The Origins of Feeling Good: Sleep, Stress, and Resilience – *Signature Presentation*

For most of human history, stress was short-lived—a surge of energy to help us survive danger, then a return to balance. Today, that system is hijacked. What once kept us alive now keeps us anxious, exhausted, and unwell.

In this presentation, I take you back to our evolutionary roots to show why modern stress feels so overwhelming—and what we can do about it.

You’ll discover:

• The evolutionary story of stress – how cortisol and the HPA axis were designed to protect us, and why they now fuel chronic fatigue, weight gain, and burnout.
• The mismatch problem – why a system built for short bursts of danger struggles with endless deadlines, notifications, and pressures of modern life.
• Gender differences in stress – how biology and social roles shape the way men and women experience and respond to pressure.
• Stress and its hidden ripple effects – from disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms, to immune dysfunction, cravings, and stubborn belly fat (even with “perfect” diet and exercise).
• Practical strategies to reclaim balance – 13 science-backed tools you can apply right away, from breathwork and mindfulness to ancestral nutrition (yes, even more butter).

The result? A new way of understanding stress—not as an enemy, but as a signal we can learn to regulate. And with the right tools, you can restore resilience, improve sleep, sharpen focus, and finally feel good again.

The Ancestral Table: What Human Diets Teach Us About Thriving

Every culture eats differently—yet beneath the diversity of cuisines lies a shared story of how humans fuel life. By looking back at traditional diets, we uncover not only what kept our ancestors alive, but what allowed them to thrive.

In this presentation, you’ll discover:

• The universal patterns of human nutrition – what all diets, from rainforest to tundra, have in common.
• The modern mismatch – how industrial foods and lifestyles diverged from tradition, and the health costs we’re paying today.
• The paradox of extremes – why some cultures flourish on nearly all meat, while others thrive on mostly plants, defying modern nutrition “rules.”
• Health paradoxes explained – what we can learn from groups that remain vibrant and disease-free on diets that today’s experts might call “unhealthy.”
• Practical ancestral wisdom – how to integrate traditional food practices into your own life for better energy, resilience, and well-being.
• Rediscovering forgotten foods – an invitation to explore the tastes and nutrients that once shaped our species.

This isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about reconnecting with the evolutionary blueprint of human nutrition. The goal: not just to eat, but to eat in a way that makes us feel fully alive.

Designed to Thrive: Ancestry, Adaptation, and the Future of Nutrition

Your DNA carries the story of how your ancestors ate, moved, and lived in their environments. That story still shapes your health today. When we ignore it, we struggle. When we align with it, we thrive.

In this presentation, you’ll discover:

• Ancestral blueprints – how your genetic heritage influences your nutritional and physical activity needs.
• Geography and disease risk – why moving to a different latitude or climate can affect your health outcomes.
• The power—and limits—of adaptability – how disease emerges when our biology can’t keep pace with modern lifestyles.
• The circadian connection – why late nights, artificial light, and constant stimulation push us into stress and sickness.
• Designed vs. actual eating – how our digestive system evolved to process food compared to the way we eat today.
• Practical strategies for alignment – functional, science-backed ways to live, cook, and eat in tune with your body’s design and ancestral heritage.

This isn’t about going “back in time”—it’s about moving forward with the wisdom of human evolution. By living in sync with your origins, you unlock the resilience, energy, and health your body was built for.

Wired to Connect: Evolutionary Psychology and the Future of Mental Health

For most of our history, survival depended on connection—tribal bonds, shared purpose, and roles within the group. Today, many of us live in a world of hyper-individualism, constant comparison, and disconnection from those roots. The result? Rising rates of anxiety, burnout, and loneliness.

In this presentation, you’ll discover:

• The evolutionary psychology of belonging – why our brains are wired for community, cooperation, and shared purpose.
• The cost of hyper-individualism – how modern culture fuels stress, self-doubt, and mental overload.
• Resilience redefined – what traditional societies can teach us about facing adversity with strength and adaptability.
• The hidden ties to stress and sleep – how isolation and disconnection ripple into anxiety, poor rest, and reduced emotional regulation.
• Roles within the tribe – understanding your innate archetype and how it shapes relationships, coping, and well-being.
• Practical pathways to reconnection – simple, science-backed ways to restore mental resilience by rebuilding bonds with self, others, and nature.

This isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about rediscovering the psychological wiring that made us human. By reconnecting with those roots, we can cultivate resilience, deepen relationships, and move from merely coping to truly thriving.