Happy Wednesday!

I'm writing to you from the North Carolina Coast and I'm not mad about it.
I grew up a the coast and so I find that I can only stay way from it for so long.

Fortunately it's only about a 2.5 hour drive from Raleigh to get to the ocean so the boys and I periodically head out here to soak up the sun and salt water for a few days.

Poor Jeremiah is left in charge of his usual duties of being the primary breadwinner, but also has to fill the void of us for Bella and care for the garden and 30 baby chickens plus our turkeys and grown hens. So he has his hands full.
But then again he has the consolation of a completely quiet and mess-free house, so I think he'll be ok and let's be real, I'm the one with my hands full right now!

Full hands and full head.

I've been thinking a lot about how "science" lately and who gets to do science?

2020/2021 have both been years where you have probably heard more regular run-of the mill people spouting science and citing research than you ever have in your whole life and I think it's great that more and more people are getting engaged in researching and understanding various phenomena in nature and infectious disease. 
But the problem with that for me is that they are only ever sharing other people's observations and not enough of their own.
And I can't help but wonder if people are forgetting to use their own five senses to take in information because they have grown so accustomed to OTHER people telling them what is going on?

We hear : "Such and such study says" too much and not enough,
"You know what I'm noticing?"
or, "Hey! What about (x-phenomenon)?"
"It's funny you say that, because I've been experiencing___________."

It's mostly like, "This guy on NPR...." or "Dr.______ says or "Research shows...."

Like a gigantic game of telephone or he-said/she-said, where we are quoting people we know NOTHING bout because of the credentials and societal esteem.

For all of time, regular folks like us have looked to the learned populations for their expertise and I'm not saying that we should all suddenly consider ourselves and our abilities to critically read scientific papers to be on par with MIT scientists.

BUT!
ALL HUMAN observation has its limitations.
All humans are fallible and it is possible that just because something is billed as "science" if it doesn't jive with your own personal experiences or observations, there's something to that.

And let's not forget the fact that some areas of research that are of grave importance to YOU might not be a priority to the industry.

And when that's the case, does that mean we have to sit around WAITING for scientists to care about the things that directly impact us?
That OUR experiences don't matter until they are supported by peer-reviewed science?
And if the pee-reviewed science finally DOES come out and it contradicts what we have seen in our own bodies, our children's bodies the lives of loved ones, is that it?

Who has the final say?

And more importantly, who has told us that we aren't qualified to come to the table and share our own ideas. 
Maybe we aren't going to be round-tableing it with the brilliant or at least most popular scientists at their academic conferences, but we can control what happens at our own table.
Whose ideas are considered valid at our own kitchen tables.

And our we teaching our children that only SOME people can do science or are we telling them, that they TOO can make observations, conduct experiments, explore theories.
And if we are telling them, "You can be and do and think whatever you want!"
Are we modeling that for them as well?

Or do we show them that it's only certain people that are allowed to do the thinking and THEY tell us how to live?

Maybe we should start to ask ourselves,
"Do I make observations?"
"Do I believe them to be valid?"
"Who has communicated to me that there is a hierarchy in validity of thought?

Many of you are here reading my newsletter because "science" in its popular form wasn't there for you.
Your mold toxicity, gut health, auto-immune issues, pelvic floor problems, chronic pain, skin rashes, hormone imbalances, and vaccine-injured kids weren't being served by popular science, so you had to put on your own "scientist" hat and start doing your own research.

Because you weren't satisfied.
The science wasn't settled for you.
In fact some of the science actually HARMED you.

And some of you are here reading and you're like, "Hey I'm just here because I hate Kegels and you said you had answers and workouts."

But I'm telling you, no matter WHERE you are coming from, this world is going to be a better place and our collective body of human knowledge will be furthered if you start to engage MORE and become a scientist too.

Start making observations. 
Start conducting experiments. 
Start sharing your theories. 
Invite friends to your table to exchange ideas.
Critically discuss even your most favorite health and scientific experts' ideas.

Make THEM work for your trust and make their work work for you!

Because what the world needs now is a shift.
All hands on deck.
All people engaged in thinking, discussing and doing the work to make ourselves healthy in a world plagued by chronic disease and "unexplained" health conditions that are becoming socially acceptable and part of our new normal.

To go deeper with this topic, listen to Episode 74 of Dirty Strength Radio.