Making It Awkward
Jessica Wilson, MS RD
What's going on with health and food policy right now? Each week dietitian and author Jessica Wilson shares her conversations with experts in their field or on their farm and figures out how we got here and why. Jessica has followed the ultra-processed food hysteria to trad wife pipeline and the direct path from COVID conspiracies to RFK Jr to the current administration.
From her conversation with the Make America Healthy Again spokesperson to the Oregon beef farmer this podcast connects it all. Listen each week as she brings something new to the conversation and at times makes it awkward.
From her conversation with the Make America Healthy Again spokesperson to the Oregon beef farmer this podcast connects it all. Listen each week as she brings something new to the conversation and at times makes it awkward.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 18, 2024 • 42min
Sex is the Sixth Vital Sign; HIV, PrEP, and Disclosure with Pablo Sarmiento, NP
On today's episode Jessica is joined by Pablo Sarmiento, NP, a family nurse practitioner working in the Department of Medicine subspecialty of Infectious Diseases. Pablo is a PrEP provider and the two discuss PrEP research, HIV incidence, disparities, updated language, and HIV disclosure. Resources: https://www.hiv.gov/ https://www.thebody.com/ https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/prep/index.html 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
Jul 11, 2024 • 52min
Eating Disorders, Food Addiction, Hyperpalatability, and Mental Health with Dr. David Wiss
Dr. David Wiss joins the show to talk about his recent comment in the Journal of Eating Disorders, "Dismantling the myth of "all foods fit" in eating disorder treatment." The two talk about eating disorders, ultra-processed foods, food addiction, and hyperpalatable foods. Dr. Wiss discusses his idea of a harm reduction meal plan, and shares how he applies nutrition to mental health. Additional articles mentioned: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40519-016-0344-y https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7600542/ 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
Jun 27, 2024 • 28min
Love on the Spectrum! with Jessica and Her Spouse
Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈 Jessica's spouse, Elisha, joins the show for a relationship quiz. Afterward Elisha shares how she started thinking about her autism and shares a device that she's found helpful in monitoring her overwhelm. Mentioned in the episode: Whoop Jessica's dad trying Liquid IV 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
May 30, 2024 • 33min
NPR Told Us To Eat Like Peasants; Its Living Better Series was Good for Clicks and Giggles
NPR launched its NPR's Living Better series a year ago. It spent a year investigating health disparities with a goal of bringing us solutions and hope. The lead story was from journalist Allison Aubrey, the number 1 nutrition journalist in the country. Jessica shares what she learned from this series, and what that means for the public. Dr. Kevin Hall Dr. Robert Lustig episode 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! New ways to support the show! 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
May 16, 2024 • 56min
Final Thoughts & Who is Anti-Diet for?; With Jaye Rochon and Cara Harbstreet, MS RD
Jessica is joined by Cara Harbstreet, MS RD and Jaye Rochon to wrap up the series on the anti-diet dietitian article by the WaPo and Examination. Both Cara and Jaye were featured in the article and this episode they share their experiences with the anti-diet community and their thoughts on the article. Jessica wraps up the episode with her thoughts on the series and questions she continues to have. Referenced as 1st article: https://www.theexamination.org/articles/the-food-industry-pays-influencer-dietitians-to-shape-your-eating-habits Referenced as 2nd article: https://www.theexamination.org/articles/as-obesity-rises-big-food-and-dietitians-push-anti-diet-advice 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! New ways to support the show! 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
May 9, 2024 • 45min
Rage Farming and Sh*tting on Women; with Clara Nosek
Clara Nosek was the most creative critic of the article about anti-dietitians who made cereal ads, written by The Examination and the WaPo. She joins Jessica to talk about her concerns and the two try hard to figure out why the article was written in the first place. Join Clara's Substack Clara on tiktok 1st article from The Examination and WaPo This interview was over an hour long, shortened for publication. The 57 minute, lightly edited version is on the Making It Awkward Patreon. 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! New ways to support the show! 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 Some articles from Clara's deep dive: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/12/13/ftc-dietitians-social-media-ads/ BMI cutoffs We're getting shorter Food labeling pushback
Apr 25, 2024 • 34min
Anti-Diet Dietitians Made Cereal Ads, Then Things Got Awkward; with Sasha Chavkin
Sasha Chavkin, of the Examination, joins Jessica to talk about an article he recently co-authored, As Obesity Rises, Big Food and Dietitians Push 'Anti-diet' Advice, in collaboration with the Washington Post. Shasha shares how the article came together and some additional information that he's gathered for this episode. This will be the first episode on this article. If you have thoughts/feedback you'd like to share for the next ep you can send an email or voice note to makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Association for Size Diversity and Health The Examination's first article about dietitians HAES Health Sheets I said I'd link to Jaye Rochon's youtube but I simply cannot confirm that I've found it! Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod How to support this podcast? Follow, rate and review! New ways to support the show! 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
Apr 18, 2024 • 36min
Pineapple Overthrow Butter Mochi and Hawaiian Tourism with Daphne K. Jenkins
Jessica welcomes butter mochi queen, Daphne Jenkins, to the podcast to discuss her Hawaiian ancestral foods, how she got into baking butter mochi and the art of food. She talks about the history, beauty, friction and tension that she channels into her work. Jessica also asks about Hawaiian tourism and about how to visit Hawaii if we were going to do so. onomaugoods.com @onomaugoods @daphne_k_jenkins On visiting Hawaii https://www.kayak.com/news/advice-on-being-a-respectful-traveler-in-hawaii/ https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/hawaii-ban-short-term-vacation-rentals-moves-forward/story?id=109043795 https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2022/08/10/united-shades-hawaii-tourism-origseriesfilms.cnn Overthrow history: https://www.history.com/news/hawaiis-monarchy-overthrown-with-u-s-support-120-years-ago Email the show: makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod How to support this podcast? Follow, rate and review! New ways to support the show! Patreon membership with access to bonus content and announcements!
Apr 11, 2024 • 42min
Ultra Processed Fridays and Southern Food; a dad and daughter chat
Jessica talks ultra processed foods with her dad. The two started ultra processed Fridays in which Jessica makes her dad taste test a new food and the two discuss the idea that all UPFs are unhealthy. Today Jessica presents a "natural" beef jerky to her dad for testing. She talks to him about UPFs, what he ate growing up and it turns out that her dad's feelings about Southern food are complicated. Full video of the ultra processed Friday with all of the gestures and sound effects is up on the Patreon! Email the show: makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod How to support this podcast? Follow, rate and review! New ways to support the show! 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
Apr 4, 2024 • 50min
GLP-1s, Diabetes and How Whiteness Works
Jessica talks to UK doctor Dr. Asher Larmie about his perspectives on Ozempic and weight loss, diabetes, whether prediabetes is a thing and how we should (and shouldn't) measure blood sugar. The two discuss the differences in the US and UK guidance for diabetes and prediabetes. Then, at Asher's invitation, Jessica asks him about his white saviorism and privilege, especially how it presents itself online. That stretch of the conversation gets a full analysis in the outro and Jessica speaks about how hard it is to critique whiteness in a way that seems less likely to receive backlash. It's all just hard. Email the show: makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod How to support this podcast? Follow, rate and review! New ways to support the show! 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
