Everyday Ancestral with James Barry

There’s something about building from the floor up that changes a person. For Robert Sikes, that’s not a metaphor. He and his wife Crystal literally slept on the floor of a warehouse while starting their business. I remember meeting him early in Pluck’s journey, before this podcast even existed, and feeling the conviction behind everything he shared. He’s one of the first people who believed in what I was doing. The way he lives is focused, disciplined, and completely dialed in. It left a lasting impression.Robert is a lifetime natural bodybuilder and the founder of Keto Brick. He’s also someone who doesn’t do “cheat days”. Not just with food, but with life. He talks about keto the way other people talk about spirituality or craft. It’s not a tool for fat loss. It’s a foundation for clarity, discipline, and building something real. We talked about how fatherhood has shifted his priorities, what it means to truly grind with purpose, and why simplicity is one of the most overlooked superpowers.This conversation is not about macros or performance. It’s about doing what you say you’ll do, letting the hard things forge you, and showing up for the people who matter most.Key TakeawaysNo Cheat Days – For Robert, consistency around food is about mental clarity and alignment with purpose.Brick By Brick – Keto Brick was born from necessity and vision, developed on a warehouse floor with his wife by his side.Discipline Is A Practice – Removing distractions and limiting choices has allowed Robert to go all-in on the things that matter most.Fuel Like It Matters – Keto isn’t a short-term strategy. It’s how he unlocks focus, endurance, and presence every day.Legacy Mindset – Fatherhood didn’t slow Robert down. It gave every hustle a reason.Keep It Simple – Whether it’s business, food, or fitness, doing less and doing it with intention creates the space to do it better.Where to Find Our GuestRobert on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ketosavage Keto Brick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ketobrick Links & ResourcesKeto Brick: https://www.ketobrick.comKeto Bodybuilding Coaching: https://www.ketobodybuilding.com🎁 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 we start with kids, a chalkboard, and a Hot Pocket? For Ali Miller, the answer is empowerment.Ali Miller is a functional medicine dietitian with a deep passion for helping people reclaim their health through food. We talked about how ancestral food practices have been lost, particularly in communities where connection to the food system used to be the strongest. She shared what it was like working in underserved school districts, teaching kids how to caramelize onions, crush garlic, and taste real marinara. Those kids went home and changed the way their families ate, not because someone gave them access, but because they were given tools and knowledge.We also got into what it means when we subsidize soda and fund Ozempic prescriptions for 8-year-olds. These systems are keeping people dependent, while ancestral ways of living offered connection, nourishment, and resilience. Ali has spent her career showing people how to step out of that trap. Her message is clear: real food heals, and reclaiming your kitchen is one of the most powerful things you can do.Key TakeawaysFood Sovereignty Starts at Home – We’ve outsourced nourishment for too long. Reclaiming health means cooking, connecting, and getting our hands back in the soil.Disempowerment Is a Lie – Telling people they don’t have access to real food often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Education and exposure are powerful tools for change.Systems Are Failing Our Kids – When we’re subsidizing soda and prescribing Ozempic to 8-year-olds, it’s clear our priorities are backward.Education Is the Gateway – Teaching kids where food comes from and how to prepare it unlocks a new level of health, confidence, and agency.Convenience Is the New Oppression – We've been sold the myth that faster is better. But ancestral health thrives in the slow, intentional rhythms of the kitchen and garden.Food Is Medicine, Culture, and Connection – The ancestral plate isn’t just about nutrients. It’s about relationships, traditions, and the stories we pass down.Where to Find Our GuestAli Miller’s Website: https://www.alimillerRD.comAli Miller on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimillerRD Ali Miller on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alimillerRD Links & ResourcesNaturally Nourished Kids Bonus Guide: https://alimillerrd.com/pages/naturally-nourished-kids-bonusIncludes: ✅ A sneak peek at the guidelines ✅ Balanced smoothie + shake building tips ✅ Label lingo worksheet ✅ Early access + unreleased recipes ✅ Essential supplements + immune support ✅ Grocery lists and favorite brands ✅ 1-week meal plan with food-as-medicine focus🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

What Bren Smith is doing with the ocean is what we’ve been trying to do on land. He’s reanchoring our food system to something alive, something real. And the wild thing is, he’s growing food that doesn’t require any freshwater, fertilizer, or land.Bren’s a former commercial fisherman who’s now leading the way in regenerative ocean farming. He’s got this deep blue-collar wisdom and a whole lot of practical invention. We talk about what it means to make a living on a living planet, the connection between soil and sea, and why kelp just might be one of the most powerful tools we have to fight climate change.I loved this conversation. It’s a different kind of farming, but it’s the same fight. He’s on the water. I’m on the land. But we’re both trying to reconnect people to the systems that feed us and keep us alive.Key TakeawaysFarming The Ocean Is Farming The Future - Regenerative ocean farming uses no land, no freshwater, and no fertilizer, but still provides real food and helps the climate.Kelp Builds Resilience - It pulls carbon from the air, filters nitrogen, and brings life back to the ocean.Blue Collar Innovation Matters - Fishermen and farmers carry deep ancestral knowledge and practical solutions. We just need to pay attention.The Food Movement Should Feel Like Home - Whether you work with soil or seaweed, there’s a place for you if you care about feeding people well.We Need Jobs Worth Singing About - Bren is focused on creating work that’s meaningful, rooted in place, and tied to something bigger.The Ocean Is An Ally - If we work with it the right way, the ocean can actually help heal the planet and feed us at the same time.Where to Find Our GuestGreenWave Website: https://greenwave.orgGreenWave on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenwaveorgGreenWave on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenwaveorgGreenWave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenwaveorgLinks & ResourcesBren Smith's Book – “Eat Like a Fish”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/547069/eat-like-a-fish-by-bren-smith🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

Do you ever feel overstimulated, disconnected, or out of sync? Debra Joy joins me for a powerful conversation about nervous system regulation, spiritual alignment, and the importance of honoring natural rhythms. We explore how media and modern noise disrupt our sense of safety, and how small, intentional shifts can help us reconnect, calm the body, and move through the world with more presence and peace.Debra is a Leadership and Performance Coach who helps entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives achieve success in a way that feels good—calm, confident, and deeply aligned. After co-founding three businesses and a non-profit, she learned firsthand that working harder isn’t the path to meaningful success. Over the past 17 years, she has supported leaders across industries using a unique blend of business strategy, nervous-system regulation, and somatic trauma healing. With a Master’s in Leadership & Training and certification as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, her work empowers clients to break old patterns, access their true strengths, and create results with less stress and more joy.Deb shares her own story, how a lifetime of impact-driven work, fueled by love but unknowingly shaped by trauma, eventually led her body to say, “Nope, this isn’t working.” She got so ill she was told she might never work again. What changed everything wasn’t a quick fix. It was living at the pace of nature, tasting food that was truly alive, and feeling the ground beneath her feet. Her healing journey is a reminder that presence can be deeply pleasurable, and real success doesn’t require self-sacrifice.If your nervous system is craving a reset, this one’s for you.Key TakeawaysAuthentic Success Starts In The Body – If you’re hustling your way to burnout, you might be bypassing the real wisdom you need to thrive.Presence Is A Pleasure Practice – True presence doesn’t have to be serious or silent; it can be sensual, playful, and deeply nourishing.Trauma Hides In Achievement – Many of us overwork not because we love the grind, but because we don’t feel safe resting.Nature Sets The Pace – Reconnecting with slower, seasonal rhythms can help reset the nervous system and shift how we relate to time, success, and self-worth.Modern Life Is Overstimulating By Design – Learning to regulate your nervous system isn’t just self-care, it’s a radical act of reclamation.Success That Feels Good Is Possible – When you combine business strategy with body wisdom, you can create results that are sustainable, aligned, and joyful.Where to Find Our GuestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrajoy/IG: https://www.instagram.com/debrajoy_coachLinks & ResourcesFree coaching and resources from Debra: https://thesuccesssolution.co🎁 Try Pluck Superfood SeasoningsGet 20% off your first order with code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk.

Seventy-six percent of Americans are living with chronic illness. That statistic alone tells us we’re facing something much bigger than personal health struggles. In this conversation with Dr. Chris Turnpaugh, we explore what’s broken in our current medical model and why so many people with complex symptoms are being overlooked. Dr. Turnpaugh brings decades of experience in functional neurology and systems-based medicine, with a track record of uncovering root causes where others only treat symptoms.We get into topics like mold toxicity, autoimmunity, long-haul infections, and the environmental factors that silently shape our health. Dr. Turnpaugh shares why symptom management isn't enough, and why taking ownership of your health journey is more important than ever. This is a grounded and eye-opening conversation that reconnects us to the deeper story our bodies are telling and gives us practical insight into how to finally move toward real healing.Key TakeawaysModern Medicine Misses the Roots – Most doctors are trained to treat symptoms, not to understand why those symptoms exist in the first place.Our System Wasn't Built for Chronic Illness – More than 76% of Americans have a chronic disease, but our medical system was only trained to handle acute care.The Body Is A System, Not A Set of Silos – True healing requires a whole-body lens; separating specialties by organ system breaks down in chronic illness.You Must Be Your Own Advocate – In today’s world, taking responsibility for your health journey isn’t optional. It’s essential.Ask Better Questions – Health starts with curiosity. “How did I get here?” and “How do I not end up here again?”Environment Is Medicine – From mold to mindset, the environments we live in and the inputs we consume are silently shaping our biology every day.Where to Find Our GuestTurnpaugh Health and Wellness Center Website: https://turnpaughhwc.com/Turnpaugh HWC on Facebook:: https://www.facebook.com/TurnpaughHWC 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.

You’re a college student at UCLA, juggling five jobs, running an aerobics studio, and training clients before personal training was even a profession. Then one morning in Brentwood, someone follows you out of a coffee shop and pitches a shady modeling gig at the Hotel Bel Air. That moment could have gone sideways. But JJ Virgin had already learned how to set boundaries, read a room, and trust her gut. That instinct shaped everything she built after.JJ didn’t just survive in a male-dominated industry. She helped build it. Back when gyms didn’t even have trainers, she was dragging clients to Gold’s and lifting heavy right alongside them. She breaks down how strong boundaries are the most underrated biohack in women’s health, why female trainers often get better results with male clients, and how honoring your intuition can change everything.JJ shares what it means to be a powerful woman in an industry that wasn’t built for you. We talk through her early years training celebrities, the health myths still keeping women stuck, and what midlife wellness really looks like when you stop outsourcing your power. From ancestral nutrition to the most underrated biohack-of-all-boundaries, JJ offers up the kind of no-fluff wisdom that only comes from living it. If you’re navigating change, craving clarity, or ready to take charge of your health and identity, this conversation will light a fire under you.Key TakeawaysBoundaries Build Power – JJ shares how strong, early boundaries helped her thrive in a male-dominated fitness industry and avoid common traps.Women Are Built for This Work – From her perspective, women are naturally suited to train both men and women, and often get better results because of it.Don’t Outsource Your Authority – JJ urges us to stop blindly trusting experts and instead step into our own discernment, especially around health.Energy Management Is a Skill – Drawing firm lines is not just a safety measure. It is a way to preserve energy for the work and people that matter.Resilience Is a Practice –  JJ shares how showing up to speak on stage just weeks after her son’s near-fatal accident helped her discover a deeper strength she didn’t know she had.Women in Wellness, Know Your Worth – JJ’s success came not just from talent but from refusing to play small. She wants every woman to claim that space too.Where to Find Our GuestJJ Virgin’s Website: https://jjvirgin.com/media-speaking-new/JJ Virgin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jj.virgin/JJ Virgin on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jj.virginJJ Virgin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JJVirginOfficial/Links & ResourcesJJ Virgin’s Protein Cheat Sheet: https://jjvirgin.com/proteincs🎁 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 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.