Rethinking Wellness

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comJournalist and professor Mallary Tenore Tarpley joins us to discuss her new book Slip and the realities of life in the middle of eating disorder recovery. She shares how losing her mother as a young girl led to disordered eating, why residential treatment was beneficial (and not), and how the pressures of maintaining “full recovery” led to years of struggle.Behind the paywall, Mallary and Christy discuss the many definitions of “full recovery,” the challenges of writing a book about disordered eating that’s honest without being activating, and how Mallary talks to her kids about food.Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To read the full post and upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com. More from Christy:Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.Subscribe on Substack for full interviews and more! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges, and a place to connect with other listeners.

Christy reads letters to the editor about “food addiction” and menopause hormone therapy.Get full show notes and references here.Subscribe to Rethinking Wellness to get all our content, including subscriber-only Q&As and essays, extended interviews with our guests, commenting privileges, and more.Christy’s second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it online or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com/subscribe

In this insightful discussion, Christy reveals the food rules she shed, including the troubles of intermittent fasting, which ironically led to binge eating. She shares critical insights from a 2021 review, highlighting the shaky evidence behind fasting. Christy also opens up about her experience with gluten avoidance during turbulent times and how she came to understand that diets weren't the solution. With a blend of personal anecdotes and research, she encourages a mindful approach to food that embraces intuitive eating principles.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comKatja Rowell, M.D. joins us to discuss responsive feeding, picky eating, and how to parent without passing diet culture norms on to your kids. We also explore the science behind a few common misperceptions from parents and doctors including: why playful or gamified tactics to change eating habits can be harmful and backfire, the problems with many “early interventions” around child BMI, and reasons to question growth charts in early childhood.Behind the paywall, Dr. Rowell offers practical advice for parents who want to feed their children well without pressuring them, and Christy shares her experience with her daughter’s picky eating and health concerns. They also discuss how MAHA and anti-vax culture are affecting parents and offer support for relieving the pressure of tricky conversations with other adults.Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To read the full post and upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com.More from Christy:Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.Subscribe on Substack for full interviews and more! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges, and a place to connect with other listeners.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comPhilosopher, podcaster, and our producer Amelia Hruby, PhD returns to the show to discuss the many perils of the attention economy. We explore the nuanced relationships between attention and productivity, social media and mental health, and algorithms and agency. Amelia also shares her critiques of digital detoxes, flow states, all-or-nothing thinking, and short-form video. Behind the paywall, we discuss quantum listening, the political and social impacts of algorithms, generative AI, and an exclusive discount code for Amelia’s new book, Your Attention Is Sacred Except on Social Media. Plus, Christy shares some big news: Amelia will be on the mic for more episodes starting next week!Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To read the full post and upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com.More from Christy:- Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. - If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.- Subscribe on Substack for full interviews and more! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges, and a place to connect with other listeners.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comRegistered dietitian Jackie Silver joins us to discuss nutritional approaches that are helpful for neurodivergence, why people with autism and ADHD are often the targets of wellness and diet culture, the kinds of wellness-culture messages she’s gotten as a person with a disability, and why the advice to cut out gluten for autism is often harmful. Behind the paywall, we get into why ultraprocessed food consumption doesn’t cause autism and why cutting out these foods doesn’t “cure” it, the harmful discourse around autism and ADHD in the culture right now, why it’s harmful to categorize foods as “good” and “bad,” and more.Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com. Jackie Silver is a Registered Dietitian and founder of Jackie Silver Nutrition, a virtual private practice specializing in supporting neurodivergent kids, teens, and adults with ADHD, autism (ASD), and intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Her team offers neurodiversity-affirming, nonjudgmental, and weight-inclusive care.Jackie earned her Master of Health Science in Nutrition Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University and has specialized training in mindful eating and sensory-based feeding therapy.She and her team support clients across Ontario, Canada, and several U.S. states, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, helping with meal planning, selective eating, food aversions, digestive health, chronic disease management, and more.In her free time, Jackie enjoys rock climbing, yoga, pilates, swimming, traveling, visiting museums, and spending time with family and friends. Learn more about her work at jackiesilvernutrition.com.If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges and subscriber threads where you can connect with other listeners, and more. Learn more and sign up at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.

Diving into the complex relationship between sugar and chronic diseases, the discussion highlights the nuances of scientific evidence—challenging common beliefs. The conversation shifts to princess culture, with insights on how it affects girls' body image and parenting strategies. Christy reflects on her own worries about her daughter's fascination with princesses, all while advocating a balanced approach to candy and food security. She underscores that restriction can lead to unhealthy eating patterns, urging listeners to rethink how they view sugar's impact on health.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comChristy answers a listener question about dealing with pregnancy weight gain when you’re working to make peace with food and your body.This episode is for paid subscribers. Listen to a free preview here, and sign up for a paid subscription to hear the full episode!Get full show notes and references here.Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it online or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comCultural critic and author Amanda Hess joins us to discuss her new book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age. We talk about the intersection of pregnancy, early parenthood, and technology, her experience using a popular period app to track her pregnancy, how she navigated self-blame and cultural stigma when her baby was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, and more. Behind the paywall, we get into the pervasiveness of diet culture in pregnancy, the natural-childbirth movement and the role of crunchy wellness influencers in perpetuating myths about what birth should look like, how to challenge ableism and eugenic thinking about childhood disability, and more. Plus, Christy shares some thoughts on her current pregnancy and relationship with technology, diet culture, and comparisons with other bodies.Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com. Amanda Hess is a critic-at-large at the New York Times, where she writes about internet and pop culture. Her first book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age, was published in 2025. She is a National Magazine Award winner who has contributed to the New York Times Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, Best American Sportswriting, Best American Magazine Writing, and Slate. Learn more about her work at amandahess.org.If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges and subscriber threads where you can connect with other listeners, and more. Learn more and sign up at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.Contains affiliate links to Bookshop.org, where I earn a small commission for any purchases made.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comChristy discusses her experience with IVF and the intersection of infertility and complementary/alternative medicine, including a deep dive into the science on laser acupuncture for fertility. She also shares some personal news.This episode is for paid subscribers. Listen to a free preview here, and sign up for a paid subscription to hear the full episode!Get full show notes and references here.Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it online or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore. If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.