What happens when what we believe—and what we actually do—don’t quite line up?
This week on the Wise Traditions podcast, pediatrician Dr. Lawrence Palevsky explores the concept of cognitive dissonance—what it is, why it’s so common in modern life, and how it quietly shapes decisions around health, parenting, and trust in authority.
Dr. Palevsky has spent decades encouraging parents to think critically, ask better questions, and reconnect with their own intuition. In this episode, he explains how cognitive dissonance shows up in everyday choices—from the foods people eat to the medical decisions they make—and why it can be so difficult to reconcile conflicting beliefs, even when the stakes are high.
The conversation examines the tension many feel between what they’ve been told is “safe” or “normal” and what they instinctively sense may not be right. Dr. Palevsky discusses how fear, conditioning, and social pressure can keep individuals stuck—and what it takes to step outside that framework and begin thinking independently.
This episode offers a thoughtful look at awareness, responsibility, and the courage to question long-held assumptions. It serves as an invitation to slow down, examine inherited narratives, and consider what it truly means to make informed, conscious choices for oneself and one’s family.
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What if one of the most powerful foods on earth comes from a place so wild, so untouched, that it still operates exactly as nature intended?
In this episode, Steve Kurian of Wild for Salmon shares the story of a life-changing summer spent on the remote shores of Bristol Bay, Alaska—living by the rhythms of the tides, the weather, and one of the largest salmon runs on the planet.
The conversation explores what makes wild salmon so unique—from its extraordinary life cycle to its essential role in nourishing entire ecosystems—and why this pristine food source stands in such stark contrast to modern, industrialized alternatives.
Steve also offers a glimpse into the realities of commercial fishing: the long hours, the dangerous conditions, and the deep respect required to harvest food in a truly sustainable way. Along the way, themes of connection, stewardship, and traditional foodways emerge—inviting a deeper look at how we source, prepare, and value what we eat.
This episode is a reminder that food is not just fuel—it is part of a living system. And when that system is honored and protected, it has the power to nourish both people and the planet.
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What if the story we’ve been told about food—about meat, animals, and what it means to truly nourish ourselves and the land—is incomplete?
Many people today are searching for a way of eating that feels healthier, more ethical, and more sustainable. Some turn away from animal foods out of compassion. Others are working to reconnect with traditional diets and local farms. But what if the answers aren’t as simple as we’ve been led to believe?
Our guest today is Abey Rae Scaglione, author of Radical Farm: Animals, Food, and Our Future. Abey’s journey is anything but conventional. She became a vegetarian at just thirteen years old, driven by a deep concern for animals. Years later, she found herself raising livestock as a regenerative farmer—facing the emotional, ethical, and ecological realities of producing food within a living system.
In this conversation, Abey shares what it was really like to wrestle with the moral complexity of eating animals—and why she ultimately came to believe that well-raised livestock may actually do less harm than many plant-based food systems.
She explains how animals play a vital role in restoring soil health and ecological balance, why removing them from agriculture could push farmers toward more synthetic fertilizers and industrial practices, and how regenerative farming offers a path forward that honors both the land and the animals.
We also explore what this means for you—whether you live on acreage or in a city apartment—and how small, intentional choices can help you reconnect with real food and more sustainable ways of living.
This is a thoughtful, honest, and at times surprising conversation about food, ethics, and our place in the natural world.
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What if a single court case could redefine your right to refuse a medical intervention? And what happens when the government is given broad authority over what goes into your body?
Leslie Manookian, President and Founder of the Health Freedom Defense Fund, returns for Part Two to discuss a potentially historic case that may soon be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court—one that challenges long-standing legal precedent and raises fundamental questions about bodily autonomy, informed consent, and the limits of government power.
Drawing on her experience leading successful legal challenges—including the overturning of the federal travel mask mandate and efforts to halt employer vaccine mandates—Leslie explains how this case is unfolding, why it has drawn national attention, and what could be at stake if the Court takes it. At its core, she argues, this case could reshape how medical mandates are interpreted under the Constitution.
She also introduces a new national effort—the COVID Justice Resolution—aimed at bringing accountability to pandemic-era policies and ensuring that similar overreach is never repeated.
And in a surprising turn, Leslie shares details about a bold new initiative she’s taking on—launching a national petition to address geoengineering—an emerging and largely unexamined issue that raises profound questions about environmental exposure, public health, and consent.
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What happens when one state passes a law that challenges the status quo around medical choice? Could it spark a movement across the country? And how are Americans really thinking about medical freedom today?
Leslie Manookian, President and Founder of the Health Freedom Defense Fund, joins us to discuss what has unfolded since the passage of the Idaho Medical Freedom Act—and why it may be just the beginning. Leslie shares how this legislation has inspired a growing coalition of organizations working together to advance similar protections in states nationwide.
She also reveals the results of a new national poll conducted in partnership with the Brownstone Institute, offering surprising insight into how Americans view informed consent, personal autonomy, and the role of government in healthcare.
In this conversation, Leslie explains how the Idaho law is being strengthened, what’s happening in other states, and how individuals can get involved in shaping the future of health freedom in their own communities.
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A pursuit of wise traditions may take you to Mongolia, Kenya, or to leave the podcast you'd been hosting and producing for over 10 years. On today's episode, Hilda Labrada Gore, our podcast host and producer, passes the baton to Kendall Nelson, an award-winning documentary filmmaker behind The Greater Good and a longtime collaborator with the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Today, you’ll get to know Kendall as she and Hilda discuss what they have in common--like travels around the world and a passion for preserving ancient cultures and health traditions. They share what brought them to WAPF, insights they've learned along the way about wise traditions and what's in store for the podcast.
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Even an ostensibly healthy lifestyle can often defeat our attempts to lose weight, conceive a baby and experience optimal health. Today, Sarah Kleiner, a Quantum Biology expert and nutrition coach, explains how to get back into harmony with our body's biology and natural rhythms for the results we seek.
She reviews, for example how getting more sunlight and eating seasonally positively affects leptin, a master circadian signaling hormone. She goes over the cascade of benefits like improved cardiovascular health, stronger bones, optimized regulatory systems and enhanced fertility---that all stem from tuning into our circadian and quantum biology. She discusses the flaws of the carnivore diet and more. Sarah also tells the story of the astounding results she experienced when she made some simple changes: like effortless, significant weight loss and a successful pregnancy over the age of 40.
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Would you forgo an ultrasound as an expectant mom? Would you eat sushi or sit in a sauna? Would you avoid fluorescent lights and synthetic fabrics in your household? Just how far would you go to buck conventional parenting choices? Mia Rofrano is a holistic mom who makes many unconventional decisions to keep her family well – from her pre-pregnancy choices to how she labored, to how she now chooses co-sleeping and elimination communication" with her toddler.
Mia, as a teenager, struggled with digestive issues. Today, she is a healthy, nourished wife and mom, who focuses on natural beauty and health for herself and her family. She reviews in this conversation why she prefers uncommon yet healthier practices in her home and life and what the results have been.
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In nature, there is no lie. But in our society, culture, and even agriculture there are lies. Mollie Engelhart is the author of Debunked by Nature and today she explains how nature re-educated her, helping her to see through the lies we've been told related to climate change, gender, how to nourish ourselves, and more.
Mollie was once a vegan chef. Today, she's a regenerative farmer who has learned a lot of lessons along the way. She shares some of the most important lessons on this podcast.
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Traditional cheesemakers respect the process of cheesemaking. They honor the environment, the animal, its milk and traditional techniques – all of which lead to delicious, nutritious cheese. Industrial cheesemaking, in stark contrast, emphasizes sterile conditions, uniformity, and artificial inputs (including GMO-derived rennet). The cheese that results from the conventional approach is consistent... but misses a lot in terms of flavor profile and nutrients.
Trevor Warmedahl is a cheesemaker, fermentation educator and the author of Cheese Trekking. Today, he takes us on a cheese adventure, as we gain insight on traditional, artisanal cheesemaking. He gives us pause about what is in our fridge and where it comes from.
Trevor has trekked all over the world, working alongside artisanal cheesemakers, so he understands and shares the importance of working with (instead of against) microbes and nature. He describes cheeses you may have never heard of, along with unique approaches to making them. Trevor also helps us take stock of what has been lost in our modern approach to cheesemaking.
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Minerals are the spark plugs of the body. They are essential for proper digestion, hormone function and clear thinking. If you don't have adequate minerals, you may struggle with fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, and more.
Nina-Marie Rueda, a naturopathic doctor who focuses on perinatal and pediatric health, offers today a quick guide for identifying and addressing mineral deficiencies.
She goes over the “four lows” – common issues that arise when our bodies are low on calcium, sodium, potassium or magnesium. She explains what specific foods can address these deficiencies, like bananas for magnesium and clams and coconut water for potassium. She shares the number one mineral that is not addressed well by most prenatal vitamins. And she even offers a medicinal herbal tea recipe that supports women in the perinatal stage and every stage.
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A former World Wrestling Entertainment star has become a farmer...and a hunter, butcher, homesteader, and children's book author. What led to the transformation? Histamine sensitivities played a part, but there's more to the story than that. Sarah Rowe, known as Valhalla in WWE, today shares what influenced her to leave that career in the rearview mirror. She discusses her healing journey and why she has more peace today than ever before. She also reveals what continues to inspire her to "choose hard" when it comes to farming...and life.
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The American Heart Association still recommends limiting saturated fat intake. Grocery market shelves are loaded with promises of "heart healthy" seed oils. It's time to do some myth busting. Bryan Mussard is a lifelong rancher who is passionate about reviving regenerative ranching and making America healthy again… by embracing saturated fat.
As a young man, Bryan went through a personal health crisis that led him to investigate the benefits of fat. As a rancher and advocate for the Make America Healthy Again initiatives, he is uniquely positioned to offer insights on how politics, Big Food, and Big Ag can be made to see the light about the benefits of saturated fat and meat.
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The US Dept of Agriculture's new dietary guidelines surprised the public when they revealed a completely flipped food pyramid. Meat, eggs, and butter appear to be back! But what difference will this make in our dietary habits? Can the guidelines weaken the appeal of ultra-processed foods? And what does the fine print in the guidelines reveal?
John Klar, the author of Small Farm Republic and MAHA advocate, goes over the implications of this historic announcement and the alliance between the USDA and Health and Human Services agencies. He discusses the pluses and the minuses of the new pyramid, whether raw milk will ever be legalized on a federal level, and why millennials and Gen Zers' food choices are giving him hope for the future.
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Weight loss. Decreased appetite. Curbed cravings. These are some of the promises from GLP-1 medications. But the meds have serious side effects. And there are natural ways to support the body's hunger, cravings, and blood sugar control systems. Colleen Flynn, a functional nutritionist and gut health specialist, goes over today how to optimize the body's hormones (without the need for injections) for lower inflammation, improved gut health and healthy weight loss.
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Eating placenta is a postpartum tradition in many cultures around the world. A young woman's first period is celebrated with ritual. Postpartum healing is supported by the community. What time-tested traditions related to all of the above are we overlooking in our modern age? How can we embrace them once again?
Eyla Cuenca is a childbirth educator and doula with over a decade of experience supporting women through the transformational threshold of birth and postpartum. Today, she sheds light on how women were supported traditionally through childbirth and postpartum. She gets specific about how to avoid interventions during labor, how to celebrate our daughters’ maturation process, and how to approach a vaginal birth after a cesarean. She brings us back to the body’s innate intelligence, our personal sovereignty, and deepest inner knowing.
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There is DEFINITELY a mental health crisis in the U.S. right now. But it's not about a lack of access to treatment or meds. Nearly one in four adults is on psychiatric meds, and nearly one in ten children is, as well. The crisis has to do with med-induced harm, according to Laura Delano, the author of "Unshrunk". And Laura speaks from her own first-hand experience with the American mental health industry. Since her early teen years, she has been on countless meds, including Seroquel, Prozac, Effexor, Provigil, Ambien, and Klonopin, all without any improvement in her worsening symptoms.
Today, she describes her own mental health journey, offers insights about what sparked her questioning of the system, and why she’s concluded that we would do well to question the nature of the crisis and to get curious about how to promote wellbeing with alternatives to psychiatric drugs.
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You may have heard the buzz that seed oils are bad for you. But why are they so damaging, exactly? What do they do to the body? And what are the results of their effects? Steven Rofrano of Ancient Crunch goes over the specifics, along with sharing stories about his own health wake-up call and why he is so eager to invite us to go back to ancient, nourishing foods.
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We all love a bargain when it comes to food. But what if it's not a good deal in the long run? Cheap food comes at a high cost, according to farmer Will Harris from White Oak Pastures. Will is a fourth generation cattle rancher who once farmed conventionally. Now, Will, is an author and a strong advocate for regenerative agriculture. Why did he make the switch?
Today, Will opens up about his story. He sheds light on the problems with the conventional/industrial model of agriculture along the way – pointing out its drawbacks on the environment, animal welfare, and on our the health of humanity. Will also highlights the benefits and changes he's seen on the land he grew up on, since changing to a more holistic/natural approach to farming and ranching.
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