What modern medicine gets wrong about contagion, immunity, and chronic illness

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Modern medicine is built on the germ theory of disease. But what if that theory doesn’t hold up to scrutiny?

In this episode of The True Health Report, Dr. Andy Kaufman sits down with Daniel Roytas, educator, naturopath, and author of Can You Catch a Cold?, for a wide-ranging discussion that challenges the core assumptions behind modern virology and infectious disease models.

Together, they explore terrain theory, toxic exposures, and why the body’s symptoms may actually be signs of healing — not disease. If you’ve ever questioned the narrative of pandemics, “viral” outbreaks, or flu seasons, this episode offers a radically different lens.

Can You Really Catch a Cold? 

Daniel opens the conversation by questioning the very premise of “catching” illness. From the flu to the common cold, most of what we’ve been taught relies on unproven ideas of contagion. He outlines why symptoms often blamed on viruses — like coughing, sneezing, and fatigue — may instead be the body’s intelligent detox response.

What the Data Missed During COVID 

Dr. Kaufman and Daniel unpack several overlooked studies, including how pollution, electromagnetic exposure, and seasonal shifts may explain patterns we often chalk up to “infection.”

They also examine the statistical tricks and diagnostic assumptions that inflated certain disease narratives — and how fear was weaponized to drive compliance.

Terrain Theory, Toxins, and the True Causes of Disease 

Instead of hunting invisible enemies, terrain theory teaches us to look inward: at nutrient status, toxin load, stress, and environment. Roytas shares how ancient healing systems worked without ever invoking germs — and how a return to that simplicity could shift our entire approach to health.

What Health Might Look Like Without Germ Theory 

The conversation closes with a hopeful note. From clean water and local food to unmedicated childbirth and sovereign health practices, Daniel and Andy explore what’s possible when we step outside the germ theory paradigm.

This episode is for anyone ready to stop outsourcing their health to pharmaceutical narratives — and start listening to their own terrain.

Listen now, share with a friend, and explore the full resources below.

Learn more about Daniel Roytas and his work at Humanley.

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Full Transcript Below

Dr. Andy Kaufman: Welcome, everyone, to the True Health Report. I'm Dr. Andy Kaufman, and today I have a very special guest with me. Daniel Roytas is a naturopath, health educator, and author of several books including Can You Catch a Cold? and The Human Detox. He’s joining me today from Queensland, Australia. Daniel, welcome.

Daniel Roytas: Thanks so much for having me, Andy.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: It’s a pleasure. I think you’ve done some really important work to shed light on what we might call alternative perspectives on health — but really, they’re often just forgotten or buried truths. So I want to jump right in and ask: what brought you to question the germ theory of disease?

Daniel Roytas: Well, it started during my time practicing as a naturopath. I kept seeing patients who didn’t quite fit the standard model. They were told they had a virus or a bacterial infection, but when I looked closer — when I looked at their history, their environment, their lifestyle — it didn’t add up. They were toxic. They were stressed. They weren’t “catching” anything. Their body was trying to heal.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: That’s a big realization — one I came to myself in a different way. Let’s talk about that phrase — “catching a cold.” What does that even mean in a terrain framework?

Daniel Roytas: It’s a metaphor, really. We say we “catch” things because we’ve been taught that’s how disease works. But there’s no evidence of contagious agents hopping from person to person and making them sick. What we often see instead is shared exposures — to toxins, to EMFs, to seasonal changes — and similar biological responses to those stressors. That’s not infection. That’s detox.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: And this is where your book Can You Catch a Cold? really helps people break down the assumptions, right?

Daniel Roytas: Exactly. It walks through the history of germ theory, where the idea came from, and how it’s been used to justify all kinds of interventions — many of which do more harm than good. But if you go back to the original experiments and claims, the evidence just isn’t there.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: So what are some examples of this? What’s a historical moment where germ theory really took off without the science to back it?

Daniel Roytas: The 1918 flu is a good one. There were experiments done at the time where they tried to infect healthy people by putting them in contact with the sick — nasal swabs, mucus, saliva. Nothing happened. They couldn’t transmit the illness. But that’s been swept under the rug.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: I remember those studies. They’re powerful. And today, we still see that same logic play out — masks, vaccines, antivirals — all based on the idea of preventing spread, even though spread itself is unproven.

Daniel Roytas: That’s right. And it’s not that people aren’t getting sick. They are. But the question is why. If we don’t ask that, we’ll keep treating phantoms instead of addressing the real causes.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: Let’s get into those causes. Terrain theory says we should be looking at the internal environment — what’s going on inside the body. What are some key terrain disruptors?

Daniel Roytas: Toxins are huge — from food additives to industrial chemicals to pharmaceuticals. EMFs and poor nutrition also play a role. And then there’s emotional stress, trauma, lack of sun exposure. All of these degrade the terrain and open the door for what we call disease.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: So the symptoms — the cough, the fever, the fatigue — they’re part of the healing process?

Daniel Roytas: Exactly. They’re not problems to suppress. They’re signals. They show the body is doing what it’s designed to do: eliminate toxins and restore balance.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: This really flips everything on its head. But I think it empowers people. When you realize you’re not a victim of invisible invaders, you can take ownership of your health.

Daniel Roytas: That’s the goal. And I want to be clear — this isn’t about denying suffering. It’s about understanding it differently. When we do, the solutions change.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: I couldn’t agree more. Daniel, thank you for this conversation. We’ll link to your site Humanley so people can explore your work further.

Daniel Roytas: Thanks again, Andy. This has been great.

Dr. Andy Kaufman: And thank you to all our listeners. Keep questioning, keep learning, and remember — your body was designed to heal.