Modern Bodies

How Menopause and Women Shaped Human Evolution

For decades, the story of human evolution has centered on hunters, weapons, and conquest. But what if the real engine of our survival has been hiding in plain sight?

In this episode of Modern Bodies, we turn toward the overlooked labor that sustained our ancestors — the steady, skilled, and deeply strategic work that fed communities, protected children, and shaped the very structure of human society. We explore why gathering may have mattered more than we’ve been told, how cooperation transformed our species, and why one of the most misunderstood stages of a woman’s life might hold a surprising evolutionary clue.

Because you can’t tell the story of how humans became human without telling the story of women.

The Myth of the Hunter

For most of human history, we weren't just hunters, we were foragers, scavengers, gatherers, and opportunists.

In this episode, we challenge the dramatic hunter narrative and look at what foraging actually looked like. You'll learn why gathering was the foundation of survival, how scavenging likely came before hunting, and what modern foraging populations like the Hadza reveal about human flexibility and adaptation.

This isn't about diet advice. It's about understanding the incomplete story we've been told and what the real story reveals about how humans became human.

Get involved in the conversation on Substack 

Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out on what's next. 

Ancient Appetites, Modern Success

The drive to feed ourselves is innate.
The desire to share a meal with others is deeply rooted in our past.
The disappointment when we reach for that second slice of cake — that’s new.

In this episode, we look at how human evolution shaped our brains, our guts, and our appetite, and why the instincts that once kept us alive feel confusing in the modern world.

From cooking and plant foods to honey and energy needs, this is a story about why there was never one ancestral diet — and why your appetite isn’t a personal flaw, but an ancient survival strategy.

Get in on the conversations on Substack.

Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out on what's coming next!

The Paleo Myth

Carnivore. Vegan. Mediterranean. Paleo. Each one tells the same story: that there was once a natural, correct way of eating. 

Everyone wants to believe there is a one size fits all diet. 

In this episode of Modern Bodies, we start with food to ask a deeper question:

Do humans actually have a natural diet at all?

And if we do… is it the “paleo diet” we’ve all heard so much about?

This episode isn’t about telling you how to eat.

It’s about looking at food through the lens of human evolution — and seeing the modern diet conversation in a completely different way.

How Humans Became Human

This episode marks a new chapter for the show.

Well With Felicia is now Modern Bodies — a podcast about how humans became human, and how ancient biology still shapes our experience of modern life.

In this short episode, I share why the show is evolving, what hasn’t changed, and the lens we’ll be using going forward: evolution, anthropology, and history.

For most of human history, survival depended on movement, cooperation, shared knowledge, and attunement to natural rhythms. Modern life didn’t erase those bodies and brains — it layered new systems on top of them, very quickly.

When we don’t understand where we came from, it’s easy to misunderstand ourselves. Stress looks like weakness. Restlessness feels like failure. Discomfort becomes something to fix.

But many of these tensions aren’t personal flaws — they’re ancient systems trying to function in environments they were never designed for.

Modern Bodies explores that mismatch to help you understand the deeper story you’re carrying in your body.

If you’ve been here for curiosity about food, health, or the body, you’re still in the right place.

And if you’re curious about humanity itself, I think you’re really going to like where this is going.

Follow @ModernBodiesPod

Ginger 101: Nausea, Pain and Inflammation

Ginger has been used for thousands of years across food and medicine — but what does the evidence actually say?

In this episode of WELL with Felicia, we explore the history of ginger, how it’s traditionally been used, and where modern research supports its benefits. Felicia breaks down why ginger is best known for helping with nausea, including pregnancy-related and chemotherapy-associated nausea, and how compounds like gingerol and shogaol work in the body.

We also discuss ginger’s role in inflammation and pain, including menstrual cramps and osteoarthritis, practical ways to use ginger in everyday meals, and when supplements may be helpful. Felicia shares how she personally uses ginger around her cycle, common side effects of overuse, and important cautions for those on medications or using supplements.

This episode is an educational look at one of the world’s most widely used spices from ancient trade routes to modern kitchens.

As always, this podcast is not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any condition and is for information purposes only. Please consult with your healthcare professional before making any changes to your current lifestyle.

How to Avoid Getting Sick During Cold and Flu Season

On this episode of Well with Felicia, we’re diving into how to prevent colds and flu naturally, how to strengthen your immune system all year long, and what actually works (and doesn’t work) when it comes to immunity. If you live in Vancouver or anywhere with long rainy winters, you’ll want to save this one.

We cover why people get sick more during colder months, how indoor heating affects your mucosal barriers, why back-to-school season always triggers a wave of rhinovirus, and how Vancouver’s cruise ship season brings its own unique surge of gastrointestinal and respiratory viruses.

 

You’ll learn practical, evidence-based tools to reduce your risk of getting sick, including:

• How to strengthen your immune barriers 
• The tools and supplements that actually work
• Simple ways to shorten a cold naturally
• How to stay safe in higher-risk environments 

We also talk about what not to do when you feel a cold coming on, how long viruses remain contagious, and the difference between rhinovirus, influenza A, influenza B, and norovirus—including how each typically spreads.

Whether you’re constantly getting sick, traveling soon, or you just want a stronger immune system this winter, this episode gives you a realistic, holistic, and scientific roadmap to staying well.

As always, this podcast is not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any condition and is for information purposes only. Please consult with your healthcare professional before making any changes to your current lifestyle.

Fat Loss and Muscle Gain: Can You Do Both at the Same Time?

Can you lose fat and build muscle at the same time? Yes but only with a strategy. 

In this episode, I sit down with Forest Nash (CPT, Nutrition Coach) to break down body recomposition without the burnout.

What we cover:

• Why phasing goals beats “doing it all at once”
• Setting a sustainable fat-loss pace 
• Protein targets that protect muscle 
• Beginner-friendly resistance training 
• Set-point theory and why diet breaks matter
• Practical plant-based options, shakes, and micronutrient basics

Perfect for anyone who wants inspiration, guidance, clear numbers, and doable next steps.

Connect with Forest:
Website: www.forestnash.com.au
Email: info@forestnash.com.au
Instagram: www.instagram.com/forest.nash
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ForestNashFitness

 

As always, this podcast is not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any condition and is for information purposes only. Please consult with your healthcare professional before making any changes to your current lifestyle.