Exam Room Nutrition: Practical Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals

Nutrition, supplements, and what the evidence says

In this episode, I’m joined by Chelsey Hoffmann, PA-C, RDN, who specializes in pain medicine at Mayo Clinic, to break down where nutrition fits into chronic pain management and how to evaluate supplements without overpromising results.

We cover:

• Why a Mediterranean-style diet should come before supplements for pain
• Supplements with evidence for neuropathic pain vs. musculoskeletal pain
• What we know about alpha-lipoic acid, turmeric/curcumin, glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, omega-3s, magnesium, vitamin D, and PEA
• Chelsey's algorithm for experimenting with supplements 
• How to define whether a supplement is actually “working”
• Medication interactions and patient populations that require extra caution
• When nutrient deficiencies should be investigated before adding another supplement

Resources mentioned:

• Episode 75: Are Your Patients Taking Too Many Supplements and Don’t Even Know It?
• Episode 73: Is That Supplement Worth It? 
• Connect with Chelsey Hoffmann on LinkedIn

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

Fertility Care for Both Partners 

Infertility affects both partners, yet fertility evaluations and lifestyle advice often focus primarily on women. In this Summer School replay, Colleen talks with infertility PA Jessica Boone about taking a more complete, compassionate approach to fertility care.

They discuss why both partners should be evaluated, what may be missing from a standard infertility workup, and how nutrition, sleep, movement, hydration, and environmental exposures can support overall reproductive health. Jessica also shares practical questions clinicians can ask to better understand a couple’s history, family-building goals, and next steps.

Resources mentioned:

Episode 47: Nutrition and Infertility- Is Your Diagnosis Wrong?

Connect with Jessica

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

Foods to support focus, memory, and long-term brain health

In this Summer School replay, I talk with Dr. Jenna Stedman, a cognitive performance dietitian, about the connection between nutrition and cognitive health across the lifespan. 

You’ll learn:

• Which nutrients matter most for cognitive health
• Whether blending fruit changes its nutrition or blood sugar impact
• How to build a simple Brain Power Plate
• Specific foods that promote brain health

Resources Mentioned: 

Episode 150: How to reduce dementia risk with daily habits 

Dr. Stedman’s Brain Power Plate breakdown

Blog: 9 Questions to Ask About Cognitive Health

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

Nutrition To Support Post-Operative Healing

In this Summer School replay, Colleen talks with Erin Scherer, a surgical PA and registered dietitian, about the role nutrition plays in tissue repair, infection prevention, and recovery. They discuss which patients may need additional nutrition support, the key nutrients clinicians should prioritize, and simple opportunities to bring nutrition into the conversation.

Grab the FREE Post-Surgical Nutrition Guide Here

You’ll learn:

• Why protein needs increase after surgery or injury
• The roles of vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, and omega-3 fats
• How hydration supports the healing process
• When supplements may be helpful
• Practical strategies for nausea, constipation, and low appetite during recovery

Resources Mentioned
Episode 75 | Are you patients taking too many supplements?

PA Foundation Handouts
https://youtu.be/mIsnrEh84LA - Nutrition to Improve Recovery after Surgery
https://youtu.be/lY53LwjS_X4 - Nutrition to support Wound Healing

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

 Food Triggers, Hydration, and Supplements 

Welcome to Summer School! In this Summer School replay, Colleen talks with Kelly, a registered dietitian specializing in migraine nutrition, about the complicated relationship between food and migraines. They discuss why there is no universal list of “migraine trigger foods,” how hydration and caffeine may influence symptoms, and why overly restrictive elimination diets can create more confusion than relief.

You’ll learn:

• How to help patients identify their individual migraine triggers
• Why balanced meals and consistent eating may support migraine management
• Practical nutrition strategies for nausea, pain, and low appetite
• How hydration, caffeine, and blood sugar fluctuations may affect symptoms
• Which supplements are commonly considered for migraine prevention
• Why a food and symptom journal may be more useful than a long avoidance list

Connect with Kelli

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

 You Are Not Your Struggle

So many women are trying to eat better, lose weight, meal plan, feed their families, manage busy schedules, and somehow not feel guilty about every food choice along the way. In this episode, I’m joined by Kelsey Wickenhauser, PA, homeschooling mom of four, Christian health coach, and founder of Kingdom Fit Moms, for a conversation about what it really looks like to pursue health in the middle of real life.

Key Takeaways:

• Why shame keeps so many women stuck in the diet cycle
• How to help patients separate their identity from emotional eating or weight struggles
• Why “real food” messaging should not demonize frozen meals, packaged foods, or convenience options
• How to shift patients from an “I have to” mindset to an “I get to care for my body” mindset
• How accountability and community can support consistency
• Practical meal planning strategies for busy moms and families
• Simple lunch and snack ideas for summer when kids are home
• How faith, values, and identity can shape a woman’s health journey

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 157: I Hate Meal Plans

Connect with Kelsey

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Connect with Colleen:
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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

CKD Food Rules That Need an Update 

Kidney nutrition has a reputation for being restrictive, confusing, and honestly… a little intimidating. But for many patients with chronic kidney disease, the biggest problem isn’t that they’re eating a banana or adding tomatoes to dinner. It’s that they’ve been handed outdated food rules that leave them scared to eat.

In this episode, I’m joined by renal dietitian Lauren Budd Levy, MS, RDN, CSR, to talk about what clinicians need to know about kidney nutrition, especially if you don’t work in nephrology.

We cover the CKD diet rules that need an update, including potassium restriction, phosphorus additives, protein needs, sodium, hydration, electrolyte powders, and how to help patients enjoy summer cookouts, travel, and real life without feeling like their kidney diagnosis means they have to avoid everything.

Key Takeaways:

• Why “avoid bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, and avocados” is often too simplistic 
•  The easy label-reading tip patients can use to spot phosphorus additives 
•  How to talk about protein needs in CKD without fueling confusion from high-protein diet culture 
•  Why sodium reduction does not mean a no-salt, flavorless diet 
•  What to tell patients about electrolyte powders, hydration, cookouts, and kidney-friendly travel snacks 

If your patient with CKD has ever asked, “Can I eat tomatoes?” “Do I need to avoid phosphorus?” or “Are electrolyte drinks safe for me?” this episode will help you answer with more confidence, nuance, and compassion.

Resources Mentioned: 

Episode 43 | Nutrition and Kidney Disease: What's a Renal Diet?

Episode 32 | How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label - with a Focus on Kidney Health

Connect with Lauren

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

 Give Nutrition Advice Without Making Patients Feel Punished 

Have you ever asked, “Do you have any other questions?” at the end of a visit and immediately regretted it?

Same.

Because of course they have more questions. Important questions. Questions that probably should have been asked 15 minutes ago, except now you’re already behind, the next patient is waiting, and you’re trying to be compassionate without completely derailing the visit.

In this episode, I’m talking with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian, author of Eating From Our Roots, and founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, about the art of inviting patients into treatment instead of simply telling them what to do.

We talk about cultural humility, implicit bias, why foods like rice, tortillas, noodles, plantains, and traditional starches get unfairly blamed for chronic disease, and how clinicians can help patients improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids without stripping away the foods that feel like home. Maya also shares a brilliant framework for setting the agenda with patients, asking permission, and keeping the visit patient-centered without losing control of the clock. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why “healthy” food is often viewed through an Anglo-American lens, and how that can unintentionally shame patients’ cultural foods 
•  How to be curious before corrective when talking about nutrition, weight, chronic disease, and food traditions 
•  How to use the plate method more flexibly
•  What to say when patients want to improve blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, or inflammation without giving up familiar foods 
•  Why frozen meals, canned foods, jarred foods, dried beans, frozen vegetables, and center-aisle foods absolutely belong in realistic nutrition counseling 
•  How to help patients reduce added sugar without making it feel like punishment 
•  Maya’s strategy for “sugar interactions” and helping patients create a beginning, middle, and end around sweets 
•  How to start the visit by asking what is on the patient’s mind, while still addressing your clinical priorities 

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 146: When Culture is Erased from Guidelines

Connect with Maya

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

What Really Happens Inside an Obesity Clinic 

GLP-1 medications are everywhere right now. Patients are asking about Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, compounded medications, muscle loss, “Ozempic face,” insurance denials, and what happens when the weight loss slows down.

But what does obesity medicine actually look like inside the clinic? In this episode, I’m joined by Joseph Zucchi, PA-C, clinical supervisor and physician associate at Transition Medical Weight Loss in Salem, New Hampshire. 

This is not your typical GLP-1 conversation. We’re going beyond protein goals, nausea tips, and constipation management to talk about what clinicians are really facing in practice: how to dose these medications, when to switch, and how to support patients when insurance coverage disappears.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What to assess when a patient hits a weight loss plateau beyond simply increasing the dose 
•  How to talk with patients about GLP-1 concerns like muscle loss, thyroid cancer warnings, GI side effects, and “Ozempic face” 
•  Why obesity medications are tools, not “cheating,” and how to address weight stigma in the exam room 
•  What clinicians should know about compounded GLP-1 medications and why FDA-approval matters 
•  How to document for prior authorizations and what insurance companies are often looking for 
•  What happens when patients lose GLP-1 coverage and how to discuss alternative medication options 
•  What Joe is most excited about in the future of obesity medicine, including new medications and expanding coverage 

If you prescribe GLP-1 medications, counsel patients on weight management, or feel overwhelmed by the insurance and documentation side of obesity medicine, this episode will give you a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what comprehensive obesity care can look like.

Connect with Joe

Resources mentioned:

Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course (with a 2026 medication update) Use code POD15 for 15% off!

155 | Unstuck: Strategies for Sustainable Weight Loss

151 | Are GLP-1s Masking Undiagnosed Eating Disorders?

Obesity Medication Infographic

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer. 

Nutrition Advice Needs More Nuance.

Your patients are hearing a lot online: fix your gut, avoid processed foods, buy organic, take a probiotic, and eat the “right” foods if you want to be healthy.

But nutrition is rarely that simple.

In this episode, I’m joined by Registered Dietitian Manju Karkare to talk about how clinicians can respond to common nutrition questions with more nuance, less fear, and advice that actually fits the patient’s life.

We cover gut health, probiotics, processed foods, organic produce, cultural food traditions, food access, and where integrative and functional nutrition can be helpful without overcomplicating care.

What You’ll Learn:

• The simple gut health framework Manju uses: fiber, fluid, and movement 
•  Why probiotic supplements may have a place, but are not a replacement for feeding the gut microbiome well 
•  How to explain processed and ultra-processed foods without creating more fear or food shame 
•  How to talk about organic produce in a way that is evidence-based, realistic, and budget-conscious 
•  Why asking “Where do you shop?” can completely change the nutrition advice you give 
•  How cultural humility helps clinicians give better, more personalized nutrition recommendations 
•  Why “Tell me more” might be one of the most powerful questions you can ask in a patient visit 

Connect with Manju on Instagram

Join the Obesity Medicine Course and get 16% off with code SWEET16 here

Any Questions? Send Me a Message

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.