it is ready for the crock pot or the smoker.

The picture below is of a pork shoulder (I'm pulling out the shoulder blade prior to "pulling" the pork itself)...

(full recipe here)

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Why do Mark Sisson, Jack Kruse, etc. say you can eat as much as you want on Paleo?

2012-06-03T18:22:47Z

The problem with this reasoning (the "you can eat all you want on Paleo" meme) is that "Paleo" is supposed to bear some sort of resemblance (somewhere between "reenactment" and "reasonable analogs") to the evolutionary environment of adaptation (EEA).

In the EEA, food choices, food quality, and food quantity would have been determined by population specific food gathering/processing technology and whatever flora and fauna was suitable and abundant enough to support a standing population of humans.

While modern Hunter Gatherers (HGs) are typically able to procure enough calories to survive relatively well (above the "starvation" level), this is still in the context of regular periods of scarcity and larger cycles of drought, disease, etc. that can completely obliterate the productivity of an area as well as human populations.

It is hard to imagine that there is any EEA equivalent to supermarkets, places that allow highly engineered (through genetic modification or traditional agricultural practices) pre digested animals and plants to be had for a minimum of energetic expenditure.

Note: I was the one who actually conducted the Sisson interview cited in the original question so I have to take some personal responsibility in letting that assertion go unchallenged.

Answer by FED at LiveCaveman.com for Do you have a Blog?

2012-06-02T18:04:10Z

I think that a blog can be anything you want it to be. I started mine with the sole intention of writing down some of the things that had been floating around in my head and had no expectation that anyone was going to read it.

Fast forward a couple years and it has definitely grown beyond my expectations and it is now an extremely rewarding part of my life.

I think that it is a no-lose proposition because the initial investment is so low (free blogging platforms abound and the learning curve is not very steep at the outset) and you only have positives to gain from it.

Currently, I'm preparing to go back to school for a Master's degree and am looking forward to translating lessons from my formal education into blog posts. I do the same with books that I am reading and experiences that I have in my daily life.

Speaking and writing about something helps to structure your thought process and for that reason alone it is worth it.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-30T18:21:42Z

Lol, I can picture the official flag of the United States of Bacon so clearly!

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-29T22:51:29Z

If the potatoes were cooled after cooking, the percentage of resistant starch (indigestible starch granules that are fermented into fatty acids in the colon) could have factored into this... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-28T20:23:16Z

I don't get the confusion about coconut butter. Isn't it pretty standard to refer to ground up peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc. etc. etc. as "... butter"?

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-28T20:21:14Z

Oh man that's terrible! You've been throwing the coconut oil away?!? You're supposed to mix it back in! What I usually do is run the packet under some warm water to soften the solid part up and then knead it until it's mixed.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T01:10:05Z

I like the hemlock reference :) I'd throw in a few members of the datura family as well.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T01:07:23Z

You're still going to absorb some carotenoids as well as other phytochemicals (especially if you go for some multi-colored heirloom variety, which would also negate the GMO concern).

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T01:01:33Z

Also, a large ear of corn would provide only about 20% of it's carbohydrates in the form of sugar (~5gms) with another 20% as fiber and the remaining 60% as starch. nutritiondata.self.com/facts/…

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T01:01:14Z

While it is true that phytic acid in corn is not deactivated via soaking (traditionally in "lime"/calcium carbonate) the addition of minerals (calcium from the lime) has been shown to negate the net effect of impaired nutrient absorption from the food. (jn.nutrition.org/content/135/11/2578.abstract) In other words, as long as you are getting your minerals from somewhere, you don't have to worry about corn phytates.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T00:48:06Z

By the way, almonds, broccoli, and cows are neolithic too.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T00:47:04Z

Corn, sweet peas, and white rice are all relatively benign despite being on the Paleo no no list. There are plenty of paleo approved foods that contain higher levels of anti-nutrients and I would trust your gut...literally. If you feel good eating these foods there's no reason to stress out about having them on occasion.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T00:44:51Z

Carbohydrate intake is also closely related to insulin, leptin and ghrelin and a prolonged period of low-carbohydrate intake has a significant effect on these hormones. A low-carb diet may work by reducing circulating levels of leptin and insulin and thus resulting in "an improvement in CNS leptin and insulin signaling controlling for energy balance." (jn.nutrition.org/content/137/8/1944.long) At the same time, ghrelin concentrations increase along with subjective measures of hunger. Leptin (and exercise) stimulate skeletal muscle fat oxidation, suggesting benefit from CHO intake.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-18T00:21:08Z

@Bonefed, obese individuals generally do burn more calories than normal weight individuals, but this does not mean that their metabolism is faster. This is like saying that a semi-truck is faster than an SUV because it burns more fuel. With regards to fasting, the time frame is the key variable. The metabolic effects of a 12 hour fast are drastically different than that of 3 day or three week fast (more info here diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/50/1/…)

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-17T23:01:56Z

After it is blended (assuming you are using unsalted Kerrygold butter or some other such quality grass-fed product) it is very similar to putting heavy cream in your coffee. Which makes sense because that's basically what butter is.

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-17T23:00:34Z

I'm always surprised at how quickly my arms start to burn carrying my niece and nephew, so I think this is a brilliant example!

Comment by FED at LiveCaveman.com

2012-09-17T22:57:41Z

It's interesting that lots of tropical fruits (papaya and pineapple come to mind) seem to have digestion enhancing properties. I wonder what the evolutionary/ecological/biological reason is for that?