Alone
Dr. Nicole Apelian stars in Season 2 and Season 5 of the History Channel’s hit television show Alone. In both seasons, watch Nicole and 10 others survive the wilderness with only their wits, their skills, and the ten items they each chose to carry in their packs.
Life After Alone: What am I Doing Now?
I am often asked “What are you doing now…post Alone?” I have made some lifestyle changes, but for the most part I am continuing similar work in the world that I was doing pre-Alone. That said, I do have a few new ventures as well.
In 2017 I moved from Oregon to the Willapa Hills in rural SW Washington with my family. This move allows us to step out our door and into the wild every day. Here we’ve cultivated four organic gardens for food and medicinal plants, expanded to a 40-tree orchard, and we have a flock of hand-raised chickens for eggs. I have three bird-feeding stations that bring me (and the birds) joy and connection, and our rolling meadow is surrounded on all sides by the forest, which allows us to forage for food every day. We are lucky enough to have cougars, bears, elk, deer, and coyotes as neighbors. I love listening to the barred owl’s hoots and watch the goldfinches swirl and dance.
MS and Autoimmune Awareness
I have expanded my work with MS and Autoimmune Health and Awareness. Post-show, I had tens of thousands of inquiries asking how I manage Multiple Sclerosis naturally. On my website I share my strategies about diet, herbs, supplements, and lifestyle to manage MS naturally.
I have expanded my Online Apothecary to share my natural tinctures and salves with the world, including my Warrior Bundle and Mushroom Trio, which I use daily.
Writing, Teaching and Speaking
Since Alone, I have authored 2 new books: The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine and A Reference Guide to Surviving Nature: Outdoor Preparation and Remedies and also have a weekly blog.
I still teach classes and workshops at many traditional skills gatherings, for private and corporate events, and on my land in rural Washington. I enjoy public speaking and keynote on a variety of subjects for corporate groups, academic conferences, fundraisers, motivational seminars, commencements, and workshops.
Africa and The Origins Project
I have continued my work with The Origins Project, a non-profit I co-founded as a joint venture with Jon Young and a community of San Bushmen in Western Botswana. Our goals are to to help create a legacy of ancestral connection for future generations by co-creating a cultural education project of mutual cultural repair.
TV and Film
In addition to my work on Alone, I also consult for TV, books, and movie productions on all aspects of survival, including actor training, on-set advising, and script review. I have a new TV documentary mini-series airing next spring titled “Surviving the Stone Age: Adventure In The Wild”, a month-long Stone Age living project that documents what life would have been like as a mobile-hunter-gatherer clan in the Stone Age.
Health
My health is good and I am happy. Like all of us sometimes my plate gets too full, so I reevaluate my priorities every 3-6 months to make sure that I keep a good work-life balance. Spending time with my loved ones and outside in nature are my top priorities and so I structure my work as best I can to keep healthy, happy and balanced, both mentally and physically.
I discuss my views on Holistic Health and Connection in my blog, on my public Facebook Page, on my Instagram page, and via my newsletter (if interested please hit “Subscribe” at the top of my web page).
Alone Season 2: Vancouver Island
Ten people enter the Vancouver Island wilderness carrying only what they can fit in a small backpack. They are alone in harsh, unforgiving terrain with a single mission – stay alive as long as they can. These brave men and women must hunt, build shelters, and fend off predators. They will endure extreme isolation and psychological distress as they plunge into the unknown and document the experience themselves. No camera crew. No producers. It is the ultimate test of human will.
Watch the full season of Alone: Vancouver Island online at The History Channel.
1. Knife
2. Ferro rod
3. 16-inch stainless steel pan
4. Fishing lines and hooks
5. Folding saw
6. 23-inch splitting ax
7. Sleeping bag
8. Gill net
9. Food ration
10. Food ration
Alone Season 5: Northern Mongolia
Ten returning participants attempt redemption in Mongolia on Alone Season 5, a frigid and remote region at the edge of Siberia. There, they will be put to the ultimate test of will and human endurance—surviving as long as they can, completely isolated and alone, with nothing but the contents of a small backpack. Each individual must create their own shelters, catch food from the land, overcome the harsh foreign terrain and bitter cold, and contend with a host of deadly predators. They will truly be on their own. No camera crew. No gimmicks. Last one standing wins.
Watch the full season of Alone: Northern Mongolia online at The History Channel.
1. Knife
2. Saw
3. Sleeping bag
4. Ferro rod
5. Multitool
6. Pot
7. Fishing line and hooks
8. Gill net
9. Trapping wire
10. Food ration
My Alone Wish List
I thoroughly enjoyed my time “Alone” in the wild. Here are a few things that would have made my stay a little more enjoyable, and one that I never travel without.
EMF Protection
You wouldn’t expect it, but wifi and 5G is almost everywhere now. I was safe from it on Alone, but I always carry an EMF protection device with me everywhere I go and I also have one that covers my home.
Blushield: As technology continues to expand with new and more progressive trends, there is a real concern when it comes to EMF exposure. People are exposed to radiation via a variety of electronics, from cell phones to microwaves. Blushield provides me with the safety I want to protect my family. I like the convenience and ease of Blushield products, but more importantly, the comfort of knowing a crucial layer of protection is in place for my family’s health.
Jigsaw Essential Blend Probiotics
Your gut matters! I take probiotics daily, and these are my favorites. Why? Jigsaw Essential Blend Probiotics utilize 5 of the most clinically researched live strains of “friendly bacteria” available. Each capsule of these probiotics is guaranteed to have a minimum of 25 billion friendly, helpful, active bacteria. Each capsule is individually freeze-dried, and each bottle is nitrogen-sealed to ensure the highest quality probiotics on the market. I combine these with my Gut Blend (link to Leaky Gut Blend in the apothecary) to maintain optimal health.
Warrior Bundle
Every morning, I take my Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Turkey Tail Mushroom Tinctures. I strongly believe (and there is peer-reviewed research to back me up) that these medicinal mushrooms play a key role in helping me stay healthy with MS. In addition, they do so without the extreme side effects of many modern medicines.
The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine
I wish I’d had my Herbal Book with me on Alone, as it’s the best resource I know of for medicinal plants, and it has edible uses as well. The color photographs and ID descriptions make this my #1 go to for Herbal Remedies.