The Primal Blueprint (30 page)

Cheese does have broad appeal and can play a minor role in a healthy diet. Play it snooty and go for the high-quality, aged stuff—not the weirdo processed stuff reminiscent of school lunches. Aged cheese is a fermented food, so it contains little to no lactose (for those with intolerance concerns). Cheese offers high-quality fats and proteins, as well as many other essential nutrients, with a satisfaction level that’s just as important as the aforementioned health benefits. For a change of pace, try some raw, nonpasteurized cheese that is loaded with good nutrition.

Having offered possible options of what might constitute acceptable dairy, let’s now look at why milk in and of itself doesn’t really “do a body good.” Lactose is a carbohydrate in milk that is difficult to digest for many who stop producing lactase (the enzyme that helps digest lactose) after age three or four. This is in alignment with our genetically programmed transition away from breast-feeding in early childhood (breast milk contains significant lactose). The incidence of lactose intolerance varies widely by ancestral heritage—something that is believed to be a rare example of genetic change through selection pressure in the manner of evolution (I’ll discuss this topic at length in the Q&A appendix at
MarksDailyApple.com
). People from cultures with long histories as herders (and, hence, high dairy consumption)—like the Swedes and Dutch—are very tolerant. Other ethnic groups—like those of African or Asian descent—have high rates of lactose intolerance. If you carefully examine your dietary habits, you may discover incidences of bloating, gas, cramping, or diarrhea in conjunction with consuming milk products—all indications that you have some level of lactose intolerance and should avoid all dairy that is not fermented.

Casein is a protein that has autoimmune-stimulating properties and can initiate very serious allergic reactions. Casein is believed to contribute to or exacerbate conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and possibly autism. Success has been reported treating these conditions naturally with a wheat-and dairy-free diet.
Paleo Diet
author Loren Cordain mentions how a substance known as epidural growth factor (EGF) in milk and other dairy products can increase cancer risk and tumor progression and also suggests that milk and other dairy products worsen acne cases. These negatives do not even address the consequences of consuming the hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics contained in conventional milk and dairy products (which was discussed at length in the context of conventional animal meats). Fortunately, the dangers and objections of the commonly used recombinant bovine growth
hormone (rBGH; a treatment given to cows to increase their milk production) are well publicized, leading some forward-thinking nations to ban its use and sophisticated consumers to steer clear of milk made with rBGH.

Milk’s modern processing methods also present health objections. Milk that is homogenized and pasteurized is certainly free of dangerous bacteria, but it is also devoid of beneficial bacteria, vitamins, and enzymes due to the heating process. Even if you don’t have any acute symptoms, it’s sensible to conclude that milk consumption should be limited to mother’s milk in the first couple years of life.

For those who recoil at the suggestion to limit intake of milk, let’s examine further why some of the Conventional Wisdom about dairy is flawed. Yes, most dairy is an excellent source of calcium, but we don’t need nearly as much calcium as we have been led to believe. The United States and other Western nations with high dairy intake nevertheless have high rates of osteoporosis, suggesting that calcium is not the be-all and end-all for bone health. Experts are in agreement that magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K, potassium, and other agents are also extremely important. Furthermore, just like with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, these agents need to be obtained in proper balance to provide optimal bone health benefits, an area where the average Western diet falls short. Today, we generally consume too much calcium, largely from heavy use of dairy products. This hampers our ability to absorb magnesium because they compete on the same absorption pathways.

To make matters worse, many of us don’t consume enough magnesium (found in leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and fish) nor synthesize enough vitamin D (from sun exposure, as I will detail in
Chapter 7
). Many experts believe that vitamin D intake might be more critical than calcium to bone health. Furthermore, chronic stress may play a huge role in osteoporosis, because the stress hormone cortisol inhibits calcium uptake by bones (rendering ingested calcium less effective). How about that? Taking a break from your busy day to bag some rays in your lounge chair might be better for your bones than drinking a glass of milk and swallowing a bunch of calcium pills!

Since we’ve discussed the importance of promoting an alkaline environment in the body, it should be noted that dairy foods are acid forming—a reality that actually hampers calcium absorption. For your calcium needs, you will better off consuming easily assimilated, high-calcium, alkaline-forming foods, such as leafy greens, nuts, oranges, broccoli, and sweet potatoes, or calcium-rich fish, including wild salmon and sardines. All told, it would be preferable to push dairy aside in favor of the
Primal Blueprint
stalwarts of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and meat. That said, when you look at the spectrum of foods from best to worst, the previous list of allowable dairy is still a preferred choice over grains, if you depart from the
Primal Blueprint
now and then.

Many oils offer significant health benefits, but they are generally high in calories with minimal vitamin and mineral values. Obviously, Grok didn’t press oils in his day, but his omega-3 intake was quite high from animal and plant sources. Today, we need all the help we can get toward optimum essential fatty acid balance. Many oils offer a way to boost your intake of omega-3s and other healthy monounsaturated and saturated fats, but moderation is advised in this food category. Nuts and avocados offer similar health benefits to oils but carry much greater nutritional value. It’s important to choose your oils wisely and strive to balance omega-6 and omega-3 intake. Stay with nut oils as they offer a healthy alternative to the decidedly less healthy polyunsaturated oils from vegetables, grains, and other sources.

Olive oil, the most monounsaturated oil, offers proven cardiovascular benefits (raises HDL and lowers LDL cholesterol) and has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It’s very good for cooking at low heat, but be careful because excessive time at high temperatures can compromise the health benefits of any oil. As you probably know, various processing methods dramatically affect the health quality of olive oil, with extra virgin designated as the purest form. As with fruit, you should strive for oil produced locally or at least domestically (instead of the vast majority of products shipped from Greece or Italy) for maximum freshness. The additional distinction “first cold press only” suggests that the olives have been pressed only once and bottled immediately, instead of being repeatedly pressed for maximum crop yield (this is the most common method, particularly with the large bottle–low price imports). You’ll notice the difference with a single taste of a locally grown, first cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil in comparison with a much blander, duller-tasting extra virgin import. The aroma and taste are incredibly powerful—the high level of tocopherols (a potent antioxidant) may actually sting the back of your throat! In my estimation, nothing beats a Primal salad with generous drizzling of olive oil.

High omega-3 oils are a great dietary addition. These oils are extremely delicate and easily suffer damage from exposure to heat, light, and oxygen. Thus, you’ll find them in health food stores refrigerated in small black containers (recognize that all bottled oils are damaged by heat, light, oxygen, and time). It’s best to store your oils in the refrigerator and use them quickly—usually within six weeks of opening. Every time oils are exposed to air, they oxidize a bit. If you detect a slightly rancid smell in any oil or if it’s been on the shelf for more than six months, discard the product immediately.

High polyunsaturated oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, and all partially hydrogenated oils) should be avoided, because they also oxidize easily. Canola oil, while enjoying mainstream popularity due to its high monounsaturated content, is inferior to olive oil because it’s a heavily refined, genetically engineered product only recently cultivated
(in contrast to olive oil’s reign of thousands of years). Canola oil is derived from the rapeseed plant, which is thought to be toxic to humans and animals (particularly harmful to respiratory function). Most canola oil is put through a deodorizing process that converts some of its natural omega-3s into harmful trans fats.

Coconut oil offers numerous health benefits but has received a bad rap because it’s the most saturated of all oils (at 92 percent, it’s nearly solid at room temperature; this is the distinction between a saturated and an unsaturated fat). Of course, you know by now that saturated fat offers many health benefits. Coconut oil has been found to help normalize blood lipids and protect against damage to the liver by alcohol and other toxins, and it has anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties. Coconut oil is less sensitive to heat than unsaturated oils, making it the best choice for cooking. Butter and unprocessed palm oil are also great choices for cooking.