Fix the basics of how you live before you chase small gains. That is the core idea behind Primal Wellness, the latest book from my longtime friend Tim Ash. He calls it realignment before optimization.
Tim starts from an evolutionary view. Our biology and psychology have barely changed on an evolutionary time scale, but the world around us has changed a great deal. In his words, we are all “cavemen in modern clothes.” We were built for small tribes, regular movement, natural light and real darkness. Modern life gives us the opposite.
Why basics come first
Tim sees most wellness advice as optimization. Think of the exact dose of a supplement, or the newest hack from an influencer. Those tweaks assume you already stand on solid ground. Tim argues that many people do not. Their sleep is off. They eat constantly. They sit most of the day. They have few regular social contacts.
He puts it this way: “You can’t optimize on top of quicksand.” His point is not that optimizers are wrong. It is that the order matters. Get the baseline right, then tune the details if you like.
Tim also says this is not about willpower. Much of what he suggests means removing things and simplifying. He describes it as a different way of framing your choices, not more effort.
What the basics look like
Tim points to a few areas. Sleep comes first. That means a quiet, cool room and a consistent bedtime, including weekends. Movement comes next. He suggests walking on uneven ground, getting up from your desk often, and taking a 5 to 10 minute walk after each meal. Social contact matters too. He recommends repeated, structured time with the same people, such as a walking group or a regular coffee shop, because familiarity builds trust.
He also warns that cultural noise makes it hard to see the baseline. Food guidelines, fitness trends and marketing all pull our attention to the surface layer. His advice is to look at yourself as an animal with a basic design and start there.
I find this useful because it shrinks the problem. You do not need a perfect plan. You need to find where you are furthest from your baseline.
Here is one thing to try this week. Pick the single area that feels most off, whether sleep, movement or social contact. Make one small, repeatable change in that area, such as a fixed bedtime or a short walk after dinner. Keep it simple, and leave the optimizing for later.
From the episode: Cavemen in Modern Clothes: Realigning with Our Primal Nature for True Wellness, with Tim Ash. Read the full transcript.