Through the course of my pregnancy and the birth of my daughter, I have been so reaffirmed in my understanding that we as humans are stronger and more capable than we believe ourselves to be. While laboring through the early contractions, I kept reminding myself that "I can do hard things."

Join host Dawn Schwem on The Hungry Heart Quest podcast as she welcomes former Park Ranger and Naturist Photographer Ashley Papavero. Ashley discusses her work as a technician, then a Park Ranger, her interim adventures in Texas and Hawaii between stints around the country, and her time working at Lake Powell as an aquatic invasive species interdiction specialist. Along her journey, Ashley shares her experiences as a naturist and nude photographer, recounting memorable skinny-dipping adventures and the transformative power of embracing natural beauty. Tune in to hear Ashley's incredible story of career shifts, adventure, and her passion for naturism and nude photography.

Episode Transcription:

Join Dawn Schwem, owner of Hungry Heart Quests, on a journey to explore the profound impact of nature on our health and well-being. In this enlightening video, Dawn delves into the concept of the Three-Day Effect—a phenomenon experienced after prolonged immersion in nature—and discusses its potential to revolutionize our approach to holistic health.

In this episode, Dawn and guest Thomas, a farmer, mountain boarder, and former geologist discuss Thomas’ firsthand experience with colonialism, the brutality of the American Empire and the real struggles we face as individuals and as a culture in regard to relationship to land and our accountability to it. They dive deep into the harsh reality that is our present legacy, while working to realize a better way of life through radical accountability for our health, our actions and our relationships. This is by far the most dangerous topic on the Hungry Heart Quests Podcast to date. Are you up for it?

In this episode, Dawn, the owner of Hungry Heart Quests, talks with Ben Hanawalt, owner of SomaSmith and a board-certified Structural Integrator. Ben shares how Structural Integration transformed his life during his blacksmithing apprenticeship, challenging his skepticism. The conversation explores the language and philosophy of Structural Integration, drawing parallels with Ben's experiences with horses and Dawn’s experience with dance. They discuss the importance of presence, body listening, and understanding movement patterns. The podcast also touches on Ben's early life, including a memorable encounter with a protective mama cow at the age of three.

While it's true that some adjustments to our eating habits may be necessary for a hike, the essence of treating our bodies ”like temples” through the consumption of whole, minimally processed foods remains unchanged whether we are home or afield. In truth, what we do every day is going to impact our health, whereas altering our habits for one to three days while backpacking will not. Our bodies are resilient and prefer homeostasis to change; unfortunately, this often works against our best interest. We have all experienced the high of inspiration after an exhilarating adventure, but we have also experienced coming down off that inspiration, losing motivation, meaning and will to effort for what we desire.

Join Dawn Schwem on this episode of the Hungry Heart Quests Podcast as she delves into the multifaceted world of boundaries. As a health coach, Dawn unravels the complexities of energetic, physical, emotional, time, and social boundaries, offering practical insights and relatable scenarios.

As we have long been taught, the new year is a great time to begin new routines, habits and change the course of our health and wellbeing through the infamous New Year’s Resolution. Many people experience the disaster of late January when their motivation and dedication fail, they return to their lives barely altered from their efforts. These resolutions rarely have the foundations and systems to support lasting change, and people exercising their willpower find that after a few weeks, they are drained, distracted or otherwise off the bandwagon.

Feat. Julia Yanker, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Life Coach

Join us on a journey to understand the challenges hindering our health journey and explore ways to overcome these obstacles. In this episode, we delve into the three common objections patients face when committing to a healthcare plan—financial investment, energy required, and the time needed for healing. From the perspective of shifting from scarcity to abundance, we explore the holistic approach to wellness, addressing the limitations of conventional medicine and the benefits of alternative wellness modalities.

It is commonly known that we spend a significant portion of our time indoors. In urban settings, our lives revolve around our homes, commuting to work, or settling into home offices, only to return home once more. This lack of exposure to nature has been termed "Nature Withdrawal," although I propose considering it more as "Technological Toxicity." The term "withdrawal" often associates with detoxification from addictive substances that harm our bodies. It matters which thoughts think thoughts, and for a refresher on this concept, refer back to the post "Rewriting Our Stories: Empowering Paths to Health Identity."