Episode 150: If it's not a virus, what makes us sick? With Dr. Tom Cowan

One kid gets sick. Then another. Then another. That's proof of contagion... right?

In this episode, Dr. Tom Cowan joins me to challenge some of the most deeply held assumptions about sickness, symptoms and the body.

What if what you've been taught to believe isn't what you've actually observed?

This one will make you THINK.

We talk about:

• If twenty kids get sick in the same classroom, what does that actually prove?
• If it isn't a virus, what DOES make us sick?
• How does believing in contagion change the way you experience your life?
• What if the symptom you're trying to stop isn't actually the problem?
• What if your child's "behavior problem" is actually the most reasonable response to their situation?
• Why Dr. Tom believes we've fundamentally misunderstood how children learn.
• What a cat named Pumpkin has to do with any of this.
• The backstory behind his newest book, Common Sense Child Rearing.
  
• Plus the totally random AI question I couldn't resist asking at the end.
  

You are Fiercely Awakening.

About Dr. Tom Cowan, His Work & Resources Mentioned

About Dr. Cowan: Dr. Thomas Cowan is a well-known alternative medicine doctor, author and speaker, with a common-sense, holistic approach to health and wellness. He is the author of eight books, practiced general medicine for nearly four decades before retiring in 2025, and was a founding board member and longtime vice president of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Dr. Cowan lives with his wife, Lynda, on rural farmland in Upstate New York.

Find more of his work: 

• drtomcowan.com — his offerings, writing and books
• Dr. Cowan's Garden — his nutrient-dense vegetable powders and real-food products
• The New Biology Clinic — where his team of doctors work with members online, and you can book a connection session
• The New Biology Curriculum — learn what the New Biology is all about
• The C3 Community — his membership community

Follow + listen:

• Talkin' Turkey with Tom (YouTube)
• Conversations with Dr. Cowan & Friends (Apple Podcasts)
• Instagram: @talkinturkeywithtom_
• Facebook: Dr. Tom Cowan
• X: @drtomcowan

Books mentioned:

• Common Sense Child Rearing: Unconventional Wisdom for a Nourished Childhood by Dr. Tom Cowan 
• The Contagion Myth by Dr. Tom Cowan and Sally Fallon Morell
• How to Raise a Healthy Child... In Spite of Your Doctor by Dr. Robert Mendelsohn
• Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich
• Can You Catch A Cold?: Untold History & Human Experiments by Daniel Roytas 

Big News + Monthly Giveaway

The Fiercely Awakening Podcast is officially in the TOP 2 PERCENT of all podcasts worldwide.

This happened because of YOU.

To keep the momentum going, here's the ask:

1. Leave a 5-star review wherever you're listening.
2. Screenshot your review.
3. Send it to me on Instagram or Facebook.

Every screenshot you send equals an entry in our monthly giveaway.

✨🎉 One lucky woman will win a bag of DIRTbath™ or FEMfusion. Every. Single. Month.

Already left a review? Share this episode to your stories and tag me. That counts as an entry too! You get an entry to win for as many times as you share

Your reviews and your shares are how this message reaches the women it was meant to reach.

The FEM 2027 Waitlist

Become the healer of your home.

Fiercely Empowered Mama, or FEM, is the membership I built for mothers who are ready to stop guessing what their body and their child's body need, and start learning how to recognize what the body is communicating.

If this podcast episode lit something up in you, if you felt that pull toward being the one with the tools instead of the one scrambling, THAT is what FEM is for. → Join the waitlist for 2027 enrollment.

Resources Mentioned

FEMfusion is my daily mineral hydration blend. Because plain water isn't always enough, this is foundational, everyday support for the terrain, minerals and electrolytes your body can actually use on a hot day, a sweaty day or any day. → Shop FEMfusion here.

DIRTbath™ is my mineral-rich soak and warm-bath wind-down. It works with the skin, your largest organ, to help the body draw out the day's load and replenish the minerals you burn through, while calming the nervous system before bed. My go-to for bug bites, big feelings, sunburns and everyday detox. Save $10 with code DIRT10. → Shop DIRTbath™ here.

Free Magnesium Guide for Kids: The forms I use, what I look for and how I think about magnesium for kids. → Get my free magnesium guide here.

The FEM Hydration Challenge: Go back to the foundation and get consistent. → Start the hydration challenge here.

Connect with Dr. Tonya

You can find me here on Instagram and here on Facebook.

And be sure to visit my website. You'll find even more resources that I'd love to share with you.

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Always work with a qualified provider who knows your situation before making changes to your health.