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Ok, here are the last three core principles of the Primal Blueprint, a lifestyle system that I highly recommend to patients to help reduce pain, increase lean body (muscle) mass, prevent injuries, and even reverse chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and back pain.  The last couple of posts covers this topic, so if you missed out, go back and check them out.  The consequences can literally be life-changing.

In a nutshell, our genetic profile is hard-coded to respond to environmental stimuli based on the conditions that existed millions of years before modern man.  Early man walked long distances at a brisk pace (hunting, foraging, looking for shelter) with occasional short bursts of all-out exertion (to run down prey and escape from predators); got plenty of rest, played, got lots of sunshine, and ate primarily animals and plants in their whole, unadulterated form (including the fat, cartilage and bones).  Man did not learn about agriculture until about 10,000 years ago (a fraction of the human species geological timeline).   There was no harvesting of wheat, stone grinding it and making bread and pasta; there was no harvesting of rice, oats, etc.  Therefore, our genetic make up is designed to metabolize fat and protein, primarily; and get extra vitamins and minerals from plant foods.

So, the Primal Blueprint basically discourages the conventional wisdom of long and grueling cardiovascular exercise (distance running) and consuming more than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day.  This includes excessive juice, sugary drinks, grain products, and even added fiber.

Today, the last three topics will be addressed:  Prescription drugs, footwear, and fitness goals.

Drugs.  Most people take prescription drugs to relieve pain, speed healing, and to prevent/cure disease.  They believe some drugs will enhance the quality of life, like Viagra.

The PB stance is that drugs mask the underlying causes of pain and disease; compromise homeostasis, and produce disastrous side effects.  Simple lifestyle changes can replace the vast majority of pills.  Drugs are good in cases of emergencies only.

Footwear.  Most people believe that sturdy, cushioned shoes minimize injury and improve comfort.

PB says to go barefoot as often as you can.  Perpetual use of shoes weaken feet, increase injury risk and increase pain throughout the lower extremities.  Shoes have the effect of blocking normal foot joint and muscle biomechanics during walking due to their constrictive nature.  When you walk barefoot over irregular surfaces, as primitive man did, it actually exercises the foot bones and makes the feet stronger and more responsive to varying loads; thus providing more support to the body and reducing the chance on knee, ankle, hip and lower back injury and pain.

Exercise Goals. Conventional wisdom says goals need to be specific and measurable.  It helps you stay motivated and focused.  “Consistency is key– missed workouts = guilt, weight gain, and lost fitness.”

PB de-emphasizes specific, results-oriented goals.  Stay motivated by focusing on fun and release attachment to outcome.  Consistency = overstress.  Vary exercise routine to minimize stress and improve your genes’ adaptive response.  “Missed” workouts actually drive recovery, improvement and freshness.

So that concludes the major pillar’s of the Primal Blueprint system for long term health and fitness.  Some of them may be hard to swallow due to longstanding beliefs perpetuated in the media and by most “health and fitness experts” including primary care physicians.  But if you are a person who feels that his/her health is not what is should be, and everything else you’ve tried has not failed, give the PB a try.  The results are felt almost immediately.

Dr. Perez

(415) 627-9077

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Primal Blueprint Guidelines Continued

by admin on August 1, 2010

Ok, here are the next three pillars of the Primal Blueprint, a diet/exercise/lifestyle “blueprint” designed to naturally drop excess pounds, increase health, strength, and endurance.  I’m writing about this system because I believe it can help a lot of people overcome chronic health problems, including difficulty losing weight.

Regarding weight loss, conventional wisdom (the media, most fitness magazines, most primary care physicians) will encourage a high complex-carbohydrate diet, regimented meals with portion controls, and frequent (chronic) cardio exercises.  They will say “it’s all about calories and genetic disposition.”

Primal Blueprint encourages high fat/moderate protein/low carb diet incorporating generous amounts of greens.  Intuitive, sporadic meals (not necessarily eating the same time of the day every day) are encouraged.  Engage in primal exercise methods (slow, sustained strength movements with intermittent bursts of maximum exertion, no more than 30-45 minutes in duration).  PB says it’s all about keeping blood insulin levels under control– low and definitely no spikes throughout the day.

Regarding play:  conventional wisdom and most people don’t value “play” as a necessary part of fitness, but PB says that outdoor, active, unstructured fun is an integral component of overall health and balanced lifestyle, and is scientifically proven to increase work activity.

Regarding sunlight exposure:  conventional wisdom says to avoid the sun to prevent skin cancer, and use high SPF sunblock when outdoors.  PB says get adequate sun to avoid skin (and other) cancers.  Vitamin D synthesis promotes healthy cellular function.  Cover up with clothing in strong sunlight and find shade or go inside when sufficient exposure is achieved.

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Whether you’re trying to lose weight, reduce joint pain, increase strength and endurance, or improve your mood and energy levels, I encourage you to investigate the Primal Blueprint method.  The reason why so many people develop chronic health problems is because they are living a lifestyle that is counter to what their genes are coded for.  The system encourages a return  to humans’ primitive dietary habits and physical behavior to foster a stronger and healthier body.

Next time, I’ll discuss the last three pillars of the Primal Blueprint — prescription drugs, footwear, and goal setting health and fitness goals.

Dan Perez DC

Chiropractor San Francisco

415.627.9077

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Primal Blueprint View on Cardio Exercise

by adminJuly 19, 2010 Nutrition

If you’ve missed the previous posts, I’m writing on the core concepts of the Primal Blueprint, a dietary, exercise and lifestyle plan to help maintain optimum health.  PB was conceived by Mark Sisson, an ex-super triathlete who got burned out by following the traditional dietary and exercise routines most people follow:  intense cardio workouts, carbohydrate-rich [...]

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Back Surgery Fails Too Often – New Report

by adminJune 8, 2010 Low back pain

This article on Yahoo News caught my eye today.  Americans are spending $86 billion a year for lower back pain treatment, but research finds little evidence that the population got better as spending soared over the last decade. There is an attitude that, with all the fancy, high tech gizmos like digital x-rays and robotic [...]

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Why Frequent Sitting is Bad For Health

by adminMay 1, 2010 Exercises

I ran across this very informative article today.  Everyone pretty much agrees and understands that prolonged sitting is bad for your back.  I’ve been educating patients about this from day one of my career as a chiropractor.  The body is designed to be upright most of the time, and frequently moving.  Sitting disengages the activity [...]

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More Primal Blueprint Wisdom

by adminApril 20, 2010 Nutrition

I’m writing a series of posts on The Primal Blueprint , a book written by Mark Sisson a fitness expert and health researcher.  Sisson believes that there are a set of behavioral patterns, reinforced through millions of years of evolution that will tend to favor optimal gene expression.  In other words, our genes are hard-coded [...]

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Is Saturated Animal Fat Good For You?

by adminApril 8, 2010 Nutrition

Today, we’ll talk about one of the oldest concerns regarding diet:  is animal fat really as bad as the media and medical establishment makes it out to be?  How many times in your life have you heard “avoid red meat?” This is the latest in a series about the Primal Blueprint, a book that I [...]

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Primal Blueprint vs. Conventional Wisdom

by adminApril 1, 2010 Nutrition

This is the latest in a series on the book the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. As a chiropractor interested in natural health and healing, the book intrigues me, and I want to share it with others as I feel it has some very important, potentially life-changing information contained in it.  Some people will be [...]

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Re-Thinking the Conventional Wisdom On Health

by adminMarch 29, 2010 Nutrition

I am reading a book called the The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. Some of you may already know him.  His blog, MarksDailyApple.com has a growing, enthusiastic following, including me. Mark Sisson is an ex-triathlete and marathon runner; basically an Olympic caliber elite athlete.  But now at age 53 he shuns this type of exercise [...]

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Weight Loss Programs and Nutritional Cleansing

by adminFebruary 25, 2010 Nutrition

If losing weight has been on your list of New Years resolutions for as long as you can remember, you can finally cross it off your list next year with the new and exciting products we are now offering at San Francisco Chiropractic. Carrying extra weight creates havoc to your health in several ways.  It’s [...]

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