Wise Traditions

Did you know that there are chemicals that we encounter on a daily basis--in our food, water, even in our personal care products--that are detrimental to our health? The chemicals, called estrogenics, mimic estrogen and disrupt our bodies' normal functions. You may have heard of BPA (Bisphenol-A), for example, which is a chemical found in some plastics that has been linked to health problems and h...

Traditional people groups around the world have long valued fermentation as a process that preserves food and makes its nutrients more bio-available. Today, fermentation "revivalist" and well-known author Sandor Katz takes us on a tour of the wild world of fermentation. He discusses how it works, how delicious it tastes, and how it benefits our bodies. He also dives into his own story—what piqued...

There's a lot of buzz about gut health these days. It is key to our overall wellness. But some people think you can just pop a probiotic pill to protect it and you're good to go. Dr. Zach Bush has a better idea. Zach is an expert on the microbiome and nutrition and in today's conversation he sheds new light on what constitutes a healthy gut and how to keep it that way. The threats to our gut healt...

Losing weight is a popular new year's resolution. Holistic physician Dr. Tom Cowan makes a strong case for why we should aim for getting healthier, rather than just hitting a particular number on the scale. That said, in today's episode, he offers practical ideas for how to meet both goals: weight loss and good health. He and his patients have benefited from his protocol that includes intermittent...

Learn how to avoid blood sugar dips and spikes throughout the day. Discover how you can lift brain fog and protect yourself against Alzheimer's through diet. And benefit from tips on how to shore up your gut health to avoid chronic illness and improve your immune system. All of this in just one episode?! Yes! This is a "highlight reel" from the top three episodes of 2017! NTP Lindsea Willon's shar...

Dr. Andy Wakefield was the lead author of a research paper, published in 1998, that indicated that there was a possible link between the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine and autism. The paper appeared in "The Lancet," a peer-reviewed medical journal and it catapulted Dr. Wakefield into becoming one of the most controversial figures in the history of medicine. Andy has become a lightning rod sin...

Vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more and more popular with each passing day. You walk into a bookstore and the cooking section is overflowing with vegan cookbooks; restaurants all around have vegan options because of the high demand. Word of mouth is that we should all go vegan to be truly healthy, and that animal foods are bad for us. But is a vegetarian diet really a good idea? What are...

"Preventing autism" is such an audacious goal! Is it possible? How can we prevent it if we don't know what causes it? Dara Berger is a mom whose son was diagnosed as autistic before he was three years old. She was told that there was no cure or hope beyond ABA (applied behavior analysis). This was the start of her quest to find answers and help for her child, and to avoid a similar diagnosis for c...

More and more people are diagnosed with cancer every day, including children. The rates of invasive cancer in the general population in the U.S. (and abroad) are alarming. Those who are diagnosed with it are faced with conventional treatments that seem to ravage the parts of the body that should be relatively healthy. In today's episode, we focus on nutritional supports for those in the throes of...

Plant-based and delicious, coconut oil has become more and more popular in recent years. Studies point to its many beneficial properties which include boosting the immune system, decreasing inflammation, fighting heart disease, and more. If this is the case, why did the American Heart Association (AHA) issue a statement earlier this summer re-categorizing coconut oil as a bad fat? Nutritional ther...

Although conventional medicine may recommend a low-sodium diet, is this really the best for us? Low salt consumption has been linked to metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, poor digestion, parasites, and even depression. Salt is critical for proper brain and body functionality.   In today's episode, Sally Fallon Morrell presents Principle #9 of the Wise Traditions diet: that all traditional die...

How easily we forget! Raw milk has been part of the human diet for thousands of years, yet only after a century of introducing pasteurization, many people think that the only way to consume milk is to pasteurize it first. Our raw milk heritage is getting lost. But thanks to farmers and activists who believe in the value of raw milk and who are brave enough to fight against the establishment, raw m...

In some circles, it seems that sustainable farming is on the rise. Farmers markets are growing more and more popular, and young people are volunteering to work on organic farms. But sales at farmers market are down, overall, and less than 2% of the population is directly responsible for growing our food in the U.S. So what is the truth of the matter: is sustainable, soulful farming here to stay or...

Adventure. Activity. Mindfulness. Community. Risk. Vanessa and Adam Lambert are expert health coaches who understand the need to nourish ourselves on many levels. Adam has a background as a Crossfit Games competitor and Vanessa is a coach with a speciality in meditation. Together, they inspire us to move past complacency and become who we were meant to be: awesome, influential individuals with lim...

There's no doubt that we rely heavily in the day-to-day on our devices for entertainment and connection: we seek out wifi, work on our laptops, watch Netflix on our Apple TV, and scroll through Facebook and YouTube on our cellphones right before bed. We like having those phones handy, carrying them in our pant or shirt pocket, or tucking them into our sports bra when going on a run. Maybe we rarel...

What's the story behind the Weston A. Price Foundation? How did Sally Fallon Morell, the founder and head of the foundation, come across Dr. Price's discoveries? What motivated her to write a cookbook based on his dietary principles? What would she ask Dr. Price if she had the chance? And how has her conception of what constitutes a good diet changed over the years?  In today's episode, Sally answ...

Farming is a back-breaking, weather-dependent, uncertain profession that often does not turn a profit. No wonder the average farmer in the United States is 58 years old. Not many are interested in farming as a career. Why farm, they might ask themselves, when they could have a nice comfortable job in some air-conditioned office downtown? Forrest Pritchard is a persuasive proponent of farming. He r...

Kristin Canty is the filmmaker behind "Farmageddon: the unseen war on American family farms." She is proud and pleased at how the documentary has shed light on the dangers of modern industrial farming practices. And yet now her life has taken a new turn; she has shifted from fighting those whose regulations threaten small-scale farms to running a farm herself. She now owns a farm and runs an organ...

In today's society, a lot of effort is being invested into skin care and beauty products. There are plenty of modern treatments and products touted as able to reduce wrinkles, remove callouses, heal psoriasis and achieve overall healthy and glowing skin, yet they don't really seem to work for more than a couple of hours after application. And upon closer inspection, we realize that over-the-counte...

Lately, the documentary "What the Health" has been receiving a lot of attention. It is persuasive and provocative. The movie is causing widespread concern about the dangers of consuming animal products. But what is the truth behind the hype? How much science backs the numerous health claims of the movie? Is going vegan the answer to avoiding cancer and chronic conditions? Or is there another side...

Every Wise Traditions journal is full of articles that are relevant, scientific, and significant for our health. In today's episode, the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Sally Fallon Morell, reviews some of the top articles featured in the latest Wise Tradition Journal, Summer 2017. The topics are varied but they are all equally fascinating. Highlights include: The importance of sulfur...

Why is losing weight so difficult? This is the question Zoe Harcombe set out to answer while studying at Cambridge University. We are trained from an early age to seek solace in food. Sweet treats are a central part of nearly every holiday we celebrate. According to Zoe, food in the form of starchy carbohydrates has become the world's most accessible and acceptable drug. At the same time, the US D...

As a society, we have become disconnected from our ancestral food traditions. In a similar way, many of us have also lost touch with our primal instincts when it comes to sexual intimacy. Dr. Marianne Brandon is an author, clinical psychologist, and diplomat in sex therapy and, in today's episode, she helps us rediscover these instincts and improve our most intimate relationships. She touches on a...

Have you or has someone you know been diagnosed with Lyme Disease? Transmitted by ticks and often contracted due to weakened immunity, this condition seems to be on the rise. Unfortunately, many conventional doctors are unfamiliar with natural protocols that strengthen the body and promote long-term healing. In today's episode, certified integrative nutrition health coach Robin Shirley discusses h...

How can you tell if a dietary recommendation is right for you? Is there a diet that works for everyone? What is the best way to measure what works or doesn't work for you? How can you find your own health "sweet spot?" Dr. Richard Maurer helps us understand what he considers the best, most objective way to measure your health and find your sweet spot: blood work. Richard is a licensed naturopathic...