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The Primal Connection: Follow Your Genetic Blueprint to Health and Happiness
Mark Sisson, the leading voice in the Evolutionary Health movement and author of the bestseller The Primal Blueprint , extends the primal theme beyond the diet and exercise basics in this much anticipated sequel. The Primal Connection presents a comprehensive plan to overcome the flawed mentality and hectic pace of high-tech, modern life and reprogram your genes to become joyful, care-free, and at peace with the present. You’ll make scientifically validated, highly intuitive connections across the board, emerging with a renewed appreciation for the simple pleasures of life and our most precious gifts of time, health, and love. The connections are organized into 6 <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Inner Reject self-doubt and gain mastery over your thoughts and actions by following the Ten Habits of Highly Successful Hunter-Gatherers. <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Rediscover the pleasure of touch. Rethink footwear to cure foot and back pain; learn correct posture and biomechanics, maybe for the first time ever! <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Relieve stress at the biochemical level simply by immersing yourself in pleasant natural surroundings – anywhere, even if you are city-bound. <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Daily Prioritize healthful sleep habits, wholesome diversions, solitary downtime, and limit technology to remain focused, creative, and productive. <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Withstand the pull of instant gratifications and narrow your social circle to honor real-life friends over Facebook. Build a supportive and nurturing tribe. <!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]--> Rediscover your innate cravings for daily doses of spontaneous, physical fun! Finally understand the true meanings of pleasure and leisure. The Primal Connection allows you to have it all; you’ll honor your ancient genetic recipe for health while still enjoying the comfort and convenience of modern life. Q&A with Mark 1. How does this book differ from The Primal Blueprint ? The Primal Blueprint focused on the ten lifestyle laws of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, with particular emphasis on what seem to be the most urgent and obvious life changing elements of the Evolutionary Health eating primal foods and exercising in a manner aligned with optimal gene expression. The Primal Connection extends the primal theme to matters of the psyche and the disconnects inherent with high tech modern life and how to fix things. 2. What are the overarching themes of The Primal Connection? You’ll embrace three critical themes that will help you withstand the destructive forces of modern life. First, your genes expect certain inputs to make you healthy, strong, and happy. If you create a different experience―slamming junk food or blasting artificial light and digital stimulation after dark, you’ll compromise long-term health, period. Your genes don’t know, or care, whether the inputs they receive are health-promoting or health compromising, they are simply programmed to fight for homeostasis at all times. Drink a soda and your genes respond by prompting the release of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. In this refrain, the development of type 2 diabetes from prolonged excessive insulin production, and the subsequent resistance of cells to respond to insulin, is not a genetic defect but an example of gene expression at work. Your genes will fight valiantly to moderate the wildly excessive intake of carbohydrates in the Standard American Diet by producing insulin until this genetic mechanism becomes utterly exhausted and a diabetic condition develops. The second theme is that abundance and scarcity are often mismatched with our genetic expectations. For example, our ancestors had abundant leisure time and scarce material possessions. This is something our brains are still wired to expect and appreciate, but the exact opposite often plays out today. Consequently, we feel stressed and anxious about busy schedules and consumerist, “affluenza” mentalities because they in conflict with our hard-wired genetic reference point. As Dr. Art DeVany, PhD expressed, “Modern life leaves our minds restless and under-utilized because we are confined, inactive, and comfortable. We cannot be satisfied with more and more, because we are evolved for another lifeway in which material goods do not matter. The result is that we are deeply unsatisfied with modern life and don’t know why.” Our genes simply don’t know what to make of all our “stuff”, and our lack of physical or cognitive down time to get refreshed and rejuvenated for the challenges of daily life. The third theme is that your deep primal drive to pursue behaviors that generate feel good hormones―the key to prevailing in the survival of the fittest game―must today be tempered with common sense and evaluation of long-term repercussions. For example, we ...
300 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2012
119 people are currently reading
1171 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 15, 2017
This holiday I pondered about the balance in my live, had some questions & this book happened to sit in my shelves for some years .. thoroughly enjoyed it, valuable life lessons to apply immediately. Also, very intelligently written ... . A must reread as well.
January 28, 2014
Mark Sisson changes lives—he can’t seem to help it. First he gets you in shape, eating and exercising right, then he teaches you how to find balance, happiness, and connection. How does he do it all?
The Primal Connection is a worthy follow-up to Mark’s magnum opus, The Primal Blueprint. For those new to the primal/paleo movement, The Primal Connection is an excellent intro to many of the basic tenets. And while some of the content will already be familiar to devotees—the benefits of going barefoot, the importance of adequate sun exposure, etc.—there’s still enough new info here to keep you interested, informed, and help you reflect on the bigger questions of life aside from what to put on your plate every night and how many PEMs to do per week.
Mark fills these pages with useful tips, tricks, and tweaks. You’ll learn about the importance of finding your tribe and reconnecting with other Homo sapiens—and how to disconnect from too much digital stimulation and superfluous media distractions. There’s even the pleasant idea of keeping a gratitude journal. It’s all solid advice and it all makes sense.
So while you can read The Primal Blueprint and do just fine in terms of your overall health and fitness, those who have found success with the Primal lifestyle would do well to read The Primal Connection. Explore these latest ideas and innovations. Get Primally connected. And take your modern-day hunting and gathering to the next level.
The Primal Connection is a worthy follow-up to Mark’s magnum opus, The Primal Blueprint. For those new to the primal/paleo movement, The Primal Connection is an excellent intro to many of the basic tenets. And while some of the content will already be familiar to devotees—the benefits of going barefoot, the importance of adequate sun exposure, etc.—there’s still enough new info here to keep you interested, informed, and help you reflect on the bigger questions of life aside from what to put on your plate every night and how many PEMs to do per week.
Mark fills these pages with useful tips, tricks, and tweaks. You’ll learn about the importance of finding your tribe and reconnecting with other Homo sapiens—and how to disconnect from too much digital stimulation and superfluous media distractions. There’s even the pleasant idea of keeping a gratitude journal. It’s all solid advice and it all makes sense.
So while you can read The Primal Blueprint and do just fine in terms of your overall health and fitness, those who have found success with the Primal lifestyle would do well to read The Primal Connection. Explore these latest ideas and innovations. Get Primally connected. And take your modern-day hunting and gathering to the next level.
May 30, 2013
I found this book to be inspiring and grounding. So many of the things he suggests doing to get a life back in balance -- connecting with others, enjoying nature, playing, doing moderate adrenaline seeking, and so on -- are intuitive once they are pointed out. Yes, I feel great when I walk in the woods. Cool -- there is evidence that suggests it's even better for you than just feeling good -- and making your interior more "natural" is helpful too. Well worth reading. A healthy index is provided with links to much of the research behind the suggestions, as well.
June 3, 2019
Вълната "палео" и "първобитно" хранене и начин на живот приижда и авторите, които се занимават с темата гледат да я капитализират.
Марк Сисон продължава с псевдо-духовните си поучения, като продължава да си измисля разни неща относно човешката психология и природа, базирани на виждането му за нашите предци.
Излишно е да казвам, че не превежда никакви смислени доказателства за тезите си.
Марк Сисон продължава с псевдо-духовните си поучения, като продължава да си измисля разни неща относно човешката психология и природа, базирани на виждането му за нашите предци.
Излишно е да казвам, че не превежда никакви смислени доказателства за тезите си.
March 27, 2025
Probably the best book on wellness that I have read. It's simple and intuitive. No fads no tricks just simple getting back to living
May 1, 2013
At the core of this book is an acceptance over man's need for the state of mind we call "happiness." We are often under the impression that life of ancient man was short and brutal - an experience to be endured, often with great suffering, rather than enjoyed or appreciated.
But author Mark Sisson refutes that, giving examples of how important play, social bonds, rest and slow living were vital to individual thriving and tribal survival. His point is that happiness isn't unattainable or a luxury, but vital. If we are not happy, we are not living optimally, in best accordance with our survival-hypersensitive genes and, back in the day, this would have meant death. Developing this theme, The Primal Connection, in a similar vein to The Primal Blueprint, expounds on the ways we've evolved as a means to inform and guide us on how we should lead our lives today.
In the book, he focuses on the following areas:
Inner Dialogue:
Mark uses a list, The Ten Habits of Highly Successful Hunter Gatherers, to define a successful mindset - attitudes and actions that are best adopted to deal with the vagaries and opportunities of life. This section establishes the foundation of the book, much like The 10 Primal Blueprint Laws did in his first book.
Body:
Here, he focuses on posture, barefoot living, and gives detailed explanations on how to move, stand, sit. You'll find yourself reading the rest of the book a little taller after reading this section. :-)
Nature:
Mark argues that responding to natural stimuli is inherent within our genetic coding. Modern day living means we are almost always indoors and need to reconnect with nature as much as possible, and certainly more than we currently do.
Daily Rhythm:
This section discusses the importance of respecting our circadian rhythms and controlling our use of technology rather than the other way around. Mark also discusses why our brain chemistry, anchored as it is in our evolutionary past, makes withdrawing from the sights and sounds of technology so difficult, while emphasizing the importance of doing so.
Social:
The essence upon which so much of our connectedness, our joy, our sense of belonging is based is down to our social bonds. But ultimately it is a sense borne out of the need for survival. Many can make light work of much and when our total needs depend on so many skills, strengths, and numbers, it makes survival sense to stick around in a group.
Play:
We have all but forgotten how to play, truly play. We barely recognize activity that is undertaken without regard for the outcome - activities that are process, not achievement, oriented. Mark urges us to recapture that ability, as a means to rest, relax, create. We need to recharge so that we can meet the next major demand.
Throughout the book, Mark provides simple, but effective, actionable ideas to allow us to delve deeper and re-establish our connection to what we have been designed through evolution to satisfy in order to thrive. My absolute favorite was a list of houseplants that will help optimize your home environment.
As a often-time workaholic, almost permanently technology-wired woman-who-sometimes-does-too-much, reading this book was like curling up with a favorite, fuzzy blankie. It reminded me that everything I intuitively know to be true about how we live our lives, things that I often ignore in favor of meeting the demands of the non-paleo primal world around me, and to be fair, my own inner whip-cracker, is misguided.
We sit too much, have poor posture, ignore our neighbors, play too little, sleep not enough. If we get in touch with the cornerstones to rectify these situations presented in this book, Mark asserts that dissatisfaction and stress will dissipate and we'll find ourselves not only enjoying life more but experiencing greater health, wisdom and connectedness.
As a roadmap to life satisfaction, and yes, happiness, this book was one of the best I've read. The Primal Connection is the yin to his earlier book, The Primal Blueprint's yang; it completes the circle and offers you a complete manual for optimal living. At the end of the day, we only have one life, and it is short. Mark's message is that if we follow our bliss genes to live optimally, we'll thrive and enjoy the ride.
But author Mark Sisson refutes that, giving examples of how important play, social bonds, rest and slow living were vital to individual thriving and tribal survival. His point is that happiness isn't unattainable or a luxury, but vital. If we are not happy, we are not living optimally, in best accordance with our survival-hypersensitive genes and, back in the day, this would have meant death. Developing this theme, The Primal Connection, in a similar vein to The Primal Blueprint, expounds on the ways we've evolved as a means to inform and guide us on how we should lead our lives today.
In the book, he focuses on the following areas:
Inner Dialogue:
Mark uses a list, The Ten Habits of Highly Successful Hunter Gatherers, to define a successful mindset - attitudes and actions that are best adopted to deal with the vagaries and opportunities of life. This section establishes the foundation of the book, much like The 10 Primal Blueprint Laws did in his first book.
Body:
Here, he focuses on posture, barefoot living, and gives detailed explanations on how to move, stand, sit. You'll find yourself reading the rest of the book a little taller after reading this section. :-)
Nature:
Mark argues that responding to natural stimuli is inherent within our genetic coding. Modern day living means we are almost always indoors and need to reconnect with nature as much as possible, and certainly more than we currently do.
Daily Rhythm:
This section discusses the importance of respecting our circadian rhythms and controlling our use of technology rather than the other way around. Mark also discusses why our brain chemistry, anchored as it is in our evolutionary past, makes withdrawing from the sights and sounds of technology so difficult, while emphasizing the importance of doing so.
Social:
The essence upon which so much of our connectedness, our joy, our sense of belonging is based is down to our social bonds. But ultimately it is a sense borne out of the need for survival. Many can make light work of much and when our total needs depend on so many skills, strengths, and numbers, it makes survival sense to stick around in a group.
Play:
We have all but forgotten how to play, truly play. We barely recognize activity that is undertaken without regard for the outcome - activities that are process, not achievement, oriented. Mark urges us to recapture that ability, as a means to rest, relax, create. We need to recharge so that we can meet the next major demand.
Throughout the book, Mark provides simple, but effective, actionable ideas to allow us to delve deeper and re-establish our connection to what we have been designed through evolution to satisfy in order to thrive. My absolute favorite was a list of houseplants that will help optimize your home environment.
As a often-time workaholic, almost permanently technology-wired woman-who-sometimes-does-too-much, reading this book was like curling up with a favorite, fuzzy blankie. It reminded me that everything I intuitively know to be true about how we live our lives, things that I often ignore in favor of meeting the demands of the non-paleo primal world around me, and to be fair, my own inner whip-cracker, is misguided.
We sit too much, have poor posture, ignore our neighbors, play too little, sleep not enough. If we get in touch with the cornerstones to rectify these situations presented in this book, Mark asserts that dissatisfaction and stress will dissipate and we'll find ourselves not only enjoying life more but experiencing greater health, wisdom and connectedness.
As a roadmap to life satisfaction, and yes, happiness, this book was one of the best I've read. The Primal Connection is the yin to his earlier book, The Primal Blueprint's yang; it completes the circle and offers you a complete manual for optimal living. At the end of the day, we only have one life, and it is short. Mark's message is that if we follow our bliss genes to live optimally, we'll thrive and enjoy the ride.
November 8, 2014
Lately I've been digging deeper into health looking beyond just diet, and instead embracing the importance of all aspects of our lifestyle. The Primal Connection: Follow Your Genetic Blueprint to Health and Happiness
by Mark Sisson is the best guide I've found so far to get started on this. While there's still plenty of things to dig further into, it's an excellent primer on a wealth of topics, such as:
Touch
Barefoot walking
Posture
Movement
Sleep
Nature + Wilderness
Dirt
Daily rhythm
Slowing down
Social connections
Play
Art
Thrills
Not all of the suggestions might work right now, but there are plenty that help you bring these aspects into your life in little bits and pieces and I love knowing what I can work towards going forward.
I've noticed for a while that taking plenty of time for sleep, spending time in nature and generally slowing down is incredibly important for both my mental and physical health and well-being. The Primal Connection has helped me look at more ways to get these things into my day-to-day life, as well as pointing out other important areas such as playing with dirt - and playing in general. I highly recommend it!
How do you make sure to make time for sleep, play, nature in your life? Have you noticed these things making a difference?
As always I invite you to find me and connect with me on Goodreads.
by Mark Sisson is the best guide I've found so far to get started on this. While there's still plenty of things to dig further into, it's an excellent primer on a wealth of topics, such as:Touch
Barefoot walking
Posture
Movement
Sleep
Nature + Wilderness
Dirt
Daily rhythm
Slowing down
Social connections
Play
Art
Thrills
I'm talking about a life of physical challenge but ample leisure. I'm talking about living by the natural ebb and flow of light and darkness, season to season. I'm talking about living in smaller groups. I'm talking about play and creativity and getting dirt under our fingernails - a life of the raw senses and an overlapping of the self and the natural environment.
Not all of the suggestions might work right now, but there are plenty that help you bring these aspects into your life in little bits and pieces and I love knowing what I can work towards going forward.
I've noticed for a while that taking plenty of time for sleep, spending time in nature and generally slowing down is incredibly important for both my mental and physical health and well-being. The Primal Connection
has helped me look at more ways to get these things into my day-to-day life, as well as pointing out other important areas such as playing with dirt - and playing in general. I highly recommend it!How do you make sure to make time for sleep, play, nature in your life? Have you noticed these things making a difference?
As always I invite you to find me and connect with me on Goodreads.
January 2, 2015
While I like to consider myself an independent sort of person, born and raised in the Wild West, where toughness and individuality are prized, I have to admit a serious penchant for being easily seduced into new interests. For instance, when I moved down south and noticed all the hoopla around the Civil War, I tried to avoid getting sucked into it, but, thanks to picking up Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War, I shamelessly succumbed to the general hysteria. Another example was when I was a freshman in college, my suite mates were rabid fans of General Hospital. I tried to ignore it at first, but by the end of the first month, I was right there with them, having long and in-depth discussions about Jason's psychology and Carly's deviousness. My first reaction when I heard of the new upsurge in interest with cavemen was amused puzzlement. Why would anyone wish to emulate such a time span that was so uninteresting? Then I picked up this book.
Excerpt from the beginning of the book:
An advanced notice: This is not a book about living a more gracious life. Nor is it written to stir sentimentality or foster sophistication. On the contrary, it's an endeavor best undertaken with sleeves rolled up. Prepare to get your hands dirty. We'll be digging down to the rudiments. It's about unearthing something in ourselves that has been lost, buried, or obscured. It's about reconnecting with a less acknowledged, let alone less appreciated, layers of ourselves. It's about getting to the very essence about what makes us human and tapping into our genetic recipe for health, happiness, and fulfillment.
This book makes a case for the benefits of incorporating cavemen culture into the modern day. The book is skillful at creating images that make you want to spend time in nature and dig into the dirt with your hands. It's almost poetic in its defense of cavemen culture, and if there is one thing that will make me a convert, it's always been pretty words and great imagery.
This is a marvelous bit of persuasion and some fine writing aimed straight at the disenchanted and disappointed modern day person. It makes cohesive and interesting arguments for its positions and also stands as a sort of Walt Whitman-esqe call to action. Very beautiful and worthwhile book.
Excerpt from the beginning of the book:
An advanced notice: This is not a book about living a more gracious life. Nor is it written to stir sentimentality or foster sophistication. On the contrary, it's an endeavor best undertaken with sleeves rolled up. Prepare to get your hands dirty. We'll be digging down to the rudiments. It's about unearthing something in ourselves that has been lost, buried, or obscured. It's about reconnecting with a less acknowledged, let alone less appreciated, layers of ourselves. It's about getting to the very essence about what makes us human and tapping into our genetic recipe for health, happiness, and fulfillment.
This book makes a case for the benefits of incorporating cavemen culture into the modern day. The book is skillful at creating images that make you want to spend time in nature and dig into the dirt with your hands. It's almost poetic in its defense of cavemen culture, and if there is one thing that will make me a convert, it's always been pretty words and great imagery.
This is a marvelous bit of persuasion and some fine writing aimed straight at the disenchanted and disappointed modern day person. It makes cohesive and interesting arguments for its positions and also stands as a sort of Walt Whitman-esqe call to action. Very beautiful and worthwhile book.
September 17, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Primal Connection. This is the second of Mark Sisson's books along with his marksdailyapple.com blog. I follow religiously this blog as he continues to provide copious amounts of output from continued research on all things health and wellbeing related.
This book is no different and it takes a different approach to the Primal Blueprint book which I read a few years ago. This is more about connecting the various facets of your psyche together whether that is being social, your body, nature or the rhythm of life. There is plenty of tips and areas to think about along with references to external sites and products. Given Mark's blogs I was expecting a lot of detail and he certainly didn't leave me doubting on any topic. For example there are tips for jet lag, the A to Z on vitamin D. He also doesn't beat around the bush that humans should get dirty and not be so clean by way of anti-bacterial material as often as we do.
I am an advocate of the Primal Blueprint and would recommend anyone to read the Blueprint book (Mark's first) along with this one. It would certainly help reading the Blueprint first given Mark's 10 laws.
Three key takeaways from the book
1. This quote is so simple yet we do not think this way as often as we should: Life is 10 percent what happens to us (chance) and 90 percent how we respond to it (choice).
2. Being selfish does not mean valuing yourself above all others. It means being as generous with yourself as you are with others.
3. I'm really beginning to understand how important healthy gut bateria is in the stomach and its impact on your body: “Over the course of evolution, Homo sapiens have come to host some sixty trillion microbes of beneficial bacteria, weighing as much as six pounds!”
This book is no different and it takes a different approach to the Primal Blueprint book which I read a few years ago. This is more about connecting the various facets of your psyche together whether that is being social, your body, nature or the rhythm of life. There is plenty of tips and areas to think about along with references to external sites and products. Given Mark's blogs I was expecting a lot of detail and he certainly didn't leave me doubting on any topic. For example there are tips for jet lag, the A to Z on vitamin D. He also doesn't beat around the bush that humans should get dirty and not be so clean by way of anti-bacterial material as often as we do.
I am an advocate of the Primal Blueprint and would recommend anyone to read the Blueprint book (Mark's first) along with this one. It would certainly help reading the Blueprint first given Mark's 10 laws.
Three key takeaways from the book
1. This quote is so simple yet we do not think this way as often as we should: Life is 10 percent what happens to us (chance) and 90 percent how we respond to it (choice).
2. Being selfish does not mean valuing yourself above all others. It means being as generous with yourself as you are with others.
3. I'm really beginning to understand how important healthy gut bateria is in the stomach and its impact on your body: “Over the course of evolution, Homo sapiens have come to host some sixty trillion microbes of beneficial bacteria, weighing as much as six pounds!”
April 1, 2013
Mark Sisson is a great author. I enjoyed the Primal Blueprint and indeed found it life-changing. I really enjoy listening to him speak - YouTube,podcasts, etc - and I think he's done an incredible jo,b as a layman scientist, of melding so many different fields into a holistic primal concept. I think its brilliant and has the powerful to truly transform.
This particular book left me a little wanting. I think it was just a little repetitive and somewhat dreamy. I assure you, no matter how much fat, spinach and berries I eat, nothing will compel me to spend any time outdoors barefoot in Chicago in the winter. Mark's workouts, play time and chilled-out downtime seemed to be perfectly suited to a well-off lifestyle in Malibu. I think that's great, but I'm not sure it translates to a less privileged life. None the less, the closer you get, the better it becomes. I am confident of that.
What I would like to see come out of this book is that the Paleo-Primal community stops preaching to the choir. There is a glut of books, cook books, fitness and lifestyle, that all seem to be written for one another. I would like to see the experts in this field truly challenge the medical/fitness/nutrition establishment and come out of the woods with credible science and studies that support a wholesale change in western health. They have to get louder and use their resources to grow the audience.
Mark, call Sanjay Gupta and get yourself an interview on CNN ... bring your science, bring your results and get this party started.
JOHN
This particular book left me a little wanting. I think it was just a little repetitive and somewhat dreamy. I assure you, no matter how much fat, spinach and berries I eat, nothing will compel me to spend any time outdoors barefoot in Chicago in the winter. Mark's workouts, play time and chilled-out downtime seemed to be perfectly suited to a well-off lifestyle in Malibu. I think that's great, but I'm not sure it translates to a less privileged life. None the less, the closer you get, the better it becomes. I am confident of that.
What I would like to see come out of this book is that the Paleo-Primal community stops preaching to the choir. There is a glut of books, cook books, fitness and lifestyle, that all seem to be written for one another. I would like to see the experts in this field truly challenge the medical/fitness/nutrition establishment and come out of the woods with credible science and studies that support a wholesale change in western health. They have to get louder and use their resources to grow the audience.
Mark, call Sanjay Gupta and get yourself an interview on CNN ... bring your science, bring your results and get this party started.
JOHN
February 22, 2013
Primal Connection is a lot less groundbreaking than Primal Blueprint but a fine companion piece.
Connection is a little more philospohical than Blueprint.
In Primal Connection, Mark Sisson continues to explore the common sense notion that while society has changed dramatically from the times of early mankind, our genes have not changed, and you must do (or in many cases avoid!) things to ensure their proper expression including proper diet, optimal exercise and ideas for ensuring contunual energy and happiness.
For those who think paleo is some sort of low carb, high meat diet -- or that we should be just like cavemen and go without modern conveniences -- Sisson is the guy who blows these myths to smithereens.
His enthusiam is catchy and his assertions are all backed in science. I especially enjoyed the sections on proper posture and what light does to sleep cycles and vitamin D levels.
As a longtime Mark's Daily Apple reader, I felt that some of the content was a bit redundant from the website -- and there are fewer reader stories, photos and charts to break things up -- but it was great to get it all in one place.
Connection is a little more philospohical than Blueprint.
In Primal Connection, Mark Sisson continues to explore the common sense notion that while society has changed dramatically from the times of early mankind, our genes have not changed, and you must do (or in many cases avoid!) things to ensure their proper expression including proper diet, optimal exercise and ideas for ensuring contunual energy and happiness.
For those who think paleo is some sort of low carb, high meat diet -- or that we should be just like cavemen and go without modern conveniences -- Sisson is the guy who blows these myths to smithereens.
His enthusiam is catchy and his assertions are all backed in science. I especially enjoyed the sections on proper posture and what light does to sleep cycles and vitamin D levels.
As a longtime Mark's Daily Apple reader, I felt that some of the content was a bit redundant from the website -- and there are fewer reader stories, photos and charts to break things up -- but it was great to get it all in one place.
March 19, 2013
Overall, a great book, and a good followup to The Primal Blueprint that really expands on the premise of the Primal lifestyle, that goes well beyond just the diet (similar to paleo for the uninitiated). This portion definitely offers a lot of room for growth for anyone. And while changing one's diet can be difficult, and one might argue with the principles of the primal diet, it's difficult to argue with the lifestyle suggestions for health and happiness presented here. It builds upon the foundation laid by The Primal Blueprint, though it could also stand alone well. It was a fairly quick and enjoyable read, fairly dense with good tips, and interesting/amusing as well. Mark does a good job of not pressuring/guilting the reader into changing these things, but offering encouragement and positivity instead.
Close to being 4 stars, but ends up being 3 for me, mostly because a lot of it is already familiar. A decent bit is a rehash from reading The Primal Blueprint, as well as Mark's website (marksdailyapple.com). And then I've been on a positive psychology and health kick recently, where I've seen some of the material before as well.
Close to being 4 stars, but ends up being 3 for me, mostly because a lot of it is already familiar. A decent bit is a rehash from reading The Primal Blueprint, as well as Mark's website (marksdailyapple.com). And then I've been on a positive psychology and health kick recently, where I've seen some of the material before as well.
July 7, 2013
I've been paying very close attention to the whole Primal/Paleo lifestyle for the last year and find the whole thing very intriguing (whether or not I decide to adapt it is almost irrelevant, but I have adapted some of the principles into my daily life.) But this is a slightly different take on that (most of these books focus on diet), and has Sisson comparing our current lifestyle to the lifestyle of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, and how really disconnected they are from each other. We eat terribly, don't play enough, don't use our bodies enjoyably, don't sleep enough, and don't connect with each other. Some of this book was a little repetitive, but I thought the advice was quite smart because I would argue we aren't happier or (definitely) healthier as technology (and major corporations) invade our lives, and we're going in the wrong direction. It's difficult to hear this amid the noise of our daily lives, but I think the points Sisson makes (and lives) are really smart.
February 28, 2013
It hits a lof of really good points, and does an excellent job of explaining some of the innate needs we might feel & where those needs may have originated, where modern life may interfere with these needs, and what to do about them. It's not as in depth as the articles Mark has previously written on the subject, and there is a bit of redundancy for those who already follow him online, but there were some new tidbits that made me stop and go 'huh' as well.
All in all I think it does a good job of making you feel more connected to your 'humanness' (as a species), and offers a really nice big-picture view of things that could help you lead a more fulfilling and connected type of life.
Definitely a recommended read. Oh and for readers of the digital copy: because of the numerous citations and index, the actual content of the book ends at around 80% through.
All in all I think it does a good job of making you feel more connected to your 'humanness' (as a species), and offers a really nice big-picture view of things that could help you lead a more fulfilling and connected type of life.
Definitely a recommended read. Oh and for readers of the digital copy: because of the numerous citations and index, the actual content of the book ends at around 80% through.
March 5, 2016
There's a lot to be said for Sisson's "get back to nature" premise in The Primal Connection; seeking to live a simpler life, with more movement, better, cleaner food and less unnecessary technology is a laudable aim.
I will note, however, that I am somewhat leery of a few of the conclusions drawn in the book. As someone who believes the science needs to be in for assertions of philosophy (such as those made in the book regarding the use of squat toilets) to move to accepted theory (in the scientific sense of the word), some of the assertions the book contains still sit squarely in a philosophical frame. I'd like to see more science backing them up.
That said, the book is a great read overall, contains much advice worth following and is a worth addition to Mark Sisson's growing canon.
I will note, however, that I am somewhat leery of a few of the conclusions drawn in the book. As someone who believes the science needs to be in for assertions of philosophy (such as those made in the book regarding the use of squat toilets) to move to accepted theory (in the scientific sense of the word), some of the assertions the book contains still sit squarely in a philosophical frame. I'd like to see more science backing them up.
That said, the book is a great read overall, contains much advice worth following and is a worth addition to Mark Sisson's growing canon.
April 5, 2015
a fantastic guide to living
For some reason, I thought this book was about food and the primal way of eating. It's not that at all. There is nothing to do with food. It's a list of guidelines for how a person would live their daily life to bring facets of a life we were genetically designed to do, while living in 2015. I began implementing some suggestions as I read the book, adjusting the way I sit outside, the amount of time I spend, and the way I look at the things I do, and I've become happier in general. It just feels right. It feels good. And now I have an answer when people wonder why I hate shoes so much and stare out the window for no reason. This is a great book and I started recommending it to other people before I even finished it.
For some reason, I thought this book was about food and the primal way of eating. It's not that at all. There is nothing to do with food. It's a list of guidelines for how a person would live their daily life to bring facets of a life we were genetically designed to do, while living in 2015. I began implementing some suggestions as I read the book, adjusting the way I sit outside, the amount of time I spend, and the way I look at the things I do, and I've become happier in general. It just feels right. It feels good. And now I have an answer when people wonder why I hate shoes so much and stare out the window for no reason. This is a great book and I started recommending it to other people before I even finished it.
November 22, 2014
This book is a good follow up to the Primal Blueprint. Sisson explores how we're all hard wired for a certain response to our environment, based on a genetic makeup inherited from our ancient ancestors. Sisson's voice is charming and personable. The book feels like he's conversing with the reader, not lecturing. Of course, anyone familiar with Sisson's work knows that he's a powerful salesman, but the principles are sound and the philosophies are easy to put into practice with immediate results. An excellent book of tips for those who want to take a holistic approach to enhancing their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.
August 31, 2013
I truly love Mark Sisson's patriarchal yet approachable style. The man educates himself deeply, feels a strong conviction, yet never seems preachy or judgmental. He asks us to make major changes in our lives, but he also knows that we may need to move with small steps, and you know he'd be cheering you every baby step of the way if he could.
This book is wonderfully insightful and positive. I wish it had a little more meat, though (ha,) like his blog posts. He is trying to reach a wider audience in his books, though, I suppose.
This book is wonderfully insightful and positive. I wish it had a little more meat, though (ha,) like his blog posts. He is trying to reach a wider audience in his books, though, I suppose.
July 27, 2017
Honestamente y objetivamente, es una de las peores basuras que he leído en mucho tiempo. El autor tiene razón en algunos puntos, pero el vender este libro como el secreto para una salud excepcional y luego asegurar, sin fundamento, que una dieta alta en colesterol y grasas saturadas es lo idea, es un crimen. Mi padre lo compró dejándose llevar por lo que prometía (a pesar de que desde la contraportada se puede notar lo malo que va a ser, lol), le dimos la oportunidad y ambos estamos muy decepcionados por haber gastado dinero en algo así.
March 12, 2018
If you've read Mark's blog, nothing in here is *shockingly* new, but it's a useful book for re-orienting your approach to life. There is immense value in reminding yourself that nature is an important component of health, as our friendship and adventure and fun. As someone who finds themselves wondering if they work enough, I needed to realize that increasing my productivity also means paying attention to the overall structure of my life and my relationships. And that I need to go on more hikes!
August 17, 2013
Amazing, inspirational book which force you to evaluate your daily life, routine, relationship, activities, environment. The book touches you in many ways, also you need to be open to read it, to accept that you can improve your life, make changes, be more positive, be more creative in activities, be playing in life and be nature kid even in grown man/woman body. Free your mind, be brave to enjoy your life and smallish moments around you. Brilliant read!
October 15, 2017
He gives great advice on how to live a healthy, happy life. Mark Sisson is one of the most respected members of the paleo/primal/alternative health lifestyle. This book is more about general principles than specific advice, but he does add a plentiful amount of references to science to support his outlook. Any way you look at it, he does a great job of articulating a common sense lifestyle that should improve the quality of life for most people.
December 2, 2013
I loved this book, I really love anything that has information about biology and how this affects us in a our busy world. I believe in living a "wild" life getting back to nature and this for sure points you back the right direction in an easy and digestible way. It is good even for city dwellers! I highly recommend, especially if you're on the natural path or paleo path.
April 11, 2014
Let me start by saying I love all things Sisson and Primal/Paleo, but I felt that this book was just a rehash of blogs from MDA (marksdailyapple.com) and other sources. I am a veracious reader and I actually had to put this down serval times in order to finally get through it! There were definitely some gems in this book but even the gems felt forced and rehashed.
July 29, 2013
Pretty good read. I am a fan of Mark Sisson's blog "Mark's Daily Apple". So I was excited to read his published work. The book sheds light on how our behavior in modern times contradicts the instincts of our primal genes. I look forward to reading his other book "The Primal Blueprint".
August 17, 2014
I finished reading this while shivering in the cold rain while camping in Algonquin Park. Mark Sisson is brilliant. I love how spiritual this book is and how it can help anyone connect to their Primal Self. It was quite appropriate to read this while roughing it in the wilds I think ;)
December 24, 2018
Where Primal Blueprint was all about food and fitness, this new book is focused on mindset. It covers how we're naturally wired, how we've disconnected in our modern society and gives suggestions on how to reconnect. This is a really nice complement to Sisson's first book.
January 26, 2014
I am primal. Great book on important subject. Be holistic regarding your health, it is the primal thing to do. Grok on!
January 26, 2013
Disappointing. Mark should stick to the diet/exercise books rather than this unfortunate take on the whole of life.
February 21, 2013
This is the fifth Mark Sisson Book I have read. I like him as an author, and I found this book very interesting re: the "Paleo" diet/life style.
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