In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Clarissa and Molly sit down with psychologist Dr. Carrie Wilkens to explore what truly helps people change without shame, fear, or power struggles. Carrie shares insights from decades of work in addiction, eating disorders, trauma, and family systems—inviting us to rethink concepts like denial, relapse, codependency, and even the disease model itself. Together, they discuss how curiosity, values, and self-compassion can transform recovery and reshape how families and communities support the people they love.

In this Clinician’s Corner episode, Clarissa and Molly unpack why the “Hella-Days”—that stretch from September through New Year’s—can feel like the Holiday Hunger Games for anyone navigating food addiction, recovery, or a sensitive nervous system. They explore why this season is so activating, how early family patterns still shape present-day reactions, and what it looks like to move through the holidays with values, boundaries, and deep self-compassion.

Expect practical tools, boundary scripts, harm-reduction strategies, and honest stories from their own holiday journeys—whether you’re surrounded by family, choosing not to attend events, or spending the season on your own.

In this moving and deeply insightful conversation, integrative oncologist Dr. Nasha Winters shares her journey from a terminal cancer diagnosis at 19 to becoming a global leader in metabolic oncology. We explore how ultra-processed foods disrupt our biology and sovereignty, why cancer must be understood as an ecosystem, and how values-based, non-perfectionistic choices can transform health. Nasha offers practical tools, metabolic wisdom, and a fiercely compassionate vision for reclaiming agency in a UPF-heavy world.

In this episode, Dr. Erica LaFata returns to share the development of the Food Addiction Severity Interview (FASI), the first clinician-administered diagnostic tool designed specifically for ultra-processed food addiction. We explore how FASI builds on the YFAS, why the field needs structured clinical assessment, and how clinicians can differentiate restrictive eating, binge eating, and true addictive patterns. Erica also offers insight into treatment implications, early exposure risks, practitioner competencies, and the hopeful path toward DSM recognition.

In this compelling conversation, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy sit down with Dr. Nicole Avena to address the most persistent critiques of food addiction head-on. They break down why self-report tools are valid, why one PET scan doesn’t disprove addiction, how withdrawal from ultra-processed foods works, and why food addiction is a distinct, evidence-supported diagnosis. For anyone who’s ever wondered “What’s wrong with me?”, this episode offers clarity, validation, and science-backed insight.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Paul O’Malley, a leading biomimetic and holistic dentist reshaping how we think about oral health. He breaks down how sugar, grazing, mouth microbiome imbalance, and traditional “drill and fill” dentistry impact whole-body wellness. We explore practical, gentle steps to protect enamel, support healthy gums, and build long-term oral health from the inside out.

In this honest, insightful conversation, Molly and Clarissa unpack the hidden “rules” that quietly govern our thoughts, choices, and recovery—from family norms to cultural conditioning. They explore how to spot which rules still serve you, which are keeping you small, and how to transform them into flexible, values-aligned guardrails that nurture freedom instead of fear.

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.

In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy speak with neuroscientist and author Dr. Nicole Avena about her latest research on GLP-1 receptor agonists. They explore how these drugs reduce food cravings, the potential risks of dopamine suppression, anhedonia, and rebound cravings, and why dose management, holistic support, and mindful eating skills are essential — especially for those in food addiction recovery.

In this episode, Dr. Tro Kalayjian—board-certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine—shares how his personal 150-pound weight loss journey shaped his mission to help others overcome food addiction and metabolic disease. We explore his clinic’s groundbreaking research showing that a bundled approach—low-carb nutrition, real-time medical support, psychological care, and metabolic monitoring—can significantly reduce binge eating and food addiction symptoms. Dr. Tro dives into the science of biological drivers, the limits of willpower, and why sustainable recovery demands compassion, community, and comprehensive care.

In this Clinician’s Corner episode, Clarissa Kennedy and Molly Painschab explore chronic invalidation as a trauma response, shedding light on how repeated emotional dismissal can lead to perfectionism, people-pleasing, and emotional suppression. They unpack its origins in early caregiving dynamics, its impact on adult relationships and self-concept, and offer compassionate, trauma-informed strategies for healing. With practical tools, therapeutic insights, and a grounding somatic practice, this episode empowers clinicians to support clients in reclaiming their emotional truth and building self-trust through validation, curiosity, and connection.