Monthly Archives: June 2011

Why are we so fat in rural settings? – Part 3 – Our Ancestry!

Prince Edward Island, where I live, has a very high obesity rate. So do many rural parts of America and of cource the rest of Atlantic Canada. We have looked at why there is an physical environmental difference between cities and … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", A New Vision, Aging, Ancestry, Constraints, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology, Plateau, Population, The Plateau, The Science, Theses | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Why are people in rural setting fat – Part 2 – Because our friends are – It’s Social!

For reasons that we are exploring in this series, there are environmental reasons why people who live in rural settings tend to be more overweight than those living in urban settings. But there are social environmental factors as well. And I … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Complexity, Constraints, Context, Environments | Tagged | Comments Off on Why are people in rural setting fat – Part 2 – Because our friends are – It’s Social!

Why are rural folks fatter than urban – It’s not laziness it is environment – Part 1

Here is the lead in the Guardian – PEI’s paper of record. Obesity rates in Prince Edward Island are among the highest in the country. Overall, about 62 per cent of Canadians weigh more than they should. The obesity rates vary from a … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Complexity, Environments | Tagged | Comments Off on Why are rural folks fatter than urban – It’s not laziness it is environment – Part 1

Trust – Part of our Biology – Dr Jonathan Shay

“The need for trust, Dr. Shay argues, comes from human prehistory. Without claws, wings or other natural weapons, human ancestors survived by watching one another’s backs. As a result, Dr. Shay argues, the need for trust is part of human … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Ancestry, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Resources | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Trust – Part of our Biology – Dr Jonathan Shay

Your Mind and your Health – Part 4 – Why the Tribe – Community – is the best Environment to help us

In this series we have seen how the power of how we think can affect our health for good or bad. How then can we do the hardest thing of all and change how we think about ourselves and so … Continue reading

Posted in Context, Environments, Resources, The New Science | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Your mind and your health – Part 3 – How do we change deep rooted thoughts/habits?

So how do we change? Is it as simple as knowing what is true? Not for deep change. I can hear you even from here. “But I can’t change my habits” or “Just telling me to think differently is not enough” … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Complexity, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Resources, The New Science, Tuning | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Your mind and your health – Part 3 – How do we change deep rooted thoughts/habits?

Your Mind and your Health – Part 2 – The Power of Neuroplasticity

This is the conventional picture of the brain – a thing with discrete compartments – a thinking machine. This idea of the brain – which is also how most of us “see” the body and so organize medicine is wrong. … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Complexity, Context, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology, Resources, The New Science, The Science, Tuning | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Your Mind and your Health – Part 2 – The Power of Neuroplasticity

Please help us by taking this short survey

View Survey

Posted in Surveys | Tagged | Comments Off on Please help us by taking this short survey

Your Mind & Your Health – Part 1 – Overcoming bad environments

Most of us understand that if we eat better (whatever better means) and if we are more active, our health will improve. But few of us know that if we use our mind “better” that this too will help us … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", Context, Environments, Physiology, Resources | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Your Mind & Your Health – Part 1 – Overcoming bad environments

How do you get control and power – Riot or take it for yourself?

Lack of power and control and low social status is a major factor in making us ill. So if we cannot change the system, how can we get more power, control and social status? This week we will look at how we might do … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", A New Vision, Aging, Constraints, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Experimental Evolution, Population, Resources, The Science, Theses, Trade Offs | Tagged , , | Comments Off on How do you get control and power – Riot or take it for yourself?

Crohns Disease – Typical Bad Advice you get

Here is an article today that claims to be the definitive advice from the experts of what to eat. But when you go through it – it is totally confusing. Don’t eat fat – hard to digest and makes you … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", Context, Diet | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Your Baby – Bathtime – What is safe? – Novel Environments

My grand daughter Sophia when she was very little not so long ago. Bath time is the best part of the day for babies and parents. Little did I know what might have been going on. What is in the … Continue reading

Posted in Constraints, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Theses | Tagged , | Comments Off on Your Baby – Bathtime – What is safe? – Novel Environments

Diet – What you need to know based on your heritage

Thesis 50 reminds us that if you are a person with a heritage that is adapted to the agricultural diet – say from Western Europe – then you can do quite well on the Agricultural diet for a while. 30 … Continue reading

Posted in Ancestry, Diet, Environments, Plateau, Population, The Plateau, The Science, Theses | Tagged | Comments Off on Diet – What you need to know based on your heritage

Diet – Where your ancestral heritage is important

Surely we must have adapted to agriculture by now? The answer is no and sort of yes to that question. It depends on what your ancestral heritage is or how long you have been exposed to agriculture. Let’s take dairy. … Continue reading

Posted in Ancestry, Constraints, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Forces of Natural Selection, Physiology, Population, The Science, Theses | 12 Comments

Are you at risk of getting ill? Yes when we get older

My son who is 31 likes what he sees in how I have changed but is having trouble with giving up modern foods for himself. Especially beer! I told him that, as a Scot – he is a Celt and … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Ancestry, Diet, Environments, Forces of Natural Selection, Plateau, Population | Comments Off on Are you at risk of getting ill? Yes when we get older

Aging – What is it and why you can avoid it’s ravages

What is aging? Is the deterioration we see inevitable? Are the diseases that come with age all part of the process? Is it inevitable that we get sick and decrepit as we get older? On the surface it looks as … Continue reading

Posted in A New Vision, Aging, Context, Plateau, The New Science, The Plateau, The Science, Theses | 2 Comments

Where can we find answers to the questions raised by Michael Rose? A Hack Community

Finding out how best to live in a way more attuned to our Paleo past is not a well established protocol yet. How do we give up sugar if we are addicted? What is the best form of activity to … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", A New Vision, Diet, Environments, Physiology, Resources | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The PaleoGraphic – The Story in Pictures

Learn more about the Paleo Diet. From Paleolithicdiet.com

Posted in "Paleo", A New Vision, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology, The New Science, The Science | Tagged | Comments Off on The PaleoGraphic – The Story in Pictures

Michael’s Recent Interview

Michael is interviewed by Jimmie Moore on how Evolution plays such a role and also on how diet is so important. Here MR summarizes the key factors of the 55 in a few minutes.  

Posted in "Paleo", A New Vision, Aging, Ancestry, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Forces of Natural Selection, Physiology, Plateau, Population, The New Science, The Science | Tagged , | Comments Off on Michael’s Recent Interview

Talking about Environments – carbs are novel

This is what most of us – especially our Dr’s think is the ideal start to the day. A cup of oatmeal is 60 grams of carbs. The National Academy of Sciences recommends no less than 120 grams of carbs … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Talking about environments – What’s in your shampoo, soap, deodorant and face cream?

I am just waking up to Michael’s warning about novel environments – here is the lowdown on what goes on in our bathrooms! If you want to know more go here. It scares me to think of how I could … Continue reading

Posted in Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology | Tagged , | Comments Off on Talking about environments – What’s in your shampoo, soap, deodorant and face cream?

Talking about Environments – What about your mouth?

Ideally our mouths should be on the alkaline side. Before the modern diet, they were. Before the modern diet there was next to no caries. Today we brush our teeth to give us a chance of beating caries. But what … Continue reading

Posted in "Paleo", Constraints, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology | Tagged | Comments Off on Talking about Environments – What about your mouth?

As primates we need to live in the “right” social environment – much of our illness stems from a poor fit – the cure is a better fit.

A central tenet of Michael’s is that we do best in environments that fit our evolved state. Diet is a very important aspect of finding the best fit. But so is our social environment. Practical work at one of Canada’s … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology | Tagged , , | Comments Off on As primates we need to live in the “right” social environment – much of our illness stems from a poor fit – the cure is a better fit.

Michael’s Rose’s “Twin Sister?” – Dr Mary Vernon – The practical aspect of the 55 Theses

No one I have found so far explains how our metabolism works better than Dr Vernon – a GP who could not help any of her diabetic patients get well by following the “rules”. Who then became an expert in … Continue reading

Posted in Complexity, Context, Diet, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Physiology, The Science | Tagged | Comments Off on Michael’s Rose’s “Twin Sister?” – Dr Mary Vernon – The practical aspect of the 55 Theses

The “Plateau” – Thesis #30 in action

Here is a short video of Ruth – soon to be 100. My real point of posting her video is to remind us all that there is a plateau waiting for us as we get older. If we are not … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Forces of Natural Selection, Plateau | Tagged | 2 Comments

The most important social environment to get right – the family

Michael Rose is clear – the closer we can live in environments that we have evolved to thrive in, the better off we will be. No environment has more of an effect on our well being than our family. For … Continue reading

Posted in Context, Environments, Physiology | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The most important social environment to get right – the family

We need the best fit to our ideal social status as well as to our ideal diet

America spends far more than any other nation in the world on healthcare and yet has the health outcomes of a nation like Cuba. What is going on? Why might this be? If you live in Louisiana you are much … Continue reading

Posted in Context, Environments, Evolutionary Novelty, Population | Tagged , , | Comments Off on We need the best fit to our ideal social status as well as to our ideal diet