The launch of the inaugural Paleo Brands seminar went down this past weekend in San Diego, CA! O-lifting Studdette, Kelly Frankson was one of several hundred attendees of the event and had this write-up.
I don’t have much to add with regards to the content of the day, I think Kelly hit the highlights pretty well. I do think the Paleo cookies are DAMN yummy but each to their own on that!!
I want to talk a bit more about WHY I’m doing the stuff I’m doing. I originally studied biochemistry because I’m a geek and I love learning. The biochem undergrad filled in a bunch of the gaps in my understanding of human performance, health etc. I also derive a strong sense of satisfaction and sense of “being” from helping people. This lead me to to pursue medicine, but this same desire to actually help people quickly lead me to ditch medicine as the current state of affairs has NOTHING to do with health or wellness. Amidst all that stuff I was quite ill with a host of health problems including Ulcerative colitis, high blood pressure, depresssion and a few other nasties. This health catastrophe was the result of a high-carb, low fat vegan diet. What on earth could be better?! Well, apparently almost anything. through a course of events I talk about in my book I eventually came across the work of Prof. Cordain and Art Devany and it literally SAVED my life. I have played with literally every way of eating one can imagine and a Paleo diet works better than ANYTHING I have ever seen. There is no other approach to eating that can claim reversal of metabolic derangement, autoimmunity, fertility issues and a host of other related ills ALL while producing elite human performance. It’s a pretty simple “Gracie Challenge” type of scenario: Do paleo for 30 days, do your other approach for 30 days and tell me which one works better. Thousands of people have gone through more or less this process and the feedback is consistently “Paleo Wins”. So, this is why I recommend this way of eating. It’s simple and it works better than anything else I’ve seen. It satisfies my geek curiosity. It helps people.
I have followed a similar process with my training. Powerlifting and OL’ing originally, then a breif foray into distance running (this will not come as a shock, but this was the same time as my failed vegan experiment) and eventually CrossFit. CF worked better, faster than anything I’d ever done. It had what appeared to be a solid steeping in the paleo diet, some evolutionary underpinnings. As unappealing as it may be to some folks, if you are talking about a biological process, lets say athletic training, and you do not have some kind of eye on evolution, trial and error is all you have to evaluate your efforts. Not to get too geek’d on that, but this understanding has influenced my coaching in many ways. We prize not only intensity but also recovery, unloading periods and an almost fanatical focus on mobility and strength, but that’s a topic for another day. Here again however, I love CrossFit because it works and it helps people.
When I was doing chemistry I could have worked for some of the major players in pharmaceuticals but opted to do cancer research in a lab that was focussed on the nutritional underpinning of the disease. I made literally half as much money but believed in what I was doing and REALLY enjoyed the lab I worked for. It was collegial, supportive and low-drama. That’s a tough work environment to beat!
I’m not sure where this ramble came from other than I’m incredibly excited with what I’m doing. Between the CrossFit Nutrition certs and the Paleo Brands seminars we have a huge opportunity to get information out not only on effective training but also on the best nutritional approach. I wanted to thank the readers of this blog for the continual help and support…I have amazing google ranking because of y’alls support. The next couple of years will be really interesting and super exciting!
the recipe for that salad dressing needs to be made public
Robb, I can not begin to express to you and Nicki how much your Nutrition Seminar has changed mine and my husband’s lives. We went paleo the very next morning after attending your seminar back in July. It has not only helped us dramatically change our bodies, but we have passed on your “Words of Wisdom” and have helped change so many other lives as well. I am so excited about what you are doing and I just want to let you know how much we appreciate you and all you are doing. You truly are amazing and a motivation!! Thank you!!! keep up the awesome work!!!
You’re doing a great job leading the charge, Robb! Keep up the awesome work man!
We continue to thank you for your all continued support and passion to bring Paleo to mainstream America (and beyond).
Eventually more people will catch on or risk dying off!
In Health,
Steve
Thanks Steve! You are the best amigo!
What about that vegan experiment and the distance running? What do you make of ultra marathon legend Scott (vegan) Jurek… besides the fact that he won’t be setting any powerlifting records?
I have a herniated disk L4-L5 and the sciatica was horrible for a while. Upon your recommendation I have been taking Kirkland fish oil and upon Barry Sears recommendation I am taking a good amount (3 caps 4 times a day and you get some fish taste in the burps). I have the sciatica under control and can really feel a difference when I don’t take the oil. But what’s the deal with krill oil? I hear it’s better from a burp standpoint.
The CF games nutrition video is great.
marshal-
for be both veganism and distance running were fun like having my testicles sanded by a disk grinder…not at all. There are a few genetic freaks out there who can thrive on anything…this is why folks who spout nonsense about “following what the elite do to find the answers to human performance…” are idiots who have no real experience training peeps. It’s interesting to see what the elite to, but not particularly instructive for the rest of us.
Robb – one word. Gout. Man alive it is eating away at my left foot like nothing. Short history – gout first struck 9 years ago when my diet consisted of 90% alcohol and 10% fast food. It also runs in family I then learned. For the past 6 years my lifestyle has been squeeky clean and since discovering CF a year and a half ago my diet fluctuates between zone and paleo with emphasis on paleo based – no crap food, very, very, limited processed foods. Good amount of veg, lots of fruit (hey I am a grandson of an orchardist!!) and lean meats (no sweatbreads, liver, kidney etc that is high in purine)
And then last week it struck again. No wods no nothing. Can hardly walk.
So without asking for a cure what can you suggest in a diet that is pretty clean already. A build up of uric acid that in most cases is caused by a diet high in alcohol, organ meats neither of which I am hitting up. Certainly eating smart lean meats with veg fruit and nuts cannot be the cause.
Thanks for your thoughts. Looking to walk limp free one day soon
Myles-
Somewhere in the mix you still have too high of insulin levels. Fruit, booze, lack of sleep…something in there is amiss. Gout is a spin-off of metabolic disorder.
myles,
I’ve suffered gout for years and have been tracking down root causes. everyone’s got a theory, but I’m convinced with me it related to fruits (fructose intake) and omega-3/omega-6 ratio. I CUT ALL FRUIT JUICE, most fruits (except some berry’s, blueberry’s are very beneficial to my gout) and CUT NUTS HIGH IN OMEGA-6. Things really stabilized for me.
I got a juicer for xmas, made a liter of carrot juice(+ some red beet), drank it… gout attack.
hope this helps you out.
Just tried to order some snax from the PaleoBrands site….any chance shipping to Canada will occur in the near future?
Sliver-
Yes! it will, just getting a few bugs worked out. It was a huge site they had built and the developer really drug their feet on the whole thing. It was supposed to be live on June 10!! Oi-Vey.
I’m glad that you are doing what you are doing as well Robb. The best part, much like that of Professor Cordain, is that the level of knowledge does not stop at you. The information that you have been spreading has reached far beyond your scope, further then you will ever know. Since attending your nutrition cert, my wife who is not a nutritionist by background, has changed the views of many of those around her at work as well, for the same reasons that you state about the paleo challenge: Simply because it works. In my nutrition and fitness business, I have reached far more results in the past 6 months then I feel I was able to provide to my clients and fellow trainers as well for my entire career before that.
And the biggest down fall is that mass America, the large mass that it has become, is flooded with misleading information. For example, I overheard the Dr. Oz show today and he mentioned that the cause of IBS is carbonated drinks and chocolate (plus one more I forgot). But the thing that struck me wasn’t what he said, but what he left out. He mentioned nothing about grains?
And it gets much worse, as I’m sure you know, because I have and have had many clients that are in nursing, and everything that I have relayed to them along paleo lines is completely wrong in there eyes. (Oh and in case you didn’t know, I heard coconut milk is bad for you cause the saturated fat on the arteries?)
I know what you are doing now is just the tip of the iceberg Robb, and pretty soon, over the next 5 years, it’s going to be expanding to a much bigger picture, and a lot of unknown cures for various diseases are going to be brought to light through a new “old school” wonder drug… real food.
Thanks for all your great information and help Robb.
Robb-
The seminar was great! Seriously though: what do we have to do to get that salad dressing recipe?
sean-
I think it will be listed on the PB site…shoot those cats an email.
Hey Robb,
I wish I could have made it out to the Seminar. Will it be available online anytime soon?
I have a question also about Vitamin D3 supplementation that you have mention on your site in a few posts. I tried to figure out the answer from http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.com/ but I can’t seem to find a straight answer (mainly due to the fact that I don’t speak “Doctor”). Anyway, Vit D3 is a prehormone for testosterone? How much should a person supplement? Can you suggest a good dosage?
Thanks,
Nathan M
6’2″ 220# (in case the dosage deals with IUs/Body weight)
Damn it…as soon as I post my question and decide to google again I find the answer I was looking for:
http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.com/search/label/%27Roid%20Rage%3A%20Vitamin%20D%20(DO%20IT)
“What Vitamin D3 dose is considered appropriate?
Interestingly Cannell has not been too incorrect in his broad dosing dictum:
~1000 IU per 25-lb body weigh”
Could you still give me your take on the whole VIT D3 supp’ing?
Thanks
Nathan-
I need to do a blog post on this…I will cover it extensively in my book. For now just know that cordain has taken 5,000IU /Day or about 10 years. He would apparently take that OVER fish oil if he had to choose one or the other.
Thanks for the ramble; peoples’ backstories always interest me. Your passion always shows in your writing, Robb. It’s great to see a bit of what drives it on a personal level.
Your words changed my life for the better, no doubt about it. I can’t thank you enough.
Hey Robb,
I just wanted to say that your writings and efforts are very much appreciated. Just linking to a site that gives a free overview of the seminar speaks to your passion. You are not in this to get rich, you are in this to help people. I only wish I came across my passion to help people earlier in life because I would have a biochem degree too instead of a Masters in Business, oh well. Now I dream about helping people get healthy instead of getting a corner office high in the sky. I still get to train people at night and on the weekends, so it’s not too bad. Now only if I could get the globo-gym I work for to change their high-carb six meals a day stance, we could really help people in my small town. If there is ever anyway that I can help spread Paleo Brands in the Boston area, please let me know. It would be my dream job to work as a Paleo/Crossfit advocate. I love the fitness that Crossfit brings but I love nutrition even more. Thanks again.
-Mark
Mark-
Boston is going to be a whistle stop for Paleo Brands. I don’t know if that will affect change in the globo-gym admin but I do love Boston!
Robb,
The presentation was fantastic. Thanks again for all your work. We’re starting a group of about eight on a paleo test run in a week and we’re looking forward to seeing great results in a more controlled observation.
Best of luck with all the Paleo Brands effort and we’ll see you in November!
Steve
Steve-
thanks brother! It was good to see you, we will spend a bunch more time hanging out at the CF Nutrition Cert at your place.
Robb,
Just wanted to say it was truly a pleasure listening to you speak at the Paleo seminar. I hope to attend your nutrition cert when it comes around to Arizona again.
Tony
and we are very thankfull to you! I was just thinking about your site this morning. My blog is young and very small and some days I wonder if anybody is ever reading it, but then I look at yours and I’m amazed at how you are able to do all you do and still find time to answer a bazillion random questions. Jeesh.
Can’t wait for the book!
Cheers!
Myles – Gary Taubes has connected the consumption of fructose to gout. Limit your fruit intake and see what happens. Remember, sucrose is half fructose so be sure to avoid both of them.
Robb,
Thanks. Definitely looking forward to your book….when is it coming out?
If you and Dr. Cordain think its legit especially over Fish oil, then I’m on my way to Costco today to get some. Plus Im out of Fish oil…thanks again.
Marshall,
Put your fish oil in the fridge and you won’t get any more fish burps. I take 20 caps at a time 2x daily and don’t experience any nasty tasting burps. No complaints so far from the Wifey.
Hi Robb! I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment so now seems like a great time. As someone with a passion for weightlifting, fitness, and nutrition I really appreciate what you’re doing here. I’m not really a Crossfitter. I don’t do the Zone or deliberately eat Paleo (though it turns out that except for a little dairy, I do). However your blog – you – offer such a wealth of solid information that I am the better for it. So keep it coming and KNOW that I will be one of many buying your book when it (finally!) comes out. Thanks so much and congratulations on your much-deserved success!
Robb – Thanks. At first I was like you are kidding me, my metabolism is solid and I am certainly not a candidate for Met X syndrome. (zero booze and little processed eats – I also realize you didn’t way I was a candidate) I found the following in the Journal of Rheumatolgy “There is growing evidence that a low energy, calorie restricted, low carbohydrate (40% of energy), high protein (120 g/day, or 30% of energy) diet, with unsaturated fat (30% of energy) and high dietary fiber, is more beneficial in terms of lowering serum urate, insulin, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels, and hence reducing CAD risk, than the conventional low purine diet, with its unlimited intake of carbohydrates and saturated fat8,13,39,57,58. Restriction of alcoholic beverages is key in the management of gout; a continued high intake of alcohol can result in refractoriness to urate-lowering effects of both allopurinol and uricosurics31.”
All means less fruit for me – my CHO intake is high this past season due to this. Prob putting more into the 50%-30%-20% range. The Zone was spot on once again, as were you. Thanks again. Limpingly yours, m
Robb great stuff have u heard of too much fish oil causing dieareha i was taking 2 tabs a meal or 2 tsp a meal at 5 meals since dropped to 1tsp or 2 tabs for the day diareha has not gone away i eat paleo only this has gone on for almost 2wks, or could it be too much fat in the diet i am 3x at 16 blocks any feedback is apperciated i know your not a doctor but in my eyes you are
jeremy
Jeremy-
too much fish oil can certainly loosen things up. too much fat can really do it, especially if you are not super good at absorbing fats. A digestive enzyme like NowFoods:Super enzymes might help a bunch. 1-2 caps each meal. You might also reduce the fat a bit, and add soem soluble fiber carbs like yams or sweet potatoes.
Love this post Robb, reminds me of when i’ve had a few tequilas with my brothers and we begin emotionaly reminissing all the good times we had and have yet to have! Thanks for sharing, through your blog alone ive been able to improve myself and others well-being 10 fold!
Ollie
There is a lot to be said for the fulfillment and meaning that comes from helping others. You’re doing a great job and as a bonus your posts keep me entertained! 🙂
Stephen
Hey Robb
On blood work tests, do insulin levels vary, and typically show results within a normal range because the individual is in a fasted state vs. a non-fasted state throughout the entire day when blood work is not being done?
Ryan-
a fasted blood test with the following: Insulin, A1c, triglycerides and C-reactive protein tells us a TON. I REALLY need to do a blog post on this topic…I promise I’ll get to it soon.
That’ll be a good post. Sorry I didn’t really clarify what I was asking though.
I have a client who had blood work done. His Glucose was 93, Insulin was 6. Since both of these numbers fall within “normal” range, he views it as everything being OK and he has no insulin imbalance within his body, so that can’t be what’s causing his symptoms. In my mind, however (and I most likely could be over-thinking this and be completely wrong), he took the blood tests while his body was in a completely fasted state. That being said, will his insulin and glucose levels remain at or around those numbers on a {normal day} where he is eating, sleeping, and exercising? Or (my way of thinking) when he eats a meal, will those insulin numbers jump higher (as well as glucose) to levels which may be considered insulin insensitive?
I’m not sure if that question really made any more sense then the first time I asked it. If not I can wait for the blog post and try to figure it out from there.
Thanks Robb.
If that is a fasting glucose level it is WAY too high. Normal is based on who is rolling into the doctors office. If everyone is sick, normal is actually…sick. We can tell all this with a more extensive blood panel, then it;s a matter of convincing patient and doctor that there might be something amiss.
OK thanks Robb. I am having him get a blood panel redone with all above you recommended, plus AA/EPA as well. Also, success story, one of my wife’s co-workers was given 6 months to live with cancer, and just this week went back in and was told her cancer was reduced 50%, and that’s not even 100% paleo/ketogenic yet, but getting closer day by day.
Thanks for all your help.
Keep up the awesome work
Hi Robb,
Question for you — what are your thoughts on Sears’ ““Toxic Fat” (arachidonic acid)”?
http://www.kellyfrankson.com/2009/08/crossfit-barry-sears-zone-seminar-review/
Patrick-
I think most of what sears says is accurate. He does not appear to be well versed in the underpinning so a autoimmunity and he can be quite out to lunch (IMO) on topics such as glucagon and ketosis. To the degree his material is accurate is to the degree it reflects a steeping in evolutionary medicine. Where it deviates is where things get shaky for him.
Robb your contribution to people is the inspiration for me to help others. I ground myself everyday in what I can do to help others live healthy. Our Nutritionize blog is small and growing, we are helping people, and it’s because of what you started. Thank you!
Robb,
Super excited to see you this weekend at the Nutrition Cert. I can’t wait to pick your brain.
Great post, Robb. Your story is pretty moving.
Robb, Just looking over the Paleo Brands website, will the webinars be free?
Ben-
Not sure on that but I believe so.
Rob,
Please let us know when the book will be available for pre-order!
Thanks.
Hey Robb,
Could you help me understand your diet a little more. I’m starting to take the Zone very seriously (actually measuring out my foods – getting pretty damn precise with my blocks). This leads me to 190 grams of carbs a day (YIKES!). Most of my carbs I bring in from fruit and veges, so that’s good. But still 190 grams of carbs. I seem to remember you saying you try and stay under 50 grams of carbs a day; so clearly you are rocking a modified zone. And I know you are a huge paleo advocate and very passionate about it. Is it the paleo influence that reduces your carbs? I was under the impression that paleo can be synthesized with the Zone, in that one follows the Zone, but food choices in the Zone comply with paleo (no grains and whatnot). But does paleo also dictate a reduced amount of carbs from what the zone recommends?
I have Mastering the Zone. I think it’s a solid book. Would you recommend a better book for understanding the Zone, and what would you recommend as the Paleo Manifesto. Unfortunately, a quick amazon search of “paleo diet” is less than helpful.
Keep up the amazing work.
Witness the fitness…
Alex-
You are on the right tack here: Paleo is about food quality, Zone is about proportionality. The Zone is, in general, too many carbs for most people. If you find 42 Ways to skin the Zone you will see how I modify this (it is also detailed in the FAQ…might should change that to FMQ (frequently missed questions…)
Whether one is taking in 50g of carbs or 400g is dependent on needs and goals!! Not just some arbitrary number that is thrown out there.
Robb,
I’ve been using yours (and Ido’s) suggestion of low-carb hight fat PWO meals. Ido stated he has had good recovery from workouts using this protocol, as have I. Perhaps an advantage with it is increased GH levels (no, or at least less, suppression of growth hormone release due to no insulin spike), thoughts?
Also, a question. I’ve been thinking about adding some bi-carb soda to my PWO shake, for alkalizing effects. From a quick wikipedia search, it mentions dangers of high doses. Is it a plausible option, and if so how much would you recommend?
Cheers,
Ed
Ed-
I’ll have Mat Lalonde write a review of his recent lo-carb experience. I definitely find I run best on this. I’d be wary fo adding bicarb PWO. You run a risk of actually suppressing some of the cellular adaptations to training IMO. Id save that for later in the day, 1/4 tsp is plenty.
Hi Robb, The PaleoBrands stuff looks amazing. You REALLY need to make it over here to the UK in the near future… 🙂
The Vitamin D3 comment about Dr Cordain caught my eye and I plugged “vitamin D3” into PubMed along with “colitis” and some really good stuff comes up with regards to immune regulation and just a whole host of goodies!! Really exciting.
Is 5000iu a good place to start or is there a /lb of bodyweight guideline?
Thanks again for all this – it’s a massive inspiration.
Chris-
5,000iu is perfect. hoping t hit the UK early next year!
As someone who started on my passion for nutrition on the Zone diet (about 13 years ago) I would have agree with your evaluation of Sears work. Just as a little background, my journey began with reading books to try to help my cousin who was dying of cancer. One of those books was the zone diet just published. At that time I was a designer (designing equipment for people with severe disabilities). Once I started the zone diet, I was hooked on nutrition, blown away by the difference it made.
However my swollen knees (auto immune) and stiff neck and a few other problems (constipation and PMS) continued to a minor degree even with all the anti-inflammatory fish oil I was taking.
I recently completed nutrition science (on top of my RN qualification) to degree level, and gained a much better understanding of the biochemistry underlying nutrition.
Recently (amazingly only this year) was I introduced to CrossFit and as a result paleo eating – which I have been devouring both literally and the information and books. I had to take notice when I read Cordain’s papers on auto immune issues and grains / legumes.
It really is the key – my joint problems and gut problems and PMS have gone, completely. Also I would have to agree with vitamin D – I wasn’t until last year that I started taking vit D supplements regularly and have been virus free for 2 years now, it also contributed to less joint inflammation. I had a blood test after taking 1000iu per day for some months and it was only in the normal but low range, I’ve since increased it to 5000iu per day. Retesting will be interesting. We are just coming into spring and cold wet days are not condusive to getting sun on the body.
I too like to help people, my dad who had a bipass at age 55, is still tramping, working and has amazing bloodwork just short of 80. He would probalby have been back for more bipass surgery if he hadn’t changed his diet from the recommended high carb he was religiously doing after his bipass. 5 years ago my brother survived a bone marrow transplant with very little GVHD thanks to swallowing large amounts of high quality omega 3 which dampens the cytokine storm underlying bone marrow transplant reactions.
So personally my life is way better for knowing about nutrition. Still I feel like there is SO much to learn. (Masters degree in Nutrition science next).
And sadly – at the beginning of my learning journey I didn’t know nearly enough to help my cousin.
So I will keep learning as much as I can, continue doing Zone /Paleo (bit lower on the carbs though) plus Crossfit – I LOVE this combination!
I am looking forward to hearing more on your thoughts behind your disagreement with Sears on very low carb diets.
Robb – you are an inspiration for me – I hope I can touch as many lives as you do!
Julianne
Julianne-
Thank you very much for sharing this. If you would not mind, I’d like to expand on this in the front page.
You are welcome to use my post.
With regards to the effects of the Zone Diet, going on to Paleo, here is a short run down of how I progressed:
When I started the Zone Diet in 1996 I was around 54 kg (I’m 5′ 1.5″) tall.
I had bad PMS (breast pain) and severe menstrual pain. Poor recovery after exercise, reactive hypoglycemia. One or other of my knees would swell at regular intervals especially after a long brisk walk. Stiff sore neck (joint problems that I have exactly the same as my mother, she was diagnosed with a mild form of lupus. I did have a postitive blood test, anti-nuclear factor postive 1 in 64, speckled pattern, however this is not conclusive.)
The Zone diet caused dramatic changes, PMT disappeared, big energy increase and great recovery after exercise. Stable blood sugar, weight loss down to 49 kg. However severe menstrual pain continued, joint swelling continued, PMS came back if I wasn’t super strict. I was eating grains and legumes most days on the Zone diet although not a lot.
Added Omega 3 some months down the track, joint and menstrual pain hugely decreased, still regular knee swelling though. It also decreased PMS. Still constipated – which I had wheat bran for – although it grated in my stomach.
I managed to control the knee swelling with megadoses (tablespoon full of high concentrate) Omega 3. If I didn’t it would come back.
After reading Loren Cordain’s work, by now I have been doing the Zone diet, (I also became a zone diet instructor) and taking omega 3 for 12 or so years – I cut grains and legumes out completely 4 months ago. Added vitamin D as well about 18 months ago.
A large ganglion cyst that had been getting bigger over the last 7 years started to shrink. – It is now almost undetectable, no knee swelling at all for 4 months despite all the squats at running at CrossFit. Interestingly I had a Pizza meal one night as an experiment and the next day the ganglion cyst was tender. Re constipation – all is good now, although I do add a little ground flax seed, have kiwifruit and lots of salads – works way better than wheat bran. I don’t have to take nearly the same amount of omega 3 to control inflammation, as I just don’t have any joint inflammation.
Even though my auto-immune / constipation / PMS etc were not all that severe, just a big annoyance that I had to live with, to get rid of them completely is absolutely amazing. I never imagined that it was possible. And certainly in all my training as a nurse, and more recently as a nutritionist, I hadn’t seen this kind of research – mainstream education just doesn’t teach you most of this stuff.
Julianne-
You kick-ass! thanks.