Easily Digestible Vegetarian Protein Sources

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❝What could be easily digestible plant sources of protein for a vegetarian. My son is a gym holic and always looking for ways to get his protein from lentils other than eggs. He says to reach his protein requirement for the day, the amount of lentils he has to eat is sometimes heavy on the gut. Would really appreciate if you throw some light on this ❞

Unless one has IBS or similar (or is otherwise unaccustomed to consuming healthy amounts of fiber), lentils shouldn’t be at all problematic for the digestion.

However, the digestive process can still be eased by (speaking specifically for lentils here) blending them (in the water they were cooked in). This thick tasty liquid can then be used as the base of a soup, for example.

Soy is an excellent source of complete protein too. Your son probably knows this because it’s in a lot of body-building supplements as soy protein isolate, but can also be enjoyed as textured soy protein (as in many plant-based meats), or even just soy beans (edamame). Tofu (also made from soy) is very versatile, and again can be blended to form the basis of a creamy sauce.

Mycoproteins (as found in “Quorn” brand products and other meat substitutes) also perform comparably to meat from animals:

Meatless Muscle Growth: Building Muscle Size and Strength on a Mycoprotein-Rich Vegan Diet

See also, for interest:

Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults

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    • Why Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Is More Likely Than You Think

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      Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): More Likely Than You Think

      COPD is not so much one disease, as rather a collection of similar (and often overlapping) diseases. The main defining characteristic is that they are progressive lung diseases. Historically the most common have been chronic bronchitis and emphysema, though Long COVID and related Post-COVID conditions appear to have been making inroads.

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      COPD prevalence is increased in lung cancer, independent of age, sex and smoking history

      COPD can be quite serious:

      Life expectancy and years of life lost in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Findings from the NHANES III Follow-up Study

      “But I don’t smoke”

      Great! In fact we imagine our readership probably has disproportionately few smokers compared to the general population, being as we all are interested in our health.

      But, it’s estimated that 30,000,000 Americans have COPD, and approximately half don’t know it. Bear in mind, the population of the US is a little over 340,000,000, so that’s a little under 9% of the population.

      Click here to see a state-by-state breakdown (how does your state measure up?)

      How would I know if I have it?

      It typically starts like any mild respiratory illness. Likely shortness of breath, especially after exercise, a mild cough, and a frequent need to clear your throat.

      Then it will get worse, as the lungs become more damaged; each of those symptoms might become stronger, as well as chest tightness and a general lack of energy.

      Later stages, you guessed it, the same but worse, and—tellingly—weight loss.

      The reason for the weight loss is because you are getting less oxygen per breath, making carrying your body around harder work, meaning you burn more calories.

      What causes it?

      Lots of things, with smoking being up at the top, or being exposed to a lot of second-hand smoke. Working in an environment with a lot of air pollution (for example, working around chemical fumes) can cause it, as can inhaling dust. New Yorkers: yes, that dust too. It can also develop from other respiratory illnesses, and some people even have a genetic predisposition to it:

      Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: a commonly overlooked cause of lung disease

      Is it treatable?

      Treatment varies depending on what form of it you have, and most of the medical interventions are beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, there are medications that can be taken (including bronchodilators taken via an inhaler device), corticosteroids, antibiotics and antivirals of various kinds if appropriate. This is definitely a “see your doctor” item though, because there are is far too much individual variation for us to usefully advise here.

      However!

      There are habits we can do to a) make COPD less likely and b) make COPD at least a little less bad if we get it.

      Avoiding COPD:

      • Don’t smoke. Just don’t.
        • Avoid second-hand smoke if you can
      • Avoid inhaling other chemicals/dust that may be harmful
      • Breathe through your nose, not your mouth; it filters the air in a whole bunch of ways
        • Seriously, we know it seems like nostril hairs surely can’t do much against tiny particles, but tiny particles are attracted to them and get stuck in mucous and dealt with by our immune system, so it really does make a big difference

      Managing COPD:

      • Continue the above things, of course
      • Exercise regularly, even just light walking helps; we realize it will be difficult
      • Maintain a healthy weight if you can
        • This means both ways; COPD causes weight loss and that needs to be held in check. But similarly, you don’t want to be carrying excessive weight either; that will tire you even more.
      • Look after the rest of your health; everything else will now hit you harder, so even small things need to be taken seriously
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      Where can I get more help/advice?

      As ever, speak to your doctor if you are concerned this may be affecting you. You can also find a lot of resources via the COPD Foundation’s website.

      Take care of yourself!

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    • Dandelion: Time For Evidence On Its Benefits?

      10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

      In recent decades often considered a weed, now enjoying a resurgence in popularity due its benefits for pollinators, this plant has longer-ago been enjoyed as salad (leaves) or as a drink (roots), and is typically considered to have diuretic and digestion-improving properties. So… Does it?

      Diuretic

      Probably! Because of the ubiquity of anecdotal evidence, this hasn’t been well-studied, but here’s a small (n=17) study that found that it significantly increased urination:

      The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day

      You may be thinking, “you usually do better than an n=17 study” and yes we do, but there’s an amazing paucity of human research when it comes to dandelions, as you’ll see:

      Digestion-improving

      There’s a lot of fiber in dandelion greens and roots both, and eating unprocessed or minimally-processed plants is (with obvious exceptions, such as plants that are poisonous) invariably going to improve digestion just by virtue of the fiber content alone.

      As for dandelions, the roots are rich in inulin, a great prebiotic fiber that indeed definitely helps:

      Effect of inulin in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (Review)

      When it comes to studies that are specifically about dandelions, however, we are down to animal studies, such as:

      The effect of Taraxacum officinale on gastric emptying and smooth muscle motility in rodents

      Note that this is not about the fiber; this is about the plant extract (so, no fiber), and how it gets the intestinal muscles to do their thing with more enthusiasm. Of course you, dear reader, are probably not a rodent, we can’t say for sure that this will have this effect in humans. However, generally speaking, what works for mammals works for mammals, so it probably indeed helps.

      For liver health

      More about rats and not humans, but again, it’s promising. Dandelion extract appears to protect the liver, reducing the damage in the event of induced liver failure:

      Protective Effects of Taraxacum officinale L. (Dandelion) Root Extract in Experimental Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

      In other words: the researchers poisoned the rats, and those who took dandelion extract suffered less liver damage than those who didn’t.

      …and more?

      It may help improve blood triglycerides and reduce ischemic stroke risk, but most of this research is still in non-human animals:

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      And while we’re on the topic of blood, it likely has blood-sugar-lowering effects too; once again (you guessed it), mostly non-human animal studies, though, with some in vitro studies:

      The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes

      Want to try some?

      We don’t sell it, but if you have a garden, that’s a great place to grow this very easy-to-grow plant without having to worry about pesticides etc.

      Alternatively, if you’d like to buy it in supplement form, here’s an example product on Amazon 😎

      Enjoy!

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    • Stop Sabotaging Your Gut

      10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

      This is Dr. Robynne Chutkan. She’s an integrative gastroenterologist, and founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness, in Washington DC, which for the past 20 years has been dedicated to uncovering the root causes of gastrointestinal disorders, while the therapeutic side of things has been focused on microbial optimization, nutritional therapy, mind-body techniques, and lifestyle changes.

      In other words, maximal health for minimal medicalization.

      So… What does she want us to know?

      Live dirty

      While attentive handwashing is important to avoid the spread of communicable diseases*, excessive cleanliness in general can result in an immune system that has no idea how to deal with pathogens when exposure does finally occur.

      *See also: The Truth About Handwashing

      This goes doubly for babies: especially those who were born by c-section and thus missed out on getting colonized by vaginal bacteria, and especially those who are not breast-fed, and thus miss out on nutrients given in breast milk that are made solely for the benefit of certain symbiotic bacteria (humans can’t even digest those particular nutrients, we literally evolved to produce some nutrients solely for the bacteria).

      See also: Breast Milk’s Benefits That Are (So Far) Not Replicable

      However, it still goes for the rest of us who are not babies, too. We could, Dr. Chutkan tells us, stand to wash less in general, and definitely ease up on antibacterial soaps and so forth.

      See also: Should You Shower Daily?

      Take antibiotics only if absolutely necessary (and avoid taking them by proxy)

      Dr. Chutkan describes antibiotics as the single biggest threat to our microbiome, not just because of overprescription, but also the antibiotics that are used in animal agriculture and thus enter the food chain (and thus, enter us, if we eat animal products).

      Still, while the antibiotics meat/dairy-enjoyers will get from food are better avoided, antibiotics actually taken directly are even worse, and are absolutely a “scorched earth” tactic against whatever they’re being prescribed for.

      See also: Antibiotics? Think Thrice ← which also brings up “Four Ways Antibiotics Can Kill You”; seriously, the risks of antibiotics are not to be underestimated, including the risks associated only with them working exactly as intended—let alone if something goes wrong.

      Probiotics won’t save you

      While like any gastroenterologist (or really, almost any person in general), she notes that probiotics can give a boost to health. However, she wants us to know about two shortcomings that are little-discussed:

      1) Your body has a collection of microbiomes each with their own needs, and while it is possible to take “generally good” bacteria in probiotics and assume they’ll do good, taking Lactobacillus sp. will do nothing for a shortage of Bifidobacteria sp, and even taking the correct genus can have similar shortcomings if a different species of that genus is needed, e.g. taking L. acidophilus will do nothing for a shortage of L. reuteri.

      It’d be like a person with a vitamin D deficiency taking vitamin B12 supplements and wondering why they’re not getting better.

      2) Probiotics are often wasted if not taken mindfully of their recipient environment. For example, most gut bacteria only live for about 20 minutes in the gut. They’re usually inactive in the supplement form, they’re activated in the presence of heat and moisture and appropriate pH etc, and then the clock is ticking for them to thrive or die.

      This means that if you take a supplement offering two billion strains of good gut bacteria, and you take it on an empty stomach, then congratulations, 20 minutes later, they’re mostly dead, because they had nothing to eat. Or if you take it after drinking a soda, congratulations, they’re mostly dead because not only were they starved, but also their competing “bad” microbes weren’t starved and changed the environment to make it worse for the “good” ones.

      For this reason, taking probiotics with (or immediately after) plenty of fiber is best.

      This is all accentuated if you’re recovering from using antibiotics, by the way.

      Imagine: a nuclear war devastates the population of the Earth. Some astronauts manage to safely return, finding a mostly-dead world covered in nuclear winter. Is the addition of a few astronauts going to quickly repopulate the world? No, of course not. They are few, the death toll is many, and the environment is very hostile to life. A hundred years later, the population will be pretty much the same—a few straggling survivors.

      It’s the same after taking antibiotics, just, generations pass in minutes instead of decades. You can’t wipe out almost everything beneficial in the gut, create a hostile environment there, throw in a couple of probiotic gummies, and expect the population to bounce back.

      That said, although “probiotics will not save you”, they can help provided you give them a nice soft bed of fiber to land on, some is better than none, and guessing at what strains are needed is better than giving nothing.

      See also: How Much Difference Do Probiotic Supplements Make, Really?

      What she recommends

      So to recap, we’ve had:

      • Wash less, and/or with less harsh chemicals
      • Avoid antibiotics like the plague, unless you literally have The Plague, for which the treatment is indeed antibiotics
      • Avoid antibiotic-contaminated foods, which in the US is pretty much all animal products unless it’s, for example, your own back-yard hens whom you did not give antibiotics. Do not fall for greenwashing aesthetics in the packaging of “happy cows” and their beef, milk, etc, “happy hens” and their meat, eggs, etc… If it doesn’t explicitly claim to be free from the use of antibiotics, then antibiotics were almost certainly used.
        • Dr. Chutkan herself is not even vegan, by the way, but very much wants us to be able to make informed choices about this, and does recommend at least a “plants-forward” diet, for the avoiding-antibiotics reason and for the plenty-of-fiber reason, amongst others.
      • Consider probiotics, but don’t expect them to work miracles by themselves; you’ve got to help them to help you.
        • Dr. Chutkan also recommends getting microbiome tests done if you think something might be amiss, and then you can supplement with probiotics in a more targetted fashion instead of guessing at what species is needed where.

      She also recommends, of course, a good gut-healthy diet in general, especially “leafy green things that were recently alive; not powders”, beans, and nuts, while avoiding gut-unhealthy things such as sugars-without-fiber, alcohol, or some gut-harmful additives (such as most artificial sweeteners, although stevia is a gut-healthy exception, and sucralose is ok in moderation).

      For more on gut-healthy eating, check out:

      Make Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)

      Want to know more from Dr. Chutkan?

      We recently reviewed an excellent book of hers:

      The Anti-Viral Gut: Tackling Pathogens From The Inside Out – by Dr. Robynne Chutkan

      Enjoy!

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      • Strength training has a range of benefits for women. Here are 4 ways to get into weights

        10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

        Picture a gym ten years ago: the weights room was largely a male-dominated space, with women mostly doing cardio exercise. Fast-forward to today and you’re likely to see women of all ages and backgrounds confidently navigating weights equipment.

        This is more than just anecdotal. According to data from the Australian Sports Commission, the number of women participating in weightlifting (either competitively or not) grew nearly five-fold between 2016 and 2022.

        Women are discovering what research has long shown: strength training offers benefits beyond sculpted muscles.

        John Arano/Unsplash

        Health benefits

        Osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become weak and brittle, affects more women than men. Strength training increases bone density, a crucial factor for preventing osteoporosis, especially for women negotiating menopause.

        Strength training also improves insulin sensitivity, which means your body gets better at using insulin to manage blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Regular strength training contributes to better heart health too.

        There’s a mental health boost as well. Strength training has been linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

        A woman lifting a weight in a gym.
        Strength training can have a variety of health benefits. Ground Picture/Shutterstock

        Improved confidence and body image

        Unlike some forms of exercise where progress can feel elusive, strength training offers clear and tangible measures of success. Each time you add more weight to a bar, you are reminded of your ability to meet your goals and conquer challenges.

        This sense of achievement doesn’t just stay in the gym – it can change how women see themselves. A recent study found women who regularly lift weights often feel more empowered to make positive changes in their lives and feel ready to face life’s challenges outside the gym.

        Strength training also has the potential to positively impact body image. In a world where women are often judged on appearance, lifting weights can shift the focus to function.

        Instead of worrying about the number on the scale or fitting into a certain dress size, women often come to appreciate their bodies for what they can do. “Am I lifting more than I could last month?” and “can I carry all my groceries in a single trip?” may become new measures of physical success.

        A young woman smiling in a gym change room.
        Strength training can have positive effects on women’s body image. Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

        Lifting weights can also be about challenging outdated ideas of how women “should” be. Qualitative research I conducted with colleagues found that, for many women, strength training becomes a powerful form of rebellion against unrealistic beauty standards. As one participant told us:

        I wanted something that would allow me to train that just didn’t have anything to do with how I looked.

        Society has long told women to be small, quiet and not take up space. But when a woman steps up to a barbell, she’s pushing back against these outdated rules. One woman in our study said:

        We don’t have to […] look a certain way, or […] be scared that we can lift heavier weights than some men. Why should we?

        This shift in mindset helps women see themselves differently. Instead of worrying about being objects for others to look at, they begin to see their bodies as capable and strong. Another participant explained:

        Powerlifting changed my life. It made me see myself, or my body. My body wasn’t my value, it was the vehicle that I was in to execute whatever it was that I was executing in life.

        This newfound confidence often spills over into other areas of life. As one woman said:

        I love being a strong woman. It’s like going against the grain, and it empowers me. When I’m physically strong, everything in the world seems lighter.

        Feeling inspired? Here’s how to get started

        1. Take things slow

        Begin with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges and push-ups to build a foundation of strength. Once you’re comfortable, add external weights, but keep them light at first. Focus on mastering compound movements, such as deadlifts, squats and overhead presses. These exercises engage multiple joints and muscle groups simultaneously, making your workouts more efficient.

        2. Prioritise proper form

        Always prioritise proper form over lifting heavier weights. Poor technique can lead to injuries, so learning the correct way to perform each exercise is crucial. To help with this, consider working with an exercise professional who can provide personalised guidance and ensure you’re performing exercises correctly, at least initially.

        A woman doing a lunge outdoors.
        Bodyweight exercises, such as lunges, are a good way to get started before lifting weights. antoniodiaz/Shutterstock

        3. Consistency is key

        Like any fitness regimen, consistency is key. Two to three sessions a week are plenty for most women to see benefits. And don’t be afraid to occupy space in the weights room – remember you belong there just as much as anyone else.

        4. Find a community

        Finally, join a community. There’s nothing like being surrounded by a group of strong women to inspire and motivate you. Engaging with a supportive community can make your strength-training journey more enjoyable and rewarding, whether it’s an in-person class or an online forum.

        Are there any downsides?

        Gym memberships can be expensive, especially for specialist weightlifting gyms. Home equipment is an option, but quality barbells and weightlifting equipment can come with a hefty price tag.

        Also, for women juggling work and family responsibilities, finding time to get to the gym two to three times per week can be challenging.

        If you’re concerned about getting too “bulky”, it’s very difficult for women to bulk up like male bodybuilders without pharmaceutical assistance.

        The main risks come from poor technique or trying to lift too much too soon – issues that can be easily avoided with some guidance.

        Erin Kelly, Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Canberra

        This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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      • Why are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid

        10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

        As many of us hit the gym or go for a run to recover from the silly season, you might notice a bit of extra muscle soreness.

        This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts.

        A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles.

        Research, however, shows lactic acid has nothing to do with it. The truth is far more interesting, but also a bit more complex.

        It’s not lactic acid

        We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has nothing to do with muscle soreness after exercise.

        In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) has long argued, cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process actually opposes not causes the build-up of acid in the muscles and bloodstream.

        Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise.

        Lactate doesn’t cause major problems for the muscles you use when you exercise. You’d probably be worse off without it due to other benefits to your working muscles.

        Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break.

        So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness?

        Muscle pain during and after exercise

        When you exercise, a lot of chemical reactions occur in your muscle cells. All these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products which cause water to enter into the cells.

        That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase.

        This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules from the muscle cells can stimulate nerve endings and cause discomfort during exercise.

        The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes.

        If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons.

        Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings.

        This is sometimes known as “delayed onset muscle soreness” or DOMS.

        While the damage occurs during the exercise, the resulting response to the injury builds over the next one to two days (longer if the damage is severe). This can sometimes cause pain and difficulty with normal movement.

        The upshot

        Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with lactate or lactic acid.

        The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness.

        So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than roughly two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort.

        If you have an exercise goal (such as doing a particular hike or completing a half-marathon), ensure it is realistic and that you can work up to it by training over several months.

        Such training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. And being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable and more easy to stick to a routine or habit.

        Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle soreness is a myth that’s hung around far too long already.The Conversation

        Robert Andrew Robergs, Associate Professor – Exercise Physiology, Queensland University of Technology and Samuel L. Torrens, PhD Candidate, Queensland University of Technology

        This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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      • You’ve Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers!

        10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

        From Cucumbers To Kindles

        Q: Where do I get cucumber extract?

        A: You can buy it from BulkSupplements.com (who, despite their name, start at 100g packs)

        Alternatively: you want it as a topical ointment (for skin health) rather than as a dietary supplement (for bone and joint health), you can extract it yourself! No, it’s not “just juice cucumbers”, but it’s also not too tricky.

        Click Here For A Quick How-To Guide!

        Q: Tips for reading more and managing time for it?

        A: We talked about this a little bit in yesterday’s edition, so you may have seen that, but aside from that:

        • If you don’t already have one, consider getting a Kindle or similar e-reader. They’re very convenient, and also very light and ergonomicno more wrist strain as can occur with physical books. No more eye-strain, either!
        • Consider making reading a specific part of your daily routine. A chapter before bed can be a nice wind-down, for instance! What’s important is it’s a part of your day that’ll always, or at least almost always, allow you to do a little reading.
        • If you drive, walk, run, or similar each day, a lot of people find that’s a great time to listen to an audiobook. Please be safe, though!
        • If your lifestyle permits such, a “reading retreat” can be a wonderful vacation! Even if you only “retreat” to your bedroom, the point is that it’s a weekend (or more!) that you block off from all other commitments, and curl up with the book(s) of your choice.

        Q: Any study tips as we approach exam season? A lot of the productivity stuff is based on working life, but I can’t be the only student!

        A: We’ve got you covered:

        • Be passionate about your subject! We know of no greater study tip than that.
        • Find a willing person and lecture them on your subject. When one teaches, two learn!
        • Your mileage may vary depending on your subject, but, find a way of studying that’s fun to you!
        • If you can get past papers, get as many as you can, and use those as your “last minute” studying in the week before your exam(s). This will prime you for answering exam-style questions (and leverage state-dependent memory). As a bonus, it’ll also help ease any anxiety, because by the time of your exam it’ll be “same old, same old”!

        Q: Energy drinks for biohacking, yea or nay?

        A: This is definitely one of those “the dose makes the poison” things!

        But… The generally agreed safe dose of taurine is around 3g/day for most people; a standard Red Bull contains 1g.

        That math would be simple, but… if you eat meat (including poultry or fish), that can also contain 10–950mg per 100g. For example, tuna is at the high end of that scale, with a standard 12oz (340g) tin already containing up to 3.23g of taurine!

        And sweetened carbonated beverages in general have so many health issues that it’d take us a full article to cover them.

        Short version? Enjoy in moderation if you must, but there are definitely better ways of getting the benefits they may offer.

        Q: Best morning routine?

        A: The best morning routine is whatever makes you feel most ready to take on your day!

        This one’s going to vary a lot—one person’s morning run could be another person’s morning coffee and newspaper, for example.

        In a nutshell, though, ask yourself these questions:

        • How long does it take me to fully wake up in the morning, and what helps or hinders that?
        • When I get out of bed, what do I really need before I can take on my day?
        • If I could have the perfect morning, what would it look like?
        • What can evening me do, to look after morning me’s best interests? (Semi-prepare breakfast ready? Lay out clothes ready? Running shoes? To-Do list?)

        Q: I’m curious how much of these things you actually use yourselves, and are there any disagreements in the team? In a lot of places things can get pretty heated when it’s paleo vs vegan / health benefits of tea/coffee vs caffeine-abstainers / you need this much sleep vs rise and grinders, etc?

        A: We are indeed genuinely enthusiastic about health and productivity, and that definitely includes our own! We may or may not all do everything, but between us, we probably have it all covered. As for disagreements, we’ve not done a survey, but if you take an evidence-based approach, any conflict will tend to be minimized. Plus, sometimes you can have the best of both!

        • You could have a vegan paleo diet (you’d better love coconut if you do, though!
        • There is decaffeinated coffee and tea (your taste may vary)
        • You can get plenty of sleep and rise early (so long as an “early to bed, early to rise” schedule suits you!)

        Interesting note: humans are social creatures on an evolutionary level. Evolution has resulted in half of us being “night owls” and the other half “morning larks”, the better to keep each other safe while sleeping. Alas, modern life doesn’t always allow us to have the sleep schedule that’d suit each of us best individually!

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