Food Junkies Podcast

What does it take to turn personal pain into policy change? In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Chérie St. Arnauld, Executive Director of Metabolic Revolution and a passionate advocate for metabolic health, to explore the power of grassroots mobilization in the fight against ultra-processed foods. Chérie grew up in a household shaped by economic constraints and ultra-processed food. It was her sister's cancer diagnosis, and the radical dietary intervention that gave her 10 more years of life, that forever changed how Chérie understood the relationship between food and healing. Today, she's channeling that lived experience into one of the most dynamic grassroots organizations in the metabolic health space. In this conversation, Vera and Chérie explore what the food addiction and metabolic health communities can learn from each other, and what it actually looks like to build a movement from the ground up. 🎙️ What We Cover: • Chérie's story: growing up on ultra-processed foods, her sister's illness, and the whole-food dietary shift that changed everything • How a ketogenic diet transformed Chérie's mental health and clarity • The founding of Metabolic Revolution and its mission to empower individuals to demand change from their institutions • The October 2024 Rally for Metabolic Health at the Washington Monument — how it happened, who spoke, and what it sparked • The petition to ban ultra-processed foods from school meals — and the volunteer-led school lunch committee it inspired • A halted ketogenic therapy research study at the University of Maryland — and how Metabolic Revolution took action • The parallel between Big Food and Big Tobacco — and what a master settlement agreement could look like • Grassroots strategies: rallies, community walks, petitions, state attorney general investigations, and more • Why individual stories + research + cost data may be the most powerful combination in advocacy • The intersection of food addiction and metabolic health — and why these movements are stronger together • What the food addiction world can learn from Metabolic Revolution's bottom-up approach 🔗 Resource(s) Mentioned: • Metabolic Revolution: metabolicrevolution.org 🙌 If you or someone you love is struggling with ultra-processed food use disorder, please visit us at sweetsobriety.ca and foodjunkiespodcast.com Connect with Food Junkies: 🎙️ Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts 💻 Website: foodjunkiespodcast.com ▶️ YouTube: Food Junkies Podcast - YouTube 💌 Email: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com 👍 Like, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps more people find us. The Food Junkies Podcast is hosted by Dr. Vera Tarman, Molly Painschab, and Clarissa Kennedy. We explore the science, stories, and solutions behind food addiction and ultra-processed food use disorder. The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

CJ has the privilege of sitting down with Kristy today. Today, I'm honored to introduce Kristy, a devoted homeschooling mom whose life is a powerful testimony of resilience, strength, and hope. Kristy once believed her struggles were simply about weight and exercise, never realizing she was battling food addiction. Through faith, courage, and deep self-discovery, she came to understand the root of her struggle and found freedom on the other side. She is unwavering in her belief that God carried her through every step of the journey. Now, she shares her story to encourage others, offering hope and lifting up anyone walking through addiction. If you're considering personalized assistance, CJ, a Certified Addiction Professional specializing in Food Addiction, is here for one-on-one coaching. Reach out to CJ at cjnguy@myfoodaddictioncoach.com Interested in sharing your recovery story on our show? We'd love to hear from you! Please email FJRecoverystories@gmail.com

What's really happening inside your child's body when they eat ultra-processed food? In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Jacob May — mitochondrial researcher, registered dietitian, and Associate Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center — to explore the cellular and metabolic consequences of a diet dominated by ultra-processed foods, particularly in children. Dr. May leads the Mitochondrial Energetics and Nutrient Utilization Laboratory, where his team investigates how dietary patterns shape metabolism at the cellular level. He's a keynote speaker, precision nutrition researcher, and practicing clinician — and his insights here are both science-forward and refreshingly practical. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why mitochondria can't tell the difference between a McDonald's burger and organic beef — and why that still matters What phytonutrients and zoonutrients are, and why ultra-processing strips them out How ultra-processed foods drive insulin resistance through a damaging feedback loop Whether children are more resilient or more vulnerable to the effects of UPFs — and why the answer is complicated What the research actually says about saturated fat, ketogenic diets, and insulin sensitivity How the gut microbiome is affected by ultra-processed food intake Why breath biomarkers may be the future of non-invasive metabolic screening What GLP-1 medications mean for the future of nutrition science — and why dietitians aren't obsolete Practical, real-world advice for feeding children in an ultra-processed food environment About Dr. Jacob May: Dr. Jacob May is an Associate Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center and head of the Mitochondrial Energetics and Nutrient Utilization Laboratory. His research focuses on how dietary patterns — including ketogenic and ultra-processed food diets — affect cellular metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic disease. He holds a PhD in nutrition science and is a Registered Dietitian with an active clinical practice. He was a keynote speaker at Pennington's 2025 Childhood Obesity Conference. Email Dr. May: Jacob.Mey@pbrc.edu Connect with Food Junkies: 🎙️ Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts 💻 Website: foodjunkiespodcast.com ▶️ YouTube: Food Junkies Podcast - YouTube 💌 Email: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com The Food Junkies Podcast is hosted by Dr. Vera Tarman, Molly Painschab, and Clarissa Kennedy. We explore the science, stories, and solutions behind food addiction and ultra-processed food use disorder. The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Are you working hard, caring deeply, and still feeling like it's not enough? You're not alone, and this episode is for you. This week, Molly and Clarissa sit down with Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, clinical psychologist, core faculty at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University, and author of How to Be Enough and How to Be Yourself. Ellen brings warmth, science, and radical compassion to one of the most common, and most quietly painful, struggles in recovery: perfectionism. In this conversation, we explore: 🔹 Where perfectionism actually comes from — genetics, family of origin, AND the culture we're swimming in 🔹 Why shame fuels the binge-restrict cycle and how to begin replacing self-punishment with self-kindness 🔹 The crucial difference between rules and values — and how that distinction can transform your recovery 🔹 Why procrastination is never really about time (and what it's actually telling you) 🔹 How to build a stable, grounded sense of self-worth that isn't constantly up for evaluation 🔹 Why comparison is hardwired — and what to do with it instead of fighting it 🔹 The "already enough" practice that rewires how we see ourselves Whether you're navigating food addiction recovery, disordered eating, or just the exhausting weight of never feeling like you measure up — this episode offers real tools, real grace, and real hope. ABOUT DR. ELLEN HENDRIKSEN Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety and perfectionism. She is core faculty at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) at Boston University and author of two books: How to Be Enough (perfectionism) and How to Be Yourself (social anxiety). Find her newsletter How to Be Good to Yourself When You're Hard on Yourself on Substack. 🔗 Find Ellen's books wherever books are sold 📬 Ellen's Substack: Search "How to Be Good to Yourself When You're Hard on Yourself" CONNECT WITH US: Food Junkies Podcast on YouTube: (2) Food Junkies Podcast - YouTube 📧 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com If this episode resonated with you, please leave us a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it. 💛 The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

A deep dive into how clinicians' models can overshadow individual needs. They examine clinical bias, the Rosenhan study, and epistemic dismissal. The hosts explore diagnosis as tool or trap, why people may perform recovery, and how autonomy and curiosity drive real change. They urge clinicians to work from not-knowing and to check whose anxiety shapes treatment.

Can you eat plant-based and still avoid sugar, carbs, and ultra-processed foods? In this episode of Food Junkies, Dr. Vera Tarman is joined by Adina Mullen, plant-based chef, author of Vegan Flavors of the World, and founder of Adina's Delicacies, to explore whether vegetarian or vegan eating can truly support food addiction recovery, low-sugar living, and even plant-based keto—without deprivation or rebound eating. Adina brings a deeply grounded, real-world approach to plant-based cooking rooted in whole foods, cultural traditions, flavor, and satisfaction. This conversation goes beyond diet rules to focus on nourishment, satiety, and sustainability, especially for people healing their relationship with food. 🌱 What You'll Learn in This Episode ✔️ Is plant-based keto actually possible? ✔️ Why many people fail on plant-based diets (and how to avoid rebound eating) ✔️ The difference between vegetarian, vegan, and whole-food plant-based ✔️ How to feel satisfied without sugar or ultra-processed foods ✔️ Best plant-based protein sources, including options for people on GLP-1s ✔️ Why preparation and texture matter more than restriction ✔️ How culture, memory, and comfort foods support long-term recovery ✔️ Common mistakes that leave people hungry, depleted, or triggered 🧠 Key Topics Covered 🥑 Plant-Based Keto & Low-Sugar Eating Adina explains how low-carb, low-sugar plant-based eating can work using whole foods like vegetables, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, tofu, and seeds—while also naming why keto isn't sustainable for everyone. 🥦 Why "Vegan" Doesn't Always Mean Healthy Removing animal products and replacing them with ultra-processed vegan foods often leads to hunger, instability, and relapse. Whole foods, structure, and adequate fat and protein matter—especially in food addiction recovery. 🍲 Flavor, Texture & Satisfaction Roasting vs boiling, crispy textures, homemade dressings, sauces, and slow cooking are key to making vegetables feel grounding and satisfying—not like deprivation food. 🌍 Culture, Memory & Healing Food isn't just fuel. Adina shares how honoring cultural and traditional meals—without animal products—helps people feel emotionally nourished and connected. 💪 Protein for Plant-Based & GLP-1 Users Includes discussion of: TVP (textured vegetable protein) Tofu & tempeh Nuts and seeds (chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin) Smart prep for digestion and satiety 📘 About the Guest: Adina Mullen Adina Mullen is a plant-based private chef and founder of Adina's Delicacies, specializing in gourmet vegan cuisine inspired by global flavors, heritage, and memory. She is the author of Vegan Flavors of the World, featuring plant-based adaptations of traditional dishes from 12 countries, with a second volume coming soon. ✨ Key Takeaways Healing doesn't come from fighting food—it comes from letting food support you Steadiness matters more than perfection Satisfaction, fat, protein, and flavor are not optional in recovery You don't need more rules—you need nourishment, warmth, and trust 🔔 Subscribe for More Conversations Like This If you're navigating food addiction recovery, low-sugar living, plant-based nutrition, or metabolic health, subscribe to Food Junkies for evidence-based, compassionate conversations that go deeper than diet culture. ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast 💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this powerful episode of Food Junkies, we're joined by Amber Romaniuk, emotional eating and digestive health expert, to unpack the real drivers behind binge eating, food addiction, and the relentless restrict–overeat cycle. Amber shares her personal recovery journey from binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction—and explains why lasting healing requires more than another diet or food plan. Together, we explore how hormones, thyroid function, nervous system stress, and shame shape our relationship with food in ways most people are never taught. This conversation is especially important for women who feel like they "know better" but still struggle—and wonder why nothing seems to stick. 🎯 In this episode, we cover: Why emotional eating is communication, not a lack of willpower How cortisol, thyroid dysfunction, and low progesterone can drive cravings and binge cycles Why fasting, restriction, and over-exercise often worsen food addiction patterns How shame keeps people stuck—and what actually helps dissolve it What "Body Freedom" really means beyond weight loss First steps to identify emotional eating triggers without self-blame Why healing your relationship with food must come before hormone repair can work This episode is for you if: ✔ You struggle with binge or emotional eating ✔ Diets and food rules keep backfiring ✔ You suspect hormones or stress are part of the picture ✔ You're exhausted by shame and ready for a deeper, kinder path forward 🔗 Connect with Amber Romaniuk 🌐 Website & free resources: https://amberapproved.ca 🎙 Podcast: The No Sugarcoating Podcast 📱 Instagram & YouTube: @AmberRomaniuk 👍 If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and share—it helps more people find compassionate, evidence-informed conversations about food addiction recovery. ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast 💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com 💬 Comment below: What part of this conversation resonated most with you? The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Is there a built-in "fat switch" in our genes—something nature designed to help us store fat for survival? And if so, what does that mean for food addicts living in a world saturated with ultra-processed food? In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Richard Johnson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, former Chief of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, and a researcher with 700+ scientific papers to his name. Dr. Johnson explains how fructose (from sugar and high-fructose corn syrup—but also produced inside the body under certain conditions) can activate a powerful metabolic pathway that increases hunger, lowers cellular energy, and shifts calories toward fat storage. He connects this to uric acid, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and the modern "perfect storm" of ultra-processed foods engineered to intensify cravings. Together, they explore the evolutionary logic of fat storage, why visceral fat may have had survival value, why "calories in/calories out" fails to explain the whole picture, and what practical steps can help people restore metabolic flexibility—including carbohydrate reduction, movement that supports mitochondrial health, and the emerging role of GLP-1 medications as a tool (not a replacement) for nutrition change. What You'll Learn 🔥Why Dr. Johnson argues sugar isn't "just a calorie," and how fructose changes metabolism differently 🔥The role of uric acid in blood pressure, metabolic disease, and the fructose pathway 🔥How salt + starch + fat can amplify the "fat switch" (and why chips and fries are a perfect example) 🔥Why the body can make fructose from glucose, even if you aren't eating fructose directly 🔥The survival biology behind fat storage—and why visceral fat may have had an adaptive purpose 🔥How insulin resistance can be a short-term protective mechanism (and how modern life turns it chronic) 🔥Why low-carb approaches may "reboot" sugar absorption and cravings in as little as 7–14 days 🔥What Dr. Johnson believes is a major dietary driver of Alzheimer's risk 🔥How to support mitochondria through movement and nutrition 🔥Dr. Johnson's perspective on GLP-1s: benefits, limits, and relapse risk after stopping Resources Mentioned Dr. Richard Johnson's books: The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat About Our Guest Dr. Richard Johnson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, a former Chief of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, and the author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat. His research explores how sugar—particularly fructose—drives kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, and how modern food environments may overactivate ancient survival pathways. If this episode helped you understand your cravings or your biology with more clarity and less shame, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so more people can find recovery-focused science. ✉️ Email us: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this month's Clinician's Corner, Molly and Clarissa take a deep dive into the fix response—a lesser-named but incredibly common nervous-system survival strategy that shows up as over-functioning, urgency, problem-solving, and "doing something" to make discomfort go away. This episode explores why fixing isn't a personality flaw, control issue, or codependency—but a biologically wired, trauma-informed self-preservation response that once helped keep us safe. Together, we unpack how the fix response shows up in food addiction recovery, relationships, work, parenting, and even helping professions—and why it so often leads to burnout, resentment, and cycles of shame when left unexamined. In this episode, we discuss: What the fix response is (and what it's not) Why fixing feels regulating in the moment, but often backfires long-term How fixing differs from healthy problem-solving Common fix patterns in food addiction recovery (constant plan changes, "starting fresh Monday," adding rules after lapses) Over-functioning, hyper-responsibility, and lawn-mowing other people's problems Why fixers struggle with rest, delegation, and asking for help How ADHD, dopamine, urgency, and novelty-seeking intersect with fixing The developmental and trauma roots of the fix response How fixing pairs with fawn, hyper-independence, and people-pleasing Why optimization culture and biohacking can reinforce dysregulation The cost of living in constant "fix mode"—burnout, resentment, disconnection, and relapse risk How to recognize fix mode in the body (jaw clenching, shallow breath, tight chest, restless urgency) Why the goal isn't to eliminate fixing—but to update it How to build awareness, pause, discern responsibility, and bring choice back online This conversation is especially relevant for clinicians, coaches, caregivers, helpers, parents, and anyone in recovery who feels exhausted from always being the one who "handles things." 📺 Watch on YouTube and please subscribe—it helps us reach more people who need this conversation. 📩 Have a topic you want us to cover? Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, Molly and Clarissa welcome back Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti for a rich, grounded conversation on body forgiveness and why it can be a turning point in embodied healing. Drawing on her clinical work, research, and lived experience, Ann shares that "forgiving your body" isn't a mental exercise or forced positivity—it's a felt shift that helps move people from control and correction toward listening, trust, and reconciliation with the body as an ally. Ann also introduces themes from her upcoming book, Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm: A Somatic Guide to Forgiving and Healing Your Relationship With Your Body, and revisits the foundation of her work from Befriending Your Body—offering an informed, non-pathologizing approach for anyone healing from disordered eating, chronic dieting, trauma, shame, illness, or body distrust. What you'll hear in this episode How Ann's postpartum autoimmune illness became a doorway into deeper embodiment—and body advocacy The difference between interoceptive awareness (noticing signals) and standing up for your body when you're dismissed Why embodiment is a psychospiritual construct—and how "being beside your body" can be a practical starting point How to tell the difference between mind fear-stories and what your body is actually communicating Entry points for people who feel body connection is inaccessible: curiosity, regulation, and "giving your body a chance" What it means to find your center—and why being "off-center" fuels critical thoughts and body war How diet culture targets predictable times of day when people feel more vulnerable in body image A clear breakdown: body forgiveness vs body acceptance vs body neutrality Why pushing the body to "comply" before safety and trust are built can feel re-traumatizing The clinical risk of "behavioral recovery" without embodiment—and why unresolved embodiment work can look like "relapse" or "symptom swapping." Ann's powerful reframe for "my body failed me" (and the deeper words that often live underneath that phrase) Memorable takeaways Body forgiveness is not forced forgiveness. It's a mind–heart shift that often arises from understanding, regulation, and compassion rather than effort. Curiosity is an access point. It creates space where judgment collapses and new options become possible. Words land in the body. Shifting language (from "failed me" to "became unwell," "changed," "declined," "disappointed," "let me down") can soften the adversarial stance and open an embodied conversation. Mentioned in this episode Befriending Your Body (Ann's book and the evidence-informed compassion-based program) Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm (Ann's forthcoming book on somatic body forgiveness) Embodiment as a "container" for recovery (not just behavior change) Self-compassion components (mindfulness, common humanity, kindness) as supports for body repair For listeners who want to go deeper If you've ever felt like your body is the problem—or you've done everything "right" and still feel distrust—this conversation offers a different path: not fixing the body, but rebuilding relationship with it. Ann's approach emphasizes safety, steadiness, and the kind of compassion that can hold grief, regret, and shame without getting stuck there. Subscribe / Follow / Share If this episode resonates, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs a kinder, truer framework for healing their relationship with their body. 💌 EMAIL us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com Don't forget - we are on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.