Everyday Ancestral with James Barry

What if plant medicine isn't an escape, but a return? What if our modern fear of altered states says more about our trauma than it does about the medicine itself?I sat down with Sitaramaya Sita, someone who has spent decades walking the path between science and spirit. She’s deeply trained, trauma-informed, and rooted in multiple healing lineages. We explored the misuse of language around plant medicine, how ancestral traditions relate to altered states, and why the Western lens so often flattens the complexity of these experiences.Sitaramaya shares her experience guiding master plant dieta in the Amazon, her training in Vajrayana Buddhism and Traditional Tibetan Medicine, and what it means to honor healing as both sacred and deeply embodied. We also explore why so many of us struggle to trust slowness, integration, and our own inner knowing. This conversation is about more than entheogens. It’s about remembering how to be human.Key TakeawaysPlant Medicine is Ceremony, Not a Shortcut – True healing is relational, reverent, and rooted in tradition. It is not transactional.Integration is Medicine – The most powerful part of the journey isn’t the ceremony itself but how you live after it.Trauma Disrupts Trust in Our Inner Knowing – Healing means reclaiming the ability to be with ourselves, slowly and safely.Language Shapes Reality – The way we talk about entheogens reveals our assumptions and our disconnect from ancestral wisdom.We Need Both Science and Spirit – Sitaramaya blends somatic therapy and Buddhist practice to honor the full spectrum of healing.Western Culture Fears Altered States – Many indigenous traditions see these states as essential for reconnecting with truth.Where to Find Our GuestSitaramaya’s Website: https://www.sitaramaya.comSitaramaya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantteachers/Links & Resources🎁 Grab your FREE  Before & Beyond E-Book here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/685838c6a86daa47be57eda6/t/68ddd49b48e1f66ea6d5ad39/1759368362745/Before+%26+Beyond🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

What if your body fat could be your fuel? What if food was the key to mental clarity, fertility, and real healing?Maria Emmerich is known around the world for her work in the keto and carnivore space. What makes her message powerful is how personal it is. She shares her own story of moving through depression, body image struggles, and infertility, guided by ancestral eating and a deep understanding of what the body actually needs.We talk about the myths in keto culture, why more butter isn’t always better, and how to eat in a way that aligns with your why. She also shares what she’s learned from parenting in a processed food world and how we’ve lost sight of what food is really for. Maria is a bestselling author, speaker, and passionate teacher who has helped thousands reconnect with food in a way that heals.Key TakeawaysKnow Your Why – Your reason for eating this way shapes the whole approach.Fat Isn’t Free Fuel – Too much dietary fat can stall weight loss and spike blood markers.Use Your Own Body Fat – Let your body burn what it’s already carrying.Go Beyond Ribeye – Ancestral eating means organ meats, lean game, and seasonal foods.Food Shapes Mood – Nutrition played a major role in Maria’s healing from depression.Raise Resilient Kids – We talk about feeding children well in a processed food world.Where to Find Our GuestMaria’s Website: https://ketomaria.comMaria on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariaemmerich/Links & ResourcesFree ebook with meal plans: https://mariamindbodyhealth.com/free-ebook-with-meal-plans/🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

What if your path to healing is already built into your body?I sat down with Nathalie Niddam, a holistic nutritionist and longevity educator who knows how to walk the line between ancestral wisdom and cutting-edge science. Nathalie has this grounded, practical way of looking at things. She's been working with peptides, light therapies, and bioregulators long enough to see what actually works and how it all ties back to the way we’re built.We got into circadian rhythm, vitamin D, red light, UVB exposure, and how your skin still speaks the same language as your ancestors. We talked about how healing starts when you stop outsourcing your health and start listening to what your body is asking for. This conversation left me feeling hopeful, more connected, and more trusting in the deep intelligence of the body.Key TakeawaysYour Body Remembers How to Heal – Peptides and bioregulators support natural repair processes already built into your biology.Red and Infrared Light Restore Balance – Using the right spectrum of light can help offset the stress of artificial blue light and improve energy.Vitamin D Depends on Ancestral Clues – Your skin type and ancestry shape how much sunlight you need to stay healthy year-round.Technology Should Support, Not Override – Modern tools are most powerful when they work with your body’s design, not against it.Healing Starts With Self-Awareness – Tracking your own patterns, energy, and symptoms builds the foundation for real change.Longevity is Built From the Ground Up – Small, consistent actions rooted in ancestral wisdom create lasting health over time.Where to Find Our GuestNathalie Niddam’s Website: http://natniddam.comNathalie Niddam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathalieniddam/Links & Resources🎁 Get 10% Off Carnivore BarsFuel your body with clean, shelf-stable nutrition—just meat, fat, salt, and sometimes a little honey.Use code PLUCK at checkout for 10% off at 👉 https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/pluck🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

Forget trail mix. What if survival food wasn’t junk? That’s what my guest Phillip Meece set out to change. Phillip is a former combat medic who served in Afghanistan and when he got sick in the Army, it put him on a lifelong mission to figure out nutrition that actually supports health. Out of that experience came The Carnivore Bar, a shelf stable nutrient dense version of pemmican made from meat, fat, and salt.Phillip and I dig into how his childhood in Mongolia, his years in the Army, and even his time in theater shaped his vision for food that heals. We talk about what happens when access to real nutrition gets tied up in hierarchy, why health has to be for everyone, and how ancestral foods can point the way forward.Key TakeawaysFood That Serves – Phillip created The Carnivore Bar so people would have access to real nutrition when they need it most.Ancestral Wisdom – Meat, fat, and salt come together in a modern take on pemmican that is both simple and powerful.Health for Everyone – Nutrition has to be accessible for all, not just for those with privilege or rank.Lessons From the Army – Getting sick as a combat medic gave Phillip clarity on how broken the food system really is.Unintended Consequences – From fridge space in hospitals to rations in the field, who gets access to good food often comes down to hierarchy.A New Standard for Convenience – The Carnivore Bar proves that shelf stable food can still be truly nourishing.Where to Find Our GuestPhillip Meece on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarnivorebar/The Carnivore Bar Website: http://carnivorebar.comLinks & Resources🎁 Get 10% Off Carnivore BarsFuel your body with clean, shelf-stable nutrition—just meat, fat, salt, and sometimes a little honey.Use code PLUCK at checkout for 10% off at 👉 https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/pluck🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

Have you ever heard of Microbiome Magic or thought about kids as the canaries in the coal mine? My guest today is Dr. Elisa Song, a Stanford, NYU, and UCSF trained integrative pediatrician and mom of two thriving kids. She’s on a mission to revolutionize children’s health and to bring a practical, whole-child approach to families everywhere.Dr. Song and I talk about the rise in chronic disease in kids, the role of the microbiome, and how resilience and daily choices in food, environment, and lifestyle shape lifelong health. She shares insights from her practice and the practical steps parents can take right now to give their kids a better chance at thriving. This conversation reminded me how many levers we actually have to support children today, and it left me feeling both urgent and hopeful about the path forward.Key TakeawaysThe Rise in Chronic Illness - More kids are facing long-term health challenges, and understanding why is the first step toward change.The Microbiome Matters - Gut health influences immunity, mood, and the foundation for lifelong wellness.Resilience is the Goal - Supporting children means nurturing their physical, emotional, and immune resilience so they can flourish.Everyday Choices Shape Health - Food, sleep, environment, and lifestyle create the terrain where kids either struggle or thrive.Parents Have Real Tools - Simple, actionable steps at home can lower toxic load and strengthen a child’s defenses.Hope is Possible - With the right approach, families can shift the trajectory of children’s health toward thriving.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Elisa Song’s Website: https://healthykidshappykids.com/Dr. Elisa Song on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthykids_happykids/Dr. Elisa Song on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrElisaSongMD/Links & Resources🎁 Get 10% Off Carnivore BarsFuel your body with clean, shelf-stable nutrition—just meat, fat, salt, and sometimes a little honey.Use code PLUCK at checkout for 10% off at 👉 https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/pluck🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

What if the anxiety, burnout, or fatigue you are feeling is not in your head but in your biology? In this conversation, Dr. Aimie Apigian breaks down how trauma gets stored in the body and what it really takes to feel safe, energized and alive again.Aimie shares her own story of becoming a foster parent and later adopting during medical school, and how that experience opened her eyes to the limits of traditional approaches to trauma. She explains why talk therapy is not always enough and offers practical ways to start making changes in the body right away.Whether you have been in survival mode for years or just feel stuck, this episode is a reminder that healing does not have to be a mystery. It just has to start with the nervous system.Key TakeawaysTrauma Lives in the Body – Unresolved experiences get stored in our biology, shaping patterns like anxiety, fatigue, or disconnection.Survival Mode Patterns – People-pleasing, perfectionism, and overachieving often reveal a nervous system stuck in trauma.Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough – True healing requires engaging the biology of trauma, not just the mind.Safety Is the Foundation – Healing starts when the nervous system experiences real cues of safety, not just intellectual understanding.Small Shifts Create Change – It can take just 30–60 seconds to calm the body and shift out of survival mode.Hope for Lasting Healing – By addressing the mind, body, and biology, it’s possible to break lifelong trauma patterns and step into vitality.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Aimie Apigian’s Website: http://www.biologyoftrauma.comDr. Aimie Apigian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/Dr. Aimie Apigian on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/draimie/Dr. Aimie Apigian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigianDr. Aimie Apigian on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigianDr. Aimie Apigian on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.aimieofficialLinks & ResourcesDr. Aimie Apigian’s Book, The Biology of Trauma: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book🎁 Get 10% Off Carnivore BarsFuel your body with clean, shelf-stable nutrition—just meat, fat, salt, and sometimes a little honey.Use code PLUCK at checkout for 10% off at 👉 https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/pluck🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

Alcohol has been with us since the dawn of civilization woven into ritual and community, yet today, it has become something else entirely. In this conversation with James Swanwick we look at the smiling assassins that keep us drinking and why an alcohol free lifestyle is gaining ground.James is a former ESPN SportsCenter anchor and the author of CLEAR. He is also the founder of Project 90, a neuroscience-based program that helps high achievers including entrepreneurs, executives, physicians, attorneys and athletes step away from alcohol. Together we talk about how culture shaped our relationship to alcohol, why younger generations are drinking less, and what freedom looks like when you choose to live alcohol free.Key TakeawaysAlcohol as Cultural Conditioning – From childhood messaging to Hollywood films, drinking is framed as a rite of passage.The Power of Smiling Assassins – Friends, family, and coworkers who casually offer drinks reinforce the normalization of alcohol.Health Science is Clear – Even one drink a day can damage the brain, despite old myths about wine being heart-healthy.Generational Shift – Gen Z is drinking less, creating new alcohol-free spaces for community and celebration.Freedom Over Willpower – Living alcohol-free isn’t about deprivation, but about choosing clarity, energy, and connection.Reframing Identity – The movement is less about “sobriety” and more about embracing an alcohol-free lifestyle without stigma.Where to Find Our GuestJames Swanwick’s Website: http://alcoholfreelifestyle.comJames Swanwick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesswanwick/James Swanwick’s Book “CLEAR”: http://alcoholfreelifestyle.com/clearAlcohol Free Lifestyle on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alcoholfreelifestyleLinks & Resources🎁 Get 10% Off Carnivore BarsFuel your body with clean, shelf-stable nutrition—just meat, fat, salt, and sometimes a little honey.Use code PLUCK at checkout for 10% off at 👉 https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/pluck🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

What happens when the mind spirals, the body breaks down, and every conventional path leads to more despair? Emily Penton found herself at that breaking point, facing both bipolar disorder and multiple sclerosis. Instead of giving up, she discovered a way forward by embracing a meat-based diet, nervous system regulation, and a commitment to radical honesty.In this conversation, Emily shares how ancestral eating brought her clarity and healing when medications and therapies left her barely functioning. We talk about the emotional roots of chronic illness, why willpower is a myth, and how clarity can be the most powerful ancestral tool of all. If you’ve ever felt like your body and mind are at war, this story will give you hope.Key TakeawaysFood as Medicine – A meat-based ancestral diet helped Emily stabilize her bipolar symptoms and uncover her body’s deeper needs.Fat and Healing – Understanding that the myelin sheath is made of fat gave Emily the insight to nourish her body through MS.The Myth of Willpower – True transformation comes from nervous system regulation and self-honesty, not pushing harder.Clarity as a Tool – Gaining mental clarity was the turning point that allowed Emily to imagine and build a future.Emotional Roots of Illness – Chronic illness often reflects unresolved emotional pain that needs to be addressed alongside nutrition.Radical Self-Honesty – Facing her life with complete openness created the foundation for healing mind, body, and spirit.Where to Find Our GuestEmily Penton’s Website: https://www.innerclaritysystem.com/Emily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerclaritysystemEmily on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emilypentonLinks & Resources🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.🎁 Get your FREE Freedom Meats Guide: https://shop.eatpluck.com/pages/freedom-meats-guideI created this free guide to make it easy to eat how we’re meant to—nutrient-dense, energizing, and deeply satisfying. Get it, read it, and enjoy REAL FOOD the ancestral way! 

Emergencies are happening more often, and they’re hitting closer to home — floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. September is National Emergency Preparedness Month and I could not think of a better guest than Mira Dessy. Mira has lived through Hurricane Harvey and the Texas snow apocalypse and she brings a grounded perspective on why being prepared is essential for both health and peace of mind.Mira explains why a preparedness pantry matters, how a simple bug out bag can make all the difference, and why basic first aid skills are critical when first responders are stretched thin. She shares stories of neighbors coming together in times of crisis and why self reliance builds confidence instead of fear. This is about resilience, community and practical tools that anyone can start putting into place today.Key TakeawaysPreparedness as Everyday Health – Emergency preparedness is a foundation of holistic living and family resilience.Build a Preparedness Pantry – Stock nutritious, shelf stable foods to support health during natural disasters and financial stress.Bug Out Bag Basics – Having essential supplies ready makes evacuation faster and safer.First Aid Skills Matter – Knowing basic first aid reduces reliance on emergency services when disasters strike.Community Resilience – Preparedness strengthens neighborhoods when families share resources and support each other.Self Reliance Creates Confidence – Planning ahead brings peace of mind and the ability to thrive through uncertainty.Where to Find Our GuestMira Dessy’s Website: https://theingredientguru.comMira Dessy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theingredientguruLinks & Resources🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.🎁 Get your FREE Freedom Meats Guide: https://shop.eatpluck.com/pages/freedom-meats-guideI created this free guide to make it easy to eat how we’re meant to—nutrient-dense, energizing, and deeply satisfying. Get it, read it, and enjoy REAL FOOD the ancestral way! 

How many times have you heard me talk about the power of meal planning? I think it is one of the most underrated tools for health and family life. In this episode I sit down with Allison Schaaf, founder and CEO of Prep Dish. She is both a trained chef and a registered dietitian, and she has built her life around the connection between food, nourishment, and simplicity.Allison shares how she first got into cooking as a teenager, inspired by her grandmothers and motivated by her own curiosity. That spark led her to study at Johnson and Wales and Tufts, and eventually to create Prep Dish, where she now helps thousands of families reclaim their evenings with stress free meals. She also opens up about her journey to motherhood, the challenges along the way, and the joy of raising four children.Key TakeawaysMeal Planning is Freedom – Planning ahead is the key to bringing calm and consistency to daily meals.Cooking and Nutrition Go Together – Food should taste good and also make the body feel good.Practical Prep Makes the Difference – A few hours in the kitchen can open up the whole week for family and connection.Ancestral Habits at Home – Returning to whole foods and mindful preparation is a way to feel rooted again.The Journey to Motherhood – Allison’s path to having children was long and shaped her mission to support other women.Life in Rhythm with Nature – From kids to chickens to goats, her home life shows how food and family flow together.Where to Find Our GuestAllison Schaaf on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/Prep Dish Website: https://prepdish.com/Prep Dish 2-Week Free Trial: https://prepdish.com/ancestralMiscarriage Hope Desk: https://www.miscarriagehopedesk.com/Links & Resources🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.🎁 Get your FREE Freedom Meats Guide: https://shop.eatpluck.com/pages/freedom-meats-guideI created this free guide to make it easy to eat how we’re meant to—nutrient-dense, energizing, and deeply satisfying. Get it, read it, and enjoy REAL FOOD the ancestral way!