READERS SUMMARY:
1. WHAT HAPPENED?
2. WHO ROCKED YOUR WORLD?
3. DID I MEET ANY STARFISH?
4. ARE WE HEADED FOR A TRAIN WRECK OR ARE WE BUILDING A DREAM?
5. DID PaleoFX RAISE THE BAR FOR THIS GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENT OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT?
I am back and very tired yet extremely energized by what went down in Austin. I wrote this on the plane ride home. I met some paleo luminaries for the first time, and I met a lot of people who were just lit on fire by this conference. PaleoFX was billed as where theory meets the practice of Paleo world. There is little doubt that the PaleoFX organizing team met their goal and fulfilled their mission statement. This event was launched in 150 days and to be there and see how professionally things were run was just jaw dropping for me. I honestly had no idea what to expect after AHS inaugural event last year at UCLA. My first day down in Austin was hectic. My flight was a bit late and the navigation in my rental car took me an hour away from the University of Texas Spark Center. I was due to speak at the opening event, and I got to the event about half an hour before I was due to go on. I was met by Kevin Cotrell and Shirley McLean (rockstar starfish). Shirley took my car and parked it and Kevin took my baggage, and we got dressed in the North End Zone of the Longhorns football Stadium complex. I posted a picture of it on my Facebook wall if you did not get to see it. It was kind of nerve wracking to start a conference, honestly.
Kevin Cotrell was super psyched and stressed a bit, because he was a bit concerned I “bagged” my planned speech and posted it the night before. He had no clue what I was going to say and I just requested that he get me a stick of dynamite, a lighter, an erasable writing board, an eraser and a glass of ice. We went downstairs into the gorgeous Joe and Betty Weider Museum of Physical Culture at the Spark Center. Down there was a red carpet, and a cool PaleoFX backround with lights cameras and a lot of buzz. The audience was jammed packed with new faces and the usual primal suspects. There were lots of Paleo Superstars like Mark Sisson, Robb Wolf, Jimmy Moore, Chris Kresser and Paul Jaminet. You could feel the electricity as we stood there for a few moments before I gave my opening speech.
I changed my speech because of a Facebook comment made by a special forces standout the night before. His name was Randy. After reading what he posted, I knew I had to go for a bit more. I choose to make it raw, close, and personal to make the impact I felt the message required. Randy Brumit was the beacon of light for that change in plans. The talk was quite hard for me to do, but I felt that it would get our conference off to the start it needed. I wanted the theory of what we all do and believe in, to be shown in a personal story from my past. So, I aired some of my own laundry. I am sure you will all get to hear it soon enough but the message was simple and clear. We need to come together now, and change the world. This movement has no room for infighting at this time. We need to join forces and bring the greatness of the science and clinical examples to the world wide stage for everyone to see.
We were very fortunate to have Dr. Kim Mulvihill from CBS- SF there to hear this message of unity. I specifically wanted everyone in that room to know that each one of us has “our own light” and our own contribution to make to this movement. None of us should be disqualified for our disagreements over petty matters. Brothers and sisters fight but they care about one another. Instead, we need to come together and show the rest of the world what this lifestyle can do for their health and their loved ones health. We needed to show our own examples of transformations together, to the world to change the healthcare paradigm. If we focus on aiming each one of our small flames, through the very powerful magnifying glass of evolutionary medicine, we just might light a stick of dynamite, and turn the potential energy within the system to a new energy that can change millions of lives. I saw a lot of faces who were ready for this change…and I saw a lot of “starfishes” that night and over the next four days. To understand the full impact of starfish analogy, you will have to wait until the PaleoFX organizers get the opening speech up for the public to see.
The main point of it all was we have to pay our own good fortunes forward to those who have yet to experience them.
WHAT WAS THE TOP TEN FOR ME?
10. When rides were sparse to get to meetings, a volunteer named Kaki came to the rescue, to get me to my spine meeting during PaleoFX. Kaki was a joy and was a beautiful young lady from Dallas, who was a UT student studying Spanish education. She drove me three times during the conference to make sure I made it to places I needed to be when other parts of the system temporarily failed. During our rides she told me about her Dad and his illnesses and during our rides I dropped some hints for her to help him. You could see his plight was killing her inside. I wish I could have helped more, because she was a “starfish” for volunteer team. She went above and beyond the call of duty and did it with a smile all three times. I won’t forget her for “paying it forward” this weekend.
9. Spending lots of time with Randy Brumit (Special Ops Ranger), Carlos Toro of AHS 2012 Boston, Dan Kalish, Shirley McLean and Dr. Lane Sebring and learning about what makes them tick and think…Special mention to the Dr’s. Mehta’s and The Stein girls from California. I loved having dinner with you all the second night. I still am craving more of that raw lamb leg though…Dr. Dan Pardi and the cool Wired article woman, named Ashley Tudor…all the sleep talk and the memory pill stuff was awesome.
8. Meeting Rich Dutton of Barclays Capital of NYC. After meeting me and speaking for a while, he graciously offered me some services at no charge to further our efforts of spreading our message. Just real special stuff here folks. His face spoke volumes that his words did not have to explain.
7. Meeting a local woman from Austin, who was bucking the national dietary trends, and converting her whole family at once to a primal template, and telling me about her struggles. She was more concerned with everyone else’s problems than her own. I told her to focus on her optimal self first, because, without a strong woman and mom to be the glue, the whole ship will go down if she is not optimal herself to begin. She was a joy to talk with. Her passion was deep.
6. Meeting Abel Bascom of www.fatburningman.com, his gorgeous lady, Alyson Bridge. I got to spend the day at the Pendergrass Paleo Playground cabin compound with all the IPMG crew too. While there, Dr. Pendergrass was a Primal chef, and his firecracker offspring, Karen, was well being, Paleo Approved of course! She is quite the bug eater, I found out yesterday too. I met a lot of cool young paleo’s there and had some thought provoking discussions with some of them. I came away from the cabin retreat feeling our future is bright based upon the conversations we had, and seeing Olive Oil Tony’s mad skills at Paleo Jenga. He is truly a mad warrior for risk taking. Tony, I had olive oil for breakfast today because of you!
5. Meeting and spending time with Dean Dwyer and his brother yesterday and spending some personal time together. Dean made some comments on a panel that he, Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, and myself were on about the state of paleosphere. All their comments were spot on and need to be heeded. Dean, in my estimation, is a future leader for us. Pay attention to what he says, because in his words are some deep wisdom. What he represents in character tells me what kind of man he really is. He left a very nice comment on my Facebook wall that even touched my stone cold heart. After I got a chance to see him all day yesterday, I can forcefully report he is a stud. Go check him out at Being Primal. He Makes “Shift” Happen as the major Shift disturber. The dude is solid, and I think I have a new Canadian brother. His brother is a cool cat too!
4. Meeting Karina Stuke of Eat Play Live. Go check out her page and mission statement on the net or on Facebook. Katrina and Jen Sturm run this operation together. Katrina ambushed me after a panel and just dropped some emotional stuff on me that touched a nerve. Her friend’s life changed with some of the information on my blog and she is now using it to channel her energies to change lives in Milwaukee. She quit her job and started a new company to help show others what a paleo lifestyle can do to transform their lives. She is clearly a “starfish” and is hell bent on lighting many candles that need some light for direction. She is making her mark in this world.
3. My new respect for Kevin Cottrell and his wife Steph. I am not going to get all personal here, but you two were the real stars of Austin in my view. Just freaking amazing! Kevin, you are a born to be moderator. You were the best I have seen, including all the moderators at the terrible medical conferences, I have had the unfortunate pleasure of attending. Putting me together with Dr. Kim Mulvihill maybe the magical lever Robb Wolf has been searching for as the change agent. The month of May might be an interesting Paleo TV month in San Francisco.
2. My new friend, Tara. I’m not going to air personal stuff Tara, but you got me good. I am sorry I could not be in England to help when they needed it…but just know that you can help them now. You now can save their lives. You now have knowledge, you did not know existed. Go change their life. You are a doll.
1. Mitch Baird simply made PaleoFX for me…nothing topped what this young man shared with me. Honestly, it was not even close. He is the Program development coordinator for YES Level 2 Yoga Instruction for the Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative. When he heard me speak about Cold Thermogenesis he nearly tackled me as soon as I was done. Many people in our community still do not understand the impact of CT but Mitch needed no convincing. His grandmother is the Shaman for his people and she was unceremoniously diminished by the “white man” in the 1950′s After they came in they gave then the SAD, Western culture, heated housing, and modern medical care. The result was 50{a7b724a0454d92c70890dedf5ec22a026af4df067c7b55aa6009b4d34d5da3c6} of their people now have diabetes in two generations…Here is the best part. Mitch grabbed me and began to cry like a baby. He told me when he heard me explain CT briefly he knew that I was implicitly correct because his grandmother used to prescibe cutting holes in the ice and making their people bath in it for health. He said when she was running the show up in the Arctic none of the neolithic disease they see now were present. His grandmother name and reputation were diminished by the modern methods and he now knew his grandmother’s teachings were the stuff legends were made of. Mitch told me he was going home to tell his grandmother, she was right these last 50 years and he assured me that all the diabetics in his community would be re-embracing their tribe’s ways soon. Mitch is going to make a YouTube video with his grandmother, who is in her eighth decade, and I am going to do a blog on their ancient customs. This young man was the greatest starfish I found in Austin…he had me in tears because of this story.
SUMMARY:
For me, the clinical side of Paleo/Primal is where the tipping point lies. The scientific community changes slowly but people can change on a dime. I saw a lot of people who are committed to that change now. They are out there doing amazing things now to make our world the world we want it to be for our future offspring. I was proud to be a part of this event. We need our community MDs, and healthcare providers to step up their game and leave our followers breathless. There is no reason not to any longer. The time is now.
Austin was epic, and for those of you who did not come, make sure you see the videos. Given the ones we already saw, the quality is superb. I think PaleoFX set the bar high for any future events for our community. I know this is true, because I drove Carlos Toro to the airport today and he was sweating a bit as he was getting on his plane back to New England. Boston and AHS 2012, should be fun in August. What the PaleoFX organizers did in 150 days is nothing short of a miracle.
So glad to read your report! I wished that I could have attended, but the videos will have to suffice.
Thanks for the recap. I can’t wait for the videos!
Mr Jack freaking Kruse! I can’t tell you how cool it is to make a top 10 list.
I said this on your facebook page and I will say it again here…people are threatened by your message…you know that the conventional wisdom isn’t working and you are prepared to blow it up and lead those who are willing to follow down a new path…a better path…and in doing so you have exposed yourself to a tremendous amount of criticism…
I for one greatly appreciate what you are doing because it allows guys like me to begin to travel the path you have cleared while shielding us from that criticism…thank you for that.
If people have any doubts about your intentions I challenge them to go to any post you have and see that you have responded to every single comment that has been posted. And I challenge them to find another blog of this size that does that. (Don’t waste your time people…no one else does this)
The bottom line is this: YOU CARE and are now devoting your life to saving (forget about changing) lives.
It gets no more noble than that my friend. It’s a pleasure to call you a friend.
Thank you!!
Hi Dr. Kruse – when are the videos up for viewing? Can’t wait.
Awesome! Why did the grandmother poke holes in the ice?
to get to the water
Ohh I read it wrong…disregard 🙂
I was so pleased to have been there! Dr. Kruse, you were awesome, as were all the other Masterminds. Please keep up the charge of altering the medical community. They need you! (and I, too, found a great new respect for Dean Dwyer)!
@pamela I am glad you enjoyed it. I had fun but I am bushwhacked now.
What stands out for me is medical/research statistics versus anecdotal evidence. Empirical science has been touted as the only way to the truth… yet witnessing a patient or loved one or oneself be healed has a much different effect than looking at a statistic. And the limits of science we are learning – it can be thrown off in a blink. We can’t control for what we have not yet become aware of.
@Souldanzer This revolution wont be changed by the science as many of the paleo elitest think. It is going to come from the people. Those who think the science will somehow change the government stance are living in pure folly. Those MD’s who think the science will lead the change are hindering our chances. they need to spend their time changing peoples lives and not the mind of dogmatic scientists or the government’s people at the NIH.
Karina Stuke’s Eat Play Live website is at http://www.eatplaylivellc.com/.
Dean Dwyer’s site is at http://www.beingprimal.com/
Sounds like a mind-blowing weekend. I hope I can be an Aussie/Norwegian starfish… I’ve already converted 2 people, but thats just the start. And thanks again for providing a forum, I’m so much more at home in the new forum than I was on MDA (although I love Mark! Just not the CrossFit-crowd that kept harping on about their Paleo dogmas).
@Glamorama you already are a starfish……..that is waiting to become a rockstar.
You truly are an inspiration! You are giving me the courage to get well no matter what the cost. Thanks for shaking me out of my mediocrity.
@Joyce…….dont wait for my inspiration………inspire yourself by lighting your pilot light!!
Wow this is an impactful post in so many ways & a perfect heartfelt re-cap of what was in many ways the ‘heart & soul’ of the fantastic few days we all had togetehr in Austin at the Inaugural Paleofx!
I gotta tell you Dr Jack Kruse that hearing from you…your story, feeling your heart & passion, listening to your wisdom (combined with a sharp wit & sense of humor) was a BIG highlight of the conference for me for sure! As the son of an old school & quite sick (congestive heart failure, leukemia, & re-curring pneumonia) Allopathic MD (Family Practitioner. GP), hearing from you (along with Dr Sebring) was very refreshing, invigorating & inspiring! It is so great to see how some MD’s are willing to re-examine their beliefs & practically ‘unlearn’ everything they learned in Med School (empty thy cup) & re-learn TRUTH!
I also agree with you that fellow (Ontario)Canuck Dean Dwyer is an important person in the Movement….who has a great story to share that so many can relate to, who does it in his own unique way that makes it appealing & fun to the masses who are ready to make Shi(f)t happen in their lives! He’s a likeable, REAL pretty cool dude too!
And funnily enough, another Ontario, Canada Boy, Mitch Baird (who you say MADE Paleofx for you) greatly impacted my experience of the event as well! Mitch & I met & chatted on the first day, realized we were both from a similar part of Canada & sat together through a few of the panels & it was indeed really cool to see how so much of what was being talked about deeply resonated with him as he is so connected to his Tribe in Canada, who are in turn much more connected to the earth & Ancestral Traditions than us ‘evolved’ city slickers! 🙂 Meeting Mitch & hearing his story & learning about him, his native roots & the great work he does with his people, was really Amazing!
Thanks for the re-cap Dr Kruse, this was really great! I will be writing my own Paleofx re-cap & nuggets gleaned over the next day or so & will share it with you, as I actually Launch my Blog concurrently! You can be sure that you will be featured heavily in that re-cap, top 10 has to be the ‘Nashville Bling’ you styled on Friday! A smart, evolved MD who wears Bling (or nothing at all blogging naked on his porch in freezing cold weather) gotta love it! 😉
Thanks for all you are & do Doc!
Cheers to (all) our Healthy & FUN Success!
Jared
So interesting to see all the Canadians on board 🙂 I’m a relocated one living in Kentucky, also a First Nations person from Manitoba, Ojibwe 🙂 love how we are getting back to the traditional ways. My heart shed a tear when I read about Mitch’s Grandmother, go Kookum 🙂 this must be why I so totally felt that what Dr K was saying was spot on, it was in my DNA :)Â
@Snowyky Mitch was the highlight for me……and he hammered home the importance of CT for humans. two generations and we have 50% with diabetes.
It’s in all of our DNA. The principles are the same no matter where our heritage is. What the meat or veggies or (summer) fruits look like will vary with the region, but the principles are the same. We’ve all been robbed of our heritage.
Hello Dr. Kruse,
I’m curious as to how CT was received by the attendees of Paleofx. Some paleo followers aren’t open to the idea of CT (paleohacks); was paleofx full of these people?
Your blog keeps me at the edge of my seat, so please don’t stop posting stuff!
@jake. CT went over big! Paleohacks got crushed by Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Me, and Dean Dwyer. There is no room for nonsense. Dean spoke eloquently about it. In a grass roots movement we need to stand together and kill our selves from within. The moderation on that board was under particular scrutiny by our panel.
This is EXACTLY why I no longer frequent PaleoHacks. Too much bullshit and personal attacks. Too much low fat dogma that is just clearly wrong from every logical standpoint…
@Cody The real problem is what Dean Dwyer mentioned at Paleo fx. It starts with the owner and moderator of the site. Once you let the things slip the lowest common denominator is the new standard. I think the our panel made that pretty damn clear. None of us condone it any longer.
Cody- PaleoHacks can be quite harsh at times (and analytical…and confusing…like life), but I don’t see it as being low-fat. Some of the most popular question types are “I just ate a stick of butter and feel great!” and “What are more ways I can use coconut?”. Several of the top posters are low carb to zero carb in real life, while others are high carb. But the bulk of activity involves the other thousands of users, and there’s no good way to screen out jerks. Note how many people have posted there, including Dr. Kruse, who is the #3 most frequent poster.Â
I’m glad Paleohacks got crushed by Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Jack Kruse, and Dean Dwyer. Makes it sound like a rugby scrum!
@Kamal After speaking with Dean and others, I wont be any longer.
No offense to you Kamal. It’s just that there seems to be a several people who post who are still stuck on the low-fat dogma and unable to understand basic logic. Look at what some people posted about Inuit being insulin resistant. Just absolutely ridiculous. And instead of actually finding fault with facts, THEY PICK ON PEOPLE LIKE DR KRUSE FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR!!!! IT’S HORSESHIT. Plain and simple.
I hear you, Cody. Plus every couple weeks there are new trolls, thus goes forum moderation! It’s not nearly as bad as forums I participated in during the late 90s like bodybuilding.com. That was THE place to go to see jackasses talking about things that they hadn’t even googled. (Well, google might not have been around in those days, but you get what I’m saying…)
One small correction: it’s the Stark center, no final ‘s’
I went out today as it was too nice in Chicagoland no to with my in-laws. It breaks my heart that they are all “sick” and “broken” with diabetes, knee replacements, cancer, spleen problems…. and then all the people I saw as I was out and about. Twenty somethings is wheelchairs because they tip the scales at 350 lbs or more. We need to reach all these people, they need interventions and help and it can not come to quickly.
@Di Kathleen That is what Paleo fx is all about……..fixing those problems. We need to walk before we can run. We need starfish. We made a lot in Austin.
Thanks Dr. Jack – Was great meeting you there, and your analysis was spot on (imagine that)… but I would like to say to everyone out there that there was one shining starfish that outshone all the others…. and that’s YOU Dr. Kruse! The world (at least the world that will listen) owes you a debt of gratitude, for your selfless contributions and sharing of your wisdom and knowledge. YOU made the conference for me, and hundreds of others I am sure. Thank you! I pledge to do my best to be a “starfish” and pay it forward to others as best I can!
@Steven You are too kind.
Thanks so much for sharing this post Dr. Kruse. It couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I was struggling today to hop back into a cold tub after reeling some major detox lately. After reading this, you gave me all the inspiration I needed to push on and do what I need to do to regain my health. I’m determined to show others that we have control of our health, our lives, our destiny.
@BJK77 Keep your chin up…….youre on the road to optimal.
@ Dr. K… Amen to that. You can’t stop the people… the reason I started following you is b/c you have what I seek… a healthy, joyful life after eating gone bad. Or at least it appears 🙂
Btw, I joined the movement. I am speaking @ Kaiser Permanente local ED unit as soon as I feel up to speed on the science (might take a while and some time in the University Library…). I am starting small… a one-on-one with a therapist I know well… but already have much bigger requests that freak me out a bit…
I figure even if *I* don’t get the science down entirely, maybe one of the people I speak to will… and lead the way.
@souldanzer……that means you too are a starfish. I want my life sourrounded by Starfish. Dean Dwyer made me realize it yesterday……..his graffiti analogy was so spot on it was not funny.
@Jake-
Dr. Kruse has supporters, detractors, and neutralissimos (a term I just made up to denote people who don’t really care) on paleohacks. The board has many thousand members, so it’s tough to describe an individual or trend based on the whole (i.e. the ecological fallacy).
Several people on there have tried cold thermogenesis techniques before Dr. Kruse arrived on the board, and several have been inspired to try them by Dr. Kruse’s writings. Analyzing ideas is a major purpose of online forums, and I’m personally glad that both sides of every issue get discussed at length on various websites.
@Kamal Our take is quite a bit different Kamal and Dean Dwyer really hit it out of the park. There was consensus on the view too. So the panel voted live in front of a live audience with the video tape rolling. I understand your point but you there is a bigger goal that is being subjugated. Some of us are done with it. Enjoy your playground.
Scientists (Freakinitis Pinnocchiotus) are Freakin’ Liars. You can reference science all you want but this talk will explain why you have to think for yourself. Trust your inner voice. We already have the science to prove our point, unfortunately, it’s just ignored by the policy makers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RXvBveht0
@Chris My point is Evolutionary biology 2.5 million yrs of RCT beats anything in any journal, periodical, or textbook……..but if you read some places in the paleo community they want to go to the literature of the last 100 yrs. I have a different sensibility now. Just look at the top thing that happened at Paleo fx on my list in this blog. That should open some eyes. But for some it wont………and those who stay blinded will pay the price mother nature has in store for them.
Dr. Kruse, it was a true pleasure to read this summary! It was also a pleasure to be surrounded by good people such as yourself, Dean, Kevin, Steph, Tara, and on and on! To the future!
@Rachel Thank you…….Tara is a special starfish.
@Jack Good luck with your forum, and I look forward to seeing your presentations on starches, the state of the healthcare industry, and whatever else at AHS12. As a former disgruntled employee at BCBS in the corporate strategy department, railing against the US healthcare system is always a pleasure to see.
@Kamal I am sponsoring Lucas Tufar to take over the safe starches debate. In my mind there is no longer a debate. When the peripheral and central nervous system is wired by Mother Nature to show that there are no safe starches I have done my job. Only humans who fail to listen to evolutions rule book of engagement die. You can eat a banana in the winter and feel fine but Mother Nature says its impossible………therefore we ought not to do it. I will follow her lead over a diet book guru or the opinions of a bunch of people who let their thoughts subjugate their genes. Feelings and thoughts do not trump neural biochemistry forged by 2.5 million years of the best RCT. This is where you and I differ greatly.
I’m right there with you. Somewhat akin to, are you going to believe your lyin’ eyes or are you going to believe what I’m tellin’ you? I wish more docs would think for themselves instead of trusting their continuing education to others.
As in all things, when man gets involved, there is always another agenda and it does not always coincide with the truth. I trust cows more than I do chemists.
You’re providing a great service. Keep standing in your own truth!
@Chris you wont ever have to worry about that……..I am walking on path that few even know exists……and I am leaving the torches lit for those who want to think for themselves.
Thanks for the recap! I can’t wait to watch the videos during CT. Always looking for more info to absorb/learn while doing the baths. Hey, I wonder if being cold while learning increases the amount that is assimilated or understood. Would be another one of the nice benefits from this once despised practice of being cold. Now I view the cold as an opportunity to take the right path on the journey to my ideal(to be optimal which includes being vital and healthy).
Keep the message going. I have one convert and can’t wait to see the results as she moves along this path toward optimal. I love that I have a place to send people who are interested. Can hardly wait for CT-7!
@Jack I’m afraid we don’t differ greatly on that, because I don’t have a set view on any issue. If and when interesting thoughts come up, whether they be RCTs or evolutionary reasoning, I’m more than happy to change my mind if the logic passes muster.
In the mean time, I’m still on the side of eating my winter banana, just like my Indian ancestors have for the past ~30,000 years. Heck, I’ll also enjoy a spring mango, and even a wide variety of foods that weren’t available to the western world until recently. (chocolate coconut banana shake, anyone?)
Jack, it was awesome meeting you, as well. Alyson and I enjoyed picking your brain and will be doing some serious cold-adaptation in the next few weeks. Come hang out in Austin anytime you’d like. Fogo De Chao awaits.
@Abel you and alyson are just total class……..all the way. Now I got to get you both to chillax.
Thank you so much for the shout out and kind words. It was my pleasure to spend time with you and so many new Paleo friends. Your words are inspiring, your no-nonsense personality is refreshing, and your jovial attitude is infectious. It was great fun. I am looking forward to CT in getting my body fat down and looking VERY forward to AHS12. Thanks for the laughs, the wine, and for your passion in getting the information to the public.
-Shirley (facebook.com/primalfenix)
@Shirley you are a masterpiece of a person……..I am better for knowing you now.
@Randy you my friend were the spark that lit my dynamite the night before Paleo Fx……..with out you there would have been no opening speech. You are a rockstar Starfish my friend.
Thanks for the highly anticipated update. We all appreciate it. It is amazing how western medicine and modern science quietly put to sleep some of the things Mitch so aptly described. Many practices need reawakening. How useful do you think APRNs can be in the process?
@Donald this movement needs any and everyone who wants a better way of life and health……..I will take a poor beggar on the corner who is willing to hold a sign that says, “Paleo It Forward” I am going to change the world………because I have a lot of cool friends who want it too now
I am the personal friend of Karina Stuke (#4) who’s life was changed by information on this blog and by a paleo lifestyle. Overcoming a terrible adrenal crash, estrogen dominance, and hashimotos thyroidis is proof how a paleo lifestyle can heal the body, from the inside out. My story is at http://www.healthfaithlove.com. Karina and I would love to take over the world with our paleo knowledge, but we will just have to start with Milwaukee 🙂 Dr. Kruse, you deserve a whole hearted, thank you!
@Sarah after you hear my opening remarks you will know why this is my job now………it’s my duty. Glad your better and a starfish too.
Well, whaddaya know, you made my top 10 too, Jack. 😉 Thank you for everything you do – you are changing lives and paying it forward like no one else. I was going to call you a starfish, but in reality you are a plankton bloom. You attract life from every direction and supply the crucial nutrients it needs to go out and thrive. I’ll ignore the fact that we’re essentially eating you in that analogy, ha ha ha. Seriously, you have given me the knowledge I need to save the women in my family from a miserable end and I can never thank you enough.
@tara……If I can help you know where I am. Still love that red dress…….
@Judith My response to Brett is complete. I do not think it is a big deal and not sure why Brett or anyone else is so mortified by it. It is factual and it happened. No harm or foul. This was meant to be a nice thing for Kaki……..and I guess someone had to turn it around some way. She stepped up huge.
Hey I’m a starfish! Thankyou!
Jack, how thoughtful of you to recap on your blog. I missed out on too many things, but that is because there were so many things to hear! Glamrorama: I hear ya. Love MDA for the diversity of info presented, not to mention the accessibility.
I’m sure South Indians are going to be emailing you about this guy pretty soon:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ex-mr-universe-manohar-aich-turns-100-article-1.1041719
ummmm – as a proud American of Bengali heritage – I would like to point that Mr. Aich’s home city is Kolkata, in West Bengal – not South India. The region’s diet is highlighted by high fish intake, white rice, and cruciferous vegetables.
@Golooram Yes I got an email about this too……
@The Kid Why? We would expect some outliers. The key is the other 346 million Indians being demolished……lets talk about them and not one outlier.
Hi Jack,
You need to educate me about the neural wiring of the brain, because it’s hard for me to see how that could make eating a banana bad in the winter. I agree, we need to be healthy – and positive.
 Dr. Kruse lays some of it out in this post: https://jackkruse.com/cold-thermogenesis-6-the-ancient-pathway/
My reading of it: eutherian omnivores that are exposed to seasonal temperature and light cycles are optimized for VLC in low light/low temp conditions.
Hope that helps.
but when one is in extremely high light high temp conditions like in taiwan, i could handle lots of rice and become the thinnest i had ever been without trying. conversely, taiwanese living in the northeast tend not to be as lean as when they live on taiwan, even when they eat the same diet.
@Paul I laid it all in CT 6. I suggest you read it. It seems everyone else gets it. They are neural tracks laid down by Mother Nature not by Dr. Kruse.
Hope that Dr. Kruse does a follow up on this for you. I wondered the same thing!
Dr. Kruse! I was fortunate to be able to listen to one of your panel discussions. I so appreciate your efforts… getting the medical community to admit they have been wrong is a tall order, but I BELIEVE you are up to the task!
@Maryann Thanks
Sago Dr. Kruse.
I am honoured to have made your list and you of course were #1 on mine as well.
I wish I could convey in words how much it means to our communities here knowing that the knowledge we have had for years and they tried to take from us is now being heard and understood but a new generation of people with such great minds who can learn the ways of our ancestors were right all along.
Our communities are sick and need healing, we all know this, but a man who can heal people like you with a strong voice is what our people need now at this difficult time.
Continue on and I know we can win this fight together.
Nya:Weh, Chi Miigwetch, Thank You Dr Kruse
@Mitch you made my trip to Austin……….
@Sarah- just wanted to say hi to a fellow Milwaukeean! I will be reading your blog later : )
I am digging the new comment format! It will save from scrolling up and down for Dr. Kruse’s responses. Thank you & awesome!
@Larry I like it too……it was getting nuts to follow.
Dr. Kruse I’m freaking out about my latest labs.
Quick sketch: 45 y.o. without major medical issues, eating paleodiet for 6 months, VLC x 1 month (mostly meat, fish, butter, eggs, occasional cream, dark chocolate, no grain, no sugar, some veggies and fruit occasionally, but very little < 50 grams/day carbs), doing CT (45 minute bath in 50 F water daily for the past 10 days and cold air exercise and walks for a month prior to that).
Good: weight down 185ish to 165ish, body composition much improved, mental health better, sleep better, I feel good!
My labs I'm cool with: TGs 58, HDL 55, DHEA 5.8, HS-CRP 2.2, cortisol normal, CBC, CMP, TSH all normal, Vitamin D 39, testosterone pending.
What I'm scared about: LDLp increased from 1587 to 3076, sLDLp increased 534 to 869, total cholesterol shot up from 224 to 343, and LDL went from 153 to 276. This change is from 6 months ago.
I'm nervous about my LDL and TC. I'm not asking you for specific medical advice, but with someone with labs like this change something?
 Sorry about the misplaced picture. I meant it to show as an avatar. I’m just figuring out the new format. I’m like trying to point my way to optimal or something….
@Dan I dont care a bit about your cholesterol……but I do think your HS CRP is a concern…….so is your D level and your Testosterone will be low……unless your using some exogenous stuff. DHEA is bad too……..you got some work cut out.
So excited to see you met Dr. Sebring. He’s my doctor. It will be interesting to talk to him my next check-up and I won’t even have to explain why I want certain tests done. He has been on board with paleo since before I started going to him, but now I know he’s familiar with your work as well. Lucky me.
@LBK you are lucky because Lane is a super star.
Sago Dr Kruse:
I appreciate and I am humbled to be included on your list and you also were my #1 as well. Hearing a man such as yourself say to a group of mainstream Dr’s our people had it right was empowering. When so much was taken away from us, stories of how we were not that long ago survived by our elders telling these stories. But now we can say to our people that we had it right and the time is now to get back to our ways.
All of the fantastic people I met and were so welcoming to me I feel I have been welcomed into a new community trying to get back to the way of our elders and live a good life based on these teachings.
Dr Kruse is an man who can heal us and our communities and we need to listen to his message and take head in what he says.
Nya:Weh, Chi Wiigwetch, Thank Your Dr Kruse.
Mitch Baird.Â
so good to know our people have someone like you to give them the knowledge they need, I’ve also tried to tell my family and extended family, cousins and all 🙂 but no one seems to be too interested yet. So I’m doing what Dr K suggested and work on myself, once they start seeing the results they will take notice and start asking the questions. Then I’ll be ready 😀
Talked to a cousin who was walking on the sidewalk to her home, fell and broke her leg in 3 places, I sent her the link to Dr K’s info about osteoporosis, her comment was she has always eaten well, so the info wasn’t much help to her, I left it at that since she isn’t ready to hear that the fry bread she eats every week along with her fantastic moose or elk stew is what is the basis for her problems with her bones. yeah we have a long way to go but I’m confident the word is getting out there, thanks to Dr K and the other Paleo people, you included 🙂
Â
I’ve looked at a lot of pictures and read a lot of information about what our elders ate and how they lived and I have yet to see one eat fry bread, Bannock, or Indian Tacos. we got 60% of our calories from Fat, 30% from protien and in the summer we had 10% from carbs. We ate food Mother Earth gave us, not the “Rations” the government gives now. Eat and live as much like our traditions as possible and the family will be fine.
Nya:Weh
@Mitch I figured that out……Your grandmother will be interesting to speak too. Please ask her about your ancestral diet.
@Snowyky Glad to hear it.
I had fabulous success with 100% Keto/Leptin Reset Rx since starting last November. Only problem I had was a ravenous appetite. Following your advice, I upped my BAB and CO (to NINE tbsp a day). Hunger left but my weight ballooned up to 136.5 lbs from 128 lbs! Since all I was eating was GF beef and CO, I eliminated the CO. Voila! No more weight gain. In fact, I have lost 4 lbs.  Has anybody ever gained wieght using CO? I LOVED the taste and had no other ill effects from it. I have a leaky gut and want to add it back to my program. What do you say?
 Â
MUCH LOVE to you, Dr. Jack Kruse…you are my hero!
@Pamela you will like CT 7 then……because it will explain why it worked.
Pamela,
Could it be more likely water retention? CO is high in salycilates and is very detoxing so it can make you retain fluid..
The weight gain seems like FAT not water. It’s so strange that CO is suppose to help weight loss but did the opposite with me.
@Pamela sounds like either a leaky gut or a hormone issue or both……..you need testing
 You might have a sensitivity to CO.. I did big time, gained 4 lbs if I even looked at it! Find a good acupuncturist who does NAET and get cleared.. I now eat CO all the time and lose! Make sure they use the actual acupuncture needles while you hold the allergen.. The laser is for peopel not really certified.
Looking forward to the video. Can’t wait.Â
 BTW it would be useful to have access to other speakers talks.
Best.Â
@ Jack, Any comments on another neurosurgeon, Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.,Neurosurgeon,Jackson, Ms 39216 and his books on the interactions of Excitotoxins & the Hypothalamus?
@John I think Dr. Blaylock work is good…..but he is focusing on one thing……I going for a 30,000 ft view of mammalian biology and life in general
Doc,
Awesome and inspiring post! I am glad you had such a wonderful time!!
2 questions..    When does the ‘book’ come out… And where is the next CT??
Â
@Chimpchick CT 7 is done……I have no idea when. This week likely. The book is at the editor. Then we will see.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobby_gill/6844216280/
@f3d83ed057afe031152f4dc07c80a763:disqus , many thanks for all the time and patience you gave me and others – it was great talking to you and I look forward to putting the theory into practice!
@Richard…….you too.
Thank you Dr. Kruse! It means so much to have made your “Top 10” list. It was great meeting you this weekend- I appreciate your kind words and willingness to listen. I hope to see you again at future events! 🙂
@Kaki you were very cool to help me. Thanks!
i fi am cold-adapted, won’t i maybe over-heat in situations where i could tolerate the heat pre CT?
Just wanted to thank you for responding to all the comments and giving us tips. I know your extremely busy. Thanks! Now…back to the cold tub and sardines.
@Dan I may need all your help here later…….TED wants to know what I should talk about on my TED talk……so I may post a link here and have you guys flood them with what you want me to talk about. Right now on the forum it appears CT and the Ancient Pathway and my three experiments seems to be winning out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_rw5uaLccQ
@Mitch – Thanks for posting that video. Awesome to hear wisdom from previous generations.
@Larry Modern man needs to pay attention to this message.
@Jack I agree. In a few weeks I have noticed a change in my mind & body. I cannot wait to see what 24-36 months can bring!
@Jack. I am a developmental optometrist. We have been living in the world of neuroplasticity for years. If you haven’t seen Dr. Sue Barry’s TED you might like this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCCtphdXhq8
She was the biohack for our profession. I am wondering if there would be a simple protocol for our patients. They range from TBI to autistic spectrum to learning disabled. CT would probably be too much for most. I would not be running labs as you do for your patients so it would need to be a generic plan. Just LR and paleo and as many supplements as possible? We need anything that can augment what we do in the therapy room to improve NP.
@Tom Doud a straight forward paleo diet works very well in this case Tom.
Is the 800 lb gorilla in everybody’s blindspot?
It seems to me that the largest obstacle to change is the near total unavailability of ruminant fat, organs and meat from clean, healthy animals. I live in a metro area of nearly 2,000,000 people, and I have a difficult time securing a large and steady family-sized supply of clean ground beef and fat from pastured animals. If there were another dozen or so people in the city competing with me for it, I might not be able to get any at all!!!
The destruction of grasslands, monocrop agriculture and the resulting desertification are monumental issues if change is to happen on a wide scale. Is anyone doing work on the economics and viability of large scale pasturing? the rebuilding of grasslands? Our society’s food infrastructure supports dirt cheap wheat, soy and corn products … no surprise that is what the majority eat. That is what is available.
As someone who has eaten like this for a very long time, economical grass-fed fat/meat availability is the biggest day-to-day issue I face. By far. How can it not be a topic at a ‘Paleo’ conference?
@IanS the great thing about humans is that we can control our environment. USWellnessmeats.com has all the grass fed meat you can find……and all sourced well.
Thanks for the link Jack. I’ll have to try their pemmican.
Personally, I am usually OK, because I have lined up farmers over the years. I was really thinking of the big picture, and wondering why food availability wouldn’t be a topic at a Paleo conference. Think about it: what is the largest number of people that USWellnessmeats, and all their brethren, could service? I’d wager it is a small fraction of 1% of the population.
If transformational change were to happen, where would the food come from? Isn’t it time to start thinking about it? Anyhow, this is probably way off topic, so I’ll stop now. I don’t want to disturb the superb focus of your blog.
One closing question – have you seen the movie “Grass: A Nation’s Battle For Life “? If no, then you MUST see it. It is an 85 year old documentary about the Bakhtiari tribe in Iran. It documents their yearly migration to find pasture for their herds … over high mountain passes and through glacial rivers – all while going barefoot and wearing next to nothing! It is the ultimate visual for cold adaptation and a paleo diet! If you cannot find it, I’ll send you a copy.
Cheers,
Ian
@IanS When you live in my world you do not think about this stuff first……..My duty is to my patients and do all that I can to help them limit pain and suffering and get them back to optimal. I have not seen that movie but would love too……..
I think you are about to be called out by the community.
@Ely tell me something new……..i dont know.