What’s Happening: You Might Have Missed…

In the aftermath of the red meat/TMAO study, the Paleo world has been fairly quiet (or maybe we’re all just relaxing while we digest our steak). This is a perfect opportunity to expand your reading list a little and branch out into blogs and sites you haven’t explored yet. Take a look at some recent Paleo-friendly news that you might have missed:

• An interesting article from The Atlantic describes how Cubans noticed a dramatic improvement in their health during the financial crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union – they had to grow and eat their own food, walk everywhere instead of driving, and revert to organic farming because there was no gas for the tractors. The article attributes their newfound health to their “almost vegan” diet, but notes that their intake of corn and beans dropped precipitously as well in favor of fresh produce. Of course, the economic crisis itself was terrible, but it shows the incredible benefits of home-grown food and an active lifestyle (now if only we didn’t need a financial catastrophe to make it happen!)

• Gary Taubes, the author of Good Calories Bad Calories, wrote a history of two competing theories about obesity in the British Medical Journal. It’s an in-depth look at how we treat obesity as a medical problem, which obviously also has consequences for public health policy and recommendations. His basic point is the wrong theory won out: it’s not about energy balance (calories in vs. calories out) so much as endocrinology (hormonal problems). A very sensible position: hopefully doctors will start listening.

• The SCD Lifestyle blog posted a video of a panel about gluten and whether even non-Celiacs can benefit from a gluten-free diet. One of their guests is Nora Gedgaudas, the author of Primal Body, Primal Mind. You probably know the answer already, but check out the video for an interesting take on non-Celiac gluten sensitivity, a health problem that doctors are just beginning to recognize.

• Michael Pollan (best known for his book In Defense of Food) is releasing a new book today, all about cooking. He isn’t perfectly aligned with the ancestral health movement, but his books have definitely gone a long way towards educating people about the dangers of processed food and all the dirty tricks the food industry likes to play on us.

In our recipes this week, we also switched things up a little with some cuts of meat you might not have in your usual menu. Try some veal paupiettes, spiced duck breast, or lamb cutlets for a refreshing change from the beef-chicken-pork rotation, and stay tuned for an exciting new recipe next week with an original combination of two different meats!

We also posted some inspiring reading material: check out Angie Queener’s Paleo success story for some motivation to make it through a healthy week. If you have your own story to share, we’d love to hear from you: email us, or get in touch via Facebook or Google+.