I get emails every day from people who are changing their lives for the better by following the guidelines I outline in Mark’s Daily Apple. Many are looking for more than what Primal Blueprint has to offer. That is, they want a comprehensive analysis of the elements that make up the Blueprint — a Primal primer, if you will.
In this extended article, you will find the basic building blocks needed to discover the Primal side of your life.
What does this mean?
It means learning and understanding what it means to be human.
It means you use this knowledge to help you make important lifestyle choices.
It means that you model your life after your ancestors in order to promote optimal health and wellness.
And, most importantly, it means you take control of your body and mind.
I hope you will use this information as a starting point to build the healthiest body possible with the Primal Blueprint. Then share it with friends and loved ones who have yet to discover how they can use the Primal Blueprint to live amazingly.
My basic premise is this:
The Primal Blueprint is a set of simple instructions that allow you to control how your genes are expressed to build the strongest, healthiest body possible, taking cues from evolutionary biology.
Sometimes we get so lost in the science of human biology that we simply cannot see the forest for the trees. We overlook the simplicity and ease with which we could all achieve great health and fitness.
Life in modern society is extremely complicated. With impressive achievements in science, technology and medicine every day, it’s no wonder we often seek complex scientific solutions to problems that really only require simple answers.
Of course, we should all be deeply grateful for the advances that allow us to recover and heal from treatable infectious diseases and injuries. However, the fact remains that most of life is actually much simpler than modern medicine and science would have you believe.
You can have a huge impact on how your genes are expressed simply by providing your cells with the right environment.
All you need is:
You may already have a good understanding of how the human genome evolved to where it is today based on the environmental and behavioral factors that shaped the lives of our ancestors.
Anthropologists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, geneticists, and others have worked for over 100 years to piece together a detailed picture of the factors that influenced our development as a species.
Ironically, when we consider all these influences, we arrive at a very simple list of general behaviors that our early ancestors followed.
This list is essentially the original Primary Plan—the behaviors that allowed them to become healthy, robust, and resilient people and pass those traits on to us.
The goal of the modern Primal Blueprint is not to return to the caveman lifestyle.
Instead, he asks:
How can we learn from our past to shape a healthier future?
These 10 laws are the foundation of optimal health and longevity.
Focus on:
Quality protein (meat, poultry, fish)
Colorful vegetables
Some fruits (mostly berries)
Healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, full-fat dairy if tolerated)
Observe portion control over time rather than meal by meal.
Limit exposure to:
Chemical toxins (herbicides, herbicides, fungicides)
Processed foods
Sugar and grains
Trans and hydrogenated fats
Mercury in some fish
Walk as much as possible every day.
Aim for 2 to 5 hours per week of low-level aerobic activity:
Walk
Hiking
Easy cycling
Swimming
Spend 30–45 minutes, 2–3 times a week lifting weights or resistance.
Focus on full body movements:
Active
Pulling
Transport
Climbing
Do occasional bursts of high-intensity sprinting, such as:
Sleep is critical for:
Energy
Immune function
General health
Make it a priority.
Engage in active play regularly.
The game helps:
Moderate sun exposure helps:
Produce vitamin D
Improve mood
Avoid burning, but don’t avoid the sun completely.
Eliminate the obvious risks:
Keep your brain active:
Let’s simplify the goal.
We all want to be:
Healthy — free from disease
Energetic — able to enjoy life to the fullest
Happy — motivated and positive
Lean — metabolically balanced
Strong — physically fit
Ingenious — mentally sharp
Productive — contribution to life and society
Our ancestors naturally embodied these traits – not as goals, but as a result of their lifestyle.
Now, understanding that everything we do affects our biology, we can apply these principles to modern life and create the same results.
Thank you for reading!
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* This blog reflects my personal views and opinions and is not intended as medical advice, but I hope it will be informative and inspiring as you pursue a healthy, fulfilling life.
