In The Field with Dr. Alison Monette

Ep. 006: The Real Reason You Think You Need to Detox

The wellness industry has built a massive business on a single idea: you are toxic, and you need to detox. From functional medicine doctors to health influencers, the message is the same — your health struggles trace back to a single point of failure: a detoxification system that can't keep up. Meanwhile, we are living through an unprecedented collapse in human health. Fatigue, disrupted sleep, weight gain, brain fog, and skin issues have become the norm. Desperate for answers, people search — and what they find is a wellness space eager to market, package, and sell them a solution that sounds elegant, scientifically supported, and sure to be the answer. Twenty years later and what is the result? A milieu of cleanses, detoxes, fasts and diets that are sold as "root cause,” claim to provide a “clean slate,” have the unique capacity to “renew” or “reset” your system and are built on a lofty promise: purge your liver, kidneys, gut and immune system of the modern day scourges of lyme, mold, parasites, and any number of environmental toxins and health is sure to follow. And when they don’t work (or even more troubling: you feel worse after doing it)? You are told you just didn’t do the right detox, didn’t do it long enough or must not have done it correctly. What hasn’t resulted in twenty years of detox culture? More “true” health for anyone. Our bold statement: not only is the detox narrative oversimplified — it's biologically backwards and even harmful. Detox is part of normal human function and always has been; when this system fails, it’s a symptom—not a cause—of a bigger issue: declining cell redox due to environmental failure. Forcing a system to detox that is intentionally down-regulating the process will never lead to more health — it’s working against the very intelligence of our complex biology and overriding programs designed to help us adapt to changing environments. And given the state of human redox in the modern world, it will always do more harm than good. In this episode, we head “into the field” with Dr. Alison who brings 20 years of clinical perspective to this conversation. She watched the modern detox trend evolve in real time — from its roots in her medical training, through its use as a cornerstone of her early medical practice, to the moment she abandoned it entirely. That shift came when she recognized that biophysics — not biochemistry — is the true foundation of human function and health. We discuss: * What is detox?  * Why detoxes once “worked” to make people feel better and why that is no longer the case? * What it means for your deeper health if you think you need a detox?  * What you should actually do instead of a detox? This is Part 1. Part 2 is available exclusively to Fieldlab members in our Premium space, where Dr. Alison goes deeper into the biophysical framework: redox potential, POMC, the evolutionary role of detoxification, deuterium, transgenerational epigenetics, and what you actually need to do if you think you need a detox. Become a member: fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] [Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or professional advice and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. Any reliance on information provided through the podcast is solely at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.]

Ep. 005: Cholesterol Revisited—Community Questions, Nature's Answers

Cholesterol is one of the most misunderstood — and feared — molecules in the human body. For decades, mainstream medicine has painted it as the villain in the story of your health. Instead of looking at the changing environment, we used the surface-level framework of biochemistry to create a cultural belief that the human being is broken and nature is fundamentally flawed. This created a gigantic industry — both medications and supplements — built around cholesterol lowering.  But what if the story is wrong? What are the implications for human health by demonizing part of what makes us human? In this episode, Dr. Alison revisits the topic of cholesterol, this time guided entirely by you — the Fieldlab community — based on the overwhelming response we received after our first cholesterol episode (Ep.002: "Cholesterol is part of what makes us human" [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6smRmRVcWBuQs8u24oAF8j?si=baY2lhwdQmaJ-QLYvCLJpQ]). Your forum posts, poll responses, and questions became the roadmap for this follow-up, making this one of the most community-driven episodes we've produced. You can find that first episode here [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6smRmRVcWBuQs8u24oAF8j?si=baY2lhwdQmaJ-QLYvCLJpQ]. Thanks to the questions submitted by our amazing Fieldlab community, Dr. Alison covered tons of ground in this episode, including: * Understanding familial hypercholesterolemia.  * Why biochemistry and nuclear genetics are a trap. * Debunking the myths you've been told about cholesterol and heart disease. * What high cholesterol really means.  * Epigenetics, mitochondria and cholesterol production.  * Is low cholesterol the goal? * Exploring the relationship between cholesterol and your light environment.  * Unpacking the deeper story buried in your lipid profile. * Where does particle sizing and typing fit into the story.  * The relationship between inflammation, cholesterol and heart disease. * Why fear of cholesterol persists.  * How cholesterol-lowering medications actually work.  * Cholesterol and it’s role in the human brain.  * The long term impact of cholesterol lowering supplements and medications. * What a Calcium Index Score is telling you about your deeper health through the biophysical lens.  * What is Oxidized LDL and what is it trying to tell you about your environment and redox potential.  * Where seed oils fit into the cholesterol story.  * How to have a productive discussion with your doctor around cholesterol and cholesterol lowering medications. This is the conversation modern medicine and science simply are not having. Cholesterol isn't your enemy — it’s a foundational building block. A critical component of every cell membrane. And once you understand what it does and what it’s trying to tell you, everything changes. At Fieldlab, we believe that nature holds the answers — and that your body already knows how to heal when you give it the right conditions. This episode is another step in reclaiming that truth. Your questions. Dr. Alison's answers. Nature's wisdom. This is just Part 1 of the episode. Part 2 lives within the Premium space of our Fieldlab network and is only available to members. In Part 2, we dig into the deeper biophysical framework of redox potential, calcium signaling, non-native EMF, UV light, the photoelectric effect, transgenerational epigenetic and the truth behind detox. Become a member: fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] [Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or professional advice and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. Any reliance on information provided through the podcast is solely at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.]

Ep. 004: Autoimmunity Explained—Why Your Environment Matters & Why Everyone Should Care

Autoimmunity is on the rise—and the population in which this is happening is getting younger and younger. This is a troubling trend if you understand what this means about the state of human health, the environment we’ve created for ourselves and the long-term, species-level implications.  Yet, even in a time of near-universal health-focus (some would call it obsession), the autoimmunity increase is a trend most remain blind to. If we hope to change the course of human health—at the individual and collective levels—we must wake up to this before it’s too late.  In this episode, Dr. Alison takes you “In The Field” using her clinical lens to explain: * What she is seeing in the patient population from the perspective of autoimmunity. * How these trends have changed over time * The traditional centralized, biochemistry-based perspective and why they are wrong. * The biophysical breakdown that leads to an immune system tagging self for destruction. * What is happening at a deeper level when this occurs. * Why a weakly positive ANA should be a wake-up call that human biophysics have been lost. * The long term implications of autoimmunity when left unaddressed.  * What this trend tells us about our current environment.  * Why there seems to be minimal concern around autoimmunity. * Why diet, exercise, and supplements will never solve this issue. * The transgenerational story behind autoimmunity and healing. * Why everyone should care about rising autoimmunity, even if they don’t have autoimmunity themselves. * Why autoimmunity is exactly what you’d expect to happen given the modern conditions of existence.  * How to screen for ANA and understand your personal context. * The decentralized, biophysical steps you can take to avoid or turn off autoimmunity altogether. Whether you are somebody who has a history of autoimmunity or not, this is information you still need in order to understand the biophysical breakdown of our environment for yourself, the ones closest to you and the future generations. Note that this is just Part 1 of the episode. Part 2 lives within the Premium space of our Fieldlab network and is only available to members. In Part 2, we dig into the deeper biophysical framework of autoimmunity including deuterium, darkness, non-native EMF and much more. If you’re interested in going further, consider becoming a member. Become a member: fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] [Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or professional advice and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. Any reliance on information provided through the podcast is solely at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.]

Ep. 003: The Two Languages of Health—Biochemistry vs. Biophysics

There are two languages in the world of health—biochemistry and biophysics.  Biochemistry encompasses the territory occupied by hormones, neurotransmitters, proteins, ATP, etc. Biophysics encompasses the territory occupied by electrons and protons, electricity and electromagnetism, dissipative structures, coherent systems, liquid crystalline structures, etc.  Though you may not even realize it, the reality is that you’ve likely heard just one language spoken in the course of your health journey and education—that language of course is biochemistry, which has been marketed to us as THE foundational science upon which human function, and thus health, is built upon. Everything we think we know and experience in the modern world is fundamentally rooted in biochemistry alone; this includes medical science, modern health care in all of its manifestations (western, functional, you name it), the world of health influencers and just about every solution we are offered by either one of these groups—pharmaceuticals, supplements, devices, etc. Plain and simple, biochemistry dominates. Of course, biochemistry as the “be-all-end-all” isn’t the truth—at least not the whole truth. But, you don’t need us to tell you that—not only does everybody feel that something is missing, everyone can tell by the state of modern health that something MUST be missing. That something is Biophysics. Physics is the fundamental science of nature. Humans were built by the laws of nature, which means we’re fundamentally biophysical in nature. Biochemistry is the response to what is happening (or not happening) within the biophysical layer. Both must be running normally for normal health to happen. But here’s where the rubber meets the road—if you’ve lost your health, you will never restore it by tinkering or manipulating the biochemical layer alone. In fact, you may dig yourself deeper into the hole of dysfunction. If true health is your goal, you must restore the biophysics of you by plugging back into nature as a decentralized network. In this episode of “In the Field,” Dr. Alison takes us into the field, visiting both territories—biochemistry and biophysics. What you will come away with is a map of the territory that will help guide you in your health journey, whether your goal is to restore or maintain your health, restore the health of a loved one or simply to deepen your knowledge and understanding of how nature operates. Note that this is just Part 1 of the episode. Part 2 lives within the Premium space of our Fieldlab network and is only available to members. In Part 2, we dig into the historical framework of how we got here, the economic interests who benefited by creating the paradigm and what you need to do in order to unlearn to relearn. If you’re interested in going further, consider becoming a Premium member. Become a member: fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] [Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or professional advice and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. Any reliance on information provided through the podcast is solely at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.]

Ep. 002: "Cholesterol is part of what makes us human”

In our first topic-specific episode we tackle one of the most (if not THE most) common topics we are asked about by patients and members: Cholesterol.  The modern medical paradigm has fostered a universal, deeply ingrained fear of cholesterol. We are told repeatedly by doctors, influencers and academics that elevated cholesterol levels are a ticking time bomb; statins, diet and exercise are the only solutions. Despite a ubiquitous focus on cholesterol lowering, lipid panels are more altered than ever, cardiac deaths are on the rise and our collective health continues to decline rapidly. In this episode, we set out to blow up this paradigm and turn fear into appreciation of cholesterol as part of what make us human.  This is the first part of our discussion on cholesterol and will be available to the public on all platforms; our goal for this episode was to provide a higher-level understanding of cholesterol, take steps to shift people out of the fear paradigm and provoke some thought around personal context/history. The second episode is a biophysics deep dive and will be available only to our Fieldlab Premium members; in that episode we discuss the role of cholesterol from a biophysics perspective, the deeper story behind altered cholesterol and what that means for your bigger health picture and what you need to do (and not do) in order to restore cholesterol back to normal. If you’re interested in listening to that discussion and exploring tons of other content, head over to fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] and become a member today! Episode outline:  * The history of cholesterol demonization and how this has created a universal fear today.  * Why a lack of knowledge creates fear and how the modern medical system leverages that fear.  * What has Dr. Alison learned from analyzing thousands of patients and countless cholesterol panels. The conversations she is having with patients around this topic. * The role of cholesterol in humans to create seasonal adaptability.  * The biggest influence on the cholesterol your body makes for you and the way in which our artificial modern environment has altered our lipid production. * The true effect of food from a cholesterol perspective.  * The consequences of cholesterol lowering—medications and supplements—especially in the modern world.  * Is it even necessary or desirable to lower cholesterol levels?  * Is there such thing as “bad” cholesterol?  * What to do if you have a historical pattern of altered cholesterol or you’re trending in that direction. Become a member: fieldlab.mn.co [http://fieldlab.mn.co] [Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, or professional advice and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. Any reliance on information provided through the podcast is solely at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.]