More Primal Blueprint Wisdom

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 for survival, and will do everything to ensure survival (even for those who carry gene markers for disease) unless the individual engages in behavior that is profoundly different from these behavioral patterns (dietary, physical and other lifestyle behaviors).

And judging from the name of his book, you can probably guess that these “behavioral patterns” are those which were established through thousands of generations of modern man’s primitive ancestors.  So the premise is that we should adapt the basic fundamentals of behavior of early man since these behaviors shaped modern man’s genetic code.

Today, we’ll compare conventional wisdom (CW) vs. Primal Blueprint on popular dietary topics.

Cholesterol: 
CW says to strictly limit intake.  Elevated cholesterol levels cause heart disease.  Take statin drugs (Lipitor, etc.) and eliminate animal foods (especially eggs) if your total cholesterol is over 200.  Consider taking statin drugs pre-emptively if you have a family history of high cholesterol

Primal Blueprint – Cholesterol is an essential metabolic nutrient that has little to no relevance to heart disease.  It’s only dangerous when oxidation and inflammation occur from poor diet and exercise habits.  Statins can have disastrous side effects and minimal if any direct benefit.

Eggs:
CW – Minimize egg consumption due to high cholesterol; choose just egg whites as a high protein alternative.
PB – Zero correlation with heart disease or cholesterol levels.  Egg yolk extremely nutritious, whites minimally so.  Enjoy in abundance.

Fiber:
CW – Important dietary goal, derive mostly from grains.  Improves gastrointestinal function, lowers cholesterol, speeds elimination, helps control weight by minimizing caloric intake.
PB – Incidental fiber from vegetables and fruit is optimum.  Excess fiber from a grain based diet contributes to nutrient deficiency by interfering with nutrient absorption.

Meal Habits:
CW – Three squares or six small meals daily.  Skipped meals cause slowed metabolism, lower energy levels, sugar cravings and future binging risk.
PB – Eating frequency is a personal preference, but it’s all about insulin.  Control insulin production/levels and even sporadic eating habits will sustain energy without regular meals.  Fasting is a great catalyst for weight loss.

So there you have it.  Living “primal” requires us to abandon strongly held beliefs reinforced by the pillars of health “wisdom” — drug companies, agribusiness, AMA, FDA, and Madison Avenue marketing.

So check out The Primal Blueprint for an eye-opening challenge to the status quo on health.

Next, we’ll discuss the remaining behavioral patterns that have a strong impact on health:  Exercise and weight loss practices.

Dan Perez, DC
(415) 627-9077

Tagged as: diet, Nutrition, primal blueprint