Slate Conversations

We all know the food we eat directly impacts our physical health. But that’s just the start of the story.

Food fuels our emotional well-being, connects us with one another, and fosters a key source of identity.

On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with award-winning food journalist Mary Beth Albright on her new book Eat & Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being.

If you liked this episode, check out: No, Netflix Isn’t Forcing You to Go Vegan

Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.

Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].

Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.

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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire.

The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist’s toolbox – and now more than ever, it’s a key part of the job. The problem is that it’s already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less.

Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust. 

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Cooper feels like they’re constantly falling behind on their to-do list. Life is busy and household chores are the last thing they want to do. Cooper tracks everything in a detailed spreadsheet—but that spreadsheet isn’t going to take care of the dirty dishes in the sink. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Dale Aucoin of Clean & Queer, a professional organizing business based in New York City. Dale explains how to prioritize tasks, make chores easier, and find a routine that works for you. 

Links Mentioned: 

Clean & Queer

The Trans Guide

If you liked this episode check out: How To Be a Lazy Genius and How To Style Your Home Like a Pro.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.

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When Miranda July entered her early forties, she noticed a grim feeling emerge. “It wasn't coming from me,” she said, “I guess it came from this lack of imagery, or stories, or even just basic medical information about what was going to happen next with my body.” The dearth of information and near absence of cultural mythology about perimenopause and menopause became the catalyst for her novel All Fours, which came out in May and quickly became a New York Times bestseller. 

In this episode, Miranda talks about the unease that inspired the book and speculates about what the future could look like if more people openly discussed this crucial chapter of life. We also hear from listeners who share their experiences with perimenopause and menopause. 

The interview with Miranda was recorded live in San Francisco for City Arts & Lectures.

You can check out a great profile of Miranda, which is referenced in the episode, here: 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/20/miranda-july-profile  

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram, and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, or critiques, is [email protected].

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On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about a kid who seems dedicated to making family hikes suck. He’s energetic and capable during other activities, but long walks are full of whining and fussing. What could this listener do to get him excited about family walks… and are there any options that aren’t making every walk a treasure hunt?

We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re sharing a round of recommendations and a round of anti-recommendations. 

If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.

Jamilah’s check-in: Stiiiiiill hotel living

Elizabeth’s check-in: Internet friends are real friends! 

Zak’s check-in: Just hoping the dog won’t poop on the plane

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Mike Gauyo, a TV writer and creator whose credits include the beloved series Insecure and Ginny and Georgia. In the interview, Mike shares his process for thinking of new ideas for shows, refining those ideas over time, and pitching them to industry gatekeepers. He also talks about being from an immigrant family, initially studying medicine, and the events that prompted him to pivot to writing. 

After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler discuss best practices for pitching a podcast, and Isaac refers to this episode of Working Overtime about pitching print stories to editors. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Mike talks about what it was like to join the writers’ room of Insecure as a fan of the show. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

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Candice Lim is joined by internet culture writer Steffi Cao, whose Substack recently started an advice column all about internet etiquette. On today’s episode, they’re answering reader questions such as: Should I report unhinged Facebook behavior? And should I get into political fights in the DMs?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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In this episode, David Roth and Drew Magary (the hosts of Defector Media’s The Distraction) join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your parents are cosigning your brothers’ political values just because he’s the favorite, how to be an optimistic dater after a near-decade of failed dating, and how to react when you’re sure that your husband’s step-son is trying to hustle you for money.

Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.

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On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s wondering why her friend is bodyshaming her own toddler so intensely — not to mention our listener’s kid, too — and what to do about it. These kids are still little enough to avoid lifelong damage to their relationships with food, and their bodies… but where’s the line when it comes to telling this friend to shut it and let the kids eat cake?

We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — and we'll share an update on the tricky question we tackled earlier this week about not liking your kid.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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Research going back decades shows adding more fruits, vegetables, and non-animal sources of protein helps us live longer, healthier lives. 

A study featured in the Netflix docuseries You Are What You Eat: A Twin Study took that to the next level. 

Stanford researchers asked 22 sets of identical twins to go 8 weeks eating a healthy, varied diet and regularly exercising. One twin ate an omnivore diet, the other vegan.

On this week’s episode of Well, Now we talk to the lead researcher of the “twin study” Christopher Gardner on his findings and whether we really all need to go vegan to stay healthy.

If you liked this episode, check out: How Your Food Can Fight Climate Change

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].

Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. 

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices