Primordial Protocol
@primordialprotocol.substack.com
The hardest environment isn’t the wilderness — it’s the modern world and our own brains. I write about the clash between an ancient body and a new world: body, environment, mind. Survival instructor, holistic biohacker, For Dummies™ author.
My creative process: I think of a note, write it down, fix the grammar with AI because English isn't my first language, watch an AI detector call it pure AI, tell it to go fuck itself (in two languages), and post anyway.
September 25, 2026 at 6:00 PM
My creative process: I think of a note, write it down, fix the grammar with AI because English isn't my first language, watch an AI detector call it pure AI, tell it to go fuck itself (in two languages), and post anyway.
Years ago, I carried my pitbull pup Maya into a morgue corridor. At one point she turned sharply and cried, staring at a sealed glass wall. Behind it was Alessandro, my friend who'd died at 22. She faced away from him. No light, no smell could reach her. Yet she stared directly at where his body…
September 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Years ago, I carried my pitbull pup Maya into a morgue corridor. At one point she turned sharply and cried, staring at a sealed glass wall. Behind it was Alessandro, my friend who'd died at 22. She faced away from him. No light, no smell could reach her. Yet she stared directly at where his body…
Creativity isn't fixed at birth. Scott, Leritz & Mumford reviewed 70 training programs and found teaching it measurably works. You're either training it or you're not.
September 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Creativity isn't fixed at birth. Scott, Leritz & Mumford reviewed 70 training programs and found teaching it measurably works. You're either training it or you're not.
Chocolate doesn't contain a love molecule that reaches your brain—your gut destroys phenylethylamine before it gets there. It doesn't get you high on anandamide either. What it does: theobromine and caffeine work quietly while the glamorous molecules take credit. A few small true things and fat…
September 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Chocolate doesn't contain a love molecule that reaches your brain—your gut destroys phenylethylamine before it gets there. It doesn't get you high on anandamide either. What it does: theobromine and caffeine work quietly while the glamorous molecules take credit. A few small true things and fat…
Silence was the default for almost all of human history. Now most people can't sit in it for ten minutes. In eleven studies, some participants chose a mild electric shock over quiet. It starts badly. It's still worth practicing.
September 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Silence was the default for almost all of human history. Now most people can't sit in it for ten minutes. In eleven studies, some participants chose a mild electric shock over quiet. It starts badly. It's still worth practicing.
> … we kid ourselves that we can beat a few billion years of evolution.
> Foster & Kreitzman, The Rhythms of Life (2005)
We can't. And the clock isn't the new thing here — the override is. Electric light is about 150 years old. That gap is the whole mismatch.
> Foster & Kreitzman, The Rhythms of Life (2005)
We can't. And the clock isn't the new thing here — the override is. Electric light is about 150 years old. That gap is the whole mismatch.
September 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM
> … we kid ourselves that we can beat a few billion years of evolution.
> Foster & Kreitzman, The Rhythms of Life (2005)
We can't. And the clock isn't the new thing here — the override is. Electric light is about 150 years old. That gap is the whole mismatch.
> Foster & Kreitzman, The Rhythms of Life (2005)
We can't. And the clock isn't the new thing here — the override is. Electric light is about 150 years old. That gap is the whole mismatch.
One gray morning I answered emails before going outside.
By noon: two coffees, a flat mood, no idea why.
Ten minutes outdoors felt like it did more than the second coffee.
Even a gray sky is many times brighter than an office: our ancestors didn't start the day under office lights and a screen.
By noon: two coffees, a flat mood, no idea why.
Ten minutes outdoors felt like it did more than the second coffee.
Even a gray sky is many times brighter than an office: our ancestors didn't start the day under office lights and a screen.
September 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM
One gray morning I answered emails before going outside.
By noon: two coffees, a flat mood, no idea why.
Ten minutes outdoors felt like it did more than the second coffee.
Even a gray sky is many times brighter than an office: our ancestors didn't start the day under office lights and a screen.
By noon: two coffees, a flat mood, no idea why.
Ten minutes outdoors felt like it did more than the second coffee.
Even a gray sky is many times brighter than an office: our ancestors didn't start the day under office lights and a screen.
After 40, people complain about their metabolism. I think about muscle.
It's costly to maintain, so your body keeps it only when it has a reason.
Stop loading it, and within weeks biology starts doing the accounting.
Good news: the ledger runs both ways. Give it a reason and it rebuilds, even at 90.
It's costly to maintain, so your body keeps it only when it has a reason.
Stop loading it, and within weeks biology starts doing the accounting.
Good news: the ledger runs both ways. Give it a reason and it rebuilds, even at 90.
September 21, 2026 at 6:04 PM
After 40, people complain about their metabolism. I think about muscle.
It's costly to maintain, so your body keeps it only when it has a reason.
Stop loading it, and within weeks biology starts doing the accounting.
Good news: the ledger runs both ways. Give it a reason and it rebuilds, even at 90.
It's costly to maintain, so your body keeps it only when it has a reason.
Stop loading it, and within weeks biology starts doing the accounting.
Good news: the ledger runs both ways. Give it a reason and it rebuilds, even at 90.
Listening to your body can be terrible advice.
Mine asked for another coffee at 3 pm, then called it fatigue when I could not sleep.
The body is honest about signals – it is not always honest about causes.
A brain adapted to scarcity can mistake stimulation for energy.
Mine asked for another coffee at 3 pm, then called it fatigue when I could not sleep.
The body is honest about signals – it is not always honest about causes.
A brain adapted to scarcity can mistake stimulation for energy.
September 21, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Listening to your body can be terrible advice.
Mine asked for another coffee at 3 pm, then called it fatigue when I could not sleep.
The body is honest about signals – it is not always honest about causes.
A brain adapted to scarcity can mistake stimulation for energy.
Mine asked for another coffee at 3 pm, then called it fatigue when I could not sleep.
The body is honest about signals – it is not always honest about causes.
A brain adapted to scarcity can mistake stimulation for energy.
Under stress, your brain scans for a matching pattern.
The most rigid person breaks first.
Who's gonna be, of the people you know?
The most rigid person breaks first.
Who's gonna be, of the people you know?
September 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Under stress, your brain scans for a matching pattern.
The most rigid person breaks first.
Who's gonna be, of the people you know?
The most rigid person breaks first.
Who's gonna be, of the people you know?
First thing every morning: half a liter of water, dash of salt.
8 hours breathing and sweating, zero fluid in. Mild dehydration reads as brain fog long before thirst.
Salt only if you fast, go low carb, or sweat hard. High blood pressure?
Ask your doctor, not an influencer.
8 hours breathing and sweating, zero fluid in. Mild dehydration reads as brain fog long before thirst.
Salt only if you fast, go low carb, or sweat hard. High blood pressure?
Ask your doctor, not an influencer.
September 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM
First thing every morning: half a liter of water, dash of salt.
8 hours breathing and sweating, zero fluid in. Mild dehydration reads as brain fog long before thirst.
Salt only if you fast, go low carb, or sweat hard. High blood pressure?
Ask your doctor, not an influencer.
8 hours breathing and sweating, zero fluid in. Mild dehydration reads as brain fog long before thirst.
Salt only if you fast, go low carb, or sweat hard. High blood pressure?
Ask your doctor, not an influencer.
Everybody's talking about box breathing now. I've been teaching it since 2016. Wasn't the first: USMC and yogis got there way before me.
In 4 seconds. Hold 4. Out 4. Hold 4. Repeat.
Free. Easy. Fight-or-flight on a leash.
Try four rounds now: did your shoulders drop?
In 4 seconds. Hold 4. Out 4. Hold 4. Repeat.
Free. Easy. Fight-or-flight on a leash.
Try four rounds now: did your shoulders drop?
September 11, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Everybody's talking about box breathing now. I've been teaching it since 2016. Wasn't the first: USMC and yogis got there way before me.
In 4 seconds. Hold 4. Out 4. Hold 4. Repeat.
Free. Easy. Fight-or-flight on a leash.
Try four rounds now: did your shoulders drop?
In 4 seconds. Hold 4. Out 4. Hold 4. Repeat.
Free. Easy. Fight-or-flight on a leash.
Try four rounds now: did your shoulders drop?
Try to follow nature’s rhythms
Try to eat as clean as possible
Avoid processed foods
Workout regularly
Use the right nutritional supplements
Do cold showers
Live in nature as often as possible
And sleep well.
Am I missing something?
Try to eat as clean as possible
Avoid processed foods
Workout regularly
Use the right nutritional supplements
Do cold showers
Live in nature as often as possible
And sleep well.
Am I missing something?
September 9, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Try to follow nature’s rhythms
Try to eat as clean as possible
Avoid processed foods
Workout regularly
Use the right nutritional supplements
Do cold showers
Live in nature as often as possible
And sleep well.
Am I missing something?
Try to eat as clean as possible
Avoid processed foods
Workout regularly
Use the right nutritional supplements
Do cold showers
Live in nature as often as possible
And sleep well.
Am I missing something?
"Shaman" comes from the Evenki of Siberia. One people, one role, strict rules.
Now it's on yoga flyers and Instagram bios.
That's not transcultural exchange. That's theft dressed up as spirituality. Or plain cosplay.
BE REAL!
Now it's on yoga flyers and Instagram bios.
That's not transcultural exchange. That's theft dressed up as spirituality. Or plain cosplay.
BE REAL!
September 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM
"Shaman" comes from the Evenki of Siberia. One people, one role, strict rules.
Now it's on yoga flyers and Instagram bios.
That's not transcultural exchange. That's theft dressed up as spirituality. Or plain cosplay.
BE REAL!
Now it's on yoga flyers and Instagram bios.
That's not transcultural exchange. That's theft dressed up as spirituality. Or plain cosplay.
BE REAL!
Morning sun was the active ingredient.
I delayed coffee for cortisol reasons that don't apply to habitual drinkers.
The light was the part that worked.
I delayed coffee for cortisol reasons that don't apply to habitual drinkers.
The light was the part that worked.
September 7, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Morning sun was the active ingredient.
I delayed coffee for cortisol reasons that don't apply to habitual drinkers.
The light was the part that worked.
I delayed coffee for cortisol reasons that don't apply to habitual drinkers.
The light was the part that worked.
The sky in Haute-Provence does the work for me.
No light pollution, just stars.
Every night I feel small, and every night that's enough.
When did you last see the Milky Way?
No light pollution, just stars.
Every night I feel small, and every night that's enough.
When did you last see the Milky Way?
September 4, 2026 at 6:01 PM
The sky in Haute-Provence does the work for me.
No light pollution, just stars.
Every night I feel small, and every night that's enough.
When did you last see the Milky Way?
No light pollution, just stars.
Every night I feel small, and every night that's enough.
When did you last see the Milky Way?
To your body, Sept 1 isn't a calendar date—it's shifting light and ancient code.
Modern life expects identical output all year, pathologizing our natural urge to rest in autumn. Sleeping more isn't regression. Progress is finally listening to your body. 🍁
Modern life expects identical output all year, pathologizing our natural urge to rest in autumn. Sleeping more isn't regression. Progress is finally listening to your body. 🍁
September 1, 2026 at 9:49 AM
To your body, Sept 1 isn't a calendar date—it's shifting light and ancient code.
Modern life expects identical output all year, pathologizing our natural urge to rest in autumn. Sleeping more isn't regression. Progress is finally listening to your body. 🍁
Modern life expects identical output all year, pathologizing our natural urge to rest in autumn. Sleeping more isn't regression. Progress is finally listening to your body. 🍁
Soreness is data.
A hard week is a stimulus.
Your body adapts after stress, Only if you let the stress land..
Skipping discomfort isn't recovery.
It's just longer rest.
A hard week is a stimulus.
Your body adapts after stress, Only if you let the stress land..
Skipping discomfort isn't recovery.
It's just longer rest.
August 29, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Soreness is data.
A hard week is a stimulus.
Your body adapts after stress, Only if you let the stress land..
Skipping discomfort isn't recovery.
It's just longer rest.
A hard week is a stimulus.
Your body adapts after stress, Only if you let the stress land..
Skipping discomfort isn't recovery.
It's just longer rest.
Gratitude closes the loop.
You got something.
You acknowledge it.
Done.
You got something.
You acknowledge it.
Done.
August 27, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Gratitude closes the loop.
You got something.
You acknowledge it.
Done.
You got something.
You acknowledge it.
Done.
"Stress inoculation" (cold exposure, fasting) will soon be prescribed like medication. Ancestors faced this automatically.
The tax of modern comfort: you must deliberately schedule the hardship your body expects. Start small. Take a cold shower.
BEAT HARD THE IRON, AND IT WILL BECOME STEEL.
The tax of modern comfort: you must deliberately schedule the hardship your body expects. Start small. Take a cold shower.
BEAT HARD THE IRON, AND IT WILL BECOME STEEL.
August 26, 2026 at 9:30 AM
"Stress inoculation" (cold exposure, fasting) will soon be prescribed like medication. Ancestors faced this automatically.
The tax of modern comfort: you must deliberately schedule the hardship your body expects. Start small. Take a cold shower.
BEAT HARD THE IRON, AND IT WILL BECOME STEEL.
The tax of modern comfort: you must deliberately schedule the hardship your body expects. Start small. Take a cold shower.
BEAT HARD THE IRON, AND IT WILL BECOME STEEL.