SUNDAY PALEO / January 1, 2012

Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year!

May we be better stewards of our planetary home.

The format of SUNDAY PALEO has changed. As suggested by John Michael, instead of block quotes, I will share a few thoughts on the links presented. Here goes. I sure my approach will need refinement.

Moving from fad to trend. If you have been in Primal/Paleo for a while, on occasion you may have heard this dietary approach referred to as a fad. (My answer: Since Homo sapiens is about 190,000 years old, if the Paleo diet is a fad, it is the longest-lived fad we know of.) Now, at least according to trendy Shape magazine, instead of a fad, the Paleo diet is the number one trend in the Top 10 Weight-Loss Trends of 2011.

Even some vegetarians are starting to add animal protein to their diet. Among the most cathartic and controversial transformations was revealed by Lierre Keith in The Vegetarian Myth. More recently, a group of “longtime vegetarians” assessed the idea of adding meat to their diet and concluded that what is required is “a new ethics of eating animals: one rooted in moderation, mindfulness, and respect.”

Success Stories on the Primal/Paleo diet are always encouraging and sometimes amazing. Mark Sisson has now grouped some of the success stories he receives from his readers into a section of his website.

And, don’t forget the role of fasting as presented recently by John Michael. (We thank the avid fans at Reddit for making the Paleo Fasting post the most popular on PaleoTerran.)

The brain is picky. Not only does it live in a protected and pressurized environment, it is also very demanding of energy and nutrients. The shortage of one crucial nutrient can cause brain malfunction. For example, a shortage of B12 can make someone appear demented. As Ms. Atkins elderly mother became confused, the first impression was that she was developing dementia. Instead, the primary culprit was a vitamin B12 deficiency. Weekly B12 injections helped Ms. Atkins’ mother recover enough to allow her to live independently.

We owe a lot to mice, at least in regard to studies on health. Now these little creatures are teaching us that the typical Western diet speeds the growth of tumor cells in comparison to a diet higher in protein. This is another study supporting the concepts of the Paleo diet.

In the long run, taking care of our health is not enough if we trash the planet. A powerful way to reduce the impact of the anthropocene is to transition to electric-powered vehicles - as long as the electricity is generated from renewable resources.

However, battery-powered vehicles have limited range and need recharging for long trips. So, where to recharge? Those on the West Coast will have the West Coast Electric Highway. And, if you live in Bellingham Washington, the first fast-charging station that will “provide a 30-minute recharge for all-electric vehicles.”

Solar power is becoming an increasingly effective and important source of renewable energy. India, one of many countries expanding its use, is making progress to a goal thought impossible by many: deliver 20,000 megawatts of solar power by 2020 — “enough electricity to power the equivalent of up to 3.3 million modern American homes during daylight hours.” A success story in the making.

I welcome your feedback in the comments section or to paleoterran@gmail.com

Hiking in Torres del Paine National Park

Technically an offshoot of walking, this is my personal favorite way to Move Frequently at a Slow Pace. There’s nothing wrong with walking around the block with my wife at sunset (in fact, there’s everything right with it), but there’s just something about being out in nature, mostly alone and free to do as I please. And really, is there anything more Primal than messing around in the open wilderness? The terrain shifts, there are rocks to lift and toss, tree limbs to climb, and hills to scale. Because your foot lands differently on varied terrain, you train the small muscles in your feet more effectively. If walking around your placid suburban block gets old, strike out for the hills!  

Mark Sisson on hiking

Primal Blueprint Fitness 

Although we did not lift heavy rocks or climb trees, the hikes in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile were beautiful and invigorating. Here are a few photos.

Rafa, one of our guides, and John Michael. 

John Michael and guide Nata. 

Previous trip entries in chronological order:

• Travel - Chile / Patagonia, November 2011
• November 10: Arrival in Santiago, Chile
• Book fair in converted rail station, Santiago
• Terminal del Sur, Santiago
• John Michael at Terminal del Sur, Santiago
• Churrasco al Plato con Huevos
• Internet caffe, bus terminal Puerto Montt
• Boarding a Navimag Ferry
• November 11: On Navimag
• View along the port
• View of Puerto Montt & 32 person lifeboat
• John Michael: Voyage by Sea
• November 12 - Channels, Fjords & the Pacific
• November 13: Puerto Eden and the Pio Once Glacier
• November 14 & 15: Puerto Natales
• November 15-20: EcoCamp
• November 15: Hiking the French Valley, Torres del Paine National Park

SUNDAY PALEO / December 25, 2011

Happy Holidays! Thank you for visiting this past year.

We wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year!

FITNESS

Barefoot running: bad or beneficial?

"I'm constantly scanning the terrain, dodging rougher areas and taking a much more meandering line, which works different sets of muscles. It's almost like dancing. But the moment I put shoes on, most of that sensitivity is gone." - MSNBC

2012 Summer 5 Day Workshops!

“We are happy to announce our 2012 Summer 5 Day workshop schedule.  These workshops give participants the unique opportunity to reconnect with their true nature in the beautiful woods of WV.  Participants will enjoy camping, learn lots of new movement techniques, become a part of the MovNat "tribe", and most of all have fun.” - MovNat

ENERGY

The 5 States With the Most Installed Wind and Solar Power Saw the Least Increase in Electricity Prices from 2005-2010

“The findings presented here show quite clearly that states with high volumes of wind and solar PV have seen well below average cost increases. When this fact is considered in conjunction with the various health, environmental, energy security, and job creation benefits of renewable forms of generation, it helps to form a compelling argument in their favor.” - Think Progress

Facebook & Greenpeace Join to Ramp Up Renewable Energy

"‘Facebook looks forward to a day when our primary energy sources are renewable, and we are working with Greenpeace and others to help bring that day closer,’ says Marcy Scott Lynn of Facebook's sustainability program. "As an important step, our data center siting policy now states a preference for access to renewable energy.” - Sustainable Business

LIVING

This amazing off-grid hobbit house cost less than $5,000 to build - Grist

MODERN DISEASES

The Truth About Gluten

"‘We're cleaner than we used to be,’ Fasano said, and our general cleanliness may lead to overactive immune systems and a less stable environment for healthy gut bacteria. Additionally, celiac disease may be on the rise because we eat more wheat products now than our ancestors did, and that wheat contains more gluten.” - MyHealthNewsDaily

The Paleo Diet And Gout

“Part of the treatment for gout, which is a form of arthritis, is avoiding of high-purine as well as high-fructose foods. The Paleo diet, which is based on foods your hunter-gatherer ancestors ate thousands of years ago, may be beneficial for gout.” - Livestrong

NUTRITION

Cereal? Cookies? Oh, What’s the Diff?

“So for more than half a century well-intentioned parents have been torn between their desperation to get their kids to eat something, anything, and the knowledge that most packaged breakfast cereals are little better than cookies. … It turns out that from at least the perspective of sugar content, many are worse...” - The New York Times

RECIPES

Standing Rib Roast 

This holiday season we enjoyed a standing rib roast, also known as prime rib. This amazing cut of meat is sure to dazzle any dinner guests you have during the holidays. - Primal Palate

Tender Prime Rib Roast with Mushroom and Bacon Sauté

“Prime rib is a cut of meat that’s perfect for special occasion feasts in more ways than one. Served in supple, thick slices that are marbled with fat, it’s a decadent and impressive main course.” - Mark's Daily Apple

Grain-free Christmas Cookie Roundup 

To give you something festive to munch on for the next few days, we thought we'd put up a collection of holiday-appropriate cookies for you to make and share with your families! - Primal Palate

SUCCESS STORIES

How the Bears Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Primal Lifestyle

There are two thoughts I clearly remember having in my lifetime: I am overweight, but I no longer care about how I look and I am fine with being this way for the rest of my life. My husband is likely to die of a heart attack sometime soon and there is nothing I can do about it." - Mark's Daily Apple

TERRA

The Greater Gila: America's First Wilderness

“The Gila has been referred to as the Yellowstone of the Southwest for its size, wildness, and nearly complete suite of natural processes and wildlife populations. Extensive roadless areas, wilderness and old growth forests, unparalleled wildlife—including Mexican spotted owl, Mexican gray wolves, jaguars, and endemic trout and other native fish - make the Gila Bioregion very special with the potential to be the crown jewel of a wild southwest.” - Wild Earth Guardians

John Michael: The Paleo Perspective on a Christmas Cookie

Write here...

While waiting for a flight to Denver in the Kansas City International Airport, I walked by several shops selling magazines, newspapers, gifts and snacks. Though there were some Paleo options, like walnuts or almonds, the snacks that were sold in these shops were predominantly industrial. As I passed a variety of processed candies, a bag of brightly-colored gummy worms caught my eye, and I began to consider the use of food in America.

These gummy worms weren't what I’d call real food. Were I to eat them, their sugars would cause my mood to swing - first to euphoric heights, and then crashing down toward grim reality. Their artificial flavors and food additives would also, after leaving a bad taste in my mouth, doubtlessly give me a headache. And, since I hadn’t eaten anything like them in a while, they’d probably make my stomach hurt.

But if these gummies are going to give me so much trouble, I wondered, then why do they even exist?

The Thursday after my flight arrived in Colorado we had a family dinner. My brother, a twenty-two year old in his last year of college, brought over two of his friends, Dave and Sarah, a young couple who worked in a restaurant downtown. The mood was festive. (Later, as we washed the dishes, my father commented that, “It felt like Christmas dinner.”)

My mother had roasted a turkey and sweet potatoes, and had also prepared a salad of lettuce with blackberries and dried cranberries. It was all very Paleo, except for the sugar cookies that were set on a platter in the center of the table. Mom had made them that afternoon, using a cookie cutter to shape them into Christmas trees and stars, which she had then covered with icing and sprinkles.

“Those aren’t Paleo,” my youngest brother, a precocious twelve-year-old, remarked as I took a Christmas tree from the platter.

“Oh, I’m aware of that,” I replied.

“What’s Paleo?” asked Dave.

My dad went from highlighting the basics of the diet to outlining its evolutionary rationale, and then he touched briefly upon the historical evidence that demonstrated its benefits, all while I pondered my Christmas cookie.

“The advantage industrial foods have over Paleo foods,” I said as my father finished, “is that industrial foods can be more than just food.” I held up my Christmas tree. “This cookie isn’t just food - it’s a symbol. When I eat it, I’m not just eating - I’m partaking in a ritual.”

My comment caused an uproar. “That’s just the dopamine talking,” my dad said, dismissing my statement as the result of the sugar from the cookie, which was coursing through my bloodstream at that moment.

“Processed foods have an edge that Paleo foods lack,” I continued, undeterred. “They can be more than just sustenance. You eat Paleo foods because they give you the nutrients you need. But the reason industrial foods flourish in our culture is because they do more than just nourish. When you’re bored, industrial foods entertain – think of the fun shapes they can take, from animal crackers to alphabet soup. When you’re sluggish, industrial foods provide you with a boost, whether as a caffeinated beverage or a sugary treat. And when you need comfort, industrial foods offer a variety of meals to make you feel better.”

“Like grilled cheese and tomato soup,” my mom added, citing her favorite.

But my father was distressed. “Would you put honey in the tank of your car?” he asked.

“I’m not defending industrial foods,” I explained.

“Well, it sounds like you are,” my college-aged brother replied.

“No, I’m trying to describe their uses beyond sustenance.”

“Oh,” my brother rolled his eyes, “well, your tone suggested otherwise.”

 “When you eat Paleo foods, it’s clear that you’re feeding yourself. But when you eat industrial foods, you don’t always feel satisfied. This lack of satisfaction leaves room for these foods to serve other functions.”

“Like entertainment, excitement, and comfort,” my brother added, counting the uses on his hand.

“People have come to need these things,” I concluded. “So when you ask them to go Paleo, suddenly they’re eating for sustenance alone. Where will they get their entertainment, excitement, and comfort from now?”

“They can attend Paleo gatherings," my father answered, "and ask the people there what they do.” 

“But that’s not a solution,” I replied. “That’s asking someone else for one.” I described my conception of culture as a web of interconnected people, and that when one person changed their habits, that alteration rippled through everyone. “Which leads me to believe that the components of culture are linked together, each taking part in the formation of the other.”

Then I went overboard, and said that if people started eating Paleo, contemporary life would become impossible. “Industrial foods make a sedentary existence bearable. The food coma they put you in keeps you just aware enough to perform the tasks that you’re assigned. Any more energy, and you couldn’t bear to be seated all day.” I wanted to express that the activities filling our schedules influenced our dietary choices, and that our dietary choices influenced the activities that we engaged in daily. Behind this was a vision of a culture transformed by Paleo, where people ate well and then filled their lives with pursuits that nourished both their hearts and minds.

But, as often happens at holiday dinners, the words just didn’t come out right.

John Michael

Nature Conservancy Year in Review

"Effective conservation took many forms this year.  From working to restore oyster reefs in the Gulf of Mexico to playing a critical role in the formation of China’s national conservation plan, The Nature Conservancy worked to advance conservation all around the world." - The Nature Conservancy

Quote: On the origins of farming at the end of the last Ice Age

As the human species epxanded across the globe, we had to compete with other animals going for the easy food. We went for things like the small hard grass seeds we call cereals, which are indigestible if eaten raw and may even be poisonous, which we have to pulp up and turn into things like bread and dough. And we went into the poisonous giant tubers, like the yam and the taro, which also had to be leeched, ground up and cooked before we could eat them.

Martin Jones, Professor of Archaeological Science, Cambridge University

via A History of the World in 100 Objects 

SUNDAY PALEO / December 18, 2011

Grey Glacier, Patagonia, Chile

ANTHROPOLOGY

77,000-Year-Old Evidence for 'Bedding' and Use of Medicinal Plants Uncovered at South African Rock Shelter

“The oldest evidence for bedding at the site is particularly well-preserved, and consists of a layer of fossilized sedge stems and leaves, overlain by a tissue-paper-thin layer of leaves, identified by botanist Marion Bamford as belonging to Cryptocarya woodii, or River Wild-quince. The leaves of this tree contain chemicals that are insecticidal, and would be suitable for repelling mosquitoes.” – Science Daily

Is the Lion Man a Woman? Solving the Mystery of a 35,000-Year-Old Statue

“Archeologists have discovered previously unknown fragments of a figurine known as the "Lion Man," and are piecing it back together. Could the 35,000-year-old statue actually represent a female shaman? Scientists hope to resolve a decades-long debate.” - Spiegel Online

NUTRITION

What to Eat and What to Avoid for Lifelong Health

“I’ve given you a few basic tools to identify what foods might be preventing fat loss and promoting poor health, so you generally know what not to do, but now you want the details on what you should be doing. Specifically, what you should and should not be eating. Let’s bring it all together and spell it out.” – Mark’s Daily Apple

Why Eating Animals Makes Everything Easier

“The problem is that many of us are broken. Sedentary living, modern food toxins, too much stress, not enough sleep, and a distinct lack of play for play’s sake (more on this later, if you’re confused about why I’d rank “play” with all the other stuff) have fundamentally changed the way we process fuel.” – Mark’s Daily Apple

RECIPES

Scrumptious Salmon Chowder

“…last night I wanted soup to warm us up and I searched around my fridge and pantry for what would work and came up with a delicious salmon chowder using some amazing wild caught salmon filets from our local supplier."- Everyday Paleo

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Bark Sprinkled with Sea Salt

"When your sweet tooth goes looking for the ultimate dessert indulgence this year, look no further. Dark Chocolate Macadamia Bark Sprinkled with Sea Salt tastes fully and completely like “real” dessert. Not only will you enjoy every bite, so will the family and friends that you gift it to (hint, hint, don’t eat it all yourself!)" - Mark's Daily Apple

RECLAIMING HEALTH

It Could Be Old Age, or It Could Be Low B12

“As we age, our ability to absorb B12 from food declines, and often so does our consumption of foods rich in this vitamin. A B12 deficiency can creep up without warning and cause a host of confusing symptoms that are likely to be misdiagnosed or ascribed to aging.” – The New York Times

Confessions of a former Coke addict

“Yes, I've battled a Coke "addiction" more than once. Just when I think I have it beat, it worms its way back into my life. No, this Coke isn't that white, powdery stuff; it comes in a can, and my drug of choice is Cherry Coke Zero.” - Grist

Too much booze blunts your immune system

“Alcohol blunted the monocytes' defences. When the over-the-limit cells were exposed to a virus mimic, they produced only a quarter as much of the virus-fighting signalling molecule called type-1 interferon as teetotal monocytes made.” – New Scientist

Fruits and Vegetables Reduce Risks of Specific Types of Colorectal Cancers, Study Finds

“The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by site of origin, according to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” ­– Science Daily

URBAN FARMING

Farming: A New York state of mind

“New York has a lot to offer -- farming is no exception. This week, we visited three very different farmers and heard their take on the city and how growing food plays a role in (and is influenced by) the Big Apple.” - Grist

John Michael: Paleo Fasting

It was when I returned to the US after a year abroad that I first became interested in fasting. Whether I was escaping muggers in Bogotá, or taking cover from tear gas during a student protest in Valparaíso, my adventures in South America had given me a hearty appetite: I never knew what would happen next, so I had to keep the calories coming. But back in the States, life became standardized. Surprise and danger ceased to be a feature of my day, and suddenly I felt that I was eating too much.

In Buenos Aires, I would consume steamed fish and vegetables twice daily, with fruit and nuts filling the space in between. I often mixed things up with beef or poultry, and ate so many mandarin oranges that the Bolivian fruit vendors down the street would start preparing a sack when they saw me coming. Even then I was still hungry, and would sometimes sneak a cookie or two at night. But in Denver my appetite vanished.

There, after eating, I would feel heavy and glutted with energy. Food stuck inside me, and I was always full when it came time to eat again. At first I thought that I would switch things up, and decided to consume some grains. This introduced other problems, like stomach pains and flatulence. It was only when I was a few days away from moving back to my hometown in Missouri and became too nervous to eat that I realized I had been consuming too much.

Within a few hours of skipping breakfast, I began to feel lighter, more clear-headed, and energetic. “Only eat what you need,” I thought, my experience reinvigorating this platitude. I had stumbled onto a new way of viewing my body: it was an organism, and food was its fuel.

Before I’d just been stuffing food in my mouth, either to address hunger, or to feel comfort. When I broke my fast that evening, I discovered that I’d gained the heightened awareness necessary to consider each mouthful that I ate. “If I eat this,” I found myself thinking while contemplating a slice of strawberry, “what effect will it have?”

There’s speculation that our ancestors regularly experienced food shortages – going without sustenance for days at a time – and that our bodies evolved to expect them. What is known with certainty is that the body responds in a distinct way to a lack of food.

During the first day, the liver uses up its stores of glycogen, making glucose to feed cells. When glycogen stores are exhausted, usually around the second day, the body starts breaking down fat and muscle. Then, after three days, the liver spares muscle, and begins to produce ketone from fat. This process, called ketosis, continues until fat stores are depleted or food is consumed. 

Whether or not fasting is beneficial for the body is still controversial. In an effort to illuminate this topic, the Los Angeles Times interviewed several medical professionals, among them Mark Mattson, PhD.

Researchers aren't sure why the body apparently benefits from a state of mini-starvation. One theory is that the process produces just enough stress in cells to be good. "What our evidence suggests is that nerve cells in animals that are on dietary energy restriction are under mild stress," Mattson says. "It's a mild stress that stimulates the production of proteins that protect the neurons against more severe stress."

According to Mattson’s Nature Medicine profile, he became interested in fasting while researching caloric restriction. His early studies showed that “a low-calorie diet protects the brain, as it does other organs, from the ravages of age-associated disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.”

Mattson's biggest public splash came from a study published last year, showing that regular fasting confers the same health benefits as total caloric restriction. The team showed that mice starved every other day, but allowed to gorge in between, consume only 10% fewer calories than normal, but still have healthier blood glucose levels and recover better from brain injury. This supports the idea that semistarvation boots up stress-response proteins, which then protect cells from aging and disease. Mattson is now hunting for those protective molecules.

Exciting stuff, but not everyone’s jumped on the bandwagon. WebMD suggests there are no proven benefits to fasting, and warns those considering a fast to check with their doctors first.

Apparently, the mental clarity that I experienced from not eating can be aimed toward higher pursuits, for, while doctors remain skeptical, religions agree about fasting’s advantages. Whether motivated by a desire for self-restraint or a willingness to repent, fasting is embraced by the world’s creeds as an effective way to connect with God. There’s even the remarkable story of Prahiad Jani, an 83-year-old practitioner of Hinduism who claims to have been fasting since World War II, sustained only by a spiritual elixir supplied to him by Amba, his patron goddess. “I am strong and healthy,” he recently told reporters, “because God wants me to be.”

Vitamin D and Depression

By Gerard Guillory, M.D.
The Care Group 

A study published in the November 2011 issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that low vitamin D levels are associated with depressive symptoms; these symptoms are especially likely in persons with a history of depression. The study included 12,594 participants between November 27, 2006 and October 4, 2010. Serum vitamin D levels were analyzed and patients were screened for depressive symptoms. The results of the study lead the Mayo Clinic to conclude that, "Higher vitamin D levels are associated with a significantly decreased risk of current depression", giving even more evidence that vitamin D is a beneficial supplement. Many experts feel that the higher incidence of depression in the winter months, so-called seasonal affective disorder or "SAD" occurs as the result of lower vitamin D levels as a result of less sun exposure.  If you are feeling a little blue around the holidays don't forget to take your vitamin D or take a vacation to a warm, sunny destination. Doctor's orders.

John Michael: The Problem with Bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that was, until very recently, used in many household items. From baby bottles to canned foods, grocery receipts to dental sealants, they all contained amounts of BPA. (Some still do.) The chemical is an important ingredient in the creation of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, and has been used in this manner since the 1940s. In 1976, when the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed, BPA was “presumed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency with no evaluation of evidence” because of its long history of use.

But in the past few years, there has been a growing movement to ban BPA on the grounds that it is, among other things, a reproductive toxin. As knowledge of its possibly harmful nature has disseminated, a reaction has occurred, first in government, and then in the private sector, among the fabricators of BPA-containing goods.

What makes BPA problematic is that plastics and resins created from it are very unstable. When heated or cleaned with detergents, BPA molecules can break apart and leach into foods and drinks; BPA contamination has been observed in both canned foods and baby bottles. Even more unsettling, “The 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found detectable levels of BPA in 93% of 2517 urine samples from people six years and older.” Additionally, The Environmental Working Group found that nine out of ten newborns they studied tested positive for the presence of BPA in their umbilical cord blood.

BPA is a synthetic hormone, an artificial estrogen that can be metabolized by the human body. While it’s only recently that the US government has expressed awareness of the toxic nature of BPA, independent researchers have been sounding the alarm for years. The National Toxicology Program recently reported that, after investigation, it has “some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children under current human exposures to bisphenol A.” The Environmental Working Group is willing to go further, stating outright that “Trace BPA exposure has been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and trigger a wide variety of disorders, including chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy.” The discrepancy between the two positions is perhaps best explained by the BPA Timeline, found on the EWG website. (In it, the government’s lag in responding to BPA toxicity is suggested to be the effect of interference by corporations that produce BPA, in itself a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide.)

Though the exact nature of the harm caused by BPA remains unknown, the US government, both at the state and national level, is taking measures to reduce our BPA exposure. Unfortunately, these measures are not currently enough to protect us entirely. To safeguard yourself from this toxic chemical, it’s recommended that you avoid microwaving plastic containers, stop buying or drastically reduce your use of canned foods, as well as avoiding plastics that have 3, 6, or 7 within their recycling symbols.

To learn more, check out the Environmental Working Group’s website, which is replete with information on Bisphenol A.

John Michael: Increasing Climate Change, Rising Food Prices

UN-sponsored climate talks are in their final days in Durban, South Africa. Among issues discussed there is how to address the “gigatonne gap.” Currently, the Earth is set to exceed 44 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions by 2020, which will cause global temperatures to rise by at least 2 degrees centigrade. Though it doesn’t seem like much, an Earth two degrees warmer will suffer from more heat waves and droughts, along with more rainfall and flooding; and, as a changing climate alters the environment, the extinction of plant and animal species will follow. "We are going to get 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) warming,’ [admitted an expert interviewed by the CSM]. ‘I think the big question is whether we are going to get ultimately 5 or 6 degrees C (9 to 10.8 degrees F), which would be an unmitigated catastrophe."

But the world is already facing the effects of climate change. During my stay in Taganga, a resort town on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, scuba divers were describing the whole-scale bleaching of coral reefs that only a year before had been major tourist attractions. Farmers outside of Otavalo, an Ecuadorian city in the Andes, often complained to me this summer of shifting weather patterns that were ruining crops before they could be harvested. 

The effects of climate change on agriculture have become a worldwide concern, appearing frequently in the media. “Price spikes have been driven by extreme weather events such as last year's drought, heat wave and fires in Russia which sent world grain prices soaring by up to 85 per cent, and this year's monsoon floods in South East Asia which pushed up the price of rice by between 19 per cent and 30 per cent in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.” 

While the surge in food prices is often attributed to various factors, like expanding cultivation of bio-fuels, or the manipulation of market prices, always included in the list is the extreme weather caused by climate change. The effects can seem small, like the local extinction of mussel beds, brought on by warming waters, which expose them to starfish, their natural predators. Others can seem heart-breakingly out of our control, like the droughts that motivated African farmers to protest in Durban last week. "We are getting a lot of difficulty and suffering with water,’ said 75-year-old Betty Nagodi, from an arid region of northern South Africa. ‘Now we don't know when it will rain. And then when it does, the hail knocks down all the tomatoes, butternut and other things,’ she said, fanning herself under the shade of a towering acacia.”

Nowadays, most experts see a warming world as inevitable. And as weather patterns change, so will environments, leading to volatility in food markets worldwide. So, barring any great technological breakthroughs, food insecurity could become a common feature of life in the future. (Incidentally, already 14.5% of the US population deals with food insecurity; to find out how you can help stop this, check out Feeding America.)

 What can we do to offset this trend? Well, the first step appears to be the easiest: stop wasting food. According to some figures, as Americans we waste 40% of the food we harvest. I like to think that our wastefulness stems in large part from ignorance: we’re accustomed to food just appearing in a grocery store, and so we purchase it without thinking of how it’s produced. A Huffington Post blog has a great graphic by Resource Media that displays information on how typical Thanksgiving foods “battled the elements in 2011.” (From the graphic: “This year is going to be a total loss… All that effort, all that money, the labor to weed it, fertilize it, irrigate it, and then to get nothing from it, that’s what kills you.”)

An interesting glance at what the future might look like is found on FAO’s Washington blog. Window farming, which employs hydroponics to turn your standard urban apartment window into a vegetable garden, is being pitched as the wave of the future in a TED video posted there. Additionally, urban farms appear to be on the rise. You can watch a video about them here in an earlier Paleoterran post.

John Michael

Q: Why do we sometimes stray from the original diet?

You know, it seems to be all about effort. Maybe, organization and effort. If we don't take the time to plan, shop, and prepare our meals, modern dopamine surging foods call us to drop our eyelids, fall in line, and accept the clogging of our arteries and shrinking of our brain without resistance.

Dr. John 

SUNDAY PALEO / December 4, 2011

Pulling the mooring line. Puerto Natales, Chile.ANTHROPOLOGY

Archaeologists land world's oldest fish hook: First deep-sea fish supper dated to 42,000 years ago.

“The team also found more than 38,000 fish bones at the site, dating the oldest back to 42,000 years ago. Some were from inshore species, but almost half were from 'pelagic species' — fish that dwell in the open ocean, providing the oldest known evidence of humans fishing far from shore.” - Nature

MODERN DISEASES

Fish in diet may ward off Alzheimer's

“In the study, people who ate baked or broiled fish at least once a week had larger volumes of gray matter in areas of the brain known to be involved in memory and learning. Moreover, people with larger volumes in these areas reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease five-fold over a five year period.” - MyHealthNewsDaily

Apple juice's other health risk: It'll make you fat

"‘If it wasn't healthy in the first place, adding vitamins doesn't make it into a health food,’ and if it causes weight gain, it's not a healthy choice, said Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian in New York and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.” - TODAY HEALTH

That Tasty Taste: The rise of Obesity in America - Why it’s ACTUALLY happening

“While, on the surface, obesity seems to be the result of a potent amalgamation of cultural, personal, and other environmental stressors that dominate the American lifestyle and society, the Obesity Epidemic, at the most fundamental level of human biology and psychology, is caused by food addiction.” - @CTheFlow

NUTRITION

Why Eating Animals Makes Everything Easier

"Bottom line: if you’re overweight, you’re not utilizing the energy stored on your body. Switching over to the Fat Paradigm and a fat-based diet will unlock that stored body fat and allow you to use what you’ve already got (plus carbohydrates, when and if you eat them). But if you remain entrenched in the Carb Paradigm, your body never gets the message to start accessing body fat for energy." - Mark's Daily Apple

7 easy ways to boost your immune system

Leave out the beans and soy and you have pretty good Paleo advice. - TODAY HEALTH

The Best Dark Chocolate: Our Taste Test Results 

“Though dark chocolate is officially defined as having at least 35 percent cocoa solids, we tested a range between 50 and 85 percent in our quest for chocolatey perfection. We tested only solid dark chocolate bars -- that means no nuts, no fillings, and no added flavors.” - Kitchen Daily

RECIPES

Holiday Brussels Sprouts and Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

“I have several holiday recipes on the blog that you can find here, here, and here; but what’s wrong with a couple more!” - Everyday Paleo

Slow Cooked Cinnamon Curry Steak

For this recipe we decided to play with some interesting flavors to (hopefully) create a tasty dish. The end result was pretty great. Cinnamon is surprisingly delicious when paired with steak, and the warm sweet flavor goes well with curry. - Primal Palate

URBAN FARMING

Urban farming growing in popularity

“Welcome to the new era of urban farming. Residents within the limits of many U.S. cities are learning that some neighbors want to make more full use of their property. And that has put some pressure on municipalities to revisit local laws that regulate the occupancy and management of animals and crops.” - Main Today Real Estate

Penn State Launches Urban Farming High Tunnel Project with Community Partners in Philadelphia

“‘If the trucks stop bringing food into any major metropolitan area in the United States, for whatever reason, in a short period of time there will not be any food available,’ he said. ‘We want to give people in Philadelphia an appreciation for the value of food, its nutrition and what goes into growing it. They need to realize it doesn’t just grow on the shelves of grocery stores.’” - Seedstock

SLEEP

Dreaming Takes the Sting out of Painful Memories, Research Shows

"The dream stage of sleep, based on its unique neurochemical composition, provides us with a form of overnight therapy, a soothing balm that removes the sharp edges from the prior day's emotional experiences." - ScienceDaily

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Becoming Paleo, Part 1: The Yale Food Addiction Scale

"Society’s strong motivation to lose weight combined with the tremendous amount of energy and resources spent on the “obesity epidemic” suggests that the problem of obesity is not driven by a lack of motivation or effort."

John Michael: Eating Organic on Paleo

What’s the attraction to Paleo? Personal health. Where do we draw the line when creating our Paleo diets? If it’s just at eliminating grains, dairy, and processed foods, then we’ve taken a big step towards emulating an ancestral diet - but we’re not there yet. Before the 20th Century’s Green Revolution, when synthetic fertilizers and pesticide-use became widespread, concern of industrial chemicals tainting fresh produce was, for the most part, non-existent. Nowadays, whether it’s contamination from the pesticides used to keep fruits and vegetables healthy, or from other chemicals employed during cultivation - or even environmental pollution from non-agricultural sources - that concern is ever-present. These contaminants can adversely affect human health: prenatal pesticide exposure alone has been connected to lower IQs in children.

In their 2008-2009 Annual Report, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk,” the President’s Cancer Panel advises citizens to lower their pesticide exposure. “Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing,” the panel writes, “to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and washing conventionally grown produce to remove residues.” While this is an explicit warning to consumers, suggesting pesticides are quite harmful to human health, some believe that the term “foods grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers” implicitly refers to organic foods.

What’s so great about organics? From the USDA Consumer Brochure: Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts, “Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.” It’s probably the closest we’re going to get to the food our Paleolithic ancestors enjoyed. (You can tell if what you’re buying is organic by the seal it bears. It’s important to remember that, in general, if the food doesn’t have the seal, then it’s not organic.)

While organic foods are not pesticide-free, they are free of synthetic pesticide residues. Instead of synthetic chemicals, organic farmers protect their crops through a variety of strategies, like Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a precise approach to the control of crop-harming insects. In IPM, actions are taken against pests only when necessary, and only after carefully researching the pests in question. Pesticides, if used, are only employed as a last resort.

Additionally, organic agriculture has less of an impact on the environment, thus reducing the amount of environmental pollutants contaminating our food supply. According to the USDA National Organic Standards Board, “Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.” Which is important, since our food, being a product of the environment in which it’s grown, shares the condition of that environment. Simply put, a healthy environment generates healthy food, which leads to healthy people.

John Michael