There's a difference between minimal protein intake and optimal protein intake. The minimum daily requirement for an inactive adult is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. You can live on that. But more is probably better, even for the sedentary. The goal is not just to survive, but to thrive. So how much protein is optimal?

Dietary protein intake is an important number to get right. If you eat too little protein over a long stretch, your body will suffer. If you eat too much protein, you could be at greater risk for kidney problems, and your blood glucose may rise, requiring a further release of insulin. Exactly how much protein you should eat depends on several factors. Your size and activity level are two.

To start or restart a ketogenic diet, you need to think about your macro-nutrient targets. Both carbs and protein need to be strictly limited, but dietary fat will be your friend. So what are the specific targets?

Cheating on a low carb diet: you can't eat a sweet or carby treat every day, even if you do it mindfully. You won't get in or stay in ketosis if you do that. But a rare, planned indulgence is acceptable if it keeps you eating LCHF for the long-run.

Typically, people diet to improve their health, their appearance, their mood and confidence, and their chances at living longer. All of those are good, and the nice thing is, they're connected. But the strongest motivations are personal.

Diet myths examined. For a long time, big mainstream news outlets followed lock-step with organizations such as the American Heart Association and the FDA. They promoted the low-fat diet, and the "calories in, calories out" model of weight control. But things are slowly changing.

It's important to be active, to move around. You need to move around every day, and many times a day, if you want to stay healthy, and frankly, alive. A study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine drives the point home.

The article in question is a long, detailed, authoritative look at the vitamins, minerals and other micro-nutrients essential to brain functioning and mental health, and where those micro-nutrients come from. Where they come from is mostly animal-based foods.

The study's findings suggest that eating a diet higher in fruits, vegetables, and legumes helps you live longer. The benefit peaked with the consumption of 3 to 4 servings of such food per day.

The best low carb survival foods are nutritious, portable, widely available, and require no refrigeration or cooking. They are ideal foods for either fleeing or hunkering in place.