Although making up 13 percent of the population, African Americans own less than 1 percent of the rural land in the United States. White Americans, however, own a staggering 856 million acres , which is about 98 percent of all rural property in the United States. Wild, right? So it's not crazy when I say that communities of color, low-income residents and other historically marginalized groups have traditionally faced barriers to accessing nature. That's why Ancestral Health Radio is dedicated t...
Apr 10, 2018•1 hr 2 min
Is the first person to live to 1,000-years-old, alive today? And if that's true, what does that inevitably mean for the future of the human condition? One of the world's leading anti-aging researchers, Aubrey De Grey, (and strangely—my neighbor) believes that to be 100% true. Because, well, Aubrey's the one who said it. And if what Aubrey says is true, would you then believe Arthur C. Clarke's third law, which states: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic? Meaning ...
Mar 20, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Did you know that some scientists say that oaks produce more nuts annually than every other nut tree —both wild and commercial— combined? Nuts, right? (Yeah, yeah—laugh it up. The pun was intended.) Acorns, or oak nuts, are nutritional powerhouses. Depending on the species, a single acorn can contain up to 18% fat, 6% protein, and 68% carbohydrate — with the rest just being water, minerals, and gut-healthy fiber. Acorns are also great sources of both vitamins A and C, as well as having a long li...
Mar 14, 2018•56 min
Think about this for a second: More Americans hunt and fish than play baseball. What a trip, right? That's more than 38 million Americans. And if that doesn't surprise you, this will: Hunting—overall—brought in more revenue ($38.3 billion) than Google ($37.9 billion) or the Goldman Sachs Group ($36.8 billion). Now ask yourself this question: "Why don't I hunt?" Really think about this for a second. Mull it around for a few minutes, hours, days, whatever. But really think. Is it because of the bl...
Nov 22, 2017•1 hr 19 min
Is it possible to heal trauma in our personal and family lives by connecting with our well, deceased ancestors? Well... Provided you possess a beginner’s mindset equipped with the right animistic framework, my guest today, Dr. Daniel Foor of AncestralMedicine.org , would say yes—you absolutely can. This week, Daniel and I delve into practical animism: where ritual and ceremony are used as tools for personal, family, and cultural healing. A few months ago I was surprised to receive an early copy ...
Nov 09, 2017•1 hr
Have you ever thought of starting a homestead on your journey towards ancestral health? How about composting or gardening? Well... Today is a special opportunity to help a community member whose passion is about dismantling the industrialization of people and food through the acquisition of abundant, sustainable, and regenerative homesteading skills. Enter: John Moody of Steader.com . John and I share a very similar mission, in that we understand there are skills and wisdom that need to be share...
Oct 10, 2017•50 min
Can agriculture be a sustainable path forward? This is the main question surrounding today's episode: Can we use the same technology that, arguably, has been one of the single-most destructive advents in the epoch of human history to move or usher us forward into a time where we're projected to hit an all-time population density of 9.5 BILLION people by 2050? With global desertification, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, glacial retreats, decreased snow cover, rising sea levels, declining ar...
Sep 27, 2017•52 min
Did you know... That the average woman uses 12 products per day containing over 168 ingredients (absorbing close to 4 and a half pounds of toxic chemicals a year)... A man goes through 6 products with 85 ingredients... A child is exposed to 5 products with 61 ingredients... Whilst a teenage girl is exposed to a whopping 17 products with over 230 ingredients, every day... Most of which are untested, unsafe, and scientifically and clinically unproven. -- That's why it's important we pay close atte...
Sep 20, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Guys, listen up... About every two weeks, another language dies. Or, perhaps, a dialect. There are over 231 completely extinct languages and 2,400 of the world’s languages are considered to be in danger of dying out. That's why today's guest—Willem Larsen of the College of Mythic Cartography—joins me on the Season 2 Premiere of Ancestral Health Radio. Willem shares ways at how to look at story and language from an indigenous people perspective and how, if we wish to be heard in today's culture, ...
Sep 12, 2017•56 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Did you know that more than an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease? And up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. Crazy, right? Not only that, but women are five to eight times more likely to develop thyroid problems than men. And one in eight women will develop some form of thyroid disorder during her lifetime. This is just another clear example of an evolutionary mismatch disease... And the problem with trying to heal yourself a...
Jun 07, 2017•57 min
According to the SSA (Self Storage Association), the United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks. Right now, at this very moment, there are 7.3 square feet of self storage space for every man, woman and child in the nation. That means that it is physically possible to have every American stand—all at the same time—under the total canopy of self storage roofing. Woah. But what does that mean? That means that we, as Americans, are consuming s...
May 31, 2017•57 min
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Well... Leaky Gut Syndrome, or intestinal hyperpermeability, is where the small gaps in your intestinal wall -- or “tight junctions” -- become loose due to pro-inflammatory foods and stressors. These loose intestinal walls can then lead to inflammation that can affect the whole body by allowing harmful bacteria and toxins to directly enter your bloodstream. Many health experts are now saying that inflammation may be the root cause to many of today’s chronic health dis...
May 23, 2017•1 hr 11 min
Episode Breakdown The disillusionment of our culture and where Steven believes many of us begin our search The story and connection between Steven and his grandfather (hint: grafting) Steven mentions a few of his inspirations and resources from living in the woods Steven discusses what brought him out of the bush Steven talks about age and the illusion of choice Steven’s introduction to wild or sacred gardening and warrior-king culture James and Steven talk about our lack of story and participat...
May 20, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Hey Tribe! Welcome back to part two of How to Uncage a Human with Jonathan Mead. I'm going to try and do a little something different with today's show... At the end of today's show, I'm going to summarize the key points mentioned, give action steps, as well as a system to help you succeed. However... I'm going to demand I hear back from you -- the tribe -- on your progress the following week. I want this progress posted in one of two places: My email: james@ancestralhealthradio.com, or... The o...
May 02, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Guys... Today is special. Today's guest is a dear friend of mine: Jonathan Mead of Uncaged Human. Jonathan is a primal movement enthusiast and educator in Portland, Oregon. He and I are close friends and accountability partners. Today's episode is special because it not only has one of my favorite movement coaches online today (Jonathan), but it also shares some of our philosophy on how and why we do what we do. I really hope this opens some eyes and ears and allows for both Jonathan and I to co...
Apr 12, 2017•59 min
Did you know that approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases? And women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected–some 30 million people–are women. That's why on today's episode I have a special guest, Dr. Terry Wahls, author of the popular book The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine. She and I delve into her early ...
Apr 04, 2017•57 min
What are the "rampy-ramps" and why are they so coveted among foodies and chefs? Alan Bergo and I join forces on today's episode to discuss the obsession over wild leeks, mid-western matsutakes, and edible weeds. We also talk about how Alan grew up in Minnesota, how Alan's style of mushroom picking has evolved over the years, and how Alan jokingly says he's been supporting his local Amish children since 2013. In today's episode, you'll learn... How to sustainably harvest springtime ramps, Why you...
Mar 28, 2017•59 min
It might shock you to know that the clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world ... second only to oil. On today’s podcast, Denby Royal—holistic nutrition and eco-fashion consultant—joins me on another fascinating episode of Ancestral Health Radio. Denby and I discuss why westerners commonly fail to think about their clothing's environmental and social impact on the rest of the planet, the physical and psychological pitfalls the fashion industry has on our health, followed by s...
Mar 21, 2017•49 min
What is ecosystem restoration and what are some common challenges of living off-the-grid? Tao Orion—author, teacher, and mother—shares her experience with us on today's episode of Ancestral Health Radio. This was a fun chat, for sure. Because some day in the near future I'd like to purchase land and start a family myself. We discuss the need for a more holistic approach to land restoration, the medicinal properties of certain invasive plant species, and what tending the wild versus plow-based ag...
Mar 15, 2017•51 min
What is EZ water? And why the heck is it important? Dr. Gerald Pollack joins me on episode #13 of Ancestral Health Radio to discuss the many benefits of water, and, more specifically—it's fourth phase. We also mention water quality, his newest untitled book, and how to supercharge your body with a seemingly unlimited power source... that's right beneath your feet. In today's episode, you'll learn... The significance of EZ (Exclusion Zone) water, The benefits of drinking natural spring water, The...
Mar 09, 2017•1 hr 9 min
Plant domestication, most scientists think, made its debut some 10,000 years ago, with grain storage cropping up about 11,000 years ago. An ancient site in Israel yielded a hearty collection of grains, which were dated to about 23,000 years ago, according to a 2004 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper . But such an early appearance of wild cereals in the human diet—as this new paper proposes—would push the assumed date of substantial grass-seed eating back more than 70,000 years...
Feb 28, 2017•59 min
Did you know... Some of the oldest living mushroom colonies are fairy rings growing around the famous Stonehenge ruins in England? The rings are so large that they can best be seen from airplanes . Crazy, right? Well, be prepared to dive headfirst into mycology 101 with Tero Isokauppila, founder of the popular 'shroom company... FourSigmatic.com Four Sigmatic is a superfood company founded by Tero and his group of Finnish friends. It's based on their belief that health can be vastly improved thr...
Feb 21, 2017•56 min
Is the world your dojo? It most certainly is for today's guest — contextual movement coach — Stefano Tripney. If the two words contextual movement throw you a bit off, no worries. Stefano explains exactly what that is and how it can apply to you and your day-to-day. He also shares his early experiences with coaching and a bit of the history that led him to where he is today. Stefano blends both the disciplines and philosophies of Martial Arts and the natural movement skills of MovNat. I've taken...
Feb 14, 2017•56 min
How long do we, as a species, have left on this planet? It may be a lot less time than you may had previously thought, according to today's guest. Guy McPherson, the leading authority on abrupt climate change and near-term human extinction, predicts that we, collectively, have reached the tipping point that has lead the human population careening towards the sixth great extinction of our planet. So what're we to do? Guy's answers range from mailing your local congressmen... to dynamiting cell ph...
Feb 07, 2017•54 min
Did you know that our human cells are outnumbered 10:1 by other microbes and bacteria? Well... Now you do. :) And my guest today — Dan De Lion, herbalist and educator over at returntonature.us — shares his personal strategies to help realign our microbial health to it's once robust, prolific environment. For many of us, we suffer from chronic inflammation of our intestines. Which, in many cases, can lead to more severe health issues down the line. That's why in today’s episode, you’ll learn: The...
Jan 31, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Are you a mitochondriac? If you don't know what that means, no worries. You will be after this episode. Today's guest, Dr. Jack Kruse — neurosurgeon, mito-hacker, and author of Epi-Paleo Rx: The Prescription for Disease Reversal and Optimal Health — joins me on today's episode as we delve deep into the science of light, water, and magnetism. Today's episode is long and dense. And the show notes... are even longer and perhaps more dense. Jack and I talk water quality, electromagnetism, and why li...
Jan 24, 2017•1 hr 46 min
How many pushups can you do on a single breath? My guest today, Scott Carney, best-selling author of the newly released book What Doesn't Kill Us could only do 20 pushups before his training with Wim "The Iceman" Hof. During this time, Scott learned to control his body temperature and seek out the knowledge that was key to unlocking his body's hidden potential. Since then, Scott has trained with elite athletes, competed in the world's most notorious cold-weather obstacle course race, and summite...
Jan 17, 2017•1 hr 22 min
I am super excited, guys! Today's episode is going to be really informative -- I hope you have pen and paper ready. It is with none other than Stolan, the God of Plants, Arthur Haines himself. It's really exciting because Arthur shares something that's really close to him and something he's really passionate about doing right now... Which is essentially buying more land and creating a rewilding haven or rewilding community he calls the Human Rewilding Project. He goes into the 12 Guiding Princip...
Dec 13, 2016•1 hr 31 min
Why forage when you can hop in your petroleum-fueled vehicle and hit the closest Whole Foods? Well... 1. Because you're smart. And... 2. Because you know better. You may also know that by incorporating wild foods into your everyday diet that you not only help optimize your health but increase longevity. Not only are they more nutritious, they're also free and often right in our backyards. Today's guest will share some of his knowledge about wild foods, the dangers of glyphosate, and the type of ...
Dec 07, 2016•1 hr 14 min
What do you need to know to beyond being fit and athletic? This is the question Frank Forencich pondered while spending time with the Hadza and !Kung bushmen in Africa. Frank's experiences would later lead him to discover the "Long Body" approach to human health, and the consequences of modern culture's mismatch from Natural Law. In today's episode, you'll learn: What led Frank to study indigenous people in Africa , The specific continuities that keep the human body alive, How to navigate the mi...
Dec 07, 2016•1 hr 6 min
