As you may or may not know, at the age of 35 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis of the spine which would work its way into my organs. My life expectancy was a maximum of 10 years with declining health all the way. The only reassurance and guide given to me by Western Medicine was that pharmaceuticals, eating a balanced diet per the food pyramid, and regular exercise were the best I could do.
As of the writing of this article, I’m currently 49 years old and will be 50 in March of 2019. My Rheumatoid Arthritis is gone. Yes, I said GONE. Spinal and organ inflammation completely non-existent. I have the most energy, clarity of thought, and enthusiasm that I’ve ever had.
I didn’t have Primal Health to look to as a blueprint. I took research and experimentation on myself in my own hands using food and lifestyle practices. I inhaled health knowledge and research articles. After all, my life literally depended on it.
The food, activity/exercise, and lifestyle practices that I came up with weren’t optimal based on what I now know, but they had increased my quality of life during a time it was supposed to be decreasing. Then, I found Mark Sisson and his concept of a Primal Blueprint.
Primal Health to me is a way of being based on both scientifically researched and intuitive principles. It encompasses three main components, which are food, activity, and lifestyle. The easiest way to express this is with the 10 main concepts or as the founder Mark Sisson refers to them, The Primal Blueprint Laws.
Here are the 10 Primal Blueprint Laws as I understand them:
- Eat Plants and Animals Eat whole foods as much as possible. Avoid overly processed and “fast” foods. They most likely contain things your body was never meant to process. Such as partially hydrogenated oils (see “Vegetable and Oils” under Law 2 below).
- Avoid Poisonous Things This one seems pretty self-explanatory, avoid poisonous things. It also includes the following:
- Grains. Contains antinutrients called lectins (natural plant toxins that damage the lining of the small intestine), gluten (highly allergenic type of lectin that causes systemic mild to severe inflammatory response in the human body), and phytates (these bind with nutrients in the digestive tract stopping them from being absorbed).
- Processed Sugars. In the body sugar is processed into glucose by the liver. If it is not used immediately it is converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.
- Vegetable and Oils. Contain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) which oxidize. Ingestion of PUFA causes oxidative damage to cells and tissues inside the body.
- Move frequently at a leisurely pace. The human body thrives on frequent movement. Scientists have reported a strong connection between prolonged sedentary periods and assorted health problems along with musculoskeletal imbalances.
- Sprint once in awhile. Sprinting activates a host of positive neuroendocrine, hormonal and gene expression events. Some of those benefits are promotion of muscle development, fat loss, increased energy and alertness, and delayed aging.
- Get adequate sleep. According to researchers, the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours. If you are training for an athletic endeavor or under additional stress, the number goes up. Sufficient sleep comes with the benefits like physical healing and mental recalibration along with many others. Not enough sleep nets impaired healing, hormone imbalances, mental cloudiness, and poor mood to name a few.
- Play. Having fun is not just enjoyable, it’s necessary for good mental and physical health. Play has been shown via scientific research to increase work productivity, improve ability to manage stress, and enhance self-esteem, social competency, and creativity.
- Lift Heavy Things. Muscle and bone density loss is a well documented fact as we age. Brief intense sessions of lifting medium to heavy weights can slow down and even reverse this physical decline.
- Get adequate sunlight. As a human being, we need vitamin D3. When the dermis is exposed to UV-B rays it causes the creation of Vitamin D3. Sunlight also boosts the production of Serotonin, a major mood elevation hormone.
- Avoid stupid mistakes. This one is pretty straight forward with things like don’t walk in front of moving cars, don’t drink too much the day before a job interview, etc. It also means following the other primal laws.
- Use your brain. Learn something new, concentrate, read, solve a puzzle, etc. We need to use our brain to maintain good mental health and cognitive capabilities.
Now you know!
I hope this has helped you want to and begin to take control of your life! You can do it! You’re AWESOME!
That’s it! Thank you for reading! If you’re looking for more help in optimizing your own life and would like to engage my services, or have an idea for a blog post, feel free to contact me.
Wishing you happiness, health, and success!
-Gregg
