Episodes

Foods to support focus, memory, and long-term brain health In this Summer School replay, I talk with Dr. Jenna Stedman, a cognitive performance dietitian, about the connection between nutrition and cognitive health across the lifespan. You’ll learn: Which nutrients matter most for cognitive healthWhether blending fruit changes its nutrition or blood sugar impactHow to build a simple Brain Power PlateSpecific foods that promote brain healthResources Mentioned: Episode 150: How to r...

Nutrition To Support Post-Operative Healing In this Summer School replay, Colleen talks with Erin Scherer, a surgical PA and registered dietitian, about the role nutrition plays in tissue repair, infection prevention, and recovery. They discuss which patients may need additional nutrition support, the key nutrients clinicians should prioritize, and simple opportunities to bring nutrition into the conversation. Grab the FREE Post-Surgical Nutrition Guide Here You’ll learn: Why protein needs in...

Food Triggers, Hydration, and Supplements Welcome to Summer School! In this Summer School replay, Colleen talks with Kelly, a registered dietitian specializing in migraine nutrition, about the complicated relationship between food and migraines. They discuss why there is no universal list of “migraine trigger foods,” how hydration and caffeine may influence symptoms, and why overly restrictive elimination diets can create more confusion than relief. You’ll learn: How to help patients identify...

You Are Not Your Struggle So many women are trying to eat better, lose weight, meal plan, feed their families, manage busy schedules, and somehow not feel guilty about every food choice along the way. In this episode, I’m joined by Kelsey Wickenhauser, PA, homeschooling mom of four, Christian health coach, and founder of Kingdom Fit Moms, for a conversation about what it really looks like to pursue health in the middle of real life. Key Takeaways: Why shame keeps so many women stuck in ...

CKD Food Rules That Need an Update Kidney nutrition has a reputation for being restrictive, confusing, and honestly… a little intimidating. But for many patients with chronic kidney disease, the biggest problem isn’t that they’re eating a banana or adding tomatoes to dinner. It’s that they’ve been handed outdated food rules that leave them scared to eat. In this episode, I’m joined by renal dietitian Lauren Budd Levy, MS, RDN, CSR, to talk about what clinicians need to know about kidney nutrit...

Give Nutrition Advice Without Making Patients Feel Punished Have you ever asked, “Do you have any other questions?” at the end of a visit and immediately regretted it? Same. Because of course they have more questions. Important questions. Questions that probably should have been asked 15 minutes ago, except now you’re already behind, the next patient is waiting, and you’re trying to be compassionate without completely derailing the visit. In this episode, I’m talking with Maya Feller, MS, RD...

What Really Happens Inside an Obesity Clinic GLP-1 medications are everywhere right now. Patients are asking about Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, compounded medications, muscle loss, “Ozempic face,” insurance denials, and what happens when the weight loss slows down. But what does obesity medicine actually look like inside the clinic? In this episode, I’m joined by Joseph Zucchi, PA-C, clinical supervisor and physician associate at Transition Medical Weight Loss in Salem, New Hampshire. This is n...

Nutrition Advice Needs More Nuance. Your patients are hearing a lot online: fix your gut, avoid processed foods, buy organic, take a probiotic, and eat the “right” foods if you want to be healthy. But nutrition is rarely that simple. In this episode, I’m joined by Registered Dietitian Manju Karkare to talk about how clinicians can respond to common nutrition questions with more nuance, less fear, and advice that actually fits the patient’s life. We cover gut health, probiotics, processed food...

Injured Athletes Still Need Fuel. When an athlete gets injured, the instinct is often to eat less. But according to sports dietitian Emily Barnhart, recovery still requires fuel. In this episode, we talk about how nutrition needs change after injury, surgery, ACL repair, stress fractures, and periods of immobilization. Emily explains why under-fueling can delay healing, how to think about protein during rehab, and what clinicians should know before recommending supplements for injury recovery...

“I’m doing everything right, but nothing’s working.” I bet you've heard that before! In this episode, I’m joined by registered dietitian Devin Breedon to talk about the hidden barriers that impact weight loss, blood sugar, and overall health. We also pull back the curtain on what registered dietitians actually do during a patient session, why behavior change matters more than meal plans, and how medical providers can make stronger, more effective referrals to dietitians. What You’...

3 Mistakes We Make When Talking About Nutrition I spoke at 2 different conferences, 4 lectures in total, this weekend and all of them had a similar thread: HOW we communicate our recommendations matter. Enjoy this quickie episode summarizing one of my presentations at the American Association of Physician Associates in New Orleans. Shoot me a DM @examroomnutrition and vote: T/F: When you Know Better, You Do Better. What do you think?? Any Questions? Send Me a Message Support the show Co...

Weight loss doesn’t fail overnight. It usually happens slowly… through all-or-nothing thinking, unrealistic expectations, and patients feeling like they have to “start over” every Monday. In this episode, I’m joined by registered dietitian Sam Barone for a conversation about sustainable weight loss, behavior change, and why the best “diet” might not be a diet at all. We unpack the real reason patients struggle to maintain weight loss, how to shift away from perfectionism, and why focusing onl...

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...

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 performan...

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 matter...

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 w...

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....

"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...

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 compari...

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 patien...

Did the Dietary Guidelines ignore culture? In this special roundtable episode, I’m joined by four registered dietitians from Indian, Mexican, Filipino, and Nicaraguan backgrounds to unpack a major concern in the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans: the absence of explicit cultural inclusivity. Because food isn’t just carbs and protein. It’s identity, tradition, and community. And when guidelines ignore that, it impacts how we counsel patients in the exam room. In this episode, we discuss:...

Mental Health Nutrition Starts Here. When a patient opens up about their mood, we think therapy. We think medication. But do we ever pause and ask… are they eating enough to support their brain? In this episode, I’m joined by registered dietitian Jennifer Hanes, who specializes in nutrition and mental health. We unpack how food impacts mood, why under-eating can worsen anxiety and depression, and how clinicians can confidently talk about nutrition without oversimplifying it. You’ll learn: Wh...

Discuss Pediatric Weight Gain Without Triggering Shame What would you say if a parent asked, “Can you tell my son he needs to lose weight?” That question sits at the center of one of the hardest conversations in pediatrics. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Beck, clinical psychologist and expert in teen mental health and weight stigma, to unpack how we address pediatric obesity without causing unintended harm. Because this isn’t just about weight. It’s about protecting kids in a culture ...

Randomized controlled trials. Cohort studies. Abstracts. Methods sections. If your brain starts spinning just hearing those words, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Carlene Starck, a protein biochemist and nutrition scientist, to help clinicians who aren’t researchers learn how to spot high-quality research in a world full of misinformation. Together, we walk through how a researcher evaluates a paper, what matters, what doesn’t, and why social media influencers often get t...