Show Notes

Notes for podcast episodes:

# 89 Migraine relief with Jodi Ledley

# 89 Migraine relief with Jodi Ledley

In this episode of Wise Traditions, Jodi Ledley joins us to talk about her life-long journey battling migraines and chronic pain, and how she was able to stop them by removing excitotoxins from her diet. Excitotoxins cause nerves to rapid fire and can cause serious neurological disruption. They include monosodium glutamate. MSG, artificial sweeteners, and other food additives and chemicals.

In addition to pain and migraines, people suffering with ADD, ADHD, and anxiety can find relief by eliminating foods that contain excitotoxins. Unfortunately, avoiding MSG isn’t as easy it as it may seem. Almost all processed foods contain it in one form or another, and it can be called by over 70 different names on food labels. The solution? According to Jodi, it’s threefold: prepare your own food, source food from trusted local vendors, and make sure to always read the ingredient labels.

This episode highlights…
• Why conventional medicines and treatments didn’t alleviate Jodi’s pain
• That excitotoxins can be found in both food and fragrances
• Why you should avoid products containing ingredients like yeast extract, soy protein, and protein isolates
• The reason those sensitive to glutamates shouldn’t simmer their bone broth for more than three hours
• That food companies do not have to disclose what “natural flavors” are, even in organic products
• How every member of Jodi’s household resolved health issues (ADD symptoms, excess weight, asthma, and high blood pressure) by abstaining from food additives and chemicals
• The national restaurant chain that excludes MSG from all its menu items
• The “12 Spoon” restaurant rating project which will soon help you locate WAPF-approved restaurants in your area
• Why cooking whole foods at home is the guaranteed way to avoid consuming MSG
Resources:
“Adventures with Jodi: How one girl stopped migraines and chronic pain and accidentally improved her family’s health!” by Jodi Ledley
adventureswithjodi.com – Jodi’s website

#88 Get off the sugar rollercoaster w/ Lindsea Willon

Many of us are stuck on a blood sugar rollercoaster. We find ourselves reaching for a muffin at 10 a.m. and can’t make it through the day without a mid-afternoon cup of coffee or energy drink. It’s so common, we’ve come to think of it as normal.

Lindsea Willon is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, who studied Nutritional Sciences at the University of California, Berkley and who also has her Masters in Kiniseology. She joins us today to explain why these blood sugar spikes and dips are not the body’s natural state. When we start the day with a sweet treat or even just a banana, our body sounds the alarm. In response to the influx of sugar, our pancreas begins to pump insulin into the bloodstream. And so begins the vicious cycle of sugar crashes and insulin resistance.

Lindsea explains the importance of optimal nutrition for a peak functioning musculoskeletal system. If we nourish our bodies with nutrient-dense foods, we will have the energy and vitality to live the lives we want. This episode will empower you to free yourself from the highs and lows of the blood sugar rollercoaster!

This episode highlights:
– How our bodies utilize sugars and fats
– Why fruits and starchy veggies should be eaten in moderation and in combination with fats
– Excess sugar consumption and the road to weight gain, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, and diabetes
– How insulin resistance is like having an overactive air conditioner
– The normalization of dysfunctional states (like being “hangry”)
– Why people with a nutritional deficit are more prone to injuries
– Why the body prioritizes the internal organs over the muscles and joints, and how athletes can eat to promote a resilient musculoskeletal system
– How movement can help us remove sugar from the blood
– The different effects of cardio and resistance training
– Why our bodies are so well-adapted to going without sugar
Resources:
Biodynamicwellness.com

#87 Simple and fearless healthy living w/ Hilary Boynton

Hilary Boynton, author of the Heal Your Gut Cookbook, joins us today to discuss simple and fearless healthy living. In an age of information overload, it is easy to become overwhelmed and even paralyzed by the choices we have to make on a daily basis. In this episode of Wise Traditions, Hilary reminds us to slow down, take a deep breath, and cherish the moment.

With fresh ingredients, it doesn’t take much to make delicious and nutritious meals. Eating mindfully and in good company is just as important as eating clean and organic. Food is a lifestyle, and it is as much about relationships (with our farmers, our friends and family, and ourselves) as it is about nutrient-density and diet.

Regarding our food choices, Hilary talks about how to navigate the fine line between being discerning and being neurotic. At the end of the day, it’s all about trusting that your body knows what it needs. Living consciously and courageously is the best health decision you can make, and as Hilary’s aunt once told her, “What makes the great great is that they don’t listen to the naysayers.”

This episode highlights…

What older generations and people of different cultures have known for a long time– that simple food is gourmet food
Why fresh ingredients make all the difference in cooking
How attitude and mindset are paramount to good health
Hilary’s tips for simplicity in the kitchen: find a really good egg farm, get to know your farmers, get your kids involved, be organized, stock your house with high quality staples, and cook once, not twice
How we can appreciate having choices instead being overwhelmed by them
Why we shouldn’t let criticism influence us when making intentional choices about our health and our family’s health
How good it feels to slow down and say no. “When you say no to others you say yes to yourself.”
The importance of evaluating your lifestyle and priorities
What to remove from your diet and what to add (Ditch processed foods and pasteurized dairy, and make sure your fridge is stocked with pastured butter, healthy fats, raw dairy, and fermented foods)
Letting go of what you cannot control
Hilary’s final words of wisdom– to be expected from the author of a top-rated cookbook–”Learn to cook. Embrace the kitchen and prioritize it.”

Resources:
Liveyumyum.com
“Heal your gut” cookbook by Hilary Boynton

#86 The benefits of acupressure for children w/ Cheryl Harris

Today we speak with Colorado acupuncturist Cheryl Harris. Cheryl has a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is certified in Five-element Acupuncture. She uses acupressure and acupuncture as a form of preventative medicine on all of her patients and today, in particular, we focus on her work with children.

Rather than providing a “one size fits all” solution, Oriental Medicine recognizes that each of us has a unique constitution. This Eastern practice dates back at least 3000 years, but its teachings are just as relevant and powerful today as they’ve ever been.

This episode highlights…

Acupuncture & acupressure as a tool for emotional well-being and spiritual support
How children have come to her practice and the value of the whole family pursuing wellness
How at school the children hear about the food pyramid and how confusing the mixed messages can be
The importance of honoring the earth’s rhythms and natural cycles
The benefits of following the seasons of nature for better health
The principles of five-element (wood, fire, earth, metal, or water) acupuncture
How to discern the dominant element of each individual
Characteristics that accompany each of the elements
The disease pattern and the benefits of letting a sickness run its course
How Oriental Medicine can help us better understand our own nature

#85, Let’s heal the planet, Sarah Savory

Just as we must un-learn “modern” ways of eating and return to wise traditions for optimal health, Sarah Savory invites us to look to the past as we attempt to heal our planet. For thousands of years, hooved animals and their predators could be found migrating across the world’s grasslands. Their trampling and manure resulted in nutrient-rich soils teeming with microbial life.

In today’s conversation, Sarah challenges the widely held belief that livestock degrades the land and contributes to climate change. She explains how holistically-managed livestock can actually restore the soil and reverse desertification. It’s all about understanding the big picture, and that means honoring natural rhythms to restore ecological balance.

Focusing on saving a single species or planting trees is not enough. These “solutions” are only a piece of the puzzle. Sarah suggests that we address the big picture: regenerating the land, so that all species can actually have something to eat, which is essential to survival.

Sarah concludes with advice for all of us to be a part of the solution of healing the planet. She makes a case for how every choice can make a difference.

This episode highlights…

Why holistic management is so effective at restoring desertified landscapes
The successes of the Africa Centre for Holistic Management in Zimbabwe
A common misconception that drought is caused by too many grazing animals
Why planting trees does not really help heal the planet
Why poaching is an issue in Zimbabwe
How our choices can impact the healing of the planet—from the food we eat to the clothes we buy
Why we should avoid eating meat from concentrated animal feeding operations
The importance of looking at the big picture of desertification (or why we need to do more than attempt to save one iconic species)
Sarah’s children’s books—“What on earth is that?” and “That’s how we roll!”—and what she hopes parents can learn from them
How returning wolves to their natural habitat regenerated Yellowstone National Park
The need for an integrative approach to restoring native ecology
The amazing life-supporting properties of soil

Resources:
Sarah’s pangolin books: http://sarahsavory.com/

Sarah’s Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/SarahJSavory/

Sarah’s crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdrise.com/childrens-books-with-conservation-messages

#84 Ground zero of most health disorders, Kiran Krishnan
What is the ground zero of most health disorders? According to microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, the crux lies in our damaged mucosa layer, wedged between the skin and a thin layer of cellular lining. When the mucosa layer is defective, it becomes permeable, allowing toxins into our system that wreak havoc with our health. And some of these toxins are found even in the very food we eat!

When our bodies are invaded in this way, it elicits an inflammatory response. And inflammation is associated with all autoimmune diseases and chronic illnesses.

Kiran reveals how to coax our defense systems back into normal functions, by increasing microbial activity in the mucosa layer. This episode is a great resource for anyone who has an inflammatory condition or knows someone struggling with one!

This episode highlights…

Why the mucosa layer is key to immunity and good health
How microbes in the mucosal layer can prevent systemic immune activation
Why inflammation accompanies illness
How the very act of eating can be toxic to our systems (and this is especially true if we eating processed, “modern” foods)
How a toxin called LPS can penetrate the mucosal layer
Why people recovering from chronic illness often take two steps forward and one step back
What disrupts our microbiome—including preservatives, curing agents, chlorine, sugar, and oxidized fats
How gut bacteria can regenerate soldier cells that have been damaged
Why spore-forming probiotics were designed by nature to protect our systems

Resources:
Link to Kiran’s talk at the AutismOne conference, May 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLiRjtyKADU&index=12&list=PLtw9iWxwfPldbJr9ZpRJrLuEW2UmMQp3i
Kiran recommends the “Just Thrive” probiotics that contain live spores.
The NIH Common Fund Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was established with the mission of generating research resources enabling comprehensive characterization of the human microbiota and analysis of their role in human health and disease.
https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp/overview

#83 The power of real food to treat MS, Terry Wahls

Over 15 years ago, physician Terry Wahls was diagnosed with MS. Being a doctor, she dove into the scientific literature looking for a cure to this progressive disease. Though she got the best conventional medicine had to offer, her health declined to such a degree that three years later even a strong breeze could cause her sensitive body pain.

After much research, she came to the conclusion that, rather than taking supplements, she should identify the foods where the nutrients could be found. It wasn’t long before real food had turned her health around. Now, she is an author and researcher that advocates the power of real food in recovery from multiple sclerosis and a host of other conditions.

“Our cells are starved for the building blocks we need,” she says. She is convinced that real food is the answer to improve our health and give our bodies a chance to detox and thrive.

Today’s conversation highlights:

Her devastation at the news of her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis
Her a-ha moment as she researched alternative treatments
How the Linus Pauling Institute had a micro-nutrient database that helped
How she had been a vegetarian for over 20 years but, in 2002, went back to eating meat—including liver!
The benefits of real food in just three months—including mental clarity, better energy, and improved mobility
How her experience changed her clinical practice. She began talking about “food, diet, lifestyle, and less and less about drugs.”
The feelings that came with recovery and a discovery of life’s purpose
The number of concerns that can be treated with real food including: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, auto-immune conditions, scleroderma, mental health concerns, neurological disorders, depression, anxiety; bipolar issues, Alzheimers, traumatic brain injury, Parkinsons, and even primary care problems: High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease
How the diet she recommends compares to Wise Traditions
The importance of clinical studies to help change the way physicians practice medicine
The studies they are conducting, collaborating with the MS Society, which look into the following questions: does diet help and is one diet more effective than the other?
How metal poisoning (mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium) & mineral deficiencies play a role in many illnesses
How her protocol helps improve the body’s detox pathways – liver, kidney, sweat glands

Resources:
website – www.terrywahls.com
MS clinical trials – MSDietStudy@healthcare.uiowa.edu
Terry’s books –
The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine,
The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles (paperback),
The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions.

#82 How to fix our broken food system, Pam Hess

Today we pick up where we left off in last week’s episode, #81 Why our food system is broken. In that episode, Pam answered our questions about how we got here. Now she joins us to talk about what Arcadia is doing in the local community to increase food availability and food access. And she discusses what we can do as individuals to do the same.

Arcadia is growing food and farmers, creating a demand, and making fresh food accessible to low-income families. Their mobile market service brings fruits, vegetables, eggs, and grass-fed meats to food deserts. By accepting food stamps and providing vouchers, Arcadia gives underserved communities the opportunity for improved health and wellness.

This model is holistic in nature, and it’s replicable. What can you do to help others nourish themselves and their families with traditional, nutrient-dense foods? Pam invites us all to participate in fixing the food system, and she offers some tips for how to do so.

This episode highlights…

How Arcadia is addressing inequities in the food system
The shortage of high quality food… and farmers to grow it
The role of farm field trips and educating children about where their food comes from
The myth that food deserts are always located in urban areas
Why Arcadia is a not-for-profit endeavor
Arcadia’s disproportionate impact on low-income consumers
The connection between quality food and public health (physical, mental, and spiritual)
What we can do to help reduce barriers to healthy food

Resources:
Arcadia Center for Sustainable food and agriculture – arcadiafood.org

#81 Why is our food system so broken?, Pam Hess

Why is our food system so broken? In this episode, Pamela Hess lays it all out on the table for us. Pam is the Executive Director of Arcadia, a DC-area organization that helps connect consumers with local farms.

Pam explain how the invention of cars, big box grocery stores, the mechanization of farms, and subsidies to corn farmers all set the stage for our current health crisis. Soaring rates of chronic disease are not incidental; they are a direct result of cultural changes and national policies that have prioritized cheap processed goods over real food.

This fascinating unfolding of history and geopolitics will have you at the edge of your seat. Although it may sound bleak, solutions to our broken food system are within sight. Stay tuned for Part II, when Pam explains how Arcadia is working to make healthy food more accessible to all people (and what you can do, too!)

This episode highlights…

How cars and suburban development changed our eating habits
What WWII and the Cold War have to do with the U.S. food system
The 20th century trade off of nutrition for efficiency
The proliferation of commodity crops (corn, wheat, and soy)
Why the free market fails at meeting our needs for healthy food
The true costs of low-quality food to society

Resources:
Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture – arcadiafood.org
Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

#80 Wise Traditions for really busy people, Susana Hill and Leslie Schall

Former strategy consultants, Susana and Leslie, are the founders of The WellWorks Project, a Washington DC company which provides wellness coaching to busy individuals like parents and working professionals.
Today they talk with us about the advice they give to busy people who are seeking to make the transition to the Wise Traditions diet. Leslie explains why she doesn’t recommend that individuals transform their diets overnight. Instead, she suggests they have a laser-focus and practice doing one small thing at a time. What’s most important is getting a system in place and creating a new habit. When a behavior becomes second-nature, it no longer requires the time, energy, and discipline that it did the first time.

Susana and Leslie make it clear that a healthy diet is not supposed to be extremely difficult, and they emphasize that gradually implemented changes are more sustainable in the long run. In addition, they invite their clients to practice mindfulness and self-compassion. This episode reminds us that our health is really just a work-in-progress; it’s an ongoing project, and like any project, it requires some careful planning, organization, and a good strategy.

In this episode, you will hear about…
•   How we can manage to be healthy even while climbing the corporate ladder
•   Why a good health coach is like a good swimming coach (good form can’t be learned all at once)
•   How simpler programs resulted in greater successes for their clients
•   The lesson Leslie learned from improving her swimming and how it applies to changing our diet
•   How chapter leaders can help guide people transitioning to a more nutrient-dense diet
•   Why intentionality trumps intricacy
•   Susana and Leslie’s “Go slow to go fast” philosophy
•   Their other favorite mantra: “Run your own race, and guilt is not invited”
•   How mindful choices bring a sense of inner freedom
•   Why planning is the precursor to most highly enjoyable experiences (vacations and good health alike)
•   Practical tips for people who are extremely busy but still want to eat well
Resources:
The Wellworks Project – thewellworksproject.com

#79 Vegetables: our vitamin pills Tom Cowan

When following the Wise traditions diet, it’s can be easy forget how important it is to eat our veggies. In fact, we might wonder: are veggies even necessary in a diet that contains so many nutrient-dense animal foods?

The answer is yes! Tom Cowan joins us today to clear up some of the confusion on the role of vegetables in the diet. Our bodies are fueled by animal fats and proteins as well as carbohydrates from seeds. nuts, and grains. Vegetables provide us with the phytonutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals which humans need to stay healthy. Traditional diets include a wide variety of vegetables, but not necessarily a large quantity of them.

Trying to maximize the diversity in his diet, Tom used to spend a lot of time chopping and preparing veggies– but not anymore. Today he reveals how he manages to eat plenty of vegetables without spending all his time in the kitchen.

This episode highlights…

How some indigenous groups thrived eating 10-15 different vegetables a day and over 100 in a year.
The disease-fighting properties of veggies
Why we should be eating roots, leaves, fruits, flowers, annuals, perennials, and wild-growing veggies
Why vegetables should complement but not replace fats and proteins in the diet
The science of growing flavorful veggies (a combination of variety, soil, and timing)
How miron jars can be used to preserve vegetables
The way that Tom’s powdered vegetables enhance the flavor and nutrition of his meals

Resources
“Tending the Wild” by M. Kat Anderson
Drcowansgarden.com – information on powdered vegetables Tom produces and sells

#78 Bonus episode: nutrition hacks

Today we recap the Wise Traditions spring journal 2017. It is jam-packed with information useful for beginners, and all those who want to better understand how to improve their health through nutrition.

Sally covers intermittent fasting and she also reveals her 4-step protocol for weight loss: purge, splurge, fast, and last. She touches on diabetes and the poor advice that is given to those who suffer with it. She reviews how the Wise Traditions diet is an inclusive diet, giving us the freedom to embrace all food groups.

The conversation wraps up with a fascinating account of an interview with Costa Rican centenarians. All of this is covered in the spring issue of the Wise Traditions journal, which is available through WAPF. It is a gift to members and can be purchased by anyone at any time.

Other episode highlights include:
•   Sally’s column “Caustic Commentary” about recent trends, articles, and studies
•   The misguided advice given to children and adults with diabetes, and some more helpful suggestions for those struggling with blood sugar dysregulation
•   Dr. Cowan’s article “Couch potato or Marathon runner” on balancing calories with activity level
•   How fasting for 18 hours can jump start weight loss and detoxification
•   Sally’s thoughts on weight loss and why it should involve very little effort
•   Why depriving diets aren’t healthy or sustainable and the joys of the WT diet
•   The traditional diets of Costa Ricans in the Nicoya peninsula
Resources:
Link to become a member
Link to order the journal

#77 Throw off your toxic burden w/ Zen Honeycutt

Zen was sick of feeling powerless about her son’s life-threatening nut allergy, so she made a bold promise to help him get better. By reducing his exposure to GMOs and pesticides, Zen was able to heal her son’s gut and nearly reverse his condition. Now she’s on a mission to teach parents how to minimize the toxic burden on themselves and their families. In this episode, Zen explains how chemicals used in conventional agriculture wreak havoc on our health. Glyphosate, a carcinogen applied to GMO crops, creates holes in the gut lining when ingested. Other pesticides are known to disrupt the endocrine system. Children are particularly vulnerable to these chemicals because their bodies and brains are still developing.

The good news is that we can eliminate these toxins from our diets and our kids’ diets, but we can’t stop there. We must advocate for regenerative farms and demand change from our politicians. The market for organic products has exploded in recent years, and chemical companies are getting nervous. They know they’ll be out of business if we continue on this trajectory–and Zen is determined to ensure that we will.

This episode highlights:
That one out of two children has a chronic illness in the U.S.
The steps to take when trying to overcome a food allergy
A supplement that can help restore gut integrity
Zen’s rebuttal for the argument that GMOs are harmless
An upcoming hearing in California on the “safe level” of glyphosate (it’s zero!)
The incidence of fraudulent organic labeling
The organic farm under threat in Moro, Oregon (and how it affects all of us)
Why GMOs don’t increase crop yields in the long run, and why they are not the solution to world hunger
The story of one woman from ?
One out of two males and one out of three females are expected to get cancer in their lifetime in the U.S.
Zen’s advice for listeners on how to improve their health

Resources:
YouTube video about GMOs in Uganda: http://www.momsacrosstheworld.com/videos
Moms across America website – momsacrossamerica.com
To comment on the specific regulatory level of glyphosate: https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/events/extension-comment-period-proposed-specific-regulatory-level-chemical-causing

#76 Childbirth: keeping it natural w/ Genevieve Howland a/k/a Mama Natural

In this episode of Wise Traditions, we speak with Genevieve Howland, a specialist on natural childbirth. With over sixty million views on her YouTube channel, Genevieve Howland’s funny but informational videos have empowered millions of women to embrace natural pregnancy and parenting. In those videos and in today’s episode, Genevieve covers the gamut related to pregnancy, labor, and delivery. She begins by discussing the “modernization” of childbirth and some of the drawbacks of unwarranted interventions. Though she recognizes that there is certainly a time and a place for these procedures, her goal is to help inform pregnant women and their spouses about their options during pregnancy and childbirth.

Genevieve provides recommendations for how to prepare for a natural childbirth. She also describes the many physical and emotional benefits it has for both mom and baby. While a natural childbirth is ideal, each birth is different and sometimes c-sections are necessary. In these cases, Genevieve strongly advocates for “gentle cesareans,” which try to recreate some of the conditions of a natural childbirth. She stresses that any amount of labor is preferable to a scheduled c-section.

The most important thing for moms to remember is that births are not about what is most convenient for the doctor. Just as they apply to food and nutrition, wise traditions also apply to childbirth. Genevieve reminds us that birth is wild, primal, and unpredictable. As such, it can be deeply spiritual and transformative, especially when mamas feel empowered to take ownership over their experience.

This episode reveals…

That there are exercises mom can do to encourage an open pelvis during labor
That red raspberry leaf tea is an effective uterine tonic (who would’ve guessed!?)
The tasty dried fruit that may result in shorter labors and less interventions when eaten in the last trimester
The benefits of natural childbirth for the mom, including easier recovery and a hormonal boost
The benefits of a vaginal birth for the baby, like picking up good bacteria (helps inoculate the microbiome and strengthen immune system)
Practices that “naturalize” a cesarean and minimize its downsides
How and why moms should avoid a “cascade” of medical interventions
Why babies should not be bathed immediately after the birth
That it is absolutely possible to have a natural childbirth in a hospital
One simple step to modify your diet to improve your pregnancy and enhance your baby’s health and ease of delivery

Resources:
The Mama Natural Week to Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth is the modern (and yet ancient) approach to pregnancy and childbirth. “Natural” recognizes that pregnancy and birth are normal, and that having a baby is a wondrous biological process and rite of passage—not a medical condition.

Mamanatural.com – Genevieve’s website, full of resources and videos
Mama Natural YouTube channel

Genevieve also offers a free pregnancy week-by-week series (email or txt) from a natural perspective and is the creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course, the #1 most popular online childbirth education class.

# 75 How much fat should we eat? (Principle #7) w/ Sally Fallon

In this episode of Wise Traditions, we speak with Sally Fallon Morell, the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and a staunch advocate of animal fats. Sally discusses “Principal #7” of the Wise Traditions diet, which covers all things related to fat. In a time of information overload regarding nutrition, much of what we hear in the media is misleading. This leaves us with questions like: How much fat should we be eating? What is a healthy fat? Are animal fats even necessary?

Sally meticulously answers the above questions and makes a compelling case for why we should increase our animal fat consumption. Sally describes the differences between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. She also makes an important distinction between fish oil and cod liver oil.

In addition to providing us with a lesson on the role of fats in biochemical processes, Sally also discusses the role that fat has played in traditional diets. While the amount of fat consumed varied greatly, all of the healthy groups that Dr. Price studied valued certain nutrient-dense animal foods and none of them were vegetarians.

This episode highlights:
that 30-80% of the calories of traditional diets were from fats
why no traditional diet is high in polyunsaturated fats
the mixed messages we receive about the diets of the Eskimos
the risks of consuming too many Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids
the foods included in the diets of African agriculturists that allow them to thrive on a lower-fat diet
a major disconnect in the dietary guidelines, and how it can lead to malnutrition
the importance of fat soluble activators, Vitamins A, D, and K
why the combination of fats found in butter make it a perfect fat
how much protein we really need (and why Sally’s blood boils when talking about skinless chicken breasts)
the importance of arachidonic acid which is found uniquely in animal fats
the need for saturated fats in warm, tropical environments
Sally’s advice for digesting fats and healing your thyroid gland

Resources:
Link to Chris Masterjohn’s articles from the WAPF site:
“Precious yet Perilous” and “Activator X”
Nourishingtraditions.com – Sally’s blog

#74 The farm as healthcare provider, Doug Flack

In this episode of Wise Traditions, Vermont farmer Doug Flack speaks with us about how we can make the farm our primary healthcare provider. Doug is a long-time activist, ecologist and lover of great food. He began farming in Fairfield, Vermont forty years ago while building his house and raising his daughters. Today, his organic farm sells raw milk, grass-fed beef and lamb and 16 tons of fermented vegetables. Soil health is key in his management practices. Doug was an early adopter and promoter of management intensive grazing, a major tool for increasing soil organic matter and soil function.

He describes how an abnormality in the emergence of his wife’s wisdom teeth sparked his interest in the work of Dr. Weston Price. At the time of this event, Doug was a student of evolutionary biology, and he became curious why modern humans were not developing– physically and mentally — with the same ease as their early human predecessors. His investigation led him to the conclusion that industrialized farming and industrial food products are the reason for the lack of wellness in our modern society. Now, Doug spends his time cultivating the land, producing nutrient-dense foods, and advocating for farmer’s rights.

In this interview, Doug explains why healthy soils are the precursors to healthy people. While conventional farmers strip the soil of nutrients and rely on chemical inputs, Doug enhances soil function and fertility. Such soils help create the nutrient-dense foods recommended to us by Dr. Price. This episode not only encourages us to nourish ourselves with these staples, but it also reminds us that, in doing so, we are supporting soil fertility and soil champions like Farmer Doug.

This episode highlights…

Why many different traditional diets all achieved the same results among the peoples studied by Dr. Price
How our DNA helps us select appropriate foods
The huge changes to the food supply after WWII
Why “enriched/fortified foods” are not as healthy as their proponents suggest
Why both humans and animals cannot be nourished by foods from depleted soils
The differences between a supermarket carrot and a carrot grown in high-functioning soil
Why Doug would disagree with Dr. Oz’ statement that “conventional food is just as nutrient-dense as organic food”
The work of William Albrecht, a soil scientist who made the connection between soil and public health
Doug’s “one” piece of advice for the listener – the foods which we should avoid at all costs and those to which we should return

Resources:
“The Fat of The Land” by Vilhjalmur Stefansson
Flackfamilyfarm.com

#73 Drink your bugs, Hannah Crum

Most people would not associate soda with a nourishing, traditional diet. But the good news is that you need not forgo all flavorful fizzy drinks. Fermented drinks are actually the original sodas; they existed long before Coca-Cola and have been relished for centuries by a wide variety of cultures. Fermented beverages like kombucha, ginger beer, beet kvass, milk kefir, and water kefir all contain vast quantities of probiotics, making them ideal for balancing the body’s microbiome.

Yeasts break down sugar, creating carbon dioxide, healthy acids, and a small amount of alcohol in the process. Conventional sodas imitate these properties but fail to provide the same benefits. In this episode, you will learn why fermented foods and drinks are indispensable to a healthy diet.

Hannah emphasizes that fermented beverages are easy to make at home, and in fact, homemade fermented goodies provide many more strains of bacteria than commercial products. She discusses the differences between popular fermented beverages in terms of taste and nutrient-value, adding that even pasteurized milk can become a nourishing food when transformed into milk kefir. Ultimately, Hannah stresses the importance of bacterial diversity and the key role it plays in developing a balanced and resilient body.

This episode highlights…

The history of fermented drinks (and the “beer before bread” hypothesis)
Why coconut water kefir can help the body eliminate candida overgrowth
How to access fermented beverages and starter-cultures
The meaning of “lacto-fermented”
Why whey is a highly nutritional byproduct
The unintended consequences of germaphobia
How fermented foods and drinks can improve your digestion and circulation
How the diversity of good bacteria in your gut enhances your immunity and creates a protective “force field”
The Amercian Gut project/human microbiome found that in Africa they had more organisms in their guts than we do
High quality bacteria is what we’re looking to feed on, not quantity
Hannah’s recommendation for those who are new to fermented drinks
How gardening, having the dog lick you, hugging friends also all diversify our microbiome

Kombuchakamp.com – Hannah’s website with free DIY guides, videos, and more
The Big Book of Kombucha by Hannah Crum

#72 Fighting for health freedom
This is a very unique episode because it was recorded live in Washington DC on March 31, 2017 at the Revolution for Truth March for Freedom and Vaccine Safety. There, we met with several members of the recently formed, but already highly effective West Virginians for Health Freedom. We heard from five well-informed and tenacious women: Afsaneh Faerber, an attorney. Holly Garrison, a chiropractor. Chanda Adkins, a Doctor of Pharmacy. Lori Jones, a certified natural health professional. And Elizabeth Murphy, the co-founder of West Virginians for Health Freedom.

The West Virginians for Health Freedom has already had success in advocating for informed consent, parental choice and for medical exemptions when requested. They are working to change current law in their state. They share their strategy and tactics, as well as provide information about why health freedom is a cause they fight to support.

Here are some highlights from the conversation:

Advocacy in West Virginia:

The law they sought to challenge was to provide for individual exemptions on religious or philosophical grounds for families who do not want to adhere to the blanket law that all children must receive a full schedule of immunizations before enrolling their children in WV public schools.
In West Virginia, the number of mandated immunizations is growing, and is now up to about 24 doses required to start kindergarten.
Currently, requests for exemptions are rejected 50% of the time.
Even in families with members who have suffered immunization injury, exemption from the immunization mandate for school entry cannot be ruled on until after a child receives the vaccine and suffers an injury.
Some feel that this legislation contradicts the rights of children to an education, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The goal of the group is to change the law to allow families and their physicians to choose exemptions based upon the health history of the child and the family.
Members of West Virginians for Health Freedom succeeded in winning enough votes in the West Virginia Senate Education Committee but the Chair of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee refused to allow the bill to be heard in the committee.
The group plans to return to try again next year after intensifying their efforts to work to elect local officials who share their views on this issue.
Their advice for individuals who are concerned about this issue is to use social media to build advocacy groups which address this issue at the local level where they live, as the best way to effect change in laws which mandate blanket immunizations.

Vaccine Injury:

Children and adults often sustain vaccine injury without understanding the connection between the vaccination and their symptoms/disease.
These injuries can include (but are not limited to) ADD, learning disabilities, Tourette’s Syndrome and others.
Current statistics indicate that nationally 1 in 6 children develops development disabilities, 1 in 4 is medicated, 1 in 48 has autism—approximately every 7 minutes a child in this country is diagnosed with autism.
The CDC has obtained but covered up evidence that vaccines cause injury.
To those who raise the issue of correlation vs. causation, the members of this group ask the question: why are these reported cases not being studied to try to identify common denominators which might lead to a discovery of causation?
There is a well-known case in California about the CDC covering up/not requiring labeling of products which included glyphosate which raises questions about the CDC’s openness in these situations.
Immunization officers and pediatricians charged with setting policy cannot answer questions about the ingredients in various required vaccines.
In one instance cited by the group, a 2015 study of the CDC’s own data on Pertussis demonstrates a higher incident of the disease in children who received the vaccine than among those who did not receive it.
Unlike in every other medical situation involving medication, vaccines are “blanket treatment”.
Not every vaccine is safe for everybody, and in every other area of medicine, drugs are screened for possible allergic reactions.
Medical providers ignore this fact, and create a “pro-vaccine narrative” that asserts the safety and effectiveness of existing vaccines.
In many cases it is not possible to learn what the toxins in a particular vaccine are, and this makes it difficult to screen for/address possible sensitivities of individual patients.

Resources:
Website of the West Virginians for Health Freedom:
We are a group of West Virginians fighting to establish legislative policies that recognize parental choice without discrimination regarding the health of our children. We are also an outreach group focused on educating parents on the school admission required vaccination schedule along with the risks associated with each vaccine.
https://www.facebook.com/WVVaccineRights/

West Virginia’s Immunization Law citation:
Compulsory immunization of school children; information disseminated; offenses; penalties.
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WvCoDe/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=16&art=3&section=4

#71 Holistic choices, Tré Cates

Tré Cates is the COO and the CFO of the Savory Institute. The Institute partners with communities all over the world. Its goal? To encourage holistic management worldwide. Each of us can make holistic choices—decisions relating to the land, the people, and the animals that benefit all of us. The food we eat, the purchases we make, the work we do—all impact not only ourselves, and our families, but also our communities and the world. Today, Tré discusses the Savory Institute, its mission, impact and how we can make choices that align with what we want to see in the world, “beyond organic.”

Highlights from the conversation include the following.

-The Savory Institute uses the approach of partnering with local communities and organizations to help them achieve their own holistic goals.
-Currently there are partnerships in Turkey, Sweden, South Africa, Argentina, and Chile, and the plans over the next five years are to increase to 100 such partnerships around the world.
-Their goal is to go beyond raising awareness of the holistic approach to changing farming practices, for healthier land, animals, and communities.
-Ultimately the goal is to raise awareness sufficiently to “go beyond organic”—meaning that healthy practices will be so accepted that such certification would be unnecessary.
-A key element of their success is demonstrating that there is a symbiotic relationship between herbivore animals and the soil they live on.
– How one woman’s life was turned around in a matter of three years, through holistic management of the land.
-In the past, well-meaning NGO’s introduced programs which were limited by funding distributed over a set time period, leaving problems when they moved on.
-Another challenge has been a “silo” approach, in which experts in animals or seeds or soils did not collaborate among themselves or with local people and traditions.
-We need to consider holistic practices when we make our own choices. We all need to grow in awareness as consumers to impact greater change. For example, when we decided to buy grass-fed beef, this can drive agricultural change.
– Our choices indicate what is important to us. We need to choose holistically to live lives of integrity and to leave every part of this earth better than we found it.

Resources:
website: http://www.savory.global
Tré Cates’ TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change

#70 The antidote to Alzheimer’s, Amy Berger

Alzheimer’s disease seems to strike indiscriminately. Conventional medicine offers medication to its sufferers that is designed to slow the pace of cognitive decline but seems to lack efficacy. For her new book, “The Alzheimer’s Antidote,” nutrition therapy practitioner Amy Berger has synthesized medical research to shed light on new options that offer relief and hope to those who suffer with Alzheimer’s and to their caregivers.

In today’s conversation, Amy reveals that impaired glucose metabolism and insulin signaling are at the root of the disease. This is why some call Alzheimer’s “Type 3” diabetes. The brain is starving for fuel, in effect. Part of the solution includes giving the brain an alternate fuel source: ketones (which are found in coconut and MCT oils, for example).

This episode enumerates practical steps for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, those who hope to avoid the disease in the future, and even those who simply want to sharpen their own cognitive functions.

Highlights from the conversation include:
Alzheimers has been called Type 3 Diabetes or Diabetes of the Brain. This is because studies have shown that there is essentially an “energy crisis” in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.
This is because their neurons have lost the ability to get energy from glucose because of a surplus of insulin stemming from too much intake of carbohydrates.
This is known as “hypo metabolism.”
This can be mitigated by introducing ketones into the diet while simultaneously reducing carbohydrates.
Ketones are an alternative fuel for the brain. They are a byproduct of metabolizing fat.
Ketone production increases when insulin levels are low, which occurs when consumption of carbohydrates goes down.
Coconut and MCT oil are both good sources of ketones.
MCTs, called “MCFAs” for medium-chain fatty acids, are believed to be largely missing from the diets of people eating “standard Western” diets,are medium-chain triglycerides, a form of saturated fatty acid that has numerous health benefits.
Coconut oil is one great source of MCTs
In addition to adding ketones to the diet, exercise will help with insulin sensitivity and blood glucose regulation, which in turn helps prevent cognitive decline.
Exercise also increases Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor: BDNF, which one doctor nicknamed: “Miracle Gro for your neurons”.
Better sleep and stress reduction will also improve insulin sensitivity.
Resources:
Article – “Type 3 diabetes: metabolic causes of Alzheimer’s” – https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/modern-diseases/type-3-diabetes-metabolic-causes-of-alzheimers-disease/

Amy’s website: http://www.tuitnutrition.com

Just published! Amy’s new book: The Alzheimer’s Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline
https://www.amazon.com/Alzheimers-Antidote-Low-Carb-High-Fat-Cognitive/dp/1603587098/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491183253&sr=8-1&keywords=alzheimer%27s+antidote

#69 Improve your microbiome, with Kiran Krishnan

Kiran Krishnan is a research microbiologist who has been studying gut health and the human microbiome for years. In today’s conversation, Kiran helps us gain a new understanding of the human microbiome and how it specifically relates to health and wellness. We are 10 times more bacteria than we are human and the bacteria that live in and on us play a significant role in how our body responds to stress, food and our environment. Our microbes control many of our behaviors and can even influence what we eat. A true understanding of the microbiome is critical to understanding the origins of many chronic and prevalent diseases.
Highlights from the discussion included:

Thanks to recent research discoveries, we now have a different understanding of the human body. We used to understand it as a system of organs, DNA and chromosomes, but in fact that makes up less than 1% of what we are, the rest of the 99% we’ve been ignoring until recent research
We now understand that humans are actually a holobiome: a super organism which Kiran compares to a “walking, talking rainforest”
We are a collection of thousands of different organisms that have to communicate with one another
We are ten times more bacteria than human, when it comes to the number of cells in our body
Of the total thirty feet of digestive tract in our body, every few inches is a different ecology—all of which communicate and work together, making the gut “Ground Zero” for the immune system
80% of the immune system is set up in the gut
The lining of your gut has a nervous system with more nerve endings than in your brain.
These nerve endings communicate with your brain, affecting mood and food cravings
We depend upon a healthy gut to make “mood” chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.
Leaky gut—scientifically is referred to as barrier dysfunction or intestinal permeability. It is the driver for every chronic illness that we know of.
Practitioners of traditional medicine don’t study nutrition and therefore do not have an understanding of the gut.
Drug companies in Europe, Asia and Latin America have been selling prescription-based probiotic medicines since 1958 to take action within the gut.
By age 2 ½, people have established their own microbiome—they are the most unique things about an individual, and no two people in the world have the same exact microbiome, not even identical twins.
The best way to repopulate your gut is to eat a diverse diet, which favors the diversity and growth of more and more diverse bacteria.
A spore-based probiotic, which goes in and acts as “police” in the gut, suppresses bad bacteria, and reduces inflammation and “leakiness” and supports the growth of good bacteria.

Resources:
Link to Kiran’s talk at the AutismOne conference, May 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLiRjtyKADU&index=12&list=PLtw9iWxwfPldbJr9ZpRJrLuEW2UmMQp3i

Kiran recommends the “Just Thrive” probiotics that contain live spores.

The NIH Common Fund Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was established with the mission of generating research resources enabling comprehensive characterization of the human microbiota and analysis of their role in human health and disease.
https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp/overview

#68 The “healthy” label, Pam Schoenfeld

Pam Schoenfield connected with Wise Traditions podcast host the day before she was scheduled to participate in public comments to the FDA about the current practice of labeling foods as “healthy.” Pam disagrees with this practice, since the science and understanding of what constitutes health foods continues to evolve at a rate which exceeds the ability of such labeling to keep up. Pam also believes that the practice of fortifying foods with vitamins and minerals further confuses the issue of which foods are truly nutritious and which deserve the label “healthy.” In this interview, Pam provides compelling arguments for the healthiest of all foods—those that are whole, real, and nutrient-dense.

Below are highlights from our conversation:
-Within the last 18 months, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged that its regulations around nutrient labeling should be reevaluated to reflect the evolution in nutrition research.
-The catalyst for this reevaluation seems to revolve around a confrontation with the “Kind” Snacks company. Initially, the company was told they could not use the word “healthy” on packages of its nut bars, because the fat content of the nuts exceeded the FDA’s recommendations for a “healthy” product: three grams of total fat and the one gram of saturated fat per serving. They protested the FDA’s denial of the label.
-As a representative of the American public, and in her role as a board member of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Pam prepared a brief presentation for the FDA’s public comment hearings on the subject of “the use of the term healthy in labeling human food products.”
-Pam’s remarks included the following facts:
•   Currently, individuals whose diet adhered to the various government agency guidelines, including the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) would have a difficult time making sure they received enough of several key nutrients, including vitamins A, B₁₂, and K, zinc, iron and choline.
•   These guidelines are provided in educational literature provided to individuals receiving food stamps, and are followed in the preparation of meals to key populations, including school children, military personnel, the prison population and certain groups of elderly people.
•   While the FDA and other agencies have good intentions in its food labeling and other educational outreach about healthy diets, inevitably important information is omitted, for example, instructions on how to prepare foods properly to ensure access to the nutrients they possess.
•   Traditional cooking methods have been forgotten in favor of information stemming from government literature, with the result that people are receiving less rather than more nutrition from their food.
•   The following four foods currently cannot be labeled healthy by the FDA standards, despite the fact that they are important sources of key nutrients not readily available from other foods: beef (iron, zinc); eggs (vitamins A and B 12, folate and choline); chicken livers (vitamins A and B12, and iron; hard cheese (calcium and vitamin K). *
•   None of the USDA government dietary plans offer the minimum amount of choline necessary for good nutrition.
•   Another challenge is that the various government agency guidelines are not aligned with one another.
-Pam recommends that we all return to the traditional diets and foods of our ancestors for optimal health.
-She believes kale currently has a “health halo” that will eventually fade and be replaced by the next trendy food.
-For optimal health, she suggests we all include liver in our diets.
-She also recommends that we weigh in on the topic of what foods deserve the label “healthy.” (See link below to comment on this docket to the FDA.)

Resources:
To comment to the FDA on the topic of “healthy” for food labeling: https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FDA-2016-D-2335-0843
Refer to Docket number: FDA-2016-D-2335

Pam’s blog on “Psychology Today” website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eat-right-grow-right

Vitamin A: The Scarlet Nutrient: The Unfair Stigmatization of Vitamin A During Pregnancy. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/vitamin-a-the-scarlet-nutrient/April 1, 2011

# 67 Negative charge creates positive energy, Dr. Gerald Pollack

Water’s central importance for health is nothing new, but it has been progressively forgotten. With the various sciences laying emphasis on molecular, atomic and even sub-atomic approaches, we have lost sight of what happens when the pieces come together to form the larger entity. The whole may indeed exceed the sum of its parts. Ninety-nine percent of those parts are water molecules. To think that 99 percent of our molecules merely bathe the “more important” molecules of life ignores centuries of evidence to the contrary. Water plays a central role in all features of life. Water has long been considered to have only three phases: solid, liquid and vapor, or as we typically experience it: water, ice and gas. Dr. Pollack’s work illustrates the fact that there is a fourth phase of water, which he and his colleagues have dubbed: EZ (or exclusion zone) water. Here are highlights from our conversation where Jerry discusses the role of EZ water in our body and how we can build it up by tapping into the negative energy all around us.

EZ water is generated from what is essentially an internal battery, which is powered using infrared light found in our bodies.
The chemical formula for water is H2O, which we know is electrically neutral. EZ water’s chemical formula is H302 and it is not neutral, but is instead negatively charged.
This form of water is more viscous, dense and alkaline than H2O. As its H3O2 formula indicates, it has more oxygen.
Our bodies require the negative charge that comes from this EZ water; it is critical for life.
We obtain energy from food; however, we can also get energy from water.
Every day observations of this explain some of the ways EZ water restores energy and well-being.
After 20 minutes in a sauna, aching muscles are soothed, and we feel energized. This is because the infrared energy from the sauna’s heat penetrates our bodies, building EZ water, which helps our bodies function properly.
A practice called “earthing” or “grounding” involves getting in touch with the earth or ground (as in walking barefoot on the beach, for example). Negative charges from the ground seep into our bodies, building our EZ water stores.
We are familiar with the label anti-oxidants, often used to describe healthy foods. Oxidants remove negative charge. Anti-oxidants are good for you because they prevent the loss of that negative charge.
Another demonstration of the effects of EZ water is evident through the use of hyperbaric testing, which some will recall was a treatment used for healing by the late musician Michael Jackson.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was first used by the military to treat wounds that wouldn’t heal. Dr. Pollack’s hypothesis, which he proved through lab experiments was that changing barometric pressure through adding pressure and oxygen builds EZ water, improving the function of every organ in the body and promoting healing.
Another common treatment which affects negative charge in the body is aspirin. The chemical that gives willow bark its therapeutic effects is salicin. Experts believe that when the body processes salicin, it turns it into salicylic acid, which is the chemical precursor to aspirin. Since aspirin effectively treats many kinds of pain relief affecting several organs, the hypothesis was that aspirin builds EZ water throughout the body. Lab tests confirmed this.
Other products, such as acetaminophen were tested, with almost the same result—all build EZ water. We are familiar with aspirin’s use to prevent heart attack. A recent Harvard study indicated that women with breast cancer who took one aspirin a day significantly extended their life expectancy.
Dr. Pollack’s lab has demonstrated that our bodies are all negatively charged.
This negative charge seems to be correlated with health: healthy robust cells carry plenty of negative charge, with an average of about 100 millivolts. A millivolt is one-thousandth of a volt. Unhealthy cells such as cancer cells have far lower millivolts: minus 15 to 120 millivolts negative instead of plus 80 to 100 millivolts negative.
The hypothesis: if negative charge comes from the water in our body, and if the cells in an individual’s body lack sufficient negative charge, that body must have insufficient water.
For this reason, drinking water is important for good health. However, the water that comes out of our taps doesn’t have a lot of negative charge. You can get more negatively charged water from spring water or create it using a process called reverse osmosis.
Dr. Pollack would like for tests to be conducted on the best waters to drink for your health, but it would be cost-prohibitive to conduct such studies.
However, drinking spring water and walking barefoot on the beach are both pleasant experiences which have the added benefit of improving health.

Resources:
The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor by Dr. Gerald Pollack
Dr. Gerald Pollack, TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-T7tCMUDXU
Article on the Fourth Phase of Water on westonaprice.org website:
Health Topics > Health Issues > Water > The Fourth Phase of Water
The Fourth Phase of Water
FEBRUARY 15, 2016 BY GERALD POLLACK
Ghp@u.washington.edu – Gerald’s email

#66 Fibro Hope, Leah McCullough

Fibromyalgia is the most common musculoskeletal condition after osteoarthritis. Often misdiagnosed and misunderstood,,its characteristics include widespread muscle and joint pain and overwhelming fatigue. Leah spent 20 years getting worse and worse. She was actually relieved when after six years she finally received her fibromyalgia diagnosis, but traditional medicine failed her. She tried over 50 different medications to treat her pain and the depression and anxiety which developed from the pain and isolation she suffered, and all to no avail. Now, eight years later, she has fully recovered, became pregnant at age 40 and is now the proud mother of a seven year-old boy.

Leah’s journey began with spiritual inspiration from many sources that led to her first step—changing her thinking. That, in turn, led to her work with alternative health experts who recommended treatments including detoxification minerals, probiotic supplements, and a new way of eating.

Below are highlights from our conversation:

-Most people don’t know it is possible to recover from fibromyalgia, but Leah was healed nearly 20 years after first contracting the disease.

-Leah’s diagnosis took seven years, and she was told by a succession of doctors that she had a variety of diagnoses. She was also told that it was “all in her head.”

-She spent tens of thousands of dollars on nearly 50 different medications, until finally her physician, who she describes as a “maverick” encouraged her to try alternative healing.

-For the last six years of her illness, she spent 12 to 16 hours of every day in bed. Leah drew upon her faith and the example of her German grandmother who, although house-bound, was a woman of deep faith who spent her time praying for people all over the world. This encouraged Leah to pray and to work on changing her outlook through meditation and positive thinking.

-Inspired by a dream that she had returned to work, she began to meditate on her goal of “optimal health” and a short time later attended a lecture by Victoria Smith, an alternative health practitioner from Florence, Kentucky. This led to a regime that restored her health within a year, even to the point of allowing her to achieve a healthy pregnancy that resulted in the birth of her now 7 year-old son.

-Leah’s work explains her belief that a variety of factors, including toxins, a damaged digestive system, vaccines, antibiotics and bad nutrition, along with a person’s genetic makeup can result in different illnesses. In her case, the result was fibromyalgia.

-She characterized her actual detoxification treatment regimen as “easy.” She used a specific type of micronized zeolites, a very gentle form of a mineral which absorbs toxins in the body. She supplemented the treatment with a therapeutic grade antibiotic which jump-started the long slow process of healing her digestive system.

-She explains that if your digestive system or “gut” isn’t working properly, food, or its components such as proteins, begins to leach out of the gut and actually starts to poison you. While it is estimated that somewhere between 2 to 6 percent of the population suffers from fibromyalgia, the basic symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, mild depression, and anxiety characterizes 75% of the population. Leah believes that many of these people can be benefit from her regime of detoxification and gut healing.

-Fibromyalgia is generally not a simple diagnosis, but is often linked to one of two or more coexisting conditions, which often include depression and anxiety. The isolation caused by the pain can lead to despair and in some cases to suicide.

-Frustrated and angry that she had suffered for so long, Leah has chosen to reach out and help others who struggle with fibromyalgia hoping to shorten their path to health. In addition to her two books, her website, and the online coaching sessions she provides on the website, she travels widely to tell her story and offer hope and information to others.

-In her first book Freedom From Fibromyalgia, Seven Steps to Complete Recovery her goal is to take everything she learned about fibromyalgia and systematize it so people could easily follow it.

-On her path to healing, Leah explored nutrition, and came to embrace many of the tenets of the Weston Price diet. She describes the health benefits she experienced from switching to full fats and broth, and in fact includes a recipe for “Raise the Dead” chicken broth on her website, crediting the inspiration for the name to Sally Fallon Morell.

-She also explores the benefits of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s “Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS)” diet and describes her three years of work developing palatable recipes for liver, a food she believes in for its health benefits, but did not initially enjoy eating.

Resources:
www.unconventionaltraditonal.com
www.FreedomFromFibro.com
“Freedom From Fibromyalgia: Seven Steps to Complete Recovery” by Leah McCullough
“Eat to Energize Cookbook: Strategies and Recipes for Using the #1 Super Food For Energy” by Leah McCullough
“GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
“Significant Healing Well Care Practice” by Victoria Smith, Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
“Detoxify or Die” by Sherry A. Rogers, M.D.

#65 “Why we need animal fats” w/ Sally Fallon Morell

There’s a lot of confusion around what constitutes a healthy fat. In today’s episode, Sally Fallon Morell, the head of the Weston A. Price Foundation, makes a solid case for including animal fats in our diet, based on her book “Nourishing fats: why we need animal fats for health and happiness.” For decades, animal fats and saturated fats have been maligned as unhealthy, but the evidence points in the opposite direction.

It’s time to unlearn the propaganda and become reacquainted with the happy, healthy truth. Saturated fats have an important role to play in our physical and emotional wellness. Sally tells the history of when & why companies began pushing their pseudo oils and fats. And she then gives the science behind why animal fats are so beneficial–how they have been found to be protective against cancer, and provide vitamins A, D, and K that are essential for proper neurological function and emotional well-being, for example.

You will hear specifics about how and why butter, lard and tallow can all be embraced as part of your daily diet. Once you do so, you and your family will be all the healthier (and happier) for it!

This episode highlights:

how animal fats and saturated fats have been demonized by many diets
what constitutes a saturated fat
how & why companies in the 1920s began demonizing animal fats
how our body temperature affects fats in the body
how our cell membranes are 50% fat molecules. Saturated fat holds them together!
how if you’re not eating sat fat, your body makes sat fat out of carbohydrates (and this is reason we crave carbs)
why low-carb and low sat-fat are the worst diets
why the brain needs fat to function properly (arachidonic acid comes from animal fats and this acid helps hold cells together, and the digestive tract too)
how saturated fat is the most stable of molecules
how science does not support accusations of animal fats being bad for you
how Sally’s book goes into detail about various diseases and how they are not caused by animal fat (beginning with heart disease)
how vegetable oils are carcinogenic; but sat fats protect against cancer
how butter fat is key for nourishing all mammals (it is found in breast milk)
how commercial formula for babies has no sat fat or cholesterol in it (it only contains vegetable oil) but real mother’s milk has lots of cholesterol
why cholesterol is a good thing for babies (and adults)
what happens when a person undergoes fat deprivation
fats help the “feel good” chemicals kick in (we have receptors for natural versions of marijuana, opiates, cocaine…w/ no side effects)
the depression or poor mood that can result from no sat fats
the fact that many medical sites and doctors still recommend avoiding saturated fats
how kidney patients improved on sat fats
three steps for incorporating these fats immediately into your diet

Resources:
Article by Chris Masterjohn on arachidonic acid
“Nourishing traditions” by Sally Fallon Morell
“Nourishing fats” by Sally Fallon Morell

#64 The vaccine industry and your rights, Alan Phillips

Vaccines in the United States are required at birth; for daycare, school and college enrollment; for military members, families and civilian contractors; for immigrants, including foreign adopted children; for employees as a condition of employment; for children in child custody disputes; and for international travel. What are your rights pertaining to what goes into your body? Is it possible to obtain exemptions or waivers from what is mandated by your state or health department? Alan Phillips, the nation’s leading vaccine rights attorney, communicates how to approach vaccine exemptions and legislative activism. He also gives the big picture about how the vaccine industry is becoming corrupted.

In today’s show, he discusses:

how he got into this field (a friend’s child was damaged by vaccines)
how he is the only attorney whose practice is entirely focused on vaccine exemptions and waivers
how the decline of deaths from childhood diseases (100-125 years ago) preceded the introduction of vaccines (vaccines may have had an impact on the incidence of sickness, but not the number of those who died from it)
how we receive conflicting information from authoritative sources: the CDC says you should get all recommended vaccinations and the Supreme Court in 2011 said that vaccines are “unavoidably unsafe.”
how there seems to be corruption in mainstream medical world affecting the advice we are getting
how top editors of well-regarded medical publications are beginning to say that we can no longer trust medical literature (that as much 50% of medical research is not reliable)
Dr. Marcia Angel, from Harvard University, editor for the New England Journal of Medicine in 2004 said this. And the editor-in-chief of the “Lancet,” Richard Horton, has been quoted as saying “Science has taken a turn toward darkness.”
how money is corrupting the system and changing it from a health policy to a pharmaceutical marketing policy
why people are seeking vaccination exemptions – they are asking themselves: Are they necessary? Are they effective? Are they potentially harmful?
the fact that vaccines do cause injury and death
how the federal “Vaccine injury compensation” program was established by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 and how it pays out money to those killed or injured by vaccinations. In fiscal year 2016, the federal government paid over 251 million dollars through this program. Over the life of the program, the government has paid over 3.5 billion dollars. “Not a conspiracy theory to say that vaccines cause injury and death.”
how we can’t know ahead of time if someone will sustain an injury or not
how vaccines are required not only for schools and day care but for immigrants, foreign adoptions, military members, international travel, children whose parents are in custody disputes, etc.
when exemptions are available
how there is confusion about how the law works, so it’s difficult to opt out of vaccines legally. Sometimes it’s straightforward, but sometimes it is not.
how the federal govt. does not have authority to mandate vaccinations for state residents, so we’re mostly working with state laws
how congress won’t investigate information pointing to corruption in the CDC (perhaps they do not want to lose pharmaceutical funding for their next campaign?)
why mainstream media won’t touch negative stories about vaccines (because pharmaceutical advertising pays the bills for mainstream media)
the need to be skeptical of news sources (doctors and reporters are restricted about what they can report on)
where to look to see what is required and what procedures are required to attain an exemption
how to find out and do only what you need to do to meet the requirements for exemptions (which vary state to state)
the types of exemptions: medical, religious, and philosophical
how all states have medical exemptions; most provide religious exemption and 12-15 states provide a personal belief or philosophical exemption
most states have exemptions for children, but not always for adults in the employment arena (however, civil rights law gives an “out” on religious grounds – and it applies to public and private employers)
how the vaccine-manufacturing business is projected to double, so it’s a huge money-maker. Not to mention that… “when someone is injured by vaccines, they are potentially a life-long consumer of other pharmaceutical products.” [Thus, vaccinations are a financial boon for pharmaceutical companies.]
how companies have received millions of criminal fines, so there is something going on there; they have been deliberately harming the public
how there have been dozens of fines in the 100-billion dollar range and which companies have been found guilty of criminal behavior
his recommendation to become informed and become legislative activists

Resources:
Vaccinerights.com – Alan Phillips site
“Vaccines: are they really safe and effective?” by Neal Miller
Visit www.justice.gov to learn of criminal fines on pharmaceutical companies

#63 Heal Your Gut, Hlary Boynton

Hilary Boynton is a certified holistic health counselor and the author of the “Heal your gut” cookbook. The devoted mother of five, Hilary has seen the power of nutritional healing firsthand. She and her family have faced cancer, epilepsy, infertility, eczema, and more. In today’s episode, she explains how food can be our medicine, what the GAPS (gut and psychology syndrome) diet addresses, how it has helped her and countless others, and how to begin your own journey to heal your gut.

She discusses:

the roots of her health journey
how she believed in the “fat free” recommendations
her struggle with infertility
her fourth child’s eczema
how she came across the WAPF principles, in pursuit of alternative treatments for him
how he healed w/in a month or two, through raw milk and cod liver oil
her studies with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
the pivotal information she received from Sally Fallon Morell at a WAPF conference
how she began to suspect she had leaky gut, and her interest in the GAPS diet
the importance of balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut
why babies today do not get the same exposure to healthy gut flora as babies in the past
how most babies born today already have 287 toxins in their umbilical cord blood
the factors that compromise babies health (including antibiotics, vaccines, and more)
the description of what causes a leaky gut
how Hilary decided to make a GAPS cookbook
the difference between the GAPS intro diet and the full GAPS diet
how the intro diet is a six-stage elimination diet
how the full GAPS diet is not unlike the paleo diet
the immediate results of going on the GAPS diet in her family (which included: a reduction in the number of epileptic seizures that her daughter suffered. Speech delays and skin issues also improved. And her husband lost weight.)
her connection with readers of the cookbook
lessons learned from the cookbook (including: there are so many people who are really sick; people are healing for the first time from food alone; often, people who move to this country were healthy when eating their native diet but become sick from the typical American diet)
Part of her Live Yum Yum mission is retraining the tastebuds of people, and inspiring them to get back in their kitchens, cook real food, take control of their health, and prevent disease
how eating this way is more expensive, but not in comparison to the cost of being sick.
how food is the basic foundation for good health
her belief in the power of the human body to heal
when facing a health crisis, the need to step back and ask ourselves “why did I get this illness?”
the importance of getting to the root of the problem for true healing to occur
the healing power of breath is vital, when making decisions concerning our health

Resources:
liveyumyum.com – Hilary Boynton’s website
Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

#62 Diabetes & diet, Daphne Olivier

Dietician Daphne Olivier has a genetic pre-disposition to diabetes. Since she doesn’t have it (yet), she is doing all that is within her power to keep it that way. But she is not keeping her secrets to herself. She is a certified diabetes educator who can help all of us understand it better, learn how to manage it with real food, and discover how to avoid it altogether.

Daphne is well-suited to help others since she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Louisiana. She also has a private nutrition practice, My Food Coach, where she works with people with varying degrees of metabolic disorders including prediabetes, types 1 and 2 diabetes, and more.

In today’s conversation, Daphne touches on:

how and why diabetes is on the rise
how contracting diabetes is not part of the aging process
the difference between Type I diabetes and Type II (Type I is an autoimmune disease. The body attacks the pancreas cells that make insulin. In Type II, the body produces insulin but cells can’t recognize it. Type II is most common today.)
how more and more children are developing type II diabetes
how to avoid and manage it: movement and exercise are one prong; eating right is another; lifestyle a third
how sleep and stress are also factors that play a part in the development of the disease
that insulin-resistance is the precursor to diabetes
how avoiding diabetes is about adopting the “best lifestyle:” paying attention to food, movement, sleep, stress and how these affect your body
why sleep is so critical and how to improve your sleep habits
that the definition of diabetes is the body’s inability to manage blood sugar
how for some, the blood sugar goes up and insulin doesn’t help bring blood sugar down
how for others, blood sugar comes down too much
the variety of diets people adhere to, in order to manage diabetes: low-carb, low-glycemic diet, paleo, primal, Wise Traditions, & keto diets
how all meats, organ meats, non-starchy veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds are allowed
why it’s important to be careful with fruits and some veggies
the genetic component of diabetes
how people monitor their blood sugar at home
why people die from complications related to diabetes
success stories of those who have managed it well and stories of those who do not
the key to success is catching it early, along with perseverance & willingness to change
how diabetes is progressive and silent (and a list of some symptoms through which it makes itself known: vision issues, blurred visions, tingling in fingers and toes, kidney issues, etc.

Resources: myfoodcoach.tv – Daphne’s website with online courses and resources (including a downloadable guide to managing diabetes with real food)

#61 Glyphosate: the weed-killer that hurts people too, Stephanie Seneff

Stephanie Seneff is a senior research scientist at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in Massachusetts. She has a Bachelor of Science from MIT in biology and a PhD in electrical engineering and computer science. But in recent years she has brought her brilliant mind to bear on the topic of toxic chemicals and their impact on our bodies. She has written over 30 peer-reviewed journal papers on this topic.
On today’s show, she speaks about the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S., glyphosate—the active ingredient in the product RoundUp. Stephanie reveals her concerns about its use, its prevalence in our food system, and how we can take steps to avoid it.

Here are highlights from the conversation:

studies have shown glyphosate to be problematic – in the brains of chickens and frogs, it causes cancer cells to proliferate
glyphosate came onto the market in the 1970s but only recently did the FDA begin testing its safety or looking into it
glyphosate is alarmingly prevalent in our food streams—it has even been found in organic honey
the government plans to stop testing for glyphosate because the results are super ambiguous. Glyphosate appears to be bound up with proteins making it difficult to identify and find.
Alzheimers and autism are increasing at a troublesome rate
Stephanie has written a paper on the connection between ALS and glyphosate
Parkinsons, Alzheimers are among neurological diseases that have been linked to it, too
Stephanie tells of a woman with psoriatic arthritis who saw improvement upon dietary changes
Stephanie herself noticed less frequent UTIs when her diet changed
Her husband’s heart issues and back pain resolved with dietary changes
Stephanie believes glyphosate even has a role in global warming and climate change
Glyphosate is banned in Sri Lanka and why it was banned
Our sicknesses are driving up our health care costs
Stephanie’s suggestion to focus more on food to maintain our health
The new herbicide 24D (a component of Agent Orange) is coming soon (and will certainly also be damaging to our health)
Her suggestion to avoid glyphosate’s damaging effects is to eat an exclusively organic diet

Resources:
https://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/ – link to Stephanie’s research papers & contact info

#60 Energy, health, & vitality, Kenneth Morehead

When Kenneth Morehead was in the seventh grade, he read a book that changed the trajectory of his life. He became interested in diet and nutrition and it became a life-long passion. As a young man, he began to realize that the Western medical philosophy was focused primarily on the physical and he was intrigued by the Asian approach, which focused on energy and balance.

As he discusses the latter, you will learn:

the name of the book that changed his life
how an acupuncturist opened his eyes to a different approach to wellness
how he began shadowing/learning from the acupuncturist’s practice
the benefits and drawbacks of his own time on the macrobiotic diet
how we have three macro nutrients that our bodies need: protein, carbohydrates, & fat
how “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon Morell helped him understand the need for fat in the diet (it is the most nutrient-dense of all the macro nutrients).
what he appreciated most from the Asian approach to medicine and healing, contrasted with the Western approach
how the world is spiritual electromagnetic spectrum physical level
how chi follows the mind and even our intention affects our health
how Asian medicine believes our vitality is linked to our digestive health
how our digestive needs change as we age
how fruit’s energy is to cool and cleanse.
how, as we age, we need to eat a more warming diet
why children should not be given lots of cold beverages or fruit
why younger people may trend toward raw diets and vegetarianism
the importance of finding a balance point: inflamed, hot, excess v. cold, cleansing, detoxing
why balance is important in terms of energy of foods
why we also need a balance of pungent, sour, salty, sweet, bitter tastes
the definition of a “full sweet”
what foods are weakening/cooling
why people who eat out are the least well
what it means when we crave sweets (we’re craving strength and vitality)
the three principles of warm/cold, balance, and ascend/descending energy

Resources:
orientalhealthsolutions.com
“The web that has no weaver” by Ted Kaptchuk
“Between heaven and earth” by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold

#59 What causes heart attacks?, Dr. Tom Cowan

For decades, heart patients have been treated with stents, bypass procedures, low-fat diets, and drugs to lower their cholesterol. The theory that heart attacks are caused by blockages in the arteries is accepted as the last word on heart disease. And this explains why doctors work tirelessly to unblock them. But what if the theory is incorrect? What if blockages aren’t actually the cause of heart attacks?

Dr. Tom Cowan brings some surprising data to light that puts into question the cause and treatments of cardiovascular disease, and heart attacks, in particular. Below are highlights from our conversation. Dr. Cowan touches on:

the different kinds of heart disease – arrhythmias, and congestive heart failures, etc.
the usual therapies recommended for heart patients which include: statins, having stents put in, bypasses, and low-fat diets.
Current heart disease theory has been espoused since the 1940s—that you have these four major vessels and plaque formation blocks one of the major arteries and this prevents blood from going where it should flow and causes eschemia (lack of oxygen and food to certain heart cells)
specifics of treatment are as follows: bypasses (to get around that blockage), angioplasty (like roto-rooter to get through the blockage and putting a stent in to keep it open),low-fat diets (to avoid cholesterol in the blood), Lipitor and statin drugs (to reduce the plaque which we thought was cholesterol)
the thrombogenic theory was embraced by both conventional and alternative doctors. What started him considering that the thrombogenic theory could be incorrect
email that was the turning point for Dr. Cowan’s perspective
how he spent years digging into this to see if it had any merit
if the problem were plaque in the blood, why is it accumulating in one place, but not in the artery leading to the foot or the spleen?
how only two organs get attacks: the brain (stroke) and the heart (heart attack)
how he looked at studies of hearts with plaque (those who had heart attacks and young, healthy people)
18% of heart attack victims (who die w/in one hour) have over 90% blockages (stenosis) so what does this mean for the other 72%?
you get more blockages the longer you live (after a heart attack) which suggests that the blockages are a consequence, not the cause of the heart attack
how when they studied the hearts of the black men injected with syphilis, they saw blockages and waited to see if they’d have a heart attack in the quadrant with the blockage and less than 10% did
how diabetes and smoking, stress and high blood pressure are known risk factors for heart attacks but how they don’t affect plaque; they only affect small blood vessels
how the heart has a flexible rhythm (not a metronome, but not off-beat, exactly either)
people who have heart attacks (over 95% of them) had a decrease in their parasympathetic nervous system just prior to the event (could have been stress, diabetes, poor food, not enough human touch, or time in nature…)
how if you’re normal and you have psychological, physical or emotional stress, that’s just life. But if you have a constantly stressed parasympathetic nervous system, you’ll have a parasympathetic insult and there will be a shift from the heart getting its fuel from fat to getting its fuel from glucose (and that’s inefficient and leads to lactic acid accumulating)
how to avoid this we need to shore up our parasympathetic nervous system
why he recommends the medicine from the plant Strophantus; it’s a copy of a hormone we make and it converts lactic acid into the main fuel for the heart
a German study where out of 150 people, in one week 124 were angina-free and in two weeks, 146 were free just taking the extract of the Strophantus seed or the chemical made into a medicine
how the traditional lifestyle nurtures the parasympathetic nervous system and is parasympathetic-friendly: work 18 hours a week, laugh, tell stories, eat for fun, connecting with nature and others
how our modern lifestyle is the opposite. We’re lucky if we get 18 hours a month doing those things. Life is stressful, there’s economic insecurity, diabetes, smoking, etc. We set ourselves up for parasympathetic nervous system collapse.

Resources:
humanheartcosmicheart.com – studies on heart attacks, resources, Tom’s book
Heartattacknew.com – video describing these things, print version: find book at the bottom of the site:
Baroldi, G.: „The Etiopathogenesis of Coronary Heart Disease: A Heretical Theory Based on Morphology“

#58 Should we eat grains? (Principle #6) w/ Sally Fallon Morell

Many trendy diets restrict the intake of grains. Sally Fallon Morell addresses this issue by doing what she does best—looking back at the traditions of the past to see how they prepared and enjoyed grains, nuts, and seeds. In today’s show, she discusses the benefits of grains, as long as they are properly prepared for ease of digestion and to unlock their valuable nutrient content.
Sally touches on:

why grains are difficult to digest. The coating protects the grain so that it can be stored for a long time, but that “preservative” makes it for our stomachs to handle.
how to break down the coating. The grain can be made to sprout or pre-digested, in effect, through moisture, acidity, and time. These three are nature’s system for neutralizing the preservatives/anti-nutrients in these foods.
how fermentation/preparation is a type of pre-digestion
how this process also makes the nutrients more available, and removes toxins
how animals that eat seeds and grass and such have multiple stomachs and one of the stomachs serves as a holding tank, full of bacteria, and so it has moisture, acidity, and time to essentially “ferment” or prepare the grains so that they can be digested
how human beings are more like dogs or wolves with only one stomach which is why we need to find a way to prepare the grains for digestion
how all traditional cultures ferment their grains
the ill effects Sally experienced when eating grains that were not soaked
the best grain to begin soaking and how to do it
why it’s a good idea to eat sourdough bread (and how even some people w/ grain intolerances or celiac disease can sometimes tolerate it)
the importance of not having certain food groups off limits for children
grains around the world: quinoa – South America, wheat – North Africa, oats – outer Hebrides, rye – Switzerland, Cherokee bread, tamales, flatbread – Iran, grains – Australian Aborigines
why nuts need special preparation, too. There are enzyme-inhibitors in the nuts.
how roasting is one way to prepare nuts, but it’s better to make “crispy nuts” (soaking them in salt water 6-8 hours and then dehydrating them).
how nuts are not soaked in an acidic medium, but a salty one. E.g., the Aztecs soaked their nuts in salt water. Pistachios in the Middle East are soaked in salt water.
how properly preparing nuts makes them easier to digest and changes the taste slightly
People around the world prepare their nuts and grains this way.
In Ireland, Sally found people would prepare their oats by soaking them and cooking them but then they would set them aside and let them ferment.
the difference yeast made in the bread-making process
the prevalence of gluten sensitivity. Gluten is the protein that is in some grains, mainly wheat.
the enzyme in our guts that is supposed to break down gluten is impaired or lacking
how wheat has 10 applications of chemicals from seed to storage \
why grains are not a good choice for baby’s first food

Resources:
“Nourishing Traditions” cookbook by Sally Fallon Morell that includes recipes for oatmeal, pancakes, and recipes for preparing nuts
“The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca” by Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca
WAPF shopping guide (available for a donation, free to members)
Nourishingtraditions.com – Sally’s blog

#57 – Invisible variables that affect our health

At the start of a new year, many of us make resolutions related to food and exercise. Today, fitness guru and health expert Ben Greenfield discusses variables which are often-overlooked when it comes to our health. Ben is a triathlete, health coach, and author. He has a depth of knowledge that he pulls from to address these issues. Among other topics, he touches on music, sunshine, fresh air, and posture. He gives very practical tips that can easily be adopted into healthy habits that will serve us well in the new year and beyond….

Listen as he touches on:

why good health has to do with more than just what we eat
how invisible variables that affect our health
how tones/music increase brain stimulation and affect the vagus nerve
the effects of too much sitting
how ancient peoples would squat, rather than sit
how poor posture doesn’t just cause low back pain–it affects testosterone, growth hormone, vascular flow of blood, nutrient delivery and even the shape of cells. It can cause heart issues, too.
how simple it is to change our posture
our habits of hunching over our phones, computers, and steering wheels
our need to develop a willingness to break social norms and develop a new mindset about our body position
how a little movement sprinkled throughout the day can combat some of the ill effects of prolonged sitting
how Ben includes inversion and eldoa movement in his day
why walking outside barefoot is good for big toe flexibility and overall foot shape, and balance
how to build up flexibility when learning to squat more
what Ben did to combat lower back pain
the benefits of a foam roller and yoga hip openers
how he started making sure he didn’t spend more than one hour sitting and would stretch for at least 6 seconds on each side (minimum time to allow tendons to relax)
the importance of establishing habits of movement: sitting for 55 minutes = lunge time, on a plane = squats in bathroom and quad stretch time
the plentiful benefits of being outside, of sunlight and fresh air
how you supply your body with energy when you combine clean eating with sunlight
how sunlight actually affects the structure of water; it creates an “exclusion” zone of positive ions and this allows fluids to flow more readily—all of this means it could dramatically reduce heart disease if we simply were exposed to more sunlight
how sunshine increases blood flow
how fresh air exposes us to negative ions. (There is also the absence of mold, negative compounds, phytoestrogens in cleaning chemicals, etc.–things in the indoor air that we can’t control.)
all of our exposure to computers, appliances, indoor lighting, etc. affects our bodies’ internal balance of ions. These give us too many positive ions and we can develop an imbalance.
why the Japanese recommend shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) to combat health issues
how salivary and plasma cortisol decrease when we spend time outside
how it’s worthwhile to get outside, even during the cold weather months, for exposure of our our eyes, hands, and faces to sunlight
how we can “bio hack” and imitate what nature does but nothing beats the real thing
how to even “bio hack” our home environment to mitigate what we’re exposed to (using plants, negative ion generators and HEPA filters)
the one thing you should do (not even listed above) to improve your health in 2017 (that only takes 5 minutes a day)

Resources:
Bengreenfieldfitness.com – Ben’s website (w/ access to articles, his podcast, and more)
“The sound of healing” by Michael Tyrell
“Move your DNA: restore your health through natural movement” by Katie Bowman
“The body electric” by Robert Becker
Forest bathing
Live link: nasa houseplant study https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study

#56 Best of 2016: Go with your gut!

This special three-part episode features highlights from three of our top episodes of 2016.

Dr. Tom Cowan is a holistic doctor with a private practice in California. Tom talks about taking your health into your own hands and how you need a healthy dose of skepticism when working with conventional or even holistic doctors!
He touches on:

what it means to be a holistic doctor
how he got into the field of medicine in the first place
why he didn’t “buy” the superficiality of doctors’ conclusions
how most doctors confuse the therapy and the disease. He uses the example of pus—the body’s therapy for a problem—and a splinter—the disease. A doctor might try to do something to rid the body of the “pus” when he/she should be working on identifying and eliminating the splinter.
why it’s important to search for the root cause of the health problem
when you ask a doctor the reason you are sick, the answer is usually “Genetics,” “stress,” or “I don’t know.”
how infrequently doctors attempt to search for a cause or cure of a condition
medicines frequently do not resolve the root issue (they just address a symptom, like coughing, arthritis, allergic reactions, etc.)
how/why we’ve created a consumers approach to medicine

Resources:
Fourfoldhealing.com – Dr. Cowan’s website
Humanheartcosmicheart.com – “Human heart, cosmic heart” by Dr. Tom Cowan
For the show in its entirety, go to #2 “The deeper reasons behind why people get sick.”

Charlotte Smith is a dynamic woman with a remarkable story. Her children’s struggle with eczema led her to raw milk as a possible cure. And this discovery changed the trajectory of her life. Today, among many other endeavors, Charlotte is the owner of Champoeg Creamery, a micro dairy in Oregon. Do you want to know why people are pushing for the legality of raw milk in all 50 states? Are you curious about what draws people into drinking it in the first place?

In this episode, Charlotte discusses:

her kids’ struggle with eczema
how she pursues vitamins, steroids, salves, herbs—just about anything to find them relief
how this pursuit led her to finding raw milk
the health benefits they experienced (her son’s hands cleared up in 2 weeks, and resolved completely in 1 month; her daughter’s condition cleared up in 6 months)
how raw milk improved the entire family’s health (fewer colds/flus the first year, her seasonal allergies improved, and more)
how she didn’t really research the benefits (or potential risks) of raw milk before trying it
how she was unfamiliar with the truth that food could be one’s medicine
how to make sure your milk comes from a safe source
how the CDC makes raw milk seem more dangerous by skewing the statistics to include issues with raw cheese

Resources:
Champoegcreamery.com – info on Charlotte’s microdairy
Realmilk.com – site for finding local sources of raw milk
Rawmilkpro.com – for ideas on how to produce raw milk safely
For the show in its entirety, go to episode #10 “Raw milk: One story.”

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is the author of the book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” which has sold over half a million copies. Why has it done so well? Because Natasha has made clear to us the link between our health and our gut health. She explains “leaky gut” syndrome and its tie to numerous chronic illnesses. Listen and learn about how the body can heal itself.

Natasha discusses:

how she was a neurologist when she noticed that many patients had gastrointestinal issues, as well
how her specialty did not deal with that, considering GI issues something for the GI doctors to look at
how her own son’s diagnosis of autism woke her up and made her investigate the relationship between the gut and the brain and overall health
the need for people to look beyond whatever their conventional doctors are saying; the need for people to investigate and find their own solutions
the importance of providing the body with natural means to heal itself
the leaky gut’s link to autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, and schizophrenia
how 90% of the cells and genetics in our body are made up of gut flora; how the other 10% of us is just the shell for the microbiome
how when gut flora is damaged, this leads to nutritional deficiencies b/c their food is not digesting properly and at the same time there are toxins (that should leave the body) which flow into the bloodstream b/c the gut wall is compromised
this leads to beneficial species of microbes are replaced by pathogenic species of microbes (disease-causing bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc.)
when these get into the brain it causes “gut and psychology syndrome.” When they get into another part of the body, it causes “guy and physiology syndrome.”
how there are over 200 auto-immune conditions when your own immune system is attacking your body (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, arthritis, epilepsy, psoriasis, etc.)
how no matter how far away from the digestive organs the problems appear, the root issue is a damaged gut
the treatment is to normalize the gut flora (drive out pathogens, and replace them with good gut bacteria) and heal and seal the gut wall
the GAPS nutritional protocol will do this
what pokes the holes in our gut wall (including the toxins all around us and in us)

Resources:
gapsdiet.com – information on the GAPS diet and Natasha’s book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome”
For the show in its entirety, go to episode #5 “Gut: key to good health”

#55 The Motherhood diet, Sandrine Perez

Sandrine Perez has a background in education and therapy so she was well-equipped to launch Nourishing our Children, a project of the Weston A. Price Foundation, in 2005. Its mission is to educate and inspire parents to return to the whole, natural foods that have produced generation after generation of healthy children. This is exactly what Sandrine focuses on in today’s episode. The motherhood diet emphasizes what mothers should before conception, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.

In today’s show, Sandrine touches on:

how we can begin to prepare our bodies for our children, even before conception
what motivated Sandrine to begin the “Nourishing our children” project
why prenatal vitamins cannot make up for a nutrient-poor diet
why a person cannot simply eat whatever they like during pregnancy
how traditional people had foods that they would offer women in the childbearing years, and those who were expecting and nursing
why food is preferred over prenatal vitamins
Sandrine’s personal story – how her mother abandoned her traditional diet in favor of convenience foods and how this impacted Sandrine’s health
Sally Fallon Morell’s story – how she had poor eyesight and crooked teeth but nourished herself well and reversed the “trend” and showed that such concerns are not genetic. None of her children needed orthodontics or glasses.
the freshness of traditional foods (neither canned nor boxed, w/o additives or preservatives)
the relevance of Dr. Price’s research today
the Weston A. Price Foundation’s specific dietary guidelines for pregnant and nursing moms
how that diet includes liver, fish eggs, eggs, beef and lamb, sardines, butter, and lard and more
resources for how to find these foods, prepare such foods, and include them in your diet
why the diet is very heavy with animal foods
the list of foods to avoid (which includes “trans fats” and processed oils)
why the simplest foods are the best (i.e. “one-ingredient foods”)
which traditional oils and fats are best (including butter, suet, lard, cold-pressed olive oil, marine oil)
the oxymoron of the phrase “junk food”
how critical it is to avoid commercial fried foods, sugar, white flour, caffeine, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, soy imitation foods, etc.
how diet impacts the quantity and quality of breastmilk
the importance to nutrition for top quality breastmilk
the links to studies that show the wide range of fat content in breastmilk and how it depends on the mother’s diet (2% milk v. 9 % milk)
what the “motherhood diet” has to offer

Resources:
Nourished Children – support group – private, closed FB group w/ peer-to-peer support – https://www.facebook.com/groups/nourishedchildren/
Nourishing Our Children – https://www.facebook.com/nourishingourchildren/
Nourished Families series: https://nourishingourchildren.org/category/nourished-families/ “The Tale of two brothers” – post on the blog comparing two children https://nourishingourchildren.org/2012/12/07/two-brothers/
“The optimal diet for pregnant and nursing mothers” – live link (include what to eat and what to avoid) – http://bit.ly/mothersdiet
“Beautiful babies” by Kristen Michaelis – https://nourishingourchildren.org/2013/02/11/beautiful-babies/

Why prenatal vitamins are not recommended: http://bit.ly/prenatal-post
The optimal diet for pregnant and nursing mothers: http://bit.ly/mothersdiet
How to alleviate nausea when pregnant http://bit.ly/alleviatenausea

#54 Vaxxed: producer’s commentary, Del Bigtree

This is an important episode on a very controversial topic. Producer Del Bigtree gives the back story on how he got involved in the making of the movie “Vaxxed.” Some call the movie “anti-vaccine” but its focus is on Dr. William Thompson, the whistleblower at the Center for Disease Control who exposed the manipulation of the results of a study on one vaccine: the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella).

Some question the motives of the key players in this explosive story—Brian Hooker, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, and Dr. Thompson. But Bigtree calls into question the motives of those trying to silence him (and others) who want to help parents make informed decisions when it comes to vaccinations.

In this episode, Del discusses:

his work on “Doctors” and “The Dr. Phil Show”
how he got involved in the project “Vaxxed”
his concern about the scientific fraud – the cover-up at the CDC – and why it was hidden from the public for 10 years
how the story broke and his shock at how no major networks or newspapers covered the story
how SB 277 a California law was pushed through (no exemptions to the vaccination schedule allowed for school-aged children)
the difference between news and propaganda
how he connected with Dr. Andrew Wakefield
his concern over corruption at the CDC and the related media cover up (pharmaceutical industry’s influence = the largest lobby in Washington – the ratio is 2 to 1 over oil & gas)
1986 vaccine compensation act allows for parents of vaccine-injured children to seek compensation from the government (pharmaceutical companies are not liable for damages)
some 3.8 billion dollars are paid out every year to compensate families
side note: you can’t sue for vaccine damages, but you can for drugs (which is why vaccines are a better bet for pharmaceutical companies and why they are pushing to get more approved for use)
why vaccines are forced on us (clearly the agenda is not the health of our children)
the CDC’s push for “Healthy people 2020” – 100% compliance of adult vaccination schedule
how the media is being influenced by the drug companies–notice all the pharma ads on during news breaks and how CNN is sponsored primarily by Merck, for example
how the study in the CDC was prompted from the UK b/c Dr. Andrew Wakefield (working in the UK) found a relationship (not conclusive) between vaccines/autism (he was actually studying the link between digestive issues and autism but he came across this)
how the CDC was ordered by congress to do a study on the vaccine schedule/timing to see if it was a factor in the likelihood of developing autism
how the study was conducted on a group of 3000 children in Georgia
the result was a statistically significant increase rate in autism in African American boys, in particular
how the timing affected all children
the focus on “isolated autism” (children who were healthy to start with and had no signs of illness before being vaccinated). In this case, children of every race were 7x more likely to develop autism if they received their vaccines on time
how Dr. Thompson (the whistleblower) stands by what he said in a statement (he said that he wasn’t anti-vaccine, but that he was concerned about the safety of vaccines and the ethics of the study)
how Thompson has met with Congressman Bill Posey of Florida and that when Bigtree spoke with Posey, Posey said that the film is accurate and reflects what Thompson had told him
Parents need to be able to have a say on what their children are given

Resources:
Vaxxed.com – info on the movie and action points for activism

#53 Make mead like a Viking, Jereme Zimmerman

Jereme Zimmerman is a homesteader and the author of “Make mead like a Viking.” In today’s episode he unlocks the brewing secrets of the ancient Norse and explains how home-brewing mead can be not only simple, but fun. You’ll learn lots about this unique fermented drink and Jeremy’s own story about he got into this natural, homesteading lifestyle.

There are health benefits related to making your ferments, of course. The active enzymes and probiotics in the food are great for gut health. Antioxidants are cancer-fighting agents. And our immune system gets boosts from all of the above. But there is more still. Making mead (and other fermented foods) requires cooperating with nature, and adds a sense of beauty and mystery and community to our lives.

In today’s episode, Jereme touches on:

the definition of mead (basically a fermented drink made of honey and spring water)
describes how simple it is to ferment
what made him a homesteader, fermentation enthusiast, and self-described “Appalachian Yeti Viking”
his childhood on a goat farm in Kentucky
when he first learned about mead
how he discovered Norse mythology and learned the story of how mead went from their gods to people
discusses the importance of raw/real honey as the starting point for mead (it is a natural antibiotic, & has healing properties)
explains the fermentation process and how it magnifies the properties of the honey
how you can toy with the recipe by aging mead and adding spices
how it can be made in 30 days to take to holiday parties – spiced mead
the alcohol content of mead
why he considers himself a “modern homesteader”
how he noticed improved digestion upon including more fermented foods in his diet
why homemade is better than store-bought even if it’s labeled “probiotic-rich”’
how to avoid mistakes when making mead
why “wild yeast” is your friend
how to transfer mead to the right environment so it doesn’t turn into vinegar
how part of the fun of fermenting is the lifestyle you become a part of
the purpose of an air lock (keeping outside air out and letting the CO2 escape to avoid explosions)
what baby steps he recommends to begin fermenting

Resources: Jereme’s website and blog – jereme-zimmerman.com
“Make mead like a Viking” by Jereme Zimmerman

# 52 – Practical tips for parents, Kelly Moeggenborg

Tired of food battles and complaints at the dinner table? Do you worry that your kids not getting enough of the good stuff? Does your idea of whipping up a quick meal include a visit to the neighborhood fast food restaurant? Kelly Moeggenborg has been there and done that. Today, she has tips to help you transition your family to a more nutrient-dense, real food diet. She also has practical suggestions that will save you both time and money. Kelly understands the challenges parents face because she is still in the trenches herself. This is one reason she launched the “Kelly the Kitchen Kop” blog in 2008; she wanted to build a community where people could exchange ideas about how to best overcome poor dietary patterns. You will enjoy learning from all she has gleaned over the years and will most certainly walk away with a tip or two that you can apply immediately that will improve your own health and that of your family.

Kelly discusses:

dealing with her own son who was a typical “terrible two”
how her son’s behavior changed when she switched to real food
how her own weight loss plan led her to WAPF and the Wise Traditions diet
how she had digestive issues that she thought were simply “normal”
how eager she is to help others find how to save money and time while cooking real food
tips for keeping meals simple
what organic foods you can find at bulk stores (pastured butter, organic catsup, etc.)
how she came up with the blog name Kelly the kitchen kop
ideas from readers on how to get kids to love real food
Kelly’s own ideas, which include involving them in meal planning and cooking
how to swap out bad ingredients for good ingredients when cooking, and how to teach kids to do the same
the satisfying nature of real food – its good taste and its affect on mood
how trial and error has helped her own cooking skills improve
how her kids’ palate has changed over time
how Kelly deals with “forbidden” foods (hint: she doesn’t really have any, so as not to alienate her kids)
what you can learn from “food flops”
how to avoid food battles
how to help kids wean off junk food
the clean sweep she made in the kitchen when she realized the kind of food she was serving her family
the importance of getting on the same page as your spouse
the French technique for helping children develop a varied palate
her most important tip for transitioning to real food (hint: it has to do with cooking at home)

Resources:
Kelly’s blog – http://kellythekitchenkop.com
“Real food for Rookies” by Kelly Moeggenborg
For the free printables Kelly mentioned, sign up for her newsletter here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/Free/

#51 Will Harris – Farming as it should be

Will Harris is a farmer with a heart the size of Georgia! (I would say Texas but I got to spend time with him on his farm in Georgia last week, so Georgia, it is!) He was trained to be an industrial farmer, as his father was, but his conscience got the better of him. In 1995, he decided to turn the farm around and return to farming the land as his great-grandfather had, some 150 years ago. He eschewed antibiotics and hormones for the cattle; he left behind the pesticides and chemical fertilizers for the land. Now he sleeps better at night and has a thriving eco-system of a farm!

The benefits extend far and wide. He discusses the scope of the changes and how you can make a difference in the regenerative agriculture movement, as a consumer. In today’s interview, Will touches on:

why Will decided to change from the monoculture system (raising cattle only) to where his farm is today
why current “animal welfare” standards fall woefully short of what is morally right for animals
the purpose of industrialization (moving the farm to the factory farm model), centralization (when agriculture became regionalized) and commoditization (how the USDA’s minimum standards changed the quality of the products being sold)
the unintended consequences that resulted—poor animal welfare, deteriorating soil, impoverishment of rural America
the definition of true animal welfare, that allows animals to express instinctive behavior
why cattle have been raised on corn (to make them fat/he likens it to candy for kids)
and why most farmers give them “performance enhancing drugs” (hormone implants & subtherapeutic antibiotics
how he initiated the change on the farm (giving up the drugs and the corn and confinement feeding)
how he became aware of the impact of using chemical fertilizer and pesticides on the pasture
the financial cost of the switch from industrialized farming to regenerative agriculture
how White Oak Pastures is one of 17 Savory hubs, where people come to learn about regenerative agriculture
the waste stream on his farm and how it benefits the land
the growth in organic matter in their soil (over 5% now compared to just over .5% in the past)
how White Oak pastures slaughters 140 cattle per day but industrialized farms slaughter 400 per hour!
how a farm is like a stool with three legs: production, processing, marketing
the definition of regenerative agriculture: using animal impact to improve the land, which in turn improves the lives of those who work on the farm, and positively impacts the community
why most of his farming neighbors have not changed their practices

Resources:
Savory.global – holistic management information
Whiteoakpastures.com – info on Will’s farm and online store
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/composting.htm – Cornell university dead animal composting system

#50 – The myths and truths of GMOs, Jeffrey Smith
Jeffrey Smith is the founder of the institute for Responsible Technology. He is also a bestselling author, filmmaker, and GMO expert. Jeffrey’s passion is to make the world aware of the myths and truths of GMOs. You will get the benefit of his years of extensive research and communications on the topic. You’ll learn about the dangers GMOs pose in our food supply and in animals’ feed. Though the consequences are serious, Jeffrey does not leave us without hope. He gives us concrete tips about how to protect ourselves from the health risk GMOs present and suggestions for how to bring about change on a bigger level.

Jeffrey touches on a lot of aspects of the issue, including:

health improvements that people notice when they turn to non-GMO foods
data from doctors & scientists who have documented the results
the definition of GMOs: creating herbicide-tolerant crops
how corn and cotton crops have been impacted
other crops that have also been genetically-modified, including soy, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets, alfalfa, papaya, zucchini, yellow squash, apples and potatoes
what the FDA scientists say about their safety
how Michael Taylor’s leadership at the FDA switched their (Michael Taylor had been an attorney with Monsanto.)
how documents made public from a lawsuit show that scientists at the FDA disagreed with the new policy
how animals that had been fed GMO foods suffered from gastrointestinal problems, immune system problems, reproductive problems, organ problems.
later studies showed early death, tumors, possible cancer, hormone disruption among animals
how people’s health concerns mirror those of the animals
many complain of brain fog, fibromyalgia, immune system concerns, gastrointestinal issues, anxiety, depression, pain, headaches, & skin conditions
how to avoid GMOs
how 58% of Americans say they are looking for non-GMO foods
why we haven’t heard much about the dangers of GMOs
how Europe moved quickly to ban GMOs, but the U.S. has not
the myths promulgated by GMO propaganda machine: how GMOs can feed the world; how GMOs require fewer pesticides
the original purpose of the herbicide Round Up, its properties, & how it is used on our food supply
how Round Up blocks pathways that allow the liver to detox
how animals’ health improves when GMOs are removed from their feed
how to protect your family from GMOs
how the non-GMO label and the organic label together make up the “gold standard”
The three steps he recommends to protect your health and make a difference for everyone

RESOURCES:
“Genetic roulette” movie released in 2012
“Secret ingredients” to be released in 2017
nongmoshoppingguide.com lists 35,000 non-GMO products
responsibletechnology.org (sign up for newsletter)
Institute for Responsible Technology FB page
Secretingredientsmovie.com

#49 – Avoiding mold, Cheryl Ciecko

Cheryl Ciecko is a licensed architect, with a Bachelor’s from the University of Illinois and a Master’s from the University of Minnesota. She brings her architectural background and experience to bear on the topic of mold. Most of us see mold as an unsightly annoyance or breathing irritant, but Cheryl helps us understand the serious threat it can pose to our health.

In today’s show, Cheryl touches on:

her ten-year old daughter’s health concerns which included migraines and coughing fits; got diagnosed with asthma.
how mold was the culprit, affecting her daughter’s health (and eventually other family members’ health, as well)
the health issues that arise from mold in buildings
how you can have symptoms everywhere even if you’re only exposed in one place
how a person can become hypersensitive to mold
how mold can grow in metal duct work
how mold does not just appear as water damage
how aspergillus mold (in the right percentage) can actually kill people
how long it took her daughter to recover her health
how illness may be delayed (husband got sick two years later)
why everyone responds differently to their exposure to toxins
how a plumbing leak can lead to mold in a home (despite taking precautions to avoid mold)
how buildings age and what fosters the growth of mold
why vigilance is key to combat mold
details about mold and how it spreads (the spores are so tiny we can’t see them and they ride on currents of air, on the back of dust spores)
how exposure to mold can result in flu-like symptoms
myths associated with mold: if I can’t smell it, there’s no mold problem; if I don’t see it, there’s no mold.
Drywall v. wood (which one allows for mold growth more easily)
why bleach is not a good tool for mold remediation
the solution for eliminating mold includes finding the source
how checking humidity levels helps combat mold (should be under 45% in winter and between 50-55% in summer)
some signs of mold: toilet seal leaks, buckling or bubbling paint, chalky paint, discoloration
the importance of checking gutters and downspouts and looking for puddling/pooling of water during a rainstorm
why you need to consider your environment when you are looking at what impacts your own health situation

Resources:
cherylciecko.wixsite.com – “Dwelling well in a toxic world”
avoidingmold.com
FB group: water damage and mold in buildings

#48 Detox mercury safely, Andy Cutler

Dr. Andy Cutler has a PhD in chemistry from Princeton, and a BS in physics from the University of California. As a chemist, he struggled with symptoms that no doctor could explain and when he found the root cause, he made it his cause to turn things around, both for his own benefit and for the benefit of countless others. The problem was mercury. And its source was the fillings in his mouth.

Andy became a pioneer of a form of chelation for metal toxicity that is unique in its approach, science-based, pragmatic, and safe and successful.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear:

* how Andy discovered he had mercury toxicity
* what to do if you think you may be mercury toxic
* how mercury toxicity is under-diagnosed or labeled as something else: MS, Parkinsons, allergies, autism (to name a few issues)
* the definition of chelation—how to remove mercury, or other heavy metals from the body
* how his own chelation protocol turned his own health around
* how to discern the difference between doctors who are simply good at PR and those who have genuine outcomes that are successful with mercury-toxic patients
* success stories of those who have used Andy’s protocol
* the basic rules of Andy’s protocol and the supplements he recommends
* why his chelation method is tailored to what each individual can tolerate
* why chlorella, cilantro, and other chelation approaches (along with improper dosages) don’t work and make people feel worse
* the test you can take to see if you have issues with heavy metal in your system
* the two things you should look for when seeking help online
* Andy’s simple recommendation for one thing you can do to improve your health

Resources:
Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment by Dr. Andy Cutler
Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities by Dr. Andy Cutler
www.noamalgam.com
www.noamalgam.com/hairtestbook.html
Andy Cutler Chelation Think Tank (Facebook group)
Frequent-dose-chelation (Yahoo group)

#47 Ben Greenfield – Fuel for the athlete
Athletes seek to maximize their performance, often at the expense of their long-term health and longevity. Ben, a former bodybuilder, is an ironman triathlete, speaker, and author who understands how to nourish the body for both peak results and optimal health. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology. Ben coaches and trains individuals for general health, longevity, weight loss, lean muscle gain, holistic wellness, and sports performance–using a real food protocol.

Says Ben, “I love getting fit, feeling good about the way my body looks, and fulfilling my deep-seeded drive to live life to the fullest by achieving difficult feats of physical performance. But I was fed up with feeling like crap from all the extreme exercising, strange foods, feeling of constant stress and soreness, and worry about the toll my hectic lifestyle was taking on my body. So I have found a way of training, eating and living that is perfectly healthy and natural, but still allows me to look, feel and perform at my peak capabilities.”

In today’s episode you will hear:
–   Ben’s story- what got him into the fitness field, what he learned from his bodybuilding years, and why he believes real food is key for real results
–   why overly processed foods are not helpful to the elite athlete
–   what makes up “frankenfuels” and what does not
–   why so many athletes sacrifice longevity and gut health for performance
–   the damage done by fructose and maltodextrin (ingredients in many sports bars/gels)
–   the effects of caffeine on the central nervous system
–   why so many athletes are suffering from acne, joint pain, and gut problems
–   the books that motivate Ben
–   alternatives to the packaged sports drinks, bars, and gels
–   how to travel light, even with real food, in competition
–   the top snack foods Ben recommends
–   the specific benefits of chia seeds and macadamia nuts, coconut oils and more
–   the benefit of high sat fat and ketones
–   why Ben believes athletes “bonk” or get fatigued (it’s not from a lack of sugar)
–   the benefits of pemmican (a rendered Native American fat)
–   why gut and adrenal issues are so prevalent among athletes
–   the aging caused by excessive protein
–   the dangers of a low-fat, high protein diet
–   how one source of gut distress is improper preparation of beans and lentils
–   the problems with too much exercise, inadequate calorie intake, and not enough emphasis on recovery methods like meditation and adequate sleep
–   Ben’s personal sweet spot – percentages of fat, protein, and carbs
–   how his own body suffered when he followed the “carb loading” diet often recommended for elite athletes
–   the issues that come with going too low-carb
–   The surprising “one thing” that he recommends people should do to improve their health

Resources:
Bengreenfieldfitness.com

“Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health and Life” (http://www.BeyondTrainingBook.com) by Ben Greenfield
“Feed Zone Portables: A Cookbook of On-the-Go Food for Athletes” by Allen Lim
“Anti-fragile: Things That Gain from Disorder” by Nassim Nicholas Talib

#46 – Why our children are so sick? Beth Lambert

Beth is a health professional whose heart is aching over the next generation. She calls their exposure to environmental and dietary toxins “the perfect storm.” Our over-use of antibiotics, our nutrient-poor diet, and symptom-suppressive meds have contributed to the decline in our children’s health.

Beth cites a rise in allergies, inflammatory conditions, autism, autoimmune disorders, asthma, reflux, sensory issues, GI issues, ADHD.And she gives suggestions about how to take steps to navigate this crisis and ensure improved health for the next generation and those to come.

In today’s show she touches on:

–   how/why our health care system is reactive rather than proactive
–   conventional doctors’ m.o. (writing prescriptions, looking to suppress symptoms
–   how health issues with her daughter, Aubrey, triggered her interest in chronic conditions plaguing the next generation
–   how they found the link between food and their daughter’s health
–   how they healed her leaky gut and corrected the imbalances in her body
–   the move to overhaul the family’s diet and clean up their home environment
–   how other families deal with health concerns
–   the story of one military family whose autistic son returned to good health
–   how her group, Epidemic Answers, is working to scientifically document how recovery happens (through the “Documenting Hope” project)
–   how real health recovery requires serious lifestyle changes
–   how adults and children can deal with living a counter-cultural lifestyle
–   the health revolution that is transpiring
–   how healing starts with dietary change and a change in mindset

Resources:
Acompromisedgeneration.com – website about Beth Lambert’s book “A Compromised Generation”
epidemicanswers.com – Epidemic Answers, the non-profit established for helping parents and children
documentinghope.com – “Documenting hope”project for recording scientific data on health recovery
Institute for Integrative Nutrition –– integrativenutrition.com – health coach training
Nutritional therapy association – nutritionaltherapy.com – holistic nutrition education

#45 – The Skinny on Fat, Nina Teicholz

Nina Teicholz got her start as a restaurant review columnist. She eschewed meat and fats, but noticed that the chefs preferred preparing dishes with plenty of both. To her surprise, as she ate their food, she began to lose weight, her cholesterol numbers were good, and her health improved. Plus, she was satiated in a way she hadn’t been by her former diet.

Intrigued, she began looking into the role of dietary fats. After nearly a decade of research, she published “The Big Fat Surprise.” The Economist called it the #1 science book of 2014! It was one of the first publications that made the case for why saturated fats—the kind found in dairy, meat, and eggs—are not bad for our health!

In today’s episode, Nina recounts:
–   her journey as an investigative journalist
–   her personal dietary habits
–   scientists’ reactions to her probing questions, like “Do you think it’s true that maybe dietary fat is not bad for health?” and “Is it possible that saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease?”
–   how fat came to be blamed for diabetes, heart problems, and cancer
–   what happens to people who cut out fat (they increase carbs, and then become overweight and diabetic)
–   why food companies do not want to embrace a message that would hurt their bottom line
–   examples of people who eat a high-fat diet (the Italians and Maasai) and thrive
–   how Americans have followed the dietary guidelines, to the detriment of their health
–   how carbs turn into fatty acids in our blood, not fat
–   that a healthier diet is the one that reduces carbs and increases fat
–   how and why vegetable oils increase rates of illnesses today
–   how meat, whole fat dairy are healthier than we’ve been told
–   how “fat replacers” are used to make food taste better, but that often load our foods with sugars and grains

Resources:
thebigfatsurprise.com
“The Big Fat Surprise” by Nina Teicholz

#44 Principle #5 – Lacto-fermented foods, Sally Fallon

Go to a farmers market just about anywhere and you will see something new. In the past three to five years, fermented foods have joined the products being sold at these markets. People are realizing the benefits of these foods that have been a part of traditional diets around the globe for hundreds and thousands of years!

Principle #5 of the Wise Traditions diet points to the fact that traditional diets are high in enzymes and beneficial bacteria. And lacto-fermented foods are often the source of these. From sauerkraut in Europe, to kimchi and pickled foods in Asia, to fermented fish in the North—these foods boost the immune system, protect against disease, and aid digestion.

In today’s episode, you will learn:
–   how lacto-fermented foods are nearly universal in traditional diets
–   the two types of fermentation
–   how sauerkraut is made
–   the role of salt in the fermentation process
–   how fermentation may have come about
–   the wisdom of traditional cultures and the scientific reasons behind fermentation
–   what specific fermented foods are enjoyed in various parts of the world
–   why Sally considers ferments “super” raw foods
–   how 70% of our body’s energy is spent on digestion (and how fermented food pre-digests our food, in a sense)
–   the story of one woman with IBS and how fermented food helped her
–   how to tell the difference between fermented foods and those prepared in vinegar
–   how fermentation can boost levels of vitamin C, minerals, B vitamins
–   how some anti-nutrients are partially neutralized by the fermentation process
–   how lacto-fermented drinks are also a good source of enzymes and bacteria (and serves as an alternative to soft drinks and alcoholic beverages)
–   how these foods inoculate the gut, in essence, with good bacteria needed to resist disease
–   how these foods are protective against cancer
–   how the fermented foods shore up the “biofilm” that lines the intestinal tract
–   how to eat the right balance of fermented food
–   how these foods replace enzymes lost during cooking and help with the digestion of fat
–   whether you should eat more fermented foods or simply take probiotic pills

Resources;
Westonaprice.org – click on “about us” and look for the “Principles of a healthy diet” for the full list of Wise Traditions dietary principles

#43 Beautiful Broth, Lance Roll

Lance Roll was a professional chef who seemed to understand food from every angle. But in 2006, he got a hold of Sally Fallon Morell’s “Nourishing Traditions” cookbook and his perspective was turned on its head. This might seem like hyperbole but it is not. Lance himself said that chefs are primarily concerned with flavor. What he learned from being exposed to WAPF and the Wise Traditions diet is that nutrient-density is key. (Good flavor follows, of course!)

It wasn’t long before Chef Lance switched not only his own family’s diet but his entire approach to cooking. He even started his own company, along with a series of trademarks (including: “love is the ultimate spice”)!

In today’s episode you will hear:
– how Lance shifted from a conventional cooking to cooking the Wise Traditions way
– how he changed his own cooking at home as well
– his focus on bone broth
– the difference between broth and stock
– why he believes broth is gaining popularity
– bone broth benefits
– how bone broth helps heal the intestinal tract
– how it helps with absorption of vitamins and minerals (macro and trace)
– why broth makes for an amazing recovery drink for athletes
– healing stories (a young girl with leaky gut and eczema, and a man with ulcerative colitis)
– how bone broth can be used during intermittent fasting
– how satiating bone broth is
– why broth is considered a weight loss “secret”
– the bone broth process used by The Flavor Chef company
– the high-quality ingredients used for the The Flavor Chef’s broth (all organic meat and vegetables)
– why 90% of the people who love bone broth don’t make their own
– how his company sells broth that is in keeping with the GAPS diet protocol and for those with autoimmune conditions
– Chef Lance’s personal health tip

Resources:
“Dr. Kellyann’s Bone broth Diet” by Kellyann Petrucci
“Nourishing Broth” by Sally Fallon Morell and Kayla Daniels
“The Bone Broth Secret” by Louise Hay and Heather Dane Theflavourchef.com
Bonebroth.com
@TheFlavorChef (Instagram, Twitter)

#42 Real food changes lives, Mandy Blume

Mandy Blume is a fascinating woman with a passion to bring health and wellness to thousands of children in the U.S. foster care system. She started out just by taking in foster children herself and then the dream and work expanded from there. At California Polytechnic State University, Mandy graduated with degrees and obtained cooking and nutritional credentials, but what will blow you away is the way she rolls up her sleeves to impact foster children and foster homes.

What you learn today will impact what you eat in your own home and will help you experience the “real food recovery” that Mandy recommends.
In today’s episode, you will hear:
–   how Mandy and her husband began taking in foster kids
–   just how many children are in the foster system
–   how the majority are coming from families with issues related to drug-addiction or domestic violence
–   the stigma of taking in foster children
–   how Mandy relied on “Nourishing traditions” when feeding her children
–   how real food helped the children recover their health
–   how in two months’ time, foster kids’ taste buds would change and how they would begin to eat the real food
–   how Mandy persevered
–   Mandy’s tips for helping children approach food differently
–   the health and trust issues of foster children
–   what happens when foster kids “age out” of the system
–   how their first foster child battled with cancer and how they approached his healing
–   the catalyst for her non-profit, her new book, and more
Resources:
NTA – Nutritional Therapy Association
Realfoodrecovery.org – Mandy’s website
Mandy’s books: “Real food recovery” – just released 9/20
“How our family survived: 10 ways to holistically manage cancer (and fostering)”

#41 On Fat, Raw Milk and Ghee

Sandeep Agarwal  is the founder of the Pure Indian Foods company which makes grassfed organic ghee and sells traditional organic Indian foods. This was not his original passion. He was working as a computer scientist when his young two year-old began to get chronic colds, chest congestion, and asthma. When Sandeep began to research how to help him, he came across the Weston A. Price Foundation.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
–   about his young son’s health crisis, how he had to use an inhaler, meds, nebulizer, etc.
–   why the Weston A. Price Foundation’s principles resonated with him
–   how he obtained and drank raw milk back in India
–   the dietary changes his family made, to align with the Wise Traditions diet
–   how his son improved
–   what ancient Indian texts say about raw milk and other healing practices
–   about Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing science which is 5000 years old
–   about his family’s ghee business back in India
–   how he and his wife started the business
–   the process for making ghee
–   the chemical composition of butter and ghee
–   how ghee is simply the fat part of the butter
–   why ghee is a good choice for people with dairy sensitivities (works with GAPS diet, for example)
–   what the Sanskrit texts say about ghee
–   the benefits of ghee (which include: good eyesight, rejuvenating, longevity, strength, immunity)
–   the concept of “ojaf “ in ayurvedic tradition
–   why many Indians consider ghee bad for their health
–   why he believes ghee has become so popular today

Sandeep speaks at conferences in the U.S. and India. He is a graduate of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies’ two-year herbalist training program and one-year graduate program. He is passionate about cooking traditional Indian foods using lots of fresh herbs and dry spices.

Resources:
Pureindianfoods.com – website for organic ghee and other organic food products and spices
Butterworld.org – Sandeep is the founder and curator of this traveling exhibition showcasing unique, rare and historical dairy artifacts from around the world

#40 Autoimmune Help with LDN
Linda Elsegood was humiliated and humbled by MS. The degenerative disease had robbed her of her dignity, as she struggled with poor bladder control, choking on her food, brain fog, pain, and balance. As she put it, she “spent a good deal of time on the floor.” She became wheelchair-bound and often wondered if life was worth living. She was in such bad shape, she could only handle being on the computer for about 10 minutes a day, but she persevered, using that time to begin researching how she might regain her health. This is how she came across LDN, low dose naltrexone. Once prescribed to combat heroin and alcohol addiction, apparently it had off-label uses that were promising. She began taking it around the year 2000.

Today, her health and life turned around. She has interviewed hundreds of people, with a variety of conditions, whose health has improved on LDN. Linda has founded the LDN Research Trust, helped pull off a recent LDN conference in Orlando, and has edited and contributed to The LDN Book called “The LDN Book.”

In today’s interview, Linda touches on:
– the 220 auto-immune conditions that can be improved through LDN, including regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, MS, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, autism, exzema, psoriasis, asthma, and more
– her own MS struggles and recovery
– how LDN actually works (boosting endorphins and reducing inflammation)
– studies currently conducted, studying the effects of LDN on Crohn’s, fibromyalgia, regional pain syndrome and tongue cancer
– why some doctors consider LDN almost a holistic medication
– studies on “mouse models” that demonstrate the safety and efficacy of LDN
– the affordability of LDN
– LDN’s efficacy for people with Lyme
– how she designed the LDN book—for both lay people and medical professionals
– how the focus of her book is on main conditions: MS, Lupus, IBS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, thyroid disorders, restless leg, depression, autism, cancer, and inflammation
– how LDN reversed one woman’s alopecia (hair loss) and gut issues

Resources:
Conference videos are available on LDN 2016 Conference
The LDN Book details can be found here.
The LDN and Cancer Documentary Video.
You can listen to LDN prescribing doctors, pharmacists, researchers and LDN users on their Vimeo Channel.
www.ldnresearchtrust.org
www.ldnaware.org

#39 Radical Medicine

Dr. Louisa Williams has been in practice for some 31 years. She kept seeing patients whose symptoms were chronic and she wanted to get at the root cause of their problem. Enter “radical medicine.” The word radical stems from the Latin word “radicalis” which means “of or having roots.”

As a naturopathic doctor, began to work hard to find the underlying cause of disease, not settling for simple diagnoses or treatments of the symptoms. You will glean many fresh ideas for how to approach your own health from Dr. Louisa Williams’ radical approach.

In today’s episode, Louisa touches on the following:
–   radical medicine and what it means to her
–   diagnosis – identifying why the body is susceptible to certain pains or illnesses
–   why even holistic doctors don’t always get to the root of the patient’s problem
–   dental focal infections and how they are linked to our overall health
–   gingivitis and periodontitis – bacteria that threaten our health
–   Dr. Price’s thorough research
–   Root canals – when to have them removed and when to leave them in the mouth
–   Red flags for dentists – how to know if you should find a new one
–   How to handle mercury fillings
–   The dangers of dental galvanism
–   The prevalence of autoimmune diseases
–   How short-term help for the body can sometimes lead to long-term consequences/conditions
–   HP as a proactive approach to protect your health

Resources:
Radicalmedicine.com – ebooks, “Radical Medicine,” and list of clean dental materials
HP test kits available at: Hahnemann pharmacy – San Rafael – hahnemannlabs.com
Helio’s pharmacy – London – helios.co.uk

#38 Principle #4 – All traditional cultures cooked some of their food, and ate some of their animal products raw

Raw food is in! But raw animal products? Not so much! But listen to this: every traditional culture ate some form of their animal foods raw. There are scientific benefits that back up what traditional cultures did instinctively.

Listen and learn from Sally Fallon Morell, the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation. She touches on:

–   what foods have traditionally been eaten raw in various parts of the world
–   the benefits of vitamin B₆ (found in raw animal products)
–   why it’s important both to eat raw and cooked foods
–   why raw food can strain the body
–   why cooking is good, even if it destroys some enzymes
–   why fermented foods are considered “super” raw foods
–   how to begin eating raw food—perhaps starting with dairy: raw milk, raw cheese, raw fermented milk products
–   how to prepare raw food to avoid parasites or sickness
–   why raw egg yolks are great (but raw whites should be avoided)
–   raw meat enjoyed around the world
–   the variety of raw foods
–   how B vitamins help combat fatigue and help with brain clarity
–   why we shouldn’t fear seafood
–   how often you should begin to include raw foods in your diet

Resources: “Nourishing traditions” by Sally Fallon Morell contains recipes for raw meat dishes

#37 Bonus episode: Behind the scenes at WAPF

The mission of the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) is to restore nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. This is a HUGE job which is why WAPF relies on its numerous volunteers. There are 600 chapter leaders worldwide, and countless members and others who share the same passion for wellness through nutrition. Together, WAPF supports movements that contribute to this objective including: accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. Additional goals include the establishment of universal access to clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants.

To undergird the work, WAPF relies on its four staff members. (And the president of WAPF, Sally Fallon Morell, doesn’t count, because she is actually a volunteer!)

How do they do it? How do they answer questions, provide resources, and more? Listen and you’ll learn:

–   about the various “departments” of WAPF (which really consist of only three people)
–   the questions they field that make them smile
–   the backstory of how each office staff member—Tim, Kathy, and Celia—came to work at WAPF
–   how they have seen WAPF grow and impact the dietary habits of the U.S.
–   the projects WAPF is currently working on

If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of WAPF, give a listen. You will be astounded to hear of all they do with such a lean staff!

#36 Protecting food freedom – Pete Kennedy

Pete is an attorney in Sarasota, Florida. He represents you and you may not even know it! He is a board member of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) and he works tirelessly to protect your food freedom—so that you can obtain the food of your choice from the source of your choice. He represents farmers and consumers who want to protect their access to nutrient dense foods, and the ability to grow (and sell) their own. He has backed farmers facing enforcement actions and has counseled on the right to farm, herd shares, buying club operations and more, on the federal and state level.

In today’s episode you will learn:
–   how our food freedom is at risk and what can be done about it
–   where the regulations are coming from and why/how they hinder a small farmer’s business
–   the case of dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger in Wisconsin (who was acquitted on 3 of the 4 counts against him)
–   the diminishing number of dairies in the U.S.
–   the health problems arising from large processing and slaughterhouse plants
–   why farmers need a favorable regulatory climate to succeed
–   how to get involved with FTCLDF, whether you’re a farmer, homesteader, or consumer

Resources:
Weston A. Price Foundation – westonaprice.org
Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) – farmtoconsumer.org
FTCLDF on Twitter – @foodfreedomfund

Episode #35 The Green Vaccine

When Cilla Whatcott’s one year-old daughter had a severe reaction to a vaccine, Cilla took her back to the doctor. After some tests, her daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with aseptic meningitis. The pediatrician did not associate the illness with the vaccine, so Cilla began to investigate alternative therapies to restore her daughter’s health and to protect all of her children from sickness and disease.

This led her to homeopathy and homeoprophylaxis. Cilla now has a PhD in homeopathy and she is the author of several books on the subject. The goal of homeopathy is to educate the immune system and to help the body rediscover how to heal itself. Homeopathy combats chronic health issues including recurring ear infections, asthma, coughs, and more. Homeoprophylaxis (HP) offers natural protection against diseases, so some tout it as the “green vaccine.”

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
–   how HP differs from vaccines (one way is that HP does not cause harm)
–   the many places in the world HP is being used successfully to protect against disease
–   the definition of homeopathy
–   the FDA’s stance on homeopathy
–   studies are being conducted which indicate the efficacy of HP
–   the difference between HP and essential oils
–   stories of how homeopathy combats chronic issues (like asthma, coughs, recurring ear infections, etc.)
–   how parents are pushing for HP as they seek alternative therapies to preserve their children’s health
–   how Worldwide Choice sponsors conference to familiarize medical professionals (and all of us) with the research, theory, and results of HP

Resources:
“There Is a Choice: Homeoprophylaxis” by Cilla Whatcott
“The Solution – Homeoprophylaxis” by Kate Birch and Cilla Whatcott
Worldwidechoice.org – Worldwide Choice website
Worldwidechoice.org/conference – Details on conference October 7-9, 2016, St. Petersburg, Florida (Use code: WAPF for registration discount)

Episode #34 Tired of being tired

Razi Berry was extremely fatigued in her twenties. She describes herself as being like “a wind-up doll that constantly needed winding.” She was suffering with fibromyalgia, pain, hair loss, infertility, and more. Doctors suggested she go on medications and disability. At age 25, this was a diagnosis she could not accept. She became her own “health detective” and came across naturopathic remedies that helped her heal. Changing her diet also led her on the path to wellness.

She is committed to helping others find their way, as well. In today’s episode you will learn:

–   what first steps she took to recover health–including eating more animal products, organ meats, deep breathing, and getting sufficient sleep
–   how she came upon naturopathic medicine
–   the roots of naturopathic medicine (the vitalist movement)
–   the improvements she saw
–   the dangers of detoxing (without a doctor’s support)
–   the principles of naturopathic medicine
–   naturopathic therapies, including hot/cold showers, wet socks, etc.
–   the myth of “side” effects
–   how your skin is a mirror of your health
–   how Razi applies her health approach in her work and at home
–   her most important advice: how to approach your own wellness

Resources:
Naturopathic Doctor News & Review – ndnr.com
Naturopathic health site – thenatpath.com

Episode #33 Allan Savory: Part 2 Holistic Management

Livestock only hope
As a young environmentalist, Allan Savory was convinced that animals were overgrazing, and therefore, turning fertile land into deserts. Many scientists held that same opinion (and many still do). Now, Allan believes that livestock are “our only hope” for greening the world’s deserts and reversing climate change.

In today’s episode, he explains in detail why many efforts to restore the earth (involving the use of technology, fire, rest, or planting trees or crops) are ineffective or temporary solutions. He addresses directly some of the ideas presented in the movie “Cowspiracy,” including the “tragic error” of culling elephant herds (which he and others thought would help heal the land—it did not).

He also covers:
– the deep-seated belief that overgrazing results from too many animals grazing
– lessons learned as he worked with some ranchers to restore the land,
– why you can’t actually overgraze the land
– the problem of over-resting the land
– why the most popular tools to heal the land–technology, fire, planting trees or crops, resting the land—are ineffective
– why animals are our only hope
– how healthy soil can manage all of the methane gas produced by cows
– the problem of factory farming
– where vegetarians have got it exactly right
– what has kept Allan going amidst constant criticism and opposition
– how to apply holistic management, wherever you live

Resources:
TED talk 2013 – Allan Savory: “How to green the world’s deserts and reverse climate change.”
Savory.global – The Savory Institute website
“Holistic management: A new framework for decision-making” by Allan Savory

Episode #32 Allan Savory: Part 1 Holistic Management

Allan Savory, of the Savory Institute, was born in Zimbabwe and was educated in South Africa, where he received bachelor degrees in zoology and botany. He has committed his life to developing sustainable solutions to reverse the desertification of the world’s grassland ecosystems. His quest, and our own, is the preservation of the planet and the survival of the human race.

In this episode, you will discover:

–   the symptoms of desertification: increasing poverty, social breakdown, political unrest, accusation of minority groups, immigration, recruitment of participants in dissident organizations, and climate change
–   the two things most blamed for climate change: fossil resources (coal, oil, gas) and livestock
–   how the management of the resources causes the problem (not the resources themselves)
–   why Allan believes the animals are the only thing that can help us to address climate change
–   how to address global scale desertification
–   the failure of the United Nations’ millennial goals; and the predicted failure of the 17 new sustainable development goals – all of which address symptoms of the issues surrounding climate change but not the root of the problem
–   how a “reductionist” (specialized approach) only makes things worse.
–   the good news: over 40 million acres on 6 continents are being managed holistically
–   what the critics say
–   the definition of holistic management
–   an understanding of regenerative agriculture

Lierre Keith became a vegan as a teenager. She was concerned about animal welfare and environmental degradation. She was passionate and convinced that vegetarianism was the way forward. And yet, almost right away her health began to deteriorate. Listen to her story and you will learn what she discovered about the pitfalls of vegetarianism and alternative solutions for healing the planet. She explains:

–   what persuaded her to become a vegan
–   the health repercussions she began to see right away and in the long term (including fatigue, hypoglycemia, irregular menstrual cycles, dry skin, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, insomnia; and later, degenerative disc and autoimmune diseases)
–   why the vegetarian diet does not meet the needs of the human “template”
–   what’s missing exactly– insufficient fat, not enough protein,
–   the mental issues that can surface (difficulty maintaining a stable mood, struggles with eating disorders, OCD, etc. b/c of dietary deficiencies)
–   how vegetarianism does not lead to saving the planet, the animals, or feeding hungry people
–   the truth about dreadful factory farm conditions
–   the fallacy of the argument: take the 18 lbs. of grain used to feed a cow and give them to a human being (this becomes “agricultural dumping” and becomes a hindrance to allowing people to provide their own food)
–   the motivating ethic of vegans and vegetarians: the values of justice, compassion, and sustainability
–   why animal foods are necessary for the “human template”

Resources:
local chapters of the Weston A. Price Foundation (westonaprice.org – click on “Find a local chapter”)
eatwild.com
lierrekeith.com

Episode #30 Principle #3 – Nutrient density

There are so many approaches to eating “healthy,” how can we figure out what is really best? Which foods will help our bodies function optimally? Principle #3 of the Wise Traditions diet is the key. It is focused on nutrient density. This is the most important principle of the Wise Traditions diet. Traditional diets were very nutrient-dense: high in vitamins and minerals and replete with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K. Traditional diets maximize nutrients while modern diets minimize them.

It’s high time to maximize our diets once again. Sally Fallon Morell, the Founder and President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, explains how to do so.

In today’s episode, you’ll discover:
– how a “healthy” diet can still be deficient in vitamins and minerals
– what foods offer fat-soluble vitamins (such as cheese, egg yolks, organ meats, fish)
– symptoms of being deficient in these vitamins (such as depression and anxiety)
– dangers of a diet high in lean proteins (with too little fat)
– which fats are implicated in heart disease
– how vitamins A, D, and K, a triumvirate, work together for optimal impact
– why the USDA calls vegetables “nutrient dense”
– how Dr. Price studied the vitamin and mineral content of traditional diets
– how Dr. Price used a nourishing diet to improve orphans’ health and behavior
– one diet tweak to improve health, mood, and outlook (before turning to meds)
– how getting your fats right can make a difference in your health, even if you do nothing else

Resources:
– Sarah Pope – author of “Get Your Fats Straight” and blogger at thehealthyhomeeconomist.com
– “Nourishing Traditions” cookbook, “Nourishing Traditions for Children,” “Nourishing Broth” – all available at newtrendspublishing.com or via Amazon

Bonus Episode #29 -A Maasai Story

On his travels around the world, Dr. Weston A. Price visited Kenya. He was impressed with the health and vitality exhibited by the tribal people he met. But western influence continues to affect even the most remote villagers. “The diet is “changing tremendously” said Maasai Dickson Gisa.

Dickson Ole Gisa lives in Oiti, a Maasai village in Kenya, near the border of Tanzania. He heard of the Weston A. Price Foundation through a friend. The Wise Traditions principles resonated with him, and he immediately contacted the foundation, saying, “Please send someone over. We are all getting sick. I have diabetes. My wife has asthma….” The foundation has sent representatives to his village twice and has worked with Dickson to turn things around for his community. Our podcast host, Hilda Labrada Gore, was able to engage Dickson in conversation this past May. You will be fascinated as Dickson shares some of his stories.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear:
•   what he ate as a child
•   the Maasai traditional diet
•   the allure of “foreign foods” like soda, juice, oils
•   how the changing diet is impacting the Maasai
•   how western diseases are affecting his own community
•   how pregnant women are “selective” in terms of the food they eat
•   the traditions related to childbirth
•   a special book written by the first Maasai scholar which records all of the cultural traditions of the people
•   how “civilization” and “education” are shaping Maasai dietary choices
•   how Dickson spreads the news of Wise Traditions
•   the community response to WAPF principles and ideas

If you want to continue supporting international initiatives, like the one extended to Dickson’s village, please go to westonaprice.org and click on “Get involved.” Then click on “Donate” and select “Overseas outreach.”

Episode #28 – Fat does a body good

“Fat is a major energy storage depot in our bodies. It plays an important structural role in our body. Each of the trillion cells in our body is enclosed by membranes made of fats. Our brain contains ¼ of the fat in our bodies, even though it’s only 2% of our body weight. It affects our thinking, our mental and psychological health.”
~Chris Masterjohn

Prepare to move from fat “phobia” to embracing this critical nutrient, as a result of listening to this episode! Chris Masterjohn is a nutrition heavyweight. He has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is currently an assistant professor of health and nutrition sciences at Brooklyn College in New York. You’re guaranteed to learn a lot from this conversation as he explains the role of fat in our bodies.

•   How to replace the fear of fat with freedom
•   How to avoid the pendulum swing of dietary trends
•   The sources of fats and why they play such an important part in our health and physiology
•   Why the shift toward soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil may be detrimental to our health
•   The differences between saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
•   The definition of essential fatty acids
•   How to self-experiment to get the right amount of fats for your body (factoring in genetics, ancestry, your constitution and even your career!)
•   When cholesterol levels may be a red flag
•   The need for a health care practitioner who is a “biological detective”

Bonus: At the end of the interview, Chris gives a surprising tip for what to do to achieve optimal health!

Look for Chris’ podcast (and blog by the same name) “The Daily Lipid.” And follow him, ChrisMasterjohn, on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat.

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Comments

Jennifer Gerber says

July 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm

As much as I have been enjoying the podcasts, I was dismayed to listen to some of the information in this episode. I understand the importance of nutrientt dense food, but I also think it’s very important to eat plenty of vegetables. They may not be as nutrient dense as liver, but they provide a lot of nutrition and fiber that is important for a healthy body. I was disappointed to hear them dismissed as less than healthy and expensive. I grow my own vegetables and buy as many as possible from local producers. They are healthy, full of nutrition and I take the place of less desirable processed food.

- Hilda Labrada Gore says
  
  July 10, 2016 at 11:50 pm
  
  We hear you, Jennifer! Vegetables definitely have their place as part of a healthy diet. We are all about people growing their own vegetables or getting them from local farms, as you do. We didn’t mean to be dismissive of them. Thanks for letting us know your thoughts.
  
Alexander Ruhle says

March 27, 2017 at 7:50 pm

Thanks for the Kiran Krishnan podcast! In it he references a 2015 autism review paper, can you kindly provide the link or name of the review paper? Many thanks Alexander.

Michael Jones says

March 30, 2017 at 12:17 pm

I love your show and listen to it regularly! I have benefited greatly has my family has understanding these issues. Thanks again!

In episode 68, Pam Schoenfeld Said we could send our comments to the FDA on food labeling before March 31, however, it would not let me passed the first step, saying that I had missing information. Any ideas on this?

Laura says

May 10, 2017 at 10:21 am

I love the podcast, and I was enjoying this episode on the importance of fat–UNTIL Sally replied to Hilda’s question about ketogenic diets. Then you totally lost me. Sally incorrectly stated that ketogenic diets are high protein. This is not the case!
Properly done, keto is moderate protein, high fat, very low carb. For example, a keto diet may be 75% fat, 20% protein & 5% carbohydrate. This type of diet is very healthy and many people have been successful on it. With all due respect, Sally, please look into the work of Dr. Jason Fung, Dr. Adam Nally, Nina Teicholz & others who have been key in bringing this diet to public awareness. You will see not mention of, or promotion of high protein in their work. Thanks very much!

- rusty says
  
  May 31, 2017 at 4:39 pm
  
  Way to go, Laura. I felt the same way when I heard Sally’s description of the keto diet. In her defense, slightly, she did say she wasn’t very knowledgeable of the subject. Guess that’s what’s makes us a team, we can always learn more from each other. Abel James, the fat-burning man and Dave Asprey are two more good sources. They were also talking about intermittent fasting which is another excellent topic for better health.