Social Media Is Confusing Your Patients.

In this episode, I’m joined by endocrinology PA Emily Stevens to discuss diabetes, insulin resistance, and blood sugar control and help you explain it in a way your patients will actually understand.

If your patients are asking about glucose spikes, CGMs, keto, or supplements like berberine, this episode will give you clear, practical answers you can use in clinic this week.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why "glucose spikes" are normal and how to explain this to patients without causing fear
• The truth about low-carb, keto, and intermittent fasting for diabetes management
• Why telling patients to “cut carbs” or “avoid fruit” is wrong advice
• How to use the Diabetes Plate Method for quick, effective nutrition counseling
• Why pairing protein + carbohydrates improves glycemic control (and how to teach it fast)
• What the evidence says about berberine, magnesium, and supplements
• When lifestyle changes are enough vs when medication is necessary
• Who actually benefits from continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) (and who doesn’t)

Key Takeaways for the Exam Room:

• Blood sugar isn’t meant to be flat. Help patients expect “rolling hills,” not a straight line.
• Carbs aren’t the problem. Focus on quality, pairing, and portions.
• Start with beverages. It’s often the fastest win for improving glycemic control.
• Don’t demonize fruit. You’ll create fear instead of sustainable change.
• Meet patients where they are. “Cut it in half” works better than “cut it out.”
• You can’t out-supplement a poor diet. Food first, always.
• Use visuals, not numbers. The plate method > gram counting for most patients.

Connect with Emily

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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.

Teen Athletes Need Different Fuel.

What happens when well-meaning parents apply adult nutrition rules to teenage athletes? You get under-fueled kids, missed performance potential… and a whole lot of confusion in the exam room.

In this episode, I sit down with sports dietitian and former D1 athlete Maria Vallasciani to break down what teen athletes actually need and why most of them aren’t getting it. From skipped breakfasts to overhyped protein powders, we unpack the real drivers of performance, growth, and recovery in this population.

We also get into the practical side: what to ask in clinic, how to spot red flags early, and how to guide families who are trying to do the right thing… but missing the mark.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why teen athletes need more carbs, not more protein
• The most common red flags that a young athlete isn’t eating enough
• How to assess intake more accurately
• What realistic pre- and post-workout fueling looks like for busy teens
• When sports drinks and electrolytes actually make sense
• The truth about creatine, protein powders, and pre-workouts in adolescents
• How to approach weight and body composition without causing harm
• Simple, high-yield questions to improve your nutrition history in under 2 minutes

Grab your free companion guide

Connect with Maria

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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.

Why Patients Overeat and Feel Out of Control

What’s really driving overeating: hunger, habit, or emotions? In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Johnston, a physician assistant turned eating habits and weight loss coach, to unpack why patients eat past fullness, why nighttime eating feels so out of control, and how to quickly uncover what’s actually going on beneath the behavior.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• The difference between feeling satisfied and feeling full, and why that distinction matters in patient counseling
• Simple questions clinicians can ask to figure out whether a patient is eating from hunger, distraction, routine, or emotion
• Why patients who “eat perfectly” all day often feel out of control at night
• Practical strategies to help patients build awareness, slow down, and stop overeating without shame or rigid food rules

If you’ve ever had a patient say, “I’m doing everything right, but I lose control at night,” this episode will help you understand why, and give you better ways to respond.

Resources mentioned:

FREEBIE! 10 Sentences to Start Nutrition Conversations

Episode 33: End Emotional Eating

Connect with Kate

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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.

When Weight Loss Hides Something Deeper

In this episode, I’m joined by Shawna Melbourn, a Registered Dietitian with over 20 years of experience in eating disorder care, to unpack whether the most celebrated effects of GLP-1 medications, appetite suppression, is actually masking something deeper

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why appetite suppression isn’t always a win (and how it can reinforce restriction)
• The difference between “quieting food noise” and actually healing a patient’s relationship with food
• 3 simple, high-yield questions you can use to screen for disordered eating
• Subtle red flags that suggest a GLP-1 may be worsening disordered eating behaviors

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a more critical lens, better questions, and the confidence to navigate these conversations with care.

Resources:

Listen to this episode next: Obesity Care Through a Mental Health Lens

Curious about Food Noise?

Connect with Shawna

EDforRDs

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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.

Daily Habits Your Patients Need For Brain Health.

If your patients are asking how to protect their brain, and you’re defaulting to “eat better and exercise more”, this episode will challenge that in the best way.

In this episode, I’m joined by Eric Collett, a brain health expert, to unpack a more practical, real-world approach to cognitive health.

We cover everything from how food fuels the brain at a cellular level to why movement throughout the day may matter more than a single gym session. And toward the end, we get into one of the most overlooked (and honestly, most helpful) concepts: how to counterbalance stress in a way that works in real life.

What You’ll Learn:

• What counts as “ultra-processed” (and how to talk about it with nuance)
• Key nutrients for cognitive health (B vitamins, omega-3s, magnesium, choline)
• Why most patients fail to change and how to bridge the gap between advice and action
• “Exercise snacks”: the easiest way to improve metabolic and brain health without the gym
• The concept of stress counterbalance (and how to teach it to patients)
• A powerful tool called “scheduled worry” to reduce anxiety and improve sleep
• Why social connection and shared meals are underrated tools for brain health

Connect with Eric

Listen to this episode next: Ultra-Processed Foods Explained

Any Questions? Send Me a Message

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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.

"It’s not just what children are eating. It’s how they’re experiencing food that shapes their habits."

In this episode, I’m joined by Alicia Eaton, a behavior change therapist and author, to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface when kids struggle with food. Because it’s not just about what’s on the plate. It’s about the environment, the language, and the emotional experience surrounding it.

What We Talk About:

• Why phrases like “just try one bite” can increase anxiety around food
• How early feeding experiences shape adult eating behaviors
• The difference between typical selective eating and ARFID
• Why sensory exposure (not just tasting) is key to expanding food variety
• Practical strategies to reduce mealtime pressure and build food confidence
• How to guide parents toward long-term progress

If you’ve ever had a parent say, “I just want them to eat the broccoli,” this episode will completely reframe how you approach that conversation.

Resources Mentioned:

Read my article: How the 5 senses shape a child's appetite

Check out Alicia's book: Mind What Your Kids Eat

Any Questions? Send Me a Message

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Connect with Colleen:
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Sign up for my FREE Newsletter - Nutrition hot-topics delivered to your inbox each week.

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.

Processed Food “Kills”. That message is everywhere right now. Social media posts, viral headlines, even Super Bowl commercials warning that processed foods are dangerous.

But what do we actually mean when we say “ultra-processed food”?

In this episode, I sit down with nutrition researcher Dr. Mandy Willig to unpack the science behind ultra-processed foods, the NOVA classification system, and why the conversation online is often missing important nuance.

We also break down new research comparing ultra-processed vs minimally processed diets, discuss whether processed foods are truly addictive, and explore how clinicians can respond when patients feel confused or fearful about what they’re eating.

What You’ll Learn

• The definition of an ultra-processed food
• How the NOVA classification system categorizes foods
• What research shows about ultra-processed diets and health outcomes
• The truth about claims that processed foods are “addictive like drugs”
• How clinicians can talk about processed foods without fear-based messaging

Connect with Mandy

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Connect with Colleen:
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Sign up for my FREE Newsletter - Nutrition hot-topics delivered to your inbox each week.

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.

How To Decide Between Bariatric Surgery and Obesity Medications

I’m joined by Kate Fuss, PA-C to unpack how GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery actually work together, when each option makes sense, and what primary care clinicians should understand when caring for patients before or after bariatric surgery.

We also dive into the psychological side of weight loss, because hitting a number on the scale doesn’t always translate into better mental health.

What You’ll Learn

• How to shift patients toward non-scale victories and meaningful health goals
• The lifelong vitamin and lab monitoring bariatric patients require
• Whether GLP-1 medications compete with bariatric surgery or complement it
• Expected weight loss outcomes from GLP-1 medications vs bariatric procedures
• When it’s appropriate to prescribe GLP-1 medications after bariatric surgery

Whether your patient is considering GLP-1 medications, bariatric surgery, or both, this episode will help you better understand the evolving treatment landscape of obesity care.

Join the Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course

Connect with Kate on Instagram

Banana Bariatrics

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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.