Food Junkies Podcast

• Episode 255: Challenging the Naysayers with Dr. Nicole Avena

  In this powerful episode, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy welcome back Dr. Nicole Avena, one of the first researchers to scientifically validate the concept of food addiction. Together, they unpack the latest critiques of food addiction and explore why this diagnosis is still being challenged – and why the science strongly supports it. 🔍 Key Questions We Tackled Is food addiction "too broad" to be useful? Can we really rely on self-report tools like the Yale Food Addiction Scale? What about brain imaging – doesn't Kevin Hall's PET study "disprove" food addiction? Are we just pathologizing normal overeating under stress or dieting? If withdrawal from ultra-processed foods isn't like alcohol or opioids, does it "count"? What Dr. Avena Wants You to Know 1️⃣ Overlap with eating disorders ≠ "not real" Food addiction can overlap with eating disorders and obesity, but that doesn't mean it's the same thing. Lots of conditions share symptoms; that's exactly why we need more research, not less. 2️⃣ Self-report doesn't make it "fake" Critics argue that the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) isn't valid because it relies on self-report. Dr. Avena reminds us: If we reject self-report, we'd also have to throw out: Depression inventories Alcohol and substance use screens Most mental health assessments we use every day Self-report + clinical judgment + (where possible) biological measures = standard science, not junk science. 3️⃣ One PET scan ≠ "case closed" Kevin Hall's PET study is often waved around as "proof" that food isn't addictive. Dr. Avena explains major limitations: PET is a blunt tool for measuring dopamine compared to methods like microdialysis. The milkshake used was lower in sugar than many people consume in real life. Participants weren't clearly separated into food-addicted vs non–food-addicted groups. Dopamine is highly time-sensitive: anticipation and early consumption may be where the real action is, not 30 minutes later. And importantly: We don't throw out alcohol or nicotine addiction just because a single brain study fails to show a clear dopamine spike. Science is built on many studies over many years, not one headline. 4️⃣ We're not pathologizing everyone who overeats Yes, lots of people overeat on holidays or under stress. That's normal. Food addiction is when: Overeating is persistent and pervasive It causes distress, impairment, and health consequences Multiple DSM substance use criteria are met (tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, continued use despite harm, etc.) That's a very different picture than "I ate too much at Thanksgiving." 5️⃣ Withdrawal from ultra-processed foods is real (and looks a lot like other addictions) Research now shows that withdrawal from ultra-processed foods can include: Irritability Fatigue Low mood Crankiness / lethargy These symptoms tend to peak in 2–5 days, similar to what we see with substances like nicotine. You don't need seizures for it to count as withdrawal. 6️⃣ Not having a "perfect definition" is not a reason to stop studying it We are still refining: What exactly counts as "food addiction" Which foods / combinations are most addictive How best to diagnose and treat it That's how science works: definition → research → refinement → better definition → repeat. If we'd waited for perfect definitions, we wouldn't have moved forward on half the diseases we now recognize. 💊 GLP-1 Medications & Food Addiction: Clues from Treatment The conversation also touched on GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide and others): For some people, GLP-1s dramatically reduce "food noise" and cravings. For others, they only partially dampen urges – they still need tools, structure, and support. This suggests these drugs are interacting with reward and satiety circuits that are highly relevant to addiction. Dr. Avena and Clarissa both emphasize: Medication alone is not enough – people still need skills, structure, and support to navigate cravings, emotions, and the food environment. 🧬 Big Picture: Why This Debate Matters Naysayers often publish opinion pieces without new data, recycling old critiques that the research has already addressed. Media then amplifies a single study or opinion as "proof" that food addiction isn't real. Meanwhile, millions of people are struggling in silence, wondering: "If this isn't addiction, what's wrong with me?" Dr. Avena's message is clear: There is now a large body of evidence – animal, human, behavioral, and neurobiological – supporting food addiction as a valid construct worth recognizing, researching, and treating. ❤️ For Those Who Feel Seen by "Food Addiction" If you've ever felt like: You can't stop with certain foods You eat more than you want, more often than you want You experience cravings, withdrawal, or obsessive food thoughts And you've been told "it's just lack of willpower" or "there's no such thing as food addiction" This episode is for you. You are not making this up. The science is catching up to what lived experience has been saying for decades.

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• Food Junkies Recovery Stories Episode 30: Ashley Elizabeth

  C J shares a moving conversation with Ashley Elizabeth, a woman whose honesty and courage shine through her recovery journey. Ashley is remarkably open about her experience with food addiction and the lifelong impact of being put on a diet at a very young age. Like so many, she spent years trapped in the cycle of obsession, shame, and the constant search for control, returning to foods she didn't even like just to get her fix. When Ashley first entered a 12-step program, she approached her food plan like another diet, and for a while, it worked. But true transformation came when she embraced the entire program and surrendered her will to her Higher Power. Today, Ashley shares her story with heart and hope, inspiring others to believe that freedom from food addiction is absolutely possible.

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• Episode 254: Dr. Paul O'Malley

  Dr. Paul O'Malley is a Los Angeles-based dentist who's redefining what it means to care for your teeth—and your whole body. With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. O'Malley specializes in biomimetic and holistic dentistry, which basically means he works with your body, not against it. His focus is on preserving your natural tooth structure, using biocompatible materials, and avoiding the "drill and fill" mindset that leaves so many people anxious about the dentist's chair. He earned his DDS from Creighton University and completed a residency at Baylor University, but what really sets him apart is his philosophy: dentistry should heal and protect, not just patch things up. Over the years, he's trained with some of the top names in cosmetic and restorative dentistry and has become a fellow of both the International Academy of Dentofacial Esthetics and the Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry. At his practice in Encino, California, Dr. O'Malley helps patients restore confidence, comfort, and long-term oral health—often with procedures that are far less invasive than traditional methods. He's also the founder of Great Oral Health, a line of probiotic-based products designed to support a healthy mouth microbiome and overall wellness. We all know sugar messes with our health — but did you know it's one of the biggest culprits behind tooth decay, gum disease, and even inflammation throughout your body? 😬 💥 It's not just how much sugar you eat — it's how often! Every sip or bite keeps your teeth bathing in acid and your enamel under attack. 🦠 Your mouth has a microbiome too — good bacteria that protect you! Constant sugar, grazing, or even "healthy" acidic drinks (like lemon water or sugar-free soda) can throw that balance off. 💧 The fix is simple and kind: ✨ Eat in meals, not all day. ✨ Rinse with water after coffee, tea, or lemon water. ✨ Wait 20 minutes before brushing to protect enamel. ✨ Floss daily (it breaks up the "bug party" that causes decay). ✨ Use a soft brush and gentle angle — your gums aren't a kitchen floor! ✨ Try hydroxyapatite toothpaste (it helps re-harden enamel naturally). ❤️ Your mouth is part of your body — not separate from it. Bleeding gums, bad breath, or constant sensitivity are not normal signs of "aging." They're little SOS signals asking for care. 💬 And for parents: kids copy what we do, not what we say. Brushing and rinsing together is a tiny daily act of prevention and connection. Let's make "self-care" include our smiles. Because a healthy mouth = a healthier body.

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• Episode 253: Clinician's Corner - From Rules to Guardrails: Rewriting the Manual for Recovery

  Molly and Clarissa get real about the spoken and unspoken "rules" we inherit—from family, culture, religion, peers, and recovery spaces—and how those rules can quietly run our lives. They explore when structure is protective (especially early recovery) and when rigidity shrinks our world. The invitation: notice the rule, name whose voice it is, examine its intention, and rewrite it as a flexible, values-aligned boundary (a loving guardrail) that serves your recovery today. What we cover Invisible operating systems: How covert rules ("Don't cry in public," "Finish your plate," "Don't upset Dad," "Work before rest") get encoded as truth and shape choices, identity, and self-worth. Where rules come from: Family modeling, culture/diet/purity narratives, religion & tradition, media comparison loops, and past painful moments that birthed survival strategies. When rules help vs. harm: The cast-to-brace metaphor—early structure can be lifesaving; never taking the brace off becomes its own injury. Food-recovery example: "The kitchen is closed after dinner." Helpful as temporary scaffolding; harmful if it overrides true hunger, fuels all-or-nothing thinking, or becomes punishment. Language that frees: Swap "I can't" for "I choose not to (right now)." Replace rules with loving guardrails anchored in values, not fear. Meeting the Rebel: How the inner rebel shows up when we feel controlled, and how flexibility + permission reduces backlash and binge risk. Compassion over condemnation: Seeing the origin story of a rule reveals it was protective, not defective—which softens shame and opens space to change. Support matters: Borrowing a "prosthetic prefrontal cortex" from trusted people (group, therapist, friend) to reality-check and practice flexibility safely. Try this: a simple Rule Audit Spot it: What's one rule you notice yourself following today? Name the voice: Whose rule is it (family, program, culture, scared younger you)? Intention check: What safety or benefit was it trying to create? Does that need still exist? Cost check: How does it limit you now (shame, rigidity, disconnection from body needs)? Rewrite it: Old: "I can't eat after dinner." New: "I stop after dinner unless I'm truly hungry—then I have a planned, recovery-friendly snack without shame." Make it safer: Pre-plan options, text a support person, add a brief grounding before eating, pre-portion, and debrief after. Nuggets & reframes "Rules kept me safe then; values-based guardrails grow me now." "Different doesn't equal dangerous. It's okay if new feels wobbly." "Recovery should make life bigger, not smaller." "Permission reduces rebellion." "Thank you, old rule, for what you protected. I'm choosing something kinder now." Reflection questions for listeners Which rule in your life feels most rigid right now? What would a kinder, values-aligned version look like? If you replaced one "I can't" with "I choose not to—for now," what changes in your body and nervous system? Who are your go-to people to borrow perspective from when your threat system is loud?   The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

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• Episode 252: Dr. Cate Shanahan - Are Seed Oils as Bad as Sugar?

  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. What we cover Seed oils vs. sugar: Why Dr. Shanahan argues seed oils may drive sugar cravings and insulin resistance. Oxidation & mitochondria: Her biochemical rationale for how highly unsaturated oils can oxidize and affect cell energy. The "Hateful Eight": Corn, canola, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower, rice bran, grapeseed—why she cautions against them. Historical context: Marketing, refinement, and how these oils entered the food supply. Mental health & cravings: Proposed links between oxidized fats, energy instability, mood, and appetite signals. Practical swaps: Unrefined olive, avocado, coconut, butter/ghee; flavor-forward nut/seed oils used unheated; reading labels and cooking at home. Diet nuance: Why some low-carb or plant-forward eaters thrive when minimizing seed oils; where refined proteins fit. Key takeaways If you experiment with reducing industrial seed oils, pair it with whole-food carbs and adequate protein to support energy stability. Favor unrefined, flavor-forward oils (e.g., extra-virgin olive oil) and avoid reheating/frying oils repeatedly. Improvements people report first: steadier energy, fewer GI symptoms, fewer cravings—but your mileage may vary. This topic is scientifically contested; treat it as a hypothesis to test safely, not a moral rule. About Dr. Cate Dr. Cate Shanahan is a board-certified Family Physician with over 20 years of clinical experience reversing disease at its root by avoiding the big three toxic ingredients. She has spent decades translating the warnings of toxicologists about the harms of vegetable oils and sharing those insights here on DrCate.com, with patients, podcast hosts, and in her NY Times bestselling books, including The FatBurn Fix, Deep Nutrition, and Food Rules.  Her passion is helping people feel their best. After getting her BS in biology from Rutgers University, she trained in biochemistry and genetics at Cornell University's graduate school before attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She practiced in Hawaii for ten years where she studied ethnobotany and her healthiest patient's culinary habits. She combined all these scientific fields to write Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. Together with Dr. Tim DiFrancesco and NBA legend Gary Vitti, she created the PRO Nutrition program for the LA Lakers and helped forge a partnership between Whole Foods Market and numerous NBA teams. Her insights on the role of seed oils in human disease have been incorporated into Paleo, primal, low-carb, and keto practices.   In May of 2018, she began as Director of Metabolic Health at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, a progressive, family-run company focused on saving money while improving health.  She's also the Medical & Scientific Advisor at CB Supplements, overseeing their premium-grade multi-collagen protein, and for Beliv, a forward-thinking Latin American beverage company. Follow Dr. Cate: Website: https://drcate.com/  Dr. Cate's books: https://drcate.com/which-drcate-book-should-i-buy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorCate/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcateshanahan   The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.  

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