Wise Traditions

The Aboriginal culture is one of the earth's oldest. What did these indigenous people eat to survive over 60,000 years in the harsh climate of Australia? Australian author John Newton explores this subject in his book "The Oldest Foods on Earth." His own curiosity got piqued when he tried kangaroo for the first time. It dawned on him that it was actually the first time he had ever knowingly consum...

Have you ever wondered what life is really like on a farm? What does it take to run a farm? The romantic allure of fresh air, a slower pace, and ethically sustainable foods make farm life appealing, but it honestly takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice.   Today, Paul Grieve of Primal Pastures, a regenerative farm in Southern California, offers insights into the realities of running a farm and wal...

Weight loss is often on the mind, even for those who "eat right." Today, Sally Fallon Morell, author, real food advocate, and the president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, offers ideas for how to best nourish ourselves to maintain a healthy weight and mind. As she reviews the summer Wise Traditions journal, Sally highlights topics such as the keto diet, coconut oil as a food to boost memory, an...

Fermented foods are SO popular right now: from kimchi to kombucha to kraut to kefir. But do they live up to the hype? Why are they thought to be so good for us? Can you ever eat too much of them? What does die-off look like? Which are the best ones to incorporate into our diet? In front of a LIVE audience in Southern California, fermentation experts Monica Ford and Elaina Luther answer a wide vari...

Growing up, Jo Whitton suffered with poor health. She had food intolerances, histamine reactions, frequent colds, and more. As she grew older, her problems increased, and she noticed that her children struggled with similar issues. When her 11 year-old son began to develop strange phobias, extreme anxiety and other mental health concerns, Jo began to look for answers, like never before. Today, Jo...

Hilda Labrada Gore, known as Holistic Hilda, is normally the host and producer of this show. Today, in honor of hitting the two million download mark, we turn the tables and invite her to impart her top health hacks as a guest on the program. Hilda has traveled extensively, exploring wise traditions. She has conducted over 200 interviews for this podcast. She is a certified integrative nutrition h...

Sadly, modern living is often grossly out of balance with nature, resulting in poor health, poor soil health, biodiversity loss, and trauma to indigenous communities. We are decidedly not  living harmoniously with the world. We've cleared 2/3 of the earth's surface and killed one billion species. How can we restore nature's balance? And what can we learn from Aboriginal Australians' way of life? D...

Why are bess disappearing? What contributes to "colony collapse disorder?" Do we need bess to survive as a human race? And what about honey? Why is it so hard to find the real deal? And are we consuming more than we should? Beekeeper and teacher Leo Sharashkin answers these questions and more. Leo learned beekeeping from his uncle in his native Russia. Today, among other things, Leo offers his the...

It's time to disrupt the trend of chronic illness in the next generation of kids. Hilary Boynton has a bright idea for achieving this goal. Hilary is the head of nutrition services at The Manzanita School in Topanga, California, and she is the author of the "Heal Your Gut Cookbook." Her plan is to reinvent the "Lunch Lady" and the very lunch she serves up. Her mission is to truly nourish children...

John Arbuckle of Singing Prairie Farms is a 9th generation livestock farmer. Today, he helps us take a deep dive into the heart of regenerative farming practices. He explains how we need to see soil differently, as a living entity that we must nurture and respect.   His family has been farming for the last 300 years, and they've learned a thing or two along the way. In this conversation, John shar...

Plantar fasciitis, back, knee, and leg pain all seem to be nothing out of the ordinary these days. And yet, up until roughly 50 years ago, we walked with little complaint. That's when modern shoe companies began designing footwear with so much padding and arch support that—instead of allowing our feet to flex, bend and move—they have unintentionally weakened our muscles, ligaments, and tendons. St...

Known as a "master gland," the thyroid works with other endocrine system glands and hormones to govern our body's growth, metabolism, and reproduction.  Thyroid diseases like Hashimoto's or hypothyroidism are increasingly common, and can cause a host of issues, including stunted growth, weight gain, fatigue, or infertility.  What factors cause thyroid problems? What role does iodine play in suppor...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a well-known environmental attorney and human rights activist. On a mission to stem the tide of threats to the health of our planet and our own, for decades, Kennedy has dedicated himself to educating the public on the chemicals that are harming us and what to do about them. He advocates holding parties responsible for injuries and establishing safeguards against chemical...

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel like a personal crisis and a medical emergency. Treatment is necessary, but a knee-jerk reaction can lead to poor outcomes. Today, Dr. Nasha Winters offers some concrete suggestions for what first steps to take when dealing with cancer. Nasha is a licensed naturopathic doctor and the co-author of "The Metabolic Approach to Cancer." She describes in detail how...

Cancer is increasingly identified in young people under the age of 35. One in 2 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer. One in 2.4 women will also be diagnosed. What is happening? What factors contribute to this epidemic? Is it genetic only? Can lifestyle choices lessen the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis? Dr. Nasha Winters, co-author of "The Metabolic Approach to Cancer," offers insights...

We're told cannabis is a cure-all; we need fluoride in the water to prevent tooth decay; and aluminum in vaccines cannot possibly cause autism. Today, Sally Fallon Morell, the head of the Weston A. Price Foundation, upends conventional thinking when it comes to these controversial topics. As we review highlights from the Wise Traditions journal, Sally separates facts from fiction and gives us much...

John Chester, of Apricot Lane Farms, explains on today's show how a small farm can make a BIG difference. And he challenges those of us who are not farmers to look for ways to do the same.  He covers topics ranging from what led him and Molly to become farmers in the first place, to our need to respect the environment and livestock, to the impermanence of life, to the importance of composting, to...

From the time we are born, we are conditioned to sit, sleep, walk and stand in a certain way. We are directed to "sit up straight" and to stick our "chest out" when we slouch. These ideas are actually counterproductive and do not correspond with how our ancestors sat, stood, and moved. The result? Back pain, digestive issues, shoulder and neck impingement, and more. Esther Gokhale knows this first...

Is a homebirth a viable option for mothers-to-be? Is it safe? What happens if complications arise? Katelyn Fusco answers these questions and more on today's show. Katelyn is the host and creator of the "Happy Homebirth" podcast. She studied as a student midwife and is a home birth mother herself. She explains how home births have been historically, a wise tradition. She talks about the shift to ho...

For decades we've been told that fluoridation of water helps prevent cavities, but science doesn't support that claim. As a matter of fact, fluoride is a waste product that is so toxic it is not allowed to be dumped in our landfills, and yet somehow it is routinely added to our water supply. Today, Integrative Biological Dentist Dr. Griffin Cole explains the history of water fluoridation and how t...

Sometimes we over-complicate healthy living. Today, author, coach, and nutrition & fitness expert Ben Greenfield, brings insights on how to improve our health based on ancient wisdom. While Ben is known as a "biohacker," who uses technology and science for peak performance and health, he also has a profound understanding of simple ways that we can mimic the health practices of our ancestors for op...

Ananda More was skeptical about homeopathy until she fell ill during a trip to India. She took the two little "sugar pills" figuring she had nothing to lose. Now, Ananda is a homeopath herself and the filmmaker behind the movie "Magic Pills: Promise or Placebo?" In today's conversation, she covers the science behind and the benefits of homeopathy, the ancient system of healing.  Ananda explains ho...

For decades, we've been told to protect ourselves with sunscreen from the sun's harmful rays or risk getting skin cancer. However, melanoma has increased, in tandem with the use of sunscreen. What's going on? Today, clinical scientist and hormone expert Dr. Elizabeth Plourde weighs in on the sunscreen debate and discusses why sunscreen may be doing more harm than good. Elizabeth has done extensive...

Why are sports injuries so common? How can we not only avoid injury, but maximize performance? Dr. Tommy John owns and runs the Dr. Tommy John Performance and Healing Center in San Diego and is the author of "Minimize Injury, Maximize Performance: A Sports Parent's Survival Guide." Today, he shares insights on what children--and athletes of all ages--can do to not merely survive, but thrive in the...

Chances are, your great-great-grandmother didn't obsess over what she ate. She didn't count calories, measure out carbs, or worry about the fat content of what was on her dinner plate. And chances are, she was healthier than you and me! Nutrition doesn't have to be as complicated as we've made it out to be. But if it's so simple, where did we go wrong? Filmmaker Brian Sanders, of the documentary "...