The Fat Revolution: When Did We Become So Afraid of Fat?

The Fat Revolution: When Did We Become So Afraid of Fat?

The Fat Revolution: When Did We Become So Afraid of Fat? Butter. Ghee. Tallow. Cream. For generations, families around the world cooked with traditional fats that were available through their climate, culture, and local food systems. Somewhere along the way, many of us began fearing the very foods our grandparents considered ordinary. In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie explore traditional fats, ingredient labels, food culture, and why simple foods often contain fewer ingredients than the products filling modern grocery store shelves. We discuss: • Butter, ghee, tallow, and traditional cooking fats • Reading ingredient labels and asking better questions about our food • Traditional kitchens and ancestral foodways • Cooking with intention instead of perfection • Small changes families can make without overwhelming their budget • Why traditional food looks different around the world • Nourishing our families with simple, recognizable ingredients This conversation isn't about perfection. It's about becoming more aware, asking questions, and taking small steps toward understanding where our food comes from. Ohio Resources for Traditional Fats, Dairy & Local Food Looking for grass-fed beef, beef tallow, raw dairy, pasture-raised meats, or local farms in Ohio? These directories are a great place to start: • OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association) https://grow.oeffa.org [https://grow.oeffa.org/] • OEFFA Organic Farm Directory https://www.oeffa.org/countymap.php [https://www.oeffa.org/countymap.php] • Real Milk Ohio Farm Directory https://www.realmilk.com/farm-directory/wpbdm-region/ohio/ [https://www.realmilk.com/farm-directory/wpbdm-region/ohio/] • Raw Milk Finder – Ohio https://getrawmilk.com/browse/US/Ohio [https://getrawmilk.com/browse/US/Ohio] • Raw Milk Sources Near Cincinnati/Hamilton Area https://getrawmilk.com/search/Hamilton%2C%20Ohio [https://getrawmilk.com/search/Hamilton%2C%20Ohio] When purchasing fats, ask questions about: * Animal diet (grass-fed vs. grain-fed) * Farming practices * Processing methods * Whether products are minimally processed Many local butcher shops and grass-fed beef farms also offer beef tallow, suet, and fat trimmings for home rendering. As always, build relationships with local farmers whenever possible. Knowing where your food comes from is one of the oldest traditions there is. Important Note: This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Dietary needs vary from person to person. Please consult your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have existing medical conditions. 🌿 Follow Womenfolk Revival wherever you listen to podcasts. 🌿 Visit us at womenfolkrevival.com 🌿 Leave a review and share this episode with someone who loves traditional skills, slow living, and the wisdom that helped families thrive for generations. Stay rooted. Stay wild.

The Call Back Home | H...

What if it's an echo? In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Maggie and Meara explore their ancestry journeys and the surprising ways they connect to the lives they're building today. Meara shares how discovering her Austrian, Slovenian, Nigerian, and West African roots helped her understand a missing piece of her identity after being adopted.  Maggie reflects on uncovering the traditions and values woven through her own family history and how those discoveries mirror the things she has always felt called toward. Together, they discuss traditional living, food preservation, herbal knowledge, community, family traditions, and why so many women seem to be longing for a return to practical skills, meaningful connection, and life closer to the land. This conversation isn't about DNA percentages or family trees. It's about asking what wisdom is worth carrying forward. Because maybe some human needs never really change. And maybe some echoes are worth listening to. Continue the conversation with us in our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18cFornVr4/ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18cFornVr4/] Like this episode, share it with a friend, and come tell us what echoes you’ve been feeling in your own life. Stay Rooted + Stay Wild.

Nervines & Nervous System Support | Traditional Ways to Calm the Body and Mind

Ever find yourself realizing your shoulders are tense, your jaw is clenched, and your mind won't slow down? In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie explore simple, traditional ways women have supported the nervous system for generations. From calming herbs known as nervines to humming, breathwork, grounding, and EFT tapping, they discuss practical tools that can be used throughout everyday life when stress begins to take over. Meara shares her perspective as a nurse on why it's important not to dismiss physical symptoms as "just stress," while Maggie discusses breathwork, movement, and the small practices that help bring the body back into balance. Whether you're navigating perimenopause, caregiving, a busy household, or simply feeling overwhelmed, this conversation offers gentle reminders that sometimes the smallest practices can make the biggest difference. In This Episode * What nervines are and why they've been used traditionally for nervous system support * EFT tapping and how it may help interrupt racing thoughts * Grounding and spending time outdoors * Humming and the connection between breath, vibration, and relaxation * Simple breathing techniques for stressful moments * Why many women become shallow breathers over time * The importance of knowing your health baseline and working with your healthcare provider * Essential oils traditionally used to create a calming environment Resources Mentioned * EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) * Grounding / Earthing * Breathwork and Box Breathing * Vagus Nerve Support * Edgar Cayce A.R.E. * Mountain Rose Herbs If this episode encouraged you, share it with another woman who may need a reminder to slow down, take a breath, and reconnect with herself. Research & Resources 🌿 EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques)  Research reviews have found EFT may help reduce anxiety, stress, and symptoms of burnout in some individuals. * NIH / PubMed Review on EFT & Anxiety [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26894319/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * NIH Review: Clinical EFT as an Evidence-Based Practice [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9692186/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 Breathwork & Slow Breathing  Research suggests slow, controlled breathing may help regulate the autonomic nervous system and support relaxation responses. * NIH: Respiratory Vagal Stimulation & Slow Breathing [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6189422/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Cleveland Clinic: Using Breathwork to Support the Vagus Nerve [https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vagus-nerve-reset?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 Humming & Vagus Nerve Support  Humming naturally lengthens the exhale and may stimulate areas connected to the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. * Cleveland Clinic: Understanding the Vagus Nerve [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22279-vagus-nerve?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Cleveland Clinic: The Vagus Nerve & Stress Regulation [https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-the-vagus-nerve-do?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 Grounding / Earthing  Research on grounding is still emerging, but some studies suggest potential benefits related to stress, inflammation, sleep, and overall wellbeing. * NIH: Earthing & Health Research Review [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3265077/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * NIH: Practical Applications of Grounding [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10105020/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 The Edgar Cayce Association for Research & Enlightenment (A.R.E.) * Edgar Cayce A.R.E. [https://edgarcayce.org?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🌿 Organic Herbs & Essential Oils * Mountain Rose Herbs [https://mountainroseherbs.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Stay Rooted & Stay Wild!

We’ve Been Drinking Tea Wrong | Loose Leaf Tea, Infusions & Traditional Tea Preparation

Most tea bags contain plastic, many people are steeping tea incorrectly, and traditional cultures prepared tea completely differently than we do today. In this episode, we dive into: • loose leaf tea vs tea bags • infusions vs decoctions • tannins, oxalates, and milk tea • herbal teas for calm and wellness • traditional tea preparation methods • the hidden problems with convenience culture What started as a simple conversation about tea quickly turned into a full-on “tea identity crisis.” We explore the surprising truth that green, black, oolong, and pu-erh teas all come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), and how traditional cultures used different steeping methods to support the body in different ways. We also break down: • why adding milk to black tea was actually a smart traditional practice • the concerns surrounding plastic-filled tea bags • loose leaf tea and herbal infusions • simple ways to return to slower, more intentional rhythms at home Somewhere in the middle, this episode became less about tea and more about the overwhelm of modern life, the “microwave generation,” and the small practical ways we can start reclaiming old skills without burnout. From calming overwhelmed kids to struggling through hand-crank grain mills, we’re talking about real-life slow living, intentional motherhood, natural wellness, and taking baby steps back toward the old ways. Welcome to Womenfolk Revival, where we are deeply rooted and wildly intentional. RESOURCES + TEA BRANDS MENTIONED Traditional Medicinals https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/ [https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/] Numi Organic Tea https://numitea.com/ [https://numitea.com/] Pukka Herbs https://www.pukkaherbs.com/ [https://www.pukkaherbs.com/] Yogi Tea https://yogiproducts.com/ [https://yogiproducts.com/] Clipper Teas https://www.clipper-teas.com/ [https://www.clipper-teas.com/] Loose Leaf Tea Infuser Example https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stainless+steel+tea+infuser [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stainless+steel+tea+infuser] Reusable Cloth Tea Bags https://www.amazon.com/s?k=reusable+cloth+tea+bags [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=reusable+cloth+tea+bags] Research on Microplastics in Tea Bags https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b02540 [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b02540] Learn More About Herbal Infusions vs Decoctions https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/herbal-infusions-and-decoctions [https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/herbal-infusions-and-decoctions] WHAT TO AVOID • “Silky” pyramid tea bags unless clearly labeled plastic-free • Heat-sealed or thermosealed tea bags without clarification • Cheap generic tea bags that may contain polypropylene plastic THE SIMPLEST PLASTIC-FREE OPTION Switching to loose-leaf tea with a stainless steel infuser or reusable cloth tea bag is one of the easiest ways to reduce plastic exposure and reconnect with traditional preparation methods.  🌿 Support Womenfolk Revival If you'd like to support the podcast and help us continue sharing traditional wisdom, homemaking, herbalism, and intentional living, you can support us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/womenfolkrevival Stay Rooted + Stay Wild!

The Self-Sustained Medicine Cabinet | Traditional Herbal Remedies for Everyday Wellness

🌿 The Self-Sustained Medicine Cabinet | Traditional Herbal Remedies for Everyday Wellness What happens when women begin reconnecting with the healing knowledge that once lived in kitchens, gardens, and family traditions for generations? In today’s episode of Womenfolk Revival, we open up our personal home medicine cabinets and share the traditional herbal remedies and plant preparations we actually use in everyday life. From soothing onion honey for nighttime coughs to tulsi infusions for nervous system support, we explore the beauty of simple ingredients, intentional living, and learning one plant at a time. Inside this episode, we discuss: 🌿 Yarrow for traditional wound support 🌿 Garlic honey ferments & traditional oxymels 🌿 Tulsi (Holy Basil) for emotional grounding & perimenopause support 🌿 Herbal infused oils for tired joints & overworked hands 🌿 Red onion honey syrup for seasonal nighttime comfort 🌿 Plantain, calendula, elderberry, lavender & other traditional folk remedies 🌿 Building a slower, more intentional home apothecary We also discuss herbal safety, foraging awareness, and working alongside qualified healthcare professionals when needed. 📚 Research & Educational Resources Mentioned: Honey & Cough Support (Mayo Clinic) https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-can-honey-help-with-coughs/ [https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-can-honey-help-with-coughs/] Honey for Acute Cough in Children (Cochrane Review) https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD007094_honey-acute-cough-children [https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD007094_honey-acute-cough-children] American Botanical Council https://www.herbalgram.org/ [https://www.herbalgram.org/] Tulsi Scientific Review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11521583/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11521583/] Mountain Rose Herbs Educational Library https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/ [https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/] 🌿 Join the Womenfolk Revival Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16kyJfbcQC/ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16kyJfbcQC/] Important Reminder: This podcast episode is intended for educational, historical, and entertainment purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your qualified healthcare provider before beginning herbal products, especially if pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing chronic health conditions. Until next time… Stay Rooted + Stay Wild