All Podcasts
E167: Muller Shepherding Regenerative and Restorative Agricultural Practices
May 2022Today's podcast is part of our Regenerative Agriculture series. I'm speaking with Mark Muller, Executive Director of the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation (RAF). The RAF seeks to foster the economic policy and knowledge conditions that support land stewardship, climate solutions, racial equity, adjust economy, and thriving rural communities. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E167: Muller Shepherding Regenerative and Restorative Agricultural Practices »
E166: New Efforts to Combat Diabetes and Obesity Stigma in Clinical Settings
May 2022So there's much talk these days about weight stigma, in fact, we recorded a number of podcasts ourselves on the topic, and I believe it's very important, but this is our first podcast on another form of stigma. One that is powerful, often overlooked, and highly important to address. Our guests today are Matthew Garza and Nick Cuttriss. Matthew is Managing Editor at The diaTribe Foundation. And the dia in diaTribe derives from diabetes. The foundation's mission is to, and I'm quoting here, "to improve the lives of people with diabetes, prediabetes, "and obesity, and to advocate for action." I've served on an advisory board for diaTribe, and very much admire their work. Nick Cuttriss is a pediatric endocrinologist, and is founder of the ECHO Diabetes Action Network, and also has served on an advisory committee for the diaTribe Foundation. Matthew and Nick have been integral to a novel and welcome program on diabetes stigma that launched recently, that can be seen at the website, dstigmatize.org. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E166: New Efforts to Combat Diabetes and Obesity Stigma in Clinical Settings »
E165: North Carolina Food Youth Initiative Brings Young People into Social Transformation
May 2022Today, we're going to explore one way that young people in North Carolina are working to improve their local food system. The Food Youth Initiative is a program based in the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, which is housed at North Carolina State University. Now we'll be talking with the Program Coordinator, Bevelyn Ukah, and the Program Partner, Ree Ree Wei, of Transplanting Traditions Community Farm. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E165: North Carolina Food Youth Initiative Brings Young People into Social Transformation »
E164: Highly Successful Weight Loss Drug Semaglutide Explained
May 2022Much attention has been paid recently in both scientific circles and in the media to a drug for weight loss newly approved by the FDA. A flurry of articles in the media hailed this drug as a breakthrough. This was prompted by the publication of a landmark article in the New England Journal of Medicine addressing the impact of this medication in a large clinical trial. Today's guest is one of the authors of that paper. Another flurry of media attention occurred as the drug became available, with news that supply couldn't keep up with demand. Dr. Thomas Wadden is the Albert J. Stunkard Professor and former Director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is one of the most highly regarded experts on treatments for obesity, having done some of the most important research on very low-calorie diets, a variety of medications, bariatric surgery, intervention in primary care settings, and more. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E164: Highly Successful Weight Loss Drug Semaglutide Explained »
E163: Malik Yakini on the Inspiration of Urban Ag and Community Self Determination
April 2022Today, we're talking to Malik Yakini, the executive director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, a nonprofit that advocates for access to healthy food in the black community. Malik is a former K-8 school principal who's also developed a food security curriculum for young people. He is a nationally known champion for food sovereignty and personal food security. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E163: Malik Yakini on the Inspiration of Urban Ag and Community Self Determination »
E161: New Movie “El Susto” Tackles the Tragedy of Sugary Drinks in Mexico
March 2022Consumption rates of sugared beverages in Mexico are extraordinary and take a very real toll on the health and well-being of the people who live there. Today's guest tells that story in a film called "El Susto." In response to the health crisis precipitated by soda consumption, the Mexican government passed a soda tax in 2014. While Mexico is one of more than 50 countries with such taxes, it is a place where the story has been told in the most detail, in a combination of scientific studies, press coverage, and now the film "El Susto." This award winning film was created by documentary filmmaker, Karen Akins, who joins us today. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E161: New Movie “El Susto” Tackles the Tragedy of Sugary Drinks in Mexico »
E160: Deep Community Connection at the San Diego Food System Alliance
March 2022Today, we're speaking with leaders of the San Diego Food System Alliance about their far reaching 10 year vision for a healthier, more sustainable and more just food system in San Diego County. Our guests today are Elly Brown and Sona Desai, co-executive directors of the Alliance, who can speak about how this work is grounded in both community needs and evidence based research. It's an inspiring story of relationships, the transformational potential of food sovereignty and the belief that people can create a better food system when they work together. Welcome to the leading voices and food podcast. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E160: Deep Community Connection at the San Diego Food System Alliance »
E159: Ultra-processed Foods Have Addiction Impact on our Bodies
March 2022Much has been written and said about ultra-processed foods, first in scientific circles and now more broadly in the media. This concept is relatively new, but what is even newer in this discussion is how such foods figure into the issue of food and addiction. Our guest, Dr. Ashley Gearhardt is doing pioneering work on this. So, we eat a lot of these foods. A paper published several months ago, found that as much as 80% of all calories consumed in the US and in Canada come from such foods. Such diets are high in added sugar, in fat and saturated fat and low in fiber and key vitamins and minerals. We've recorded earlier podcasts on ultra-processed foods, most notably with Dr. Carlos Monteiro, who created the term. But now let's talk addiction. Ashley Gearhardt is Associate Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Michigan and as a leading expert on the issue of food and addiction. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E159: Ultra-processed Foods Have Addiction Impact on our Bodies »
E162: Ultra-processed Foods Need a Warning Label to Protect Consumers
March 2022In today's podcast, we're talking about ultra-processed foods. Our guest today is Trish Cotter from the global public health organization Vital Strategies. She's the author of a new commentary published in the BMJ Global Health calling for warning labels on ultra-processed foods. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E162: Ultra-processed Foods Need a Warning Label to Protect Consumers »
E158: CAFOs, Communities, and Alternatives to Industrial Agriculture
February 2022Are there models for livestock production that support both farmers and communities? Today, we're going to explore the complex nature of relationships between farmers and nearby communities and the impact of industrial agricultural practices, such as CAFOs, stands for concentrated animal feeding operations, on those relationships. Our guests today are policy advocate Sarah Carden with Farm Action and community organizer Monica Brooks from the Maryland State Commission for Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E158: CAFOs, Communities, and Alternatives to Industrial Agriculture »
E157: Adam Zipkin on Transitioning to an Agricultural System that Benefits Everyone
February 2022Today, we're going to explore industrial agriculture and what that means to farmers and ranchers, to farm workers, to corporations, and consumers. Our guest today, Adam Zipkin, serves as council to New Jersey Senator, Cory Booker. He advises Senator Booker on issues related to food policy, agriculture, and animal welfare. Booker has been deeply engaged in legislation such as the Farm System Reform Act, Black Farmers Act, and the Climate Stewardship Act. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E157: Adam Zipkin on Transitioning to an Agricultural System that Benefits Everyone »
E156: Myths About Industrial Agriculture That Affect Us All
February 2022So there's a big question out there that's being asked over and again: do massive multinational corporations have an outsized control of our food system, and what does this mean for all of us? Disruptions in food supply chains recently have highlighted the vulnerabilities of an industrialized agriculture system that according to some does not benefit farmers, farm workers or even consumers. Today, we're going to explore a new report from the organization Farm Action entitled "The Truth About Industrial Agriculture: A Fragile System Propped Up By Myths and Hidden Costs." Our guest today is Dee Laninga, senior communications manager for Farm Action. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E156: Myths About Industrial Agriculture That Affect Us All »
E155: How Industry and Farming Practices Contribute to Antibiotic Resistant Superbugs
February 2022Antibiotic resistance has long been considered one of the greatest threats to global health. More recently, we're seeing growing public awareness around the overuse of antibiotics used in the US livestock system - a system that produces much of our meat supply. Widespread antibiotic use on US farms has evolved from something that only a small group of advocates and scientists worried about to something many more people are talking about now. The term antibiotic free is showing up on products and supermarkets and the way fast food chains are advertising their products. With drug resistant pathogens or superbugs, as some people know them, now being called the slower moving pandemic, it's time to check in on both how the science and the policy are evolving in this important part of our food system. And there's no one better than our guest to help deal with this. Dr. David Wallinga is senior health officer for the Food, Agriculture and Health, Healthy People & Thriving Communities Program at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, a leading environmental organization. David is a physician, and has led the way on connecting science with policy in the area of food and environment. He is highly regarded for his work on antibiotics and the food supply. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E155: How Industry and Farming Practices Contribute to Antibiotic Resistant Superbugs »
E154: Micropantries and Community Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic
January 2022Today, we're going to speak about micropantries as a form of community resilience in the face of the food insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guests today are Reverend Wendy Miller Olapade of the United Church of Christ in Medford, Massachusetts, professor Norbert Wilson, who's Professor of Food Economics and Community at Duke University, and lead author of a recent paper on micropantries in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Sara Folta, with the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition, Science, and Policy. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E154: Micropantries and Community Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic »
E153: The Farmer’s Language of Climate Change and Land Regeneration
January 2022Today, we're talking with ecologist, Steven Apfelbaum, author of "Nature's Second Chance", a book that was named a top 10 environmental book in 2009, and was one of the top 10 books for understanding what you can do about climate change. So Steve is going to talk about his work to improve soil health, a really amazingly interesting and important topic, but also how grazing and how farming can be improved, and how to restore land using nature's own processes. He'll also speak about how such work minimizes climate impact, while also reducing flooding, increasing food quality and nutrition, and improving land health. Steven Apfelbaum is a senior ecologist and science advisor at RES, Resource Environmental Solutions, and Founder and Chairman of Applied Ecological Services. This podcast is part of our Regenerative Agriculture series. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E153: The Farmer’s Language of Climate Change and Land Regeneration »
E152: The Underrated Power of Self Talk and Self Care in Weight Loss and Wellness
January 2022Our guest today is Dr. Gary Foster, Chief Scientific Officer of WW, the company that many of us remember as Weight Watchers. Gary is one of the most respected scientists in the obesity field and is the author of a book released recently called "The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss." Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E152: The Underrated Power of Self Talk and Self Care in Weight Loss and Wellness »
E151: MAZON’s support for Indian Food Sovereignty, Puerto Rico, and Quick Response Food Advocacy
December 2021We’re speaking today with Mia Hubbard, vice president of programs at MAZON, a Jewish response to hunger, which is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all phase and backgrounds in the United States and in Israel. This is the fifth and final episode in our series partnership with MAZON. This time we will focus on the organization's work to increase access to nutritious foods in the charitable food network. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E151: MAZON’s support for Indian Food Sovereignty, Puerto Rico, and Quick Response Food Advocacy »
E150: What Food Policy Advocates Can Learn from Tobacco Industry Strategies
December 2021This is "The Leading Voices in Food" podcast but today we're speaking with a leading voice in tobacco control. "How come," you might ask, "why?" So I believe for many years that the parallels between the tobacco industry and food industry practices are nothing short of stunning, and that our field would do very well to learn lessons learned from the pioneers in the tobacco wars. Our guest today is Dr. Kenneth Warner, Distinguished Emeritus Professor and former Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Ken's research focuses on the economic and policy aspects of tobacco and health. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E150: What Food Policy Advocates Can Learn from Tobacco Industry Strategies »
E149: Weight Loss Study Drives New Insight into Role of Carbohydrates
November 2021For nearly 70 years now, Americans have been bombarded with advice on how to lose weight. Countless diet books have become bestsellers. Some diets like Atkins keep coming back in sort of a recycled way. And there really hasn't been agreement, even among nutrition scientists, about which approach is best. Lots of attention has focused in recent years on carbohydrates, but over the years, protein and fat have had plenty of attention. In this podcast, our guest, Dr. David Ludwig of Harvard University, discusses this history and the reason for re-envisioning how best to lose weight – and for people to maintain the weight loss, perhaps the most important issue of all. Ludwig recently published a landmark, exquisitely designed and controlled study that tests whether limiting carbohydrates actually makes sense. This study, published in the "American Journal "of Clinical Nutrition 2021," has been generating lots of attention. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E149: Weight Loss Study Drives New Insight into Role of Carbohydrates »
E149: “We’ve had it backwards” – New model explains weight gain and obesity
November 2021A paper just released in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition challenges, and I mean really challenges conventional thinking about nutrition, weight gain, and what has caused the very rapid and profound increase in obesity rates over the last 50 years. This is a landmark paper by any standard, and saying that it will raise eyebrows is an understatement. The paper is authored by a number of distinguished nutrition scientists. The lead author is Dr. David Ludwig from Harvard University. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E149: “We’ve had it backwards” – New model explains weight gain and obesity »
E147: Farmer-scientist Measures the Real Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture
November 2021Today's podcast is part of our Regenerative Agriculture series of podcasts. We're talking with agroecologist Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, CEO for Blue Dasher Farm in South Dakota, and also founder and director of the ECDYSIS Foundation. Dr. Lundgren connects the worlds of science and agriculture, and his working regenerative farm is also a scientific research hub. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E147: Farmer-scientist Measures the Real Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture »
E146: Organic Vs Regenerative Agriculture - What You Need to Know
October 2021So what does it mean for something to be considered organic, or to be considered regenerative or sustainably produced? Defining these concepts in agriculture production and in food labeling is complicated, but very important. So government defines and oversees certain terms, while other terms are generally overseen by producers, by industry experts, or even by non-governmental organizations. The politics and governance structures of labeling can be very important in how sustainably produced goods are made and marketed. In today's podcast, we'll speak with Dr. Samantha Mosier, political scientist on the faculty of East Carolina University, as part of our Regenerative Agriculture podcast series. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E146: Organic Vs Regenerative Agriculture - What You Need to Know »
E145: A Strategy to Improve SNAP Impact Through the Next Farm Bill
October 2021In 2023, the U.S. will reauthorize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, as part of the massive Farm Bill. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns and unprecedented innovations to SNAP benefits and delivery, what should the future program look like? As one of the country's most important social safety nets, SNAP is a proven policy for stabilizing the economy, lifting Americans out of poverty, reducing food insecurity, and improving health while also reducing healthcare costs. In anticipation of this reauthorization, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Healthy Eating Research Program published a new report entitled "Strengthening the Public Health Impacts of SNAP: Key Opportunities for the Next Farm Bill." The report identified the evidence-based changes that have the greatest potential to improve SNAP participants' nutrition and their overall health. And the stakes on this are really high because the lives of so many people are affected. Today, we'll be talking with Duke University's Megan Lott, deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Healthy Eating Research Program, and coauthor Catherine Woteki, former under secretary for the USDA's Research, Education, and Economics mission areas, who is now on the faculty of Iowa State University and at the University of Virginia, and she's also the president of the Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Foundation. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E145: A Strategy to Improve SNAP Impact Through the Next Farm Bill »
E144: New York’s Successful Model for Reducing Sugar and Salt
October 2021How much sugar and salt do you and others eat each day? What are reasonable and healthy amounts? And when does it become too much? It's a serious question, given that diet is a key driver for health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative, the NSSRI, is working to make it easier for people to make healthy choices. Today's guest is Andrea Sharkey, a project manager in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, an agency long known for its innovation in this area. Andrea coordinates the National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative and is going to explain why education, consumer behavior changes, and policies can help our community stay healthy. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E144: New York’s Successful Model for Reducing Sugar and Salt »
E143: Improved Child Tax Credit Will Lift Many Out of Poverty
September 2021As many as 13 million children in the United States live in food insecure homes, meaning that these households don't have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life. Hunger is a problem that most often affects children from low-income families. And today we're going to discuss the Child Tax Credit aimed at helping low-income families and the historic increases in the credit made through the American Rescue Plan in 2021. Our guest today is Billy Shore, the founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty, both in the United States and around the world. Share Our Strength is also the parent organization for the well-known No Kid Hungry campaign, the national policy, advocacy, outreach, and research effort to improve childhood nutrition, support school meals, and provide resources to schools, food banks, and community groups working to end hunger. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E143: Improved Child Tax Credit Will Lift Many Out of Poverty »