Consumers are tired of traditional, same-old, conventional wisdom regarding fitness and health. They know it is not working. They see, read about or are experiencing firsthand the disastrous results of the Standard American Diet (SAD), and old-fashioned workout and exercise recommendations.
The primal approach capitalizes on the human body's innate ability to heal itself once we reduce – or better yet, completely remove – the barriers to homeostasis that conventional medicine has wrought. It's a tremendously appealing and engaging communications strategy to use with today's consumers, who are primed and pumped for a new and improved wellness game plan.
Your patients are ready to embrace the lessons of the past and begin leading healthier, happier and more active lives via more natural means. But they need your guidance! And the myths promulgated by conventional wisdom have not worked:
Conventional wisdom tells us we have little control over the aging process, our genetic predisposition to health problems and excess body fat. But I believe it is our birthright to be lean, strong, fit and healthy, and this belief is backed by science. The primal approach is truly one you can wrap your arms around as you lead the huge community of individuals seeking direction and guidance using this effective prescription for health. It puts healing directly in your hands!
Conventional wisdom fitness recommendations do not hold; it is now recognized (and proven) that a more intelligent 20 percent of maximum effort gets the best results and is the healthiest way to enhance fitness – even for high-level athletes. Overtraining and chronic cardio are now being labeled fitness folly. But together, we can lead the way using best fitness practices.
The primal approach to fitness focuses on simple movement. Nothing to throw the body out of alignment; it can be as simple as walking three to five hours a week. Add in twice-a-week functional body-weight workouts anyone can do and all will benefit from, along with high-intensity once-a-week workouts, and you've got a fitness protocol that will help heal your patients' health issues – from aches and pains to migraines and stomach issues. And of course, living primally leaves plenty of time for fun, play and enjoyment, which patients always love to hear!
Conventional wisdom falters because it continues to push exercise as the solution to weight loss and weight management, enforcing the myth of "calories in vs. calories out" as the conventional solution. The primal approach takes its cues from science, which reveals that what you eat is the foundation for your fitness and health success. In fact, 80 percent of your fitness is dependent upon what you eat. Arm yourself with this knowledge and you're well on your way to changing the life of each patient who walks through your door.
Conventional wisdom tells us genes are hereditary; we're stuck with what we're born with. That's true when it comes to hair color or height, but the primal approach lets you in on a little secret: You can control your genes! Sure, a patient may have a genetic propensity towards obesity or type 2 diabetes, but if you instruct them on the right nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle choices to make, those genes will never switch on – and you can even switch them off and reverse disease markers!
Conventional wisdom pushes carbohydrates, including 6-11 servings of grains on a daily basis, and eschews fat. For years conventional wisdom propagated the diet-heart hypothesis, which vilified saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet as the primary causes of heart disease. We now know the true culprits are man-made trans and partially hydrogenated fats found in popular industrial seed and vegetable oils, along withe high grain consumption, both of which stoke inflammation in the body!
The primal approach rejects conventional wisdom's low-fat, grain-rich diet and teaches us grains are unnecessary and the underlying cause of many health problems, including impaired gut health and insulin resistance. The primal approach embraces a relatively high-fat diet that actually promotes health and longevity, soothing chronic inflammation – the root cause of many life-threatening illnesses, including systemic pain throughout the body.
Join me in the primal movement and start reclaiming your own health and the health of your patients today.
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles discussing the primal approach to health. Future articles will expand on the topic and share how chiropractors can use the approach to improve patient care and expand their practices.
Mark Sisson is a former world-class athlete who realized he was killing himself by following conventional wisdom. He has become the leader in the primal, Paleo, hunter-gatherer health and fitness movement. You can learn more about what he has to say by clicking here.