The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health

In The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health, John Durant argues for an evolutionary � and revolutionary � approach to health. All animals, human or otherwise, thrive when they mimic key elements of life in their natural habitat. From diet to movement to sleep, this evolutionary perspective sheds light on some of our most pressing health concerns. What is causing the rise of chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and depression? Is eating red meat going to kill you? Is avoiding the sun actually the best way to avoid skin cancer?

Durant takes readers on a thrilling ride to the Paleolithic and beyond, unlocking the health secrets of our ancient ancestors. What do obese gorillas teach us about weight loss? How can Paleolithic skulls contain beautiful sets of teeth? Why is the Bible so obsessed with hygiene? What do NASA astronauts teach us about getting a good night�s sleep? And how are Silicon Valley techies hacking the human body?

Blending science and culture, anthropology and philosophy, John Durant distills the lessons from his adventures and shows how to apply them to day-to-day life, teaching people how to construct their own personal �habitat� that will enable them to thrive. The book doesn�t just address what we eat, but why we eat it; not just how to exercise, but the purpose of functional movement; not just being healthy, but leading a purposeful life.

Combining the best of ancient wisdom with cutting edge science, Durant crafts a vision of health that is both fresh and futuristic.

From the Hardcover edition.

Review

�In an age of material abundance and high technology, why are we failing to thrive? Why are so many of us fat, tired, achy, depressed? Starting with the insight that every species is well suited to its natural habitat, John Durant explores how we might alter our own habits and habitats in ways that allow us to flourish. Durant is original, open-minded, and the nicest and smartest caveman you�ll ever meet. The Paleo Manifesto is brimming with ideas and a fascinating read.�
�Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and New York Times bestselling author of How the Mind Works and *The Better Angels of Our Nature

�Anyone who runs barefoot from Harlem to Brooklyn, argues with Harvard anthropologists, and rips the lid off Bambi�s lies in the name of science is a writer worth listening to. John Durant�s goal is simple--to make everyone as strong as Tarzan--and to achieve it, he�s ripping apart decades of dangerously misguided medical opinions in search of ancient human truths. He�s not taking us back in time; he�s using his own body as a testing ground in pursuit of a healthier future.�
�Christopher McDougall, New York Times bestselling author of *Born to Run

�To paraphrase George Santayana, those who forget the past are doomed to be fat, sluggish, and sickly. John Durant is here to help us remember. In this fascinating and wide-ranging book, Durant gathers the best lessons from human history--and not just the Paleolithic. We also learn health tips from Moses, Victor Hugo, 19th century British undertakers, and lowland gorillas. Read this book as a hardcover, e-book, or stone tablet, but read it.�
�A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically and Drop Dead Healthy

�Amid the mass confusion of our diet-obsessed culture, The Paleo Manifesto stands out as fun, refreshing, and sensible. Durant has a knack for story-telling, weaving his exploits as a modern hunter-gatherer into lessons for healthy living--all based on solid evidence from evolution and biochemistry. The Paleo Manifesto* is the new common sense.�
�Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint and publisher of MarksDailyApple.com

�Whether you are a skeptic or a believer, you�ll admire Durant�s passionate and highly personal advocacy for living a paleo lifestyle.�
�Daniel Lieberman, Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University

�Durant�s provocative manifesto is bound to inspire necessary discussion about the nature of our food and the role of evolution in determining a healthy diet.�
�Gary Taubes, New York Times bestselling author of Good Calories, Bad Calories and Why We Get Fat

"The Paleo Manifesto�is likely the most important contribution to the concept of ancestral health since Boyd Eaton's original�The Paleolithic Prescription."
�Robb Wolf,�New York Times�bestselling author of�The Paleo Solution

�In many respects we have become �zoo humans,� living unnatural lives--and the cost of this disconnect from our wild origins is greater than we imagine. John Durant is a bright and original thinker, and here he makes a compelling case for the health benefits of a life rooted in evolutionary principles. Insightful and inspirational, The Paleo Manifesto is a masterpiece.�
�Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat

�The Paleo Manifesto explores a way of life that we�ve forgotten, and convincingly argues that we should re-think the way we live.�
�Will Dean, founder and CEO of Tough Mudder

�John Durant offers a guided tour of our evolutionary heritage, showing how an ancestral lifestyle can improve our health and happiness. (And it works for animals, too!) Entertaining yet profound, The Paleo Manifesto is a book you won�t want to stop reading--but you will, because you�ll be so eager to start living its advice!�
�Paul Jaminet, Ph.D., author of Perfect Health Diet*

�John Durant has a gift for relating complex and seemingly disparate ideas in an engaging and accessible way. His habitat-based approach on how to eat, exercise, and enjoy a healthy lifestyle invokes the same concept we use to promote animal health and welfare in zoos: the natural history of the species is paramount. Those deeply committed to the survival of species--our own and others--will gain a unique and fresh perspective on the biological, cultural, and anthropological underpinnings of longevity by reading this book. It should not only be in the hands of human and animal health experts but be required reading for anyone who is--or takes care of--an omnivore, carnivore, or vegetarian.�
�Dr. Kristen E. Lukas, Curator of Conservation & Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

�The Paleo Manifesto is now the definitive guide to going paleo. Smart, compelling, entertaining and accessible, it�s the book I�ll be recommending to our members at CrossFit NYC, and to anyone interested in looking, feeling and performing their best!�
�Joshua Newman, founder of CrossFit NYC

�The Paleo Manifesto is the most up-to-date user manual for the human animal. A splendid synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern science, this book is essential reading.�
�Barefoot Ted McDonald, ultrarunner, primal athlete, and founder of Luna Sandals
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�A first glimpse of a new and better world.�
�Seth Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley, and New York Times bestselling author of The Shangri-La Diet

�Durant groks hackers of all kinds -- and he places biohackers in their rightful place at the cutting edge of the health movement, pioneering new and better ways of living. Biohackers will love The Paleo Manifesto.�
-Patrick Vlaskovits, founder of PaleoHacks.com and New York Times bestselling author of The Lean Entrepreneur
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�Don�t let the stone tool on the cover fool you, John Durant is no caveman wannabe. On his thoroughly entertaining adventures, Durant discovers that all of our ancestors � from unicellular bacteria to present-day parents � have a little something to teach us about how to be healthy in the modern world.�
**-Aaron Blaisdell, President, Ancestral Health Society, and Professor, UCLA Department of Psychology

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About the Author

JOHN DURANT is a leader of the growing ancestral health movement. Durant studied evolutionary psychology at Harvard prior to founding Paleo NYC and Barefoot Runners NYC, the largest paleo and barefoot running groups in the world. He has been featured in The New York Times and on The Colbert Report and NPR. He blogs at HunterGatherer.com