
Everyday Ancestral with James Barry
Everyday Ancestral, hosted by James Barry, brings ancestral wisdom into modern life. Each episode dives into holistic living, covering health, nutrition, personal growth, and deeper connections. With inspiring stories and practical tips, this podcast helps you integrate simple, intentional habits rooted in age-old traditions. Whether you’re a health enthusiast or just seeking a balanced life, Everyday Ancestral offers insights to enrich your daily routine. Subscribe now to get inspired and start living well—one step at a time.
Latest episodes

Apr 24, 2025 • 56min
Cancer Was Next – Melissa K. Norris on How Modern Food Nearly Broke Her and Homesteading Brought Her Back
What if living more ancestrally didn’t mean giving everything up—but instead meant gaining something back?In this episode of Everyday Ancestral, I’m joined by Melissa K. Norris—modern homesteader, author, and host of the Pioneering Today podcast—for a deep dive into what it really means to blend old-world wisdom with a modern lifestyle. Melissa and I are totally on the same page: we’re not trying to go off-grid or pretend we live in the 1800s—but we’re also not willing to outsource our health, our food, or our sovereignty.Melissa shares how a major health scare in her twenties shook her out of “just trusting the experts” and sent her down the path of food as medicine, gut health, and ultimately, a thriving homestead life. We get into fermented foods, sourdough, and how slow cooking can actually make life easier, not harder. Plus, she busts the myth that you have to do it all to call yourself a homesteader.This is a real, honest look at how to live with more intention in a world that wants us rushing and disconnected—and how choosing ancestral practices might just be the most modern thing you can do.Key TakeawaysThe Role of Fermented Foods – Understanding how traditional fermentation supports gut health without requiring hours in the kitchen.The Myth of Homesteading Extremes – Why self-sufficiency doesn’t mean going off-grid or living without electricity.Time as a Tool, Not a Burden – How slowing down in the kitchen can actually simplify your lifestyle and reduce stress.The Wake-Up Call to Health – How Melissa’s own medical scare taught her the power of food as both medicine and prevention.Modern Tools, Ancestral Wisdom – Why the best path forward is a blend of old-world skills and current-day conveniences.Degrees of Homesteading – Embracing that everyone’s journey to sustainability looks different, and that’s okay.Breaking Free from Food Marketing – Why we’ve been conditioned to equate speed with ease and how to undo that programming.Redefining Normal – Encouraging listeners to create their own version of wellness that prioritizes health, connection, and resilience.Where to Find Our GuestMelissa K. Norris’ Website: https://melissaknorris.comMelissa K. Norris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaknorrisBook your seats and get tickets to https://modernhomesteading.com/Links & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Apr 17, 2025 • 1h 1min
The Hidden Vision Crisis Holding Our Kids Back — Dr. Bryce Appelbaum on How Functional Eye Health Transforms Learning, Focus, and Family Wellness
What if your child’s struggles with reading, focus, or headaches weren’t behavioral—but visual? In this deeply personal episode of Everyday Ancestral, I sit down with my friend and functional eye doctor, Dr. Bryce Appelbaum—someone who completely transformed my daughter’s life and, honestly, how our whole family sees health.Bryce is a neuro-optometrist specializing in functional vision therapy, and he's here to challenge everything you thought you knew about eye care. We explore how misdiagnoses like ADHD and dyslexia often trace back to the eyes and brain not working together, and why the solution isn’t just stronger glasses. From screen resilience tools to eye workouts you can literally do while brushing your teeth, this one is packed with practical takeaways for families, educators, and anyone glued to a screen.Key TakeawaysThe Role of Functional Vision – Understanding why eyesight and vision aren’t the same, and how treating the brain, not just the eyes, can resolve learning and behavioral challenges.The Impact of Screen Time – Recognizing how early and excessive exposure to screens is disrupting healthy visual development and contributing to rising vision problems in kids.The Power of Vision Therapy – Learning how retraining the brain-eye connection can reverse double vision, poor depth perception, and even eliminate the need for some glasses.The Risk of Conventional Eye Care – Rethinking glasses as a go-to solution, and why prescriptions can sometimes create dependency rather than healing the root issue.The Eye-Brain-Body Connection – Exploring how coordination, balance, and even emotional regulation are influenced by how we see and process the world visually.The Red Flags in Children – Spotting signs like headaches, squirming during desk work, or avoiding reading that may signal functional vision problems, not behavioral ones.The DIY Vision Gym – Practicing two simple daily exercises anyone can do to support their visual system while brushing teeth or using the bathroom.The Family Connection – Creating buy-in by doing vision therapy together, and how connection, variation, and play can make it sustainable and even fun.Where to Find Our GuestFollow Dr. Bryce Appelbaum on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/drbryceappelbaumWatch his videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@visionfirstwithdrbFind him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-bryce-appelbaum/Links & ResourcesTake the free online vision assessment: www.myvisionfirst.com/quizTry ScreenFit for Free: https://james933--screenfit.thrivecart.com/screenfit-vision-foundations/675a18dbd68d7/Get $200 off ScreenFit using the code ANCESTRAL at https://checkout.screenfit.com/screenfit-vision-foundations/?coupon=ANCESTRALGet 10% off Digital Performance Lenses & selected products using code ANCESTRAL: https://shop.myvisionfirst.com?bg_ref=lfVJSZsyNiLearn more about MyVisionFirst at www.myvisionfirst.comGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Apr 10, 2025 • 59min
The Wellness Industry Is Gaslighting People — And They Don’t Even Know It: Dr. Abby Kramer Exposes the Truth About Supplements
Friends, this one’s a wake-up call. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Abby Kramer—a chiropractor, holistic physician, and co-founder of Fringe—to pull back the curtain on an industry that’s quietly misleading millions of health-conscious folks: the supplement world. We talk about the hidden fillers, flavorings, and proprietary “natural” blends in your favorite powders and capsules that don’t even have to be labeled.You’ll hear why your supplements may not be what you think they are, how trace ingredients (like maltodextrin or silicon dioxide) could be slowly sabotaging your health, and how even “clean” brands often aren’t tested thoroughly enough. Abby shares why she co-created her own line of transparent, rigorously-tested products at Fringe and what you need to look for when choosing supplements. If you care about what goes into your body—and your kids’—you’ll want to take notes on this one.Key TakeawaysThe Illusion of Savings – Understanding how cheap supplements often contain low active ingredients and high filler content that undercut your health goals.The Hidden Dangers of Flavor – Why “natural flavors” can include undisclosed additives like maltodextrin and silicon dioxide, and what that means for your long-term well-being.Mislabeled and Misunderstood – Why you can’t trust a label alone and how third-party testing should be the new industry standard.Real Hydration Requires Minerals – Discovering how filtered or reverse osmosis water can strip minerals from your body without proper electrolyte support.When Stevia Isn’t Just Stevia – Exploring the processing behind common sweeteners and how even “natural” labels can hide chemical transformations.Symptoms Are Signals – How bloat, fatigue, headaches, and hydration issues can signal deeper mineral or toxic burden imbalances exacerbated by poor-quality products.Where to Find Our GuestShop Fringe: https://fringeheals.com/ Dr. Abby Kramer’s Website: https://drabbykramer.comDr. Abby Kramer’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.abbykramerLinks & ResourcesGet 10% off Fringe Products using code EA10 at https://fringeheals.comGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Apr 3, 2025 • 1h 6min
Modern Food is Failing Us — Dr. Bill Schindler on Ancestral Eating, Industry Deception, and the Healing Power of Fermentation - Part 2
Dr. Bill Schindler is one of the most grounded and visionary voices when it comes to food—not just what we’re eating, but how disconnected we’ve become from the process. This is Part 2 of our conversation, so if you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, I highly recommend you scroll down and check that out first—the link’s below.In this episode, we go even deeper. We talk about how convenience foods have stripped us of both power and participation, and why fermentation isn’t just some niche foodie trend—it’s a transformative ancestral technology. Bill brings decades of experience reviving traditional food practices, and what I love is how actionable and real his approach is. This isn’t about idealizing the past—it’s about reclaiming skills, intuition, and the kind of connection we’ve lost in our modern food system.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to eat “healthy” or frustrated by the chaos of modern food marketing, this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air. It’s about more than just what’s on your plate—it’s about getting back to what it means to truly nourish yourself and your family.Key TakeawaysThe Role of “How” We Eat – Shifting focus from what we eat to how it’s prepared and processed empowers us to reclaim nutrient-dense ancestral eating in a modern food landscape.The Whole Animal Approach – Eating nose-to-tail offers ethical, economical, and deeply nourishing benefits that support fertility, longevity, and sustainable family health.The Cost of Convenience – Industrial food systems are designed to disempower us by prioritizing profit over health, leading to chronic illness, confusion, and dependence.True Nourishment is Multi-Dimensional – Real nourishment requires honoring emotional, cultural, and social needs alongside nutrition, helping us feel grounded and whole.Reclaiming Food Sovereignty – Making staple foods like sourdough, butter, and cheese from scratch builds confidence, reduces overwhelm, and reconnects us with our food source.The Danger of Nutritional Dogma – Strict diets miss the mark when they ignore the complexity of being human—flexibility and intuition are key to sustainable ancestral living.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Bill Schindler’s Website: https://www.drbillschindler.com Dr. Bill Schindler on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbillschindler/Links & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.comListen to Part 1 on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modern-food-is-failing-us-dr-bill-schindler-on-ancestral/id1777431762?i=1000701034248Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55iUtz4X61nRndiXjXsOPZ?si=b5cd7d841ef14a8c

Mar 27, 2025 • 53min
Modern Food is Failing Us — Dr. Bill Schindler on Ancestral Eating, Industry Deception, and the Healing Power of Fermentation - Part 1
Dr. Bill Schindler is a food archaeologist, chef, and ancestral nutrition expert who has traveled the world studying how our ancestors truly nourished themselves. In this conversation, we dig into how the modern food industry has stripped our meals of nutrients, flavor, and tradition—and what we can do to fix it. Bill lays it all out—most ‘healthy’ foods aren’t healthy at all, and most sourdough? Fake. He breaks down exactly how ancestral food prep restores gut health and real nourishment.We also explore how food is deeply tied to relationships, community, and connection—things that are missing in our modern approach to eating. Bill shares his experience running the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, how he and his family have built a life around traditional food preparation, and why whole-animal eating is the key to sustainability and better health. If you’ve ever looked at your plate and thought, ‘This just isn’t right,’ you’re not crazy. This episode will open your eyes to what’s really going on with our food.Key TakeawaysWhy Modern Food is Failing Us – Dr. Schindler explains how industrial food production strips away essential nutrients and how this impacts our health.The Truth About Sourdough – Most store-bought "sourdough" isn’t real sourdough. Bill breaks down how fermentation makes grains safer and more digestible.Fermentation is the Missing Link – Traditional cultures ferment everything—dairy, grains, vegetables, even meat—because it enhances nutrition and digestibility.Whole-Animal Eating is the Answer – Modern meat consumption is wasteful. Eating nose-to-tail is better for our health, the environment, and respects the animal.Food, Ancestral Lifestyle, and Community are Inseparable – Ancestral cultures see food as more than fuel—it’s about connection, play, and storytelling. We need to reclaim that.Practical Ancestral Diet Tips: How to Get Started – Simple, practical ways to bring real, nourishing foods back into your life without feeling overwhelmed.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Schindler’s Website: https://eatlikeahuman.comDr. Schindler on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbillschindler/Links & ResourcesModern Stone Age Kitchen: https://modernstoneagekitchen.comGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Mar 20, 2025 • 51min
Modern Toxins vs. Ancestral Health: How Mold and Lyme Disease Disrupt Wellness with Dr. Brandy Cummings
Dr. Brandy Cummings is not your typical nutritionist. She’s a former blackjack dealer turned root-cause health expert who understands what it’s like to feel dismissed by conventional medicine. After losing her first pregnancy to severe mold exposure and battling a wave of debilitating symptoms—weight gain, vertigo, anxiety, and hormone imbalances—she hit a breaking point. That moment didn’t just shake her- it changed everything. She refused to accept the “we don’t know” answers from doctors and made it her mission to uncover the truth. Using ancestral healing principles, she dug into how environmental toxins disrupt health and what it takes to detox and rebuild resilience.If you’ve ever struggled with mystery symptoms, chronic fatigue, or felt like no one is actually listening when you say, “I just don’t feel right,” this episode is for you. We’ll explore the ancestral health strategies that have helped people heal for generations but are dismissed in modern medicine—replaced by quick fixes and treatments that mask symptoms instead of addressing the root cause. Dr. Brandy breaks down how mold toxicity impacts your entire system, the overlooked ways your body is crying out for help, and the foundational steps you can take today to reclaim your health. We also dig into the emotional toll of being dismissed by the medical system and the mindset shifts needed to truly heal.Key TakeawaysMold Toxicity & Hidden Symptoms – Mold exposure is often the root cause of chronic illness, yet it’s rarely considered in mainstream medicine.Detox Pathway Issues – Some bodies struggle to eliminate toxins, making them more vulnerable to mold and environmental illness.Why Testing Fails – Conventional tests often miss mold and Lyme, leading to years of misdiagnosis.Healing from the Ground Up – True recovery requires addressing root causes, not just managing symptoms.Ancestral Healing – Light, food, and community play a vital role in long-term wellness.Taking Control of Your Health – Learn how to navigate the medical system and advocate for real answers.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Brandy Cummings’ Website: https://www.resilientmotherhood.healthDr. Brandy Cummings on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientmotherhood.healthLinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Mar 13, 2025 • 55min
Raw Dairy, Red Meat, and Saturated Fats Healed Me – Will Witt on Breaking Free from Fake Health
Will Witt is living proof that questioning mainstream health advice can be life-changing, especially when the truth is buried under layers of misinformation. For those seeking a return to ancestral wisdom and self-reliance, his journey is a wake-up call. Diagnosed with gout at just 24, he was told to cut out red meat and eat more vegetables—but that only made things worse. Instead of following conventional wisdom, he took matters into his own hands, embracing raw dairy, red meat, and saturated fats, and completely transformed his health. Now, three years later, he's gout-free and proving that the path to true health isn’t found in packaged diet plans or pharmaceutical fixes—it’s about trusting your body, and eating real food.In this episode, we get into why raw dairy is a nutritional powerhouse, how mainstream health advice keeps people sick, and why simplicity is key when it comes to real food. Will shares the exact steps he took to heal, his approach to food sourcing, and why he believes getting back to nature—both in diet and lifestyle—is the ultimate key to thriving. If you've ever felt like the standard health playbook wasn’t working for you, this conversation is a must-listen.Key TakeawaysRaw Dairy is a Superfood – Will explains how raw milk played a crucial role in healing his body and why it’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.Red Meat Isn’t the Enemy – High-quality red meat and organ meats are packed with bioavailable nutrients essential for optimal health, despite mainstream misconceptions.Doctors Treat Symptoms, Not Causes – Will shares how the medical system failed him with quick fixes instead of addressing root causes, leading him to take control of his own health.Eating in Season Matters – Consuming fruit when it’s naturally in season helps balance blood sugar and maximizes nutrient intake.The Simple Approach to Health – Ditch the complicated diets—just eat real food, move your body, get outside, and trust your instincts for lasting health.The Problem with the Health Industry – Major health organizations profit from misinformation, keeping people dependent on their solutions—questioning everything is the way to break free.Where to Find Our GuestWill Witt’s Website: https://purebasicscollective.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/thewillwittLinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Mar 6, 2025 • 48min
Fix Your Metabolism, Save Your Heart: Dr. Philip Ovadia on Preventing Disease the Natural Way
For generations, our ancestors thrived without heart disease plaguing their communities—so what changed? Dr. Philip Ovadia has spent decades performing open-heart surgeries, but after struggling with obesity and losing 100 pounds himself, he realized the real key to preventing heart disease isn’t surgery—it’s fixing metabolic health before disease even starts. The modern healthcare system treats heart disease like an inevitability, but Dr. Ovadia is here to challenge that narrative and offer a proactive, ancestral approach to lifelong health.In this episode, we break down the hidden drivers of metabolic dysfunction, why inflammation and insulin resistance—not cholesterol—are the real threats, and the five key markers you need to track. We also explore how processed foods, sugar, and seed oils have hijacked our health and what we can do to reclaim our ancestral vitality. If you’ve ever questioned mainstream medicine’s reactive approach, struggled with weight or high cholesterol, or simply want to take charge of your long-term health, this conversation is a must-listen.Key TakeawaysThe Ancestral Approach to Heart Health – Why our ancestors didn’t suffer from heart disease and what we can learn from their way of life.The Real Cause of Heart Disease – How insulin resistance and chronic inflammation—not cholesterol—drive metabolic dysfunction.Reclaiming Metabolic Health – The five essential health markers to track for true vitality.Modern Medicine’s Blind Spot – Why doctors overlook insulin resistance and keep patients trapped in the cycle of medication and surgery.The Processed Food Problem – How sugar, seed oils, and ultra-processed foods fuel disease and what to eat instead.Weight Loss & Ozempic – Are GLP-1 drugs a revolutionary tool or just another Band-Aid solution?Where to Find Our GuestDr. Philip Ovadia’s Website: https://ifixhearts.comDr. Philip’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifixhearts/Links & ResourcesGet Dr. Ovadia’s Book, Stay Off My Operating Table – Learn how to prevent heart disease before it starts: https://www.amazon.com/Stay-off-Operating-Table-Metabolic/dp/1737818205/Get 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Feb 27, 2025 • 55min
From Picky Eating to Gut Healing: Kate Pope on Nourishing Your Child the Ancestral Way
Ever feel like feeding your kid is a constant battle? Like no matter what you try, they only want the same five foods? Kate Pope gets it—and she’s here to flip the script on how we nourish our children the way our ancestors did. After her own health struggles led her to uncover the power of gut health, she became a Holistic Chef, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and Certified GAPS Practitioner. Now, she’s helping parents take back control, teaching them how to build their child’s microbiome, introduce the right first foods, and put an end to picky eating before it starts. If you’re tired of mealtime meltdowns and want real solutions based on ancestral wisdom, this episode is for you.Kate doesn’t just talk theory—she lives this. She’s all about regenerative cooking, ancestral nutrition, and getting back to the basics with real, whole foods. She breaks down why gut health is the foundation of lifelong wellness, how organ meats and animal fats—staples in traditional diets—can supercharge your child’s development, and why so many common childhood health issues can be fixed by eating the way our ancestors did. If you want to raise a thriving, adventurous eater and ditch the processed food cycle, don’t miss this conversation.Key TakeawaysThe Power of Gut Health – Kate Pope explains how the microbiome influences digestion, immunity, and overall well-being, just as it did for our ancestors.Why First Foods Matter – The essential strategy behind microbiome-led weaning and introducing nutrient-dense, ancestral foods.Rethinking Picky Eating – Why gut imbalances, not just preferences, often lead to food refusal, and how ancestral diets promote natural appetite regulation.Healing vs. Managing Symptoms – A practical framework for addressing eczema, constipation, and other childhood health issues through traditional foods.The Role of Animal Fats and Organ Meats – How leveraging nutrient-dense ancestral foods can support brain function and immune health.Building a Family Food Culture – Balancing modern challenges while creating a home environment that prioritizes real, nourishing food based on ancestral wisdom.Where to Find Our GuestKate Pope’s Website: https://RegenerativeCookingSchool.comKate Pope’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildnutritionistLinks & Resources📌 Mama-Baby Biome Course A step-by-step program for mothers looking to optimize their child’s gut health from birth using ancestral nutrition principles. Learn more at: https://regenerativecookingschool.samcart.com/products/baby-biome-first-foods📌 Get 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Feb 20, 2025 • 44min
Reversing Osteoporosis: The Truth About Bone Loss & Strength with The Bone Coach, Kevin Ellis
Kevin Ellis, aka Bone Coach™, is here to share his proven system for stopping bone loss, reversing osteoporosis, and building lifelong bone strength. Diagnosed with osteoporosis in his late 20s, he refused to accept the usual ‘take calcium and wait’ advice. Instead, he developed a science-backed osteoporosis treatment plan that has helped thousands rebuild bone density and prevent fractures.In this episode, Kevin breaks down the biggest osteoporosis myths, explains how gut health directly impacts bone density, and shares the best diet and exercise strategies for reversing bone loss naturally. If you're looking for an actionable bone health plan, this episode will help you prevent fractures, strengthen bones, and stay active for life.Key Takeaways Bone Loss Isn’t Just for the Elderly – Kevin shares why osteoporosis is affecting younger adults more than ever and what early warning signs to watch for.Why Testing Matters – Many people don’t know they have osteoporosis until a fracture occurs. Kevin breaks down essential tests to detect bone loss before it’s too late.The Role of Nutrition in Bone Health – Kevin explains the key nutrients your bones need, why dairy isn’t the only answer, and how gut health impacts calcium absorption.Strength Training for Stronger Bones – Discover why weight-bearing exercises are crucial and how to safely incorporate strength training into your routine.Avoiding Common Myths – Kevin busts the biggest misconceptions about osteoporosis, including the truth about protein, dairy, and medications.Mindset & Resilience – Kevin shares his personal story of overcoming a life-changing diagnosis and how mental toughness plays a role in health recovery.Where to Find Our GuestKevin Ellis’ Website: https://bonecoach.com/Kevin Ellis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonecoachkevin/Links & Resources📌Get Kevin’s FREE 7-Day Osteoporosis Kickstart. Download it now at: https://bonecoach.com/📌Get 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com