Kettlebell Swings Give You A Perky Butt and Improve Your Dead Lift

Written by Tim Ferriss

Tracy: 100+ lbs. lost with 2-3 sessions per week.
In The 4-Hour Body, I profiled Tracy R., a mother of two who lost more than 100 pounds.
The secret wasn’t marathon aerobics sessions, nor was it severe caloric restriction. It was the Russian kettlebell swing, twice a week for an average of 15–20 minutes. Her peak session length was 35 minutes.
This post will explain how to perform the two-handed kettlebell swing.

Beyond fat loss, this movement will help build a superhuman posterior chain, which includes all the muscles from the base of your skull to your Achilles tendons. For maximum strength and sex appeal in minimal time, the posterior chain is where you should focus. From “violent hips” for power sports, to the perfect ass for aesthetics, I suggest one starting point:

The Swing

For a video of Tim teaching the Three Stage lesson in how to do the swing go to Bodybuilding.com by clicking this link: Tips From "The 4-Hour Body": Kettlebell Swing

Reps and Sets – Less is More

Long before I met Tracy, I met “The Kiwi” in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In early 2006, he happened to be taking a private Spanish lesson in the same café where I was finishing the manuscript for The 4-Hour Workweek, and we quickly became close friends. He had competed in elite-level rugby in New Zealand but was equally proud, I soon learned, of applying his BSE in exercise physiology to perfecting the female posterior.
He told me the story over a bottle of Catena Malbec. His obsession started when he saw a professional samba dancer in Brazil balance tequila shots on top of each butt cheek in a dance club. Lamenting the lack of similar scenes in his own country, he set off on a mission to isolate the best exercises for creating buttocks worthy of tequila shots.
By 2000 he had refined his approach to a science. In four weeks, he took his then-girlfriend, an ethnic Chinese with a surfboardlike profile, to being voted one of the top-10 sexiest girls out of 39,000 students at the University of Auckland. Total time: four weeks. Other female students constantly asked her how she’d lifted her glutes so high up her hamstrings.
If The Kiwi could have answered for her, he would have said, “Add reps and weights to the swings.”
In 2005, my interest in kettlebells reinvigorated, I returned to the United States from Argentina and purchased one 53-pound kettlebell. I did nothing more than one set of 75 swings one hour after a light, protein-rich breakfast, twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. In the beginning, I couldn’t complete 75 consecutive repetitions, so I did multiple sets with 60 seconds between until I totaled 75. Total swing time for the entire week was 10–20 minutes.
I wasn’t trying to balance tequila shots on my butt cheeks. I wanted clear six-pack abs. In six weeks, I was at my lowest bodyfat percentage since 1999, and l’d reached my goal. I’ve since worked up to 50+ reps with the 106-lb. “beast” (video), which has directly transferred to 100-lb.+ gains in the deadlift.
The king of exercises—the two-handed kettlebell swing—is all you need for dramatic changes.

Here are a few guidelines:
• Stand with your feet 6–12 inches outside of shoulder width on either side, each foot pointed outward about 30 degrees. If toes pointed straight ahead were 12:00 on a clock face, your left foot would point at 10:00 or 11:00, and your right would point at 1:00 or 2:00.
• Keep your shoulders pulled back (retracted) and down to avoid rounding your back.
• The lowering movement (backswing) is a sitting-back-on-a-chair movement, not a squatting- down movement.
• Do not let your shoulders go in front of your knees at any point.
• Imagine pinching a penny between your butt cheeks when you pop your hips forward. This should be a forceful pop, and it should be impossible to contract your ass more. If your dog’s head gets in the way, it should be lights out for Fido.
75 total reps, 2-3 times a week, is the recipe.
Simple works.
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Odds and Ends: An Appeal If you found this post helpful, could you pretty please take 30 seconds to go to my Facebook page and 'Like' the post?  Espeecially if that is how you came upon this blog posting in the first place. I’ll toast some wine and post a thank you on your FB page.  Everyone like public recognition! Thanks in advance — I really enjoy making these posts for you and this and this would really be the icing on the cake.

Is Interval Training Dead?

The blog below was sent to me by Rick Kaselj, who wrote several population book on Exercise For Injuries

 

by Mike Whitfield

We’ve come a long way since the 90’s in fitness training. For example, Rick is always showing us how to face nagging injuries and pain instead of running away from it. Thanks to people like Rick, you’re able to perform your workouts with less risk for injury.
If you think about it, that’s really HUGE. It’s something we really shouldn’t take for granted.
Then, we were introduced to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to replace long, boring cardio. We went from 60 minutes of cardio, which can lead to overuse injuries, to doing “cardio” for 15 – 20 minutes.
But I’ll just quote you what my friend and mentor Craig Ballantyne said at the Turbulence Training Summit in 2012… “Intervals are so 2010.”
The truth is that interval training is OK, but by replacing intervals with workout finishers, you’ll burn even more calories and lose more fat, while at the same time reducing the stress on your joints.
For example, let’s take intervals on a treadmill. Depending on your fitness level, you’ll be cranking anywhere between 1,500 to 4,000 “reps” (strides). Now each and every one of those reps put an impact on your lower body, especially the knees. It’s just the biomechanical truth.
So how do we solve this problem?…
… enter a finisher.
A workout finisher, a short “mini-workout” designed to replace long cardio and even intervals, is a period of very intense exercise using big, compound movements with very short rest periods. They take 10 minutes or less due to the density of work involved.
Imagine taking that energy you spent on your lower body during an interval workout and distributing it more “evenly” on your entire body. And because you work more muscle, you burn more calories.
Now that part is great and all, but what you’ll like the most about it?… you’ll enjoy it so much more than traditional interval training. My clients fell in love with this concept when I introduced it to them years ago. It’s like a workout adrenaline rush.
If you think about it, it certainly makes sense. Traditional interval training – some time at a high intensity, some time at a low intensity. Yawn.
You can only do that so much before you get bored… or worse…. Injured.
But with finishers, you can manipulate so many variables including:

• Density (set and rep schemes)
• Rest periods
• Volume

This allows your body to never adapt so it’s constantly stimulated, which means better results. But at the end of the day, what is really overlooked in the fitness world is not so much the “perfect diet” (there is no such thing) or the “perfect workout” (again, no such thing).
It really comes down to this. Ask yourself – do you look forward to a crazy set and rep scheme with your “finisher of the day”? Are you excited about working out or heading to the gym? If you are, you stay more consistent.
And you already know the KING of success is consistency.
That’s how workout finishers work – it’s a plug and play system. You can use them with ANY workout. Just plug them at the end or you can do them on an off day.
So, is interval training dead? No, not yet. But I’m sure people said the same thing about MySpace before Facebook came along.
Don’t get left behind and have some fun.
Get 51 brand NEW Workout Finishers here


Mike Whitfield, CTT, has lost 105 pounds propelling his passion into the fitness industry. His unique approach of using workout finishers has helped thousands of people lose fat with his online and offline programs. He is known across the fitness industry for his effective “workout finishers” and humor. His workouts have been seen in Men’s Health, Turbulence Training, AJC and more.

51 Ways to Eliminate Workout Boredom

Today I have another blog by Mike Whitfield.  In it is a nice little workout challenge for y'all to try.  I may go give it a go now...

I really dig the “Croatian Sensation” Rick Kaselj’s stuff here at Exercises for Injuries. He’s the number one guy I point my readers to when it comes to injury prevention and how to get people addicted to coffee (long story – but Rick was the one who got me addicted to coffee).
His Shoulder Pain Product changed the way people approached shoulder health forever.
And I hope to do the same for you…
Once you read this, you will change the way you approach your training forever (and no, you won’t be stopping your favorite workouts).
You see, back in the fall of 2011, I released a program called “Workout Finishers” which was based exactly on what I did with my own clients to get faster results, but more importantly, made them more consistent because they looked forward to their workouts.
What Are You Doing on an Injury Blog… and What is a Workout Finisher?
I’m here because you’re about to discover a NEW way to demolish long, boring cardio forever. That means you won’t be on the “Overuse Injury” radar because you’re going to work more muscle than just legs (which you will find most of the time when doing “cardio”).
In a nutshell, a finisher is a VERY metabolically demanding superset or circuit (and yes, sometimes even just one exercise) with very short rest periods and they include some of the craziest, yet effective set and rep schemes you have ever seen.
It’s the perfect solution to replace long, boring cardio and even intervals (plus they are much more fun).
The goods news gets even better – they last just a fraction of the time that long cardio and intervals take. Some are as short as three minutes!
Workout Finishers Can Be Used

• At the END of ANY workout for an ultimate workout grand finale for improved conditioning and faster fat loss
• As off day conditioning and the perfect solution for people who are stuck on a plateau
• Some of the fastest workouts you can do when you are tight on time or have a very busy schedule

How Do Workout Finishers Work?
Because they’re like… awesome.
Seriously – the real “secret” to workout finishers is based on one simple, yet brutally effective factor. That is the volume of work done in a short amount of time.
This is also known as “density”… and there is a lot of it.
In fact, that’s why Workout Finishers 2.0 came about. I stumbled upon this study revealed in 2012:
Canadian researchers at Queen’s University tested a Workout Finisher style workout against long cardio. (Reference: ApplPhysiolNutrMetab. 2012 Sep 20.)
22 college-aged women did 4 workouts per week for 4 weeks in one of three groups.
Group A did 30 minutes of treadmill running at 85% max heart rate
Group B did 8 rounds of 20 seconds of a single bodyweight exercise (burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or squat thrusts) with 10 seconds of rest between rounds.
Group C did nothing (they were the non-training control group).
Results:
Both training groups increased their aerobic fitness levels by the SAME amount (about 7-8%). That’s right, the short finisher style workouts (of 4 minutes) worked just as well as 30 minutes of cardio.
BUT…only Group B, the Workout Finishers style training, also increased muscular endurance in common exercises like chest presses, leg extensions, sit-ups, and push-ups.
And finally, the Finishers style of training used by Group B also resulted in greater overall workout enjoyment.
The Canadian Scientists concluded that this style of training will boost cardiovascular fitness just as well as cardio while giving you BETTER improvements in muscle endurance…
… All in just 4 minutes. Enjoy Your Workouts = BETTER Results
So what I did was take something that was already good and getting great results, but made it even better.
That’s what people like Rick and I are challenged to do… make something great GREATER.
So after tweaking and experimenting, the finishers got an improvement. Based on feedback and results, the density style of finisher has become a big favorite.
So, What Does a Sample Density Workout Finisher Look Like?
In a nutshell, you’re given a certain time frame to do as many reps or rounds (or even a combination of both) as you can. The rest periods are up to you, however, you only rest when needed. If your form becomes sloppy, you have to rest.
Other than that, it’s like the Soup Nazzi in Seinfield… “NO REST FOR YOU!”.
Now here comes the crazy part – the set and rep schemes are really varied. In fact, that’s part of the challenge. You’ll sometimes go from an exercise on the floor to a stand-up exercise with as little as 1-2 reps of each.
Simply by transitioning from one exercise to the next, you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing. That’s a good thing. That means you’re burning calories and improving your conditioning. Wanna’ rock one? Sure thing…. The Metabolic Quatro Do the following circuit as many times as possible in 5 minutes, resting only when needed.

• Box Jumps (4)
• Decline Close-Grip Pushups (4)
• KB or DB Swings (4)
• Mountain Climbers (4/side)

FIVE Minutes? Yes, FIVE Minutes. By working multiple muscle groups with intense exercise and short rest periods, you’ve instantly UPGRADED your workouts without having to sacrifice a lot of time. That’s why I HAD to come up with a new version of Workout Finishers. After all, if I could get even better and faster results in less time with my readers and clients, it was time to improve the original classic. That’s exactly what I did with Workout Finishers 2.0. These fun workout grand finales (or even off day conditioning workouts) are what have kept off the 105 pounds I have lost. I love working out now, but back when I was big, I didn’t enjoy exercise. But with fun challenges like the Metabolic Quatro – who says you can’t improve you conditioning and performance, lose fat and have fun at the same time? Enjoy your workouts again, Mike Whitfield, CTT Author of the Workout Finishers 2.0 System Get 51 brand NEW Workout Finishers here

 
Mike Whitfield, CTT, has lost 105 pounds propelling his passion into the fitness industry. His unique approach of using workout finishers has helped thousands of people lose fat with his online and offline programs. He is known across the fitness industry for his effective “workout finishers” and humor. His workouts have been seen in Men’s Health, Turbulence Training, AJC and more.

Combine Strength Training And Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Prevent 'Aging'

Following on from my previous post on Charles Eugster, the 93 year old who gave the TEDxZurich on why EVERYONE should continue to strength train and use their bodies into old age, I have another article extract, by Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES, on strength training for the elderly and how it can be optimised.

One way to stop the age-related decline in muscle loss could be to turn to strength-based exercises.

And with more and more people aging and reaching baby boomer status, the population of older adults who exercise IS EXPLODING.

Strength training progressively promotes overload to your muscles, possibly increasing muscle size and strength.

Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, possibly leading to weight loss or even more muscle tone.

Exercise, in general, improves strength and endurance in your muscles, and also put stress on your bones.

And this stress, research suggests, can strengthen your bones, therefore possibly improving, or even preventing, age-related osteoporosis.

And let’s not forget about weight loss.

Increasing muscle tissue has the ability to increase a metabolically active tissue.

And this tissue needs more CALORIES in order to keep you running throughout the day.

Having more lean mass (muscles) could increase your resting metabolic rate, so you could burn more calories throughout the day - even while SLEEPING.

This could potentially improve body composition by burning your fat stores to use as energy.

This may leave you trim and tone way into your golden years.

Omega-3 fatty acids, some clinical research shows, provide even MORE benefits than you already know about.

Researchers in Brazil have possibly discovered AMAZING benefits regarding omega-3 fatty acids and strength training.

It might SHOCK you to know that omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to IMPROVE strength as you get older.



The Research
Researchers in Brazil recruited 45 women with a mean age of 64.

They divided the women into three groups

• Strength training only

• Strength training with omega-3 fatty acids for 90 days

• Strength training with omega-3 fatty acids for 150 days

The researchers wanted to see if omega-3 fatty acids could benefit muscle strength and development.

After 90 days of strength training, the researchers were SHOCKED by their findings.

They noticed that all three groups increased their strength and muscle force.

But more importantly, the group supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids showed SIGNIFICANT improvements in strength than the strength training alone group.

They concluded that strength training DID improve strength in elderly women and in ALL groups, but that groups supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids showed significant improvements in muscle strength AND functional capacity.

Take Home Message

Aging affects everyone differently.

And with the baby boomer population increasing, there are plenty of people looking for the fountain of youth.

Exercise is one way to increase longevity due to altering body composition, blood lipid profiles, strengthening of your muscles and bones.

Omega-3 fatty acids and strength training combined may STRENGTHEN and improve muscle force.

And this could lead to increased lean mass, which may alter your body composition - for the better.

In order to increase your omega-3 fatty acids intake, you should increase your marine (fish) intake and vegetable intake.

You could possibly live a leaner and fuller life throughout your golden years.

Reference:
Rodacki, C. Rodacki, A. Pereira, G. Naliwaiko, K. Coelho, I. Pequito, D. Fernandes, LC. Fish-oil supplementation enhances the effects of strength training in elderly women.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2012.  doi: 10.3945/ajcn..111.021915.

Is Estrogen Dominance Making You Fat?

by Poliquin™ Editorial Staff

11/28/2012 2:12:48 PM

Estrogen dominance occurs when you have too much estrogen in the body or an imbalance between estrogen and other hormones. Estrogen dominance is a much greater problem than most people realize: It negatively affects men, women, and children, and it could be that one thing that is keeping you from losing weight or getting all that you could out or your workouts!

Beyond our vanity, estrogen dominance significantly increases cancer risk, alters brain transmitters, causes infertility, and can affect mood, making you depressed or irritable. That’s not to say that some estrogen isn’t necessary for both genders—it is!

The right amount of estrogen at the right time is of course responsible for proper female reproduction and is necessary for a healthy pregnancy. In women, it also regulates mood and arterial function, is necessary for bone building, and is even thought to enable women to recover faster from intense exercise.

In men, some estrogen is necessary for optimal sperm health, however, too much compromises male fertility, which is the main point. Also, optimal memory in males is dependent to some basic level of estrogens.

Too much estrogen—Very Bad! Optimal estrogen in balance with the entire hormonal cascade—Perfect!

There are two simple ways to think about estrogen dominance:

1)    Chemical estrogens, called xenoestrogens, are EVERYWHERE and contribute to estrogen dominance. They mimic estrogen, binding to hormone receptors when they enter the body. It is nearly impossible to avoid them, and they are a principal cause of estrogen dominance in men, women, and children.

The most ever-present xenoestrogens include BPA, phthalates, and parabens. Phthalates are found in chemical fragrances such as perfume, air sprays, and candles, whereas parabens are in personal care products like lotion. BPA is found in everything from aluminum cans to new furniture. All three of these chemicals act like estrogen in the body and have caused cancer in animals. In humans, ill health effects of high chemical estrogen levels include heart problems, behavioral issues, and obesity.

For example, a series of studies have linked urinary BPA levels to body fat in all ages—the more BPA people had in their bodies, the fatter they were. People with the most BPA in their urine had a 34 percent chance of being obese compared to only a 23 percent chance in people who had the least urinary BPA. And it’s easy to ingest BPA—simply eating canned soup for dinner for five days was shown to increase BPA levels by 1,223 percent!

2)    Endogenous estrogen is the kind produced within the body. Hormonal balance is a complicated process, but you may have too much internally produced estrogen for a number of reasons including the following:

•    You are overweight. Regardless of gender, fat tissue increases levels of an enzyme called aromatase that turns testosterone to estrogen.

•    You are deficient in certain nutrients (magnesium, vitamin D, selenium, zinc). Nutrient deficiencies elevate aromatase significantly. For example, men with vitamin D deficiency have low testosterone and elevated estrogen due to increased aromatization.

•    You drink alcohol regularly. Alcohol, especially beer, increases aromatase and it’s been repeatedly linked to low testosterone and high estrogen in men.

•    You take birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. Both can elevate estrogen or cause an imbalance between estrogen and other hormones.

•    Your body isn’t metabolizing estrogen effectively due to poor gastrointestinal health, lack of certain nutrients, or low fiber intake. Inability to eliminate estrogen quickly will dramatically increase breast and prostate cancer risk.

To treat estrogen dominance you need to focus on two key areas:

1)    Avoid exposure to chemical estrogens.

Even though chemical estrogens are everywhere, you do have some control over your exposure. Now is the time to use that control. Start by only using natural products in the following areas: personal care products like lotion, sunscreen, hair products, soap, cosmetics, perfume; cleaning products (all); air fragrances, including candles, sprays, plug-ins, incense; house paint (stains, solvents, carpet cleaner). Go to the Environmental Working Group web site for information on safe products.

Opt for glass or stainless steel to carry food or water—don’t use plastic unless it’s BPA free. Never heat plastic even if it is BPA free because there are additional hormone-disrupting compounds in plastic other than BPA, that leach out under high temperatures.

Stop buying aluminum cans unless you know they are BPA free. It’s true that eliminating canned goods makes food preparation take longer but it’s worth it to avoid getting fat or having cancer. Cook dried beans, make your own soup (Campbell’s uses BPA-free cans), use frozen (or fresh!) for veggies and fruits, and stew your own tomato sauce (or buy in glass). Some more forward thinking countries like Canada and Norway are presently developing federal laws to ban BPA completely from their canning industries.

Use cloth bags when shopping. Avoid taking receipts and be aware the most recycled paper contains BPA.

Eat organic produce, meats, and dairy to avoid ingesting estrogenic pesticides and growth hormones.

Be aware that most new products (cars, furniture, exercise equipment, yoga mats) contain BPA and other estrogen mimickers. This is harder to avoid, but consider buying antique wood furniture, and air out new cars as much as possible. Here your best bet is to focus on estrogen elimination…

2)    Support the elimination of estrogen (both endogenous and chemical) with diet and supplementation.

Estrogen elimination is a complicated process but a highly simplified version is as follows: Estrogen is first metabolized by the liver. Then it’s sent down one of three pathways, one of which is favorable, one is unfavorable, and one is highly toxic and can cause cancer. Then, if you have a healthy gut and adequate fiber, it will be eliminated. The best way to support the elimination process is with the right diet and supplementation:

Eat a low-carb, high-protein diet because excess insulin in the blood stream results in the elevation of free estrogen levels. Managing insulin with a low-carb, high-protein diet will also support body composition. Protein also provides amino acids that support liver function and detoxification.

Eat lots of healthy omega-3 fats. The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA that are found in wild or organic meat, dairy, and fish promote estrogen metabolism down the most favorable of the three pathways (called the 2-hydroxyestrone pathway). Flaxseeds, which are high in the omega-3 fat ALA, block aromatase and provide fiber that helps keep estrogen bound and unreactive on its way out of the body.

Eat certain nutrients that promote the favorable elimination, including kudzu, alfalfa, leafy greens, clover, licorice, legumes, sesame seeds, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower).

Supplement with selenium, melatonin, zinc, green tea, citrus flavonones (called limonene and found in citrus rinds), folic acid, and B6 and B12.

Perhaps the most beneficial supplement is TNT which is a high fibre supplement that contains a balance of 18 different sources of fibre plus an array of 12 vitamins, 11 minerals and antioxidants in a great tasting orange flavoured drink mix.  Also available in money saving Four Packs.

TNT can be taken alone or alongside other estrogen detox products.
Another excellent supplement choice would be Defence Maintenance.  This is the Key System product for the immune system, and this unique formula provides generous levels of antioxidant  vitamins A, C and E along with Zinc, Selenium, many antioxidants, beneficial cruciferous vegetable powders and extra vitamins and minerals, including turmeric root which contains the super antioxidant curcumin, which is also highly beneficial for health and decreasing inflammation.

Avoid soy, which can mimic estrogen in the body as well. Eating large amounts of processed or non-organic, genetically modified soy has been linked to increased cancer risk.

Get AT LEAST 25 grams of fiber a day. Get MORE if you eat a high-protein diet. Consider taking a high-quality fiber blend (like TNT or LOCLO) and rotating the form of fiber you take because the body will quickly adapt to fiber, making it less effective.


Take magnesium and vitamin D. These are mentioned separately from the other suggested supplements because they are SO IMPORTANT and deficiency in them is so widespread. Consider taking 5,000 IUs of vitamin D daily and 500 mg of magnesium.

For a much more in depth look at how to treat estrogen dominance, read Ten Ways To Lower Estrogen Toxic Load

Two "Forbidden Foods" That Can Give You Instant Energy

By Dr. Mercola

Does your health food repertoire consist of salads, baked chicken and broccoli? Are you looking for a way to add some excitement to your meals while maximizing their nutritional punch?
There's absolutely no need to be bored when eating healthy, but many believe this to be the case because they are missing out on some of the tastiest and healthiest options of all.
I encourage you to peruse the list below to take advantage of some of the healthiest foods on earth. Before we can talk about the best foods, we need to perform some nutrition "mythbusting" and address two major dietary myths that have permeated Western culture for decades:

1. Fat is bad for you—especially saturated fat
2. All microorganisms are dangerous

Myth #1: Fat is BAD for You

Conventional medical "wisdom" continues barking that consumption of saturated animal fats is bad for you and causes heart disease. Most medical "experts" believes this to be true. But a hundred years ago, fewer than one in one hundred Americans were obese, and coronary heart disease was unknown and we had FAR more fat intake then we do today.
The demonization of saturated fat began in 1953, when Dr. Ancel Keys published a paper comparing saturated fat intake and heart disease mortality. His theory turned out to be flimsy, to say the least, but the misguided ousting of saturated fat has continued ever since. Fortunately, the truth is finally starting to come out, as medical scientists have finally begun to question Keys' findings. The truth is, it's the trans fat found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that is the true villain, causing a multitude of health problems.
Coconut oil also fell into the "bad for your heart health" as a result of the saturated fat disparagement. This is most unfortunate as it is one of the healthiest fats on the planet. It is mostly medium chain triglycerides with over half of those belonging to lauric acid, which is an essential fat to regulate your immune system, and is also very prevalent in breast milk. It can curb hunger and help provide lasting energy.
I personally consume about one quart of coconut oil a week. It is the ideal fat to use when you are using intermittent fasting and seeking to replace calories from grains and sugar, and excessive protein. 

Myth #2: When It Comes to Bacteria, Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid

We have become one of the most germophobic cultures in the world, attempting to sterilize ourselves into a bubble—and our children as well. We haven't done ourselves any favors here. We live in a world of microorganisms... bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and our lives depend on living with them, rather than avoiding them. Literally.
Microorganisms are everywhere. You swallow them, breathe them, and they form invisible colonies on your skin. Your gut is home to approximately 100 trillion bacteria, both good and bad. These bacteria outnumber the cells in your body by about 10 to one, and maintaining the ideal balance of healthy and disease causing microflora forms the foundation for your health—physical, mental and emotional.

In fact, this microscopic zoo in your gut is the first-line defense of your immune system. While a few of these microorganisms can wreak havoc with your system, most of these little "bugs" are good, helping you digest your food, stay protected from infections, and even helping to prevent autoimmune diseases like asthma, allergies, and diabetes. An imbalance in your gut flora can be a major contributor to many serious illnesses, including autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
Your body's microbial community is so crucial to your health that researchers have compared it to "a newly recognized organ" whose function is so important that you simply cannot be optimally healthy without it. In addition to avoiding unnecessary antibiotics and antibacterial soaps, balancing your gut flora may be one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health. This requires "reseeding" your gut with naturally fermented foods and probiotics.

Are You Eating These 10 Healthiest Foods?

So, having dispelled two pervasive food myths, let me now focus on ten of the most healthful foods you could be consuming. Remember these are general recommendations. Not everyone will do well with these foods, but the vast majority will have health improvement by regularly consuming them. As always, it is important to listen to your body and let it guide you in making that determination. With some foods though, like fermented vegetables, you will need to start with very small amounts and work your way up to a healthy dose over a few months.
1. Fermented Vegetables
Fermented, or cultured, vegetables are teeming with essential enzymes and good bacteria needed for optimal digestion and they are easier to digest than raw or cooked vegetables. When you eat raw cultured vegetables loaded with enzymes, you give your body an opportunity to use its bodily stores of enzymes to rejuvenate itself instead of exhausting them trying to digest overly processed and otherwise dead food. Cultured foods also offer a multitude of medicinal rewards by:

• Alleviating digestive disorders - the flora in living cultured foods form a "living shield" that covers your small intestine's inner lining and resists pathogenic organisms like Escherichia coli, Salmonella and an unhealthy overgrowth of yeast
• Strengthening immunity with increased antibodies that fight off infectious disease
• Helping pregnant and nursing mothers transfer beneficial bacteria to their infants
• Effectively impacting the behavior of children with autism,ADD/ and ADHD
• Regulating weight and appetite by reducing cravings for sugar, soft drinks, bread and pasta -- all foods I strongly advise against

Fermented foods are also among some of the best chelators available. The beneficial bacteria in these foods are very potent detoxifiers, capable of drawing out a wide range of environmental toxins, including pesticides and and heavy metals. And you don't need to consume huge amounts either. Caroline Barringer recommends eating about a quarter to a half a cup of fermented vegetables, or cultured food such as raw yoghurt, per day. In the following video, she discusses the process of fermenting your own vegetables in some detail, so for more information, please listen to that interview.

Download Interview Transcript
2. Kale
Kale contains fiber and antioxidants, and is one of the best sources of vitamin A, which promotes eye and skin health and may help strengthen your immune system. A one-cup serving has almost as much vitamin C as an orange and as much calcium as a cup of milk. It's simply an excellent source of multiple vitamins and other nutrients, including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Lutein (helps protect against macular degeneration)
• Zeaxanthin (helps protect against macular degeneration)
• Indole-3-carbinol (may protect against colon cancer)
• Iron
• Chlorophyll

Carotenoid Blend contains 80% of the E.C. RDA of vitamin A as beta-carotene (4,000 IU), as well as other carotenoids including lutein, and zeaxanthin, as well as lycopene, cryptoxanthin, phytoene, phytofluene and astaxanthin.

3. Kefir and Other Fermented Beverages
Kefir is a fermented milk beverage that contains beneficial probiotics that may help give your immune system a boost, among other health benefits. One of the best and least expensive ways to get healthy bacteria through your diet is actually to obtain raw milk and convert it to kefir yourself. All you need is one-half packet of kefir starter granules in a quart of raw milk, which you leave at room temperature overnight. By the time you wake up in the morning you will likely have kefir. If it hasn't obtained the consistency of yogurt you might want to set it out a bit longer and then store it in the fridge.
A quart of kefir has far more active bacteria than you can possibly purchase in any probiotic supplement, and it is very economical as you can reuse the kefir from the original quart of milk about 10 times before you need to start a new culture pack. Just one starter package of kefir granules can convert about 50 gallons of milk to kefir. This is also a far healthier, and far more economical, way to nourish your body with probiotics than buying any of the commercial probiotic beverages on the market, as these typically contain added sugars and are made using pasteurized milk, which I don't recommend drinking.
Kombucha, a fermented drink, is another great addition to your diet. The key is variety. The greater the variety of fermented and cultured foods you include in your diet, the better, as each food will inoculate your gut with a variety of different beneficial microorganisms.
4. Sardines
These tiny fish are packed with omega-3 fats, which are excellent for your heart, brain, mood and more, and vitamin D. And, because of their lower position on the food chain, they don't accumulate as many toxins, such as mercury, PCBs and dioxin, as larger fish do, making them among the safest fish you can eat.
Super Omega-3 is one of the most well-known supplements. Our pharmaceutical grade manufacturing process guarantees that only the finest, purest oils, sourced from the flesh of cold-water fish, are used in Super Omega-3


5. Whey Protein Concentrate
Whey protein, a by-product of cheese production, was promoted for its health benefits as early as 420 B.C. As you age, your body gradually loses its ability to produce critical amino acids -- the essential proteins you need for energy production, immune actions and protein buildup in your muscle. Therefore, the need to supplement with these amino acids increases with age, and increases even more in times of high physical stress, like after a workout, or when recovering from injury or illness.
Whey protein concentrate (not to be confused with the far inferior whey protein isolate) is an ideal choice as it's a rich source of highly bioavailable amino acids that many are unaware of. Whey protein has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including:
Helping your insulin work more effectively, which helps maintain your blood sugar level after a meal -- This is important as research suggests lowering your blood sugar levels after meals may be more beneficial for your health than lowering fasting blood sugars.Promoting healthy insulin secretion, which is essential for optimal health. This is one of the foremost reasons for avoiding sugars and grains, as their overconsumption has a negative impact on both, and is a prime factor in developing type 2 diabetes.Helping to promote your optimal intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for your overall wellness.Helping you preserve lean body tissue (particularly during exercise) as it delivers bioavailable amino acids and cysteine.Supporting your immune system, as it contains immunoglobulins.Maintaining blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range.
6. Organic Pastured Eggs (Raw)
While many people do eat eggs, many neglect to eat them raw, which is the healthiest way. Raw free-range or "pastured" eggs are an excellent source of high-quality nutrients that many people are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat.
A single egg contains:

• Nine essential amino acids
• One of the highest quality proteins you can find. Proteins are nutrients that are essential to the building, maintenance and repair of your body tissues such as your skin, internal organs and muscles. They are also the major components of your immune system and hormones
• Lutein and zeaxanthin (for your eyes)
• Choline for your brain, nervous- and cardiovascular systems
• Naturally occurring B12

Why is raw better? Heating the egg protein actually changes its natural biochemical shape, and this distortion can easily lead to allergies. If you consume your eggs in their raw state, the incidence of egg allergy virtually disappears. Eating eggs raw also helps preserve many of the highly perishable nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are powerful prevention elements for age-related macular degeneration, which is the most common cause of blindness.
Fresh raw egg yolk actually tastes like vanilla, in my opinion. The egg white is usually what most people object to when they say they don't like the texture of raw egg. If this is an issue, consider blending the whole raw egg into a shake or smoothie.
Beware of consuming raw egg whites without the yolks as raw egg whites contain avidin, which can bind to biotin. If you cook the egg white the avidin is not an issue. Likewise, if you consume the whole raw egg (both yolk and egg white) there is more than enough biotin in the yolk to compensate for the avidin binding.
If you choose not to eat your eggs raw, soft-boiled would be your next best option. Scrambling your eggs is one of the worst ways to eat eggs as it actually oxidizes the cholesterol in the egg yolk. If you have high cholesterol this may actually be a problem for you as the oxidized cholesterol may cause some damage in your body.
7. Organic Coconut Oil
Often shunned for its high saturated fat content, the naturally occurring saturated fat found in coconut oil has some spectacular health benefits such as promoting heart health, weight loss, immune system health, thyroid function and more. Half of the fat content in coconut oil is lauric acid—a fat rarely found in nature—that could easily qualify as a "miracle" ingredient because of its unique health promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties.
And, because your body sends medium-chain fatty acids like those in coconut oil directly to your liver to use as energy, this makes coconut oil a powerful source of instant energy to your body, a function usually served in the diet by simple carbohydrates.
Coconut oil is also the ideal choice for all types of cooking. In fact, it's the only oil stable enough to resist mild heat-induced damage. So, whenever you need an oil to cook or bake with, use coconut oil instead of butter, olive oil, vegetable oil, margarine, or any other type of oil called for in recipes.Even though I don't fully recommend frying foods, if you must fry, by all means use coconut oil -- it's your smartest choice.
8. Avocado
Also shunned by many due to their fat content, avocados are actually incredibly healthy for this very reason. Healthy raw fat is a nutrient many are severely deficient in. I eat a whole avocado nearly every day. Avocados also provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including:

• Fiber
• Potassium (more than twice the amount found in a banana)
• Vitamin E
• B-vitamins
• Folic acid

9. Raw Grass-Fed Butter
Another type of healthy fat that many people do not eat is butter made from raw organic grass-fed milk. I typically eat about a half-pound to a pound of raw organic grass-fed butter per week, as it's an excellent source of high-quality nutrients, including:
Vitamins, such as vitamin A, needed for a wide range of functions, from maintaining good vision to keeping the endocrine system in top shape, and all the other fat-soluble vitamins (D, E and K2), which are often lacking in the modern industrial diet. Trace minerals, including manganese, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium (a powerful antioxidant). Butter provides more selenium per gram than wheat germ or herring. It's also an excellent source of iodine. Healthful fats, including short- and medium-chain fats, which support immune function, boost metabolism and have anti-microbial properties, as well as the perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and arachidonic acid, which is important for brain function, skin health and prostaglandin balance. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a compound that gives excellent protection against cancer and also helps your body build muscle rather than store fat. Glycospingolipids, a special category of fatty acids that protect against gastrointestinal infections, especially in the very young and the elderly. Wulzen Factor, a hormone-like substance that prevents arthritis and joint stiffness, ensuring that calcium in your body is put into your bones rather than your joints and other tissues. The Wulzen factor is present only in raw butter and cream; it is destroyed by pasteurization.
10. Pomegranate
The primary source of this fruit's benefits is its antioxidant content, particularly ellagitannin compounds like punicalagins and punicalins, which account for about half of the pomegranate's antioxidant ability. The juice and pulp of pomegranates have previously been studied for their potential heart- and joint health benefits.
Aim to incorporate as many of these foods into your diet on a daily or weekly basis as you can, and you'll be off to a great nutritional start. For even more advice on how to eat right by focusing your diet on whole, unprocessed "superfoods," see my nutrition plan.
Zambroza is a unique and powerful blend of juices that are naturally rich in vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant.  Not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too. This is Nature’s Sunshine’s top selling product worldwide – a great tasting, synergistic blend of that helps to increase vital energy and replenish the body.
Nature’s Sunshine has harvested the most healthful fruits and natural extracts from around the world and combined them into this unique delicious, nutritious juice that has been specially formulated to neutralise excess free radicals.
This unique juice blend not only tastes great but gives your body what it needs to enjoy maximum health and long lasting vitality - not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too.
Potency of antioxidants is measured by their ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity), which indicates their ability to neutralise and scavenge free radicals.  When tested by Brunswick Laboratories the results were astounding with Zambroza’s scoring more than twice that of the nearest competitor, demonstrating its superior protective properties.
Rich in Polyphenols and Flavonoids Zambroza is proven to give unparalleled antioxidant protection.

Ginkgo biloba... and huperzine are a fantastic herbs that will elevate focus, memory, and neural drive for a greater training effort. Individuals who are new to my pre-workout nutrition suggestions are often surprised and skeptical about my focus on brain nutrients, but consider that one of the primary obstacles that people face regarding exercise and weight loss is motivation and drive to work physically hard. Even the most committed trainees and athletes can occasionally benefit from better focus when training, and when you realize that many of these brain nutrients favorably modify hormone levels, I hope you’ll be convinced of their benefit. Ginkgo has the greatest track record (over 4,000 years) for enhancing memory, and it helps detoxify the brain and fight stress

- Charles Poliquin

Brain Protex with Huperzine is rich in potent antioxidants chosen for the brain and is especially helpful for people over 50 years of age.
Brain Protex contains the herb Ginkgo biloba in a blend of phosphatidyl serine, choline, ethanolamine and inositol, as well as the powerful antioxidants lycopene and alpha lipoic acid.

Five Tips To Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies On A Gluten-Free Diet

by Poliquin™ Editorial Staff

3/20/2013 8:42:14 AM

Avoiding gluten is all the rage and research shows it’s a smart choice for everyone, even if you don’t have celiac disease. For example, a new study found that mice who were fed a high-fat, gluten-free diet gained no weight and had better insulin health than a group of mice that ate the same high-fat diet containing gluten. The gluten-eating mice gained weight, had poorer insulin sensitivity, and more inflammation.

Researchers suggest the data are applicable to humans because the anti-inflammatory effect of avoiding gluten will be similar to what was seen in the mice. The one drawback to gluten-free diets is that they can lead to nutritional deficiencies that can cause serious health problems. The following are a few tips to avoid deficiencies:

1)  Take a methylated folic acid supplement because research shows that at least 50 percent of the celiac population has a genetic variant where they can’t activate dietary folic acid in its active form. Folic acid is essential for women of reproductive age in order to avoid birth defects, but low folic acid can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, and cancer in all populations.

With 800mcg of Folic acid, Nature’s Prenatal provides a balanced combination of vitamins and minerals.  It also contains Ginger root to help soothe the stomach. It’s free of artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, sweeteners, sugar, yeast, gluten, lactose, milk, soya and wheat.
2)    Take a high-quality B-vitamin complex. People who get a high-intake of the branched-chain amino acids that are found in high concentration in meat are commonly deficient in the B vitamins.

3)    Consider taking magnesium, zinc, selenium, and possibly calcium if you are gluten-free because depending on your dietary make-up, these are common deficiencies and they are critical for health.

Nature's Sunshine Skeletal Strength contains magnesium, zinc and calcium, plus vitamin D (see below). Both Vitamin E and Selenium are often lacking in the modern diet due to food processing and high-tech farming methods. Additionally, mineral content of soil varies in different parts of the country, making it difficult to be sure you’re getting the necessary dietary intake of vitamins and minerals, so often need to be supplemented.

4)    Take vitamin D. Though not particular to the gluten-free diet, everyone must take vitamin D during the winter and spring in order to avoid a deficiency unless you live in a warm, sunny environment year-round and can get at least 20 minutes of full-body sun exposure daily without wearing sunglasses and sunscreen.

 5)    Get adequate fiber—at least 25 grams but as much as 50 grams a day for optimal health and body composition. Depending on how much produce you eat, you likely need a supplemental fiber since protein and fat contain no fiber and it is hard to get enough when you are not eating wheat and other grains.
TNT is a great tasting drink mix that helps to ensure you are getting the fibre, vitamins and minerals, you need daily.  Each serving of this orange cream flavoured drink mix provides 12g fibre, 12 vitamins, 11 minerals and antioxidants. It can be used daily as a meal replacement or as a supplement to any diet. The fibre in TNT is obtained from 18 different fruit, vegetable and grain sources.  One drink of TNT contains more fibre and nutrients than a kilo of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Reference

Soares, F, et al. Gluten-Free Diet Reduces Adiposity, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance Associated with the Induction of PPAR-Alpha and PPAR-Gamma Expression. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.

Is Your Training Program Missing the #1 Main Ingredient

by Jason Ferruggia

“Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.”
– Sun Tzu
Did you know that you can get down to single digit bodyfat and look like an elite level pro athlete in just three easy, twenty minute workouts per week?
And you can do it while eating whatever you want? It’s true…cuz I heard it on the radio… and read it on the internet.
Eight minute abs. That’s right folks, in just eight minutes a day you can get the abs of Cheik Congo (pictured). All it takes is a quick crunch workout.
No need to worry about your diet or doing any exercises that actually jack up your metabolism and burn fat.
Six minute muscle. Jay Cutler look out. Because some lazy schmuck is gonna embarrass you right off the stage next year by training no more than 18 minutes per week.
Four minutes to super strength. Wait til Chuck Vogelpohl and Louie Simmons find out that they wasted all those years and could have gotten so much stronger with significantly less time and effort.
Two minute conditioning. Poor Tito Ortiz. All those wasted trips to Big Bear in the high altitude. If only he had known that hard work was out of style and that he could have been in even better shape if he cut his training time down to two minutes per day.

What People Want to Hear vs The Truth

People want to hear that it’s easy and won’t take much time. I mean who wants to push a sled 90 feet 10-20 times straight? Who wants to do heavy squats? Or heavy deadlifts? In the same workout? That sounds really hard.
And who could possibly make the time to work out a few days per week?
A marketing guy once sent me an unsolicited email offering me his services. He told me that if I wanted to double my business I had to stop being honest. I had to make it seem like my workouts were easy, that getting in shape didn’t require much work and that the whole process would be painless and effortless.
To his point I put very little time and effort into my reply…
Fuck.
Off.
Getting in shape is brutally hard work.
I don’t give a shit what all the scam artists and marketing scumbags tell you. If you can’t handle the truth then you’re destined to be soft and weak forever.
If you’re twenty percent body fat right now and desperately want a six pack you had better be prepared to diet your face off and work harder than you ever have in your entire life.
When everyone is drinking beer at the football tailgate party on Sunday you’re drinking a gallon of water. And when the hot dogs go on the grill, you’re gonna have to pull out a chicken breast and broccoli.
And you’re going to do that EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR SIXTEEN WEEKS STRAIGHT.
Don’t have time to do hill sprints after work? Then you gotta set your alarm clock a half hour earlier and get up while it’s still dark out.
And let me tell you something else… NOBODY gets ripped in just three workouts per week. If you want to see really significant fat loss you need to be putting in a minimum of five sessions per week . For some of you 8-10 would be even better.
That means three to four strength workouts, three hill sprint or sled sessions and a 30-60 minute walk first thing every morning on an empty stomach.
I’ve seen fat fucks get on a bodybuilding stage in 20 weeks. But they didn’t say they “wanted” to do it. They said they were “going” to do it. And they did all that was necessary to achieve that goal. Which means, in the eyes of most people, their lives were pretty miserable for five months. It means no unplanned cheat meals and undying, round the clock dedication. But these people had the drive that most people don’t and were actually willing to work for something.

How Bad Do You Want It?

Wanting and doing are two completely different things. We all want a lot of things. But how many of us actually achieve our goals? How many are willing to put in the hard work necessary to reach the top?
Are you?
Am I?
“Twenty weeks?! That’s a lot of dieting and hard work. I can commit to six weeks but not twenty.”
Then go fucking play PlayStation and watch another episode of CSI. Nobody gives a fuck if you don’t hit your goals. You only have yourself to answer to.
No matter what anyone tells you there is no replacement for hard work. No training system, no diet, no machine, no gimmick and no supplement.
But most people fear hard work more than they fear death. They simply don’t have it in them.
How many times have you gone to a public gym and seen someone squat or deadlift? About as often as you see hot chicks during day light hours in Jersey I bet.
Better yet, when was the last time you saw someone do a good morning? Now that’s a hard, uncomfortable exercise. Who wants to subject themselves to that?
Bent over rows? They hurt your back.
Standing military presses?! Who wants to stand? You need to be comfortably seated with lumbar support while “working out.”
Plus, all these exercises take too long to perfect and the learning process can be very frustrating. Much easier to just jump on a machine, right?
I mean, you’re at the gym to burn some calories, not learn a new skill, after all. Power cleans? Only a genius with the mental acuity of Albert Einstein could possibly learn to do those properly. Who has the time for that?
What “hardgainers” are actually willing to turn off The Real World and go to sleep an hour earlier to accelerate the muscle building process? Or have what it takes to force feed themselves 3-4 times of day and sneak protein shakes in between classes?
Very few.
Unlike getting shredded, building muscle doesn’t require 6-10 workouts per week. Most hardgainers can get great results in 3-4 workouts per week and everyone else will do great with 4-5 sessions per week. But it’s still a 24 hour a day job that requires a monumental effort.
We are all brainwashed to believe that you can get bigger and stronger and leaner in a very short time, with very little effort and even less dedication.
But nothing could be further from the truth, my friends.
The only way to achieve physical greatness is through brutally hard fucking work.
That, my friends, is the main ingredient.
End of story.
Now go earn it.

What is a genuine Paleo diet?

Archeologist suggests Paleo extremists may have it wrong

The above video discusses what human actually ate during paleolithic, pre-agricultural times.  It explains that the 'Paleo' diet promoted today has very little basis in archeological reality and debunks a lot of the myths and 'rules' of Paleo eating.
Myth 1: Paleolithic people consumed large quantities of meat
More correctly, it depended on their access to plants and other food sources.  Those who lived in cold climates ate a lot of meat because they had very little access to plants in the winter.
Also, paleolithic people ate a different 'type' of meat.  That is they ate what we would call more 'organic meat', leaner meat and ate most of teh animal including the bone marrow.
This sits well with what I would define as eating a 'Paleo' diet, and for this reason why I shy away from the term, and choose to prescribe eating whole, natural, preferably organic or wild, foods.
Myth 2: Paleolithic people did not eat whole grains or legumes
Archeological evidence shows that paleo peoples had both the right tools and mouth food deposits to suggest that they ate whole grains and legumes.
I personally believe that most people can benefit from adding legumes and genuine `whole grain`foods to their diets.  `Wholegrain bread does not count because it is grains added to a sea of floury dough, and those that sit anywhere on the gluten-intolerance continuum will have better health by avoiding wheat based and other gluten containing products.
Myth 3: The foods often prescribed in The Paleo Diet is what paleolithic people ate
All food eaten today is a product of agriculture, the Netholithic transition.  All food eaten today has been domesticated over several years by selective breeding to be more edible. Examples include bananas, which in the wild are full of seeds, and lettuce, which is much more rubbery and bitter than those found in your salad,  Even extra virgin olive oil, which is very natural and requires little processing, would not have been consumed by paleolithic people because they lacked the presses to remove it, plus wild olives did not produce the large number of fruit that modern olives do.
A lot of vegetable are completely man made!  Brocolli, cauliflower, kale and brussell sprouts all came from the same wild plant species, but are different cultivas, that is the same plant was selectively bred to produce different vegetables.  Yes, they are human inventions!
What about animal products? Domesticated chickens lay eggs year round, but in the wild they are less plentiful, more difficult to find and are typically small.
How about those who swear by nuts are a `natural food`?  Almonds are seeds of a close relative to the apricot plant, but have been selectively bred to remove the cyanide from the seed so that we can eat them.

What is a genuine Paleolithic Diet?

There is no one Paleo diet.  Paleolithic people ate a variety of foods depending on what area of the world they lived in.
For example, in Wahaca, Mexico in September, they would have eaten what was abundantly available, which included lots of fruit, legumes, Agave (syrup high in fructose), and wild game, predominantly rabbits but also small birds, gopher, rabbit, deer and turtles.

What was common amongst Paleo diets?

Firstly, the diets were regional,  The amounts and types of certain foods eaten would vary upon availability in that person`s region.
Secondly, they were seasonal.  A Paleolithic person would not eat the same diet all year round because of the different seasons dictated what was freely available.
No European was eating a Californian fruit ever, but neither was a Californian eating the same fruit all year round.
Thirdly, food `packet`were generally small.  Wild food was not domesticated to produce large amounts of fruit and edible components so you had to collect from a large amount of sources to get a large amount of food.
Mobility, that is exercise, was key to finding food sources!
The plants eaten would have been tough, woody, fibrous and contain a lot more toxins and phytochemicals than those today.
Meat eaten would have been limited and very lean.

What can we learn from genuine Paleo eating?

1) There is no one correct diet. 
Eating a diverse, seasonal and varied diet is the key.
Unfortunately, most food these days available in your average supermarket is made up of only three species: corn, soy and wheat.
And even the produce we eat, ie. fruits and vegetable, are lacking in nutrients due to overfarming soils, cold storage and transportation.
That is why I recommend that all my clients take a good multivitamin and mineral, sourced from a wide variety of whole, organically farmed foods.
 2) We evolved to eat fresh foods. 
Therefore we should endeavour to eat locally grown foods that are fresh.  However some foods do contain natural preservatives like seeds and nuts.  That is why these foods have been traditionally important for agricultural populations.
Though a lot of food these days are preserved by a variety of methods (pickling, salt, sugar, smoking, and artificial preservatives) which all do the same thing, prevent bacteria growing in the food.
However, our gut contains bacteria which are good for us and play a huge role in improving our health.  What does eating these foods that are `preserved`do to our good bacteria?  It is not clear, but this is one reason is also recommend that most people could benefit from taking a good multi-strain probiotic.
4) We are meant to eat whole foods in their natural state.
That way you ensure that you get all the fiber, roughage and vitamins that your body needs. Even the parts that your body can not digest, that is the insoluable fiber, are very important.  Insoluable fiber regulates metabolism, blood sugar levels, digestion and absorption of nutrients.
As outlined above, a lot of food these days has had its indigestible components removed and it is highly processed, therefore it is very difficult to get enough of these components in your diet.
That is why many of my some many of my clients have had success with taking TNT, which contains 18 sources of soluable and insoluable fiber, and 12 vitamins and 11 minerals essential for healthy growth and good health.
A lot of high fiber foods are prebiotics, which means they encourage good bacteria to grow in the gut.
A prebiotic supplement can also work alongside a probiotic to support the needs of those who want to rebalance their friendly bacteria. Caprylic Acid Combination, which contains Elecampane
root, Black Walnut hulls and Red Raspberry leaves, is an example of a prebiotic.
By removing nutrients from their foods through processing, we have removed the processed which trigger the sensations of fullness and satiation.  For example, it would be impossible for a Paleolithic person to consume the same amount of sugar which is in a bottle of soda because they would need to consume 8.5 feet of sugar cane to do so, which would be impossible, certainly in the time it takes to consume that bottled drink.
All the evidence above, is why I recommend that my clients eat a varied diet, containing mainly whole foods in their natural state, ensuring they get enough fiber and encourage good bacteria in the gut.

Omega-3s may help prevent the number of people with Alzheimer increasing by three time by 2050

The number of people with Alzheimer's disease dementia will increase dramatically in the next 40 years unless preventive measures are developed, a recent study published in Neurology, the official Journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has predicted.

Based on a census taken in 2010, Rush University Medical Center estimated that in 2010, there were 4.7 million individuals aged 65 years or older with Alzheimer's, with the greatest proportion of these being 75 and 84 years olds.  Given the increase life expectancy of people with on-going medical advances, it is projected that the total number of people with Alzheimer's dementia in 2050 will be 13.8 million, with 7.0 million aged 85 years or older, and with it a massive increase in the huge burden it places on people
with the disease, their caregivers, and society.

As I have discussed previously, an earlier study in the same journal found that there is a close relationship between Omega-3fats, blood saturation levels of amyloid proteins and risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers studied 1,219 people that were over the age of 65 and free of dementia. The participants provided information regarding their diet for an average of 1.2 years before their blood was tested for beta-amyloid. The scientists specifically monitored ten nutrients including saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin D.

The study determined that higher levels of omega-3 fats consumed by eating fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds directly correlated to lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that consuming one gram of omega-3 per day (equal to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) was associated with 20 to 30 percent lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that most people do not eat enough omega-3 enriched foods to adequately raise blood levels of the essential fat.

The lead study author, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas concluded "The more omega-3s one eats, the less the beta amyloid levels are... we were able to relate something that we eat with a very specific mechanism in the body that is very strongly related to Alzheimer's."  This study did not account for intake of the pre-formed omega-3 fats supplied through fish oil supplements, known to dramatically boost blood saturation of the long-chain fats. Nutrition experts suggest several servings of fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds each week (or supplementing with 1,200 to 2,400 mg EPA/DHA daily) to significantly lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.


Nature’s Sunshine’s Quality Assurance team extensively test all raw materials that go into making its supplements, so you can be sure you’re getting the purest source of Omega-3 available.
Nature’s Sunshine will not compromise on the quality of products, which is why Nature’s Sunshine’s Omega 3 EPA supplement is high in essential fatty acids and guaranteed to be pure.


References:

Hebert et al, Alzheimer disease in the United States (2010–2050) estimated using the 2010 census. Neurology. Published ahead of Print, February 6, 2013. http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/02/06/WNL.0b013e31828726f5

Y. Gu, N. Schupf, S.A. Cosentino, J.A. Luchsinger, and N. Scarmeas. Nutrient intake and plasma β-amyloid. Neurology, 2012 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318258f7c2

Omega-3 fats from diet lowers risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, http://swfitness.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/omega-3-fats-from-diet-lowers-risk-of.html