Follow the soccer career and life of Ali, from her early days playing youth soccer in Los Angeles to eventually captaining the New Zealand national team. Ali discusses growing up with a coach for a dad, getting the opportunity to play for New Zealand's U20 team, becoming a starter at Stanford University, and her long professional career in the US and Europe. She talks about the challenges of playing for multiple teams across the world, learning Swedish while playing in Sweden, and representing New Zealand in 5 World Cups and 4 Olympics over her storied career. Now playing for Angel City FC in LA, Ali has also become a health coach and cookbook author. She provides insight into maintaining her health and fitness as a player over 20+ years as a pro athelete.

00:00:00 Paleo Fitness on Women in Sports

00:02:41 Meet New Zealand Soccer Captain Ali Riley

00:06:59 The New Zealand soccer legend

00:11:57 Ali Riley on Playing for the US national team

00:14:37 Ali Riley on her health and wellness journey

00:20:22 Ali Riley on her Peak Performance Routine

00:24:58 CBD in your diet

00:25:44 Favorite Recipes from Your Cookbook

00:27:43 What is training like for the national team?

00:29:52 Ali Riley on Women's Soccer

00:35:31 Dreams of Playing Sports Pro

00:38:24 Ali Riley on Her Swedish Fluency

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In this episode, we discuss the journey of transitioning from different career paths to establishing a successful business.

The conversation highlights the significance of making bold decisions, balancing the responsibilities of being a parent while managing a business, and the positive impact of therapy in personal development.

Insights are shared on the importance of communication within marriage, embracing challenges, and learning from them. The discussion also touches on navigating the complexities of parenting, instilling values in children, and the role of physical intimacy in sustaining a strong marital relationship.

This episode provides a comprehensive look at the hurdles and triumphs faced on the path to personal and professional fulfillment.

00:00:00 Start of Podcast

00:04:05 What Was the Most Outstanding Thing About Your Early Age?

00:10:31 Ask for a Raise

00:13:28 Where did you get your marketing talent?

00:15:59 How Did I Meet My Future Business Partner 0

0:20:58 Say Yes To The Beach 

00:21:47 How Motherhood Is Affecting Your Career 

00:25:19 How to Get Away With Your Parents At 40 00:28:08 Does Your 40-Year-Old Friend Feel Like She's G 

00:29:52 How Therapy Helped My Love Life

00:32:11 I Got Rejected At The Church 00:38:18 How To Parent When You're Not Expecting Perfection 

00:40:26 Odi OSex And Marriage

00:45:40 Do Your Pheromones Affect Your Love Life?

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In this podcast episode, Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and leadership coach, shares her insights into the brain's workings, discussing the significance of gut health, stress management, and the power of visualization.

She elaborates on how these factors impact our overall well-being, blending ancient wisdom with modern science. Dr. Swart's unique approach reveals the dynamic interaction between our mental and physical health and the environment.

The conversation also explores concepts of consciousness and death, offering a deeper understanding of life's purpose and the importance of mindfulness and healthy living.

This episode is a masterclass in harnessing the power of the brain for a balanced, fulfilling life.

Relevant points from episode:

0:00 Introduction: How Science Affects Your Brain?

2:50 Gut Brain Access

6:55 How to manage stress effectively? 

13:26 Weightlifting and Vivid Images

19:03 Do Visualizations Make You Smart or Are They Just Hype?

22:06 Paleo and Kombucha

23:18 How to Get Out of Stuck Life? 

28:16 Why I Can't Decide Where To Live?

32:28 How to Get More Sleep? 

34:48 3 Things for High Performance that You Need to Know

41:02 The Science Behind Art

44:14 Deep Thoughts on Death and Reinvention 

47:41 People Are Not Scared Of Death

48:44 How to Bring Mindfulness into Your Daily Life

53:56 Dr. Tara Swart on Meeting Her Fans

Social media profiles ↓

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Host Brad Kearns welcomes Jake Steiner to discuss the amazing world of correcting your eyesight gradually and naturally over time.

Jake is the founder of EndMyopia.org, which offers extensive scientifically validated education on how myopia is not a genetic condition, but rather a problem driven by excessive use of close up screens causing spasms in the ciliary muscle in the eye that affects your ability to focus well on distant objects. Jake describes how wearing glasses is a "subscription, not a prescription" and a sure path to progressively declining vision over time. However poor your eyesight is right now, you can take some simple steps to introduce what Jake calls, "a little bit of blur" into your life and use glasses on an as-needed basis rather than a habitual crutch. Challenging your eyes in a gentle manner will retrain your eye muscles more effectively and allow you to make steady progress toward lenses of less and less correction over time. Jake was at minus 5 diopters and no longer needs glasses, will explain how you can improve at the gradual rate of 1 diopter per year. Check out Jake's app called Meow-Sure that allows you to quantify progress over time.

Longtime PrimalCon presenters and Primal Blueprint Luxury Retreat hosts Vanessa and Adam discuss their outstanding new Fitness App called "Unveil Your Wellness." This product provides a perfect opportunity to keep the momentum going after participating in Marksdailyapple.com’s 21-Day Challenge, which occurred in January. The app provides an assortment of options and guidance to make good diet and exercise choices every day, and has the unique community-building element where fellow users share their feedback, questions, and concerns about their health and fitness goals.

Al Kavadlo stops by the blog to discuss why despite his various physical pursuits, he always comes back to the simplest, most direct way of training—calisthenics (aka bodyweight training).

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Al Kavadlo, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Well, it’s over. The 2015 Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge officially ended yesterday, and thousands of you successfully crossed the finish line. Needless to say, you guys impressed me. You always impress and astound me during these annual challenges, and this year was no different.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

If we accept the premise that the circumstances of our early evolution can inform current practices, dietary and otherwise, doesn’t that mean getting dirty and eating beneficial bacteria is part of that? I think it does.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Brad continues his fascinating interview with Ashley Merryman, where he explores her new ideas on parenting and competition. Ashley picks up the commentary on the topic of competition as presented in her New York Times bestselling book, Top Dog. She and her co-author, Po Bronson, offer an assortment of interesting insights that challenge our conventional notions of parenting and competitive success. She will be presenting at the next Primalcon in Oxnard next September.

What behaviors, conditions or trajectories are you ready to jettison to welcome a healthier, more vital life?

(This Mark's Daily Apple articles was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Host Brad Kearns talks with New York Times bestselling author Ashley Merryman (author of Nurture Shock and Top Dog). Ashley offers an assortment of interesting insights that challenge our conventional notions of parenting and competitive success. She will be presenting at the next Primalcon in Oxnard next September.

Ashley relates the disparate challenges of focusing on writing and research versus the ambitious efforts to lecture to live audiences. Unlike many keynote speakers, Ashley makes the effort to create a customized presentation based on the nature and interests of her audience. 

Are you fit enough to pass these 11 assessments? Learn how to test your true fitness level.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Dr. Alessandra Wall (Life in Focus) stops by MDA to help you understand why despite feeling committed, prepared and supported you might find yourself facing set backs in your Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge (or any other endeavor).
(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Dr. Alessandra Wall, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Recommending a fish oil supplement is generally safe for anyone, but it’s important to understand why fish oil is so beneficial. So why should we take it as part of a Primal lifestyle?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Elle Russ chats with Vanessa Lambert - a champion of movement and mindfulness. Vanessa co-founded Bee The Wellness in 2012 with her husband, Adam to activate a meaningful life full of connection, wellness, and adventure. By helping clients gain mastery over their physiology and mindset through coaching, courses, and retreats, Vanessa is living her purpose and thriving in her zone of genius. 

She honed her physical prowess under the tutelage of celebrated ancestral health pioneers, Robb Wolf and Mark Sisson, and sharpened her mental mastery in 2008  by becoming a Certified Spiritual Counselor. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga instructor and Akashic Records Intuitive Reader & teacher. Vanessa fuses her distinguished knowledge of health, diet, and fitness, with her expertise in spiritual life mastery for a 360-degree experience in holistic life coaching. 

Vanessa is the chief curator of award-winning Bee The Wellness events and retreats. Built to expand people’s lives, she designs amazing adventures that aspire to level up the human experience in the physical, emotional, and spiritual arenas while facilitating community and connection between other wellness warriors.

She has coached over 4000 remote clients under Bee The Wellness and the Primal Blueprint, and hundreds of seminar and retreat guests at world-famous PrimalCon events, Paleo f(x), and Bee The Wellness adventures.

Using an inside-out approach to transformation, Vanessa has developed acclaimed Bee The Wellness mindfulness programs, such as the Authentic Self Life Mastery Program and mastermind for its graduates, and the 21-Day Meditation Challenge—which includes all original written and recorded meditations backed by binaural beats, a synthesis of Vanessa’s musical background and mindfulness training. Vanessa has recently launched Starseed Collective where she is focused on helping medicine women step deeper into their path as healers and intuitives.

Connect with Vanessa on Instagram

For the better part of a decade I’ve been playing with intermittent fasting on a personal level and by helping others integrate it into their lives through multiple posts on the blog. The effects on the quality of my meals has been staggering.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

PrimalCon presenter and psychologist Dr. Alessandra Wall stops by the blog to offer advice on how to make your goals a reality.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Dr. Alessandra Wall, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

In this episode, Mark Sisson has a discussion with Dr. Timothy Noakes of South Africa, who is an author and well-known expert in exercise physiology and human performance. As a physician, former longtime marathon runner, and co-founder of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Dr. Noakes has spearheaded efforts to advocate a low carb/high fat diet despite opposition in the mainstream medical community.

"It doesn’t have to be this way." The power of an effective mantra rises out of our growing identification with it. Right out of the gate, all of us can identify with this statement. Tune into today's post for a simple, yet effective, exercise to inspire change.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Having a firm grasp of these key concepts will provide a framework for – and make you more resolute in – your daily decisions. Read them, commit them to memory, live by them, and you’ll be well on your way to a lifetime of health and wellness.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Exactly when and how did baby/early toddler nutrition become a string of processed convenience foods? Can’t we do better by our baby Groks? We’ve taken up the kid question before, but I thought it was time for a definitive focus on the youngest of the seedling set.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Yesterday’s post introduced the major myths surrounding calories, weight loss, and human regulation of body weight, but there are some other serious misconceptions surrounding the topic that need clearing up.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

There are some major misconceptions about calories, body weight, fat loss, and health. These calorie myths are often rooted in truth but presented in black-or-white terms that are useless at best, harmful at worst, and do little to help the average person lose body fat.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Our annual 21-Day Primal Blueprint Challenge starts next week! There’s a lot that comes before “just doing it.” We all need a little help getting started.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Brad Kearns has another interesting meeting with Dr. Cate Shanahan of the Primal Advantage 1:1 Metabolic Consulting Program. Cate discusses some recent revelations heard on previous podcasts as well as answer some questions sent in to Mark’s Daily Apple.

• Stop working in the weeds and think more strategically
• Build empowerment deep in their team
• Free up their headspace to be more creative
• Deliver lasting results for their team and organization

If we can learn from our forebears’ diets and activities, what wisdom can we garner or extrapolate from other elements of their living conditions – for example, their social structures and cultural patterns. Here are all ten habits – presented for the first time on MDA.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

What’s a Primal type to do when it comes to a simple social drink?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

The fact is, this year does belong to you. The only requirement is being lucky enough to be alive today. That’s it. If you’re beginning the year in health far poorer than you’d hope, 2015 is just underway. No matter if you have weight to lose, strength to gain, eating habits to change, or stress to be conquered, 2015 is one day in. What could you be doing, feeling and seeing by next New Year’s?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

2014 has been a big year! 365 posts a year is a lot to remember, and sometimes you need to go back and jog your memory. Let’s take a look at what we learned and explored together.

(This Mark's Daily Apple articles was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Host Brad Kearns speaks with the fastest golfer in the world, Rob Hogan, who’s from Galway, Ireland. Rob is the 2013 Speedgolf World Champion and 2014 runner-up. He covers a championship caliber course in under 40 minutes while shooting in the 70s! Rob is a professional athlete dedicated full-time to Speedgolf and running at an elite level.

We tend to assume more protein is always better, but when is that not the case? What are the signs that we're eating enough protein? Listen to today's post to find out!

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

So you wanna put on some lean muscle mass. And you want to do it within the context of the Primal Blueprint, but aren’t sure where to start. It’s a common question and it’s about time I addressed it head on.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Sure, it can feel all too relaxed, even indulgent compared to the intense stuff. But don’t be so quick to disparage. Low level aerobic activity, I’m here to tell you, is the crucial base of Primal Blueprint fitness (Rule #3 in my book for those of you who are currently reading it). It’s the base, the foundation, the keystone to the big fitness picture.

(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Whether your travels take you to extended family or to a holiday getaway, here are some Primal strategies to enjoy your time (and the trip home) with health intact.

(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Apart from maintaining social conventions in certain situations and obtaining cheap sugar calories, there is absolutely no reason to eat grains. Believe me – I’ve searched far and wide and asked everyone I can for just one good reason to eat cereal grains, but no one can do it. They may have answers, but they just aren’t good enough. For fun, though, let’s see take a look at some of the assertions.

(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Elle Russ chats with Dr. Jason Fung - a physician (kidney specialist), researcher and New York Times best-selling author currently practicing in Toronto, Canada. trained in Los Angeles and Toronto and currently practices as a nephrologist (kidney specialist). His books, including The Obesity Code, The Complete Guide to Fasting, The Diabetes Code and The Cancer Code have challenged conventional thinking about these diseases, and introduces dietary strategies to manage them. He is the co-founder of The Fasting Method - which provides the education, tools and community needed to successfully implement intermittent fasting.

Every story needs a villain, and every protagonist needs an antagonist. Here at Mark’s Daily Apple, my regular nemesis is none other than Conventional Wisdom. Check out this episode for in depth description of why the common 'truth,' isn't necessarily so.


(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Pure play has become more of a luxury nowadays or, even worse, is considered to be “kids’ stuff.” But when your kids can’t even play without checking their schedules first, you know there’s a serious problem.

(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

We need to be entirely honest – which also means mindful – about the motivation behind our comparisons to others. What are really looking at when we’re glancing around the gym during our rest periods? What’s really going through our heads when we head for the back row (or the front row) at a fitness class? What are we looking to see in other people? Are we information gathering – on techniques or ideas? Or are we looking for ammunition to use against ourselves to affirm rooted thinking – or for justifications to boost our egos?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Brock Armstrong interviews Dr. Alessandra Wall, who has been presenting at PrimalCons about topics in psychology. This podcast talks about how we can get what we want out of life. Her website is: LifeinfocusSanDiego.com.

We are stoked to announce a Primal Blueprint Publishing endeavor that’s been brewing for a couple of years now, one that fills a huge gap in the paleo community—an action adventure picture book of the Primal kind made just for kids! If you’ve been looking to introduce Primal principles to your children in a fun and educational way, then Lil’ Grok Meets The Korgs is the perfect primer.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Why do wild animals fascinate us? Why do millions of people self-identify as hunters, bird watchers, butterfly collectors? Why, on hikes, do I still go “Oh, check it out!” every time a regular old lizard runs across my path, I narrowly miss stepping in coyote poop, or I hear a rattlesnake’s warning off in the bushes?

Because the wild calls. And we listen, or at least our subconscious does, because the wild is within us.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

For those of you who are looking for more detailed rationale why living Primal is best for everyone (including your doubting spouse and your parents), here are my 10 Real-Life Reasons Why the Primal Blueprint Works for Me.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

How much does our overall mindset and emotional well-being feed our physical health? That’s the question behind the mind-body exchange that researchers have chased for decades (and philosophers have dissected for millennia). Just what’s behind the mind-body connection? How powerful is it really? How should it influence the way we approach our own health and happiness?

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Host Brad Kearns talks with Brock Armstrong (the voice of the MDA blog podcasts and a Sweetbeat ambassador/product tester) and Ronda Collier, CEO of Sweetwater Health, makers of the Sweetbeat Life iOS application. Sweetbeat Life allows for convenient Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measuring and information storage. This discussion will acquaint listeners with the basics of HRV, and proceed quickly to discuss some of the finer points of HRV’s effectiveness in monitoring stress and recovery. Heart Rate Variability is a measurement of the variation in intervals between heartbeats. More variation indicates better cardiovascular fitness and stress management, and is represented in a higher HRV number on a 1-100 scale. 

Finer details of this show’s discussion include: how Low Frequency (LF) and High Frequency (HF) values correlate with sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity; techniques for how to moderate your stress response and improve your recovery through breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and extra sleep; and a step-by-step process for how to get started in HRV monitoring (buying the proper equipment, operating the Sweetbeat Life app smoothly, and understanding how to best use the informational graphs generated by the app). This is a fantastic show to help you jump head first into the amazing health technology of Heart Rate Variability!

In a few short months, my team and I will be releasing a Primal mayonnaise using avocado oil as the base.

Today, I want to tell you the story of how we arrived at the forthcoming mayo, and why we found that “organic” isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)

Host Brad Kearns welcomes Dr. Anthony to discuss his thriving community dedicated to supporting the health of busy fathers over age 40 who want to reduce excess body fat, age gracefully, and minimize disease risk factors. Anthony's father died at 42, creating a lifelong inspiration for Anthony to promote health and wellness and help fathers avoid the common downward spiral into decline and disease driven by overworking and unhealthy lifestyle habits. His program has helped over 26,000 men lose weight, build muscle, and get healthy for themselves & their families.

You'll hear details of Anthony's incredible simple approach, which entails creating a mission statement so you will fully buy into the importance of healthy habits; creating a systemized eating strategy with go-to meals, so you don't have to apply creativity, will power or suffer from decision fatigue; and to conduct simple, time-efficient workouts--no fancy equipment or venue needed. Check out FitFatherProject.com and the popular Fit Father Project YouTube site for details. 

Mark expands the Primal Blueprint Podcast by recording select Mark's Daily Apple posts for your listening pleasure!

Although the back squat has been called the king of exercises, you can get strong and healthy without doing a single one. Here are 9 alternatives.

(These Mark's Daily Apple articles were written by Mark Sisson, and are narrated by Brock Armstrong)

What exactly is “self-care”? Beyond the requisite showers, teeth-brushing and nail-clipping, beyond the eating well, exercising, sleeping and sunning, what does this mean? Naps? Facials? As I’ve considered the idea over time, I’ve come to see it in less precious and gendered terms than I think is common. Ultimately, I’ve come to believe that self-care puts a name and value to self-attunement in action.