Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that as consumers, we are all stakeholders in our food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Mark Winne, MS, food policy expert, organizer and writer. The two will pick up their conversation from the week prior for a deeper dive into food justice and the importance of using our imagination to create a more just society, as told through stories from his latest book, The Road to a Hunger-Free America: Selected Writings of Mark Winne. (Part 2 of 2)Related Websites: www.markwinne.com

Mark Winne, a dedicated food justice advocate and author with over 50 years of experience, shares his insights on transforming our food system. He recounts his beginnings in anti-famine activism and local projects in Maine. Winne emphasizes the importance of building community trust and empowering marginalized voices. He discusses the connection between grassroots efforts and policy changes, offers stories from various communities, and critiques the reliance on food banks, advocating for comprehensive solutions.

Hillary Wright, a seasoned Registered Dietitian and co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan, shares her expertise on managing menopause through nutrition. She discusses how declining estrogen affects metabolism, emphasizing the importance of preparing in your early forties. Hillary debunks myths about carbohydrates, promotes protein for muscle preservation, and highlights the role of circadian rhythms in meal timing. She also addresses the impact of gut health on overall well-being and offers practical resources, urging a compassionate approach to midlife nutrition.

Did you know that food is more than medicine? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Kamyar Enshayan, PhD, former Director of The Center for Energy & Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa. Enshayan describes food system failures and solutions, and encourages us to treasure the farmers and those who produce our food in ways that protect public health and our environment. He advocates for reclaiming regional agriculture and food systems. Read a sample of his opinion editorials here: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2025/10/04/iowa-cancer-carcinogens-take-action/86463061007/ ; https://www.thegazette.com/guest-columnists/immigrants-make-life-richer/Related Websites:  https://ceee.uni.edu/

Did you know that it’s impossible to separate children’s health from their environment? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Debra Hendrickson, MD, author of The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Frontlines of Climate Change. Hendrickson explains the unique physical and mental health challenges faced by children due to climate change, and offers collective, corrective actions and hope.Related Websites:  https://debrahendrickson.com/

Did you know that there is hope for patients diagnosed with ALS? Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the debilitating neurodegenerative disease commonly known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is influenced by genetics and environmental factors, including living near bodies of water frequently impacted by harmful algal blooms. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Coco Newton, RD, MPH, CNS, a registered dietitian and holistic practitioner with expertise in functional medical nutritional therapy for improving the diet quality and quality of life for those diagnosed with ALS. Newton has been involved with Healing ALS: www.healingALS.org. She references the ALS Clinic at Duke University: https://alsclinic.duke.edu/our-research/ and the international conference on ALS and Motor Neurone Disease will be held Dec 5-7 in San Diego, CA: https://symposium.mndassociation.org/programme/. To learn more about algal blooms and neurodegenerative disease, see: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1087706 Related Websites: https://www.coconewton.com/

Did you know that Emily Dickinson wrote 4 tributes to the dandelion? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with John Cardina, PhD, Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Science at the Ohio State University, former USDA research agronomist and author of Lives of Weeds: Opportunism, Resistance, Folly. Cardina discusses man’s largely futile fight against “weeds” on farms, lawns and gardens, the value of biodiversity and small holder farms, and why we should rethink our attempts to eradicate “invasives.” Related Websites: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501758980/lives-of-weeds/

Did you know that the “Green Revolution” is a cultural narrative that is rarely questioned? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Glenn Davis Stone, PhD, anthropologist, environmental scientist, and author of The Agricultural Dilemma: How Not to Feed the World. Stone discusses the legend and unintended consequences of the Green Revolution and explains that the Green Revolution didn’t speed up food production, but it did fuel the growth of fertilizers and pesticides. Stone advocates for the benefits of non-industrial, small-holder agriculture and helps us rethink the rhetoric and propaganda behind industrialized agriculture. https://www.sup.org/books/anthropology/smallholders-householdersRelated Websites: https://www.wlu.edu/profile/stone-glenn

Daniel Costa, an attorney and Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute, sheds light on the vital role of immigrant labor in our food system. He shares how immigrants contribute significantly to U.S. workforce growth and the agriculture sector. Costa discusses the exploitative conditions faced by these workers, the lack of penalties for employers hiring undocumented labor, and the need for comprehensive immigration reform. He emphasizes debunking myths about immigrant workers and advocates for stronger protections and pathways to citizenship.

Did you know that soil health is integral to life on earth? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Leo Horrigan, MS, Food System Correspondent for the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, and author of What if Soil Microbes Mattered? Our Health Depends on Them. Horrigan explains how and why successful farming starts below ground. He describes the symbiotic relationship between soil microbes and plants to support human and planetary health. He also explains how common practices used in conventional/chemical agriculture (synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and tillage) harm soil microbes.  On a positive note, regenerative/organic agriculture offers great potential for a brighter farming future.Related Websites:  https://clf.jhsph.edu/sites/default/files/2025-08/what-if-soil-microbes-mattered-1.pdf/