The dietary dEvolution of man kind and how we got there

My sources of information are marksdailyapple.com and The Primal Blueprint

As everything out there is all about healthy eating, being fit and healthy , I feel I should share my very knowledge with those, reading my blog. I intend to write my article in both Bulgarian and English, so that a wider ranger of people get to learn something from me.

The first and quite essential thing to know is, that nowadays man kind is in a permanent state of devolution. Turn around and you will see it right the way- children drinking sodas and coke, eating sweet thing and being far more obese than I thought was even possible; mothers giving their babies processed foods, obese teenagers and young adults; people with hardly any physical activity; increasing death cases caused by heart disease(which is of course caused by the intake of bad fatty acid, fast carbs, smoking, no physical activity and overstress).



Of course everyone is trying to the whatever one can to prevent those side effects of modern life.
But here we also have to face some unreliable information and some great misreadings. I will now try to contest some of the advices that we are given in terms to stay healthy:



1. Eat whole grains
In the history of humanity grains became a main source of nutrient only 10 000 years ago, when agriculture arose. Before that humans just could eat those as you find the rarely in nature and furthermore they are toxic in a raw state.(Try eating a raw potato and you will see).
Grains(as carb and glucose sources) also cause an excessive glycagon and insulin(both hormons ) production, which naturally leads to slow fat metabolism and dangerous levels of triglycerides in you blood stream(see the connection with heart disease?).
What's more, humans weren't accustomed to eat such enormous quantities of carbohydrates and their daily intake varied between 0g and 70g per day, depending on the season.
Whole grains also contain loads of fibres, that prevent us from absorbing some essential nutrient like vitamins and minerals. The last mentioned are essential for healthy digestion and normal organ function.
So, avoiding wheat, rice, corn, bread, cereal, pasta. etc. is generally a good idea.


2. Avoid fats
The worst mistake in health industry is the opinion that in terms to stay healthy you should avoid fats. CRAP!
Fat is essential for a healthy heart and weight...actually, for a healthy everything!
So, fat from sources like nuts(cashews, pecans almonds etc.., fish , meat and fruits is more than a great way to supply your body with essential nutrients.
Remember, heart disease is not caused by fat, but by excessive carbohydrate intake(especially from bread, sweets, pastas and much more synthetic food).
So, fat from healthy sources like the mentioned above should be your main source of calories(and of course vegetables).


3. You should minimize egg consumption as it is dangerous and leads to high choleserol levels and heart disease

As the author of The Primal Blueprint Mark Sisson points out:
Eggs have "zero correlation with heart disease or cholesterol levels, Yolk extremely nutritious, whites minimally so. Enjoy in abundance."
So, if you want to eat eggs, watch out if they are organic or not. Always chose organic eggs if possible.

4. You should goal for food with high fibre content

As already said excess fibrec can contribute to deficiency by inhibting nutrient absorbtion. Also hampers gastrointestinal function and elimination.

5.Never skip breakfast and eat small portions of food every 3 hours.

The Primal Blueprint:
"Eating frequency is a personal preference, but it's all about insulin: control production and even sporadic eating habits will sustain energy without regular meals (it's in our gene!) Intermittent fasting is a great catalyst for wight loss."

You see, our ancestors didn't have permanent food supply like we do today- we have supermarkets and refrigerators. Studies have shown that fasting once in a while and eating only when you are hungry is a much more effective way to stay healthy and in shape.
Primal people didn't have science to mislead them, instead they listened their own bodies. I think we should do the same.


6. In order to shed those excessive body fat away, you have to do cardio and keep your pulse in the range 85%- 95% of you maximum pulse.

Nope. Sorry, but what I used to think was true is not.
Primal people didn't really exhaust themselves with marathon running, because this only leads to overstress, fatigue and hunger, that cannot be controlled.
I will also refer to Primal Blue Print:
"Frequent medium to sustained efforts(...)= overstress, fatigue, burnout, injury, accelerated aging, and increased disease risk. Ineffective for weight loss: calories burned through Chronic Cardio simply increase appetite, particularly for sugar. Slow down for better health and peak performance!"


7.You should have a structured fitness program and do isolated work in order to shape and get "cuts"

Another stupid theory with no scientific proof. Of course moving and exercising is good for you. But just think about it- did humans 10 000 ago or 2 million years ago take a heavy stone in order to do biceps curls? It sound just crazy...

So, when muscles work together you work out in a natural way. Forget all about expensive machines in those luxurious fitness centres , where you have to pay for achieving nothing.

Find yourself a pretty little fitness studio, where you can perform short and intensive work- outs with free weights.What's more you should try your best and lift as heavy as you can and as long as you perform the exercise with good technique.

8. Avoid sunlight in order to prevent disease

Well, not exactly. Sunlight is also essential to good health. "Get adequate sun to avoid skin (and other) cancers! Vitamin D synthesis promotes healthy cellular function.Cover up with clothing, finde shade or go inside after sufficient daily exposure is achieved."


We are in a state of devolution...look at those shoes!

9. Footwear- you should wear stable shoes -that will prevent injuries and will stabilize the leg

Another wrong thing, my dears. We are designed to go barefoot. The use of heavy, inflexible shoes actually weakens you legs and feet and leads to muscle atrophy in certain leg and feet areas.Shoes also increase risk of injury and pain.


At least give it a try...


10. The doctor is always right
No. In a lot of cases drugs are prescribed for no major reason, which weakens your immune system and body homeostasis. Eat primal, be active and when a major problem occurs (such as surgery) listen to the doctor.

To be continued...