While the boffins stuff around, we’ll continue on. Thanks….

Posted: July 26, 2012 in Blogs, Nutrition, Science articles, Uncategorized
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While the white coats lobby for the next block of big pharma or big food’s funding to prove their own hypothesis or to deliver the required result for the same & while many a Doc, dietitian or nutritionist continues to pull the ‘but I have a degree, the lawyer doesn’t’ line, we will continue to eat a diet based on ancestral and historical evidence, vastly different to the conventional wisdom, the …SAD, the recommended top-heavy whole grains (fortified of course) by eating animal protein that’s mostly grass-fed, not being scared of eggs, not being fat phobic, eating as much red, green, yellow & orange veg as we feel we need, eating some potato and rice, cooking in coconut oil, dressing salads in olive oil, eating fish even if some of it is farmed, avoiding industrial oils, avoiding the majority of dairy products available, totally avoiding processed foods high in refined carbohydrates, drinking when we are thirsty, exercising with intent. Some days short and hard while other days longer and more relaxed. We will even have a few days off every now and then.
We will continue to feel food isn’t a job. We will continue to not have cravings. We will see improved cholesterol profiles, omega 3-6 ratios, fasting glucose improvement meaning less hormonal stress & we will see our waistlines shrink, our muscle mass remain and we will sleep better after a day of being in a good, even mood without the mid-afternoon crash. Once the white coats sort it out come and see us at the coal-face. We’ll have been doing this for many a year before you finally deem it relevant. Probably because there is a dollar to be made and the full circle starts again…. #truth

So what can we eat? A common question…

Posted: June 3, 2012 in Uncategorized
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“So what can we eat?” Many of you who eat with a primal/paleo focus, having people around you, knowing you do things differently have probably been asked this question at some point. I have many times. My personal FB account, Primal Activity FB page & Twitter message boxes have questions as above and more a few times per week. It comes about from what I do in my fitness life. I have a professional presence within a large group fitness company and many get to see my mug on the occasional educational DVD so when I blurt out that the standard western diet is 1) not what we have evolved to eat 2) no good for health yet at times an assistant to fitness 3) is making us all sick, the questions start to trickle in:)

A couple of weeks ago I posted a somewhat general list of what to avoid when you decide to dip your toe in to a primal/paleo pool of better health. For this post I’m going to list what I eat in a basic order that I feel will make the most sense.

Let me say up front that as someone who is very active, who has a job based in & around the fitness industry and who is also a road cycling tragic, I do not force myself to eat. I eat when I’m hungry and my past couple of years eating this way has been the easiest two years when it comes to doing just that.

Meats: beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, kangaroo
bacon, sausages (gluten-free) speck, prosciutto, shaved ham, chorizo, jerky.

I look to purchase grass-fed and free-range protein where possible. At times it can be difficult though with many farmers markets popping up and savvy shop owners realising there is a growing demand, it’s getting easier.

Seafoods: salmon, tuna, calamari, perch, swordfish, barramundi. even the odd grilled flake from the local fish and chip shop

Im not a massive fan of seafood but I do enjoy what I like

Eggs: fried, scrambled, omelette, frittata, poached, boiled.

A stand alone food for me and at any time during the day.

Veg & Fruit: capsicum (peppers), lettuce, carrots, sweat potato, potato, avocado, tomato, pumpkin, onions, beets, zucchini, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, squash, chilies, green beans, garlic, bananas, apples, grapes, strawberries, celery, gherkins, mixed berries

Seasonal F & V are my focus. Top heavy with Veg and I generally only eat fruit when I’m in training mode.

Grains:  Rice

Generally if eating out. Smaller quantities than in years past. More from not wanting rather than consciously thinking of reducing. I don’t care if its white or brown, boiled, steamed fried or whatever.

Dairy: Hard cheeses though not often. Goats cheese. Full fat feta. Milk in tea and I do enjoy a glass of milk with real cocoa as a recovery drink post workout. The occasional heavy natural or Greek yogurt with berries and nuts.

I was a heavy consumer of dairy. Loved it. If i had to place a % on how much I’ve cut back I place it near 80%.

Fats and Oils: Cook in ghee, duck fat, pork fat, coconut oil, some butter, olive oil but no high heat. Avocado oil.

Not a vege oil in sight

Nuts: Non salted mixed nuts. Love brazil, walnuts, almonds, pecan, pistachios.

No peanuts or cashews

Cooking staples: Almond flour, desiccated coconut, baking soda, salt, pepper, spices (so many)

Chocolate: 85% or above is the only way to go.

Fluids: Water out of the tap, Sparkling water that comes out of the ground with bubbles:) San Pellegrino, Santa Vittoria, coffee, long black (maybe with a dash of cream or the occasional Mocha with real cocoa – no syrup)  Tea with a dash of dairy milk. Coconut milk and cream are now a must have.

So there you have it. This is pretty much what is on my shopping list. Its easy and the choice it provides is more than enough for this primal guy. At no time do I have “I miss” or “I wish” moments in regards to food. I eat this way 90% of the time and that allows me 1 in 10 meals to drift away slightly…. And I’m fine with that.

Luvyawork. Lee

Get on the Primal Activity facebook page…

Posted: May 24, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Hi peeps. The Primal Activity Facebook page has been growing at a rapid rate in only the last week or so. My want is to be somewhat of a portal for all things I see and feel are relevant to the primal/paleo/low carb way.

Primal Activity – have a look and hit the like button

Nutrition, Fitness, Science, Food recipes, Blog recommendations & reviews, Articles of interest, Books that make you go hmm and a heap of pictures from the best Bacon & eggs #Beggs to inspirational posters. I hope to wrap it all up with a good dose of opinion and I do hope you all find my Australian sense of humour and occasional Aussie slang easy to grasp:)

Luvyawork. Lee

nom nom paleo is yum yum paleo

Posted: May 24, 2012 in Blogs, Books, Recipes
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Slow Cooker Korean Grass Fed Short Ribs

Without doubt, nom nom paleo is one of the best paleo food blogs we have the pleasure of viewing, reading and dare I say drooling over. Michelle is nom nom paleo and there is such clarity of who she is, where she is from and what she offers. The blog is overflowing with passion and the quality of what is posted always has me stop what I am doing in order to read it even if it was meant to be a quick glance. The recipe index is an ever increasing, easy to navigate list of beautiful recipes and the picture quality only makes the “I want it now” hormone kick in:)
The asian influence in non non paleo’s food is unmistakable yet by no means limiting. I find it adds an edge to what we generally deem as the ‘norm’  within paleo dietary life.
A breath of fresh air it is!

Unmistakable branding gives instant recognition

To further enhance all that nom nom paleo is, the nom nom paleo app is just another excellent, recent addition. Easy to navigate and filled with goodness. Achievable goodness :)
The awards bestowed. The FB, Twitter and peoples praise already accumulated are just the start and I know that the moment I post this I will be ordering a Clean Your Plate t-shirt…..

Do yourself a big favour and take a look. Food for Paleo/primal foodies. http://nomnompaleo.com/
Luvyawork. Lee

Inspiration & Avoidance

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Nutrition, Uncategorized
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When this started for me I had an amazing, beautiful partner who I was crazy in love with. She had a developing interest in ancestral health and evolutionary medicine and after reading Gary Taubes, Good Calories-Bad Calories (The Diet Delusion here in Oz) She basically went quiet for about two weeks. She was also a medical student who was only a couple of years away from becoming a doctor. She is now just that. I would like to think my gentle nudge was if not the catalyst, at least a catalyst for her starting her own blog. It does ok in the primal/paleo world:) We are no longer together but I will pass thanks for the inspiration that had me start my own blog in private mode earlier this year.

As I started to become interested in what she began to talk about my natural curiosity had me asking questions. Some she would answer from the conventional wisdom handbook, almost by default (maybe the first 2 years of med school was sinking in). Others would start in one direction before another new realisation would change her thoughts and statements  midstream. Its was great to see her thinking and talking.

With my work within the fitness industry I had more than just an interest as a nosy boyfriend. My life as a quality club level cyclist, staff member of a national cycling team in years past and working as a fitness instructor, at an international level, with the Worlds largest provider of group fitness programs were all reasons I had to follow the carrot like a donkey in a medieval factory.

From our early conversations the thing that became obvious in my mind was that this ‘primal/paleo thingy’ was more about what not to eat rather than what we do put in our mouths.

This is what this post is about. What you should limit if not avoid. What NOT to eat!

Refined Sugars

Sugars come in so many forms and are generally processed if not highly so. Fruit is not frowned upon as the fiber content and delivery system is as nature intended. In saying that: if someone is heavily overweight, go easy on the fruit:) Seasonality is an issue in modern society with most fruits available 24/7 – 365

Me? I avoid processed foods as just about every bloody one of them has sugar in some form added. I do eat some fruit & look for it being in season.

Starchy Tubers

Many different takes on this one. White potato seems to be a no-no where the sweet potato is smiled upon in limited amounts. Yams and Cassava are to be avoided and beets get thrown in there too. As with fruit, if weight loss is a goal, too many tubers may be a limiter to that endeavor.

Me? I enjoy sweet potato or when in New Zealand Kumara. Much less white potato than I previously did. Cooked baby beets occasionally find their way into the odd salad.

Grains

Wheat, Barley, Oats, Millet, Rice, Buckwheat, Quinoa and just about any other grain you can think of.

Me? I have a small amount of rice if I choose to eat out with a Thai, Japanese or Chinese meal though in much smaller quantities than in times past.

Dairy Products

milk, butter, cream, cheese,yogurt, ice cream.

Me? A dash of milk in tea though rarely. I used to cook in butter but have stopped and now use coconut oil, ghee, duck fat. Occasional cream in coffee if at a cafe. No more yogurt and the rare hard cheese.

Some Meats

Processed meats or sausages with flour and additives are the main ones to avoid. Meat is about knowing the source and the method used. Some go as far as non-farmed fish.

Me? I do enjoy a quality gluten-free sausage and I look for grass-fed meats (Beef, Lamb, Pork, Kangaroo here in Australia) Quality bacon only. I also enjoy a variety of seafood.

Oils

Sunflower, Canola, Corn, Peanut, Soybean, Rice bran. Pretty much all seed based oils and for some, still to be explained name: “vegetable oils”.. All highly processed oils.

Me? I do not go near any of them. Bad oil. Bad fats. Stay away!

Salt

Not a big deal from what you see and read around. Nutritional dogma still influences a reaction to salt. Think about the added salt and note that with a paleo/primal diet, the “salt to taste” will, from my experience, require less of it.

Legumes

Peanuts, Beans, Peas

Me? I do not eat peanuts and I have never enjoyed peas but I do still enjoy freshly cooked beans though again in smaller quantities than previously eaten.

Other stuff

Not much here outside of vinegar though the stance on this is varied.

Me? Love a splash of Balsamic on a seasonal salad.

So there you have it. I will do a post soon with whats left in the basket:) Believe me it is plenty!

Feel free to ask questions or leave a comment.

Luvyawork and Thanks Anastasia.

Food is as food was.

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Books, Recipes
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http://beta.primal-palate.com/

This is a great place to start. Seriously!  Bill & Hayley have done the hard work for you. There are some little issues with certain ingredients depending on what part of the world you live in (I’m in Australia) though as your knowledge grows so does your ability to source alternatives that don’t compromise the benefits of what you are cooking, making, eating and enjoying.

What I constantly enjoy is the process of finding the new and creating food that looks real, smells like food and tastes fantastic. And the kids will love it. Instinctively!

These two and this book was the start for me. Maybe it could be your start too.

Its an Oxymoron….

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Nutrition, Science articles
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Conventional Wisdom. hmm. Thrown around within the nutritional world like goo-goo gah-gah at a baby day care. Lets simply have a look at the meaning of these two words and see what comes out in the wash….

Conventional

con·ven·tion·al
(kn-vnsh-nl)

adj.

1. Based on or in accordance with general agreement, use, or practice; customary: conventional symbols; a conventional form of address.
2. Conforming to established practice or accepted standards; traditional: a conventional church wedding.
3.

a. Devoted to or bound by conventions to the point of artificiality; ceremonious.
b. Unimaginative; conformist: longed to escape from their conventional, bourgeois lives.
4. Represented, as in a work of art, in simplified or abstract form.
5. Law Based on consent or agreement; contractual.
6. Of, relating to, or resembling an assembly.
7. Using means other than nuclear weapons or energy: conventional warfare; conventional power
Ok….. General agreement, accepted standards, established practice, traditional, conformist or my personal favourite: Unimaginative
Wisdom
wis·dom
(wzdm)
n.

1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
2. Common sense; good judgment: “It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things” (Henry David Thoreau).
3.

a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: “In those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations” (Maya Angelou).
b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages.
4. A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.
5. Wisdom Bible Wisdom of Solomon.
Alright so words like: insight, common sense, knowledge, plan, course of action.
Looking at the last 50 + years of dietary advice, I wonder how these two words can ever be attributed to any of it. From the Cholesterol hypothesis, the writing of the dietary guidelines in the 1970′s post the McGovern report, the western world swallowing the lack of science, the cherry picked data and even the outright manipulated studies creating a dogma that has its roots growing deeply in the rotting earth of big pharma, big factory food and big governments.
Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s,……..metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, asthma……..Vit D deficiency, CVD. Increases in these and more have risen at an alarming rate over the corresponding time.
The absolute fact that the prescribing and dispensing of medications are at the forefront of addressing these issues instead of looking at diet is in the eyes and minds of many people, gobsmackingly stupid! The health systems of the world do not look to develop wellness, they simply treat sickness.
Words like ‘traditional’ or ‘established practice’ matched with ‘common sense’ or ‘teaching of ancient sages’ have no belonging being set against modern nutritional advice. 50, 60, 70, 100 years is not history. 50, 60, 70 thousand years is.
We need to look back, way back in order to realise where we must move towards because we are lost in the woods, in the forest, the desert and most definitely lost in the cities.
Thankfully there are people starting to voice their opinions. Thankfully there are professionals within the medical establishment starting to stand up and make some noise. Rightfully there is a body of evidence being built, a base being established that will at some point become unavoidable to overlook.
As individuals we can only do what we can do. Start personally then nudge family and friends. Seeing health improvements in you and yours should be the priority. That doesn’t mean we can’t support the advocates out there and make a bit of noise ourselves in a measured way.
As is noted above: “It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things” (Henry David Thoreau).