Terrain Theory

In this Wellness Check episode of the Terrain Theory Podcast, Ben and Mike sit down with their Primary Healthcare Providers – themselves – for a grounded, honest check-in as 2025 comes to a close and 2026 comes into view.This conversation spans the deeply personal and the deeply practical.Ben shares the story of welcoming a new baby through an unexpected, peaceful home birth – an experience that reframes birth not as a medical emergency, but as a natural, intuitive process when fear and intervention are removed. From newborn rhythms and breastfeeding challenges to trust in the body’s ability to self-regulate, the conversation reflects what it looks like to live the philosophy of terrain, not just talk about it.Mike reflects on the evolution of his own health journey – how habits that once felt radical are now simply life. He opens up about anxiety, career pressure, and the realization that right thinking may matter more than perfect diet or protocols. Together, they explore how stress, rhythm, circadian health, cold exposure, sauna, fasting, and seasonal living all intersect – not as hacks, but as ways of aligning with nature.The episode also looks forward. Lunar returns, fasting cycles, creative rhythms, aging, concussion awareness, and the responsibility that comes with truly believing the body can heal...all become part of an ongoing inquiry rather than fixed conclusions.This is not a prescriptive episode. It’s a reflective one. A reminder that health is not something we outsource, optimize once, or solve forever, but something we participate in daily, with curiosity, humility, and presence.As always, this conversation is for educational purposes only and reflects personal experience. It is not medical advice.Remember:You are light.You are love.You are your Primary Healthcare Provider.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureIf you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

After more than three years, Marlon Azurdia returns to the Terrain Theory Podcast...and he brings with him a depth of lived experience that can only come from someone fully committed to walking the path.A former CrossFit Games athlete who famously competed as a vegan, Marlon has spent the last decade challenging every nutritional and performance assumption placed in front of him. In this episode, he shares how that journey has evolved since we last spoke: from a year as a fruitarian experimenting with the mucusless diet, to a powerful nine-day fast, to the creation and continued refinement of his framework, Phitlosophy: a fusion of movement, mindfulness, and meditation grounded in alchemical principles.This conversation is part of our ongoing series exploring diet and the human terrain, and the question at its heart: Is there one species-appropriate way of eating for humans?Or are we meant to tune our bodies like instruments, adjusting the dial as we resonate with different foods, experiences, and levels of consciousness?Marlon reminds us that diet is more than macros, labels, or ideology. It is information. It is resonance. It is a pathway to inner standing. And when we learn to quiet the noise, break pattern, and return to zero, we may finally be able to hear what our terrain is asking for.If you’ve ever questioned your own nutritional path, struggled with polarization around diet, or wondered how to integrate body, mind, and spirit through what you consume, this episode offers a perspective both liberating and deeply grounding.Learn more about Marlon by following him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marlonazurdiaphitlosophy/Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

What if one of the longest-running human health experiments has been hiding in plain sight...quietly unfolding across the life of a man who’s never eaten the Standard American Diet, never accepted the inevitability of chronic disease, and never believed that health comes from a pill, an injection, or a supplement?In this episode, we sit down with Mark Huberman, President of the National Health Association and lifelong practitioner of Natural Hygiene – a philosophy of health that predates today’s dietary wars and challenges the assumptions behind the carnivore, Weston A. Price, and “ancestral” nutrition movements.Mark’s story is extraordinary:He was raised from birth on a raw whole-food, plant-exclusive diet, maintained it for the first 32 years of his life, and has continued to live SOS-free for nearly 75 years. His parents, early adopters of the Natural Hygiene approach, overcame their own health crises, rejected 1950s norms, and raised Mark in an environment where fresh air, water fasting, organic gardening, rest, and unprocessed foods were simply “how you lived.” Building on our recent conversation with Mariah Manazza, this episode dives deeper into a perspective on nutrition and healing that sits far outside modern mainstream thinking – but that offers powerful insights into why our society is sicker than ever, and why removing what harms us may matter more than adding what helps.We explore:• Mark’s raw-food upbringing and the health crisis that shaped it• The foundations of Natural Hygiene and what makes it terrain-based • Why he’s never eaten salt, oil, or sugar, even at restaurants • The philosophy and physiology behind water fasting • Whether there truly is a “species-appropriate” human diet • How Natural Hygiene challenges today’s viral nutrition trends • Why omission beats addition when it comes to healing • Mark’s non-negotiables for longevity, vitality, and clarityWhether or not you agree with his conclusions, Mark’s lived experience offers a rare counterpoint to modern nutrition narratives, and a compelling case for the power of living in harmony with nature.Learn more about Mark and his work at https://www.healthscience.org/.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

New York City history teacher Stephanie Edmonds never imagined that her dedication to her students would one day cost her the career she loved. But during COVID, as she watched extended school shutdowns devastate her students’ mental health and academic progress, she began speaking publicly about the harms she was witnessing firsthand. When New York City rolled out vaccine mandates for teachers, Stephanie refused — and was ultimately fired for standing by her convictions. What began as a personal crisis became the catalyst for a profound transformation.In this episode, Stephanie shares the inside story of how pandemic politics, teachers’ unions, and bureaucratic pressure kept schools closed far longer than promised — and how those decisions reshaped a generation of children. She also takes us behind the scenes of 15 Days: The Real Story of America’s Pandemic School Closures, the new documentary she helped create that exposes what was really happening behind closed doors. Today, Stephanie is part of the Lavender Village, a homeschool-based, spiritually grounded learning community in Connecticut, where she teaches, supports families, and helps build a parallel model of education outside the systems that failed so many. Through her work and her platform Teaching Liberty, she’s showing what it looks like to reclaim agency, create community, and live in alignment with deeper principles. This is a conversation about courage, intuition, educational freedom, and choosing creation over compliance. Stephanie’s story is a powerful reminder that new systems are already emerging — built by the people willing to take the first step.Learn more about Stephanie at https://www.instagram.com/teachinglibertyWatch the 15 Days documentary at https://www.15daysfilm.com/Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

What if the diet you believe is healing your body is actually holding it hostage? In this episode, we sit down with Mariah Manazza — once a full-on homesteader living the traditional diet dream — as she reveals how raw milk, pasture-raised meats, and ancestral traditions weren’t enough. In fact, they nearly broke her. Migraines, depression, numbness, leg pain, cysts — all symptoms she was told she’d have for life. Until she asked herself: “What am I really designed to eat?”Through 12 years of self-experimentation, Mariah discovered the under-told story of mucus-forming foods, the power of instinct over conventional nutrition, the radical simplicity of natural hygiene, and the terrain-centric truth that restored her to full symptom-free living.We dive into:Why some “gold-standard” ancestral foods might suppress healing instead of supporting itThe overlooked role of mucus in disrupting the terrain and masking underlying diseaseHow fruit, fasting, and a return to nature’s laws became Mariah’s doorway to healthThe nine pillars of natural hygiene she applies in everyday livingWhy instinct and internal feedback often trump labs, protocols, and popular dogmasWhether you’re committed to the traditional diet movement, curious about natural hygiene, or simply seeking a broader perspective on healing — this conversation will invite you to question, reflect, and evolve.Join us as we explore what “nutrition” means, uncover the common threads across opposing approaches, and discover how going less might actually mean living more.Learn more about Mariah and her work at https://www.applediaries.com/. Follow her on social at https://www.facebook.com/mariahealthyself/, https://www.instagram.com/mariahealthyself7, and https://www.youtube.com/@Mariahealthyself.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

Alcohol is the world’s most socially accepted toxin — a substance woven into our rituals, relationships, and celebrations, yet responsible for immeasurable physical, emotional, and societal harm. What happens when we finally confront that truth?In this episode, we sit down with Professor David Nutt, neuropsychopharmacologist, author, and founder of GABA Labs, to explore alcohol’s hidden toll on the human terrain — from cellular toxicity and neuroinflammation to cultural indoctrination and addiction.David explains how alcohol damages nearly every system in the body, why our governments and industries continue to protect it, and how his groundbreaking work is offering a path forward. Through Sentia, a functional, non-alcoholic alternative designed to replicate alcohol’s social and relaxing effects without the poison, David and his team are reimagining what it means to connect, unwind, and celebrate — consciously.We discuss:Why alcohol remains the most harmful drug in Western societyThe biological and social mechanisms behind addictionHow alcohol reshapes the terrain at every level — from the liver to the mindThe emerging movement toward functional, toxin-free social drinkingSentia, GABA Labs, and the future of conscious convivialityListen in as we uncover the paradox of the terrain toxin we celebrate — and the promise of a future beyond it.Learn more about Dave and his work at: https://gabalabs.com.Learn more about Sentia at http://www.sentiaspirits.com/ and follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sentiaspirits/.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

What if your body isn’t just a collection of organs, but a living, self-organizing field of light, water, and energy? In this episode of the Terrain Theory Podcast, Ben and Mike sit down with Nikko Kennedy, Director of Research at the Institute of Applied Quantum Biology, to explore the frontier where circadian health meets quantum biology.Nikko explains how quantum physics underlies the biological processes of life, from the way mitochondria generate energy to how our cells structure water. She reveals why the body doesn’t actually produce “waste,” how light and darkness regulate healing, and why technology must evolve to harmonize with our natural frequencies. The conversation travels from circadian disruption and mitochondrial optimization to birth physiology, environmental design, and consciousness, all viewed through the lens of applied quantum biology.Listeners will learn:Why circadian rhythm and light exposure shape everything from sleep to hormones to moodHow quantum effects like electron tunneling occur inside our mitochondriaWhat a “minimum effective dose” of darkness really means for mental and physical healthThe surprising connection between mitochondrial density and personalityWhy red light, grounding, and structured water matter more than you thinkFrom dark retreats to sunlight therapy, maternal health to quantum coherence, this wide-ranging discussion invites you to reimagine what it means to tend to your terrain at the most fundamental level of reality.Learn more about Nikko and her work at https://www.iaqb.foundation/ and https://nikkokennedy.com/ and follow her on SubStack at https://www.brighterdaysdarkernights.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brighterdays.darkernights/Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

Elizabeth Vernon is a beekeeper-activist, herbalist, and founder of Queen Bees Farmacy, dedicated to bringing together the world of wild-crafted remedies, advocacy, and deep terrain insight.In this episode, we dive into the hidden dimensions of health and resistance — from how screen time is reshaping our bodies and nervous systems to the untested and unknown dangers of biologics. Elizabeth pulls no punches as we unpack how certain systems of “controlled opposition” (yes, we talk about RKF Jr., Elizabeth's experiences with him and his team, and what it means) muddy the waters of health freedom, and how reconnecting with nature’s rhythms — bees, herbs, terrain, community — is the original rebellious medicine.Look beyond the surface and discover what really supports your body, mind, and environment in a world of distraction and distraction’s design. This conversation with Elizabeth will challenge you — and empower you — to take back your terrainLearn more about Elizabeth at https://www.queenbeesfarmacy.comSupport Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netFollow Terrain Theory:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrain_theory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terrain-TheoryX: https://twitter.com/terraintheory1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@terraintheoryMusic by Chris Merenda

Dr. Anna Sitkoff is a naturopathic physician and herbalist whose clinical and personal journey has been guided by a deep relationship with medicinal mushrooms. In this episode, she shares how her early exposure to natural medicine—and a life-changing experience with her father’s cancer treatment—sparked a decade-long exploration into the world of fungi.Dr. Sitkoff unpacks the science and spirit of mushrooms: their role in restoring the body’s terrain through mitochondrial repair, gut balance, and nervous system regulation, how ergothioneine functions as a cellular protector, and why not all mushroom supplements are created equal. We also explore the intersection of psychedelics and healing, motherhood and mycology, and what it means to truly “become one with the mushroom.”If you’ve ever wondered how these ancient organisms support everything from detoxification to emotional resilience, this conversation offers a grounded, eye-opening look at the power of mushrooms to support the healing of both body and mind.Learn more about Dr. Anna at https://www.drannasitkoff.com/ and explore her line of medicinal mushrooms at https://lucidummedicinals.com/.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netMusic by Chris Merenda

Dr. Shivani Gupta is an Ayurvedic practitioner, author, and founder of Fusionary Formulas. In this episode, she helps us rediscover Ayurveda as the original terrain-based health system — one that recognizes the body’s innate intelligence and its connection to mind, spirit, and environment (Nature). We discuss how to identify your mind-body type (dosha), personalize your health rituals, and use ancient wisdom to navigate modern stressors, toxins, and chronic imbalance.Dr. Gupta also shares her insights on the science of inflammation, the role of turmeric in cellular repair, and how daily habits rooted in Ayurveda can restore resilience and harmony in the terrain of the body.If you’ve ever wondered how to bridge traditional healing with modern living, this conversation is a roadmap to a more aligned, conscious, and empowered approach to health.Learn more about Dr. Shivani at https://shivanigupta.com/.Take 15% OFF your order using code TERRAIN15 at https://fusionaryformulas.com/.Support Terrain Theory on Patreon! Our recently-launched member platform gives you access to a ton of free & exclusive content. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/TerrainTheoryHelp support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureTerrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netMusic by Chris Merenda