
Rethinking Wellness
Rethinking Wellness offers critical thinking and compassionate skepticism about wellness and diet culture, and reflections on how to find true well-being. We explore the science (or lack thereof) behind popular wellness diets, the role of influencers and social-media algorithms in spreading wellness misinformation, problematic practices in the alternative- and integrative-medicine space, how wellness culture often drives disordered eating, the truth about trending topics like gut health, how to avoid getting taken advantage of when you’re desperate for help and healing, and how to care for yourself in a deeply flawed healthcare system without falling into wellness traps.
**This podcast feed shares generous previews and very occasional full-length episodes. To hear everything, become a paid subscriber at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.** rethinkingwellness.substack.com
Latest episodes

Jun 24, 2024 • 33min
Taming Your Ambition Monster, Healing from Overwork, and the Role of "Practical Woo" with Jennifer Romolini
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comJenn Romolini, author of AMBITION MONSTER, joins us to discuss how ambition and overwork affected her well-being, why workaholism is often a response to trauma, why she developed an eating disorder as a teenager (and the specific personality trait that helped her recover), what it was like to have her mom get into New Age philosophies, how she’s found healing from trauma and work addiction, 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. Jennifer Romolini is a former editor and high-level media and tech executive, the author of the memoir Ambition Monster, and the co-host of Everything Is Fine, a weekly podcast for women over 40. Romolini is also the creator and host of 2023’s critically acclaimed documentary podcast Stiffed, with Crooked Media. Her first book, Weird In a World That’s Not: A Career Guide for Misfits, was published in 2017. Find her on Substack.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.

Jun 20, 2024 • 7min
2 Weird Food Rules I Don’t Follow Anymore (and 4 Other Principles I Try to Live By)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comChristy answers an audience question about the food rules she stopped following—and shares four food-related principles she tries to practice.The full version of this episode is for paid subscribers. Listen to the first question here, and sign up for a paid subscription to hear the rest!Get full show notes and references here.Ask a question of your own for a chance to have it answered in a future episode!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.

Jun 17, 2024 • 43min
Challenging Diet and Wellness Misinformation While Holding Space for People to Evolve with Jess Steier
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comJessica Steier of The Unbiased Science Podcast joins us to discuss the need for empathy and bridge-building in science communication, why she’s critical of restrictive diets and other wellness trends while holding space for their proponents to evolve (and why she’s faced backlash for that), tribalism in the science community, our differing views on weight and why she’s open to learning about the weight-inclusive approach, 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. Dr. Jessica Steier is an empathetic, passionate, and quirky public health scientist with expertise in chronic and infectious disease prevention. She hosts The Unbiased Science Podcast, which is devoted to objective, critical appraisal of available evidence on science and health-related topics relevant to listeners’ daily lives.Dr. Steier has expertise in public health policy, research and evaluation design, biostatistics, and advanced analytics. She believes strongly in scientific education and health literacy, and the translation of research for the general public in a way that maximizes people’s ability to make informed and evidence-based decisions.The goal of The Unbiased Science Podcast is to dispel misinformation and misconceptions across an array of science and public health topics (e.g., vaccines, GMOs, fad diets, supplements). With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the podcast initially dedicated most episodes to distilling the latest research about the ongoing pandemic in real time as the evidence unfolded. But the podcast has evolved over time and now tackles a variety of issues. Learn more about the podcast at unbiasedscipod.com.If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it!Support Rethinking Wellness 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.

Jun 12, 2024 • 10min
Do You Really Need a Gluten-Free Diet for These Autoimmune Conditions?
Is a gluten-free diet truly necessary for everyone with autoimmune conditions? The discussion dives into the specifics of celiac disease, revealing the crucial role of gluten-free eating for those diagnosed. It also examines the murky waters of non-celiac gluten sensitivity and the dangers of unnecessary dietary restrictions. Personal anecdotes highlight the struggle of maintaining a balanced relationship with food while managing autoimmune challenges, promoting a healthier perspective on wellness.

29 snips
Jun 10, 2024 • 38min
Weight-Loss-Industry Influence in "Obesity" Research with Alexis Conason
Psychologist Alexis Conason discusses industry influence in 'obesity' research, mental health effects of bariatric surgery, and navigating talks about pharmaceutical influence and social media's impact on weight-related discussions.

Jun 3, 2024 • 40min
Why You Probably Don’t Have a Leaky Gut, and Other Wellness Misconceptions with Jonathan Jarry
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comScience communicator Jonathan Jarry joins us to discuss his history of turning to alternative cures for chronic pain, how he came to be skeptical of the wellness industry, the problems with science journalism, why you probably don’t have a leaky gut (despite what many influencers and wellness practitioners claim), the critical article about “leaky gut syndrome” that resulted in death threats, and lots 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. Jonathan Jarry is a science communicator with McGill University’s Office for Science and Society (OSS), dedicated to separating sense from nonsense on the scientific stage. He has a Master’s degree in molecular biology and he brings his experience in cancer research, human genetics, rehabilitation research, and forensic biology to the work he does for the public. With cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos, he co-hosts the award-winning medical podcast The Body of Evidence, which aims to contextualize findings in the realm of health research and answer the public's most pressing questions about the biomedical sciences while also being funny and entertaining. He talks about science most Fridays on CTV Montreal News and is regularly interviewed in both English- and French-language media. Learn more about his work at jonathanjarry.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.

May 29, 2024 • 5min
A Popular Protein Myth, and What the Science Really Says
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comChristy answers an audience question about how much protein you really need—and explores why a certain piece of incorrect advice is so popular among influencers and “protein girlies.”The full version of this episode is for paid subscribers. Listen to the first question here, and sign up for a paid subscription to hear the rest!Get full show notes and references here.Ask a question of your own for a chance to have it answered in a future episode!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.

May 27, 2024 • 1h 20min
Repost: The Wellness Trap with Christy Harrison and Katie Dalebout
Katie Dalebout guest-hosts the show to interview Christy about her new book, The Wellness Trap! Christy shares why she wanted to write a book about wellness, the potential harms of integrative and functional medicine (and why we’re understandably attracted to these approaches), the connections between wellness culture and diet culture, the legacy of the “hysteria” diagnosis and why women are still having to push back against the idea that symptoms are all in our heads, the role of social media in spreading wellness mis- and disinformation, and more.Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who has been covering food, nutrition, and health for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books, The Wellness Trap and Anti-Diet, and the producer and host of the podcasts Rethinking Wellness and Food Psych, which have helped tens of thousands of people around the world think critically about diet and wellness culture and develop more peaceful relationships with food. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, SELF, BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Gourmet, Slate, the Food Network, and many other publications, and her work is regularly featured in national print and broadcast media. Learn more about Christy and her work at christyharrison.com.Katie Dalebout is a writer who produces and hosts podcasts. Her weekly interview show, Let It Out, began in 2013 and now has over 400 episodes. In 2019 she started producing Spiraling, a mental health show she co-hosts with Serena Wolf. In 2016, she published her book Let It Out, an interactive book about using writing for emotional wellness. She now teaches writing workshops, consults with individuals and brands on creative strategy, and writes a weekly newsletter. She lives in Los Angeles where she walks everywhere like she still lives in New York.If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it! You can also sign up to get it in your inbox each week (with a full transcript) at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.Pre-order Christy's new book, The Wellness Trap, for its April 25 release, and get access to an exclusive webinar discussing the book by submitting your proof of purchase at christyharrison.com/bookbonus!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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com/subscribe

May 20, 2024 • 47min
Critical Thinking About Social-Media Wellness Culture and the Plant-Based Diet Trend with Pixie Turner
Pixie Turner, a nutrition counselor and wellness skeptic, discusses critical thinking about social media's influence on food choices, the truth about plant-based diets, and how wellness content can shape our relationships with food. She also explores the impact of pseudoscience, diet culture, and ethical food choices on mental health, urging listeners to approach wellness content with a discerning eye.

May 15, 2024 • 6min
What Netflix's New Doc Gets Wrong About Gut Health
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.comIn this bonus episode, Christy discusses Netflix’s new gut-health documentary—and why the film’s claims that gut microbes directly influence weight and disease are more hype than science. 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.