In The Field with Dr. Alison Monette

Fieldlab
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

"In The Field," hosted Dr. Alison Monette, ND is where the wisdom of nature meets the language of science — and where the real conversation about human health begins. Made for the curious, lifelong learner, each episode explores relevant health topics through the lens of biophysics and decentralized health, cutting through the noise of centralized medicine to get to the truth of what your body needs. Complex ideas become practical wisdom you can bring into your day — connecting the dots between biophysics, light, and the rhythms that drive true health.

  1. 3d ago

    Ep. 026: Food Metabolism Starts In The Eye

    Food metabolism is a topic that has garnered a great deal of interest and study. Partly in an effort to understand how the human body transforms food energy into biological function and partly because it seems to be a major problem for many in the modern world.  As a result, humans have generated an immense amount of knowledge related to this topic. But, what we “know” is focused only on where metabolism happens–the liver, the gut, the cell–and remains stuck at the level of energy. Rarely is it asked:  What allows food metabolism to occur?  What is the role of the environment and the information it provides?  Is food just energy or is it also information? If yes, what are the implications?  Is food metabolism a spontaneous process of transformation occurring within the organism OR is it what happens when an organism is in unity with its environment?  Is all metabolism created equally? Does it always happen as we’ve been told it should?  This conversation sets out to fill in the gaps. And, as the title suggests, assert that food metabolism actually starts in the eye. It’s a dynamic interplay between organism and environment. If you don’t respect that relationship, food metabolism will always remain broken.  The catalyst for this episode was a talk that Dr. Alison gave to the Quiet Corner Chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation on this very topic. That lecture goes deeper into the history and the science, but also provides you with a framework to support normal food metabolism. That lecture is available exclusively to Fieldlab members. To become a member, https://fieldlab.mn.co/plans/1903955?bundle_token=180260f0f3488d6e30a110c55270dd5b&utm_source=manual [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.]

  2. Oct 6

    Ep. 025: Reflections From El Salvador – True Health vs. Wellness, An “Aha” Moment & Remembering How to Be Human

    A trip to El Salvador always yields tremendous insights. The people, the culture and the raw beauty help us to remember what it means to be human.  In this episode, Dr. Alison reflects on the lessons learned from her most recent trip to El Salvador. The conversations she had and connections she made all revolved around a similar theme: true health versus wellness, and the choice El Salvador faces between preserving its connection to true health or moving toward modern wellness. She uses this to tell the story of modern wellness in America – how we got here, the outcomes it’s produced and why the American trajectory serves as a warning not a model for other countries.  Note: This episode is only the first half of the conversation. To hear the entire conversation, join us in Fieldlab, my private learning ecosystem here. [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.]

  3. Sep 29

    Ep. 024: If You Think You Have High Cortisol, You Probably Don’t

    In the field, Cortisol is the subject of many conversations–specifically with patients who feel that they have “high cortisol.”  This isn’t a surprise considering that much of the health content being produced in the modern world is about cortisol. And the dominant message: your fatigue, weight gain, inability to sleep, etc. is due to your high cortisol levels. If you check this set of boxes, then all of your health issues are explainable through this lens.  For many, that message resonates deeply. Not only because they “check the boxes,” but actually for a simpler reason: because many live in a constant state of anxiety, panic and most importantly: stress. And stress has become synonymous with cortisol in our modern understanding of human biology. Some have taken it one step further, seeking out a blood cortisol level. Oftentimes, this returns a higher than normal value and for many this is confirmation: “I have high cortisol. “ Naturally, people are looking for solutions. At play here are the usual “fixes”: diets, detoxes and protocols. But, because these don’t seem to be having the impact they once did, new offerings have emerged: courses, programs and even retreats marketed as helping you “fix” your cortisol.  There’s just one major problem with all of this: in the field, we rarely see a patient with truly high cortisol as measured using an Adrenal Stress Index; even when they have a high blood cortisol. And the rest of their labs often confirm: there is no rhythm happening here. Unless you’re looking at this issue biophysically, this is a story you will inevitably miss and the outcomes for your health could be disastrous.  Today’s conversation picks up where the rest of the health space has left off. Dr. Alison explains why we’ve gotten the cortisol story so wrong, what she’s seeing clinically and what an abnormal rhythm actually means about your true health.  In Part 2, we talk about the biophysics of cortisol and its actual purpose in human function. This is a conversation that will likely surprise you and help you see cortisol, your environment and your health in a totally different way. If you're interested in going deeper, join us in Fieldlab, my private learning ecosystem here. [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.]

  4. Sep 22

    Ep. 023: Your Sleep Problem Might Not Be A Sleep Problem

    In the modern world, there is a hidden crisis: sleep has become a major struggle for many.  Whether it’s falling asleep, staying asleep or waking fully rested, sleep has become challenging for some way for most. In the field, the majority of patients coming to us initially check one of these boxes. And yet, the topic hardly gets talked about. Some simply accept it as a byproduct of living a stressful, fast-paced lifestyle. Others have found something that allows them to get by, whether it’s a supplement, medication or protocol. And others are genuinely trying to figure it out – they just don’t know where to begin.  The near universal struggle to sleep is a troubling trend.  If you disconnect from quality sleep – and thus, repair and healing – for too long, the loss of health will always follow. This is regardless of how much light you get, how well you eat or how much you exercise. You simply can’t have health without living a decentralized day and that means experiencing light AND dark.  Fortunately, the reason people struggle to sleep is actually not a mystery at all. Once you understand how the sleep cycle is built, what type of environment supports quality sleep, and where we’ve gone wrong in the modern world, the solutions become abundantly clear. This is what we will tackle in today’s episode.  In Part 2, we go one layer deeper. You’ll learn about the healing programs that drive cellular repair, regeneration and maintenance, the true and somewhat surprising role of melatonin and most importantly: what you can do to get your sleep back. If you're interested in going deeper, join us in Fieldlab, my private learning ecosystem here. [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.]

  5. Sep 15

    Ep. 022: What Happened to Human Energy?

    Low energy has gradually become the norm in the modern world.  In the field, we see this reality confirmed daily. Low energy has become the top health issue people are seeking help with. And it isn’t limited to just adults–a lack of energy is particularly common in younger people. Even young kids are now struggling with energy The human energy crisis has perplexed everyone–centralized science and medicine as well as those struggling for themselves. In the field, we regularly encounter individuals who have searched for years to find answers. They’ve tried everything: diet, exercise, supplements and pharmaceuticals; sometimes they offer a moment of temporary relief, but the reality is that they are only just band-aids. They don’t address the issue at its root; as a result, they will never restore human energy or true health. There's no doubt: this is a troubling trend. Humans were never meant to lack energy. Now we found ourselves at a time where it’s nowhere to be found. In today’s episode, we set out to answer the question: What happened to human energy?  And, more importantly, what can we do to get it back?  When you understand human energy through the lens of biophysics, the answer to both questions becomes surprisingly simple.  In this episode, Dr. Alison reframes the lack of human energy as an important clue about the biophysics of you and your environment. In reality, this isn’t a problem to be fixed; it’s a message to be heard. And often, it’s one of the first pieces of feedback your body will provide when things start to go bad. However, you must know what you’re listening for. Part 2 takes you one layer deeper into the story of Leptin and its role in information and energy transformation. Understanding the biophysics of leptin is critical for understanding human energy, cellular function, how the environment shapes health and most importantly: what you need to do to get it back. We are certain that you will find this to be a fascinating deep dive. If you’re interested in the topic and want to go deeper, become a Fieldlab member: https://fieldlab.mn.co/plans/1903955?bundle_token=180260f0f3488d6e30a110c55270dd5b&utm_source=manual [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.]

  6. Sep 8

    Ep. 021: Do Your Blue Blockers Actually Work?

    There is a growing awareness of circadian function and its role in shaping health. While this trend has emerged more recently, its impact on the health space has been significant. Many are now thinking differently about the role of sunlight in human function, how they structure their day, and their relationship with modern technology. But one could argue that the greatest impact of this growing circadian awareness has been the widespread adoption of blue blocking glasses –  glasses designed specifically to filter out certain wavelengths of the blue light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. In so many ways, this is positive. It demonstrates a growing recognition of the negative impacts of modern, artificially-lit technology on human health and a willingness to do something about it. Not to mention, blue blocking glasses are a really simple and relatively inexpensive solution for offsetting these risks; this is a breath of fresh air in a world that often tries to overcomplicate with new and expensive “solutions.” The only challenge is that this trend emerged without a strong biophysical basis, which means that there was very little understanding of the complexity of how light shapes human function and why artificially-lit, blue-shifted technology has a negative impact on health. The thought was simply: blue light is bad, let’s block some of the spectrum. And because these companies are trying to create a product that people actually want to use, they chose to block very small and specific portions of the blue light spectrum. This was ultimately to create lenses that were clear, therefore not distorting the user's color vision in any way.  On paper, this sounds like an amazing solution for everyone. Companies can sell these glasses as blue blockers because, realistically, that's what they are. Users perceive they are getting the benefit without any alteration to their visual experience. The only problem: this is simply not how blue blocking works. At best, these clear lenses have no impact on health. At worst, they have a negative effect.  This is often where we find ourselves in the field: trying to convince patients that their clear blue blockers are not what they need to support their true health. Maybe they’ve been convinced otherwise by an “expert,” influencer or company. Maybe they simply don’t like wearing tinted lenses because of how they look or how they alter the color from screens. Either way, we too commonly see that when patients wear these clear blue blockers, their health is ultimately what suffers. In this episode, we’ll tell you why. You’ll learn what blue light is, the impact of the “the blue light hazard,” what these clear blue blockers are actually blocking and what constitutes a pair of blue blockers that actually work.  Part 2 takes you a layer deeper into the blue light story more broadly and you’ll come away with an understanding of how blue light functions in nature to tune our biology to the environment. Exploring the biophysics of the blue light story is an easy and accessible way to learn about circadian rhythms and we feel it’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to dive deeper. If you’re interested in the topic and want to go deeper, become a Fieldlab member here. [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.]

  7. Sep 1

    Ep. 020: Hypothyroidism – Failure or Adaptation?

    In this episode, we tackle one of THE major health issues in the modern world; one we see in the field on a daily basis: hypothyroidism, specifically focusing on hashimoto’s – an autoimmune driven hypothyroidism – which is how we see it present most commonly in practice. Twenty years ago, hypothyroidism was something that affected a specific subset of the population: middle-aged women. But that is no longer the case. Today, it can be found among the young and old, male and female alike. For many, an under-active thyroid can be one of the (if not the) very first signs of trouble and is associated with symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, etc. It’s also frequently screened for by both primary care and functional medicine doctors, making it something more people are aware of.  This has created a perfect storm and made hypothyroidism a major gateway disease into centralized medicine. For many, that comes with a lifetime of “treatment,” whether that’s medication, supplements, diets and more recently: detoxes and protocols.  This is why it’s critical that we have this conversation.  Everywhere you look, there are health influencers promising the ultimate thyroid fix, many of which are both time consuming and expensive. Everyday, we have patients coming to us having tried everything to treat their thyroid – medications, supplements, detoxes and diets. They’ve gone from one protocol to the next with little to no progress; some even feel worse. And their labs make it clear: their health is suffering.  If that’s you, then this conversation is for you.  Join us as we shift the paradigm and start examining the issue at its root, which you might be surprised to hear isn’t actually the thyroid. It’s something much bigger. And the solution is totally free if you’re willing to embrace change and live a day that supports true health.  The first step in that process is learning – what the thyroid does, how it’s programmed by the environment, why thyroid function has been put on pause in the modern world and why that’s not surprising at all. That’s what Part 1 is all about. Part 2 was a really fun conversation digging into the deeper science on this topic. We talk about why the thyroid’s location is critical, how it intersects with the nervous system and explain its ultimate role in governing energy transformation. Once you see how the parts and pieces fit together, it opens up an understanding of how the broader system functions and the interplay between organism and environment.  If you’re interested in the topic and want to go deeper, become a Fieldlab member here. [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.]

  8. Aug 25

    Ep. 019: What Is Your Blood Pressure Trying to Tell You?

    Blood pressure – and more specifically hypertension – has become a major source of fear and anxiety for the modern human. Adding to the worry is the ease of measurement – blood pressure cuffs are present in almost every home and grocery store. Every visit to a doctor’s office starts with a blood pressure reading. And for most people it’s simply a number. It’s either within range or out-of-range. In range equals health. Out-of-range readings, we are told, will result in strokes or heart attacks. Riddled with fear, many gladly accept a lifetime of medication and tinkering.   But, has your doctor ever explained to you that blood pressure is way more than a single number?  Have they ever explained all of the factors that influence blood pressure including blood viscosity, blood vessel elasticity, the vascular lining, nitric oxide activation, calcification and nervous system function?  Have you been told that your environment and the stressors that are present (or not present) are influencing blood pressure moment to moment?  If you’re ready to turn fear into wisdom, then this episode is for you. In Part 1, Dr. Alison provides you with her clinical perspective on blood pressure, laying out all of the factors that influence blood pressure regulation, how the modern environment has turned all of them upside down and what you can do about it.  Part 2, which is available exclusively to Premium members, takes you through the science. You’ll learn how your nervous system integrates with the vascular system to make you an adaptable human. This perspective is a really fascinating and easy way to understand how the biophysics of you is influenced by the physics of your environment – when you see how all the pieces come together, the fear immediately dissolves.    If you’re interested in the topic and want to go deeper, become a Fieldlab member: https://fieldlab.mn.co/plans/1903955?bundle_token=180260f0f3488d6e30a110c55270dd5b&utm_source=manual [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.]

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"In The Field," hosted Dr. Alison Monette, ND is where the wisdom of nature meets the language of science — and where the real conversation about human health begins. Made for the curious, lifelong learner, each episode explores relevant health topics through the lens of biophysics and decentralized health, cutting through the noise of centralized medicine to get to the truth of what your body needs. Complex ideas become practical wisdom you can bring into your day — connecting the dots between biophysics, light, and the rhythms that drive true health.

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