North of Ordinary: Survival, Solitude, and Choosing Your Own Way with Sue Aikens | Foodie Pharmacology

In the remote Alaskan wilderness, survival is not a simple metaphor. It is an act of daily practice. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave reconnects with Sue Aikens, best known from National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, to talk about her memoir North of Ordinary. Broadcasting from Alaska, Sue reflects on a life shaped by abandonment, fierce independence, and learning to endure both emotional and physical extremes—from brutal winters and isolation to surviving a grizzly bear attack. This conversation explores resilience, the role of helpers (human and animal), and what it means to build a sense of self when the wilderness strips everything else away.