Everyday Ancestral with James Barry

What happens when we outsource wisdom, sever community ties, and forget how to truly listen to our bodies, to each other, and to the land? In Part 2 of my conversation with Mary Ruddick, we continue exploring the Feminine Blueprint, focusing on how ancestral practices might just hold the key to today’s rising rates of infertility, chronic illness, and mental health collapse.If you missed Part 1, go back and listen. It lays the groundwork for this powerful follow-up.Mary is a Human Ecologist with postgraduate degrees in the human microbiome and nutrition. She’s a global health researcher and storyteller who blends ancient traditions with cutting-edge science to help people move from frailty to vitality. In this episode, we talk about birth and the microbiome, emotional suppression versus empathy, why modern output culture devalues the vulnerable, and what real discernment looks like in an increasingly disconnected world. There’s no fluff here. Just timeless truth.Before you begin, a gentle note: this conversation touches on sexual abuse. It’s not graphic, but it is real. If that’s a tender thread for you, please listen with care, or not at all. Your well-being comes first.Key TakeawaysThe Birth Microbiome Matters – Your gut health starts before you’re born, and ancestral birthing practices play a critical role in shaping immunity and resilience.Empathy Isn’t Boundless – In a society overrun by mental illness, true healing requires discernment alongside compassion.Community Heals – Traditional cultures hold space for emotional processing through shared presence, not suppression.Stop Outsourcing Wisdom – The expert-driven model fails when it ignores lived experience and ancestral knowing.Redefining Strength – In many traditional societies, worth isn’t based on productivity but on shared humanity.Microbiome as Mirror – How we treat our gut reflects how we treat each other. Neglect leads to breakdown.Where to Find Our GuestMary Ruddick’s Website: https://www.maryruddick.comMary Ruddick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryqueenofheartMary Ruddick on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvTUhQHUXdwpULwEyqKaWXALinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

What if you could walk again just two days after a serious knee injury?In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, I sit down with Dr. Adam Gavine, a sports chiropractor with a passion for real, lasting healing. We met at a conference where my wife Margaret could barely walk after a patella injury. Adam confidently said she’d be walking in 48 hours. He was right. And I knew I had to get him on the show.Adam shares how his personal story as a decathlete led him into the healing arts, how he blends wisdom with experience, and why movement is medicine. This isn’t about managing symptoms. It’s about treating the root. You’ll learn what makes a practitioner effective, why the body forgets how to move, and how we can remind it to heal.This episode was so rich, we split it into two parts.Key TakeawaysWisdom over Modality – Healing isn’t about titles like chiro or physio, it’s about the skill and wisdom of the practitioner.The 2-Day Recovery – After months of failed treatment, one correct diagnosis helped Adam run again in days.Movement Is Medicine – Daily spinal hygiene and tailored movement patterns prevent injury and restore vitality.The Body Forgets – After injury or immobility, your body must relearn how to move through specific, customized patterns.Start Where You Are – Whether 93 years old or just off the couch, functional movement must match your current capacity.Break the Glue – Fascial adhesions from inactivity can’t be stretched away. They must be released with precision work.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Adam Gavine’s Website: http://www.wasabimethod.comDr. Adam Gavine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wasabi_methodLinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

What if the rise in autism and ADHD isn't just better diagnosis but a warning sign from the body?In this episode, I sit down with Julie Matthews, MS, a Certified Nutrition Consultant and published researcher specializing in personalized nutrition for complex neurological conditions, especially autism and ADHD. For over 20 years, Julie has worked with thousands of families, helping them uncover how food, toxins, and environment play a powerful role in their child's health. She received her master’s degree in medical nutrition, with distinction, from Arizona State University and is co-author of two research studies demonstrating the clinical impact of dietary interventions for autism.Julie’s not here to sell a protocol. She’s here to empower you with a perspective you’re probably not getting from your pediatrician. We talk about the hidden links between behavior and biology, the foods that often do more harm than good, and why bio-individuality is the future of healing.If your child has been labeled, and you're starting to question the story you've been told, this one is for you.Key TakeawaysFood is the first medicine – Many behavioral symptoms in kids improve dramatically when irritants like gluten, dairy, and additives are removed.Genetics is not destiny – Environmental stressors and poor detox capacity are triggering epigenetic changes that impact brain function.The picky eater paradox – Children often crave the very foods that are harming them due to opioid-like effects from gluten and casein.Not all autism is the same – A personalized diet approach, rooted in testing and bio-individuality, is key to long-term support.Modern living is a mismatch – EMFs, pesticides, and hyper-processed foods are disrupting development in ways ancestral diets once protected against.Community matters – Parents need support and connection just as much as protocols when navigating healing for their kids.Where to Find Our GuestJulie’s Website: https://nourishinghope.comJulie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliematthewsnourishinghopeBioIndividual Nutrition Institute: https://bioindividualnutrition.comJoin the Nourishing Hope Community: https://nourishinghope.com/programPractitioner Training: https://bioindividualnutrition.comResearch Studies and Articles: https://nourishinghope.com/researchLinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

“I used to think overwhelm was just who I was. But what if that story was written in my DNA—and I could edit it?”In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tyler Panzner, a PhD geneticist who’s on a mission to help people understand their bodies on a cellular level—literally. We met at Mindshare and hit it off in one of those rare, spark-filled conversations between interviews. I knew I had to have him on to go deeper.What I love about Tyler is his refusal to deal in absolutes. He’s not selling a silver bullet; he’s offering something better: nuance. We talk about why so much health advice feels overwhelming or ineffective—and how genetics can serve as a filter to cut through the noise. Tyler shares his own story of discovering the COMT gene mutation that shaped his personality and stress response, and how targeted nutrition changed his life overnight.Whether you’ve felt stuck in your healing, frustrated by generic advice, or just curious about the role of genetics in your wellness journey—this episode will reframe your understanding of what’s possible.Key TakeawaysGenetics Are a Starting Point – Your DNA isn't your destiny, but it can provide a roadmap to understand your body's tendencies.Nuance Over Absolutes – Anyone preaching “always” or “never” in wellness is likely missing the complexity of human biology.The COMT Gene Explained – Tyler breaks down how slow dopamine clearance shaped his anxiety, sensitivity, and need for magnesium.Precision Saves Time – Personalized insight helps avoid the trial-and-error trap that wastes time, energy, and money.Supplements That Work – Knowing which genes affect your neurotransmitters can guide what nutrients you actually need.Empowerment Through Information – Genetic testing gives people agency over their health decisions instead of blindly following trends.Where to Find Our GuestDr. Tyler Panzner’s Website: https://drtylerpanzner.com/homeDr. Tyler Panzner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtylerpanzner/Links & ResourcesUse code EA150 for $150 off Dr. Panzner’s 1:1 genetic program—covers the DNA kit!Executive Cell Signaling Free Course: https://drtylerpanzner.com/cell-signaling1-on-1 Genetic Work with Dr. Panzner: https://drtylerpanzner.com/startyourjourneySubscribe to Dr. Panzner’s Newsletter: https://drtylerpanzner.com/email-newsletterGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

What if the definition of a “strong woman” we’ve been given in the West is all wrong?In this conversation with the incredible Mary Ruddick whos’ often called the “Indiana Jones of Health”, we go deep into ancestral perspectives on female health, strength, and identity. Mary has lived with and studied traditional cultures across the globe, and what she’s found challenges almost everything we think we know about womanhood and well-being.We explore what it really means to be strong as a woman, not through hustle or domination, but through discernment, joy, and deep connection. Mary shares how women in traditional societies exude confidence, community, and contentment in ways that are rarely seen in modern urban life. For anyone struggling with burnout, disconnection, or confusion around what it means to be healthy and whole as a woman today, this conversation is a breath of fresh ancestral air.Key TakeawaysRedefining Strength – Female strength isn’t about doing more; it’s about discernment and choosing wisely what we say yes and no to.Patriarchy Reimagined – Traditional societies may appear patriarchal, but often embody complementary roles where men and women deeply respect one another’s contributions.Freedom Through Roles – In cultures with clear gender roles, women often experience more freedom, not less, because expectations are rooted in mutual support and balance.The Power of Joy – Calm, happy, and emotionally grounded women are the norm in many ancestral communities—a sharp contrast to the overstressed, overwhelmed norm in modern life.Community Heals – Immediate and affectionate female community is central to well-being in traditional cultures, and it’s something many Western women deeply crave.Discernment as Health Practice – A woman’s ability to discern, not just nutritionally, but relationally and spiritually, is a key component of her health and vitality.Where to Find Our GuestMary Ruddick’s Website: https://www.maryruddick.comMary Ruddick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryqueenofheartMary Ruddick on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvTUhQHUXdwpULwEyqKaWXALinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

Today we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the least regulated health spaces out there: the supplement industry. I sat down with Melissa Crispell—traditional naturopath, nutrition specialist, and president of Pure Essentials—to uncover the dirty secrets hiding in your so-called “natural” supplements.Melissa spent over 15 years teaching practitioners how to interpret functional lab data and build programs rooted in real health, but what she’s exposing today hits a whole new level. From fillers like citric acid made with mold, to chronic inflammation disguised as “sensitivity,” Melissa shares why reading a label isn’t nearly enough—and what you need to do instead. This one’s not just about supplements—it’s about reclaiming your family's health in a world that profits off your confusion.Key TakeawaysThe Role of Citric Acid – Understanding how this common additive is typically derived from mold and may trigger chronic inflammation in sensitive individuals.Hidden Ingredients in “Clean” Supplements – Why even the most trusted labels may include toxic fillers like silicon dioxide and magnesium stearate that accumulate over time.The Impact of Chronic Exposure – How long-term reactions to hidden ingredients can masquerade as autoimmune conditions and other chronic illnesses.Knowing What You’re Buying – Why reading labels isn’t enough and how companies like Pure Essentials are changing the supplement industry standard.How the System Keeps You in the Dark – A breakdown of how medical and supplement industries benefit from misinformation and limited consumer awareness.Empowering Families Through Education – Why learning to decode ingredient sourcing and manufacturing processes is crucial to living an “undoctored” life.Where to Find Our GuestMelissa Crispell’s website: https://melissacrispell.com Email: melissa@pure-essentials.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_crispell/ Facebook (Wellness Page): https://www.facebook.com/LongTermWellness.official Facebook (Personal Page): https://www.facebook.com/TheMelissaCrispell Pure Essentials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ShopPureEssentials Pure Essentials Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PureEssentialsStore Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ShopPureEssentialsX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PureEssentials Threads: https://www.threads.net/@shoppureessentials YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PureEssentials TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoppureessentials LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-essentials-supplementsLinks & ResourcesPLUCK10 is live and ready to go for you to receive a 10% discount on your purchase at https://pure-essentials.comGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with my fellow San Jose native, Sophia Nguyen, for a conversation that’s as personal as it is powerful. We go deep into what it means to truly honor your elders—especially in a culture like the Vietnamese one, where family and generational responsibility are foundational. Sophia shares the emotional journey of caring for her father as he declines into dementia, and how her upbringing as a first-generation Vietnamese-American shaped her response to that challenge. We talk about the grit of immigrant parents, the wisdom they quietly pass down, and how that sacrifice becomes the very foundation we build our lives on. If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to live with intention, or how to balance tradition with the fast pace of modern life, this one’s for you.Key TakeawaysThe Role of Elders in Vietnamese Culture – How a multigenerational household preserves dignity and honors the sacrifices of immigrant parents.Family as Infrastructure – Sophia’s mother’s metaphor of laying asphalt speaks volumes about what it takes to create opportunity for the next generation.Facing Dementia with Compassion – Understanding the emotional and logistical demands of caring for a parent with a degenerative condition.Cultural Assimilation vs. Cultural Retention – The tension between preserving ancestral language and values versus adapting to American norms.Catch-Up through Grit – Why children of immigrants often develop a relentless drive to close gaps in wealth, language, and opportunity.Marriage Across Generational Lines – How Sophia and her husband navigate differing cultural upbringings and unify around shared values.Intentional Living Starts with Family – The small, quiet acts of care and commitment that keep ancestral values alive in a modern context.Where to Find Our GuestFollow Sophia on IG : https://www.instagram.com/sprinklewithsoilFollow the Call to Farms Podcast : https://www.instagram.com/calltofarmspodcastLinks & ResourcesJoin Sophia as she shows you one of her family's favorite dishes : https://sprinklewithsoil.com/phoGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

If you’ve ever thought you were eating “clean” and still found yourself dealing with nagging health issues, this episode is gonna crack things wide open for you. I’m joined by the legendary Mira Dessy—The Ingredient Guru—and let me tell you, this conversation changed how I look at every single label in my pantry. Mira’s journey from multiple autoimmune diagnoses and immune system collapse to complete health transformation started with one simple shift: understanding what’s actually in your food. Not just what it is—what’s in it.In this episode, Mira breaks down the industry tricks hiding toxic ingredients in your favorite products, gives killer label-reading hacks (like why anything with a number or acronym should stay on the shelf), and shows us how to reconnect with food in a way that’s joyful, not overwhelming. Mira Dessy is a holistic nutrition professional, author of The Pantry Principle, and a powerful advocate for food transparency. We also touch on sweeteners, hidden additives, and the deceptive use of “natural flavors.” It’s all about reclaiming sovereignty over your food choices—and your health.Key TakeawaysPantry Cleanouts for Autoimmune Relief – Mira’s turnaround began when she eliminated hidden additives and reclaimed her health through real food.Label Literacy Made Simple – Learning to read ingredient panels instead of relying on nutrition facts helps avoid toxic, processed foods.The Truth About Sweeteners – Uncovering how sugar and its dozens of disguises can sabotage your gut, energy, and immune function.Natural Flavor Is a Deceptive Term – Understanding how “natural flavors” can include up to 40 unlisted chemical compounds that impact your health.The Hidden Cost of Allulose – Recognizing that even "clean" sweeteners can cause bloating, fatigue, and microbiome disruption.Trans Fats Are Still Hiding – Realizing that serving size loopholes allow harmful fats to legally appear as “zero” on food labels.Resetting Your Palate – Rediscovering the taste of real food by stepping away from hyper-processed, artificially enhanced products.Food Sovereignty Starts at Home – Embracing informed choices in the kitchen as a path to true wellness and ancestral alignment.Where to Find Our GuestMira Dessy’s Website  https://www.theingredientguru.comFollow Mira on IG https://www.instagram.com/theingredientguruLinks & ResourcesGet 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com

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

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