Making It Awkward

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are out RFK Jr decided to give us an inverted food triangle and tell us it's a new and improved food pyramid. Dietitian and public health badass Meghan Cichy, MPH RDN returns to the show to discuss the new dietary guidelines and the focus on "real food". She walks Jessica through all of the public health language and limitations and also asks who all of this is for. The two compare recommendations in old guidelines to the current ones, including protein serving sizes. The two chat about how RFK wanted to end corporate and industry influence and how there is still a tangled web of industry influence and private interest. They get into how the guidelines discussed ultra-processed foods after promising us a definition. The dietary guidelines speak directly to the MAHA movement; those who can pay for "real food," have the resources and time to cook dinner every night, and shop at farmers markets. MAHA does not care about the health of the public. RFK tells us he is ending the war on protein and saturated fat. The guidelines also include a section on testosterone. He's given us a manly man's meat-focused inverted food triangle for the manosphere, dudefluencers and pod bros. One of Meghan's concerns was how alcohol was addressed in the DGA. Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Have you been thinking clean thoughts and manifesting for 2026? Lindsay Lee Wallace returns to the show to talk about the idea of thought hygiene, OCD, magical thinking and manifesting. Lindsay shares the highlights of the conversation she had with a manifestation coach and she brings her thoughts about wellness as a line item in your budget. Lindsay and Jessica start the episode with a discussion about Dr. Robert Lustig and his company's first product, Monch Monch, a supposed fiber sponge that soaks up sugar. A quick note that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is out and that will be next week's episode! Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Re-release! Chrissy King joins Jessica Wilson, MS RD for a conversation about being childfree by choice. Chrissy talks about how she made her decision and how Jessica didn't ever think it was a choice she needed to make. Chrissy got to share her thoughts on many things including the marketing of parenthood, the idea of it taking a village to raise a child and aging like the Golden Girls. The two talk about how they've been asked about their decision not to have kids 347 times but it's not the norm to randomly ask parents why they decided to have kids. They both talk about how much their moms poured into their upbringing and how that impacted how they viewed them and their decision not to have kids. They also talk about what it's like to live in a society in which parenthood, particularly motherhood, is the norm. After wrapping this conversation Chrissy and I discussed the potential for backlash from this conversation and that parents might take our choices personally. Either way we'd love to hear your feedback! Motherhood Should Come with a Warning Label Childfree Reddit Chrissy King Chrissy's book

Re-release! Jessica talks with Sherene Chou about the whiteness of the Mediterranean Diet and its origins. The two chat about their mixed reviews of speaking at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health's Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives. Sherene discusses a variety of "healthy diets" out there and how they fall short of meeting the moment. She also spills the beans on the next superfood. Jessica is very excited that Sherene has worked at the restaurant at the center of Bad Vegan! Should the two watch and review for an episode!? Blue Zones, Planetary Diet/EAT-Lancet diet, EAT-Lancet diet twitter war Info on MedDiet research The Whiteness of the Mediterranean Diet https://www.sherenechou.com/ https://foodandplanet.org/ You can become a podcast patreon! You can rate and review this show! You can email the show at makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode on Spotify and at ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod⁠ Jessica's book: ⁠It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies⁠

Sherene Chou, MS., RD., a registered dietitian and maternal health commentator, shares her insights on the Chinese tradition of confinement nannies after experiencing it firsthand. She discusses cultural appropriation concerns, especially related to public figures adopting these practices while supporting anti-immigrant policies. Sherene also highlights the importance of postpartum care, the challenges of breastfeeding and pumping, and how vital nourishment is during recovery. She offers advice for prospective parents and reflects on immigrant resilience in motherhood.

Calley Means has returned to the White House as a Senior Advisor supporting food and nutrition policy. Since his return the Dietary Guidelines have been delayed and should(may) now be delivered to us in January 2026. Additionally, TIME has reported that there may be a return to the Food Pyramid in the updated Guidelines. Selena Salfen returns to the show to share the many reasons why Calley should be a White House intern and not a Senior Advisor, and definitely not in charge of nutrition policy. Jessica and Selena discuss Calley's "documentary" Breaking Big Food; an infomercial that went on for way too long. The "doc" was presented by Jigsaw Health, which is a wellness company that sells supplements to consumers, and, of course, partners with Calley Mean's Truemed. Jessica also shares details of Calley and Casey Means's childhood that have been left out of the narrative of their mother's illness and death. It seems like Gayle Means was quite a character! Calley never registered as a lobbyist and was in a sweat lodge with RFK Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Alison Pill, an actor renowned for her diverse film and TV roles, joins the conversation to dissect Cheryl Hines's memoir. They critique its disjointed editing and explore how Cheryl’s ‘dangerous optimism’ shapes her narrative. The trio discusses Cheryl's early acting days, her quirky anecdotes with RFK Jr., and the fallout with friend Tig Notaro over political choices. The chat takes a candid turn, examining red flags in Cheryl's marriage, including bizarre stories and family dynamics, all while reflecting on the consequences of life under the spotlight.

Selena Selfan, MPH, RD is back for the next installment in the re-grifting series! She is the resident Means Siblings Scholar and talks to host Jessica Wilson, MS RD about her deep dive! Dr. Casey Means is currently the presumptive nominee for Surgeon General. Her brother Calley Means is a special advisor to RFK Jr and cofounder of Truemed. The two are fervent MAHA supporters and foot soldiers in RFK's fight. Listeners will learn about the Means siblings's upbringing and the love and support for their parents. And then plot twist: their father, Grady Means wrote a gender expansive children's book. Selena shares how Cassie has evolved in her career, and spits Calley's facts like a pro. The two talk about the grift of the Means siblings and Selena's prediction for Calley's future. The Means siblings have direct connections to Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Andrew Huberman, our first and second grifters. Stay tuned for the next one about Dr. Paul Saladino. See Selena's bibliography below! Calley's Politico interview Tucker Carlson interview Deadly Lightbulbs Surgeon shortage Oregon Medical Board Casey's Instagram posts about Jessica: August 28, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QjRljJ1mr/?hl=en August 29, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_N6qSPPcT2/?hl=en Instagram - Never. Buy. Ultraprocessed. Food. Ever. Again. Casey's sponsors with conflicted research: Pendulum, newsletter, study funded by Pendulum Mitopure, Newsletter, study funded by Mitopure Life expectancy data health insurance stat FSA/HSAs: https://www.numerator.com/resources/blog/fsa-hsa-consumer-spending/ https://www.ebri.org/content/new-analysis-of-3.2-million-flexible-spending-accounts-finds-average-contributions-increasing-while-half-forfeiting-funds-to-their-employers Forbes list of growing industries Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson

Jocelyn Green, an autism-focused researcher and communicator, joins the discussion to tackle vital issues in autism research and the ethics surrounding it. They delve into the controversial claim that 37% of individuals may lose their autism diagnosis, shedding light on misinterpretations in clinical studies. Jocelyn emphasizes the nuances of masking behaviors, especially in girls, and critiques the stigma attached to labels. The conversation also explores the societal pressures faced by autistic individuals and the importance of understanding support needs over simplistic categorizations.

Dr. Theresa Lyons, an Ivy League-trained scientist and founder of Navigating AWEtism, shares her journey as a mom to a non-speaking autistic daughter. She discusses her groundbreaking research suggesting that 37% of autistic children might lose their diagnosis. Topics include the vital roles of sleep, diet, and functional medicine in supporting health improvements, and the complexities surrounding interventions. Lyons emphasizes the importance of empowerment in therapy and offers insights into personalized healthcare for autistic kids, paving the way for future discussions.