Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that child-targeted marketing and excessive screen time undermines kids’ health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Josh Golin, Executive Director of the non-profit, Fairplay: Childhood Beyond Brands (formerly the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood). Golin describes the mission and recent activities and concerns of Fairplay, and strategies to help children thrive despite our increasingly commercialized, screen-obsessed culture. He discusses the impact of social media, branded food and toys and AI on children’s health. Related website:  www.fairplayforkids.org 

Did you know that human, animal, plant, environment and ecosystem health are all connected? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Laura Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP, co-founder of the global One Health Initiative.Kahn is a physician and research scholar with experience in medicine, public health, and public policy. She fosters systems thinking, taking into account connections between agricultural practices, pandemics and climate change and impacts on civilization. She teaches a free course on One Health titled  “Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy."  https://www.coursera.org/learn/onehealth?action=enroll Related website:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771421000793?via%3Dihub 

Did you know that the stories behind our favorite distilled spirits are largely hidden, and rarely presented on bar menus? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Shanna Farrell, expert in “cocktail culture,” and author of A Good Drink, In Pursuit of Sustainable Spirits. Farrell delves into labeling, ingredients, production, and why and how eco-conscious consumers should include attention to both their food and drink. Her website also includes much needed resources for the service industry during COVID-19. Related website:  https://shanna-farrell.com/a-good-drink-in-pursuit-of-sustainable-spirits

Did you know that the benefits of probiotics are strain specific? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her part 2 interview with Anthony Thomas, Ph.D., nutrition researcher, scientific consultant in the dietary supplement industry, and director of Scientific Affairs at Natreon Inc., a nutraceutical ingredient innovator. Thomas was formerly the Director of Scientific Affairs at Jarrow Formulas, Inc. Thomas continues his explanation of the development of the microbiome during infancy, and its importance throughout the lifecycle. He also explains how to choose effective probiotics in a confusing marketplace.  Related website:  http://usprobioticguide.com/?utm_source=intro_pg&utm_medium=civ&utm_campaign=USA_CHART 

Did you know that the microbes in and on our body significantly contribute to our health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Anthony Thomas, Ph.D., nutrition researcher, scientific consultant in the dietary supplement industry, and director of Scientific Affairs at Natreon Inc., a nutraceutical ingredient innovator. He was formerly the Director of Scientific Affairs at Jarrow Formulas, Inc. Thomas discusses the influence of diet and antibiotics on gut health, the development of the gut microbiome in infancy, and choosing probiotics.  Related website:   https://isappscience.org/ 

Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 98 percent of Americans have trace amounts of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in their bodies? And that PFAS reduce vaccine effectiveness? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sydney Evans, MPH Science Analyst, Environmental Working Group. Evans discusses PFAS, a toxic “forever chemical” and tap water contaminant that has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression (reduced vaccine effectiveness), low birth weight, decreased fertility and more. Tune in and learn more about tap water quality and how to protect your health. As Evans explains, there’s a big difference between what is “legal” and what is “safe.” There are hundreds of contaminants in water but only some are regulated. And bottled water is not necessarily safer. Where to find PFAS chemicals? Teflon, non-stick, food packaging, Scotchguard, fire-fighting foams and more. For a PFAS timeline see: PFAS timeline of 3M and  DuPont deception: https://www.ewg.org/pfastimeline/ Related website:   https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/pfas_contamination/

Did you know that black currants were once illegal to grow in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Greg Quinn, owner of Walnut Grove Farm in Clinton, NY where he grows and produces a variety of black currant products. Once a “forbidden fruit,” Quinn describes the steps he took to make it legal to produce currants in NY State, and explains why their production was forbidden and still restricted in some states. The small dark berries are loaded with health protecting anthocyanins and they are one of the most popular fruits in Europe. If you live in the right garden climate zone, black currants could be a nutritious addition to your landscape..  Related website:   www.currantC.com 

Did you know that global palm oil production is decimating rainforests, polluting water and harming farmworker health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jocelyn C. Zuckerman, former deputy editor of Gourmet magazine, and James Beard award winning feature writer, who discusses her book, Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up In Everything – and Endangered the World. (The New Press) Palm oil has become ubiquitous in highly processed diets, with hidden abuses to land, indigenous populations, and wildlife, while further fueling climate disasters. After hearing Zuckerman’s story, and diving into her well-researched book, you'll start reading food labels with determination to avoid this earth-crippling ingredient..  Related website:   http://jocelynczuckerman.com/

Did you know that food and food production are central to our discussion about climate change? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Tom Philpott, food and agriculture correspondent for Mother Jones, and author of Perilous Bounty: The Looming Collapse of American Farming and How We Can Prevent It. Philpott focuses on two key areas of U.S. food production: California and the Midwest, and these regions’ water scarcity and soil degradation, respectively. He explains how industrial agriculture creates social injustices and environmental wreckage, and how agricultural reform is critical to climate resilience. Related website:   https://www.motherjones.com/author/tom-philpott/ 

Did you know that young people worldwide are working to mitigate climate change, clean up their environment and create a more sustainable, livable world for future generations? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Marianne Larned, Founding Director of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute and author of Stone Soup for a Sustainable World: Life Changing Stories of Young Heroes. Larned shares stories of stand-out youth leaders and describes the Institute’s work, which inspires people from all walks of life to work together to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. The Institute also features a virtual toolkit for educators and lesson plans. http://stonesoupleadership.org/virtual-education-toolkit-intro/ Related website:   https://soup4worldinstitute.com/ www.stonesoupleadership.org