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Are You On Facebook?

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If you aren't already following the Paleo Network on Facebook – you should be! With several thousand followers and several posts a day there will be something to inspire, motivate, provoke some intrigue – or just make you laugh!

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Facebook is also a great way to get quick advice, see what's going on in the World of Paleo and get local knowledge on all things health and Paleo – whatever time of day it is.

The Paleo Network Like Us Follow On Facebook

 

 

 

 

So, if you aren't a fan, please head on over and like the page! And if you have any suggestions about what you'd like to see – get in touch!

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Sexy back summit sean croxton underground wellness

The SexyBack Summit

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If you enjoyed the Paleo Summit, or last year's Real Food Summit, you’ll be excited to hear about this year’s summit. This year, it’s all about natural sexual health, with Sean Croxton’s FREE SexyBack Summit!

SexyBack Summit

Instead of solving problems with pills, the SexyBack summit is going to explore natural ways of solving sexual health related issues. For women, issues like PMS, frequent UTIs, yeast infections, fertility, or even a non-existent libido will be addresses – and for men low testosterone, high estrogen, E.D. and a dwindling sex drive will be explored. Balancing hormones, nutrition and fitness are all going to be covered. As people are reluctant to talk about a lot of these issues, they don’t seek help and let these issues remain needlessly. Well, not anymore!

If you missed out on last year’s presentations, here’s how the summit works… Sean has put together 24 presentations (videos you can watch at home, with slideshows). The talks are hosted by all different experts, including by Chris Kresser, Dr. Sara Gottfried, Paul Check, Jane Bennett, Dave Asprey, Alisa Vitti, Elliot Hulse and Dr. Jen Landa. From the first day of the summit on the 19th of May, until the last day on the 26th of May, there will be three to four new videos everyday. The videos are free for you to watch for 24 hours, before they’re replaced with the next days scheduled videos. So you can watch the entire event – and all 24 presentations – completely free of charge!

If you want to reserve your free spot on the SexyBack summit, just click here to register! You’ll also get access to some (free) advanced videos that are showing now.

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Which Paleo Event Are You Going To Next?

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Having been to many Paleo events, and being involved in some of the Paleo meetup groups, I highly recommend putting some events into your calendar!

When you eat differently to your friends and family, an evening out with like minded people can make all the difference in terms of encouragement and support. I also find local events are the best way to find out about places to eat – and where other locals buy their Paleo supplies from.

Head over to the brand new What's On page, where you'll find all of the Paleo events going on where you live – and around the World. Some events are definitely worth travelling for!

The best way to attend Paleo events is to sign up to a meetup group in your area. If there isn't a meetup group yet, then it's easy to create your own (and if you do, please come back and tell me about it, so I can add your events to the Paleo calendar!)

There are so many events scheduled now. From big, formal conferences, lectures and symposiums – to small casual after work dinners, in local Paleo friendly restaurants, there is something for everyone. Our local Sydney Paleo meetup group has organised barbecues, picnics, pot lucks and dinners. The Melbourne group have regular classes to teach you how to make your owned fermented foods. As Paleo continues to get more and more popular, we should see even more Paleo events in the calendar.

The Paleo Calendar features all of the events in Australia (there are now ten Paleo meet-up groups in the country, at least one in every state!), New Zealand (Auckland and Wellington), the UK (London, Birmingham & Milton Keynes), Canada (Toronto) and of course America (there are LOTS of events and meetup groups in the USA!). If I'm missing your event or meetup group, please let me know!

Are you a member of a Paleo meetup group? What type of Paleo events would you like to attend – and which events have you been to so far?

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PrimalCon

PrimalCon 2013

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I’m just back from a fantastic Paleo trip to America (Jetlag is most definitely not Paleo). A couple of weeks after PaleoFX in Austin, Texas, I made my way to Oxnard, California, for my third year at Mark Sisson’s PrimalCon weekend. Unlike the Ancestral Health Symposium, or PaleoFX, PrimalCon is a hands on practical weekend. As well as hearing about all things Paleo – the focus is on doing.

PrimalCon Oxnard CA 2013

With relatively small numbers of attendees – and lots of different presenters, there’s a chance to meet and speak to everyone. There are lots of regulars, who attend each year, but it was also great to meet so many new faces – as well as some others from Australia and the UK!

With Kelly Starrett and the Gokhale family, there were several session on posture, mobility – and the correct way to stand and move to avoid injury. Whilst these sessions were completely different, it was interesting that their methods and ideas are completely complimentary – hardly surprising as they’re based on how we’re supposed to move.

Another highlight of PrimalCon for me was finally meeting Sarah Fragoso of Everyday Paleo – who really is every bit as lovely and knowledgeable in real life as she is on her podcast!

Chef Rachel Albert gave another fantastic cooking demonstration. It’s amazing how many simple tips I pick up each year, despite being a regular in the kitchen myself!

I also loved William Vives Kettlebell session and as usual, learnt lots of new techniques that I can’t wait to practice at my Crossfit box. There were a few other fitness sessions too, such as barefoot running and sprinting techniques – and I especially loved the Olympic Lifting session – I can’t wait to master that!

As always, the food was absolutely fantastic. A local Paleo food truck (so jealous we don’t have those in Sydney!) provided a lot of the catering, and there was such a huge variety of grass fed meats, burgers, salads, veggies, nut butter – and an amazing coconut bark! It’s so nice to be able to dive into all of the food on offer, without even having to ask what is in the meatball sauce. You just know it’s 100% Paleo!

What would you most enjoy about an event like PrimalCon? The people, food or particular activities?

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PaleoFX

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Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Austin, Texas to attend the second PaleoFX conference. Three days of talks and panels on all things Paleo – surrounded by like minded people! It was good to see a few other people had also travelled to the event from outside the US.

It was especially great to see Jimmy Moore and Nora Gedgaudas, who have both been out to Australia for seminar series in the last year or two. I also got to meet Robb Wolf, Sean Croxton, Abel James and so many others.

PaleoFX 2013

Having attended the Ancestral Health Symposium, I was interested to see how this event would differ. As well as lectures, PaleoFX had a lot of panels, where a group of “Paleo experts” sat on stage and answered a wealth of questions on a particular topic. As with the Ancestral Health Symposium, up to three talks occurred simultaneously, so it wasn't possible to listen to everyone. Fortunately they are releasing videos, so it will be possible to catch up on what I missed!

The highlight for me was meeting Dr Terry Wahls and listening to her lecture. I also enjoyed Dr Cate Shanahan, who I first heard on the Paleo Summit.

PaleoFX 2013

On the ground floor was a big exhibition set up, with stalls selling all manor of Paleo products. Books I've not been able to get in Australia, jerky, kombucha, fitness products, supplements, vitamins, Paleo snacks – everything you could possibly want.

With such a big Paleo community of our own here in Australia and New Zealand, we’re really excited about the next seminar series we have in the pipeline. I’d love to hear who you would like us to invite to speak in Australia and New Zealand – and what you would like them to speak about? And which cities should the series travel to, each state capital? Please please share your thoughts in the comments below, or send me an email.

 

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How To Kick Off A Healthy (Paleo) New Year

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A new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. Whether you want to finally lose some weight, get fit or get on top of some health issues – there's no time like today – right now – to dive into the Paleo Diet

Where To Start

Have you got any lingering treats left from the festive season? Instead of promising to get stuck into a healthy regime, just as soon as you finish that last box of chocolates, throw it away! Your body will thank you for it.

The best way to start is, well – to actually start! Throw yourself right into it.

Organise

Sit down and plan your menu for the next week, meal by meal, then shop for everything you need. If it's in your fridge or pantry it's easy to prepare some great Paleo meals

Look through paleo websites and paleo cookbooks for inspiration for delicious meal ideas. Experimenting in the kitchen is a great way not to get bored. Paleo is no reason to have a bland, boring diet!

Whenever you cook, make at least double what you need. You can take the rest into work for lung the following day, or freeze for future dinners when you don't have time to cook.

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New to Paleo?

If you've not yet started a Paleo diet before, depending on how you ate before, you may get “carb flu” as your body adjusts to fewer carbohydrates. You can go cold turkey into Paleo (and remind yourself how much better you're going to feel once you acclimatise) – or you can slowly transition into a paleo diet, gradually reducing grains.

The initial period of following the paleo diet is a great time to read as much as you can about this lifestyle. It's great to understand why it works so well. When changing the way you eat, you're also likely to get a lot of questions from family and friends – so being well read up on Paleo comes in very handy

Unfit?

Instead of launching straight into a hardcore fitness routine, it's often great to start slowly. Walking is one of the best ways to increase your fitness, with the added benefit of fresh air and sunshine.

Weight to lose?

If you have weight to lose, Paleo is a great place to start. Once you reach a plateau – it's time to change things up a little. Some people have great results with techniques like low carb (or even nutritional ketosis) or intermittent fasting. Everyone is different, so it's important to find out what works for you

Where are you right now? Are you new to Paleo, or needing to refocus? What are your health aims for this brand new year? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

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What Are Your New Year’s Resolutions?

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It's nearly the end of the yea, which can only mean one thing – it's time for New Year's Resolutions! Other than the usual quitting smoking* here are my Paleo related goals for next year. I'd love to hear yours too!

Sleep

I'm realising more and more how important sleep is. It impacts everything. No matter how well you eat and how fit you are – without adequate sleep it often feels somewhat futile. So my plan is to allow myself a nine hour sleep window at least five nights a week. If I wake up early, I didn't need it! I will try to do this every night – but have to be realistic about those days when I have no option but to get early (typically to travel for work)

Ferment

Fermented food is so beneficial and I really need to make more time to prepare things like sauerkraut and kombucha! I'd like to have something fermented in my paleo diet every week – and also find a good kimchi recipe!

Offal

Another thing I'm not so good at is including Offal in my Paleo Diet. I plan to make an effort to consume things like liver, heart and kidneys on a regular basis. I think creating a good Pâté recipe will be a great way to do this.

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Sun

I'm also going to pay much closer attention to my Vitamin D levels in the new year, so will have my levels tested more frequently and make sure I either get 20 minutes of sun exposure each day – or take a vitamin D3 supplement as close to midday as possible.

Organise

Towards the end of the year my organisation got worse and worse! I'm going to make sure I'm more organised and bring in my lunch each day – instead of spending my lunch breaks searching the city for something Paleo!

I'd love to hear your New Year's Resolutions. What are you going to start doing, do less of and stop doing altogether? Please share in the comments below

*I'm only joking. I've never been a smoker!

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How To Recover From An Un Paleo Christmas

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How's your Paleo diet going this Christmas?

Did you keep it Paleo, or did all the SAD traditional food get the better of you this Christmas?

No matter what your intentions or plans, at this time of year it can be easy to get swept along with family and friends – and find yourself eating all the foods you'd normally avoid. Be it tradition, peer pressure or a one off – at this time of year above all others – it's easy to fall off the Paleo wagon.

So what now if your Paleo diet has gone by the wayside?

How does it make you feel? Chances are a rare gluten exposure will make you feel far worse than it would have before you went gluten-free. Once you get gluten out of your system, a one off exposure often seems to have a far bigger impact that it did when you regularly ate gluten-laced food. If you're used to a relatively low carb diet a sudden influx of sugar can leave you feeling moody, tired and lacking in energy – and above all crave another sugar hit. A vicious circle you don't want to get into!

 

Perhaps you're thinking that as you've been eating un-Paleo, you might as well continue until the weekend? Or New Year? Or until those cakes and chocolates the neighbours brought have finished?

But the best course of action is to get straight back onto your Paleo diet. If you can't bear to throw away the remaining non-Paleo food – give it away to your non-Paleo friends or neighbours! Remove the temptation.

Bone broths are a great nourishing way to get back into a good dietary routine – particularly if you've had a bad reaction to a gluten exposure.

How was your Christmas? Did you keep it Paleo? I'd love to hear your comments below.

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12 Gifts For The Health Conscious Foodie

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Whilst you can follow a healthy Paleo Diet with little more than a chopping board and a few pans, there are some great kitchen gadget and tools that surely any foodie would love in their kitchen.

Here’s my list. What’s on yours?

1. Dehydrator

I've had good results making jerky and kale chips in my oven, but I would love to try a dehydrator

2. Vitamix Blender

The Rolls Royce of blenders, able to grind nuts into nut butters and even cook soup. I want one!

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3. A Good Set Of Knives

I really miss a good knife set, but have yet to find a good brand available in Australia (without needing a small mortgage). Any recommendations gratefully received!

4. Pressure Cooker

I've seen so many recipes that use a pressure cooker to make exceptionally tender meat – and I’d love to try it out for myself.

5. An Old School Mincer/ Meat Grinder

Even though I have a good butcher, I’d love to be able to make my own minced/ ground meat

6. A Big Slow Cooker/ Crockpot

I didn't realise how much I’d love this method of cooking, when I bought my small slow cooker. I wish I’d bough a much bigger one, as whenever I cook I always like to make enough for lots of future meals at the same time.

7. A Heavy Hardwood Chopping Board

A good chopping board last for years and is so much more hygienic than those nasty plastic chopping boards.

8. Mandoline Slicer

A great way to cut up vegetables evenly

9. Meat Thermometer

The best way to cook a perfect roast is using science after all!

10. Sausage Stuffer

Once I have my meat grinder, I’d love to make my own Paleo Sausages.

11. Water Filter

I have a Brita water filter jug in the fridge – but what I’d really like is a water filter on my tap, to ensure all the water is filtered before it leaves the tap.

12. Salad Spinner

This would be great for summer and making sure the kale is dried properly before making kale chips.

Do you have any of these items? How do you find using them?

What would be on your Paleo diet kitchen wish list?

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The Truth About Jimmy Moore

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I’ve been listening to Jimmy Moore’s podcasts and reading his blog for a few years now. But I’d never met him. I’m always interested to meet people in real life, because often the “online persona” they’ve created is very different to the reality.

Jimmy Moore recently left Australia after his trip over for the Low Carb Down Under seminar series, and I met him in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

So, what is Jimmy Moore really like?

Does he really eat what he says he eat? Has he really lost a lot of weight?

Well, if you were hoping for some dirt, I’m afraid there is none!

Firstly, Jimmy has lost a lot of weight. He is far slimmer than his pre-Australia blog photos implied. A lot of people on the internet seem to criticise Jimmy, because he lost and then regained weight. But the thing is, Jimmy has always been honest about it. I have a lot of respect for someone who is able to put their hands up, say it isn’t working – and try a new approach.

Nutritional Ketosis

Jimmy’s new approach, Nutritional Ketosis is working. Really working.  He gave some very honest lectures, sharing exactly what he is doing, how it is working and how he feels. He even took his blood readings on stage.

I’ve also read a lot of speculation about what actually Jimmy eats. But after a few meals with Jimmy, there’s no “odd meals”, just normal, fairly Primal meals, that are a lot more bias towards the fat content than mine would be. A lot of the fat content comes from dairy, such as butter (he certainly gets through a lot of butter!), as well as foods like avocado.

Being in Nutritional Ketosis certainly seems to give Jimmy a lot of energy, particularly evident when we did the coastal walk from Bronte to Bondi beach!

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With some weight still to lose myself, I’m very interested in Nutritional Ketosis. I’ve been making a conscious effort to eat more fat in the last few weeks, but perhaps it might be time to embark on a more scientific n=1 experiment of my own.

Jimmy is a really nice guy, who clearly cares a great deal about everyone who reaches out to him.  A lot of people in the Paleo/ low carb community have come from a fitness (I.e. crossfit) or a health angle – and whilst the nutrition may be similar, the journey isn’t.  I find it really refreshing and inspiring to hear an honest account of weight loss – what works and what doesn’t. A lot of Australians who attended the lectures have been very inspired by Jimmy’s story – and several people are doing their own Nutritional Ketosis experiments. I can't wait to start to hear the progress reports.

It was also an absolute pleasure to meet Christine, Jimmy’s wife, who is clearly extremely supportive of everything Jimmy does. If there is any dirt on Jimmy Moore, I’m sure Christine will be the one to dish it!

What do you think about Jimmy’s Nutritional Ketosis n=1 experiment? Are you tempted to try it for yourself?