Food Junkies

Media by Others

The Food Junkies Podcast evolved from the book. Each week, Vera Tarman, Clarrissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab connect with scientists, Food Addiction clinicians, authors, and recovering Food Addicts to share fresh insights and tackle emerging debates.

Food Junkies Podcast: Fat cells have memory! with Dr Ferdinand von Meyenn, 2026

Why is it so hard to lose weight—and even harder to keep it off?
Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. I am your host today, talking about a most intriguing phenomenon ...that may explain why weight regain seems inevitable. Today I am talking with Fernando von Meyenn, who is coauthor of a significant paper, "Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss,” This article discusses why losing weight and keeping it off can be so challenging. Might our fat cells might "remember" past obesity?

Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Meyenn is an Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. He studied biochemistry at TU Munich, got his PhD at ETH Zurich focusing on metabolism and type 2 diabetes, and completed postdoctoral work on epigenetic mechanisms at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific articles, with his work featured in leading journals such as Nature, and Cell.

In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research showing that fat cells can retain an epigenetic “memory” of obesity, even after significant weight loss. This emerging science helps explain why weight regain is so common and why willpower alone is not the issue.

We’re joined by Ferdinand von Meyenn, Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. Prof. von Meyenn has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, with work featured in top scientific journals including Nature and Cell.

Together, we unpack what “obesogenic memory” really means, how epigenetics allows fat cells to adapt—and remember—past environments, and why long-term exposure to excess calories can biologically prime the body to regain weight faster in the future.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

What epigenetics is and how it differs from genetics
How fat cells adapt to chronic overnutrition—and why those changes can persist after weight loss
Why short-term weight changes are easier to reverse than long-term weight gain
How this research challenges the idea that weight regain is a personal failure
What current data suggests about bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, and long-term outcomes
The role of inflammation, adipose tissue signaling, and the brain in body-weight regulation
Why prevention matters—and why compassion matters even more for those already affected
What researchers hope to uncover next about rewriting epigenetic memory
This episode offers a powerful, science-based reframe: difficulty maintaining weight loss is not about weakness—it’s about biology adapting to past environments. Understanding this may open the door to more effective, humane, and sustainable approaches to metabolic health in the future.

🎧 Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or someone who has lived through the frustration of weight regain, this conversation brings clarity, validation, and a forward-looking perspective on where the science is headed.

If you found this episode helpful, consider subscribing on YouTube and sharing it with someone who could use a science-grounded reminder that their struggle is not a moral failing.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast

💌 Please email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com

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.Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: Fat cells have memory! with Dr Ferdinand von Meyenn, 2026

Why is it so hard to lose weight—and even harder to keep it off? ...

Food Junkies Podcast: Rotational Eating plan to treat food addiction, Adrienne Sprouse MD, 2025

Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you ...

Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you think you are food addicted?

Dr Sprouse is a graduate of Columbia College of Physicians ...and Surgeons medical school in New York and trained in: Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital, Toxicology at the New York City Poison Center, and Nutrition, Allergy, Detoxification, and Clinical Ecology with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She later became a Faculty Member for this Academy and for 17 years, educated physicians worldwide on diagnosing and treating environmentally- induced illnesses . She has been the Medical Director of Manhattan Health Consultants for 36 years, served as an environmental medicine expert for Fox Good Day NY, and has been featured by major media outlets like ABC, NBC, and the NY Times. She is the author of a new book “Fifty Years of Twelve Step Recovery” where she explores the concepts of addiction physiology, the challenges of food, chemical, and behavioral addictions and the struggle to maintain abstinence.

Of special interest to us at the Food Junkies Podcast is to know that before Dr. Sprouse became a physician, she was a teacher and in the throws of what she believed to be an addiction to overeating. It was later that she learned she had become addicted to certain foods. By identifying her ‘sober foods’ and avoiding her addictive (binge) foods, she was able to shed 50 unwanted pounds and has maintained both an abstinence with food and her goal weight for the past 46 years…with only a two-pound fluctuation.

As a physician, Dr. Sprouse has revised the process that freed her from her food addictions and details it in her new book. She continues to follow the “Sprouse Rotational Eating Plan” (SREP) which resolves the physical part of food addiction and has followed the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to heal from the emotional and spiritual components of the illness.
--
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman spoke with Adrienne Sprouse, MD, a Columbia-trained physician with extensive experience in emergency medicine, toxicology, and environmental medicine, as well as more than four decades of stable food recovery.

Adrienne reflected on how growing up in an alcoholic family system shaped her early coping strategies and how food became a primary source of comfort and regulation. Over time, she began to notice that certain foods didn’t simply soothe emotional distress but instead triggered a predictable cycle of cravings, symptoms, and relapse. This realization led her to distinguish between compulsive overeating as a behavioral response and food addiction as a physiological reaction to specific foods.

A central focus of the conversation was Adrienne’s Prouse Rotational Eating Plan, a structured four-day rotation approach rooted in the concept of cyclic food allergy, originally described by Dr. Herbert Rinkle. Adrienne explained the difference between fixed food allergy—where symptoms occur every time a food is eaten—and cyclic food allergy, where symptoms depend on frequency and amount. She described how repeated exposure to the same foods, common in modern eating patterns, can “stack” in the body and contribute to escalating symptoms such as bloating, edema, headaches, joint pain, and the familiar experience of temporarily “getting away with it” before relapse.

Adrienne also outlined the 24-day home food-testing process described in her book, which was designed to help individuals identify their “sober foods,” clarify which foods destabilize them, and create a rotation that supports long-term stability without relying on willpower alone.

Adrienne’s book, 50 Years of Twelve Step Recovery, was discussed as a synthesis of lived experience, physiology, and recovery practice, offering both individuals and clinicians a broader framework for understanding relapse cycles, abstinence, and whole-person healing.

In this episode:
How Adrienne differentiated compulsive overeating from food addiction physiology
What she meant by “sober foods” and why identifying them reduced chaos and cravings
Why cyclic food allergy patterns are often overlooked
How the four-day rotation was intended to reduce food “stacking” and stabilize symptoms
An overview of the 24-day food testing approach outlined in her book
How certain foods might be reintroduced medically, while acknowledging psycoogical and spiritual considerations
Why chemical exposures and non-organic foods were discussed as potential contributors to craving
Adrienne’s perspective on GLP-1 medications, including their limits in teaching coping skills
How 12-step recovery complemented biological interventions and supports long-term maintenanceShow More

Food Jundies Podcast: Circadian Rhythms and Food Addiction with Dr. Ignacio Cuaranta, 2026.

What if the biggest breakthroughs in mental health didn’t start with ...

What if the biggest breakthroughs in mental health didn’t start with more effort—but with better timing?

In this deeply grounding and wide-ranging conversation, we’re joined by Ignacio Cuaranta, a board-certified psychiatrist ...whose work sits at the intersection of psychiatry, chronobiology, metabolic health, and lifestyle medicine. Trained in Argentina and working internationally, Dr. Cuaranta brings a refreshingly non-dogmatic, biology-forward lens to mental health—one that prioritizes rhythm, regulation, and compassion over blame or biohacking extremes.

Together, we explore why sleep and light exposure may be the most powerful psychiatric interventions we have, how ultra-processed foods disrupt not just metabolism but emotional regulation, and why afternoon crashes, anxiety, impulsivity, and insomnia are often rhythm problems—not personal failures.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why morning light and nighttime darkness are foundational for mood, impulse control, and nervous system regulation
How ultra-processed foods hijack reward pathways, especially when the brain is already fatigued
The overlooked role of chronobiology in psychiatry—and why timing matters as much as content
Afternoon crashes, cortisol dysregulation, and the myth of “low motivation”
Time-restricted eating as a clinical tool, not a rigid rule
Why consistency often matters more than perfection—especially for sensitive nervous systems
Sleep as a keystone habit that makes every other change more accessible
Practical, harm-reduction strategies for winter, shift work, and modern screen-heavy life
Sauna, temperature, and seasonal rhythms—what actually helps and when
Why reducing physiological “noise” can ease cravings, emotional volatility, and mental fatigue
This episode is especially supportive for anyone:

Early in recovery from ultra-processed food use
Living with anxiety, insomnia, or mood instability
Feeling exhausted by self-optimization culture
Curious about nutritional psychiatry, metabolic mental health, and nervous system regulation
Wanting evidence-informed strategies that honor individuality, sensitivity, and real life
Dr. Cuaranta reminds us that regulation is not weakness, sensitivity is not pathology, and recovery doesn’t require hacking yourself into submission. Often, the most meaningful change begins by restoring order to the basics: sleep, light, food quality, and rhythm.

If you’ve ever felt like your nervous system is doing its best in an environment that’s working against it—this conversation is for you.

💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com

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.Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: Clinician's Corner, with Crissy and Molly, on 'Beyond Volume Addiction", 2026

In this reflective, clinically rich conversation, Molly and Clarissa ...

In this reflective, clinically rich conversation, Molly and Clarissa begin by looking back on the words that shaped their last year—and naming the ones guiding them forward. From emanate and ...flourishing to safety and permission, they explore how intention-setting collides with real life, nervous systems, social context, and recovery work.

From there, the episode moves into a nuanced and often uncomfortable topic: “volume addiction.” Is overeating whole foods after removing ultra-processed foods simply binge eating disorder in disguise? Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. And sometimes it’s something entirely different.

Drawing from decades of combined experience in addiction treatment, mental health, trauma, and eating disorders, Molly and Clarissa unpack:

Why labeling overeating as a new “addiction” can do more harm than good

How binge eating disorder is diagnosed (and why food type alone doesn’t define it)

The roles of nervous system dysregulation, trauma, habit learning, dopamine loops, hormones, and survival biology

Why early recovery often includes a messy stabilization period—and why that’s not pathology

The tension between rigid food rules and true safety

Why embodiment, somatic work, mindfulness, and self-compassion are foundational—not optional

They also challenge both food addiction and eating disorder paradigms when they become overly rigid, externalized, or disconnected from lived experience. Instead, they make a compelling case for internal resources over external control, and for recovery approaches that allow experimentation, nervous system safety, and individual variation.

This episode is an invitation to think more broadly, more compassionately, and more critically—about labels, treatment, and what long-term recovery actually requires.

Key themes include:
Safety as a prerequisite for flourishing
Permission to disappoint, experiment, and be fully yourself
Why healing is inherently non-linear and embodied
Moving beyond shame, restriction, and one-size-fits-all answers
If you’ve ever wondered whether something is “wrong” with you for still struggling after removing ultra-processed foods—or felt boxed in by labels that no longer fit—this conversation offers both validation and a way forward.

📩 Have thoughts or questions? Reach us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com

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.Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: Trauma, Food Addiction and the Poly Vagal Model (FSPM) with Jan Winhall, 2025

Jan Winhall is a psychotherapist, author, educator, and the developer ...

Jan Winhall is a psychotherapist, author, educator, and the developer of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model (FSPM), a groundbreaking framework that integrates trauma therapy, polyvagal theory, and embodied focusing to ...understand and treat addiction and trauma. Over more than four decades of clinical work, Jan has specialized in supporting survivors of sexual violence, complex trauma, and addiction with a deeply de-pathologizing, feminist, and body-based lens.

She is the founder of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model Institute, teaches internationally, and collaborates closely with leaders in the polyvagal community to bring more compassionate, somatically grounded approaches into trauma and addiction treatment.

In this powerful and deeply validating conversation, Clarissa and Molly sit down with trauma and addiction therapist Jan Winhall, creator of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model (FSPM).
Jan weaves together feminist therapy, trauma theory, polyvagal theory, and embodied practice to completely reframe how we understand addictive behaviors like binging, purging, and compulsive eating: not as “problems” or “defects,” but as adaptive state-regulation strategies that the body uses to survive overwhelming experiences.

Jan shares how early work with incest survivors revealed the harms of pathologizing, top-down psychiatric approaches—and how safety, dignity, and deep listening became the foundation for her model. Together, we explore how nervous-system states, shame, trauma, ADHD, and body image intersect with ultra-processed food addiction, and how recovery becomes possible when we work with the body instead of against it.

This episode is for clinicians, helpers, and anyone living with food addiction who has ever wondered: “What if nothing about me is broken—and my body has been trying to keep me alive all along?”

In This Episode, We Explore:
• Jan’s Origins in Trauma Workhelped de-pathologize survivors
• From “What’s Wrong With You?” to “What Happened to You?”
• The Felt Sense & Polyvagal Theory – Explained Accessibly
• Addiction as a Trauma Feedback Loop
• Working with Trauma Without “Fishing” for It
• Shame, Addiction, and Liberation
• Food & Sex Addiction, Early Trauma, and Access
• ADHD, Neurodivergence & Addiction
• Body Image, Misogyny & Reclaiming the Body
• Receiving Love & Positive Feedback as a Trigger
• Self-Disclosure, Accessibility & Doing Our Own Work
• Changing the Addiction Treatment Paradigm

Follow Jan and the FSPM Institute: https://www.fspminstitute.com

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.Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: Clinician's Corner on the Hella-Days (Holidays) and Food Addiction, 2025

In this Clinician’s Corner episode, Clarissa and Molly dive into what ...

In this Clinician’s Corner episode, Clarissa and Molly dive into what they lovingly (and accurately) call the “Hella-Days”—that stretch from early fall through New Year’s where routines disappear, food is ...everywhere, emotions are high, and nervous systems are fried.
Together, they unpack why this season is so activating for people with food addiction and nervous system sensitivity, and how to navigate it with values, boundaries, and a whole lot of self-compassion—whether you’re surrounded by family or spending the holidays on your own.

In This Episode Clarissa & Molly explore:
Why the holidays can feel like the “Holiday Hunger Games” and “12 Days of Dysregulation”
How the nervous system responds to the build-up from September to New Year’s
Using values as your North Star for holiday decisions
Boundary tools and scripts for parties, family gatherings, and food pushers
Why holiday food environments are an “engineered stressor” (hello, peppermint-everything marketing)

Strategies for:
Going to events without abandoning your recovery
Deciding when not to go
Coping with loneliness, isolation, and dark evenings
Harm reduction during high-exposure events (“good, better, best” thinking)
How to re-imagine your holiday story over time instead of chasing perfection
Ideas for folks who love the holidays (Clarissmas) and folks who… don’t (Molly 😂)

They also share:
Personal stories of childhood Christmas expectations, sibling dynamics, and parental pressure
How early family patterns still shape how we show up at the holidays
Reframing relapse and “taking the bait” with relatives like Aunt Linda (sorry, Linda)

Key Takeaways
You can use/adapt these directly in show notes as bullet points.
Start with your North Star, not the menu.
Before the doorbells, casseroles, and Aunt Linda’s commentary, ask:
What matters most to me about this season?
How do I want to feel when the day is over?
What will support my recovery and nervous system?
Let those answers drive your choices more than other people’s expectations, panic, or cookies.

Boundaries are about self-respect, not punishment.
Boundaries define what’s okay and not okay for you. They’re about taking responsibility for your experience—not policing others. As Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind.” You don’t have to over-explain or apologize.
Use positive, non-defensive boundary scripts. “I don’t eat sugar” often triggers defensiveness and comparison. Instead, frame your choice around how good you feel: “That looks amazing, but I’ve been eating in a way that’s really helping my energy and sleep, and I’m so grateful I found what works for me. Thanks for understanding.” Or keep it simple: “No, thank you.” (A complete sentence.) “I’m focusing on foods that help me feel my best.”

Rehearsal reduces panic.
Visualize the event ahead of time:
Imagine someone offering food or a drink.
Practice your boundary script.
Role-play in group or with a clinician.
Like athletes using mental rehearsal, you’re teaching your nervous system that this “scary” behavior is survivable and doable.

Don’t arrive hungry to the Holiday Hunger Games.
Skipping meals “to save up” for a party sets you up to be biologically and emotionally vulnerable.
Eat a satiating meal (protein, healthy fats, veggies) before events.
Then you can pause and ask, Am I actually hungry, or is this emotional/relational?

Use “Good, Better, Best” instead of all-or-nothing.
When your nervous system is hijacked and the perfect choice isn’t accessible:
Best: Aligned, recovery-supportive choice.
Better: Less harmful option if “best” isn’t realistic.
Good enough: Reduces harm in a very stressful moment.
This is harm reduction, not failure.

Plan your support system: exit strategies, grounding, and non-food rewards.
Exit plan: Decide in advance how long you’ll stay and how you’ll leave if overwhelmed (drive separately, ask partner to bring you back to the hotel, etc.).
Grounding: Find a quiet corner, identify 5 things you can see, and locate something visually “neutral” or pleasant you can keep returning your gaze to.
Non-food rewards: Think saunas, walks, reading, play with kids/nieces, skiing, time offline—let celebration include regulation, not just consumption.

You don’t actually owe the holidays anything.
There is nothing magical about one date on the calendar that couldn’t be created on another day. You can:
See important people in smaller, less intense doses throughout the year.
Say “no” to events that are more away-moves than towards-moves for your recovery.
Ask:
What does this event mean to me?
How might it impact my recovery?
Do I have the emotional energy for this?

Resources Mentioned
Sweet Sobriety Free Holiday Guide (PDF)
~22 pages of:
Reflection questions to use your values as a North Star
Boundary scripts and language examples
Planning prompts for events, food, and nervous system care
📩 Email: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.comShow More

Food Junkies Podcast: Food addiction, Oncology and Metabolic Healing with Dr. Nasha Winters, 2025

In this episode, the Food Junkies team talks to integrative oncologist ...

In this episode, the Food Junkies team talks to integrative oncologist and metabolic health pioneer Dr. Nasha Winters to explore the powerful intersection of cancer, ultra-processed foods, metabolism, and sovereignty.

Nasha ...shares her astonishing personal story: years of dismissed symptoms, normalized suffering, and relentless gaslighting that culminated in a diagnosis of end-stage ovarian cancer at age 19—and being sent home to die. Thirty-four years later, she’s very much alive and leading a global movement to rethink cancer as a metabolic, terrain-driven disease rather than a purely genetic accident.

We talk about how ultra-processed foods don’t just starve our mitochondria—they starve our sovereignty, hijack our decision-making, and fracture our relationship with our own bodies.
In this episode, we explore:
Nasha’s “pain to purpose” story
Chronic health issues from infancy through adolescence: PCOS, endometriosis, autoimmune issues, RA, IBS, thyroid dysfunction, and more—constantly normalized and medicated.
Being diagnosed with end-stage ovarian cancer at 19, with full bowel obstruction, organ failure, metastasis, and “3 months to live.”
How being sent home to die became the catalyst for asking “Why?” and beginning her life’s work.
A metabolic and psychological reset
Why a prolonged period of fasting (due to bowel obstruction) functioned as an unplanned metabolic intervention.
How an accidental very high-dose psilocybin experience in 1991 fundamentally changed her perspective, reduced her fear of death, and gave her a will to live.
The insight that cancer is not just genetic—but deeply tied to environment, metabolism, trauma, and disconnection from nature.
Cancer as an ecosystem, not a battlefield
How we are in constant relationship with our internal and external environments—our bodies, food systems, and the land all reflecting each other.
Why ultra-processed foods are “as genetically mismatched as it gets” for humans.
How UPFs impact all the hallmarks of cancer—driving inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and brain hijacking.
The role of emulsifiers, preservatives, seed oils, and other additives in damaging the gut, microbiome, and immune surveillance.
Why “a little” ultra-processed food isn’t neutral for people with a vulnerable system—and why in her oncology population, UPF often has to be all-or-nothing.
Metabolic sovereignty vs. perfectionism
Nasha’s powerful idea that UPFs don’t just starve our mitochondria—they starve our sovereignty.
What it means to choose health as alignment, not achievement.
How social pressure, cultural norms, and “moderation” language rob people of agency.
Practical examples of reclaiming sovereignty: bringing your own wine, your own safe foods, and modeling a different way without preaching.
Working with food addiction and emotional eating (without shame)
How she meets people gently where they are, especially those whose only “comfort” has been food.
Her boundary as a clinician: “I’m not willing to work harder than you.” How that shifted outcomes and reduced codependency.
How she used farmers’ markets and health-food store “field trips” as non-shaming education: reading labels together, swapping recipes, and making it fun.
Seasonal group cleanses and experiments that removed UPFs without moralizing and re-connected people to real food.
Justice, food deserts, and real solutions
Stories from working in Indigenous and low-resource communities and helping reintroduce native seeds and traditional foodways.
The Food-as-Medicine movement: projects like FreshRx, where CSA boxes for people with type 2 diabetes significantly lowered A1C and healthcare costs.
Regenerative agriculture movements, farmer-led organizations, and bringing environmental, metabolic, mental health, and food systems together under one roof.
Her dream project: a 1,200-acre regenerative farm, intentional community, and metabolic oncology hospital in Arizona.
One small step you can take this week
Start with non-judgmental awareness: a simple food and feeling diary.

Her “triage” before reaching for UPFs:
Big glass of water
A bit of protein
A bit of fat
Then the UPF if you still truly want it—no self-punishment.
How small wins (“I didn’t eat the thing”) build fierceness and confidence over time.

Connect with Dr. Nasha Winters
Website, offerings, and clinician training: DrNasha.com
Podcast: Metabolic Matters
Social: Dr. Nasha / Nasha Winters across platforms
Facebook
Instagram
Book: Metabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, The Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies

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.Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: A New tool for Diagnosing Food Addiction with Dr ERica LaFata, 2025.

On this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Erica ...

On this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Erica LaFata to dive into her groundbreaking work developing the Food Addiction Severity Interview (FASI) — a clinician-administered ...diagnostic tool modeled after the SCID alcohol use disorder module and adapted for ultra-processed foods. Building on self-report tools like the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and mYFAS, Erica explains why the field urgently needs a structured clinical interview to validate ultra-processed food addiction as a distinct psychiatric presentation and move toward formal recognition in the DSM.

Together, we explore the nuance at the intersection of eating disorders and ultra-processed food addiction: where they overlap, where they diverge, and how mislabeling can harm people on both sides. Erica unpacks key addiction mechanisms like withdrawal and tolerance, the risks of false positives and false negatives in screening, and what clinicians should be listening for when trying to tell restrictive eating, binge eating, and addictive patterns apart – especially in youth, men, and other under-researched groups.

The conversation also gets practical and hopeful: we talk about the competencies therapists, dietitians, coaches, and other practitioners need before working with ultra-processed food addiction; the tension between abstinence and harm reduction; the “volume addiction” question; and how orthorexia and the “health halo” of protein bars and high-protein UPFs can quietly hijack recovery. Erica closes by sharing how FASI data could inform future public policy and regulation of ultra-processed foods without fueling weight stigma – and gives an exciting update on the DSM submission process for ultra-processed food addiction as a condition for further study.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why self-report tools (YFAS, mYFAS) were a crucial first step—and why a clinician-administered interview like FASI is the necessary next one

How FASI was modeled after the SCID alcohol use disorder module and adapted for ultra-processed foods

The core addiction mechanisms (loss of control, withdrawal, tolerance, consequences) and how they show up with ultra-processed foods

Key differences between traditional eating disorder frameworks (“all foods fit,” no good/bad foods) and an addiction lens focused on specific ultra-processed foods

What many food addiction coaches and practitioners may be missing without formal substance use or eating disorder training

False positives vs false negatives in food addiction screens—and why missed cases (false negatives) are especially concerning

How FASI uses follow-up questions to differentiate restriction, binge eating, and true addictive patterns

What we know (and still don’t know) about ultra-processed food addiction across sex, age, BMI, and developmental stages

Early exposure in childhood and adolescence as a potential public health crisis for lifelong addictive responses to ultra-processed foods

The high overlap between binge-type eating disorders (BED, bulimia nervosa) and food addiction—and what to prioritize in treatment

“Volume addiction”: whether what we call “addicted to volume” may actually be binge eating disorder in disguise

Orthorexia, “clean eating,” and the health halo of protein bars, high-protein snacks, and dressed-up “safe” foods

The tension between abstinence-based and harm reduction approaches for ultra-processed foods, and why different strategies may work for different people

How clinician bias (diet culture, anti-addiction frameworks, or rigid abstinence views) can affect assessment—and how FASI creates room for nuance

How FASI and future data could support DSM recognition, inform policy, SNAP and marketing regulations, and reduce shame by naming ultra-processed food addiction as real and treatable

A hopeful update on the DSM application for ultra-processed food addiction as a condition for further studyShow More

Food Junkies Podcast: Challenging the Naysayers of Food Addiction, with Dr. Nicole Avena, 2025

Challenging the Naysayers: On what grounds is food addiction STILL ...

Challenging the Naysayers: On what grounds is food addiction STILL being challenged by the scientific community? Why are we still debating this?

Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. My name ...is Dr Vera Tarman and I am your cohost today, along with Clarissa Kennedy. Today we have brought back Dr Nicole Avena, one of the first scientists to scientifically validate food addiction. Today's discussion will center on the arguments used by the clinicians and scientists who dispute the concept of food addiction. Why are they missing the point we're making?

Thank you so much for coming back, specifically to give your take on a couple of notable examples that we are focusing on. You can find this response in Nicole’s most recent publication in Cell Biology called ‘Missed Signals’.
n 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

🔍 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 Medcations & 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.

🧬 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?”Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: What the mouth can tell you about food addiction, with Dr Paul O'Malley, 2025

Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. My name is Dr Vera Tarman and I ...

Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. My name is Dr Vera Tarman and I am your host today speaking with dentist Dr Paul O’Malley.

Dr. Paul O'Malley, is a holistic ...and biomimetic dentist with over 30 years of clinical experience practicing in Encino, California. After graduating from Creighton University School of Dentistry, Dr. O'Malley pursued advanced training in cosmetic, minimally invasive, and biological dentistry. Throughout his career, he observed that the vast majority of his patients suffered from gum disease and tooth decay—what he called the "silent epidemic" of oral disease. This inspired him to focus on the metabolic and nutritional factors underlying oral health, rather than the 'drill fill and bill 'approach of typical dentists. Dr. O'Malley also founded Great Oral Health, a line of research-backed oral care products.

I discovered him when he was a guest on the podcast "Dentistry Uncensored with Howard Farran," where he discusses the connections between sugar and carbohydrate consumption and dental disease. He proposed to save our natural teeth through biomimetic restorations and to empower patients to understand how metabolic health, particularly low-carb eating, can improve our oral health -before the need for cavity repair and other dental work.
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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.

You can find him at:
https://www.greatoralhealth.com/
https://www.drpaulomalley.com/https://www.greatoralhealth.com/
https://www.drpaulomalley.com/Show More

Food Junkies Podcast: Clinician's Corner - From Rules to Guardrails to Recovery, 2025

Molly and Clarissa get real about the spoken and unspoken “rules” we ...

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.Show More

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Food Junkies

The Food Junkies Podcast evolved from the book. Each week, Vera Tarman, Clarrissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab connect with scientists, Food Addiction clinicians, authors, and recovering Food Addicts to share fresh insights and tackle emerging debates.

Food Junkies Podcast: Fat cells have memory! with Dr Ferdinand von Meyenn, 2026

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