diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 596ce8e..ed713b6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,9 +25,13 @@ These templates rely on a customized version of <code>\_config.yml</code>.  The
 	name: Your Blog's Name
 	description: A description for your blog
 	url: http://your-blog-url.example.com
+	feed_items: 10
+	feed_update_period: daily
+	feed_update_frequency: 1
 
 This makes it easy to reference the title, description and URL for your site in the feed templates using <code>{{ site.name }}</code>, <code>{{ site.description }}</code> and <code>{{ site.url }}</code>.  Even if you're not using these feed templates, you might find these variables useful when you're designing your layouts.
 
+The `feed_*` items shown above are the default. You can safely omit them.
 
 Miscellany
 -----------
diff --git a/feed.articles.xml b/feed.articles.xml
index 8abf2f0..3cf150e 100644
--- a/feed.articles.xml
+++ b/feed.articles.xml
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 ---
 ---
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
+<rss version="2.0"
+	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
+	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
+>
 	<channel>
 		<title>{{ site.name | xml_escape }} - Articles</title>
 		<description>{% if site.description %}{{ site.description | xml_escape }}{% endif %}</description>
+		<sy:updatePeriod>{{ site.feed_update_period | default: "daily" | xml_escape }}</sy:updatePeriod>
+		<sy:updateFrequency>{{ site.feed_update_frequency | default: 1 | xml_escape }}</sy:updateFrequency>
 		<link>{{ site.url }}</link>
 		<atom:link href="{{ site.url }}/{{ page.path }}" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
 		<lastBuildDate>{% for post in site.posts limit:1 %}{% unless post.link %}{{ post.date | date_to_rfc822 }}{% endunless %}{% endfor %}</lastBuildDate>
diff --git a/feed.category.xml b/feed.category.xml
index 0755c2f..b627215 100644
--- a/feed.category.xml
+++ b/feed.category.xml
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 ---
 ---
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
+<rss version="2.0"
+	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
+	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
+>
 	<channel>
 		<title>{{ site.name | xml_escape }} - Miscellaneous</title>
 		<description>Posts categorized as 'miscellaneous'</description>
+		<sy:updatePeriod>{{ site.feed_update_period | default: "daily" | xml_escape }}</sy:updatePeriod>
+		<sy:updateFrequency>{{ site.feed_update_frequency | default: 1 | xml_escape }}</sy:updateFrequency>
 		<link>{{ site.url }}</link>
 		<atom:link href="{{ site.url }}/{{ page.path }}" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
 		<lastBuildDate>{% for post in site.categories.miscellaneous limit:1 %}{{ post.date | date_to_rfc822 }}{% endfor %}</lastBuildDate>
-		{% for post in site.categories.miscellaneous limit:10 %}
+		{% assign feed_items = site.feed_items | default: 10 %}
+		{% for post in site.categories.miscellaneous limit:feed_items %}
 			<item>
 				<title>{{ post.title | xml_escape }}</title>
 				{% if post.excerpt %}
diff --git a/feed.links.xml b/feed.links.xml
index 4d7f82b..3937cb8 100644
--- a/feed.links.xml
+++ b/feed.links.xml
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 ---
 ---
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
+<rss version="2.0"
+	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
+	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
+>
 	<channel>
 		<title>{{ site.name | xml_escape }} - Links</title>
 		<description>{% if site.description %}{{ site.description | xml_escape }}{% endif %}</description>
+		<sy:updatePeriod>{{ site.feed_update_period | default: "daily" | xml_escape }}</sy:updatePeriod>
+		<sy:updateFrequency>{{ site.feed_update_frequency | default: 1 | xml_escape }}</sy:updateFrequency>
 		<link>{{ site.url }}</link>
 		<atom:link href="{{ site.url }}/{{ page.path }}" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
 		<lastBuildDate>{% for post in site.posts limit:1 %}{% if post.link %}{{ post.date | date_to_rfc822 }}{% ifunless %}{% endfor %}</lastBuildDate>
diff --git a/feed.xml b/feed.xml
index 2438013..7e5f655 100644
--- a/feed.xml
+++ b/feed.xml
@@ -1,19 +1,26 @@
 ---
 ---
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
+<rss version="2.0"
+	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
+	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
+	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
+>
 	<channel>
 		<title>{{ site.name | xml_escape }}</title>
 		<description>{% if site.description %}{{ site.description | xml_escape }}{% endif %}</description>		
+		<sy:updatePeriod>{{ site.feed_update_period | default: "daily" | xml_escape }}</sy:updatePeriod>
+		<sy:updateFrequency>{{ site.feed_update_frequency | default: 1 | xml_escape }}</sy:updateFrequency>
 		<link>{{ site.url }}</link>
 		<atom:link href="{{ site.url }}/{{ page.path }}" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
 		<lastBuildDate>{% for post in site.posts limit:1 %}{{ post.date | date_to_rfc822 }}{% endfor %}</lastBuildDate>
-		{% for post in site.posts limit:10 %}
+		{% assign feed_items = site.feed_items | default: 10 %}
+		{% for post in site.posts limit:feed_items %}
 			<item>
 				<title>{{ post.title | xml_escape }}</title>
 				{% if post.author.name %}
 					<dc:creator>{{ post.author.name | xml_escape }}</dc:creator>
-				{% endif %}        
+				{% endif %}
 				{% if post.excerpt %}
 					<description>{{ post.excerpt | xml_escape }}</description>
 				{% else %}