Primal Primer 14 (Nutrition)
Our human ancestors were not particularly consistent with types, amounts, or times of food fueling. Largely due to the chaotic nature of the last thousands of years, nutrient consumption was highly varied and opportunistic; determined by availability of resources and corresponding to environment and season. Variability in diet, and the ability to efficiently extract nutrients was necessary precursor in adapting to new lands.
Today we have the gift of fueling in quality, quantity, and timing; conversely also being easy to consistently fuel poorly and artificially.
Benefits Of Consistency
Macro & Micro Nutrient Consumption – The luxury of modern hunting and gathering facilitates our ability to consistently hit desired nutrient profiles for specific intent.
Timing – Storage and surplus allows at your demand intentional feeding phases. Especially important for building muscle, sustaining muscle mass, and preparing for peak performance.
Consistency Of Quality – Grocery stores and online purchasing enables sourcing of the highest quality foods conveniently and consistently.
Drags Of Consistency
Consistency Of Poor Quality – If your fueling strategy sources primarily poor quality, preservative laden, pesticide soaked, and overly caloric dense foods, the ability to easily and often acquire not for human consumption foods contributes to chronic and acute systemic disease states.
Lacking Diversity – If overly consistent, the diversity of micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) creates deficiency and imbalance. Problematic toxicities driven by intense quantities of certain micronutrients being stored in the body becomes deleterious over time.
Out Of Season Fueling – Fueling out of seasonal alignment creates conditions where food is less nutrient dense and tasty (non-natural ripening). Foods in season helps the body attenuate to weather shifts: winter eating focuses on more root oriented heartiness and viral protection, whereas summer fueling with berries and fruits are more hydrating and caloric dense in preparation for when calories are less available in winter.
~Cave Implementation~
Seek consistent fueling strategies >80% of the time. Avoid the term “diet”, as those are done without long term intention, complete rationality, and probabilistically leads to failure. The reframe of intentional fueling strategy aids in pivoting to success. When using vitamins or supplements, take them routinely and at the same amplitude (amount & timing). The 80/20 rule (80% consistent / 20% aberrant) is helpful in guiding consistency of fueling; beware that 80/20 can facilitate tastes of temptation often leading to completely Off Path return.
Seek Consistent Fueling Strategies >80% Of The Time.
