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.

Host Dr. Vera Tarman interviews citizen scientist and author Daniel Trevor about his book Unholy Trinity. They explore hyperinsulinemia as a “gateway” to disease, LDL particle size and CAC scores, statins debate, and practical, harm-reduction steps—testing, protein-forward meals, and sustainable swaps—to support recovery.

In this inspiring episode, Clarissa Kennedy speaks with Registered Dietitian and researcher Ellen Bennett, Operations Manager at Liberate with the Public Health Collaboration. Ellen shares her 14-year recovery journey, her PhD work on addiction-informed approaches to Ultra-Processed Food Addiction, and how compassion and evidence can coexist in lasting recovery.

After returning from the International Food Addiction & Comorbidities Conference (and a soul-filling Scotland adventure), Molly and Clarissa dive into the fawn response—often mislabeled as “people-pleasing.” They explore how it forms, how it shows up in recovery and relationships, and gentle, practical steps for healing: awareness, boundaries, parts work, somatic tools, and self-compassion.

Why do junk food cravings return even after weeks of abstinence? Dr. Vera Tarman speaks with Dr. Guillaume de Lartigue, whose research uncovers how the brain’s memory circuits drive food cravings. They explore hedonic vs. memory-cued hunger, the role of fats and sugars in addictive food memories, and how marketing, stress, and early exposure shape vulnerability—plus strategies for recovery.

Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Anna Barbieri—gynecologist, menopause practitioner, and integrative medicine physician—to explore how hormones shape women’s appetite, cravings, and relationship with food. From PMS to menopause and PCOS, they discuss estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid, and appetite-regulating hormones, plus treatment and lifestyle strategies to support women’s health.

Dr. Vera Tarman talks with Dr. Bart Kay—nutrition scientist and outspoken “myth-buster”—about carbs, fat, and recovery from ultra-processed food addiction. They unpack the Randle cycle, insulin resistance, seed oils, low-carb vs. carnivore approaches, and why abstinence, staged change, and harm-reduction strategies can help people protect both health and recovery.

In this Food Junkies episode, Dr. Vera Tarman and Dr. Renae Norton dive into bulimorexia—the cycling between restriction and binge/purge behaviors—and explore how it fuels relapse in eating disorders and food addiction. Dr. Norton outlines the medical and psychological risks, critiques common treatment gaps, and shares her holistic, skills-based, family-involved approach to recovery.

In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Michael Greger to unpack the hype around GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. They explore the risks, benefits, and natural ways to boost GLP-1 through whole foods, fiber, and lifestyle—offering evidence-based insights for weight loss, cravings, and food addiction recovery.

In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman speaks with registered dietitian Bonnie Newlin about lipedema—a misunderstood connective tissue disorder often mistaken for obesity. Bonnie shares her personal journey, explains how lipedema overlaps with food addiction, and offers evidence-based strategies for managing symptoms through anti-inflammatory nutrition, lifestyle tools, and emerging treatments.