In this Clinician's Corner episode, Clarissa and Molly dive into what they lovingly (and accurately) call the "Hella-Days"—that stretch from early fall through New Year's where routines disappear, food is everywhere, emotions are high, and nervous systems are fried. Together, they unpack why this season is so activating for people with food addiction and nervous system sensitivity, and how to navigate it with values, boundaries, and a whole lot of self-compassion—whether you're surrounded by family or spending the holidays on your own.

In This Episode Clarissa & Molly explore: Why the holidays can feel like the "Holiday Hunger Games" and "12 Days of Dysregulation" How the nervous system responds to the build-up from September to New Year's Using values as your North Star for holiday decisions Boundary tools and scripts for parties, family gatherings, and food pushers Why holiday food environments are an "engineered stressor" (hello, peppermint-everything marketing)

Strategies for: Going to events without abandoning your recovery Deciding when not to go Coping with loneliness, isolation, and dark evenings Harm reduction during high-exposure events ("good, better, best" thinking) How to re-imagine your holiday story over time instead of chasing perfection Ideas for folks who love the holidays (Clarissmas) and folks who… don't (Molly 😂)

They also share: Personal stories of childhood Christmas expectations, sibling dynamics, and parental pressure How early family patterns still shape how we show up at the holidays Reframing relapse and "taking the bait" with relatives like Aunt Linda (sorry, Linda)

Key Takeaways You can use/adapt these directly in show notes as bullet points. Start with your North Star, not the menu. Before the doorbells, casseroles, and Aunt Linda's commentary, ask: What matters most to me about this season? How do I want to feel when the day is over? What will support my recovery and nervous system? Let those answers drive your choices more than other people's expectations, panic, or cookies.

Boundaries are about self-respect, not punishment. Boundaries define what's okay and not okay for you. They're about taking responsibility for your experience—not policing others. As Brené Brown says, "Clear is kind." You don't have to over-explain or apologize. Use positive, non-defensive boundary scripts. "I don't eat sugar" often triggers defensiveness and comparison. Instead, frame your choice around how good you feel: "That looks amazing, but I've been eating in a way that's really helping my energy and sleep, and I'm so grateful I found what works for me. Thanks for understanding." Or keep it simple: "No, thank you." (A complete sentence.) "I'm focusing on foods that help me feel my best."

Rehearsal reduces panic. Visualize the event ahead of time: Imagine someone offering food or a drink. Practice your boundary script. Role-play in group or with a clinician. Like athletes using mental rehearsal, you're teaching your nervous system that this "scary" behavior is survivable and doable.

Don't arrive hungry to the Holiday Hunger Games. Skipping meals "to save up" for a party sets you up to be biologically and emotionally vulnerable. Eat a satiating meal (protein, healthy fats, veggies) before events. Then you can pause and ask, Am I actually hungry, or is this emotional/relational?

Use "Good, Better, Best" instead of all-or-nothing. When your nervous system is hijacked and the perfect choice isn't accessible: Best: Aligned, recovery-supportive choice. Better: Less harmful option if "best" isn't realistic. Good enough: Reduces harm in a very stressful moment. This is harm reduction, not failure.

Plan your support system: exit strategies, grounding, and non-food rewards. Exit plan: Decide in advance how long you'll stay and how you'll leave if overwhelmed (drive separately, ask partner to bring you back to the hotel, etc.). Grounding: Find a quiet corner, identify 5 things you can see, and locate something visually "neutral" or pleasant you can keep returning your gaze to. Non-food rewards: Think saunas, walks, reading, play with kids/nieces, skiing, time offline—let celebration include regulation, not just consumption.

You don't actually owe the holidays anything. There is nothing magical about one date on the calendar that couldn't be created on another day. You can: See important people in smaller, less intense doses throughout the year. Say "no" to events that are more away-moves than towards-moves for your recovery. Ask: What does this event mean to me? How might it impact my recovery? Do I have the emotional energy for this?

If you're alone or not celebrating traditionally, you still get to have a holiday that fits you. For folks spending holidays solo or outside of family systems: Create new traditions: a favorite meal (yes, lobster counts), comfort movies, lights-seeing drives, nature walks. Consider volunteering (community dinners, toy programs), which can shift perspective and foster connection. Plan virtual connection: Zoom rooms, watch parties, scheduled calls or voice notes, especially in the evenings when darkness and loneliness hit the hardest.

Engineered holiday food environments are not a personal failure. Seasonal marketing is deliberately designed to trigger nostalgia, emotion, and craving (eggnog-everything, gingerbread-everything). It's an engineered stressor, not proof you lack willpower. Your brain is responding exactly as it was wired to; you're not broken. You are not "starting over"; you are learning. If you "take the bait" from Aunt Linda, eat off-plan, or get pulled into old patterns: You are not back at Day 1. You collected new data about triggers, resources, and needs. Recovery is peaks, valleys, and everything in between—that's human, not just "because you're an addict."

Your holiday story can change over time. Clarissa names how her first, second, third food-sober holidays were hard—and now it's almost a non-issue. We can: Re-imagine the script (like Disney re-imagining its princesses). Hold younger versions of ourselves with tenderness. Trust that practice, time, and patience reshape the season.

Resources Mentioned Sweet Sobriety Free Holiday Guide (PDF) ~22 pages of: Reflection questions to use your values as a North Star Boundary scripts and language examples Planning prompts for events, food, and nervous system care 👉 Link to download on website Contact / Listener Questions Have a holiday strategy that worked for you? A topic you'd like Clarissa & Molly to cover in a future Clinician's Corner? 📩 Email: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with integrative oncologist and metabolic health pioneer Dr. Nasha Winters (who insists we call her Nasha) to explore the powerful intersection of cancer, ultra-processed foods, metabolism, and sovereignty.

Nasha shares her astonishing personal story: years of dismissed symptoms, normalized suffering, and relentless gaslighting that culminated in a diagnosis of end-stage ovarian cancer at age 19—and being sent home to die. Thirty-four years later, she's very much alive and leading a global movement to rethink cancer as a metabolic, terrain-driven disease rather than a purely genetic accident.

We talk about how ultra-processed foods don't just starve our mitochondria—they starve our sovereignty, hijack our decision-making, and fracture our relationship with our own bodies.

Along the way, Nasha invites us to move away from perfectionism and fragility and toward aligned, values-based choices and fierce self-responsibility.

• Nasha's "pain to purpose" story

  • Chronic health issues from infancy through adolescence: PCOS, endometriosis, autoimmune issues, RA, IBS, thyroid dysfunction, and more—constantly normalized and medicated.

  • Being diagnosed with end-stage ovarian cancer at 19, with full bowel obstruction, organ failure, metastasis, and "3 months to live."

  • How being sent home to die became the catalyst for asking "Why?" and beginning her life's work.

• A metabolic and psychological reset

  • Why a prolonged period of fasting (due to bowel obstruction) functioned as an unplanned metabolic intervention.

  • How an accidental very high-dose psilocybin experience in 1991 fundamentally changed her perspective, reduced her fear of death, and gave her a will to live.

  • The insight that cancer is not just genetic—but deeply tied to environment, metabolism, trauma, and disconnection from nature.

• Cancer as an ecosystem, not a battlefield

  • What Nasha means by seeing the body as an ecosystem instead of a war zone.

  • How we are in constant relationship with our internal and external environments—our bodies, food systems, and the land all reflecting each other.

• Ultra-processed foods and cancer terrain

  • Why ultra-processed foods are "as genetically mismatched as it gets" for humans.

  • How UPFs impact all the hallmarks of cancer—driving inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and brain hijacking.

  • The role of emulsifiers, preservatives, seed oils, and other additives in damaging the gut, microbiome, and immune surveillance.

  • Why "a little" ultra-processed food isn't neutral for people with a vulnerable system—and why in her oncology population, UPF often has to be all-or-nothing.

• Metabolic sovereignty vs. perfectionism

  • Nasha's powerful idea that UPFs don't just starve our mitochondria—they starve our sovereignty.

  • What it means to choose health as alignment, not achievement.

  • How social pressure, cultural norms, and "moderation" language rob people of agency.

  • Practical examples of reclaiming sovereignty: bringing your own wine, your own safe foods, and modeling a different way without preaching.

• Working with food addiction and emotional eating (without shame)

  • How she meets people gently where they are, especially those whose only "comfort" has been food.

  • "Upgrading" comfort foods and using cooking and eating as a creative, relational, and communal act rather than a shame-based one.

  • Her boundary as a clinician: "I'm not willing to work harder than you." How that shifted outcomes and reduced codependency.

• Community, clinicians, and doing this together

  • How she used farmers' markets and health-food store "field trips" as non-shaming education: reading labels together, swapping recipes, and making it fun.

  • Seasonal group cleanses and experiments that removed UPFs without moralizing and re-connected people to real food.

• Justice, food deserts, and real solutions

  • Stories from working in Indigenous and low-resource communities and helping reintroduce native seeds and traditional foodways.

  • The Food-as-Medicine movement: projects like FreshRx, where CSA boxes for people with type 2 diabetes significantly lowered A1C and healthcare costs.

  • Why she believes, increasingly, that the resources are there—and the work now is connection, awareness, and community organizing.

• A hopeful vision for the next 5 years

  • Policy shifts around dietary guidelines and school food.

  • Regenerative agriculture movements, farmer-led organizations, and bringing environmental, metabolic, mental health, and food systems together under one roof.

  • Her dream project: a 1,200-acre regenerative farm, intentional community, and metabolic oncology hospital in Arizona.

• One small step you can take this week

  • Start with non-judgmental awareness: a simple food and feeling diary.

  • Her "triage" before reaching for UPFs:

    1. Big glass of water

    2. A bit of protein

    3. A bit of fat

    4. Then the UPF if you still truly want it—no self-punishment.

  • How small wins ("I didn't eat the thing") build fierceness and confidence over time.

• Our signature question

  • What Nasha would tell her younger self about ultra-processed foods:

    "I'm choosing health as alignment, not as achievement." Using food choices to align with who you really are and who you're becoming, rather than chasing perfection or performance.

Connect with Dr. Nasha Winters

• Website, offerings, and clinician training: DrNasha.com

• Podcast: Metabolic Matters

• Social: Dr. Nasha / Nasha Winters across platforms

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
• Book: Metabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, The Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies

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.

On this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Erica LaFata to dive into her groundbreaking work developing the Food Addiction Severity Interview (FASI) — a clinician-administered diagnostic tool modeled after the SCID alcohol use disorder module and adapted for ultra-processed foods. Building on self-report tools like the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and mYFAS, Erica explains why the field urgently needs a structured clinical interview to validate ultra-processed food addiction as a distinct psychiatric presentation and move toward formal recognition in the DSM.

Together, we explore the nuance at the intersection of eating disorders and ultra-processed food addiction: where they overlap, where they diverge, and how mislabeling can harm people on both sides. Erica unpacks key addiction mechanisms like withdrawal and tolerance, the risks of false positives and false negatives in screening, and what clinicians should be listening for when trying to tell restrictive eating, binge eating, and addictive patterns apart – especially in youth, men, and other under-researched groups.

The conversation also gets practical and hopeful: we talk about the competencies therapists, dietitians, coaches, and other practitioners need before working with ultra-processed food addiction; the tension between abstinence and harm reduction; the "volume addiction" question; and how orthorexia and the "health halo" of protein bars and high-protein UPFs can quietly hijack recovery. Erica closes by sharing how FASI data could inform future public policy and regulation of ultra-processed foods without fueling weight stigma – and gives an exciting update on the DSM submission process for ultra-processed food addiction as a condition for further study.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why self-report tools (YFAS, mYFAS) were a crucial first step—and why a clinician-administered interview like FASI is the necessary next one

• How FASI was modeled after the SCID alcohol use disorder module and adapted for ultra-processed foods

• The core addiction mechanisms (loss of control, withdrawal, tolerance, consequences) and how they show up with ultra-processed foods

• Key differences between traditional eating disorder frameworks ("all foods fit," no good/bad foods) and an addiction lens focused on specific ultra-processed foods

• What many food addiction coaches and practitioners may be missing without formal substance use or eating disorder training

• False positives vs false negatives in food addiction screens—and why missed cases (false negatives) are especially concerning

• How FASI uses follow-up questions to differentiate restriction, binge eating, and true addictive patterns

• What we know (and still don't know) about ultra-processed food addiction across sex, age, BMI, and developmental stages

• Early exposure in childhood and adolescence as a potential public health crisis for lifelong addictive responses to ultra-processed foods

• The high overlap between binge-type eating disorders (BED, bulimia nervosa) and food addiction—and what to prioritize in treatment

• "Volume addiction": whether what we call "addicted to volume" may actually be binge eating disorder in disguise

• Orthorexia, "clean eating," and the health halo of protein bars, high-protein snacks, and dressed-up "safe" foods

• The tension between abstinence-based and harm reduction approaches for ultra-processed foods, and why different strategies may work for different people

• How clinician bias (diet culture, anti-addiction frameworks, or rigid abstinence views) can affect assessment—and how FASI creates room for nuance

• How FASI and future data could support DSM recognition, inform policy, SNAP and marketing regulations, and reduce shame by naming ultra-processed food addiction as real and treatable

• A hopeful update on the DSM application for ultra-processed food addiction as a condition for further study

In this powerful episode, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy welcome back Dr. Nicole Avena, one of the first researchers to scientifically validate the concept of food addiction. Together, they unpack the latest critiques of food addiction and explore why this diagnosis is still being challenged – and why the science strongly supports it.

🔍 Key Questions We Tackled Is food addiction "too broad" to be useful? Can we really rely on self-report tools like the Yale Food Addiction Scale? What about brain imaging – doesn't Kevin Hall's PET study "disprove" food addiction? Are we just pathologizing normal overeating under stress or dieting? If withdrawal from ultra-processed foods isn't like alcohol or opioids, does it "count"?

What Dr. Avena Wants You to Know 1️⃣ Overlap with eating disorders ≠ "not real" Food addiction can overlap with eating disorders and obesity, but that doesn't mean it's the same thing. Lots of conditions share symptoms; that's exactly why we need more research, not less. 2️⃣ Self-report doesn't make it "fake" Critics argue that the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) isn't valid because it relies on self-report. Dr. Avena reminds us: If we reject self-report, we'd also have to throw out: Depression inventories Alcohol and substance use screens Most mental health assessments we use every day Self-report + clinical judgment + (where possible) biological measures = standard science, not junk science. 3️⃣ One PET scan ≠ "case closed" Kevin Hall's PET study is often waved around as "proof" that food isn't addictive. Dr. Avena explains major limitations: PET is a blunt tool for measuring dopamine compared to methods like microdialysis. The milkshake used was lower in sugar than many people consume in real life. Participants weren't clearly separated into food-addicted vs non–food-addicted groups. Dopamine is highly time-sensitive: anticipation and early consumption may be where the real action is, not 30 minutes later. And importantly: We don't throw out alcohol or nicotine addiction just because a single brain study fails to show a clear dopamine spike. Science is built on many studies over many years, not one headline. 4️⃣ We're not pathologizing everyone who overeats Yes, lots of people overeat on holidays or under stress. That's normal. Food addiction is when: Overeating is persistent and pervasive It causes distress, impairment, and health consequences Multiple DSM substance use criteria are met (tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, continued use despite harm, etc.) That's a very different picture than "I ate too much at Thanksgiving." 5️⃣ Withdrawal from ultra-processed foods is real (and looks a lot like other addictions) Research now shows that withdrawal from ultra-processed foods can include: Irritability Fatigue Low mood Crankiness / lethargy These symptoms tend to peak in 2–5 days, similar to what we see with substances like nicotine. You don't need seizures for it to count as withdrawal. 6️⃣ Not having a "perfect definition" is not a reason to stop studying it We are still refining: What exactly counts as "food addiction" Which foods / combinations are most addictive How best to diagnose and treat it That's how science works: definition → research → refinement → better definition → repeat. If we'd waited for perfect definitions, we wouldn't have moved forward on half the diseases we now recognize.

💊 GLP-1 Medications & Food Addiction: Clues from Treatment The conversation also touched on GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide and others): For some people, GLP-1s dramatically reduce "food noise" and cravings. For others, they only partially dampen urges – they still need tools, structure, and support. This suggests these drugs are interacting with reward and satiety circuits that are highly relevant to addiction.

Dr. Avena and Clarissa both emphasize: Medication alone is not enough – people still need skills, structure, and support to navigate cravings, emotions, and the food environment.

🧬 Big Picture: Why This Debate Matters Naysayers often publish opinion pieces without new data, recycling old critiques that the research has already addressed. Media then amplifies a single study or opinion as "proof" that food addiction isn't real. Meanwhile, millions of people are struggling in silence, wondering: "If this isn't addiction, what's wrong with me?"

Dr. Avena's message is clear: There is now a large body of evidence – animal, human, behavioral, and neurobiological – supporting food addiction as a valid construct worth recognizing, researching, and treating. ❤️ For Those Who Feel Seen by "Food Addiction" If you've ever felt like: You can't stop with certain foods You eat more than you want, more often than you want You experience cravings, withdrawal, or obsessive food thoughts And you've been told "it's just lack of willpower" or "there's no such thing as food addiction" This episode is for you. You are not making this up. The science is catching up to what lived experience has been saying for decades.

C J shares a moving conversation with Ashley Elizabeth, a woman whose honesty and courage shine through her recovery journey.

Ashley is remarkably open about her experience with food addiction and the lifelong impact of being put on a diet at a very young age. Like so many, she spent years trapped in the cycle of obsession, shame, and the constant search for control, returning to foods she didn't even like just to get her fix.

When Ashley first entered a 12-step program, she approached her food plan like another diet, and for a while, it worked. But true transformation came when she embraced the entire program and surrendered her will to her Higher Power. Today, Ashley shares her story with heart and hope, inspiring others to believe that freedom from food addiction is absolutely possible.

Dr. Paul O'Malley is a Los Angeles-based dentist who's redefining what it means to care for your teeth—and your whole body. With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. O'Malley specializes in biomimetic and holistic dentistry, which basically means he works with your body, not against it. His focus is on preserving your natural tooth structure, using biocompatible materials, and avoiding the "drill and fill" mindset that leaves so many people anxious about the dentist's chair.

He earned his DDS from Creighton University and completed a residency at Baylor University, but what really sets him apart is his philosophy: dentistry should heal and protect, not just patch things up. Over the years, he's trained with some of the top names in cosmetic and restorative dentistry and has become a fellow of both the International Academy of Dentofacial Esthetics and the Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry.

At his practice in Encino, California, Dr. O'Malley helps patients restore confidence, comfort, and long-term oral health—often with procedures that are far less invasive than traditional methods. He's also the founder of Great Oral Health, a line of probiotic-based products designed to support a healthy mouth microbiome and overall wellness.

We all know sugar messes with our health — but did you know it's one of the biggest culprits behind tooth decay, gum disease, and even inflammation throughout your body? 😬 💥 It's not just how much sugar you eat — it's how often! Every sip or bite keeps your teeth bathing in acid and your enamel under attack. 🦠 Your mouth has a microbiome too — good bacteria that protect you! Constant sugar, grazing, or even "healthy" acidic drinks (like lemon water or sugar-free soda) can throw that balance off.

💧 The fix is simple and kind: ✨ Eat in meals, not all day. ✨ Rinse with water after coffee, tea, or lemon water. ✨ Wait 20 minutes before brushing to protect enamel. ✨ Floss daily (it breaks up the "bug party" that causes decay). ✨ Use a soft brush and gentle angle — your gums aren't a kitchen floor! ✨ Try hydroxyapatite toothpaste (it helps re-harden enamel naturally).

❤️ Your mouth is part of your body — not separate from it. Bleeding gums, bad breath, or constant sensitivity are not normal signs of "aging." They're little SOS signals asking for care.

💬 And for parents: kids copy what we do, not what we say. Brushing and rinsing together is a tiny daily act of prevention and connection. Let's make "self-care" include our smiles. Because a healthy mouth = a healthier body.

LINKS:

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.

Molly and Clarissa get real about the spoken and unspoken "rules" we inherit—from family, culture, religion, peers, and recovery spaces—and how those rules can quietly run our lives. They explore when structure is protective (especially early recovery) and when rigidity shrinks our world. The invitation: notice the rule, name whose voice it is, examine its intention, and rewrite it as a flexible, values-aligned boundary (a loving guardrail) that serves your recovery today.

What we cover

Invisible operating systems: How covert rules ("Don't cry in public," "Finish your plate," "Don't upset Dad," "Work before rest") get encoded as truth and shape choices, identity, and self-worth.

Where rules come from: Family modeling, culture/diet/purity narratives, religion & tradition, media comparison loops, and past painful moments that birthed survival strategies.

When rules help vs. harm: The cast-to-brace metaphor—early structure can be lifesaving; never taking the brace off becomes its own injury.

Food-recovery example: "The kitchen is closed after dinner." Helpful as temporary scaffolding; harmful if it overrides true hunger, fuels all-or-nothing thinking, or becomes punishment.

Language that frees: Swap "I can't" for "I choose not to (right now)." Replace rules with loving guardrails anchored in values, not fear.

Meeting the Rebel: How the inner rebel shows up when we feel controlled, and how flexibility + permission reduces backlash and binge risk.

Compassion over condemnation: Seeing the origin story of a rule reveals it was protective, not defective—which softens shame and opens space to change.

Support matters: Borrowing a "prosthetic prefrontal cortex" from trusted people (group, therapist, friend) to reality-check and practice flexibility safely.

Try this: a simple Rule Audit

Spot it: What's one rule you notice yourself following today?

Name the voice: Whose rule is it (family, program, culture, scared younger you)?

Intention check: What safety or benefit was it trying to create? Does that need still exist?

Cost check: How does it limit you now (shame, rigidity, disconnection from body needs)?

Rewrite it: Old: "I can't eat after dinner." New: "I stop after dinner unless I'm truly hungry—then I have a planned, recovery-friendly snack without shame."

Make it safer: Pre-plan options, text a support person, add a brief grounding before eating, pre-portion, and debrief after.

Nuggets & reframes

"Rules kept me safe then; values-based guardrails grow me now."

"Different doesn't equal dangerous. It's okay if new feels wobbly."

"Recovery should make life bigger, not smaller."

"Permission reduces rebellion."

"Thank you, old rule, for what you protected. I'm choosing something kinder now."

Reflection questions for listeners

Which rule in your life feels most rigid right now? What would a kinder, values-aligned version look like?

If you replaced one "I can't" with "I choose not to—for now," what changes in your body and nervous system?

Who are your go-to people to borrow perspective from when your threat system is loud?

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.

Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Cate Shanahan, family physician, nutrition consultant, and author of Deep Nutrition and Dark Calories, to discuss her case against industrial seed oils, how they may influence metabolic and mental health, and why she believes they can intensify sugar cravings and insulin resistance. We explore mechanisms she proposes (oxidation, mitochondrial stress), the "Hateful Eight" oils, and practical swaps that listeners can try if they choose to reduce seed oils. This episode presents a viewpoint that's debated in nutrition science; we encourage critical thinking, self-experimentation within a safe plan, and consultation with your care team.

• Seed oils vs. sugar: Why Dr. Shanahan argues seed oils may drive sugar cravings and insulin resistance.

• Oxidation & mitochondria: Her biochemical rationale for how highly unsaturated oils can oxidize and affect cell energy.

• The "Hateful Eight": Corn, canola, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower, rice bran, grapeseed—why she cautions against them.

• Historical context: Marketing, refinement, and how these oils entered the food supply.

• Mental health & cravings: Proposed links between oxidized fats, energy instability, mood, and appetite signals.

• Practical swaps: Unrefined olive, avocado, coconut, butter/ghee; flavor-forward nut/seed oils used unheated; reading labels and cooking at home.

• Diet nuance: Why some low-carb or plant-forward eaters thrive when minimizing seed oils; where refined proteins fit.

• If you experiment with reducing industrial seed oils, pair it with whole-food carbs and adequate protein to support energy stability.

• Favor unrefined, flavor-forward oils (e.g., extra-virgin olive oil) and avoid reheating/frying oils repeatedly.

• Improvements people report first: steadier energy, fewer GI symptoms, fewer cravings—but your mileage may vary.

• This topic is scientifically contested; treat it as a hypothesis to test safely, not a moral rule.

Dr. Cate Shanahan is a board-certified Family Physician with over 20 years of clinical experience reversing disease at its root by avoiding the big three toxic ingredients. She has spent decades translating the warnings of toxicologists about the harms of vegetable oils and sharing those insights here on DrCate.com, with patients, podcast hosts, and in her NY Times bestselling books, including The FatBurn Fix, Deep Nutrition, and Food Rules. Her passion is helping people feel their best.

After getting her BS in biology from Rutgers University, she trained in biochemistry and genetics at Cornell University's graduate school before attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She practiced in Hawaii for ten years where she studied ethnobotany and her healthiest patient's culinary habits. She combined all these scientific fields to write Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. Together with Dr. Tim DiFrancesco and NBA legend Gary Vitti, she created the PRO Nutrition program for the LA Lakers and helped forge a partnership between Whole Foods Market and numerous NBA teams.

Her insights on the role of seed oils in human disease have been incorporated into Paleo, primal, low-carb, and keto practices.

In May of 2018, she began as Director of Metabolic Health at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, a progressive, family-run company focused on saving money while improving health.

She's also the Medical & Scientific Advisor at CB Supplements, overseeing their premium-grade multi-collagen protein, and for Beliv, a forward-thinking Latin American beverage company.

Follow Dr. Cate:

Website: https://drcate.com/

Dr. Cate's books: https://drcate.com/which-drcate-book-should-i-buy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorCate/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcateshanahan

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.

Host Dr. Vera Tarman speaks with Daniel Trevor—entrepreneur-turned "citizen scientist" and author of Unholy Trinity: How Carbs, Sugars, and Oils Make Us Fat, Sick, and Addicted, and How to Escape Their Grip. After a near-fatal heart attack, Daniel dove into medical literature, clinician interviews, and self-tracking. He shares the arguments behind his book, why he believes hyperinsulinemia is a "gateway disease," how diet patterns may influence cardiometabolic risk and cravings, and the testing he advocates so people can "don't guess—test." We also discuss controversy in nutrition science, harm-reduction ways to experiment with food choices, and how to navigate mixed messages from experts.

About our guest

Daniel Trevor has founded high-tech companies, worked in anti-aging projects, and spent 20 years as an actor and musician. His health crisis catalyzed a research journey that informed Unholy Trinity. He now writes and speaks about low-carb/keto to carnivore approaches, lab testing, and lifestyle change.

What we cover

Daniel's pivot from "Mr. Healthy" to heart-attack survivor and researcher

Hyperinsulinemia → insulin resistance → cardiometabolic disease (Daniel's "gateway disease" model)

Why some people see a rise in LDL on low-carb diets and what advanced lipoprotein testing (e.g., NMR LipoProfile) may reveal

"Lean-mass hyper-responder" profile: high LDL with low triglycerides and high HDL—what it means and why it's debated

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, soft vs. calcified plaque, and the "CAC paradox" as Daniel understands it

Grains, seed oils, and sugar: Daniel's case for their role in appetite, cravings, and disease risk; critique of popular diet guidance

Statins, side effects, and absolute risk/benefit as presented by Daniel (and why shared decision-making matters)

Practical, harm-reduction steps: food substitutions, lab work, and building a sustainable plan

Where Daniel's thinking intersects—and conflicts—with mainstream guidelines, and how listeners can evaluate claims

Key takeaways

"Don't guess—test." Daniel urges listeners to use accessible labs and scans (prioritizing a small set if resources are limited) and to pair results with symptoms and function.

Protein and structure can reduce chaos. He advocates prioritizing animal protein, minimizing refined carbs/sugars and seed oils, and making like-for-like swaps to lower cravings.

Context matters. Individual responses vary (genetics, meds, comorbidities, history with restriction/addiction). Go slow, track, and use support.

Hold nuance. Nutrition science evolves; some claims remain contested. Use informed consent and a collaborative care team.

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.

Ellen Bennett is a Registered Dietitian, researcher, and leading voice in the emerging field of Ultra-Processed Food Addiction (UPFA). As Operations Manager for Liberate, delivered in partnership with the Public Health Collaboration (PHC), she leads educational programmes designed to support both individuals and clinicians in understanding and navigating food addiction through an evidence-based, compassion-driven lens.

Currently completing her PhD at Coventry University, Ellen's research explores addiction-informed interventions for UPFA, including feasibility studies, the development of screening tools, and critical analyses of existing clinical frameworks.

With 16 years in 12-step fellowships and 14 years of sustained recovery following an 11-stone (70 kg) weight loss, Ellen brings a rare integration of scientific expertise, lived experience, and humanity to her work. Her blend of rigour, warmth, and humour has made her a sought-after speaker at conferences, podcasts, and universities, where she continues to champion a more honest, hopeful, and research-aligned conversation about food addiction and recovery.

Social Media:

🔗 www.liberatetoday.org 🔗 www.phcuk.org

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PHCukorg

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/PHCukorg

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/public-health-collaboration

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/PHCukorg

X https://twitter.com/PHCukorg

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.