Health Raisers

Welcome to another episode of Health Raisers! Today, my guest is LaShawnda Beasley, a Licensed Dietitian, Certified Lactation Consultant, and Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist. In the third episode of our series on making sense of food fads versus science, we explore how to nourish yourself without getting caught up in food trends, deprivation, or shame — and why a healthy relationship with food should make room for your individual needs and season in life.

What We Learn

💬 Ditch the “shoulds” around food

🍦 Treats, not cheat days

🥦 No-stress ways to eat more fruits and veggies

🧬 Why two 55-year-olds don’t need the same amount of protein

🌸 Eating for perimenopause and menopause

📿 Celebrating wins beyond the scale

🌾 Is fiber really the next protein?

🧭 Why health is personal — and what it means to feel whole

💡 And much more!

More About LaShawnda

LaShawnda Beasley is a licensed dietitian, certified lactation consultant, and Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist, with a B.S. in nutrition and dietetics from Georgia State University. She specializes in disease prevention, hormone health, prenatal, and breastfeeding nutrition. Her mission is to improve the health outcomes of Black women by offering holistic nutrition and evidence-based care that supports hormone balance, emotional well-being, and a healthy relationship with food for sustainable wellness.

🎙️ Original podcast music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters & Mak Salon and Spa.

Welcome to another episode of Health Raisers, Wise Humans! Today my guest is Dr. Lakshman "Dr. Lucky" Mulpuri — a fourth-year ophthalmology resident and plant-based nutrition advocate. We talk about nutrition misinformation, the protein obsession, and why sustainable change happens in community, not isolation. You are not alone.

What We Learn:

👁️ The Detroit nonprofit that ignited his passion for nutrition

🩺 How many hours of nutrition training do doctors get? Less than you'd think.

🌱 How money dictates what's on our plates

🥤 Why did advocates have to fight for soy milk in schools?

🫐 Why one "miracle" nutrient isn't enough

🤝 Health isn't just physical — and you are not alone.

🥬 What a kid who'd never seen purple cabbage taught Dr. Lucky

More About Dr. Lakshman Mulpuri:

Dr. Lakshman Mulpuri is a PGY-4 ophthalmology resident at Cook County Health and serves as Medical and Policy Advisor for the HBCU College of Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine. While a medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine, he developed Rooting for Wellness, a plant-based nutrition curriculum that brought patients' experiences and healthcare professionals together to help students explore the role of nutrition in health. His work also focuses on preventive ophthalmology and making healthier choices more accessible in the community.

🎙️ Original podcast music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters and Mak Salon and Spa.

Welcome to another episode of Health Raisers, Wise Women!

Ladies, I am tired. Tired of going to the grocery store and listening to the news about what to eat and what to avoid. I am tired of feeling confused. Are you? So I did some research, and here's what I found!

What We Learn

🍬 Fat-free hype: Real science shaped by marketing.

🥛 Got Milk?: No science. Just pure marketing.

🥣 Oat bran: Real science started it and ended it.

⚖️ Superfoods: Real science wildly overmarketed.

💊 Collagen & gluten-free: science for the few, marketed for the many.

🥩 Protein: Real science, lots of marketing.

💚 And much more…

References

📎 UCSF News — "Sugar Papers Reveal Industry Role in Shifting National Heart Disease Focus": https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2016/09/404081/sugar-papers-reveal-industry-role-shifting-national-heart-disease-focus

📎 STAT News — "How the Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat": https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/12/sugar-industry-harvard-research/

📎 PubMed — "How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America" (free abstract): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296750/

📎 USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — overview of dairy check-off programs: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/dairy

📎 Wikipedia — "Got Milk?" campaign history (California Milk Processor Board, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, 1993): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_Milk%3F

📎 PubMed — Swain JF, et al., "Comparison of the Effects of Oat Bran and Low-Fiber Wheat on Serum Lipoprotein Levels and Blood Pressure," NEJM, 1990 (free abstract): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2152973/

📎 Gold KV, Davidson DM. "Oat Bran as a Cholesterol-Reducing Dietary Adjunct in a Young, Healthy Population." Western Journal of Medicine, 1988 (free full text via PMC): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1026094/

📎 FTC press release — "FTC Commissioners Uphold Trial Judge Decision in POM Wonderful, LLC Case" (2013): https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2013/01/ftc-commissioners-uphold-trial-judge-decision-pom-wonderful-llc-stewart-lynda-resnick-others

📎 POM Wonderful, LLC v. FTC, D.C. Circuit opinion (2015), via Justia: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/cadc/13-1060/13-1060-2015-01-30.html

📎 Crowell & Moring — legal analysis of the D.C. Circuit's POM Wonderful decision: https://www.crowell.com/en/insights/client-alerts/the-d-c-circuit-s-pom-wonderful-decision-new-precedent-for-advertisers-making-disease-and-health-claims

📎 Auburn University Harbert College of Business — POM Wonderful case study: https://harbert.auburn.edu/binaries/documents/center-for-ethical-organizational-cultures/debate_issues/pom-wonderful.pdf

📎 Beyond Celiac (NHANES data summary) — celiac disease and gluten sensitivity prevalence in the U.S.: https://www.beyondceliac.org/prevalence-of-celiac-disease/

📎 American Council on Science and Health — "Collagen for Skin Health: Science or Marketing?": https://www.acsh.org/news/2026/03/12/collagen-skin-health-science-or-marketing-50009

📎 PubMed — Proksch E, et al., "Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology," Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2014 (free abstract, the original Verisol study): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23949208/

📎 FormBlends — funding disclosure for the Verisol/Gelita clinical trials: https://formblends.com/articles/peptide-hub/compare-verisol-collagen-vs-collagen-peptides

📎 MakersNutrition — collagen supplement market size ($11B+ industry): https://www.makersnutrition.com/news/why-health-brands-are-investing-in-the-collagen-supplement-boom

📎 FoodNavigator — "The Single Biggest Food Trend for 2026 Revealed" (protein-labeled products, ~40% of yogurt stat): https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2025/12/11/biggest-food-trend-for-2026-revealed/

📎 CNBC — "Protein Craze: How General Mills, PepsiCo and Others Are Capitalizing on the Trend": https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/22/protein-craze-general-mills-pepsico-kraft-heinz.html

📎 Consumer Reports — "How Much Protein Do You Really Need?" (NHANES average intake figures): https://www.consumerreports.org/health/nutrition-healthy-eating/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-a2065027197/

📎 Stanford Medicine — "How Much Protein Should We Really Be Eating?" (source of the "SnackWell's phenomenon" quote): https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2026/03/how-much-protein.html

📎 American Kidney Fund — "Protein Supplements: Take Note of Their Impact on Your Kidney Health": https://www.kidneyfund.org/article/protein-supplements-trendier-ever-take-note-their-impact-your-kidney-health

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters and Mak Salon and Spa

Welcome to another episode of Health Raisers, Wise Women! Today's guest is Abra Berens. Abra Berens is a Michigan chef, author, and former farmer. Through every recipe written and meal served, she aims to tighten the connection between eaters and growers. She believes we can invest in a stronger, more equitable food system for everyone, from producers to grocers to consumers. She is the author of Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, a 2020 Michigan Notable Book winner and James Beard Award nominee, and Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes. Her dinners at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan, made her a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef: Great Lakes.

What We Learn

💭 Abra invites us to ask discover the foods that make us feel good and eat that.

✨ How Abra shows up as herself at work, at home, and everywhere in between, cultivating a healthy relationship with herself.

🧘 How Abra's relationship with food shapes her relationships with people.

🍽️ Why Abra's farm-to-table dinners at Granor Farm are about connection, not performance.

🥗 Sustenance vs. pleasure — why being intentional about that is at the heart of a healthy relationship with food.

🎊 Her newest venture coming soon!

💚 And much more…

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters and Mak Salon and Spa

Welcome to another episode of Health Raisers, Wise Humans! Today’s guest is Pete Rubinas, CEO of SMART Recovery (Self Management and Recovery Training) and its Family & Friends program. We explore how SMART’s secular, science-based tools support both people navigating addictive behaviors and their loved ones—helping foster healthier relationships with ourselves, our families and friends, and our communities.

What We Learn

✨ How SMART differs from and can complement other recovery programs.

🧠 How the four points of SMART Recovery build new habits and more empowered relationships with ourselves and others.

🏡 How the SMART Family & Friends program helps loved ones set boundaries and practice self-care.

💡 Why practicing self-compassion is critical for making change.

💚 And much more…

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters and Mak Salon and Spa

This year on Health Raisers, our focus on healthy relationships continues. This episode is a re-release from my previous podcast, The YOGI MD Podcast. My guest is Dr. Marcia Mikulak, Researcher, Analyst, and Musician, and Professor Emeritus of Anthropology from the University of North Dakota, with a background in cultural anthropology. We talked about the power of words - how language establishes status and hierarchy, shaping how we see ourselves and directly affecting our relationships. In this episode, we invite you to notice how you use language and respond with awareness and empathy to foster stronger and more honest relationships.

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters, Mak Salon and Spa, and Fernwood Botanical Garden.

This year on Health Raisers, we continue our focus on healthy relationships. This episode is a re-release from my previous podcast, The YOGI MD Podcast. My guest is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki, marketing and communications expert, host of the Talk About Talk podcast, and my friend. We explore how communication shapes the health of our relationships. We discuss what we say and don't say, tone of voice, the stories we tell ourselves, ego, and much more—all of which influence our connections and how we can strengthen them with this knowledge.

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters, Mak Salon and Spa, and Fernwood Botanical Garden.

Hello, Wise Women! Today, my guest is Steve Ritter, Founder and CEO of the Team Clock Institute. In last month's episode, Steve and I talked about healthy teams; this time, with Living in Sync: How We Engage with the World, we're exploring the power of self-reflection and how understanding ourselves and our personal environment can deepen the quality of our relationships.

What We Learn

🌐 Environment is more than a place — it's the people, places, and things in your life

💪 Self-reflection rooted in strengths, not self-criticism — no "fixing" required

🕊️ Living honestly from your values

🔁 The "new" Golden Rule in practice

🤝 Relating without losing yourself

🌱 Mourning old selves, welcoming new ones — and turning friction into growth

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters, Mak Salon and Spa, and Fernwood Botanical Garden.

This year on Health Raisers, we are talking about healthy relationships. This episode is a re-release from my previous podcast, The YOGI MD Podcast. My guest is Steve Ritter, CEO of Team Clock Institute, Author, Leadership Coach, and Workplace Culture Consultant. We explore his book, The 4 Stages of a Team: How Teams Thrive… and What to Do When They Don't. You might think this is an episode about the workplace, but the principles apply to every team in our lives—family, neighborhood, faith communities, book clubs, and more. We discuss how understanding team dynamics can strengthen all of our relationships. And stay tuned—Steve returns next month to discuss his new book, "Living in Sync: How We Engage With The World," where we'll learn to better understand ourselves and how we interact with our environments to build healthier relationships.

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters, Mak Salon and Spa, and Fernwood Botanical Garden.

Hello, Wise Women! Today, my guest is Robbie Swale. Robbie is an executive coach, author, and podcaster whose work focuses on supporting leaders in complex, multi-faceted roles. Alongside his work with leaders and entrepreneurs, he has led coaching, training, and facilitation for organizations including Deutsche Bank, 64 Million Artists, Moonpig, and the University of Edinburgh. He hosts The Coach’s Journey Podcast and The 12-Minute Method Podcast and is the author of The 12-Minute Method series, including How to Start When You’re Stuck and How to Create the Conditions for Great Work. His latest book is The Power to Choose: Finding Calm and Connection in a Complex World.

What We Learn

💡 Harnessing the power to choose to operate from our higher selves.

🧠 How becoming aware of our stories and beliefs creates space to respond instead of react.

👩‍⚕️ How personal crises can be gifts to shed old beliefs, leading to growth.

🤝 What shifts in our relationships when we experiment with “What if everyone is doing their best?” and meet others with compassion.

🔍 Why “Curiosity is the antidote to contraction” and how curiosity moves us from victim to creator.

💔 The art of lovingly letting go in relationships—and how choice, self-honesty, grief, and self-compassion all support healthier connections.

More About Robbie

Learn more about Robbie HERE or HERE.

He is the creator of The Meaningful Productivity Blueprint, available for free.

Buy the 12-Minute Method Books

Buy The Power to Choose

Find him on LinkedIn

Find him on Facebook

Find him on Instagram

🎙️ Original Podcast Music by Nadine Kelly (drums and vocals) and Tim Buell; Produced by Tim Buell

❤️ Sponsored by Infusco Coffee Roasters, Mak Salon and Spa, and Fernwood Botanical Garden.