Alone in the Wild – With a Gun

We caught the first episode of the National Geographic’s series “Alone in the Wild.” It’s a documentary of Ed Wardle’s experience of being alone in the Canadian Yukon for 50 days.  The idea is obviously something that interests the public – there have been other shows recently that explore the same ideas, such as Man vs. Wild, Survivorman, and Into the Wild.

It’s interesting that even though folks are fascinated with the thought of being alone, battling the elements, and fending for themselves in the wild, they still don’t subscribe to primal living outside of a “great adventure.” For many, these men going out in the wilderness are crazy and are going against everything civilized in our society. Normal people don’t do this. Yet, this is where we came from, this is our history.  And we don’t have to isolate ourselves for days or months in the wild to still live more like our ancestors, and get the same health benefits.

In fact, Ed Wardle’s experiences are not completely primal. He gets dropped into the Yukon by a plane with plenty of supplies: numerous cameras and equipment, solar panel, electric fence with batteries, sleeping hammock, canoe, fishing pole, cooking pots, silverware, 12 Bore and 10 22 gun, Jack London books, rice, oatmeal, toothbrush, toothpaste, salt, and bow saw to name a few.  Obviously, our primal relatives did not have these supplies. They had to make their own sleeping quarters, hunting and fishing tools, cooking and eating tools, and personal supplies. Wardle simply used his canoe and fishing pole to catch fish and cook them in his pot, and used his gun to shoot a porcupine.

Granted, this is the 21st century and we would hate to see a man die in the wilderness alone because he didn’t utilize at least some of our modern conveniences. We also understand that our ancestors were probably never truly “alone in the wild.” They were members of tribes that would help each other survive. It would be extremely difficult for a lone person to survive on their own with nothing but themselves.  

After experiencing the mountains on his own though, Wardle does state: ”I started with too much stuff. I even had a bow saw in my room in Whitehorse. I couldn’t carry everything so I was forced to make choices and leave a lot of stuff behind. I never missed the bow saw.” This emphasizes the point that not all of our modern gadgets are actually useful in the wild, and in some ways, can be burdens.

Of course we are all not going to wander off in the woods by ourselves with nothing but the clothes on our back. There are dangers (bears) and struggles with finding and capturing food. Even after you find food you have to be wary of other possibilities. For example, some edible plants resemble plants that are toxic (the Eskimo potato looks like a plant that has toxic roots). This is most likely what killed Christopher McCandless, as detailed in the film Into the Wild.

So how can we emulate experiencing nature like these men and our ancestors without leaving our world behind?

Just do the simple things outlined by primal living.

• Grow your own foods, if possible.
• Hunt your own food, if possible.
• Eat the freshest fruits and vegetables you can find.
• Pick the organic meats.
• Cook with just the bare essentials.
• Be aware of your environment – look at the clouds, the scenery, the stars.
• Relax! Learn to whittle like Wardle!
• Find entertainment in the simple things in life (not the television).
• Get exercise! Explore your world and the creatures around you!

As Jeff Darnell put it: “Ed [shared] the Yukon wilderness with over 60 mammals, including moose, caribou, stone sheep, wolves, around 227 birds such as ducks, geese, hawks, bald and golden eagles, 36 species of fish, 92 species of butterfly and over six thousand species of insect – including millions of blood sucking mosquitos.”

Now there’s plenty of food and entertainment!

The Dirt on Soy

Soy is on our non-primal list  for the basic reason that it is a legume. It is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae) and is native to Asia. Soybeans are grown and harvested (so they obviously were not around for Paleo folks) and they cannot be eaten raw.

Some say that soy was first mentioned as a food around 300 B.C. and has been a staple in Asian diets from around the 7^th century. Soy did not move into Europe and the United States until the 1700-1800s. Now it is a major crop and also gets major attention as being a “healthy food.”

If we set aside the fact that soy is a legume and therefore not primal, the question still remains for many people focused on diet and exercise: is soy really healthy?

Here are a few points that various soy proponents point out:

• Soy, in 25g of protein dosages per day in addition to a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk for coronary heart disease.
• Soy can help in fighting childhood obesity, as it contains fewer calories and fat: “Many kid-friendly soyfoods are available today including chocolate soymilk, frozen pizza, taco-style meat and chicken-style nuggets.”
• Soy foods are high in fiber, which can help with satiety and eating less at meals.
• Soy, like salmon and tuna, contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Soy contains the phytochemical isoflavones, which have been attributed to reducing the risk of cancer (breast, colon, and prostate).
• Soy has a lower glycemic index that can make managing diabetes easier.

Here are some of the negatives:

• Soy contains high levels of phytic acid that can cause growth issues with children.
• Soy has trypsin inhibitors that interfere with protein digestion. This can cause pancreatic problems and growth issues in children.
• It cannot be proven that the isoflavones in soy have a safe history because the soy of today is much different from the soy of hundreds of years ago. Studies in animals show that there are ill effects when consuming isoflavones: infertility, thyroid disease, liver disease, and increased risk of breast cancer.
• Soy increases the body’s vitamin D requirements; the vitamin B12 in soy is not absorbed and could increase the body’s need for B12.
• The processing of soy foods can result in aluminum, toxins, and carcinogenic nitrosamines.
• Allergies to soy are one of the top allergies and mostly affect young infants and children. Unfortunately, most cereals and baby food formulas contain soy.

There are numerous studies out there on soy and the “evidence” could probably be swayed to either side when it comes to toxins, protein benefits, etc. However, for the basic reasons listed below, we can easily recommend that folks avoid eating soy and other soy products.

1. Soy is an agricultural crop that was not part of a Paleo tribe’s diet.
2. Soy is a legume.
3. Soy cannot be eaten raw.
4. Soy must be processed to be eaten. This processing can add toxins and other carcinogens.
5. Soy allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Most folks who are allergic to soy are also allergic to other legumes: peas, peanuts, lentils, etc.
6. Instead of feeding our kids processed soy “pizza,” “milk,” or “chicken-style nuggets” here’s a thought – feed them real, natural foods packed with protein. Why use a substitute to get protein? Go to the source!
7. Again, why eat a processed food like tofu for the supposed omega-3 fatty acids, when you can eat a delicious salmon or tuna instead?  

Unfortunately, soy products can be found everywhere. Just look at most foods’ lists of ingredients. Even more reason to stay away from the processed boxes and bags!