In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, we welcome our first guest of the season—health coach and bioenergetic researcher Jay Feldman—for a deep dive into the world of ice baths, hormesis, and stress-driven health trends. From the truth about fat burning and cold exposure to how our metabolism adapts (or shuts down) under chronic stress, we unpack the biochemical realities behind popular biohacks. We also explore how short-term boosts might come at the cost of long-term metabolic health—and what a truly sustainable health approach looks like.

Whether you’re a cold plunge fan or someone navigating the aftermath of restrictive diets, this episode is a must-listen.

0:00 - Fuel, Energy & Stress Hormones0:34 - Meet Jay Feldman1:15 - Jay's Health Journey & Ray Peat's Influence3:53 - Introduction to Hormesis & Biohacking5:42 - Mainstream Claims vs. Hidden Costs of Ice Baths7:32 - Can Stress Make You Healthier?9:25 - Fat Burning ≠ Fat Loss11:53 - Long-Term Effects of Chronic Stressors16:50 - PUFAs: The Hidden Danger in Fat Oxidation20:16 – Common Biohacking Hormesis Examples22:02 - How to Actually Lose Fat25:48 – The Cost of Boosting Metabolism Through Stress28:57 - Metabolic Debt & The Body’s Adaptive Response31:25 - Constrained Energy Expenditure Research by Herman Pontzer32:55 - Recovery & Rebound: Refeeding After Restriction35:50 - Redefining Health & Sustainable Metabolism37:25 - Is all stress bad? The Hans Selye distinction42:25 – Positive Adaptation: What Stressors Actually Help You Thrive43:57 - Find What Fuels You45:24 - PUFA 101: The fats that slow us down46:08 - Squirrels, Hibernation & Metabolism Downregulation48:00 – Wrap-up + Where to find Jay’s work

In this episode of the Rooted in Resilience podcast, we dive deep into the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. We explore the tension between top-down government policies and bottom-up grassroots action, the real story behind food fortification, the dangers of seed oils, and how regenerative agriculture can shift the future of health and sustainability. From politics and USDA corruption to personal empowerment and local food systems—this is a must-listen for anyone rethinking what it means to be healthy in America today.______________________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063______________________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish: https://nourishcooperative.com/ {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}🥚Waitlist for our eggs: https://angel-acresfarm.com/pages/waitlist-for-eggs{Low PUFA, corn & soy free, pasture-raised eggs, delivered directly to your door}______________________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/strong-sisters-103331317/➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077➡️ THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@strong.sistas?invite=2____________________________________________________Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up1:32 – Raw Milk and the Politics of Health4:05 – The Hidden Costs of Food Fortification7:03 – When Food Becomes Pharma8:42 – The Ideas Behind Maha9:30 – Disempowerment Through Government Systems15:04 – Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Health Approaches17:10 - Proposition 12 and the Fight for Animal Welfare21:25 - The Seed Oil Lobby and PUFA Nation24:00 – The Way Out: Support Local Farmers27:14 - Behind the Bird Flu Panic32:50 – Factory Farming and Animal Welfare33:55 - Why Supporting Local Farmers Matters38:33 - Label Logic: Rethinking Organic Certification39:42 - Final Thoughts & Takeaways41:16 – The Seed Oil Lobby and PUFA Nation42:14 - Reclaiming Sovereignty Through Food44:41 – This is Why We Created Nourish Food Club

In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, sisters Sarah and Ashley go deep into the world of raw dairy—a topic that stirs up plenty of passion, confusion, and controversy. They unpack the history and science behind pasteurization, explore the nutritional differences between raw and processed milk, and reveal what most food labels aren’t telling you.

Whether you’re dairy-sensitive, raw-curious, or already hooked on the cream-top life, this episode is filled with info to help you navigate the world of milk with confidence. From ancient practices to the hidden ingredients in fortified milk, nothing is off-limits (including Pip the bird’s podcast debut).

Chapters:

0:00 - Coming up
0:45 - Welcome & Why Raw Dairy Is Better for You?
1:50 - Meet Pip, the Podcast Bird
2:48 - What is Raw Milk, Really?
3:37 - Can You Heat Raw Milk?
5:25 - Types of Pasteurization Explained
7:09 - Nature Isn’t Dangerous: The Bacteria Conversation
11:03 - Fortification & Food Matrix Myths
12:40 - What’s REALLY in That Vitamin D Packet?
15:06 - Why Raw Milk Has a Microbiome Advantage
16:14 –Milk Labels Decoded: Fortification, Additives & Hidden Ingredients
22:08 - You Can’t Outsmart Nature—Stop Trying
24:13 - Raw Milk: Mother Nature’s Original Probiotic
27:30 - Centralized Milk = Centralized Control
29:00 - Is Raw Milk Dangerous or Just Misunderstood?
32:15 - Why Some Cheeses Are Easier to Digest
34:48 - How Urban Dairies Created the Need for Pasteurization
36:29 - Is Dairy Intolerance... Actually an Additive Intolerance?
40:31 - Drinking Raw Milk Is a Vote for Regenerative Agriculture
43:04 - The Forgotten Wulzen Factor & Other Raw Benefits
48:14 - Nature’s Digestive Package: Raw Dairy
50:21 - Healing with Raw Milk: Beyond the Basics
51:38 - The Wonder Molecule: Lactoferrin and Why Pasteurization Destroys It
52:50 - From Fortified Cereal to Iron Shards: What Are We Eating?
56:16 - Finding Safe Raw Milk: Tips, Brands & Resources
59:37 - Raw Milk Beauty Hacks
01:01:01 - Websites for High-Quality Raw Dairy
01:01:34 - Final Thoughts: Question the System, Trust Nature