Topics

1

General Discussion / Greetings from Lake Munmorah, Australia

« on: February 11, 2010, 09:16:35 AM »

Hi All.  I'm popping in after a lengthy break, and it looks like it'll take a couple of days of reading in order to to catch up! ...the amount of new posts and members is amazing 

I won't bore you with all the details but essentially I've taken some time out, got married, had a baby, moved house/location - and consequently learnt a lot about life 

The cool thing is that while I've been experiencing these things, it's been the 'primal philosophy' that has kept my feet on the ground at all times.  The last few months have been totally about the inner self rather than physical outer-self, and for me; the caveman way of life is more relevant than ever.

As a new parent and husband I've been confronted and challenged by many of today's cultural beliefs about parenting/marriage - but by meditating on what primal man is I've been able to find a touchstone upon which to grasp a strong common sense approach.

Anyhow, it's good to be dropping in again.  And I am totally awed by the people that are here; the forum seems to attract amazingly good people.

One final note; Tony B has been incredible in looking after the forum, it's been a labour of love and his work has helped keep this website alive... he's kept the spammers away and selflessly reached out to many people in need.  I'm lost for words... and incredibly humbled.

FYI this is a non-profit website, there are no ads or affiliated products, nothing here is for sale nor are any donations asked for... and I guess this is a key reason for having such wonderful folks in the community like Tony and the countless others who've respectfully shared their journey with others.

Be true to your biology.

2

General Discussion / Sociobiology - how biology directs social behaviour.

« on: September 29, 2008, 07:27:09 PM »

This is a great topic to look into - if you're up for a bit of hobby research.  Sociobiology explores interesting questions such as;

• Are certain behavioural traits inherited? If so, what are they?
• To what degree is genetic selfishness and altruism attributable to biology?
• Why isn’t everybody nice and cooperative and caring about others, as our moral ideals would require?
• Are humans more murderous than other animals?

Here is a link to get you started; http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2008/entries/sociobiology/
Holcomb, Harmon and Jason Byron, "Sociobiology", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)

Here is an interesting example of how biology controls the social behaviour of species:
Edward O. Wilson, referring to ants, once said that "Karl Marx was right, socialism works, it is just that he had the wrong species", meaning that while ants and other social insects appear to live in communist-like societies, they only do so because they are forced to do so from their basic biology, as they lack reproductive independence: worker ants, being sterile, need their ant-queen to survive as a colony and a species and individual ants cannot reproduce without a queen, thus being forced to live in centralised societies. Humans, however, as a more advanced biological being, do possess reproductive independence so they can give birth to offspring without the need of a "queen", and in fact humans enjoy their maximum level of Darwinian fitness only when they look after themselves and their families, while finding innovative ways to use the societies they live in for their own benefit.
Sources: Edward O. Wilson; From Ants to Ethics and Karl Marx was right, it is just that he had the wrong species.

3

General Discussion / The global economic depression.

« on: September 29, 2008, 12:00:30 AM »

In this time the maker is the revolutionary. As we slide deeper into what's being now called the 'greater depression' I suggest we consider this collapse is also the renaissance in disguise. If you're tempted to savor what was: money, consumerism and greed, consider how little life it contained.

Source: http://blog.holyscraphotsprings.com/2008/09/greater-depression-renaissance-finding.html

It's hard to get excited about the notion of a renaissance without being saddened by the fallout that will inevitably impact upon innocent people everywhere, particularly the sick and elderly.  Humanity is on a collision course with disaster, and I don't think it can be stopped, but I do think that civilisations can rise from the ashes and learn from it's mistakes, ushering through a new age of reason - rather than Mercantilism and Feudalism disguised as freedom.

Now is a good time to brush up on those caveman (subsistence) skills; growing vegetables, fishing, trapping, bush medicine, carpentry, sewing, instinctive eating, conversation, etc.  These things may not be a necessity, but they will empower us with greater adaptability... a key attribute for all living species.

I know who I am; I am an animal, I am a living organism that is programmed to breed and self-actualise, I am indigenous to planet earth, I am homesick and detached from the bosom of mother nature - this is something i've felt deeply my whole life.

Months ago I wrote a poem to express my anguish:

And living in a Brave New World,
marching towards our barren desires,
we descend to our deepest despair.

We are nature's creatures, the stuff of miracles,
hosts to ancient feelings of love;
squandered in dreams of utopia.

Lest we forget the smile of a child,
or the touch of a lover, content and delirious.
Forget not the tenderness of mother nature;
endless in love, relentless in grace.

Let us recall, such moments of truth,
defining our lives in whispers of passion.
And let us return to the parlour of love,
to greet our contentment.


I believe we actually will return... one day.

4

General Discussion / The more carbs you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged.

« on: September 23, 2008, 08:34:55 AM »

A Monash Unversity scientist has (potentially) found the key to overeating as we age.

Extract:
Dr Andrews found that appetite-suppressing cells are attacked by free radicals after eating and said the degeneration is more significant following meals rich in carbohydrates and sugars.  "The more carbs and sugars you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged, and potentially you consume more," Dr Andrews said.

Full article: http://www.monash.edu.au/news/newsline/story/1321

5

General Discussion / Low Fat Diet and Sunscreen - a Recipe for Disaster

« on: September 23, 2008, 08:26:02 AM »

I've just skimmed over a thesis authored by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor by the name of Stephanie Seneff.

Here's an extract;
Just about everyone in America is convinced of two well-established tenets for how to live a long and healthy life:

   1. Eat a low-fat diet,
   2. Avoid the damaging rays of the sun

My goal in this essay is to convince you that these two tenets are the worst medical advice you are ever going to hear, and that the consequences of our government's success in selling this well-intended but misguided recommendation to the American public are devastating and long-lasting.

Full article: http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/sunscreen_lowfat_autism.html

Note: Although the article talks about America, I certainly think it applies to Australia too.

6

General Discussion / Humans are built to outrun nearly every other animal on the planet.

« on: September 23, 2008, 08:17:09 AM »

Check out this article if you want to look into the age old debate of who can run faster, man or horse.

Here's a few extracts;
"Every year since 1980, Llanwrtyd Wells has hosted the Man Versus Horse Marathon, which pits hundreds of runners against dozens of horses with riders. On two legs or four, contestants take on 22 miles of challenging trails laced across a dazzling green countryside. They trot through fragrant pine forests, scramble up mountainous rock-strewn sheep trails, cross rolling moorlands, and ford rivers. In June 2004, for the first time ever, the human won."

"...under the right conditions, they can also outrun just about any other animal on the planet—including dogs, wolves, hyenas, and antelope..."

"Chimps and other primates have little buns. Our own rear ends are huge; the upper part of the gluteus maximus is greatly expanded. Although few scholars have studied its role in running, the butt is, according to Bramble, "basically a substitute for a tail.""

Here's the article: http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/tramps-like-us

7

General Discussion / Will 2008 mark the beginning of the end of Raw Capitalism? [opinion]

« on: September 19, 2008, 02:00:35 PM »

Those of you who've been following world news of late will undoubtedly be familiar with the recent collapse of several large financial institutions - the essential  causes of which (in my opinion) have been greed and misinformation.  And although this is a terrible saga, perhaps what is more interesting is the revealing fact repeatedly emerging amongst all this; in a modern capitalistic society we privatise the profits, and socialise the losses.

As a result of this paradox,  people may start to lose faith in the idea of individualism.  Additionally,  we will probably see contractions in the world economy that could dramatically change the tenets of modern culture... perhaps we'll cherish sufficiency and intrinsic pleasures, rather than material abundance, keeping up with the jones' (status anxiety), and utopian visions of prosperity.

Perhaps now is a good time to think about the free things in life - you know, the things that have stimulated mankind for tens of thousand of years, such as kinship, breeding, developing new skills, etc.

To quote Time magazine:

"...we come out the other side of the true collapse of this dominator culture, the one that eliminates the phenomenon of super-richness, we will be older and wiser. Maturity will again rule the house and we will have earned the right to live within our needs. Abundance will become synonymous with sufficiency. Community will eclipse the illusion of rugged individualism."

Perhaps that's not such a bad thing.

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Paleolithic Medicine & Natural Remedies / The Caveman Dentist

« on: September 08, 2008, 08:02:03 AM »

How would a caveman remedy a toothache?

Perhaps a tooth extraction was performed by hammering the tooth out, with the aid of a wooden chisel and a rock mallet. For pain relief, I've heard of Kava (a tranquiliser) and Clove Leaf Oil (an anaesthetic) being used, as well as some mystical options such as boiling worms and hanging a frog around one's jaw. Whilst brushing likely involved the use of chewed twigs and fingers.

Does anyone have some tips and tricks on how to remedy a toothache; caveman style?

9

The Voting Booth / MOVED: Should we have a Board dedicated to Palaeolithic Medicine?

« on: September 08, 2008, 07:39:18 AM »

This topic has been moved to Palaeolithic Medicine.

http://www.cavemanpower.com/forum/index.php?topic=244.0

10

Paleolithic Medicine & Natural Remedies / The purpose of this board.

« on: August 17, 2008, 09:45:57 AM »

How would a caveman treat a broken bone?  Or extract a tooth?  How did they treat infections, fungus, snake bites?

I'm especially interested in Palaeolithic medicines and treatments (before 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution).  It is a topic that I rarely see discussed in Palaeontology.

The topic of Palaeolithic Medicine raises some interesting questions relating to;

• The emergence of the Human Immune System, and it's relation to geography and genetics.
• The inter-breeding of tribes, and the genetic blend.
• The importance of linguistics and communication i.e. passing knowledge to subsequent generations and other tribes.
• Spirituality and mysticism, and they're use (or non-use) in healing.
• Natural Selection; were certain genetic pools selected against, and thus eliminated?

Additionally, we could postulate questions such as;

• Are humans genetically becoming weaker (i.e. Dysgenics) due to modern things such as; antibiotics, diets high in sugar, sedentary lifestyles, lack of sunlight, etc?
• And as a result, have we intervened in the evolutionary process to such a degree that we are ill-suited to a natural environment?
• If a Palaeolithic person was transported through time to our modern age, would they live longer or be healthier than a modern person if given access to the same science and medicine?

I think a new board on the forum that discusses such things under the title of "Natural Medicine" could be very worthwhile....so, should we do it?  And if so, should we call it "Natural Medicine" or is there something more suitable?

11

Paleolithic Medicine & Natural Remedies / Olive Leaf Extract

« on: August 17, 2008, 09:03:38 AM »

Whenever I feel my immune system weakening, whether it's due to infectious disease (cold, flu) or lack of sleep, or over-training... I take Olive Leaf Extract.

As a post-hoc solution, Olive Leaf Extract has served me well.  I have managed to avoid a full blown cold or flu for the last 5 years, which is pretty good going.  I have recommended it to friends and family, who've also experienced similar results.

Has anybody else had good results with Olive Leaf Extract?

12

Paleolithic Medicine & Natural Remedies / Fighting Infectious Disease - without pharmaceuticals.

« on: August 17, 2008, 09:02:58 AM »

I have a routine for fighting infectious disease such as Cold and Flu, and it goes like this;

• At first sign of symptoms (i.e. sore throat, declining energy levels) I gargle salt water or mouthwash.
• I begin taking Olive Leaf Extract mixed with Echinacea (50/50 solution) several times a day.
• I incubate myself in a warm bed for several hours, overheating my body.
• I sleep as much as possible and stay sedentary (very lazy) for 24 hours.
• I consume hot vegetable soup with very spicy chilli, in very small amounts. My water intake is slightly higher than average.
• I aim to get at least a couple of hours of direct sunlight, which really seems to help.

It has served me well for years.

Does anybody else have any recommendations, or indeed; criticism of the above points?

13

Food & Diet / Interesting website about Paleolithic food

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:27:24 AM »

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/faqs/

Although you have to pay for the detailed information on this website, I was satisfied by reading just the free stuff.  I recommend checking it out.

14

Fitness & Exercise / The 10 Machines You Must Avoid at Your Gym

« on: July 20, 2008, 05:08:03 AM »

Interesting article on Machines Vs free/body weight exercises.

Link: http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/best-body/10_Machines_You_Must_Avoid.shtml

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General Discussion / Self Defence - what is the most effective way to stop an attack?

« on: June 27, 2008, 10:59:30 AM »

Knowing a quick and effective way to protect oneself during an attack from another human could be life saving, and absolutely justified.  So, in the spirit of self defence, i'd like to ask you this:

If you were bare-handed and you had just one chance to disable an attacker, what move would you do?  A blow to the face? A kick to the groin?

My choice would be either; a front kick to the lower abdomen, or i'd drive the heel of my palm into their nose - my choice would depend upon my proximity to the assailant.

What would you do, if you had one chance?

16

Fitness & Exercise / The Medicine Ball

« on: June 27, 2008, 10:46:07 AM »

Last night a friend and I did a work out in a 25 metre pool with an 11kg (20lb) medicine ball.  Basically, we threw it at each other whilst wading through the pool until our arms and legs were mince meat - not to mention the bruises - the ball is seriously rock hard.

Other things we like to do is a messed-up version of Vollyeball using a medicine ball, which can end badly if you cop it in the face... it's amazingly good for teaching you to be an aggressive catcher.

There are quite a few other things we like to do, such as lobbing it as high as we can at each other and catching it aggressively, or using it to do one arm pushups on, and also; standing on it (balancing) whilst doing KettelBell exercises.

It's a great way to harden up your workout 

Is anyone else here using these evil things?

17

Food & Diet / Fatty Liver - don't lose the gut too fast.

« on: June 27, 2008, 10:37:00 AM »

Fatty Liver Disease (FLD) has hit the news lately - which is no surprise really, given the prevalence of diabetes and obesity - and it's worth noting that FLD can be induced by rapid weight loss.

Those who have switched to a Paleo/Caveman style of eating have probably found that rapid weight loss occurs rather easily, so here's a friendly reminder to avoid rushing things.  It's exciting to lose weight and feel fit and healthy, but don't go overboard and stress your body out too much.. follow the guidelines, take it easy and enjoy the process.

Eating like a Palaeolithic person is the healthiest way of life that I know of, but if you're coming from a diet high in refined foods it's wise to avoid jumping in the deep end.  Take your time, listen to your body, and work your way there.

18

General Discussion / Website Statistics - June 2007 to June 2008

« on: June 11, 2008, 01:15:08 AM »

For those who are interested 

19

General Discussion / Uncontacted Tribes

« on: June 01, 2008, 12:38:11 AM »

From the website:
Over one hundred tribes around the world choose to reject contact with outsiders. They are the most vulnerable peoples on the planet.

Many of them are living on the run, fleeing invasions of their land by colonists, loggers, oil crews and cattle ranchers. They have often seen their friends and families die at the hands of outsiders, in unreported massacres or epidemics.

Website: http://www.survival-international.org/campaigns/uncontactedtribes

Below are some photos...


The lost tribe lives in dense jungle near the border between Brazil and Peru.


The fly-by was believed to be the tribe's first contact with the outside world and the first proof they exist.


The tribesmen could be seen trying to fire their arrows at the helicopter as it hovered overhead.


Many of the tribesmen were painted bright red while others appeared with a much darker pigment.


The tribe lives in a collection of huts with thick, thatched roofs in the heart of the Amazon.


But advocates say their survival is threatened by rapacious logging in the Amazon forest.


Survival International says there are up to 100 tribes living uncontacted by the modern world. More than half live in this area.

20

General Discussion / Are you a home scientist?

« on: March 30, 2008, 05:57:16 PM »

If you are a home scientist - fascinated with how things works, and curious about fields such as Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy (not astrology!), and the Earth Science... then check out these great websites;

Biology: http://www.biology4kids.com/

Astronomy: http://www.cosmos4kids.com/

Chemistry: http://www.chem4kids.com/

Geography: http://www.geography4kids.com/

Physics: http://www.physics4kids.com/

Don't be put off by the 'for kids' label - these websites are a great place to start or brush up on your science knowledge.  They also make a great starting point for more thorough research, and what I like about these websites the most is; they talk in terms of systems i.e. they explain how things interact in the world - rather than just in a dish, or under a microscope.

If you want to take things a step further, then check out 'The Teaching Company' at http://www.teach12.com/, however, they are not free.  So, you could also check out Wikipedia at http://www.wikipedia.org/ for free information.

Wikipedia is great as a starting point for further research on whatever topic you're pursuing.  I say starting point because Wikipedia offers external links and references which are sometimes far more valuable than the information listed on the page.

Another great resource for learning is 'Google Scholar' http://scholar.google.com.au/.  Google Scholar is a search engine that lists scientific documents for whatever search terms you use - which is excellent for sourcing evidence (for and against) your research.

21

Food & Diet / Nutrition: a one page outline of almost everything you need to know.

« on: March 27, 2008, 07:23:20 PM »

Here is a fantastic web page from Wiki Books that describes the components of nutrition in a concise, easy to read layout.

I encourage everyone to bookmark it - it's an invaluable quick reference guide.

Check it out here: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Human_Physiology/Nutrition

Additionally, I've attached (below) to this post a PDF version for you download.

22

Food & Diet / Low Carbohydrate Diets: Why You Don't Want the "Experts" to Tell You What to Eat

« on: March 27, 2008, 07:09:20 PM »

Here is an interesting discussion on the merits of Low Carb diets.

From the article:
"Diabetes may be described as a disease of glucose intolerance: high blood glucose is both the characteristic indicator and the cause of complications. The loss of control of glucose metabolism is what makes a low carbohydrate diet a good therapeutic approach, and it's why I'm astonished that experts encourage people with diabetes to eat carbohydrates and then "cover" them with insulin."

Richard D. Feinman, PhD, is Professor of Biochemistry at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, co-editor-in-chief of the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, and Director of the Nutrition and Metabolism Society

Visit the website here: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2007/08/22/5383.html

Another interesting article: Got Type 2 Diabetes? Eat Like a Hunter-Gatherer Instead of a Farmer.
Visit the website here: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2007/08/22/5383.html

............................................................................................

The Low Carb debate is a controversial one indeed, and I believe that the truth of the matter can be discovered by drawing upon the wisdoms of Anthropology and Human Biology.  And thankfully, we are seeing more evidence to support the merits of Low Carb eating emerging from those fields of study.

In short; certain foods have kept us hominids thriving for millions of years - and it's impressively obvious that it wasn't white bread and breakfast cereal that did it.  The fact that modern health organisations fail to appreciate such a simple fact is, in my view; suspect.

23

Fitness & Exercise / Working out with "The Slosh Tube"

« on: March 27, 2008, 03:24:35 AM »

The Slosh Tube is a bit of PVC pipe about 3 meters long, 4 inches thick, and filled with 20 litres of water.  You can build one for approx. $20.

It's surprisingly difficult to control the Slosh Tube, because the water in the tube is always moving around - just when you think you have it stabilised, the water moves again, throwing you all over the place.  I could really feel my entire mid-section getting a good thrashing - the balance required to hold this thing is incredible.  I would recommend this to anyone who wants to improve their core strength and balance.

Check out the photos (below) to see me and Owen getting completely owned by this evil device 

24

Website Info / Suggestion Box

« on: March 26, 2008, 06:31:56 PM »

The Suggestion Box

This thread is for making suggestions about the Caveman Power Website.  Please consider the following before making a suggestion(s);

• Does it get to the point? And avoid unnecessarily long dialogue?
• Does the suggestion compliment the spirit of the website?  i.e. helping other humans, finding the truth, etc.
• Is the suggestion well though out, and backed up with solid reasoning?
• Does the suggestion unnecessarily disadvantage anyone?

If you have considered the points mentioned above and you believe that you have a viable suggestion, please post it   

25

Website Info / The Charter of the Forum

« on: March 26, 2008, 06:20:05 PM »

The charter of the forum;

• To research and debate truth and knowledge in a rational, and intelligent manner.
• To assist fellow human beings by sharing our experiences and rationale in a helpful way.
• To provide a safe place for people to share about themselves.
• To pursue clarity and sanity where they are otherwise absent.
• To tap into the wisdom of crowds in order to realise the above goals.

Hard on the problem, soft on the person.

In keeping with the spirit of the charter; we can make this forum a wonderful resource, where almost anyone can receive something positive towards the improvement of their life, and their overall contentment.  Together, as a community, we can literally make the world a better place.