Food Confidence Podcast

We (Andrea and Jenn) chat share some insights and updates about life during the coronavirus pandemic, and how they are navigating this uncertain time. We also provide a critical look at some of the problematic messaging we've seen about bodies, food and weight during this global crisis, including an article from our own local paper. 

Finally, we share some things we've been both struggling with and enjoying during our extended time at home! 

Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenn's fundraising initiative for Full Plates Full Potential: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-0Iusyg7kb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In this episode we talk with Diana Rice, RD aka The Baby Steps Dietitian. Diana discusses how her own relationship with food has influenced her interest in the the work she does today as dietitian, Certified Lactation Education Counselor, writer, and mom to two young kids. We talk about the pressure and often unrealistic expectations put on moms around child feeding, family meals, and how moms can shift their approach in a way that will benefit the whole family - including themselves. Finally, Diana shares her personal experience as a parent to a kid with food allergies. 

Follow Diana:

Instagram: @dianakrice 

Facebook: @babystepsRD

Blog posts mentioned:

Valerie Costello joins us on the podcast this week to chat about her journey to food freedom, her evolving relationship with her body, and her role as middle school health & wellness teacher. Valerie is a yoga instructor, personal trainer, health coach, public school teacher, as well as a first time mom. She graciously shares some challenging experiences in her past, which eventually lead her to find and practice intuitive eating. She also speaks to how becoming a mom has forced her to continue to learn about self-care and self-compassion. Finally, Valerie shares some "behind the scenes" info on what it is like to work with middle schoolers, and what kinds of health messages they are internalizing, and what kind of health education she would love to see more of in schools. 

Jenn and Andrea share some life updates after taking a break between seasons 1 and 2 of the Food Confidence Podcast. We share some updates from  August 2019 regarding the news that WW (formerly Weight Watchers) launched the Kurbo "health" app, aimed at children ages 8 and up. Because this app encouraged kids to track their food and weight, this was big news in the non-diet world. ICYMI, here are some some of the articles that addressed some of the concerns: 

We talk to naturopathic physician Dr. Cornia Dunlap, ND, MS and Integrative Health Coach and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor Greta Jarvis, MSc all about women's hormones and periods! They share that whatever stage of life someone is in; just starting menses, trying to conceive, post-natal, or entering menopause, our hormones play an important role and our periods are one of the ways our bodies communicate with us. Both Dr Dunlap and Greta share their paths towards doing the work they are so passionate about, which is empowering women and supporting them on their health journeys. They explain FHA or Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and how this intersects with diet culture, and finally we discuss how women can best support themselves and/or women they love and care for with their period and hormonal health.

Recommended Resources:

Jenn and Andrea share some life updates, comment on recent news articles and answer listener questions related to Health at Every Size (HAES™️) advocacy, managing kids’ requests for sweets, and navigating cravings in the process of relearning Intuitive Eating.

Show notes:

 In this episode of the Food Confidence Podcast, we talk to Jillian Tholen, a non-diet Registered Dietitian who specializes in disordered eating, eating disorders and sports nutrition. We talk about Jillian’s experiences in the world of sport, and how that lead to her interest in working with athletes, and also her passion for intuitive eating and Health at Every Size. Jillian shares some tips to help parents and caregivers, on navigating the world of sports and exercise for their children and for themselves, including joyful movement, body talk, and “picky eating”. She provides tips for coaches on how to foster a helpful team culture, shares some statistics on the prevalence of disordered eating with athletes, and some thoughts on how to prevent problematic eating behaviors in sport.

In episode six of the Food Confidence Podcast we talk to Leah Hackney, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. Leah shares how she came to be an Intuitive Eating and HAES (Health At Every Size) -informed practitioner, and how she applied these philosophies when working in an in-patient setting at a Children’s hospital. She talks about how she has seen weight-stigma show up in the clinical setting, and how parents and caregivers can advocate for the health of family members if and when a weight concern is brought up. We also talk about our own experiences in using positive food and body language as a way to help foster health and wellbeing. Finally, Leah shares some perspectives on the intersections of health and social justice, which we learn is can often be a factor that is overlooked in both individual and public health initiatives.

Show notes & recommended resources

In this episode we talk to Erin of Food Science Babe, a food scientist with over 10 years of experience in both the conventional and organic food sectors. Erin shares myth-busting information on Facebook and Instagram to help her audience learn about food production, marketing, and agriculture. We talk to Food Science Babe about some hot-topic issues: conventional vs organic food, genetic modification, and the misinformation and fear-based marketing around these topics. As a food scientist, Erin is able to speak to the different types of genetic modification, the safety of foods on the market, and some of the environmental concerns that we often hear around farming practices. The objective of this episode is for our listeners gain an understanding of another side of the food conversation that we don’t often hear in mainstream media or marketing. In exploring some of the science behind conventional and organic food production, our hope is that you can feel more freedom and ease when you’re making food choices for yourself and your family. 

Show notes & links:

In this episode, we talk to Jennifer Wiessner, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Sex Therapist who has a practice in Southern Maine. In addition to her practice, Jennifer is a speaker and writer, and hosts workshop for parents and caregivers on raising sexually healthy kids. In the episode, she speaks about the current state of sexual education in the country, why sex education is a human right, and ideally should start at home. From Jennifer's years of work in this area, she realized that the majority of adults did not get comprehensive sexual education from caregivers as children or teens. Despite it being a potentially uncomfortable conversation for both parents and child, Jennifer believes that it is a necessary and navigable topic to discuss with children as they grow. We talk about what and how to use language to convey positive body and sex information, as well as educating kids about consent, and aligning sex education with your family values. 

Show notes: