Paleo Quick Tip of the Daqy #15- Chill out with Magnesium, and become a Paleo Sunshine Vitamin D Superman!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #15- Chill out with Magnesium, and become a Paleo Sunshine Vitamin D Superman!

PQTD #15  Chill out with Magnesium, and become a Paleo Vitamin D Sunshine Superman!


I’m sure you can tell, just by hearing the above, that Vitamin D, the “sunshine Vitamin”, since that is how we naturally synthesize it, is not only necessary for health, it is is critical!!  But magnesium, the mineral, is just as critical, and works in synergy with Vitamin D to our benefit.

Everyone in the modern world is indoctrinated with the belief that, yes- calcium is needed for bone health!  But, if you are eating a paleo type of diet, such as is recommended in Paleo Quick Tip of the Day, with a big green Paleo smoothie or two per day, full of raw leafy whole greens, and also consume a big salad most days, along with Greek yogurt and kefir in your smoothie- you have plenty of calcium!

You also have some magnesium, but even you, Paleo person, are probably short of magnesium.

The reason is that, nowadays, our soil is so depleted of nutrients through chemical fertilizer bases over-farming, that most of the magnesium that used to be in our soils is...GONE!

Now when little PaleoJay was growing up, 60 years ago, our soil was still chock full of the very necessary nutrient... but NOT NOW.  Just as we have introduced the perverse fluoride poison into our water, we have eliminated most of our sources of magnesium- and, ironically, fluoride binds with magnesium, and drains it from our bodies!!
Talk about a double insult!

What to do?

Continue with all the steps you’ve taken thus far, like eating a real, God made food, veggie rich, Paleo Smoothie per day whipped up in your Vitamix blender...sleep well, 8 hours per night... exercise as outlined in previous Paleo Quick Tips of the Day...

AND supplement with Vitamin D3 and Magnesium!

I am not one who would be big into supplements- but these TWO are critical!

Unless you spend at least 15 minutes per day in a bathing suit, at high noon, outside in the sunshine- get some Vitamin D Liquid!    A couple of drops per day, in your smoothie or right on your tongue will do it- it’s cheap, tasteless, and very, very effective!

I like Liquid Vitamin D3 by Seeking Health, 2000 IU per drop!  On Amazon, and very economical indeed!

And you also need Magnesium- the product Natural Calm, also on Amazon, is amazing, inexpensive, and easily available on... Amazon!  Also from many other vendors...  And Magnesium Oil, available from Ancient Minerals, also on Amazon, is another easy way to supplement- just spray the liquid onto your skin, after your shower- it soaks right in, and loads you up with magnesium, easily.




But just why do you need these two incredible supplements?  Well, if you have high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, depression, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis- the list goes on and on- you are probably magnesium and/or Vitamin D deficient.  They work together, eliminating, in many cases, migraine headaches, and diabetes...  and also, especially in the case of Vitamin D- CANCER.

It has recently been released that darker skinned peoples, especially, in the Northern hemisphere are MUCH more, at least 30% more likely to die of ALL types of cancer that fairer skinned individuals- specifically because they produce less Vitamin D from their skin.  But lighter skinned people are at nearly as much risk, because we have all become so sun averse- we are all afraid of skin cancer!


Ironically, however, Vitamin D, usually derived from the sun itself, is the most protective vitamin, along with magnesium to prevent skin cancer!!

I know, this is quite a truth bomb to absorb- but, if you get out in the sun, eat lots of green veggies, and supplement even MORE with Vitamin D and Magnesium-

YOU WILL BE WAY, WAY HEALTHIER!

As usual, it seems, conventional medical advice is ...WRONG!

Check out this episode!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #12 Intermittent Fasting

By now, on your 12th week into this Paleo thing, you are probably startling both yourself, and your friends and family!  That is quite often the case- but remember, this is a lifestyle change, not a DIET, per se, that you do for a while, and then just…stop!  Not at all- this is a gradual transformation, going back to and ancestral way of eating and living; a sustainable way of living, eating, moving, and relating to both ourselves and others that will not only transform your body, but also your mind and spirit- resulting in the best possible YOU!!

That is no exaggeration or hyperbole, either- just fact!  So, let’s get onto our next addition to healthy Paleo living- IF- short for intermittent fasting!

I know, it doesn’t sound new or exciting- FASTING! ?  Not eating?  Yuck…

But all I am really suggesting is to compress, or shorten your eating window!  Instead of eating all day long, and then getting up and starting right away to EAT again- I way try- putting a break in it, making your fasts a little longer.   Why?

Because when you stop eating, you give your body a break- digesting foods is a major, intensive effort for the body.  If you give it a break of a few hours even, it can go into “cleanup mode”, or autophagy.    In this mode, your body can start to get rid of junk, like pre-cancerous cells, or bacteria, viruses, and “damaged”cells, that without autophagy ever happening tend to clog up and inhibit the functions of the vital, real cells in the body.  Think of it as the Drano of the body…

But, of course, it is much more than that!  Now that you have become a Fat Burner (more on that next podcast) your body has stopped just being a Sugar Burner, and can use body fat efficiently as fuel.  This is liberating, since now you don’t even really NEED regular meals to feel, and function, optimally!  So, when you IF or Intermittently Fast, your body can simultaneously burn fat, and given the proper stimulus from your Virtual Resistance Exercises and pushups at this point, build muscle at the same time!  Quite a deal!

As usual, I have a somewhat different take than most Paleolithic Gurus, (sorry about that P.G.’S), but my idea is this: instead of skipping breakfast, and then eating two meals, one at about 1PM and the next at 6 or so…

Skip Supper!

Especially for working people, people who don’t arise at around 9 or so, meditate, and then research about their next blog or podcast until 11 at their standing desk, then make some plans about their next photo-shoot before finally eating…  NO!

For the real world, SKIP SUPPER!  Get up early- real early- I get up at 4:30 most working days.  Make some coffee if you’d like, I like mine in the Aerobie Press, with coconut oil in it, while I am also making my Green Paleo Smoothie… and then exercise in your living room or wherever you like to do Virtual Resistance exercises, which is the ultimate Perfectly Paleo Exercise, and finish off with some calisthenics and stretching.  All this is made completely painless and FUN by doing it in front of the TV, especially now that streaming Netflix is available…

Next, shower and dress- you will be feeling great,  and probably ravenous as well- this is good!    Make a giant, paleo type of breakfast of eggs, meat, more coffee laced with coconut oil (call it Paleo Coffee!), and a Big glass of Paleo Green Smoothie!

Trust me, you will feel energized, relaxed, and ready to meet a day of work!  Especially because- the real, hard, physical part of your day is already over!!

Everything else, even if you have a physical type of job as I do…

 Will just seem easy, almost like coasting… especially since you don’t even have to plan, make, or clean up after supper!

Make sure you also have packed a big, giant salad, topped with meat or seafood for your lunch, along with a canister (I use a canning jar) in your lunchbox!  Throw in some almonds, or cashews, and maybe a tin of sardines…  Make sure you’re plenty full of wonderful, nutrient dense paleo-types of food!

Then, come home, interact with family and neighbors, play guitar on the porch like Andy Griffith in Mayberry, work in your garden, call Aunt Bee on the phone, hike around the yard, cut wood, have FUN!


LORDY- YOU ARE INTERMITTANT FASTING!!

Burning fat, building muscle, destroying cancer cells and more-

All just by not eating for a few hours!!

Whee Doggies!

And if, on a Sunday or day off you want to do IF the “regular”, Paleo-approved way… just skip breakfast!  Eat after church!!

But on a normal, working man’s day, just…

Skip supper!!

J

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #11- Add Good Foods First!

Let’s say you’ve followed along for the first 10 episodes of Paleo Quick Tip of the Day… you have cleaned up your diet, added in quality sleep, eliminated the junk, started meditating a bit each day, added in some quality visualized resistance exercise and pushups in the morning, and started into walking and hiking more- Wow!  I’ll bet you feel great by now, and your friends and workmates wonder what happened to you!  Your skin is probably clear and glowing, you have lost some fat weight already, and you just feel fantastic-perhaps others are asking you advice.  

Well, one thing you can do is to tell them to order the new book by Terry Wahls called the Wahls Protocol!  Dr. Wahls had Multiple Sclerosis, and totally reversed it by adhering to a diet and lifestyle just like what I am recommending to you weekly here at Paleo Quick Tip of the Day and at www.paleojay.com  at the PaleoJay’s Smoothie Cafe.  She goes even farther than most, though, and has recommendations for fighting and reversing autoimmune disease- things like MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and psoriasis, among many others.  She goes into detail on how to attain ketosis, a state that can be a miracle worker in fighting these ailments, as well as cancer and epilepsy… we’re not just talking your average person’s fight with a few extra pounds, and brain fog and fatigue here!  

Today, though, what I want to talk about is the advice that you can give others about “going Paleo”!  First, of course, mention this podcast, and www.paleojay.com  (natch!)  Then, substitute my original podcast’s advice, which was “Grains are Enemy #1”, with this podcast title- “Add Good Foods First!”  

Thanks to Dr. Wahls, I realize now that this is the proper beginning- just add in quality, nutrient dense foods as a first step.  

Start in by eating 9 cups of non-starchy vegetables and berries each day!!

Just by following this one step of packing your diet with the most healthful, nutrient dense foods on the planet, you will:

1. ADD IN more nutrients that everyone is sadly lacking, making the body incredibly more healthy and vital right off the bat!

2. CROWD OUT much, if not most, of the bad foods (like grains!) that are making you sick, fat, and unhealthy!!

And so, I am officially revising my podcast, to start with #11 first- Add Good Foods First!  

It’s kind of a genius idea, since it makes all the other parts, like cutting grains, soy, and junk foods, fast food and sugar so much more easy!  

And, if it seems hard to imaging eating 9 cups of veggies and berries each day…

Consider drinking them!  (See podcast #4- The Green Smoothie)  Go to www.paleojay.com for more information, including my ebooks Paleo Quick Start and  Perfectly Paleo Exercise,  along with a link to order a Vitamix blender to make your smoothie with free shipping…

In fact, if I were to make one, single recommendation, it would be to have a-

Daily, Green, PALEO SMOOTHIE EACH AND EVERY DAY!  

Just by that one step, over 1/2 of the battle has been won- that is how powerful it is, and it is

WHY I PUSH IT SO!!  

I am so glad that Dr. Wahls is on my side!  I think she loves green smoothies as much as I do!!

But, I add in even MORE nutrient density… because, although I am not an M.D., I am…

                                                        PALEOJAY!

Check out this episode!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #10- Sitting is the New Smoking!

We’ve talked for nine weeks about how to integrate the Paleo lifestyle into our lives…  

 

From eliminating grains, especially wheat in the first week, and then going to improving, sleep, adding in visualized resistance exercise, making and drinking a daily Paleo Green smoothie, and eliminating junk foods like soda pop, candy, cookies, and cake.  Then, we recommended getting a local source for our meats that is grass fed and pastured to replace the corn fed Confined Animal Feeding Operation meat that is standard in the grocery…

 

And then, we integrated a session of meditation into our daily routine, along with potato starch in our daily smoothie!  Last week, the healthy addition was pushups to our exercise sessions, and popcorn with healthy pastured butter and sea salt to our snack mix.  If you have kept up with all of this, I am certain that you have started noticing very positive changes to your body!  

 

Most folks will have lost fat weight, and actually gained muscle, resulting in not only a healthier body, but one that is more pleasing and symmetrical , with a reduced pants size and a smaller waist and butt…One thing that happens every time is a much leaner face- if you have some photos of yourself from 10 weeks ago or more, just look back- in this day of digital photos and iPhones, almost everyone has tons of photos on their computer!  Check out some of your old “selfies”, and compare to your present photo- you will be surprised at the difference!   It’s kind of like a natural facelift- it can be quite startling!  

 

And it doesn’t take long at all to take place, living this lifestyle!  

 

It seems to be an indicator of all of the healthy changes that are taking place within your body, but this one shows on the outside for all to see!  A healthy glow, and much healthier skin overall is another result that you should see about now.  This should give you the impetus to do even more- like to walk instead of run, and stand instead of sit!

 

If you are one that worked out most days, and then went home and sat, and went to work and sat, and then drove to and from and sat, and drove to accounts sitting… this is, in my opinion, on par with smoking cigarettes!  Even if you work out hard for an hour a day or more!!  

 

To move, to stand, to fidget even- we humans were designed to move, not sit!  That’s what humans do- move, daily, pretty much all day long!  Not run, not lift weights, but simply… move, slowly and pleasantly, most of our day.

 

So, after you do your morning visualized resistance exercise, which in itself qualifies perfectly as gentle movement- resolve to continue this throughout the day!  Park far from the office, or the store and walk there… take the stairs if you can!  Walk around your yard, or the park.  Hike through the hills on the weekend or in the evenings.  If you watch television, do some visualized resistance exercise, or stand up and do some self resisted curls; do a deep squat and sit like that- the Asian Squat- and build your flexibility and health by sitting without a chair, as humans did for centuries!  

 

Walking, and just plain movement is one of the major predictors of longevity and health, it turns out… it’s not how fast you can run, or how much you can lift…  it is simply how often, and how constantly, you actually MOVE!

 

Life IS movement!  When the body stops moving, the body starts to… shut down!  And so, this week of #10, your mantra is to keep moving-

 

Not hard- Not necessarily fast- But MOVE-

 

Your health depends on it!!  

 

If you really want to move on this, consider listening to my more in depth sister podcast, PaleoJay’s Smoothie Cafe, at www.paleojay.com and on iTunes and Stitcher- and if you really want to dig in and transform your life, as fast and efficiently as possible, go to www.paleojay.com, and click on the top banner for Robb Wolfe’s Paleo Transformation!  Robb has the whole enchilada all wrapped up for you to use, in one simple package!  

 

But, if you are content with the step-by-step, Paleo Quick Tip of the Day way with PaleoJay- stay tuned!  We are on our way… Back- to the future of health and fitness!

 

Check out this episode!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #9- Pushups and Popcorn!

Pushups and Popcorn!

 

Yes, that’s what I want you to do this week in your Paleo Quick Tip of the Week!  What could be easier?

 

Sometimes, I ask you to eliminate  something your really, really like, that is damaging your health in a big way- like WHEAT!  

 

  Let’s just hope that you’ve done that- it is MORE important, to your health, than giving up cigarette smoking,  believe it or not…  so DO IT- GIVE UP WHEAT- no bread, pasta, sandwiches, crackers, cookies, or donuts!!

 

Sorry…  But that is definitely priority #1!

 

I really hope you’ve added in Visualized Resistance Exercise, since it is so revitalizing, and such a great form of muscle building and rehabilitation!  And now, in addition to that, I want you, PLEASE- to add in: Pushups!  

If you can’t do a pushup in the regular fashion- put your knees on the floor, and do them that way- the benefits are the same!!

 

I know, it sounds like high school gym class…  at least in my day!

 

But truly, after doing your Visualized Resistance Exercise training, each day in front of the TV, the addition of pushups is a wonderful addition, and a natural progression.  

 

I like to use the Perfect Pushup device, as advertised widely, to do my pushups, as it rotates as you push, eliminating trauma to the shoulders, elbows, and wrists.  But, you could just do plain pushups, with your hands on the floor…  go as low as you can, and do- say, 10 reps.  Then, rest a bit, look at the television, and do another set of pushups, with a wide grip- wider than shoulder width,  which should have been your first set’s width.  

 

Rest again, and do a set with your hands set about 6 inches apart (narrow grip).

 

That is one cycle!  Rinse, and repeat!  Sit on the floor for a bit, recover, and then do another Tri-set- Shoulder width grip pushups, wide grip, and then narrow…

 

Pause… and repeat.

 

You can do this for as long as you like!  It’s better with a Perfect Pushup handle; but it’s fine without… don’t go to failure- do sets and leave a little in the tank- if you can do 15 and collapse- well, then do 10 reps!  Pause, and repeat- make it fun!

 

Go with the “rhythm” of the movie you are watching- it will energize you and keep you going- you are in your living room, right?  Netflix makes these workouts oh so enjoyable!!

 

After a few, or more than a few cycles of these pushup sets, you will be sated…

 

If you feel the need to, you can always add another round or two of Visualized Resistance Exercise cycles- they feel really GOOD after a set or more of pushups- you can feel the muscle better, and get into it in a really positive way.  This pushup cycling of your workout should only be done once, or at most TWICE per week!  Repeated enough, with enough sets, you can be accomplishing a LOT of pushups- I usually wind up with a few hundred repetitions, and that is plenty!  BUT, it is VERY SATISFYING, especially as I am simultaneously watching a fun movie or TV show in the early AM, which is when I do this, so I can be totally uninterrupted!  

 

And now, after you have had a wonderful morning of Perfectly Paleo, natural exercise, with no compromise to your joints and tendons- you can look forward to:

 

POPCORN!

 

Yes, I know you’ve heard TONS of stories about how corn is horrible; wheat’s evil twin and all, but I’m here to tell you that:  

 

IF you get NON-GMO popcorn (check out the Amish popcorns!), and, 

IF you want to make it fast and easy…

 

Fast and Easy Popcorn:  

 

Take a brown paper bag- lunch bags are ideal.

Put in 1/4 cup popcorn.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes!

 

While the microwave is microwaving, heat up some pastured, grass fed butter on the stove to liquify it- Kerrygold butter is wonderful, as is Organic Valley from my wonderful state of Wisconsin- very nutritious, is butter, as long as the cows that produced it were pastured, and ate GRASS, and not CORN!!

 

At the end of 2 minutes, put the butter on the popped corn, take your SEA SALT, which I haven’t mentioned yet- so, let me mention it: ALWAYS use real sea salt, not fake chemical salt that is ubiquitous in these perilous times of modernity.

 

Get Himalayan Sea Salt for a wonderful taste experience- sea salt is the GOLD STANDARD of salts!!  Accept no substitutes!

 

So- you have done multiple sets of pushups, and Visualized Resistance Exercise!  You should be feeling really good about that, and about yourself- you are improving your physique and health in a big way!  (Especially if you have given up WHEAT!)

 

Now, this evening, reward yourself- HAVE SOME POPCORN, topped with wondrous grass fed butter, loaded with vitamin K-2, healthy fats, and loads of vitamin D-  

 

 GO AHEAD AND WATCH TV, AGAIN, 

along with some popcorn, which is basically a wonderful vehicle for 

BUTTER and Sea Salt!

 

 

You must be feeling really good- you have had a wonderful, satisfying: 

 

PERFECTLY PALEO DAY!  

 

Wait until next week- we’ll add in even more, to make you feel even better- 

 

 

I PROMISE!

 

J

Check out this episode!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #6- Get Your Food Locally!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #6- Get Your Food Locally!

 www.paleojayquicktipoftheday.blogspot.com

I don’t mean just from a local store- I mean locally raised! I am talking meat here, primarily, since not only is meat, and the fat on that meat a major source of toxins in the Standard American Diet, it is also key to supplying our bodies with the nutrients and other “building blocks” that are so crucial to maintaining and rebuilding our health!

Grass fed beef is a wonderful source of everything your body needs, with nothing of the hormones and antibiotics that are laced throughout conventional, CAFO or confined animal feeding operations beef. We want to consume healthy animals, that have been fed as God and Nature intended these animals to eat. Not only for the improved nutrition and non-toxic food that they provide; but also for obviously moral and ethical reasons. They go together! By eating abused, unhealthy animals, we are also abusing our own bodies and making them unhealthy.

And I’m not just talking about beef here, although grass fed beef is as healthy as wild caught salmon! It’s loaded with the Omega 3 fats that are so crucial to our health- those same fats that are virtually nonexistent in corn fed, sick and diseased animals. But pastured pork, free range chickens that are allowed their natural lives to play out eating what God intended them to eat, are very healthy animals that will make you very healthy in your turn! What goes around, comes around...

Chickens are not vegetarians, neither are pigs; and, for that matter- neither are we! This isn’t just my opinion- we have teeth designed for tearing meat, and a shorter digestive tract similar to other carnivores... We are also omnivores, and can eat a wide variety of foods, of which meat is a staple to every culture, ever studied or discovered, in the history of the world. No exceptions.

And so, how do you go about getting this wonderful, God made food, natural pastured meat and locally raised veggies and dairy into your paleo life? www.Farmmatch.com is a site where you can check out local farmers and ranchers that provide excellent, humanely raised meat within their area. I use St. Brigid’s Meadows, and wonderful small operation that delivers in my own local area of La Crosse, Wisconsin. But, if you don’t live here, you can use farmmatch.com to find local farmers in your neck of the woods!

There is also the option of US Wellness Meats, which is the homesite of... US Wellness Meats. I have heard good things about them- the only thing is, to make it worthwhile and affordable you do have to order quite a bit at a time! No problem if you have a freezer, though.

The local option is the best, and the most sustainable long term. Also, it is the most satisfying, since you interact with, and can view personally the treatment and conditions of the animals that this farmer provides for you! We are stewards of these animals, each and every one of us, and it behooves us to get back into the loop, since industrialization of our food system is not only poisoning our bodies, it is poisoning our very souls. We all need to vote with our food buying dollars for local, humane, sustainable farming and ranching!

www.paleojay.com

Check out this episode!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #5- Just eliminate the JUNK- (and have some dark chocolate, every day!)

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #5  Now, just eliminate the JUNK!

This week, let’s focus on eliminating all of the junk you have been eating and drinking, and really dial in our burgeoning Paleolithic Health!  And let’s start with a really pernicious and horrible habit- soda pop, especially DIET soda!

I know, I told you to give up wheat, soy, and most grains the first week, but remember- in week number #2, the second Paleo Quick Tips podcast I added in a good night’s sleep!  Then, in number 3 I added in some simple, rejuvenative exercise for your enjoyment, and in #4 we added in a wonderful, filling, super-nutritious Paleo Green smoothie!  So, I don’t always want to “take away” things...

But, if you want to avoid some nasty problems in your health and fitness, there are some things you MUST eliminate!  And my number one HATE in this category is SODA POP!  Coke, Mt. Dew, Pepsi, even my once-beloved root beer- they all have to go!  ESPCIALLY the DIET versions!!  Why diet pop especially?

Partly, it’s because most people feel they are harmless- no sugar, so no calories, right?  Utterly benign... NOPE!  Those chemical, fake sweeteners are insidious, and have really bad side effects, like:

Kidney damage
weight, read FAT gain, particularly BELLY FAT!
rotting teeth

Another problem is that it displaces really healthy beverages, like water, green or white tea, and especially a wonderful green paleo smoothie!  It pains me to see folks drinking pop in the mornings, along with a candy bar or pastry- if there was a better prescription for feeling horrible an hour or two later, and setting yourself up for an unpleasant day, I don’t know one.  Just the dental problems caused by such a combination are awful...

And as for sugar, or high fructose corn syrup sweetened colas and sodas- they are just as bad, but in different ways!  High fructose corn syrup is linked to diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, which is the precurser to all modern, degenerative illness.  In addition, sugar is the fertilizer of cancer. It has been shown in recent studies that by going on a ketogenic diet, which is a diet without ANY sugar or carbohydrates, that cancer cells in patients are actually starved!  Also, many autoimmune diseases are also reversed by using a ketogenic diet...

SO- your task for this week, now that you are grain free (remember grains turn to sugar right in your mouth anyway!), well rested by sleeping at least 8 hours per night, exercised each morning by your 15-20 minutes of Perfectly Paleo exercise of visualized resistance in front of the television, and then fueled for maximum nutrition by way of your Green, Paleo Smoothie- IS TO JUST CUT THE JUNK!

Really do it!  It should be easy, now that you are feeling so great from the other steps you’ve already implemented.  When you are thirsty, fine- DRINK!  But drink...water, or green tea, or green smoothie you have handy from the morning- NO POP!

And, it goes without saying (I hope!) that this means other forms of sweeteners need to go as well- candy bars, chips (yes, they are just as guilty of becoming sugar right in your mouth as any other grains!), hard candy- you get the gist!

But, as another addition that you are going to love-

HAVE SOME DARK CHOCOLATE, EVERY DAY!!

Yup, I really mean it.

Dark chocolate, I mean at least 70% dark, is loaded with antioxidants, just like your paleo smoothie!  It helps slow aging, and prevent cancer!! It is loaded with vitamins and minerals, like potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron, and also has theobromine, which actually hardens tooth enamel!  Dark chocolate lowers blood sugar, and causes your brain to release endorphins to make you feel happier, just like exercise does.
AND, it helps to increase insulin sensitivity, to keep you naturally thin, and non-diabetic!!

Oh, and did I mention, it really tastes great, too?

So, when everyone around you is eating candy, and drinking soda, nibble on your dark chocolate and sip your smoothie, and smile slyly- You’re not only getting healthy, but you’re having something  really tasty- much better than what they have!!

J

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #3- Add some Exercise to your Paleo Transformation!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day podcast #3

Visualized Resistance by Steve Reeves!

Week #3- Add in some exercise to your Paleo Mix!

So far, the first week of your Paleo transformation started with you eliminating Grains, aka as Poison Food #1.  If you have kept off of grains, especially wheat, for these first two weeks, you are doing great!  You probably had some cravings, and know what it is like to be addicted to drugs during the first week, but you should be feeling better than ever now, and starting to notice positive changes in both physical and mental enhanced functioning.  You may have already lost some fat poundage, and maybe some nagging problems with your skin, hair and digestion are not really noticeable anymore- when they go away, we usually don’t even think about it at first...

If you have also really concentrated on getting ample SLEEP this past week as well, then I assume you are starting to feel really great on a regular basis- that’s how fast this stuff works- and it works together in synergy even faster.  Each step we add, each week, is not only incremental, it’s a multiplier of the benefits from previous weeks!

So, keep up with what you are doing from weeks one and two, and this week, plan on getting up about 15-20 minutes early each day, and doing some brief exercise.  Early morning is best, later in the day can come interruptions and distractions- just get it done early!

When you wake up, well rested but earlier than usual since you went to bed earlier, first lie on your back in bed, and just breathe deeply.  Breathe the life-giving oxygen deep into your diaphragm, expanding your abdomen first, and then gradually filling up your entire chest as well, slowly and methodically.This is called costal breathing, and actually counts as one of the most wonderful abdominal and overall beneficial exercises you can do!  Do this for just a few minutes, and arise.  You will feel very awake and energized.  Repeat this throughout the day periodically, and rejuvenate yourself!

So, after visiting the bathroom and donning your shorts, go into your workout space- I use the living room- and turn on the TV if your wish!  I always watch a Netflix show, but it’s your choice...I spread a big towel on the floor, and the “gym” is ready!

Start with the Hindu, or Asian squat- this is crucial to regaining mobility, and unless you are under 10, you are probably really, really inflexible in your legs, hips, and lower back.
Just bend at your knees until you are squatting as low as possible, and then just... hold.

At first, it won’t be long.  But after a few weeks, you will be able to rest like this indefinitely- this is how hunter/gatherer people still “sit”, since they don’t have chairs- and it is the way we are meant to sit, and it is wonderful for your whole lower body, both as a stretch and an exercise.
I think you will enjoy this brief video:

Next, I want you to try Visualized Resistance Exercise- this is where you use the resistance within your own muscles to completely exercise them to the maximum, without equipment, and perfectly safely and naturally!  The best form of exercise there is- think of how animals, in particular CATS exercise their muscles.

I have an ebook, Perfectly Paleo Exercise available devoted to this, and a large repertoire of additional exercises and explanations, but for now, just go to John Peterson’s wonderful website http://transformetrics.com/exercises

For now, just concentrate on these exercises-

The high reach
Full range pectoral contraction
One armed chin
Half squat
Ab contraction
Shoulder roll

Finish up with another Hindu squat, and you are done!  Go for 10 reps, flexing hard as you do each exercise, as all of the resistance comes from within your own muscles.
Put the brakes on the movement, if you will- the harder you make it, the more productive, as long as you don’t go crazy with tension.  Go say at 80-90% effort, and it will just feel really good, like a “moving meditation”!

The martial artist Bruce Lee was a big proponent of this Visualized Resistance type of exercise, as was bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger before competitions- nothing is better for a lean, ripped sort of look and function of the human body!

Honestly, if you only did these exercises on a regular basis, you would develop a healthy, lean and attractive physique that would last a lifetime, along with the dietary and lifestyle changes we are making!  And, not only can these exercises be done on a daily basis, unlike the brutal damage caused by weight lifting to the joints, muscles and tendons, they should be done on a daily basis because they actually rejuvenate the joints, muscles and tendons!

So start!  Especially if you are an exerciser that has damaged his or her body through endless, damaging cardio or running, OR through heavy weight training-

THESE EXERCISES ARE YOUR SALVATION!

So have fun this week!

J

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day podcast #2- You are getting Sleepy...

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #2 -You are Getting Sleepy...

Today is step number 2 in “going paleo”, and it’s a real sleeper...
That’s right- step #1 last week we getting rid of grains, in particular wheat, since that is the most consumed, and most devastatingly altered from its original, biblical and pre-biblical state!  If you have kept off of grains for the past week, Congratulations!

By now you must be feeling some of the benefits, and are just starting to get over the “withdrawal” from this drug-like insidious bad food.  Stick with it- getting rid of the grains in your life is still priority #1- take it day by day, and eventually you won’t even think of eating grains, since you will realize just how they make you feel, and how they make you look and perform, both mentally and physically- you will realize that they are just-not-worth it to consume!!

So, keep it up, but this week your assignment, should you choose to accept it- Mission Impossible-style- is to...SLEEP!

Really- getting 7-9 hours per night of good, quality sleep is more than just restorative, both mentally and physically- it is magical!  The latest information on sleep research is that some areas of the brain are much MORE active during sleep than waking.   It appears that, during sleep, the brain actually cleanses itself of toxins, among other essentials.  Suffice it to say- sleep exists for an essential REASON, otherwise there is not way that mammals in the wild would go into what are essentially short comas, during which they are incredibly vulnerable!  Sleep must not only be important- it is essential and necessary, for animals and for US.

So, for week #2 of your paleolithic transformation, going “Back to the Future”, you should plan to get around 8 solid, satisfying, wonderful hours of sleep each and every night!  Don’t stay up late watching TV- and also download this free little piece of software for your computer- http://justgetflux.com/  The flux app will automatically dim your computer screen at night, and make it brighter in the mornings, thus attuning the light conditions of your machine to your own circadian sleep rhythms- it really helps you get to sleep at night, bottom line!

So, enjoy this week of ample sleep.  You will begin to feel so much better, and be so much more productive, during your waking hours- thanks to this ample sleep.  It really is second only to- banning wheat!

Have a great week, sleep well, and next Wednesday we’ll have another stepping stone in your Paleo Transformation- on Paleo Quick Tip of the Day!

J

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day podcast #1 Grains are enemy #1!

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #1

Grains are Enemy #1

I know you don’t want to hear that about grains!  Grains, especially “healthy whole grains” have long been touted as the base of our wonderful food pyramid, loaded with minerals, vitamins, and wonderful carbs and protein...

But grains, i.e. wheat is the main one we consume, are also loaded with toxic chemicals  like phytic acid, which actually blocks your bodies ability to absorb these minerals, along with gluten.  Gluten and the lectins that accompany it are actually poisons that attack the microvilli in your small intestine, eventually making your intestine permeable.

This causes you to have a “leaky gut”- isn’t that a lovely condition?  Now, particles can pass right into your bloodstream from your intestine.  This can, and will, cause digestive problems and eventually autoimmune disease.  And the lectins actually stop your intestines from being able to heal the lining that the gluten damages!  Talk about chemical warfare against the human that ate the poor wheat babies- the grain!

The end result of grain consumption?

First, obesity, followed by diabesity, which leads to all of the modern diseases that are the scourge of civilization: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis... the list goes on and on.  Is grain the ONLY cause of all of this carnage?  No, but it is the PRIMARY cause!  Just eliminate grains from your diet, and you are MORE than half way to being healthy, fit, and vital for the long term.

I know, it sounds hard, and it is.  I won’t kid you there.  But it is also very, very much worth it!  The results you and those about you will see from just this one elimination in your life are astounding- fat can rapidly disappear, skin conditions clear up, mental problems like brain fog and depression can go away... the changes can be magical!

And so, it is that important to get rid of grains in your life!  Try it for the next week.  Eat eggs for breakfast, bacon, sausage.  A Big salad topped with meat or seafood for lunch.
Grilled meat and loads of veggies topped with loads of butter for supper.  Nuts and dark chocolate for desserts and snacks.  You need NOT go hungry!

I don’t care what else you do that you think you should change!  If you don’t exercise, fine.  Smoke cigarettes?  Great!  Sleep 4 hours per night?  Good for you.

All I want you to concentrate on this one week is to eliminate grains!  No bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, buns, cake... you get the picture.  It is THAT IMPORTANT for your health that NOTHING else will improve your health as much.  Try it out, and I guarantee you will be amazed at the effect it has on your overall well being, both physical AND mental.    And later, well we can talk about those other small matters...