Paleo/Barbarian alcohol consumption_from Primal Fitness Mark Sisson!

Mark Sisson is a Paleo/Primal guru: here is his take on drinking alcohol...

He's quite a good writer, as well!

Jay


Although we can likely obtain the same vascular benefits from fish oil and a low carb, high antioxidant diet (and through supplementation), there’s nothing wrong (and perhaps something to be gained) with the occasional drink, provided you’re someone who tolerates alcohol well. Not everyone does, and there’s nothing wrong with that. With that said…

When it comes to alcohol itself, there’s no reason a low-carber can’t indulge. Alcohol isn’t metabolized as a carbohydrate product, and it doesn’t send your blood sugar shooting upward. (It might actually lower it.) The body sends alcohol to the liver where it becomes first in line as an active energy source rather than stored glycogen. As long as you aren’t looking to lose weight, a modest drink here or there shouldn’t make much of a difference. If you’re looking to lose weight, however, we’d suggest avoiding alcohol all together. Alcohol doesn’t offer anything you can’t gain from a healthy Primal Blueprint diet, and you won’t have extra calories standing in the way of fat burning.

At the heart of the alcohol question, however, is a principle we often invoke: wise selectivity. In other words, not all drinks are created equal. Number junkies can check out the USDA’s breakdown of alcoholic beverages and brands (PDF) or scan a quick snapshot poster (PDF) put together by the Consumer Federation of American some years ago. It highlights several of the highest selling varieties and gives both calories and carb counts.

For our part, however, we thought we’d serve up our own PB-inspired alcohol hierarchy to assist you in the art of Primal indulgence.
Top Shelf
Red Wine

winepour

We’re not talking specially colored labels or price tags here of course. We mean the biggest health benefit with the fewest carbs and additives. The pinnacle, not surprisingly, is red wine. Research has supported time and again the impressive polyphenol power of red wine.

Another bonus with red? Resveratrol – that super antioxidant, able to combat cancer and reduce signs of aging, among other feats.

Any red (other than port) offers high antioxidant power with somewhere around 3-5 grams of carbs, however differences exist even in this top tier of Primal imbibing. Research has demonstrated that organic red wine boasts higher antioxidant and resveratrol content as well as lower OTA mycotoxin contamination (a common red wine contaminant defined by the European Scientific Committee for Food as “having carcinogenic, nephrotoxic, teratogenic, immunotoxic, and probably neurotoxic effects.”).

The same research showed that basic table wine had less antioxidant power than Controlled Denomination of Origin brands. In terms of USDA ORAC value research (PDF), Cabernet trumped red table varieties (5034 versus 3873 units per 100 grams), but red in general trumped white. Go for richer, higher quality reds, and seek out organic if you can.
Respectable Middling Choices
Wood Aged Spirits (particularly Whiskey, Brandy, Scotch and Cognac)

whiskey

An underappreciated class, we’d say. Unflavored distilled spirits in general are a low-carbers dream. What could be better than zero carbs? Well, how about zero carbs with a kick of antioxidants? Research has found impressive antioxidant activity in Bourbon whiskey, Armagnac brandy and cognac.

In fact, whiskey contains more ellagic acid, a free radical fighter, than red wine. Wood aging, researchers believe, confer the benefits of high phenol and furan concentration.

The research has been less clear about the health benefits of other wood aged spirits, including dark rum and 100% agave tequila. Although agave itself has been linked with cancer-fighting properties, it’s disputed whether these properties are fully present or potent in the tequila form. Furthermore, one small study found that a daily serving of tequila during a 30-day period decreased insulin sensitivity.

Berry Daiquiri (Primal Style)

berrysmoothie

Surprise! What do you get when you add alcohol to berries? Try a thirty percent hike in antioxidant activity! Researchers stumbled upon the finding while trying to find alternative means of preserving fruit. Note: they happened to use strawberries and blackberries. For a true Primal version, skip the sugar and syrup, and go easy on the lemon/lime juice. Add crushed ice to the pureed berries and liquor, and you’ve got yourself a respectably healthy dessert drink. (For an even bigger boost, make brandied berries.)

White Wines

whitewine

Sure, red wines generally contain about five to ten times more phenols than white wines. And as for resveratrol? Nada. If you’re a diehard white wine lover, don’t sweat the occasional glass. You’ll still enjoy a healthful dose of antioxidants for around 3-5 grams of carbs.
Light Beers

lightbeer

Beer, like wine, offers polyphenol power. According to research, beer seems to hold its own with white wine in terms of antioxidant activity. As for carb content, light beers vary generally between 3-6 grams (although a few like Michelob are more than 11) and contain around 90-100 calories.
Bottom Shelf to Bottom of the Barrel
Other Spirits (Vodka, Gin, Clear Rum)

liquor

As mentioned, unflavored spirits don’t come with carbs, and the alcohol content itself can boost vascular health. Nonetheless, these varieties don’t offer much in the way of antioxidant benefit either.
Hard Cider

cider

Hard cider offers an impressive and healthy antioxidant boost, but the carbs typically measure around 15 grams per glass. As good as hard cider is, we’d suggest skipping the Strongbow and eating a heftier salad.
Regular Beer

beer

As mentioned, beer offers an antioxidant boost, but at 10-15 grams of carbs we think there are better choices to be had. (And, by the way, the basic Guinness variety falls into this category. The calorie and carb count for beer can often be deceiving. Darker and heavier doesn’t always equate to more calories and carbs, and vice versa. It might be worth looking up if you aren’t sure.)
Creamy/Dark/Stout or Rich Microbrew Beer

stout

We know it’s tasty (especially a good microbrew), but those 15-25 grams of carbs just aren’t worth it.
Sugar Swill

tropicaldrinks

All right – this is admittedly the fun one, but did anyone really expect us to promote the likes of Jello shots and mudslides? Let’s see what else we can add here: hard lemonade, packaged or otherwise sweetened hard liquor drinks like Smirnoff Ice, Fuzzy Navels, etc. (This is reading like a bad Spring Break story.) And then there are the cordials. And the liqueurs: Amaretto, Grand Marnier, Irish cream drinks, Kahlua (sorry Lebowski fans), Frangelico. You could be looking at at least 15 grams all the way up to a whopping 40-some grams of added sugar. (No wonder The Dude spent so much time in that wrap around robe.) Add to that American schnapps varieties. (The Germans, Czechs and others do true schnapps without added sugar.) Finally, keep your distance from any packaged mixers. The labels say it all: high fructose corn syrup, colorants and all manner of preservatives and stabilizers. (Now there’s a recipe for a hangover….)

A word about mixers…

soda

You know to skip the 7Up, Coke, etc., but even much beloved tonic water sets you back nearly 90 calories. Keep it simple, and drink straight up. If you need water, go for a light tasting mineral water, seltzer or club soda.

However Primally compatible any beverage might be, we don’t intend this as an endorsement to drink on a regular basis. As mentioned, a good diet can offer the same nutritional benefits and then some. You aren’t missing out if you choose to abstain, and we’d recommend it, in fact, if you’re in weight loss mode. For an otherwise healthy individual, red wine or – more occasionally – other low carb drink choices can certainly fit into the Primal 80/20 principle. It’s ultimately about making an educated choice among the many options and then being perceptive to your body’s response. It’s that good old Primal lens at work. For all of you who have been looking for an excuse to enjoy, bottom’s up!

Love song to a new/old John Deere Tractor!

Mood altering drugs- just say NO!

We've reached the point where almost EVERYone, especially women (why women, I don't know, but it is the case!)- are taking mood altering drugs!

Depression is endemic, and DRUGS seem to be... the answer!

I heard Dean Edell this morning on the radio, and he made a good point:

Depression is there for a REASON:

If you are depressed, there is probably a REASON in your life to CHANGE!

Otherwise, you wouldn't BE depressed!

He went on to relate that, early on in his medical practice, HE was depressed...

and so, he went on to CHANGE his life, and eventually to become a radio Doctor, which he LOVES!!

My point is that, many people who are depressed, are that way because...

THEY NEED TO CHANGE!!

They need to change:

Their life's goals! (Not unusual- if you think MONEY is the answer to all problems, THIS MEANS YOU!!

Their DIET! This is a real problem in the modern, Western world- our diet is about as bad as it can be! Almost NO fruits, vegetables, lean meats and seafood, and TONS of:

Potatoes, processed foods, Omega 6 fats, almost NO green vegetables, LOTS of sugar, and it's TWIN- FLOUR!...

As a regular reader of Vintage Health you know the drill:

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is horrible!!

Depression is the way our body tells us that... IT'S TIME TO CHANGE!!

If we just take DRUGS; why, we won't change- we'll just "keep on as usual" doing all the WRONG things LIFESTYLE-WISE, and let the DRUGS make us happy!!

What's the answer??

Examine your life. Are you depressed for a good reason?

Or, are you priorities SKEWED?? IF they are, maybe THAT'S why you're depressed!

Change might very well be in order! If so:

Change your DIET- lean meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables!!

Exercise: This is a must- it doesn't have to be drastic. 15 minutes per day, ala Transformetrics will do for a start. Concentrate on "flexing" ala Visualized resistance, and the "mobility" drill... Then, add pushups, situps and hindu squats.

You will be GOLDEN!! Anything additional is GRAVY!!

Quite frankly, "Everything we Need to Know We learned in Grade School" rings true...

Bodyweight exercises, lots of fruits and vegetables, God and Country first, and work hard!

THAT is the mantra for all time!!

Who would have guessed??

The Mayberry Mantra was RIGHT ON, DUDE!!

Lose the drugs. Face reality. Eat right. Exercise hard. WORK hard, but keep it in perspective. Realize that YOU aren't as important as:

God, Country, of Family!

We are only here to SERVE!


That's all you need to know.

Dr. Al Sears is a valued partner of Vintage Health and Fitness

This guy is awesome when it comes to nutrition and fitness!

His fitness program is the perfect, Spartan, bare-bones type of fitness program I like:

Applicable to ALL fitness levels, from "I can barely walk" to REALLY fit!!

Same principles, just different levels of the same program!!

His fitness ideals and practices are those you see espoused here on Vintage Health- AND, he has some additional "wrinkles" that are invaluable.


Are Your Lungs Dying?

If you do nothing about it the cells in your lungs are dying off faster than you replace them. By the time you’re fifty, 40% of your lung capacity will be gone! This will rob you of your energy and strength. And it makes you an easy target for chronic disease… 

I’m Dr. Al Sears and I’ve seen thousands of my own patients boost their lungpower and reverse disease. The technique I give them is so revolutionary; the US Patent Office recently trademarked it!

In just minutes a day you’ll get back the lungpower of a 20-year-old. And that extra power means:

• Never taking a sick day, or need an afternoon nap… 

• Bouncing up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator… 

• Adding health-packed years to your life… 

All that, and you don’t have to change your diet or spend hours at the gym. It’s backed up by science and fully guaranteed! To find out how you can get the lungpower of a 20-year-old click here.

Potatoes? Just say NO!

Here is the latest info from the Paleo Diet website-
This is really scary stuff!

I mean, we all think "oh, potatoes- really healthy, in their natural state...

Read about potatoe (read: NIGHTSHADE- SKINS!!)


Nightshade is the common name for flowering plants belonging to the botanical family Solanaceae, which contain more than 75 genera and 2,000 species1. Some notorious non-edible nightshades include tobacco, petunias, jimson weed, mandrake, and deadly nightshade. The family comprises well known food plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, chili peppers, eggplants and tomatillos. Note that chili peppers include all varieties of peppers from the genus Capsicum, including bell peppers, jalapeno, wax, cayenne, habanero, Anaheim, Thai, Tabasco, cherry, pepperoncini and Serrano among others. Chili peppers are commonly consumed as dried powders such as paprika, chili powder and cayenne, and are near universal ingredients in hot sauces, Tabasco sauces, and salsas. Some more obscure edible plants from the Solanaceae family are listed below in Table 1.

Table 1. Some obscure and infrequently consumed edible plant foods within the Solanaceae family (adapted from: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl
Common name or names Scientific name
Tamarillo, Tree tomato, Terong belanda Cyphomandra betacea
Goji Berry, Wolfberry Lycium barbarum
Purple ground cherry, Chinese lantern Quincula lobata
Chinese lantern, Winter cherry, Bladder cherry, Strawberry cherry Physalis alkekengi
Cut leaf ground cherry Physalis angulata
Hairy ground-cherry, Dwarf cape gooseberry Physalis grisea
Cape gooseberries, Golden berry, Husk cherry, Peruvian ground cherry, Poha berry, Giallo grosso Physalis peruviana
Tomatillo, husk tomato Physalis philadelphica (formerly Physalis ixocarpa)
Husk tomato, Strawberry tomato, Ground cherry Physalis pubescens
Sticky gooseberry, Sticky Physalis Physalis viscose
Gilo, Kumpa, Scarlet eggplant Solanum aethiopicum
American nightshade, Black nightshade Solanum americanum
Tzimbalo Solanum caripense
Kangaroo apple Solanum laciniatum
Indian nightshade Solanum lasiocarpum
Garden huckleberry Solanum melanocerasum
Pepino melon Solanum muricatum
Lulo, Naranjilla Solanum quitoense
Cocona, Orinoco-apple, Peach-tomato Solanum sessiliflorum
Wonderberry, Sunberry Solanum retroflexum (formerly Solanum X burbankii)
Ashwagandha, Withania, Winter cherry, Indian winter cherry, Indian ginseng Withania somnifera

Table 2 below shows the recent per capita consumption of commonly eaten nightshades. Potatoes come in first (126 lbs) followed by tomatoes (85.7 lbs, including both fresh and processed), peppers (15.5 lbs) and eggplant (0.8 lbs). These figures clearly show that nightshades are a staple food, universally consumed in the U.S. diet. This raises the question: Are there any health hazards associated with eating almost 230 pounds of nightshades on a yearly basis?

Table 2. U.S. per capita nightshade consumption. Data from USDA Economic Research Service2.
Item Pounds Year
Potatoes (total) 126.0 2007
Frozen 53.0 2007
Fresh 44.0 2007
Chips 16.0 2007
Dehydrated 13.0 2007
Fresh Tomatoes 18.5 2008
Processed Tomatoes (total) 67.2 2008
Tomato sauces 23.5 2008
Tomato paste 12.1 2008
Canned whole tomatoes 11.4 2008
Catsup 10.1 2008
Tomato juice 10.1 2008
Bell peppers 9.1 2008
Chili peppers 6.4 2008
Eggplant 0.8 2008
Total 228.0 2008

Potatoes

Let’s first examine potatoes. Potatoes generally maintain one of the highest glycemic index and load values of any food3-6. Regular consumption of high glycemic index carbohydrates may promote obesity and diseases of insulin resistance, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, abnormal blood lipids, gout, acne, polycystic ovary syndrome, epithelial cell cancers (breast, colon and prostate), acanthosis nigricans (a skin disease), and male vertex balding7. Consequently in both of my books I do not recommend that potatoes be included as a regular component of Paleo Diets. Additionally, as you can see from Table 1, most of the potatoes consumed in the U.S. are highly processed in the form of french fries, mashed potatoes, dehydrated potato products, and potato chips. Processed potato foods typically are made with multiple additives (salt, vegetable oils, trans fats, refined sugars, dairy products, cereal grains, preservatives, and other food additives) that may adversely affect health in a variety of ways.

An additional nutritional property of potatoes that is rarely considered in regard to human health is their saponin content. Saponins derive their name from their ability to form "soap" like foams when mixed with water. Chemically, saponins are classified as either steroid glycosides or triterpenoid glycosides. A glycoside is any of a group of organic compounds occurring abundantly in plants that yield a sugar and one or more non-sugar substances upon hydrolysis (chemical decomposition in which a compound is split into other compounds by reacting with water). Steroid glycosides are commonly called glycoalkaloids.

Both categories of saponins are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom including many cultivated crops. The primary function of saponins is to protect the plant from microbial and insect attack by dissolving cell membranes of these potential predators8. In mammals, including humans who consume saponin containing plants, these substances frequently create pores in the gut lining, thereby increasing intestinal permeability8-10. If they enter the bloodstream in sufficient concentrations, they cause hemolysis (destruction of the cell membrane) of red blood cells8-10.

Figure 1 shows how saponins disrupt cell membranes which may lead to a leaky gut. Saponins first bind cholesterol molecules in intestinal cell membranes due to the affinity of a saponin component (the aglycone moiety) for the membrane sterol (cholesterol)9. In the series of steps that follows, you can see how saponins cause portions of the cell membrane to buckle and eventually break free, forming a pore or a hole in the membrane.

Figure 1. The proposed mechanism by which dietary saponins may elicit pores in intestinal cells leading to a "leaky gut" (adapted from 9).

Potatoes contain two glycoalkaloid saponins: α-chaconine and α-solanine which may adversely affect intestinal permeability and aggravate inflammatory bowel disease11, 12. Even in normal healthy adults, a meal of mashed potatoes results in the rapid appearance of both α-chaconine and α-solanine in the bloodstream13. The toxicity of these two glycoalkaloids is dose dependent – meaning that the greater the concentration in the bloodstream, the greater is their toxic effect. At least 12 separate cases of human poisoning from potato consumption, involving nearly 2000 people and 30 fatalities have been recorded10. Potato saponins can be lethally toxic once in the bloodstream in sufficient concentrations because these glycoalkaloids inhibit a key enzyme (acetyl cholinesterase) required for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter required for nerve impulse conduction10. The concentration of both α-chaconine and α-solanine in a variety of potato foods are listed in Table 3. Note that the highest concentrations of these toxic glycoalkaloids appear in potato foods containing the skins.

Table 3. Concentrations (mg/kg) of total glycoalkaloids (α-chaconine + α-solanine) in a variety of potato foods (adapted from 10).
Food Item α-chaconine + α-solanine (mg/kg)
Fried skins 567-1450
Chips with skins 95 - 720
Chips (US potatoes) 23 - 180
Frozen baked potatoes 80 - 123
Frozen skins 65 - 121
Baked potato w/jacket 99 - 113
Dehydrated potato flour 65 - 75
Boiled peeled potato 27 - 42
Canned whole new potatoes 24 - 34
Frozen fried potato 4 - 31
Frozen French fries 2 - 29
Dehydrated potato flakes 15 - 23
French fries 0.4 - 8
Frozen mashed potatoes 2 - 5
Canned peeled potato 1 - 2

So the next logical question arises: Should we be eating a food that contains two known toxins which rapidly enter the bloodstream, increase intestinal permeability and potentially impair the nervous system?

In the opinion of these authors: ". . . if the potato were to be introduced today as a novel food it is likely that its use would not be approved because of the presence of these toxic compounds." 11

Other researchers state: "Available information suggest that the susceptibility of humans to glycoalkaloids poisoning is both high and very variable: oral doses in the range 1 - 5 mg/kg body weight are marginally to severely toxic to humans whereas 3 - 6 mg/kg body weight can be lethal. The narrow margin between toxicity and lethality is obviously of concern. Although serious glycoalkaloid poisoning of humans is rare, there is a widely held suspicion that mild poisoning is more prevalent than supposed." 10

The commonly accepted safe limit for total (α-chaconine + α-solanine) in potato foods is 200 mg/kg, a level proposed more than 70 years ago, whereas more recent evidence suggests this level should be lowered to 60 – 70 mg/kg10. If you take a look at Table 2 you can see that many potato food products exceed this recommendation.

I believe that far more troubling than the potential toxicity of potato glycoalkaloids is their potential to increase intestinal permeability over the course of a lifetime, most particularly in people with diseases of chronic inflammation (cancer, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease and diseases of insulin resistance). A leaky gut has been recently proposed to be a universal initiating trigger for autoimmune diseases14 – a conclusion that I agree with15, as well as promoting cardiovascular disease16, 17 and diseases of insulin resistance18. When the gut becomes "leaky" it is not a good thing, as the intestinal contents may then have access to the immune system which in turn becomes activated thereby causing a chronic low level systemic inflammation known as endotoxemia16 – 18. In particular a component of the cell walls of gut gram negative bacteria called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is highly inflammatory. Any LPS which gets past the gut barrier is immediately engulfed by two types of immune system cells (macrophages and dendritic cells). Once engulfed by these immune cells, LPS binds to a receptor (toll-like receptor-4) on these cells causing a cascade of effects leading to increases in blood concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (localized hormones) including interferon gamma (INF-γ),interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)16, 19. Two recent human studies have shown that high potato diets increase the blood inflammatory marker IL-620, 21. Without chronic low level systemic inflammation, it is unlikely that few of the classic diseases of civilization (cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases and diseases of insulin resistance) would have an opportunity to take hold and wreak their fatal effects.

A final note on potatoes – to add insult to injury, this commonly consumed food is a major source of dietary lectins. On average potatoes contain 65 mg of potato lectin per kilogram. As is the case with most lectins, they have been poorly studied in humans, so we really don’t have conclusive information how potato lectin may impact human health. However, preliminary tissue studies indicate that potato lectin resists degradation by gut enzymes, bypasses the cell wall barriers and can then bind various tissues22, 23. Potato lectins have been found to irritate the immune system and produce symptoms of food hypersensitivity in allergenic and non-allergenic patients24. Just say "no" to potatoes!!

Nuts MIT chocolate

A perfect snack/dessert- mixed nuts, with chocolate chips!

Really. I get (unsalted, for the most part) mixed nuts. Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts- usually in a mix. I add in some that aren't usually included, like the Brazil nuts...

Then, I throw in about a handful of semi-sweet chocolate drops!

It is amazing how the little bit of chocolate takes away any of the nuts' "bitterness", and makes the whole mouthful you are eating...DELIGHTFUL!!

And, although chocolate itself is not considered strictly Paleo- it is nevertheless beneficial, overall! It is basically a guilt-free snack. Nuts are GREAT to eat- I love to crack them in the evenings whilst watching TV. NO chocolate necessary here!

Anyway, that's a tip for you- eat nuts, mixed with small quantities of semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Perfect!

J

Paleo/Primal/Barbarian/Juice Drink Strategy are the way to go!

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

There is one website that is saying, basically what I am saying.

www.paleodiet.com

There is another- this one comes even closer!

The irony is, as I was just saying to my wife "We have the answer to most people's prayers!"

This diet really is the ultimate answer, the "Fountain of Youth"!

You can come CLOSE to achieving it with just eating appropriately (via paleodiet.com)

And, you can KINK of achieve it, utilizing supplements (via mark'sdailyapple.com, or dr. sears, or many other VENDORS of health!)

OR, you can DO IT YOURSELF! Make your OWN health, WITHOUT supplements! And EASILY!

I do it with my Vitamix blender- I fill the canister with frozen mixed vegetables, mixed frozen fruits, a little orange juice,some pomegranate juice, frozen spinach, coconut milk, and a little green tea!

Blend up this drink, and:

You don't NEED supplements! You CERTAINLY don't need them!
Your weight will normalize- if you are underweight, you'll gain weight.
Overweight- you will lose weight!

Case in point:

I have been very health conscious since college days. Big into weight training, fitness, and proper diet for many, many years. (I'm now 58)

My jean size, since college, has been 33 waist.

After a couple of years of the juice drink strategy/barbarian diet, my pants are falling off of me!

Today, I bought some 32 inchers!

So, now at 58, I am at my High School pant size, even though I am about 50 pounds heavier! (This would be my UPPER body!)

Granted, exercise helps. But DIET is even MORE important for health, and overall fitness!!

If you're not blending up healthy drinks on a daily basis, I would recommend that you do so- buy a Vitamix blender, and make a meal replacement drink, daily. To do so, will amaze you in how it banishes hunger! You will NOT be hungry- all of your nutritional needs will be met, probably for the first time in your life! REALLY!

Then, you can have lean meats, seafood, fruits,nuts, and vegetables in UNLIMITED amounts!!

You will never be hungry on the juice drink strategy!

You just avoid a few things:

FLOUR
BEANS
CORN
WHEAT
DAIRY, except for CREAM and BUTTER

I know it seems strange, and counter-intuitive, but flour, beans and other "low fat" items are actually FAR MORE DAMAGING to you than high fat foods, such as cream, nuts, and coconut milk, which are actually BENEFICIAL to the EXTREME!

Mainly, our forebears (for MILLENIA!) ate:

Lean meats (and seafood)that they hunted
Vegetables and fruits that they gathered

That is IT!

That is what our forebears ate! NO chips, bread, doritos, pizza, rice, breakfast cereal, ice cream, twinkies... you get the drift!

The bottom line is this:

If our paleo ancestors didn't eat it...

WE CAN'T HANDLE IT!! Our bodies will self destruct with flour, sugar, and dairy!


I know this is a tough thing to absorb. But, just try it for a couple of weeks...

First thing- your skin gets real soft. You don't even need lotion, even in Winter!

Second: Your weight normalizes. Overweight? You will lose fat, effortlessly.
Underweight? Gain, with no effort.

Acne? GONE!

If you add bodyweight exercise to this diet, your results will be little less than ASTOUNDING!!



More later,
Jay

The Perfect Diet-

NO bread, NO pasta, NO sugar, and ALL you can EAT of lean meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables!

I just returned from my annual Doctor exam at Gundersen Clinic...

ALL systems GO!

My Doctor wondered at my continual weight LOSS, year after year. Virtually ALL of his other patients GAIN fat, year after year.

I explained that each morning, I pour frozen mixed fruits, frozen mixed vegetables, yogurt, ground flax seed, one peeled banana and one peeled orange into a large, stainless steel Vitamix blender container. Next, I add orange juice and (whole) milk, and blend the whole thing up!

A small thing, you might think...

BUT, with this concoction-

I (and my wife!) have had more than the recommended 5 daily portions of fruits and vegetables!! AND had a high protein breakfast to boot!!

Not only did I make my breakfast, and my wife's, in about 5 minutes or less...

I also ensured our health for the day, and for many days thereafter!

I feel really strongly about this: eat like this- follow The Juice Drink Strategy, be a "Barbarian Diet" advocate, (Lean meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables, and some dairy and eggs).

DO NOT follow the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.: Flour, sugar, fast food)

You will not believe the difference in your health, outlook, concentration, appearance- you name it!! This truly is the answer to most of modern life's ills!

Quote from the Paleo diet website- Right On!!

Our genome was conditioned and shaped by environmental selective pressures that occurred long before the Agricultural Revolution. Since the appearance of our genus Homo, more than 2 million years ago, there have been at least 100,000 generations. Since the Agricultural Revolution of 10,000 years ago there have been only 500 human generations. Our genome simply has had insufficient time to adapt to the foods ushered in during the Neolithic (fatty meats, dairy products, whole grains and salty foods).

Egg White Protein Powder!

In The Juice Drink Strategy, I have long been searching for the ideal protein source.

As you know, protein is extremely important in achieving an ideal diet... in your daily juice drink, you already add yogurt, perhaps milk, and of course even the fruits and vegetables add some protein, since their cell walls are so disrupted that all of the available nutrients are readily available for your body to use!

But now, I have found the perfect source of natural, completely absorbable protein!

Egg white protein powder is the perfect solution! Not only is it a perfect, healthy, absorbable form of protein with NO fat, NO sugar- NOTHING you don't want, and everything that you do!

And, this powder is very inexpensive, and even cheaper than buying whole eggs!!
(And with none of the fat!)

I use roughly two heaping tablespoons per juice drink as outlined in The Juice Drink Strategy default juice drink.

I even have resourced a great source of this wonder-food:

Rose Acre Farms- you can even order it through me, at a discount!

2 lb.- $23 Postpaid

5 lb.- $45 Postpaid (a good option- 5 lbs. lasts a long time!)

10 lb. $78.50 Postpaid

Just email me, or call, and I'll order it for you at this discounted price!

jjhbowers@aol.com
608-783-0584

Hippocrates quote

"Let your food be medicine, and your medicine be food!"

This quote is as true now as it ever was-
EAT PROPERLY, AND MOST OF YOUR ILLS WILL DISAPPEAR!!


Of course, exercise and deep breathing also figure into this equation.

The Juice Drink Strategy should be your first step!
Jay

Psychological benefits of the Juice Drink Strategy

The psychological benefits of The Juice Drink Strategy or the barbarian diet are another facet that bears further thought:

If you are receiving perfect, total nutrition...

Don't you think your mental state will benefit, ALONG WITH your physical appearance and strength??

Well, of course! It just makes sense- just as, in the above photo, I am doing a "wheeled pushup", which most 57 year old (or 27 year olds!) could not do one of which! And so, my physical self is in far better condition that average....(I routinely do 10 +).

In like manner, I'm sure my mental state is much more tranquil, than someone who eats the typical American/Western "junk food" diet. (Bread, pasta, twinkies, cheeto's, etc.)

The brain and psyche are intimately connected with the body...

which is intimately connected with the diet!

And exercise, but that is another post...

Which comes first: "the diet or the exercise?"

They are so inter-related! We need both!

Questions about the Juice Drink Strategy

Jay, just have a quick question…ok, 2 quick questions…..

1. My husband takes his lunch every day….if we shouldn’t use white bread, is the whole wheat any better?

If we drink the juice in the morning, what can he have for lunch…if I pack like fruit …he doesn’t take time for lunch, he eats as he is driving….he’s not happy about giving up his bag of fritos, but he and I are going to try this starting next week….(I am so excited) I decided to slowly change our eating habits , well in his case anyway..

2. Can I make the juice drink in the morning and keep it in the refrigerator or in my husband's case in his cooler till we drink it at lunch or is it better to make it and drink it immediately? In which case I will have to come up with something for Dave for lunch….(see question 1)

I am already doing aerobics, yoga and walking 2 miles at least 2 times a week, but will look into the isometric exercises…those may help my husband as he has arthritis in his knee and exercises aren’t helping—the damage to the muscle thing I read about in your book… yes I did read it already…as soon as I finally got home yesterday I sat on my deck (relaxed) and read it….

Answers:

I'm glad you are enthusiastic! That is one-half of the battle!

1. I also eat while I am driving! I will drink my juice drink, in small 16 oz. plastic tupperware containers, as I drive. I just drink as I'm hungry... After I drink my juice drinks, I am definitely NOT hungry!

2. As for keeping the juice drinks in the cooler til lunch- that's what I do! Nothing is lost by that, although I do keep a "freezer pack" in the cooler to keep it cool!

As for other lunch ideas:

I always have a lunch bag full of almonds, and/or walnuts! It's amazing how filling these are, and how incredibly nutritious! No guilt!

Just today, I tried the "cold shish-kebab". I cut up a grilled, boneless pork chop from last Sunday, cut up onions and green peppers, and put it all in a plastic sandwich bag. ( I ate as I drove- just great!)

delicious!

AND very filling!

As for exercise, there is no substitute for the transformetrics.com exercises!

http://www.transformetrics.com/index.php?q=exercises

The key is in controlled flexing throughout the movements. Flex to what you feel is about 80% of your hardest flex! (Your limbs should shake!)

It doesn't take long; and, for me, first thing in the morning is by far the best!

VERY safe, and VERY efffective. More can be added later, as desired...

Jay

Great article by Charles Atlas on fitness for the average man!

http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Atlas/PC-Feb36/36-01.htm

The more things change, the more they stay the same!

Charles Atlas was a genius- fitness has taken a nose-dive since he left the scene.

These exercises are a natural complement to The Juice Drink Strategy!

How to do the Juice Drink Stragegy... WITHOUT the juice drink!

Lots of folks tell me

"Jay, I'd love to try The Juice Drink Strategy to garner the weight loss and health benefits, but I just don't want to spend money to buy a Vitamix blender, darn you!"

I sympathize- It's hard to invest in something, when you don't know absolutely that your results will pay off!

Let me tell you now: they will! In a big way!! You would pay thousands of dollars if you could experience, beforehand, just how you would feel and look after following the prescriptions outlined in The Juice Drink Strategy!

But, there is a way to "preview" the advantages, without spending a cent!

Firstly, just cut out all carbohydrates from flour products: (chips, bread, snack foods, etc.)

Next, resolve to eat a Barbarian Diet:

Lean meats and seafood in unlimited amounts

Fruits and vegetables in unlimited amounts

Dairy products and eggs and nuts (excluding cashews and peanuts!) in reasonable amounts...
Actually, probably more than you currently eat! (3 or more eggs per day is not unreasonable).

Check out this excellent blogsite for great recipes:

http://mypaleokitchen.blogspot.com

If you follow these instructions, you will gain about 60-70% of the benefits derived from following The Juice Drink Strategy to the letter! And, that is way better than what you are probably achieving with the average Western diet...

The downsides will be only that it is far less convenient, more work, and of course the results will be somewhat less...


But still, it is a great starting place!!

Follow the Barbarian diet, without the Vitamix for a while!

The results will speak for themselves. And the results will convince you!!

Also, in postscript, I hasten to add that you should NOT neglect the exercise portion of The Juice Drink Strategy!

Go to www. transformetrics.com/exercises

These are the basic DVR, or Dynamic Visualized Resistance exercises that you should begin doing on a daily (or near-daily) basis!

There is your "free" preview of the results you will achieve when following The Juice Drink Strategy.

The Juice Drink Strategy Part 3

The Juice Drink Strategy Part 2

The juice drink Strategy video- part 1

HOW to make a juice drink as outlined in "The Juice Drink Strategy" by Jay Bowers

Sports versus Exercise

Many, if not most people, assume that those fit, lean folks they see participating in sports achieved that level of fitness by playing sports...

No- by developing a fit body, you gain the type of body that performs well at most any sport. But, this body is attained by (you guessed it!):

Proper diet (which is most readily achieved by following the Juice Drink Strategy!),

Proper exercise (Tranformetrics).

Once you have transformed your body utilizing this strategy, why then you certainly can use it to participate in sports activities, which may slightly elevate certain aspects of your fitness. But, in general, sports primarily are for recreation!

The above is a photo of me recreating

To recap: Exercise is hard, and repetitive, to produce results.

Sports are fun.

There is a huge difference between the two activities!

The above photo is of me "recreating" at the Chicago Board of Trade this summer, courtesy of brother JEFF!

Canada's Food Guide does NOT Apply to Everyone!

Grain intolerance...

Grains are BAD! Meat, fruits, and vegetables! That is IT!

Thank you very much...
J

The Juice Drink Strategy- the final solution!

So, you've gotten a Vitamix blender... made few drinks for yourself, and maybe your family!
Great!
"Once begun, half done!" as they say.

But now, you need to make it a habit- only by regular, daily usage can you gain the incredible, life-changing results you desire! It takes 28 days to ingrain a lifelong habit.

Resolve to start now!

Set up all al your equipment, tonight. Make sure your Vitamix is clean, and ready to go.
Make sure you have all of your "ingredients" in the refrigerator:

Orange juice, milk, yogurt, frozen mixed fruits, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen spinach, frozen berries...

Ideally, you will also have:

Ground flax meal, whey or egg-white protein powder, a banana and an orange all ready to peel!

In the morning, if all of this is ready, it is so easy to get into the routine of :

ADDING all of the ingredients by the fridge, then progressing over to the counter and adding in the flax meal and protein, and then peeling the orange and banana and adding them in as well...

By now, you are ready to start Vitamix-blending!

Start on low for a few seconds, and then power it to high!!

Leave the room, since it does get loud. Check your email.... turn on CNBC... then return.

The linchpin of your diet- 99% of the nutrition you need, and the built-in appetite suppressants that come free of charge are now available for you to ingest, in a fruity-tasting beverage that you will come to crave!

Now, before you drink it in, go do your Transformetrics!

Then, you can indulge in your breakfast juice drink, knowing that you have done the two most powerful things that you can do for your health and appearance in just a short time before you start your day!

Jaymo with old vehicles

And the lord smiled upon the old vehicles, and blessed them...

A Juice Drink for Maggie Part 3

Part 3!

A juice drink for Maggie Part 2

Part 2...

A Juice Drink for Maggie part 1

Here is a typical juice drink....

La Crosse, WI in the TOP10 places to live!! In US News and World Report

La Crosse, Wisconsin

With a population of about 50,000, La Crosse, Wis., is a great staging ground for exploring the natural wonders of the upper Mississippi River area. Although winters can be bitterly cold, friendly Midwesterners and the nearby ski slopes will keep your spirits high. The spring opens an active outdoor culture of camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing that brings more than a million visitors to the area each year. Explore the mighty Mississippi on a riverboat tour, or try your luck with the northern pike in Lake Onalaska. "Great people, fun town," says Dave Lueck, a 36-year-old graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "It's not too big, not too small." And with a 2008 median home sale price of $113,000, it's also an affordable destination.

The big exercise "apparatus" mistake!

Many years ago, the big debate in health and fitness was this:

All agreed that both exercise and nutrition were crucial in attaining maximum fitness.

The big debate was between those that thought that non-apparatus based exercise was the best way to train (Maxalding exercise, Farmer Burns, and Charles Atlas spring to mind in this camp!), and those that insisted that apparatus was the best way-(this would be Bob Hoffman of the York Barbell era, Joe Weider later, and many others)...

Nowadays, the man or woman on-the-street would all concur that yes- weight training, meaning machines, cables, spring-exercisers, and every infomercial crazy gizmo that anyone has ever thought of it the proper, scientific way to train!

Even cardiovascular work has fallen into this mind-set, since the gym I pass by most days on the way home from work has people running/walking...on treadmills!

As for diet, this question of how to obtain the best nutrition has never really even come up!
The consensus is to just, .... eat a really healthy diet! Fruits, vegetables, and meat, and, uh, other stuff too!

I think this mindset has the whole problem backwards!

Exercise needs NO apparatus!

Training via the Transformetrics method, utilizing Dynamic Visualized Resistance, Isometrics, and "Power" calisthenics is the ultimate, preferable way to train!

Apparatus, ie. weights, machines, cables, treadmills, bicycles, etc. etc. etc... are not only inferior, but usually counterproductive, resulting in injuries and damage out of all proportion to their initially perceived benefits!

Contrarily, apparatus is crucial for maximum nutrition!!

Take the Vitamix blender:

With this simple "apparatus" fruits, vegetables, and proteins are all made instantly available to your body, without cooking, without unnecessary added starches and sugars, and in a form easily consumed and enjoyed!

So- get rid of your useless exercise "gizmos"... have a yard sale, sell that junk on eBay, whatever! Exercise using your own body as resistance! (What a concept!)

And use the proceeds to buy a Vitamix blender!!

Your health will thank you!

Jay

The FINAL version of The JUICE DRINK STRATEGY

file:///Users/jaybowers/Desktop/%3Ca%20href=%22http-::www.lulu.com.textClipping

Yes, the book is finally revised, and READY for you to IMPLEMENT in your new, healthy lifestyle!

The Juice Drink Strategy, by Jay Bowers, is ready and waiting for you.

The book itself, which is brief, and to the point, is $14.42....

But, the downloadable version is only $5.00!!

To purchase either, just go to: Lulu.com Type in either the juice drink strategy,

or else just jay bowers

There it'll be!

All the nuts and bolts you need for your own personal dietary transformation are there!

Let me know your results!

Jay

Paleo in a Nutshell Part 2: Exercise

Paleo in a Nutshell Part 1: Food

This is really great- the Paleo/Barbarian Juice drink strategy in a nutshell...

The Juice Drink Strategy

A new book is available- The Juice Drink Strategy - by Jay Bowers!

I recommend that you all buy it! It is only ....

$5.00 when downloaded as an ebook!! I guarantee it is worth at LEAST $6.00!!

Actually, it does have ALL of the tenets of the Barbarian Diet spelled out, and tells you how to totally remake your health... so, I think it is a steal!

To get the book, go to Lulu.com

Type in The Juice Drink Strategy

I hope you enjoy it, and benefit from it.

Jay

New/Old 1965 Mustang in the Vintage Home!

I think I should post more on this blog- more "human interest" type stuff... just because! Health and fitness are not ALL of life- I mean, old Mustangs are important as well!

We got this car for Jane; she deserves a little something for putting up with:
me
the cats
Holly
the neighbors and friends (especially PAUL!)
weeds
global warming (HA HA!)

She has wanted "Sally", (Mustang Sally), ever since she was 12 at the NY World's Fair! FINALLY she has her "heart's desire": me.
Wrong: a 1965 Mustang, in Wimbledon White. Perfect in every way. Like me..

Wrong.

I always want vehicles that... are utilitarian! When I got my John Deere 650 tractor, I loved it so much,(since it could DO so much!), I thought, what could I get to drive around on roads, that would be just like it??

I bought a 1962 Ford F100 truck first. A dream come true! It could do so much WORK! And looked really cool- like Lassie's Dad's truck!

THEN, I bought a 1970 Jeep cj5. Even MORE tractor-like! And I could ride it around on my acreage, and pull a trailer, and accomplish real work!! COOL!!

Much, much later, I thought: "What would Jane want?"

She would not want anything "utilitarian"... for whatever reason, women desire cute, not ute.

I finally have it all figured out:

Men want what will accomplish the work goals they have set:
Saving money, plowing fields, mowing, getting around in bad weather, hauling heavy loads.
Kind of a Dwight Shrute short-list...

Women, by and large, want:

A Flying Carpet!

But, it should also make them look good!

Kind of a tall order; but a 1965 Mustang (in Wimbledon White, preferably) fills the bill.

It "flies"them around, wherever they want to go- and enroute, they are "looking good!", they are aged, yet classically beauteous, and young guys are fascinated by their means of transport!!

A 1965 Mustang is a Magic Carpet!

I think I've proved my point!

J

"Designer Jeans- Designer Pickups- Designer President"

Here is daughter Holly in our new/old Mustang- a REAL sports car! Nothing fancy, but CLASSIC!

I was thinking how we have gotten away from our roots: remember when a pickup truck was...
A TRUCK? Not a crazy, rather ugly vehicle that cost more than a luxury sedan?
Somewhere along the line, the humble, utilitarian pickup morphed into a ...designer pickup.

Like blue jeans: completely utilitarian, functional, and yet, somehow, cool for all that.
Along came designer, useless, ugly, ripped/distressed and decorated, all for MORE than the cost of fine dress pants!!

I saw in a car magazine, a reproduction of the 1966 fastback Mustang... looked great! *Just like the original"!

The only drawback: the new version had a "designer" brand NEW interior: engine, transmission, interior- all "state-of-the-art". $150,000 dollars...

A "designer" version of a classic sports car!

We have gone down the wrong (designer) superhighway: too much luxury, too much needless cost, too many "gew-gaws"!

And now, I'm afraid, we have even elected a...DESIGNER PRESIDENT!

Looks the part, acts the part,(superficially), and costs way more than any president, ever!

Like a classic pickup, he looks like a truck, kind of. But he is loaded down with frills, and appears unable to actually handle any real load of work!!

Sorry, but I am calling this like I see it.
J

Do you suffer from... EYEFLOATERS??

If so, here is your solution, my friend!

I have come across a site- eyefloaters.info/

If "floaters" have become an issue for you, go there now!

The key is in recognizing what is the true problem- and this e-book addresses that, admirably!
Do NOT consider surgery, either minor or major- this little e-book tells you just WHAT you need to do to regain your sanity, and your clear vision.

I would recommend this e-book to ANYONE who has an issue with "floaters" in their vision!

This is the real deal: if you need to solve this problem, go this route!

And ignore all others...

Jay

Ideal Weight and Total Fitness,the barbarian diet with your Vitamix!

Again, I have to stress "The Barbarian Diet"! - Meat, vegetables, fruits,natural fats, and minimal dairy-whole grains-beer/wine.

Let's say you are a typical modern American, eating the diet that goes along with it:

BAD! (refined carbohydrates, i.e. "sugar", corn syrup i.e. "sugar", soda, i.e. "sugar", fast food, i.e. "mainly sugar"...

These all cause the "diseases of civilization"- heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
If you eat "sugar", aka "refined carbohydrates", you stimulate an insulin response, and this is what triggers future cravings for...

refined carbohydrates/sugar!

and endless, negative (for you health!) cycle.

You get the idea! And whenever you make breakfast at home, you make... PANCAKES!! (I know I used to!) Can you say... SUGAR!!! On STEROIDS!!!

And you think you should eat healthier, so you eat bagels, (without butter or cream cheese, since that's the bad part!), and eat pasta for supper, since that is SO healthy!!

You want to know what you SHOULD be eating?

Lean meats. Vegetables! LOTS!! Eggs. Natural Fats, like butter, olive oil, coconut oil, etc..
As many fruits as you can!! And, a minimal amount of whole grains, like oatmeal, whole wheat bread... even these are not that great-

Just eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and eggs!! Dairy is OK too- this is in the whole grain category- minimal is best!

"But Jay!" you protest. "This is too hard to acheive!"

"Au Contraire!", I retort Frenchily.

Just eat(or DRINK!) one, and preferably TWO meals per day from you Vitamix blender!

I have begun taking a FRUIT drink for breakfast, and a VEGGIE drink for lunch!

Breakfast:

orange juice, milk, frozen mixed fruits, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen spinach, yogurt blueberries or mixed berries, (optional)flax oil about 2 tsp..

Vitamix for a few minutes. Drink.

You will NOT be hungry until lunch! (trsut me!)

Lunch:

tomato juice, milk, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen spinach or collards, cottage cheese, (optional) spirulina aka blue-green algae.

Vitamix for a few minutes. Drink.

You will not be hungry until supper!

Supper:

Preferably, GRILL a large chunk of fish and/or meat! Do the same with as many vegetables as you want, as long as they grow ABOVE ground.... (potatoes fall in the same category as whole grains, and dairy- OK, but .... minimal.)

Now, kick back over a campfire, preferably! Crack some beers (this is the Barbarian diet, hey!), and do a few sets of pushups! When someone tries to toast marshmallows, why, slap that horned helmet over your head and FIGHT THEM!! (Use that toaster fork, or green twig!)

Decadence will NOT be allowed around... THE BARBARIAN DIET!!

Moms and kids love Vita-Mix green smoothies

Here is a Vitamix Youtube to show you what I'm talking about below- especially pay attention to what she says about the Vitamix "rupturing the cell walls", releasing maximum nutrition.

Jay

The Vitamix meal replacement plan for total health! The Barbarian Diet mainstay!

How can you EASILY get all the recommended (and MORE!) servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day, all the easily assimilated protein and vitamins as well, and lose weight and lay the foundation you need for optimum health?

And save money, too?

Simple. Just make one meal per day with a Vitamix high powered blender, liquifying fruits, vegetables, and either eggs, Greek yogurt, and/or cottage cheese along with a little green tea.  I have started refining the process, adding more in the way of spices and herbs, slices of lemon, apple cider vinegar, kefir- the list goes on...  It's all detailed in my first eBook Paleo Quick Start!  Here it is on Amazon, it's also available on iTunes, and Barnes and Noble, and everywhere else, really...


Each morning, I put about a cup or so of green or white tea, and about a cup of yogurt, a couple of raw eggs,  mixed frozen fruits, mixed frozen vegetables, and one peeled orange, and all the rest...

That is it- and if I drink it for breakfast, I am not hungry at all until lunch time... and I mean not at all- no cravings, no desire for empty carbohydrates of the white flour/corn syrup ilk- none!

I believe it is because all of my bodily needs are being met- for most of us, this means they are being met for the first time in our lives!

Our modern, refined flour based diet is that bad...

Anyway, continue on this Vitamix meal replacement diet indefinitely- trust me; soon, you will NOT want to miss a day of having your Vitamix "meal"- they make that much of a difference in how you feel, and function!

Usually, I have my Vitamix meal in two tupperware one quart containers at lunch, and have eggs for breakfast, perhaps with a peeled orange or grapefruit and tea. I always look forward to being "energized" and, as I like to think of it, totally "sated"-no desires for any more food, my body feeling fully fueled! It really is that strong of a feeling!

If you need to lose weight- all you need to do is replace this one meal with a Vitamix meal- you will lose weight.

If you need to gain weight (i.e. muscle), this will do that as well- just add Perfectly Paleo Exercise to the mix daily as well. (This will also help you to LOSE weight, so add it regardless- Paleo Exercise is the Vitamix of exercise!)

AND, if you REALLY want to lose weight and gain health...

(AND save money and time!)...

Try the Vitamix TWO meal replacement plan for SUPER health and maximum leanness!

More on the second meal of the day later... right now, concentrate of Vitamix breakfast!

Jay

Quick-Peel a hard boiled egg!

I really like this fast, easy method of preparing a high protein, low carb diet mainstay of the Barbarian Diet- the hard boiled egg!

Also, I just read a GREAT overview of the dietary shenanigans of the past 50 years or so detailing how the high carb, low fat diet became gospel- WRONGLY!

Read Gary Taube's book- "Good Calories, Bad Calories".

Very erudite- but fascinating- I read it in two long sittings, cover-to-cover.

If you want the bottom line, just read page 454 in the book; the summary:

1.Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease, or any other chronic disease of civilization.

2. The problem is the carbohydrates in the diet, their effect on insulin secretion, and thus the hormonal regulation of homeostasis-the entire harmonic ensemble of the human body. The more easily digestible and refined the carbohydrates, the greater the effect on our health, weight, and well=being.

3. Sugars- sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup specifically-are particularly harmful, probably because the combination of fructose and glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels while overloading the liver with carbohydrates.

4. Through their direct effect on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches, and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart diseaase and diabetes. They are the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and the other chronic diseases of civilization.

These are the first four of 10 points that summarize the conclusions of the author of the book. VERY different from what you'll hear spouted by mainstream nutritionists...
And, for my money, much more correct!

The Barbarian Diet

This is the way to eat: like our barbarian ancestors ate!

Lean meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains,( in moderation).

The meats, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits are to be eaten in unlimited quantities- let your appetite be your guide!

Also, what would a good barbarian do in the evening? Why, quaff beer and ale, of course!!

I honestly believe that, coupled with a good exercise program, such as is espoused elsewhere in this blog, the above diet will give you the best health you can acquire!

It's not really that complicated to eat properly:

Just eliminate any "engineered" foods; those things that have been invented, or "engineered" within the past 100 years or so- white flour, sugar, corn sugar, soda pop, candy, (except for limited amounts of dark chocolate!), potato chips and their ilk... you get the idea!

Actually, if you think about it, all of this is really just common sense. (If you ignore the press, "diet experts", and the like). We all really KNOW what we should be eating...
we just don't listen to our own inner knowledge.

But, now you know: ignore the "experts"-

EAT LIKE A BARBARIAN!

DDP and YRG help disabled veteran walk again.

Unbelievable transformation!

It's all about determination.

Static contraction training a scam

Maxick

I experimented for over a year, using static contraction training exclusively. This is training with the heaviest weights you can manage, over only the strongest range of your motion (the last inch or two of , say, a bench press.)

I would load the bar in my power rack, and squat it, press it, curl it, whatever, once per week! That was it- you need to let your "muscles rebuild"! says Pete Sisco, the expounder of the static contraction training principle...

I did indeed get so I could push, and support statically some very massive poundages. I think I gained the most, though, from pressing the bar into the pins of the rack, isometrically, for some seconds before letting up.

I also gained muscle mass, and fat. Most of the mass you'll gain using this method will be in your thighs, butt, chest and, unfortunately, your belly.

If you've ever seen Pete Sisco, you can envision what this training will do for you... think old Russian olympic lifter...

Before that, I used Superslow training system, wherein you lift a weight 10 seconds up, 10 seconds down. Very taxing, and very effective. But, again, Ken Hutchens, the originator, suggests you train perhaps one time per week... you will gain, but in the fashion of Static contraction/big butt/gut training. Ken was on the right trail, but he is reinventing the wheel...

John E. Peterson has never lost the training of the olden times; early 1900's era strongman training: isometrics, Visualized resistance (aka "muscle control"), calisthenics...

Visualized resistance, John calls it Dynamic Visualized Resistance, or DVR's, is particularly intrigueing:

You imagine, whilst moving your body through various movements, the resistance, and move in slow motion against your own, self-imposed resistance! Sounds wacky, but the more you practice it, the more control over your muscles, and the greater strength you get!

As near as I can tell, this was originally done my MAXICK, a german strongman from 100 years ago; he built his strength using this method exclusively. (And his physique, which was also amazing!) You can check him out on the MAXALDING website, which is what his training system was called.

www.maxalding.co.uk/

Exercises are there, lots and lots of information; some of it fascinating.

I saw one photo of Maxick, holding a beer glass in one hand, holding a 240 pound man over his head with one hand, and not spilling the full glass of beer! I'll look for it, and post it when I do...

And Maxick only weighed about 150 pounds!! No fat butt/gut on this boy!!

So, check out the real deals; go back to the future!

www.transformetrics.com

Gardening to keep green smoothie costs low

This is really smart:

Use your overgrown, almost-to-be-wasted produce in your vitamix smoothies; and future-to-be smoothies! (Via the future, in your freezer)

My own compost pile is much simpler:
Just a pile of refuse.

It gradually becomes amazing stuff, the best thing for your garden you can imagine!!
Jay

HealthyNewsAndReviews.com Vita-Mix Soup

I am going to make this soup!

I love my vitamix, and use it daily!

Are we headed for a depression? (Yes, in 2010)

Harry Dent's New Forecast

In a recent article from Canadian Business Online, Harry Dent explains why his forecast for the Dow's high was way off. Basically, Dent says that he underestimated the strength of the bull market in commodities and the negative geopolitical environment.

Dent's overall outlook for the future goes like this: The U.S. economy will be in recession between June and October. That will take the pressure off commodities, which will fall throughout the second-half of 2008. Later this year into early next, a rally in stocks will follow. But then? That’s it. “Between mid- to late 2009 and late 2010, runaway commodity markets collide with the broad peaking of the baby-boom spending wave, and that’s going to create a crash,” says Dent. “The boomers will be spending until late 2009. After that, the extra support the boomers delivered is going to progressively fall out of the economy, and that’s going to be the final nail in the coffin on the postwar expansion of U.S. debt.”

U.S. stock markets will sag for a decade. Investors will have to be nimble to preserve their wealth. Between mid-2010 and mid-2011, Dent suggests locking up money in high-yielding, long-term bonds and leaving it there for the decade — the years between 2010 and 2020 will be a rare period in which bonds will outperform stocks. Dent’s advice is to be ready to go all-cash when the crash comes and “then sit for a year and wait for the smoke to clear.” “By 2012, the crash will be over and serious deflation will take hold as the housing, oil and stock market bubbles deflate — that’s going to drive up the value of bonds,” he adds. “For two out of four seasons of the larger cycle, stocks do well. But this is going to be one season they don’t.”
Dent also recommends picking up Asian and health-care stocks in late 2010. The decade of economic reorganization will lay the groundwork for the emergence of China and India as major economic players in the early 2020s, so it will be smart to get in early on the empires of the future. “Let the crash hit, and then buy China, India and health care,” says Dent. “International and emerging-market stocks will do better than U.S. stocks in this period, and everything is going to be on sale.”

Thanks to the Stock Market Advantage for the above!

Jay

low tech pushup station for total fitness

How to set up a pushup station in your shed,garage, or outdoors in order to perform "Transformetrics", ala John E. Peterson, readily... on your way to work, way home, working around the yard, or anytime at all- just stop, and do a bunch! No special skill needed, but the results, done in high volume, will surprise you!

Also, you can gaze at your John Deere as you exercise! (What a bonus!!)

My 15 minutes of fame, revisited from January, 2008

*After 30 years, local postal carrier trades foot route for one on French Island
By CHRIS HUBBUCH | La Crosse Tribunefile:///Users/jaybowers/Desktop/Picture%20clipping%202.pictClipping

.
Jay Bowers has lived for decades in a farmhouse outside Onalaska, but some of his closest neighbors are in south La Crosse.

Bowers is a mail carrier, one of 62 who deliver to 48 routes in the city of La Crosse.
After 30 years as a United States Postal Service letter carrier in La Crosse Jay Bowers has given up his foot route for a driving route. PETER THOMSON photo

“We’re the face of the federal government,” he says.

For the past 16 years, his office has been route 23, a 15-square-block postage stamp nestled between Cass and Market streets under Grandad Bluff. Five days a week — in the proverbial snow, rain, heat, gloom of night — Bowers hiked upwards of 10 miles carrying letters and bills, birthday cards and catalogs to 401 front doors.

It wasn’t his neighborhood, but the gregarious postman knew his customers as well as his own neighbors. He saw children grow up and move away. He was a lifeline for elderly people who counted on his daily visits. He even saved a man’s life.

“You know every name and person in that house,” Bowers said. “You know more about people than you sometimes want to know.”

On Jan. 17, Bowers walked the route for the last time.

This week, he is adjusting to a new route on French Island, where the mailboxes are on posts and Bowers can deliver in a truck. It’s one of the most coveted routes, he said, and after 30 years of walking, he was ready for a break.

At 55, Bowers is trim and has a boyish face frosted by white hair and a close-cropped beard. He’s avoided most of the sprained ankles, wrenched knees and hip replacements that generally come with the job.

“Walking is a good thing,” he said. “What we do is too much.”

He won’t miss the aches and pains. Or the cold. But he will miss the people. “I hate to leave the people behind,” he said. “I feel terrible.”

On his last day, Bowers left a card bidding them farewell. He received dozens of cards in reply. Some contained cash. All had personal notes.

“I always enjoyed our little chats,” wrote Jane Beissel, who bought her mother’s house on Market Street about a year ago when her mother moved to a nursing home. Beissel said Bowers would always stop and talk and ask about her mother.

“He was always smiling and happy, no matter what the weather’s like,” she said.

By the time Bowers got home that last day, he already had an e-mail from one resident’s daughter who is away at college.

He’s seen a number of kids like her grow up. “You’re like a hero when they’re little,” he said. “You bring stuff every day. It’s so exciting.”

For elderly residents, a mailman can be a lifeline, the one person who comes to their door every day.

Bowers occasionally helped up people who had fallen. In 2004, he noticed one man hadn’t picked up his mail. The door was locked, and the neighbors hadn’t seen him. When firefighters broke down the door, they found the man wedged between his bed and the wall where he had been trapped for two days. Bowers was later cited by the postal service for going beyond the call of duty.

Some longtime residents on route 23 say they never knew their carrier before Bowers.

“I hadn’t noticed the other mail carrier because he didn’t ask for attention,” said Dorothy Lawrence, who’s lived on 23rd Street for about 25 years. “Jay was always very friendly. We’d see him on the street, and he’d wave.”

“We just loved him,” said Mary Ellen Gouff. “We didn’t really know the other ones.”

Bowers sometimes discovered shared interests with people on his route. Once, he peeked at a catalog of blues records he was delivering to Fern Smith. He returned the favor by turning her on to some other music catalogs he knew about.

Smith and her husband would often chat with Bowers about their shared interests — music, books, old cars and cats.

“We’ve had favorite mailmen, but none as good as Jay,” said Smith, who has lived on South 20th Street since 1973. “We’re really going to miss him.”

Bowers, who grew up in La Grange, Ill., started carrying mail during the summer when he was a student at Illinois State University. He majored in English and jokes that’s why he became “a man of letters.”

In 1978, Bowers got his first route in Skokie, Ill. He liked the work, but the pay didn’t go very far in Chicago. Bowers and his wife, Jane, had visited relatives near La Crosse, and in 1980, they found a house for sale in the town of Onalaska.

No one in Chicago could understand why he would want to leave, but he and Jane knew it was where they wanted to be.

With a daughter in college, Bowers doesn’t plan to retire for at least a few more years. But the new driving route should leave him with a little more energy for his blogs (http://oldmailman.blogspot.com, http://vintagehealthandfitness.blogspot.com), where he writes about everything from his job to his interests in fitness, food, old trucks and his barbershop quartet, the Blufftones.

“It’s either that or send endless e-mails to all my acquaintances and drive them crazy,” he said. “No one sends letters anymore — well, they do. … a lot more junk mail and a lot more packages — because people order stuff over the Internet.”

Contact reporter Chris Hubbuch at (608) 791-8217 or at chris.hubbuch@lee.net.
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Jay Bowers has lived for decades in a farmhouse outside Onalaska, but some of his closest neighbors are in south La Crosse.

Bowers is a mail carrier, one of 62 who deliver to 48 routes in the city of La Crosse.
After 30 years as a United States Postal Service letter carrier in La Crosse Jay Bowers has given up his foot route for a driving route. PETER THOMSON photo

“We’re the face of the federal government,” he says.

For the past 16 years, his office has been route 23, a 15-square-block postage stamp nestled between Cass and Market streets under Grandad Bluff. Five days a week — in the proverbial snow, rain, heat, gloom of night — Bowers hiked upwards of 10 miles carrying letters and bills, birthday cards and catalogs to 401 front doors.

It wasn’t his neighborhood, but the gregarious postman knew his customers as well as his own neighbors. He saw children grow up and move away. He was a lifeline for elderly people who counted on his daily visits. He even saved a man’s life.

“You know every name and person in that house,” Bowers said. “You know more about people than you sometimes want to know.”

On Jan. 17, Bowers walked the route for the last time.

This week, he is adjusting to a new route on French Island, where the mailboxes are on posts and Bowers can deliver in a truck. It’s one of the most coveted routes, he said, and after 30 years of walking, he was ready for a break.

At 55, Bowers is trim and has a boyish face frosted by white hair and a close-cropped beard. He’s avoided most of the sprained ankles, wrenched knees and hip replacements that generally come with the job.

“Walking is a good thing,” he said. “What we do is too much.”

He won’t miss the aches and pains. Or the cold. But he will miss the people. “I hate to leave the people behind,” he said. “I feel terrible.”

On his last day, Bowers left a card bidding them farewell. He received dozens of cards in reply. Some contained cash. All had personal notes.

“I always enjoyed our little chats,” wrote Jane Beissel, who bought her mother’s house on Market Street about a year ago when her mother moved to a nursing home. Beissel said Bowers would always stop and talk and ask about her mother.

“He was always smiling and happy, no matter what the weather’s like,” she said.

By the time Bowers got home that last day, he already had an e-mail from one resident’s daughter who is away at college.

He’s seen a number of kids like her grow up. “You’re like a hero when they’re little,” he said. “You bring stuff every day. It’s so exciting.”

For elderly residents, a mailman can be a lifeline, the one person who comes to their door every day.

Bowers occasionally helped up people who had fallen. In 2004, he noticed one man hadn’t picked up his mail. The door was locked, and the neighbors hadn’t seen him. When firefighters broke down the door, they found the man wedged between his bed and the wall where he had been trapped for two days. Bowers was later cited by the postal service for going beyond the call of duty.

Some longtime residents on route 23 say they never knew their carrier before Bowers.

“I hadn’t noticed the other mail carrier because he didn’t ask for attention,” said Dorothy Lawrence, who’s lived on 23rd Street for about 25 years. “Jay was always very friendly. We’d see him on the street, and he’d wave.”

“We just loved him,” said Mary Ellen Gouff. “We didn’t really know the other ones.”

Bowers sometimes discovered shared interests with people on his route. Once, he peeked at a catalog of blues records he was delivering to Fern Smith. He returned the favor by turning her on to some other music catalogs he knew about.

Smith and her husband would often chat with Bowers about their shared interests — music, books, old cars and cats.

“We’ve had favorite mailmen, but none as good as Jay,” said Smith, who has lived on South 20th Street since 1973. “We’re really going to miss him.”

Bowers, who grew up in La Grange, Ill., started carrying mail during the summer when he was a student at Illinois State University. He majored in English and jokes that’s why he became “a man of letters.”

In 1978, Bowers got his first route in Skokie, Ill. He liked the work, but the pay didn’t go very far in Chicago. Bowers and his wife, Jane, had visited relatives near La Crosse, and in 1980, they found a house for sale in the town of Onalaska.

No one in Chicago could understand why he would want to leave, but he and Jane knew it was where they wanted to be.

With a daughter in college, Bowers doesn’t plan to retire for at least a few more years. But the new driving route should leave him with a little more energy for his blogs (http://oldmailman.blogspot.com, http://vintagehealthandfitness.blogspot.com), where he writes about everything from his job to his interests in fitness, food, old trucks and his barbershop quartet, the Blufftones.

“It’s either that or send endless e-mails to all my acquaintances and drive them crazy,” he said. “No one sends letters anymore — well, they do. … a lot more junk mail and a lot more packages — because people order stuff over the Internet.”

Contact reporter Chris Hubbuch at (608) 791-8217 or at chris.hubbuch@lee.net.
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