Making It Awkward

RFK Jr wants us all to be using wearable devices! Presumptive Surgeon General, Casey Means, co-founded Levels Health which pledges to unlock our metabolic health through the use of a constant glucose monitor(CGM). What is a CGM, what promises are made by Levels, and should we care? Jessica and Selena Salfen are going to find out! The two have teamed up in August to use a CGM, link it to Levels and let the app work its biometric magic. The two will be optimized in just two weeks, according to Dr. Robert Lustig, medical advisor to Levels. Today is just an introduction, there's so much more to say about wearables and personal data, we will be back with more of a conversation and our metabolic results! Lustig on Levels; understanding your lab results RFK Jr at Energy and Commerce hearing Take Back Your Health campaign Levels podcast archives What is a CGM 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

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! Originally published 9/14/23. After receiving an email from Dr. Robert Lustig about his concerns with Jessica's work she was fortunate enough to catch Dr. Lustig on the phone for this interview. In addition to giving her advice on what to tell a patient who needed to choose between a can of ravioli or nothing he shared his beliefs about calories, metabolic health, starvation, and how he distinguishes between what an eating disorder is and what it's not. Content Note: This episode discusses topics that may be distressing to those who are food insecure, live in areas of food apartheid, experience anti-fatness, and/or have disordered eating. Part 2 of this episode will air in two weeks. If you have comments, feedback and/or analysis you can email or send a voice memo to makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com. Dr. Lustig's website His profiles at UCSF and here. Lustig's article that he sent to Jessica. 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 Originally published 9/14/23

Jessica is joined by Lindsay Lee Wallace for the second of two episodes about the womanosphere. The two talk about the performance of the womanosphere, and more of the media side of things including skinnytok and Evie magazine. Evie magazine is the conservative magazine for cis women that encourages us to seek truth and find beauty. Jessica gets the honor of introducing the new body ideal to Lindsay and hears her response. Lindsay and Jessica start by talking about the politics of food and the connections to UPF hysteria. Slim Secrets of Slavic Women Nutrition Myth WaPo article Young conservative women build an alternative to the manosphere 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

The womanosphere is here! Are we ready? In the first of two episodes exploring the womanosphere and what it means for us, dietitian and author Jessica Wilson is joined by Cecily Nelson-Alford to talk about feminism and gender. The two discuss Evie Magazine, social media and why the messages of the womanosphere might be appealing. Cecily talks about how value is attached to womanhood in society and she connects it all with a discussion of the Overton window. Fox and Hen bonnets Young conservative women build an alternative to the manosphere 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

50% off Ozempic for Pride!!! Jessica heads back to NYC this year, this time over Pride weekend rather than before. A year ago Kent Thosmas, MSW joined Jessica to talk about this ad and her visit to the clinic offering the deal, and what this means for gay men. Kent shared how his Christianity played into his eating disorder and the two talk about queer men, and how religion, queerness, and health are connected. They also talk about the normate body and hardness for gay men. Kent's original reel Dr. Jeff Iovanonne Additional ad And salmon injections… Email the show: 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 How to support this podcast? Follow, rate and review and subscribe to ⁠Patreon⁠ membership with access to bonus content and announcements! Jessica's book: ⁠It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies⁠

Jessica Wilson, MS RD is joined by Malak (whose last name and appearance we're not sharing to protect her safety) to discuss the intersections of ICE, Palestine and Black liberation. Malak was recently a part of a mental health delegation that traveled to Palestine and shares the stories of those she met. The two talk settler colonialism, surveillance and over policing. They also talk about a shared humanity, and how people and these fights are not about here vs there. She provides language and context for the wars and battles raging around us and the importance of being seen. Black scholars, including Angela Davis, Ta-Nehesi Coats and James Baldwin have long made connections between Palestine and Black people in America, both living under Imperialism, and fighting for justice and freedom and never giving up. Malak shares multiple ways for people to stay engaged and keep learning. This episode was 1st published on Juneteenth 2025. Innocent Until Proven Muslim Podcasts: Sumud Podcast This is Palestine Rethinking Palestine Websites: thepalestineacademy.com decolonizepalestine.com boycottguide.org Books: The Hundred Years' War on Palestine Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine The Question of Palestine The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine 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

Paul Saladino is LOUD and literally banks on fear. He thinks we live in a zoo. He used to be a carnivore and sold the idea, and then started eating plants. He's said many deeply ridiculous and dangerous things. He is the reason Erewhon has a raw meat smoothie and the primary reason we overthink seed oils. He knows how much meat Jessica should eat in a day. He's a Lot. Clips of his claims are sprinkled throughout this podcast. Trampus Harmon of Harmon and Son Beef returns to the show to talk about Paul and his customers' needs on a carnivore diet. The two of them talk about Paul's carnivore creep, his multiple iterations and influencer culture. Trampus isn't sure that Paul's tallow product is all that he claims it to be. Paul reminds us that we're all going to die. It was polyester slings not underwear Paul One example of Paul being incredibly annoying Raw milk to kids Paul and seed oils Physician nutrition specialists Heart and Soil Lineage beef tallow–or is it? 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

The first MAHA report, the "Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment" came out on 5/22/25, and Selena Salfen, MPH RDN, and Meghan Cichy MPH RDN join Jessica to discuss it. The report came out at least two additional times, due to "formatting errors" which was a fancy label for AI errors. NOTUS was the first news outlet to report the citations that don't exist. The three discuss what RFK gets wrong in the report and spend time talking about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They bring up which industry funded research MAHA seems to endorse, and the opportunities MAHA has to demolish current policies and programs just to bring them back, claim them and make them weaker. The episode has a bonus voice note from Selena's kiddo about why she created her own food list after learning about Dr. Casey Means's ultimate food list. Exciting addition! Selena's kiddo's food list. Meghan's version of the report ⁠LA Times article⁠ with Dr. Robert Lustig about Dr. Casey Means The WIC program Vaping psychedelics EPA rollback of Biden's PFAS limit Selena and Meghan's first episode MAHA Commission and the fact sheet Hurdles for SNAP use School Nutrition Association position paper Food Resource and Action Center 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

This podcast's origin story! Originally airing 10/26/23 Jessica is joined by nurse practitioner Calvin Gilbert to recount their presentation about weight stigma in trans care at UCSF's 2023 Trans Health Summit and what led to a medical doctor being escorted out of the room. Jessica talks with Calvin about what happened the previous day and why it motivated her to start Making it Awkward and make a name tag for herself that says "Arts and Crafts Manager." Jessica is returning to the same conference this week! She will be wearing her name tag and looking for the same people she met the first time around and if anything has changed. She will be making it awkward and reporting back if anything else entertaining happens! There are two more episodes about BMI and trans care following this one: The Research on BMI and Gender Affirming Care Is Non-binary Identity a 3rd Gender Category?; USPATH Conference Reflections You can find out more about Lyon Martin Community Health Services You can contact 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 You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! How to support this podcast? Follow/subscribe, rate and review! Buy Jessica's book It's Always Been Ours.