The Ancestral Advantage: A Modern Guide to Eating the Way Nature Intended

Unlocking Optimal Health Through Ancient Wisdom

Why We Look Back to Move Forward

Modern health problems are everywhere: rising chronic disease, increasing mental health struggles, and food that barely resembles what nature intended. The good news? The solution isn’t new—it’s rooted in ancient wisdom.

Experts like Dr. Ken Berry (Lies My Doctor Told Me), Dr. Paul Saladino (The Carnivore Code), and Dr. Josh Axe (Ancient Remedies) have shown that when we return to the nutrient-rich, unprocessed foods our ancestors thrived on, we can reduce inflammation, increase energy, and build true resilience.

This ancestral approach isn’t about fad diets. It’s about eating in harmony with how humans evolved.

What Is the Ancestral Way of Life— And Why Does It Work?

The ancestral lifestyle includes a diet (it's not so much a diet as it is a lifestyle) that focuses on nutrient-dense, whole foods that humans relied on for 99% of our existence :

• Pasture-raised meats and wild-caught fish

• Seasonal vegetables (low oxalate, lectin and other antinutrients) and low-sugar fruits

• Fermented foods for gut health

• Healthy fats like butter, tallow, and ghee

This approach excludes refined sugars, industrial seed oils, and ultra-processed foods that dominate the modern pantry.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon emphasizes that muscle is the “organ of longevity,” and protein-rich ancestral foods are key to maintaining strength and vitality as we age. Eating like our ancestors means stabilizing blood sugar, improving hormone balance, and fueling long-lasting energy.

How the Western Diet Is Making Us Sick

The Standard American Diet (SAD) tells a different story. Today, most people consume:

• Ultra-processed grains

• Sugary snacks and beverages

• Highly refined oils (canola, soybean, corn)

• Foods loaded with preservatives and additives

The result? Over 70% of Americans are overweight, according to the CDC, and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, fatty liver, and autoimmune conditions are increasing at an alarming rate.

Researchers like Andrew Huberman and Dr. Joseph Mercola link this dietary shift to gut health issues, chronic fatigue, and even brain-related conditions like anxiety and depression. Our food supply has become a chemistry experiment, and our bodies are paying the price.

The Truth About Fat: Why Ghee, Tallow, and Butter Are Better Choices

For decades, fat was vilified—but we now know it’s not fat itself that’s the problem; it’s the wrong fats.

Why Seed Oils Are Harmful

• They’re heavily processed using heat and chemicals.

• They’re high in unstable omega-6 fats that trigger inflammation.

• They’ve been linked to metabolic disorders, obesity, and oxidative stress.

Dr. Cate Shanahan, author of Deep Nutrition, warns that seed oils damage mitochondria, speed up aging, and increase chronic disease risk.

What Fats Should We Be Eating Instead?

• Grass-fed butter – packed with vitamins A, D, E, and K2

• Beef tallow – heat-stable and nutrient-rich, used for centuries

• Ghee – clarified butter, lactose-free, and easy to digest

These traditional fats are stable under heat, packed with fat-soluble vitamins, and free from the harmful processing associated with industrial oils.

What’s Coming Next: Preparing Plants & Unlocking Superfoods

This blog is just the beginning. In upcoming articles, we’ll explore:

• How to safely prepare plants for better digestion and nutrient absorption (think soaking, sprouting, and fermenting).

• The top ancestral superfoods your ancestors relied on daily for strength and longevity.

• The mind-body connection and how ancestral eating supports your hormones, mood, and mental clarity.

• How to transition from processed to primal with easy steps you can take in just 30 days.

References & Resources

1. Gary Brecka

• Focus: Methylation, longevity, detox (seed oils, toxins).

• YouTube: @GaryBrecka

• Website: The Ultimate Human

2. Dr. Eric Berg

• Focus: Keto, fasting, seed oil dangers, holistic health.

• YouTube: @DrEricBergDC

• Website: DrBerg.com

3. Dr. Shawn Baker

• Focus: Carnivore diet, athletic performance, ancestral health.

• YouTube: @SBakerMD

• Website: Shawn-Baker.com

4. Dr. Paul Saladino

• Focus: Animal-based diet, plant toxins, regenerative health.

• YouTube: @paulsaladinomd

• Website: CarnivoreMD

5. Dr. Ken Berry

• Focus: Real food, debunking dietary myths, seed oils.

• YouTube: @KenDBerryMD

• Website: KenDBerryMD.com

6. Dave Asprey

• Focus: Biohacking, Bulletproof diet, seed oil elimination.

• YouTube: @DaveAsprey

• Website: DaveAsprey.com

7. Andrew Huberman

• Focus: Neuroscience, diet-brain connection, longevity.

• YouTube: @hubermanlab

• Website: HubermanLab.com

8. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

• Focus: Muscle-centric medicine, protein, metabolic health.

• YouTube: @DrGabrielleLyon

• Website: DrGabrielleLyon.com

9. Dr. Mindy Pelz

• Focus: Women’s health, fasting, detox from processed foods.

• YouTube: @drmindypelz

• Website: DrMindyPelz.com

10. Dr. Catherine Shanahan

• Focus: Seed oils, deep nutrition, traditional fats.

• YouTube: (Search for interviews)

• Website: DrCate.com

11. Dr. Anthony Chaffee

• Focus: Carnivore diet, plant toxins, evolutionary health.

• YouTube: @anthonychaffeemd

• Website: TheCarnivoreBar

12. Dr. Bill Schindler

• Focus: Ancestral diets, fermentation, reducing antinutrients.

• YouTube: @drbillschindler

• Website: EatLikeAHuman.com