Media by Others
Food Junkies
The Food Junkies Podcast evolved from the book. Each week, Vera Tarman, Clarrissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab connect with scientists, Food Addiction clinicians, authors, and recovering Food Addicts to share fresh insights and tackle emerging debates.
Food Junkies Podcast: Why Emotional Eating Isn't Your Fault (Hormones), with Amber Romaniuk, 2026
Amber shares her personal recovery journey from binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction—and explains why lasting healing requires more than another diet or food plan. Together, we explore how hormones, thyroid function, nervous system stress, and shame shape our relationship with food in ways most people are never taught.
This conversation is especially important for women who feel like they “know better” but still struggle—and wonder why nothing seems to stick.
🎯 In this episode, we cover:
Why emotional eating is communication, not a lack of willpower
How cortisol, thyroid dysfunction, and low progesterone can drive cravings and binge cycles
Why fasting, restriction, and over-exercise often worsen food addiction patterns
How shame keeps people stuck—and what actually helps dissolve it
What “Body Freedom” really means beyond weight loss
First steps to identify emotional eating triggers without self-blame
Why healing your relationship with food must come before hormone repair can work
This episode is for you if:
✔ You struggle with binge or emotional eating
✔ Diets and food rules keep backfiring
✔ You suspect hormones or stress are part of the picture
✔ You’re exhausted by shame and ready for a deeper, kinder path forward
🔗 Connect with Amber Romaniuk
🌐 Website & free resources: https://amberapproved.ca
🎙 Podcast: The No Sugarcoating Podcast
📱 Instagram & YouTube: @AmberRomaniuk
👍 If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and share—it helps more people find compassionate, evidence-informed conversations about food addiction recovery.
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
💬 Comment below: What part of this conversation resonated most with you?
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Why Emotional Eating Isn't Your Fault (Hormones), with Amber Romaniuk, 2026
In this powerful episode of Food Junkies, Crissy and Molly are joined ...
In this powerful episode of Food Junkies, Crissy and Molly are joined by Amber Romaniuk, emotional eating and digestive health expert, to unpack the real drivers behind binge eating, food ...addiction, and the relentless restrict–overeat cycle.
Amber shares her personal recovery journey from binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction—and explains why lasting healing requires more than another diet or food plan. Together, we explore how hormones, thyroid function, nervous system stress, and shame shape our relationship with food in ways most people are never taught.
This conversation is especially important for women who feel like they “know better” but still struggle—and wonder why nothing seems to stick.
🎯 In this episode, we cover:
Why emotional eating is communication, not a lack of willpower
How cortisol, thyroid dysfunction, and low progesterone can drive cravings and binge cycles
Why fasting, restriction, and over-exercise often worsen food addiction patterns
How shame keeps people stuck—and what actually helps dissolve it
What “Body Freedom” really means beyond weight loss
First steps to identify emotional eating triggers without self-blame
Why healing your relationship with food must come before hormone repair can work
This episode is for you if:
✔ You struggle with binge or emotional eating
✔ Diets and food rules keep backfiring
✔ You suspect hormones or stress are part of the picture
✔ You’re exhausted by shame and ready for a deeper, kinder path forward
🔗 Connect with Amber Romaniuk
🌐 Website & free resources: https://amberapproved.ca
🎙 Podcast: The No Sugarcoating Podcast
📱 Instagram & YouTube: @AmberRomaniuk
👍 If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and share—it helps more people find compassionate, evidence-informed conversations about food addiction recovery.
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
💬 Comment below: What part of this conversation resonated most with you?
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Amber shares her personal recovery journey from binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction—and explains why lasting healing requires more than another diet or food plan. Together, we explore how hormones, thyroid function, nervous system stress, and shame shape our relationship with food in ways most people are never taught.
This conversation is especially important for women who feel like they “know better” but still struggle—and wonder why nothing seems to stick.
🎯 In this episode, we cover:
Why emotional eating is communication, not a lack of willpower
How cortisol, thyroid dysfunction, and low progesterone can drive cravings and binge cycles
Why fasting, restriction, and over-exercise often worsen food addiction patterns
How shame keeps people stuck—and what actually helps dissolve it
What “Body Freedom” really means beyond weight loss
First steps to identify emotional eating triggers without self-blame
Why healing your relationship with food must come before hormone repair can work
This episode is for you if:
✔ You struggle with binge or emotional eating
✔ Diets and food rules keep backfiring
✔ You suspect hormones or stress are part of the picture
✔ You’re exhausted by shame and ready for a deeper, kinder path forward
🔗 Connect with Amber Romaniuk
🌐 Website & free resources: https://amberapproved.ca
🎙 Podcast: The No Sugarcoating Podcast
📱 Instagram & YouTube: @AmberRomaniuk
👍 If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and share—it helps more people find compassionate, evidence-informed conversations about food addiction recovery.
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
💌 Email us at: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
💬 Comment below: What part of this conversation resonated most with you?
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Why do we store fat? The fat switch explained, with Dr Richard Johnson, 2025
Does nature want us to be fat? Is there a built-in “fat switch” in our ...
Does nature want us to be fat? Is there a built-in “fat switch” in our genes—something nature designed to help us store fat for survival? And if so, what does ...that mean for food addicts living in a world saturated with ultra-processed food?
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Richard Johnson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, former Chief of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, and a researcher with 700+ scientific papers to his name.
Dr. Johnson explains how fructose (from sugar and high-fructose corn syrup—but also produced inside the body under certain conditions) can activate a powerful metabolic pathway that increases hunger, lowers cellular energy, and shifts calories toward fat storage. He connects this to uric acid, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and the modern “perfect storm” of ultra-processed foods engineered to intensify cravings.
Together, they explore the evolutionary logic of fat storage, why visceral fat may have had survival value, why “calories in/calories out” fails to explain the whole picture, and what practical steps can help people restore metabolic flexibility—including carbohydrate reduction, movement that supports mitochondrial health, and the emerging role of GLP-1 medications as a tool (not a replacement) for nutrition change.
What You’ll Learn
🔥Why Dr. Johnson argues sugar isn’t “just a calorie,” and how fructose changes metabolism differently
🔥The role of uric acid in blood pressure, metabolic disease, and the fructose pathway
🔥How salt + starch + fat can amplify the “fat switch” (and why chips and fries are a perfect example)
🔥Why the body can make fructose from glucose, even if you aren’t eating fructose directly
🔥The survival biology behind fat storage—and why visceral fat may have had an adaptive purpose
🔥How insulin resistance can be a short-term protective mechanism (and how modern life turns it chronic)
🔥Why low-carb approaches may “reboot” sugar absorption and cravings in as little as 7–14 days
🔥What Dr. Johnson believes is a major dietary driver of Alzheimer’s risk
🔥How to support mitochondria through movement and nutrition
🔥Dr. Johnson’s perspective on GLP-1s: benefits, limits, and relapse risk after stopping
Resources Mentioned
Dr. Richard Johnson’s books: The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat
About Our Guest
Dr. Richard Johnson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, a former Chief of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, and the author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat. His research explores how sugar—particularly fructose—drives kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, and how modern food environments may overactivate ancient survival pathways.
If this episode helped you understand your cravings or your biology with more clarity and less shame, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so more people can find recovery-focused science.
Email us: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with Dr. Richard Johnson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, former Chief of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, and a researcher with 700+ scientific papers to his name.
Dr. Johnson explains how fructose (from sugar and high-fructose corn syrup—but also produced inside the body under certain conditions) can activate a powerful metabolic pathway that increases hunger, lowers cellular energy, and shifts calories toward fat storage. He connects this to uric acid, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and the modern “perfect storm” of ultra-processed foods engineered to intensify cravings.
Together, they explore the evolutionary logic of fat storage, why visceral fat may have had survival value, why “calories in/calories out” fails to explain the whole picture, and what practical steps can help people restore metabolic flexibility—including carbohydrate reduction, movement that supports mitochondrial health, and the emerging role of GLP-1 medications as a tool (not a replacement) for nutrition change.
What You’ll Learn
🔥Why Dr. Johnson argues sugar isn’t “just a calorie,” and how fructose changes metabolism differently
🔥The role of uric acid in blood pressure, metabolic disease, and the fructose pathway
🔥How salt + starch + fat can amplify the “fat switch” (and why chips and fries are a perfect example)
🔥Why the body can make fructose from glucose, even if you aren’t eating fructose directly
🔥The survival biology behind fat storage—and why visceral fat may have had an adaptive purpose
🔥How insulin resistance can be a short-term protective mechanism (and how modern life turns it chronic)
🔥Why low-carb approaches may “reboot” sugar absorption and cravings in as little as 7–14 days
🔥What Dr. Johnson believes is a major dietary driver of Alzheimer’s risk
🔥How to support mitochondria through movement and nutrition
🔥Dr. Johnson’s perspective on GLP-1s: benefits, limits, and relapse risk after stopping
Resources Mentioned
Dr. Richard Johnson’s books: The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat
About Our Guest
Dr. Richard Johnson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, a former Chief of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, and the author of The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat. His research explores how sugar—particularly fructose—drives kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, and how modern food environments may overactivate ancient survival pathways.
If this episode helped you understand your cravings or your biology with more clarity and less shame, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so more people can find recovery-focused science.
Email us: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Clinician's Corner - Can handle a crisis, can't sit still, 2026
In this month’s Clinician’s Corner, Molly and Clarissa take a deep ...
In this month’s Clinician’s Corner, Molly and Clarissa take a deep dive into the fix response—a lesser-named but incredibly common nervous-system survival strategy that shows up as over-functioning, urgency, problem-solving, ...and “doing something” to make discomfort go away.
This episode explores why fixing isn’t a personality flaw, control issue, or codependency—but a biologically wired, trauma-informed self-preservation response that once helped keep us safe.
Together, we unpack how the fix response shows up in food addiction recovery, relationships, work, parenting, and even helping professions—and why it so often leads to burnout, resentment, and cycles of shame when left unexamined.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What the fix response is (and what it’s not)
• Why fixing feels regulating in the moment, but often backfires long-term
• How fixing differs from healthy problem-solving
• Common fix patterns in food addiction recovery (constant plan changes, “starting fresh Monday,” adding rules after lapses)
• Over-functioning, hyper-responsibility, and lawn-mowing other people’s problems
• Why fixers struggle with rest, delegation, and asking for help
• How ADHD, dopamine, urgency, and novelty-seeking intersect with fixing
• The developmental and trauma roots of the fix response
• How fixing pairs with fawn, hyper-independence, and people-pleasing
• Why optimization culture and biohacking can reinforce dysregulation
• The cost of living in constant “fix mode”—burnout, resentment, disconnection, and relapse risk
• How to recognize fix mode in the body (jaw clenching, shallow breath, tight chest, restless urgency)
• Why the goal isn’t to eliminate fixing—but to update it
• How to build awareness, pause, discern responsibility, and bring choice back online
This conversation is especially relevant for clinicians, coaches, caregivers, helpers, parents, and anyone in recovery who feels exhausted from always being the one who “handles things.”
📺 Watch on YouTube and please subscribe—it helps us reach more people who need this conversation.
📩 Have a topic you want us to cover? Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction.Show More
This episode explores why fixing isn’t a personality flaw, control issue, or codependency—but a biologically wired, trauma-informed self-preservation response that once helped keep us safe.
Together, we unpack how the fix response shows up in food addiction recovery, relationships, work, parenting, and even helping professions—and why it so often leads to burnout, resentment, and cycles of shame when left unexamined.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What the fix response is (and what it’s not)
• Why fixing feels regulating in the moment, but often backfires long-term
• How fixing differs from healthy problem-solving
• Common fix patterns in food addiction recovery (constant plan changes, “starting fresh Monday,” adding rules after lapses)
• Over-functioning, hyper-responsibility, and lawn-mowing other people’s problems
• Why fixers struggle with rest, delegation, and asking for help
• How ADHD, dopamine, urgency, and novelty-seeking intersect with fixing
• The developmental and trauma roots of the fix response
• How fixing pairs with fawn, hyper-independence, and people-pleasing
• Why optimization culture and biohacking can reinforce dysregulation
• The cost of living in constant “fix mode”—burnout, resentment, disconnection, and relapse risk
• How to recognize fix mode in the body (jaw clenching, shallow breath, tight chest, restless urgency)
• Why the goal isn’t to eliminate fixing—but to update it
• How to build awareness, pause, discern responsibility, and bring choice back online
This conversation is especially relevant for clinicians, coaches, caregivers, helpers, parents, and anyone in recovery who feels exhausted from always being the one who “handles things.”
📺 Watch on YouTube and please subscribe—it helps us reach more people who need this conversation.
📩 Have a topic you want us to cover? Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast, Visual:. Breaking Myths -Dr Thomas Seyfried on Cancer as a Metabolic Disorder
Breaking Myths: Dr. Thomas Seyfried on Cancer as a Metabolic Disease | ...
Breaking Myths: Dr. Thomas Seyfried on Cancer as a Metabolic Disease | Food Junkies Podcast
Is cancer a metabolic disease that can be managed by dietary changes? Join Dr. Vera Tarman ...in a compelling conversation with Dr. Thomas Seyfried, an American professor at Boston College with expertise in biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Dr. Seyfried challenges the traditional genetic mutation theory of cancer, proposing that cancer is primarily a mitochondrial metabolic disease. He discusses the effectiveness of metabolic therapies like ketogenic diets and caloric restriction over conventional chemotherapy. Learn about the role of sugar and ultra-processed food in cancer development and delve into the significance of glucose and glutamine as fuels for cancer cells. Discover how keeping mitochondria healthy through diet and exercise could potentially prevent cancer and why current cancer treatments may not be addressing the root cause effectively. Dr. Seyfried also highlights the importance of understanding the biology of cancer to develop more effective therapies.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
00:14 Dr. Seyfried's Background and Career
01:21 Challenging the Genetic Mutation Theory of Cancer
02:02 Discovering the Link Between Epilepsy and Cancer
02:59 The Role of Ketogenic Diets in Managing Cancer
06:54 Historical Perspectives on Cancer Theories
09:42 The Evolution of Cancer Treatments
15:29 Understanding Cancer Metabolism
24:18 Preventing Cancer Through Mitochondrial Health
24:58 The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Cancer
30:46 Debunking the Myth: Is Sugar a Carcinogen?
31:17 The Link Between Blood Sugar and Tumor Growth
32:24 Managing Cancer with Nutritional Ketosis
33:10 The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Treatment
34:07 The Glucose Ketone Index Calculator
36:06 Nutritional Approaches to Cancer Regression
37:37 The Evolutionary Perspective on Chronic Diseases
40:58 Challenges in Traditional Cancer Treatment
45:56 The Future of Metabolic Therapy
52:59 Exploring Alternative Medications
54:29 Final Thoughts and Future DirectionsShow More
Is cancer a metabolic disease that can be managed by dietary changes? Join Dr. Vera Tarman ...in a compelling conversation with Dr. Thomas Seyfried, an American professor at Boston College with expertise in biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Dr. Seyfried challenges the traditional genetic mutation theory of cancer, proposing that cancer is primarily a mitochondrial metabolic disease. He discusses the effectiveness of metabolic therapies like ketogenic diets and caloric restriction over conventional chemotherapy. Learn about the role of sugar and ultra-processed food in cancer development and delve into the significance of glucose and glutamine as fuels for cancer cells. Discover how keeping mitochondria healthy through diet and exercise could potentially prevent cancer and why current cancer treatments may not be addressing the root cause effectively. Dr. Seyfried also highlights the importance of understanding the biology of cancer to develop more effective therapies.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
00:14 Dr. Seyfried's Background and Career
01:21 Challenging the Genetic Mutation Theory of Cancer
02:02 Discovering the Link Between Epilepsy and Cancer
02:59 The Role of Ketogenic Diets in Managing Cancer
06:54 Historical Perspectives on Cancer Theories
09:42 The Evolution of Cancer Treatments
15:29 Understanding Cancer Metabolism
24:18 Preventing Cancer Through Mitochondrial Health
24:58 The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Cancer
30:46 Debunking the Myth: Is Sugar a Carcinogen?
31:17 The Link Between Blood Sugar and Tumor Growth
32:24 Managing Cancer with Nutritional Ketosis
33:10 The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Treatment
34:07 The Glucose Ketone Index Calculator
36:06 Nutritional Approaches to Cancer Regression
37:37 The Evolutionary Perspective on Chronic Diseases
40:58 Challenges in Traditional Cancer Treatment
45:56 The Future of Metabolic Therapy
52:59 Exploring Alternative Medications
54:29 Final Thoughts and Future DirectionsShow More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Is Food Addiction Just a Cyclical Food Allergy? w Dr Adrienne Sprouse, 2026
Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you ...
Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you think you are food addicted?
Food Junkies Podcast: Is Food Addiction Just a Cyclical Food Allergy? ...w Dr Adrienne Sprouse, 2026
Dr Sprouse is a graduate of Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons medical school in New York and trained in: Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital, Toxicology at the New York City Poison Center, and Nutrition, Allergy, Detoxification, and Clinical Ecology with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She later became a Faculty Member for this Academy and for 17 years, educated physicians worldwide on diagnosing and treating environmentally- induced illnesses . She has been the Medical Director of Manhattan Health Consultants for 36 years, served as an environmental medicine expert for Fox Good Day NY, and has been featured by major media outlets like ABC, NBC, and the NY Times. She is the author of a new book “Fifty Years of Twelve Step Recovery” where she explores the concepts of addiction physiology, the challenges of food, chemical, and behavioral addictions and the struggle to maintain abstinence.
Of special interest to us at the Food Junkies Podcast is to know that before Dr. Sprouse became a physician, she was a teacher and in the throws of what she believed to be an addiction to overeating. It was later that she learned she had become addicted to certain foods. By identifying her ‘sober foods’ and avoiding her addictive (binge) foods, she was able to shed 50 unwanted pounds and has maintained both an abstinence with food and her goal weight for the past 46 years…with only a two-pound fluctuation.
As a physician, Dr. Sprouse has revised the process that freed her from her food addictions and details it in her new book. She continues to follow the “Sprouse Rotational Eating Plan” (SREP) which resolves the physical part of food addiction and has followed the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to heal from the emotional and spiritual components of the illness.
--
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman spoke with Adrienne Sprouse, MD, a Columbia-trained physician with extensive experience in emergency medicine, toxicology, and environmental medicine, as well as more than four decades of stable food recovery.
Adrienne reflected on how growing up in an alcoholic family system shaped her early coping strategies and how food became a primary source of comfort and regulation. Over time, she began to notice that certain foods didn’t simply soothe emotional distress but instead triggered a predictable cycle of cravings, symptoms, and relapse. This realization led her to distinguish between compulsive overeating as a behavioral response and food addiction as a physiological reaction to specific foods.
A central focus of the conversation was Adrienne’s Prouse Rotational Eating Plan, a structured four-day rotation approach rooted in the concept of cyclic food allergy, originally described by Dr. Herbert Rinkle. Adrienne explained the difference between fixed food allergy—where symptoms occur every time a food is eaten—and cyclic food allergy, where symptoms depend on frequency and amount. She described how repeated exposure to the same foods, common in modern eating patterns, can “stack” in the body and contribute to escalating symptoms such as bloating, edema, headaches, joint pain, and the familiar experience of temporarily “getting away with it” before relapse.
Adrienne also outlined the 24-day home food-testing process described in her book, which was designed to help individuals identify their “sober foods,” clarify which foods destabilize them, and create a rotation that supports long-term stability without relying on willpower alone.
Adrienne’s book, 50 Years of Twelve Step Recovery, was discussed as a synthesis of lived experience, physiology, and recovery practice, offering both individuals and clinicians a broader framework for understanding relapse cycles, abstinence, and whole-person healing.
In this episode:
How Adrienne differentiated compulsive overeating from food addiction physiology
What she meant by “sober foods” and why identifying them reduced chaos and cravings
Why cyclic food allergy patterns are often overlooked
How the four-day rotation was intended to reduce food “stacking” and stabilize symptoms
An overview of the 24-day food testing approach outlined in her book
How certain foods might be reintroduced medically, while acknowledging psycoogical and spiritual considerations
Why chemical exposures and non-organic foods were discussed as potential contributors to craving
Adrienne’s perspective on GLP-1 medications, including their limits in teaching coping skills
How 12-step recovery complemented biological interventions and supports long-term maintenanceShow More
Food Junkies Podcast: Is Food Addiction Just a Cyclical Food Allergy? ...w Dr Adrienne Sprouse, 2026
Dr Sprouse is a graduate of Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons medical school in New York and trained in: Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital, Toxicology at the New York City Poison Center, and Nutrition, Allergy, Detoxification, and Clinical Ecology with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She later became a Faculty Member for this Academy and for 17 years, educated physicians worldwide on diagnosing and treating environmentally- induced illnesses . She has been the Medical Director of Manhattan Health Consultants for 36 years, served as an environmental medicine expert for Fox Good Day NY, and has been featured by major media outlets like ABC, NBC, and the NY Times. She is the author of a new book “Fifty Years of Twelve Step Recovery” where she explores the concepts of addiction physiology, the challenges of food, chemical, and behavioral addictions and the struggle to maintain abstinence.
Of special interest to us at the Food Junkies Podcast is to know that before Dr. Sprouse became a physician, she was a teacher and in the throws of what she believed to be an addiction to overeating. It was later that she learned she had become addicted to certain foods. By identifying her ‘sober foods’ and avoiding her addictive (binge) foods, she was able to shed 50 unwanted pounds and has maintained both an abstinence with food and her goal weight for the past 46 years…with only a two-pound fluctuation.
As a physician, Dr. Sprouse has revised the process that freed her from her food addictions and details it in her new book. She continues to follow the “Sprouse Rotational Eating Plan” (SREP) which resolves the physical part of food addiction and has followed the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to heal from the emotional and spiritual components of the illness.
--
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman spoke with Adrienne Sprouse, MD, a Columbia-trained physician with extensive experience in emergency medicine, toxicology, and environmental medicine, as well as more than four decades of stable food recovery.
Adrienne reflected on how growing up in an alcoholic family system shaped her early coping strategies and how food became a primary source of comfort and regulation. Over time, she began to notice that certain foods didn’t simply soothe emotional distress but instead triggered a predictable cycle of cravings, symptoms, and relapse. This realization led her to distinguish between compulsive overeating as a behavioral response and food addiction as a physiological reaction to specific foods.
A central focus of the conversation was Adrienne’s Prouse Rotational Eating Plan, a structured four-day rotation approach rooted in the concept of cyclic food allergy, originally described by Dr. Herbert Rinkle. Adrienne explained the difference between fixed food allergy—where symptoms occur every time a food is eaten—and cyclic food allergy, where symptoms depend on frequency and amount. She described how repeated exposure to the same foods, common in modern eating patterns, can “stack” in the body and contribute to escalating symptoms such as bloating, edema, headaches, joint pain, and the familiar experience of temporarily “getting away with it” before relapse.
Adrienne also outlined the 24-day home food-testing process described in her book, which was designed to help individuals identify their “sober foods,” clarify which foods destabilize them, and create a rotation that supports long-term stability without relying on willpower alone.
Adrienne’s book, 50 Years of Twelve Step Recovery, was discussed as a synthesis of lived experience, physiology, and recovery practice, offering both individuals and clinicians a broader framework for understanding relapse cycles, abstinence, and whole-person healing.
In this episode:
How Adrienne differentiated compulsive overeating from food addiction physiology
What she meant by “sober foods” and why identifying them reduced chaos and cravings
Why cyclic food allergy patterns are often overlooked
How the four-day rotation was intended to reduce food “stacking” and stabilize symptoms
An overview of the 24-day food testing approach outlined in her book
How certain foods might be reintroduced medically, while acknowledging psycoogical and spiritual considerations
Why chemical exposures and non-organic foods were discussed as potential contributors to craving
Adrienne’s perspective on GLP-1 medications, including their limits in teaching coping skills
How 12-step recovery complemented biological interventions and supports long-term maintenanceShow More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Clinician's Corner - Slips, lapses, recurrences, and relapses
Food Junkies' Molly and Clarissa discuss their focus words for 2025: ...
Food Junkies' Molly and Clarissa discuss their focus words for 2025: Flourishing (Clarissa) and Emanation (Molly).
Reflections on how these guiding concepts shape their personal and professional goals for the ...new year.
Main Topic: Slips vs. Recurrence in Recovery
Clarifying terminology: Slip, lapse, recurrence, and relapse—what they mean and why language matters in addiction recovery.
The role of compassion: How self-compassion serves as a tool for growth and a buffer against shame.
Identifying signs of vulnerability: Subtle indicators that may lead to slips or recurrences and strategies to recognize and address them early.
Empowering recovery: Practical steps to take after a slip and how to differentiate it from a recurrence.
Key Takeaways:
Recovery isn’t linear, and slips are not shameful
Language matters. Terms like “recurrence” or “return to use” can reduce shame and empower recovery.
Support systems, self-compassion, and curiosity are essential tools in navigating challenges.
Recovery is about resilience and learning, not perfection.
Mantras for Recovery:
Perseverance over perfection.
Consistency over intensity.
Compassion over criticism.
Resilience over regret.
Learning over guilt.
Connection over isolation.
Empowerment over temptation.
Listener Call-to-Action:
Share your feedback or topic suggestions for Clinician's Corner! Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com.
Looking Ahead:
Stay tuned for next month’s Clinician’s Corner and join the conversation on important topics in food addiction recovery.
Resources Mentioned:
Marty Lerner’s “So What, Now What” approach.
John Kelly’s research on recovery and remission timelines.
Let’s Connect:
Email: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Follow Sweet Sobriety for updates on workshops, conferences, and recovery tools.
Thank You for Listening! We’re grateful to have you on this journey. Remember: Recovery is about progress, perseverance, and connection. You’ve got this! 💪
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Reflections on how these guiding concepts shape their personal and professional goals for the ...new year.
Main Topic: Slips vs. Recurrence in Recovery
Clarifying terminology: Slip, lapse, recurrence, and relapse—what they mean and why language matters in addiction recovery.
The role of compassion: How self-compassion serves as a tool for growth and a buffer against shame.
Identifying signs of vulnerability: Subtle indicators that may lead to slips or recurrences and strategies to recognize and address them early.
Empowering recovery: Practical steps to take after a slip and how to differentiate it from a recurrence.
Key Takeaways:
Recovery isn’t linear, and slips are not shameful
Language matters. Terms like “recurrence” or “return to use” can reduce shame and empower recovery.
Support systems, self-compassion, and curiosity are essential tools in navigating challenges.
Recovery is about resilience and learning, not perfection.
Mantras for Recovery:
Perseverance over perfection.
Consistency over intensity.
Compassion over criticism.
Resilience over regret.
Learning over guilt.
Connection over isolation.
Empowerment over temptation.
Listener Call-to-Action:
Share your feedback or topic suggestions for Clinician's Corner! Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com.
Looking Ahead:
Stay tuned for next month’s Clinician’s Corner and join the conversation on important topics in food addiction recovery.
Resources Mentioned:
Marty Lerner’s “So What, Now What” approach.
John Kelly’s research on recovery and remission timelines.
Let’s Connect:
Email: foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Follow Sweet Sobriety for updates on workshops, conferences, and recovery tools.
Thank You for Listening! We’re grateful to have you on this journey. Remember: Recovery is about progress, perseverance, and connection. You’ve got this! 💪
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Hidden Challenges of PAWS in Food Addiction Recovery w Crissy and Molly, 2025
Food Junkies Podcast: Hidden Challenges of PAWS in Food Addiction ...
Food Junkies Podcast: Hidden Challenges of PAWS in Food Addiction Recovery with Clarissa Kennedy and Molly Painshab, 2025 .
In this insightful and compassionate episode, Clarissa and Molly take a deep ...dive into post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)—an often overlooked but critical phase in ultra-processed food addiction recovery. While well-known in substance use disorder recovery, PAWS is rarely discussed in the context of food addiction, yet it shows up in significant ways.
Clarissa and Molly break down what PAWS is, why it happens, and how it can show up months or even years into recovery. They share real client experiences, neurobiological explanations, and clinical insights—plus, they normalize what can feel like a confusing and distressing time. They also offer practical strategies for clients and clinicians alike, always with compassion, humor, and a forward-thinking, growth-focused perspective.
💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ What is PAWS? Post-acute withdrawal syndrome describes the emotional, psychological, and physical withdrawal symptoms that can persist or reappear months or years after quitting a substance (including ultra-processed foods). It’s a normal part of recovery, not a failure or a sign that you’re “doing it wrong.”
✅ When it shows up: Typically around the 3-, 6-, and 12-month marks, but can happen later—Molly shared an example of it showing up at 22 months! Can be a surprise to those who believed the cravings and struggles were only short-term.
✅ What it feels like: Physical symptoms: low energy, sleep issues, fatigue, and “meh” motivation. Emotional symptoms: irritability, anxiety, low mood, feeling “flat” or joyless (anhedonia). Cognitive symptoms: brain fog, intrusive food thoughts, and the return of “food dreams.” A heightened sensitivity to emotional triggers and stress, feeling like everything is a “zing” or too much.
✅ It’s actually a sign of healing. The brain is rewiring—dopamine pathways are adapting and recalibrating. It’s part of long-term recovery, a sign that deeper healing is taking place.
✅ Common client fears: “I thought I had this figured out—why am I struggling again?”
“My coping skills don’t work anymore—what’s wrong with me?” Clarissa and Molly reframe this as an invitation to deepen your recovery work and adapt new strategies.
✅ What helps? Revisit the basics: simple structure with food, movement, sleep, and stress reduction. Connection and support: peer groups, Sweet Sobriety, or other safe spaces. Meaningful, non-food dopamine boosts: nature, creativity, connection, movement. Supplements: like omega-3s or l-glutamine (check with your provider!). Clinician support: not pushing but holding space with compassion and curiosity.
✅ For clinicians: Learn about PAWS from the substance use disorder literature—it’s crucial for validating and normalizing the client experience. Support clients without imposing your own fears about relapse—meet them with presence and empathy. Be mindful of co-occurring issues (trauma, chronic illness, medications) that can amplify PAWS. Don’t pathologize or shame—this is part of the healing arc!
This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is not linear. PAWS can feel like a step backward, but it’s actually a sign of forward movement. As Clarissa and Molly beautifully put it: “You’re not broken—you’re healing.” When PAWS shows up, it’s a call to pause, reset, and give yourself the same compassion and patience you’d offer anyone else in deep healing.
Want to connect? Reach out to the team at:
📧 foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Get Mollys PAWs Presentation here: https://www.sweetsobriety.ca
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
In this insightful and compassionate episode, Clarissa and Molly take a deep ...dive into post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)—an often overlooked but critical phase in ultra-processed food addiction recovery. While well-known in substance use disorder recovery, PAWS is rarely discussed in the context of food addiction, yet it shows up in significant ways.
Clarissa and Molly break down what PAWS is, why it happens, and how it can show up months or even years into recovery. They share real client experiences, neurobiological explanations, and clinical insights—plus, they normalize what can feel like a confusing and distressing time. They also offer practical strategies for clients and clinicians alike, always with compassion, humor, and a forward-thinking, growth-focused perspective.
💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ What is PAWS? Post-acute withdrawal syndrome describes the emotional, psychological, and physical withdrawal symptoms that can persist or reappear months or years after quitting a substance (including ultra-processed foods). It’s a normal part of recovery, not a failure or a sign that you’re “doing it wrong.”
✅ When it shows up: Typically around the 3-, 6-, and 12-month marks, but can happen later—Molly shared an example of it showing up at 22 months! Can be a surprise to those who believed the cravings and struggles were only short-term.
✅ What it feels like: Physical symptoms: low energy, sleep issues, fatigue, and “meh” motivation. Emotional symptoms: irritability, anxiety, low mood, feeling “flat” or joyless (anhedonia). Cognitive symptoms: brain fog, intrusive food thoughts, and the return of “food dreams.” A heightened sensitivity to emotional triggers and stress, feeling like everything is a “zing” or too much.
✅ It’s actually a sign of healing. The brain is rewiring—dopamine pathways are adapting and recalibrating. It’s part of long-term recovery, a sign that deeper healing is taking place.
✅ Common client fears: “I thought I had this figured out—why am I struggling again?”
“My coping skills don’t work anymore—what’s wrong with me?” Clarissa and Molly reframe this as an invitation to deepen your recovery work and adapt new strategies.
✅ What helps? Revisit the basics: simple structure with food, movement, sleep, and stress reduction. Connection and support: peer groups, Sweet Sobriety, or other safe spaces. Meaningful, non-food dopamine boosts: nature, creativity, connection, movement. Supplements: like omega-3s or l-glutamine (check with your provider!). Clinician support: not pushing but holding space with compassion and curiosity.
✅ For clinicians: Learn about PAWS from the substance use disorder literature—it’s crucial for validating and normalizing the client experience. Support clients without imposing your own fears about relapse—meet them with presence and empathy. Be mindful of co-occurring issues (trauma, chronic illness, medications) that can amplify PAWS. Don’t pathologize or shame—this is part of the healing arc!
This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is not linear. PAWS can feel like a step backward, but it’s actually a sign of forward movement. As Clarissa and Molly beautifully put it: “You’re not broken—you’re healing.” When PAWS shows up, it’s a call to pause, reset, and give yourself the same compassion and patience you’d offer anyone else in deep healing.
Want to connect? Reach out to the team at:
📧 foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Get Mollys PAWs Presentation here: https://www.sweetsobriety.ca
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: The Latest on GLP1s with Dr Nicole Avena, 2025
In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman and ...
In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy welcome back Dr. Nicole Avena — neuroscientist, researcher, and author — to discuss her team’s latest ...paper exploring a provocative question: Could GLP-1 receptor agonists, while reducing food cravings, also negatively impact dopamine regulation, mood, and addiction risk?
Dr. Avena breaks down the science behind GLP-1 drugs, their effects on the brain’s reward pathways, and why these mechanisms might lead to unintended consequences such as anhedonia, apathy, and depressive symptoms. Together, they examine potential tolerance and rebound effects, the role of GABAergic neurons, and the paradox of eliminating “food noise” while risking a hypodopaminergic state. The conversation also covers dose-dependence, the importance of holistic support and mindful eating skills, and ethical considerations for use in vulnerable populations — especially those with a history of addiction or mental health challenges.
Listeners will gain nuanced insight into:
How GLP-1s work in the brain’s reward and motivation systems
Why side effects may be tied to dosing, individual sensitivity, and muscle loss
The risk of emotional flattening and its impact on recovery and quality of life
Strategies to use these medications responsibly, including lower-dose approaches and lifestyle integration
Broader implications for the food industry, public health, and prevention — including concerns about pediatric use
Dr. Avena also shares a preview of her upcoming talk at the International Food Addiction & Comorbidities Conference in September 2025, where she’ll address GLP-1 research, early-life risk factors for ultra-processed food addiction, and prevention strategies.
If you’ve ever wondered about the long-term story behind the GLP-1 craze — especially for those navigating food addiction recovery — this in-depth discussion is a must-listen.
Get your IN-PERSON or LIVESTREAM ticket(s) HERE! Use code SSO for a 40% discount!
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Dr. Avena breaks down the science behind GLP-1 drugs, their effects on the brain’s reward pathways, and why these mechanisms might lead to unintended consequences such as anhedonia, apathy, and depressive symptoms. Together, they examine potential tolerance and rebound effects, the role of GABAergic neurons, and the paradox of eliminating “food noise” while risking a hypodopaminergic state. The conversation also covers dose-dependence, the importance of holistic support and mindful eating skills, and ethical considerations for use in vulnerable populations — especially those with a history of addiction or mental health challenges.
Listeners will gain nuanced insight into:
How GLP-1s work in the brain’s reward and motivation systems
Why side effects may be tied to dosing, individual sensitivity, and muscle loss
The risk of emotional flattening and its impact on recovery and quality of life
Strategies to use these medications responsibly, including lower-dose approaches and lifestyle integration
Broader implications for the food industry, public health, and prevention — including concerns about pediatric use
Dr. Avena also shares a preview of her upcoming talk at the International Food Addiction & Comorbidities Conference in September 2025, where she’ll address GLP-1 research, early-life risk factors for ultra-processed food addiction, and prevention strategies.
If you’ve ever wondered about the long-term story behind the GLP-1 craze — especially for those navigating food addiction recovery — this in-depth discussion is a must-listen.
Get your IN-PERSON or LIVESTREAM ticket(s) HERE! Use code SSO for a 40% discount!
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Dr. Carrie Wilkens on Rethinking Addiction without Shame, 2025
In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Clarissa and Molly sit ...
In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Clarissa and Molly sit down with psychologist Dr. Carrie Wilkens to unpack what it really means to help people change without shame, ...stigma, or power struggles. Drawing from decades of work in substance use, eating disorders, trauma, and family systems, Carrie invites us to rethink “denial,” “relapse,” “codependency,” and even the disease model itself, while still honoring the seriousness of addiction and the depth of people’s pain.
Together, we explore how self-compassion, curiosity, and values-based behavior change can transform not only individual recovery but also how families, helpers, and communities show up for the people they love.
About Dr. Carrie Wilkens
Carrie Wilkens, PhD, is a psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in the practice and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for substance use and post-traumatic stress. She is the Co-President and CEO of CMC: Foundation for Change, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing evidence-based ideas and strategies to families, communities, and professionals supporting people struggling with substances.
Carrie is a co-developer of the Invitation to Change (ITC) Approach, an accessible, skills-based framework that helps families stay engaged, reduce shame, and effectively support a loved one’s behavior change. ITC is now used across the U.S. and internationally in groups, trainings, and community programs.
She is co-author of the award-winning book Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change, which adapts the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) model for families, and co-author of The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends, a practical, evidence-based guide for loved ones who want concrete tools to support change without sacrificing their own wellbeing.
Carrie is also Co-Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Motivation and Change (CMC), a group of clinicians providing evidence-based care in New York City, Long Island, Washington, DC, San Diego, and at CMC: Berkshires, a private residential program for adults. She has served as Project Director on a large SAMHSA-funded grant addressing college binge drinking and is frequently sought out by media outlets including CBS This Morning, the Katie Couric Show, NPR, and HBO’s Risky Drinking to speak on substance use and behavior change.
Resources Mentioned
CMC: Foundation for Change – Family-focused trainings, groups, and resources: cmcffc.org
The Invitation to Change Approach – Overview of the ITC model and its core topics.
Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change (Book)
The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends (Workbook)
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Together, we explore how self-compassion, curiosity, and values-based behavior change can transform not only individual recovery but also how families, helpers, and communities show up for the people they love.
About Dr. Carrie Wilkens
Carrie Wilkens, PhD, is a psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in the practice and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for substance use and post-traumatic stress. She is the Co-President and CEO of CMC: Foundation for Change, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing evidence-based ideas and strategies to families, communities, and professionals supporting people struggling with substances.
Carrie is a co-developer of the Invitation to Change (ITC) Approach, an accessible, skills-based framework that helps families stay engaged, reduce shame, and effectively support a loved one’s behavior change. ITC is now used across the U.S. and internationally in groups, trainings, and community programs.
She is co-author of the award-winning book Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change, which adapts the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) model for families, and co-author of The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends, a practical, evidence-based guide for loved ones who want concrete tools to support change without sacrificing their own wellbeing.
Carrie is also Co-Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Motivation and Change (CMC), a group of clinicians providing evidence-based care in New York City, Long Island, Washington, DC, San Diego, and at CMC: Berkshires, a private residential program for adults. She has served as Project Director on a large SAMHSA-funded grant addressing college binge drinking and is frequently sought out by media outlets including CBS This Morning, the Katie Couric Show, NPR, and HBO’s Risky Drinking to speak on substance use and behavior change.
Resources Mentioned
CMC: Foundation for Change – Family-focused trainings, groups, and resources: cmcffc.org
The Invitation to Change Approach – Overview of the ITC model and its core topics.
Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change (Book)
The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends (Workbook)
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Body Forgiveness and Food Addiction Recovery, with Dr Ann Saffi Biasetti, 2026
In this episode, Molly and Clarissa welcome back Dr. Ann Saffi ...
In this episode, Molly and Clarissa welcome back Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti for a rich, grounded conversation on body forgiveness and why it can be a turning point in embodied ...healing. Drawing on her clinical work, research, and lived experience, Ann shares that “forgiving your body” isn’t a mental exercise or forced positivity—it’s a felt shift that helps move people from control and correction toward listening, trust, and reconciliation with the body as an ally.
Ann also introduces themes from her upcoming book, Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm: A Somatic Guide to Forgiving and Healing Your Relationship With Your Body, and revisits the foundation of her work from Befriending Your Body—offering an informed, non-pathologizing approach for anyone healing from disordered eating, chronic dieting, trauma, shame, illness, or body distrust.
What you’ll hear in this episode
How Ann’s postpartum autoimmune illness became a doorway into deeper embodiment—and body advocacy
The difference between interoceptive awareness (noticing signals) and standing up for your body when you’re dismissed
Why embodiment is a psychospiritual construct—and how “being beside your body” can be a practical starting point
How to tell the difference between mind fear-stories and what your body is actually communicating
Entry points for people who feel body connection is inaccessible: curiosity, regulation, and “giving your body a chance”
What it means to find your center—and why being “off-center” fuels critical thoughts and body war
How diet culture targets predictable times of day when people feel more vulnerable in body image
A clear breakdown: body forgiveness vs body acceptance vs body neutrality
Why pushing the body to “comply” before safety and trust are built can feel re-traumatizing
The clinical risk of “behavioral recovery” without embodiment—and why unresolved embodiment work can look like “relapse” or “symptom swapping.”
Ann’s powerful reframe for “my body failed me” (and the deeper words that often live underneath that phrase)
Memorable takeaways
Body forgiveness is not forced forgiveness. It’s a mind–heart shift that often arises from understanding, regulation, and compassion rather than effort.
Curiosity is an access point. It creates space where judgment collapses and new options become possible.
Words land in the body. Shifting language (from “failed me” to “became unwell,” “changed,” “declined,” “disappointed,” “let me down”) can soften the adversarial stance and open an embodied conversation.
Mentioned in this episode
Befriending Your Body (Ann’s book and the evidence-informed compassion-based program)
Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm (Ann’s forthcoming book on somatic body forgiveness)
Embodiment as a “container” for recovery (not just behavior change)
Self-compassion components (mindfulness, common humanity, kindness) as supports for body repair
For listeners who want to go deeper
If you’ve ever felt like your body is the problem—or you’ve done everything “right” and still feel distrust—this conversation offers a different path: not fixing the body, but rebuilding relationship with it. Ann’s approach emphasizes safety, steadiness, and the kind of compassion that can hold grief, regret, and shame without getting stuck there.
Subscribe / Follow / Share
If this episode resonates, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs a kinder, truer framework for healing their relationship with their body.
💌 EMAIL us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Don't forget - we are on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Ann also introduces themes from her upcoming book, Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm: A Somatic Guide to Forgiving and Healing Your Relationship With Your Body, and revisits the foundation of her work from Befriending Your Body—offering an informed, non-pathologizing approach for anyone healing from disordered eating, chronic dieting, trauma, shame, illness, or body distrust.
What you’ll hear in this episode
How Ann’s postpartum autoimmune illness became a doorway into deeper embodiment—and body advocacy
The difference between interoceptive awareness (noticing signals) and standing up for your body when you’re dismissed
Why embodiment is a psychospiritual construct—and how “being beside your body” can be a practical starting point
How to tell the difference between mind fear-stories and what your body is actually communicating
Entry points for people who feel body connection is inaccessible: curiosity, regulation, and “giving your body a chance”
What it means to find your center—and why being “off-center” fuels critical thoughts and body war
How diet culture targets predictable times of day when people feel more vulnerable in body image
A clear breakdown: body forgiveness vs body acceptance vs body neutrality
Why pushing the body to “comply” before safety and trust are built can feel re-traumatizing
The clinical risk of “behavioral recovery” without embodiment—and why unresolved embodiment work can look like “relapse” or “symptom swapping.”
Ann’s powerful reframe for “my body failed me” (and the deeper words that often live underneath that phrase)
Memorable takeaways
Body forgiveness is not forced forgiveness. It’s a mind–heart shift that often arises from understanding, regulation, and compassion rather than effort.
Curiosity is an access point. It creates space where judgment collapses and new options become possible.
Words land in the body. Shifting language (from “failed me” to “became unwell,” “changed,” “declined,” “disappointed,” “let me down”) can soften the adversarial stance and open an embodied conversation.
Mentioned in this episode
Befriending Your Body (Ann’s book and the evidence-informed compassion-based program)
Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm (Ann’s forthcoming book on somatic body forgiveness)
Embodiment as a “container” for recovery (not just behavior change)
Self-compassion components (mindfulness, common humanity, kindness) as supports for body repair
For listeners who want to go deeper
If you’ve ever felt like your body is the problem—or you’ve done everything “right” and still feel distrust—this conversation offers a different path: not fixing the body, but rebuilding relationship with it. Ann’s approach emphasizes safety, steadiness, and the kind of compassion that can hold grief, regret, and shame without getting stuck there.
Subscribe / Follow / Share
If this episode resonates, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs a kinder, truer framework for healing their relationship with their body.
💌 EMAIL us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
Don't forget - we are on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Fat cells have memory! with Dr Ferdinand von Meyenn, 2026
Why is it so hard to lose weight—and even harder to keep it off? ...
Why is it so hard to lose weight—and even harder to keep it off?
Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. I am your host today, talking about a most intriguing phenomenon ...that may explain why weight regain seems inevitable. Today I am talking with Fernando von Meyenn, who is coauthor of a significant paper, "Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss,” This article discusses why losing weight and keeping it off can be so challenging. Might our fat cells might "remember" past obesity?
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Meyenn is an Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. He studied biochemistry at TU Munich, got his PhD at ETH Zurich focusing on metabolism and type 2 diabetes, and completed postdoctoral work on epigenetic mechanisms at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific articles, with his work featured in leading journals such as Nature, and Cell.
In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research showing that fat cells can retain an epigenetic “memory” of obesity, even after significant weight loss. This emerging science helps explain why weight regain is so common and why willpower alone is not the issue.
We’re joined by Ferdinand von Meyenn, Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. Prof. von Meyenn has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, with work featured in top scientific journals including Nature and Cell.
Together, we unpack what “obesogenic memory” really means, how epigenetics allows fat cells to adapt—and remember—past environments, and why long-term exposure to excess calories can biologically prime the body to regain weight faster in the future.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
What epigenetics is and how it differs from genetics
How fat cells adapt to chronic overnutrition—and why those changes can persist after weight loss
Why short-term weight changes are easier to reverse than long-term weight gain
How this research challenges the idea that weight regain is a personal failure
What current data suggests about bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, and long-term outcomes
The role of inflammation, adipose tissue signaling, and the brain in body-weight regulation
Why prevention matters—and why compassion matters even more for those already affected
What researchers hope to uncover next about rewriting epigenetic memory
This episode offers a powerful, science-based reframe: difficulty maintaining weight loss is not about weakness—it’s about biology adapting to past environments. Understanding this may open the door to more effective, humane, and sustainable approaches to metabolic health in the future.
🎧 Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or someone who has lived through the frustration of weight regain, this conversation brings clarity, validation, and a forward-looking perspective on where the science is headed.
If you found this episode helpful, consider subscribing on YouTube and sharing it with someone who could use a science-grounded reminder that their struggle is not a moral failing.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
💌 Please email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. I am your host today, talking about a most intriguing phenomenon ...that may explain why weight regain seems inevitable. Today I am talking with Fernando von Meyenn, who is coauthor of a significant paper, "Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss,” This article discusses why losing weight and keeping it off can be so challenging. Might our fat cells might "remember" past obesity?
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Meyenn is an Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. He studied biochemistry at TU Munich, got his PhD at ETH Zurich focusing on metabolism and type 2 diabetes, and completed postdoctoral work on epigenetic mechanisms at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific articles, with his work featured in leading journals such as Nature, and Cell.
In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research showing that fat cells can retain an epigenetic “memory” of obesity, even after significant weight loss. This emerging science helps explain why weight regain is so common and why willpower alone is not the issue.
We’re joined by Ferdinand von Meyenn, Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, where he leads research on nutrition and metabolic epigenetics. Prof. von Meyenn has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, with work featured in top scientific journals including Nature and Cell.
Together, we unpack what “obesogenic memory” really means, how epigenetics allows fat cells to adapt—and remember—past environments, and why long-term exposure to excess calories can biologically prime the body to regain weight faster in the future.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
What epigenetics is and how it differs from genetics
How fat cells adapt to chronic overnutrition—and why those changes can persist after weight loss
Why short-term weight changes are easier to reverse than long-term weight gain
How this research challenges the idea that weight regain is a personal failure
What current data suggests about bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, and long-term outcomes
The role of inflammation, adipose tissue signaling, and the brain in body-weight regulation
Why prevention matters—and why compassion matters even more for those already affected
What researchers hope to uncover next about rewriting epigenetic memory
This episode offers a powerful, science-based reframe: difficulty maintaining weight loss is not about weakness—it’s about biology adapting to past environments. Understanding this may open the door to more effective, humane, and sustainable approaches to metabolic health in the future.
🎧 Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or someone who has lived through the frustration of weight regain, this conversation brings clarity, validation, and a forward-looking perspective on where the science is headed.
If you found this episode helpful, consider subscribing on YouTube and sharing it with someone who could use a science-grounded reminder that their struggle is not a moral failing.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodJunkiesPodcast
💌 Please email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.Show More
Now Playing
Food Junkies Podcast: Rotational Eating plan to treat food addiction, Adrienne Sprouse MD, 2025
Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you ...
Is the fact that you eat the same food every day the reason why you think you are food addicted?
Dr Sprouse is a graduate of Columbia College of Physicians ...and Surgeons medical school in New York and trained in: Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital, Toxicology at the New York City Poison Center, and Nutrition, Allergy, Detoxification, and Clinical Ecology with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She later became a Faculty Member for this Academy and for 17 years, educated physicians worldwide on diagnosing and treating environmentally- induced illnesses . She has been the Medical Director of Manhattan Health Consultants for 36 years, served as an environmental medicine expert for Fox Good Day NY, and has been featured by major media outlets like ABC, NBC, and the NY Times. She is the author of a new book “Fifty Years of Twelve Step Recovery” where she explores the concepts of addiction physiology, the challenges of food, chemical, and behavioral addictions and the struggle to maintain abstinence.
Of special interest to us at the Food Junkies Podcast is to know that before Dr. Sprouse became a physician, she was a teacher and in the throws of what she believed to be an addiction to overeating. It was later that she learned she had become addicted to certain foods. By identifying her ‘sober foods’ and avoiding her addictive (binge) foods, she was able to shed 50 unwanted pounds and has maintained both an abstinence with food and her goal weight for the past 46 years…with only a two-pound fluctuation.
As a physician, Dr. Sprouse has revised the process that freed her from her food addictions and details it in her new book. She continues to follow the “Sprouse Rotational Eating Plan” (SREP) which resolves the physical part of food addiction and has followed the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to heal from the emotional and spiritual components of the illness.
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In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman spoke with Adrienne Sprouse, MD, a Columbia-trained physician with extensive experience in emergency medicine, toxicology, and environmental medicine, as well as more than four decades of stable food recovery.
Adrienne reflected on how growing up in an alcoholic family system shaped her early coping strategies and how food became a primary source of comfort and regulation. Over time, she began to notice that certain foods didn’t simply soothe emotional distress but instead triggered a predictable cycle of cravings, symptoms, and relapse. This realization led her to distinguish between compulsive overeating as a behavioral response and food addiction as a physiological reaction to specific foods.
A central focus of the conversation was Adrienne’s Prouse Rotational Eating Plan, a structured four-day rotation approach rooted in the concept of cyclic food allergy, originally described by Dr. Herbert Rinkle. Adrienne explained the difference between fixed food allergy—where symptoms occur every time a food is eaten—and cyclic food allergy, where symptoms depend on frequency and amount. She described how repeated exposure to the same foods, common in modern eating patterns, can “stack” in the body and contribute to escalating symptoms such as bloating, edema, headaches, joint pain, and the familiar experience of temporarily “getting away with it” before relapse.
Adrienne also outlined the 24-day home food-testing process described in her book, which was designed to help individuals identify their “sober foods,” clarify which foods destabilize them, and create a rotation that supports long-term stability without relying on willpower alone.
Adrienne’s book, 50 Years of Twelve Step Recovery, was discussed as a synthesis of lived experience, physiology, and recovery practice, offering both individuals and clinicians a broader framework for understanding relapse cycles, abstinence, and whole-person healing.
In this episode:
How Adrienne differentiated compulsive overeating from food addiction physiology
What she meant by “sober foods” and why identifying them reduced chaos and cravings
Why cyclic food allergy patterns are often overlooked
How the four-day rotation was intended to reduce food “stacking” and stabilize symptoms
An overview of the 24-day food testing approach outlined in her book
How certain foods might be reintroduced medically, while acknowledging psycoogical and spiritual considerations
Why chemical exposures and non-organic foods were discussed as potential contributors to craving
Adrienne’s perspective on GLP-1 medications, including their limits in teaching coping skills
How 12-step recovery complemented biological interventions and supports long-term maintenanceShow More
Dr Sprouse is a graduate of Columbia College of Physicians ...and Surgeons medical school in New York and trained in: Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital, Toxicology at the New York City Poison Center, and Nutrition, Allergy, Detoxification, and Clinical Ecology with the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She later became a Faculty Member for this Academy and for 17 years, educated physicians worldwide on diagnosing and treating environmentally- induced illnesses . She has been the Medical Director of Manhattan Health Consultants for 36 years, served as an environmental medicine expert for Fox Good Day NY, and has been featured by major media outlets like ABC, NBC, and the NY Times. She is the author of a new book “Fifty Years of Twelve Step Recovery” where she explores the concepts of addiction physiology, the challenges of food, chemical, and behavioral addictions and the struggle to maintain abstinence.
Of special interest to us at the Food Junkies Podcast is to know that before Dr. Sprouse became a physician, she was a teacher and in the throws of what she believed to be an addiction to overeating. It was later that she learned she had become addicted to certain foods. By identifying her ‘sober foods’ and avoiding her addictive (binge) foods, she was able to shed 50 unwanted pounds and has maintained both an abstinence with food and her goal weight for the past 46 years…with only a two-pound fluctuation.
As a physician, Dr. Sprouse has revised the process that freed her from her food addictions and details it in her new book. She continues to follow the “Sprouse Rotational Eating Plan” (SREP) which resolves the physical part of food addiction and has followed the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to heal from the emotional and spiritual components of the illness.
--
In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman spoke with Adrienne Sprouse, MD, a Columbia-trained physician with extensive experience in emergency medicine, toxicology, and environmental medicine, as well as more than four decades of stable food recovery.
Adrienne reflected on how growing up in an alcoholic family system shaped her early coping strategies and how food became a primary source of comfort and regulation. Over time, she began to notice that certain foods didn’t simply soothe emotional distress but instead triggered a predictable cycle of cravings, symptoms, and relapse. This realization led her to distinguish between compulsive overeating as a behavioral response and food addiction as a physiological reaction to specific foods.
A central focus of the conversation was Adrienne’s Prouse Rotational Eating Plan, a structured four-day rotation approach rooted in the concept of cyclic food allergy, originally described by Dr. Herbert Rinkle. Adrienne explained the difference between fixed food allergy—where symptoms occur every time a food is eaten—and cyclic food allergy, where symptoms depend on frequency and amount. She described how repeated exposure to the same foods, common in modern eating patterns, can “stack” in the body and contribute to escalating symptoms such as bloating, edema, headaches, joint pain, and the familiar experience of temporarily “getting away with it” before relapse.
Adrienne also outlined the 24-day home food-testing process described in her book, which was designed to help individuals identify their “sober foods,” clarify which foods destabilize them, and create a rotation that supports long-term stability without relying on willpower alone.
Adrienne’s book, 50 Years of Twelve Step Recovery, was discussed as a synthesis of lived experience, physiology, and recovery practice, offering both individuals and clinicians a broader framework for understanding relapse cycles, abstinence, and whole-person healing.
In this episode:
How Adrienne differentiated compulsive overeating from food addiction physiology
What she meant by “sober foods” and why identifying them reduced chaos and cravings
Why cyclic food allergy patterns are often overlooked
How the four-day rotation was intended to reduce food “stacking” and stabilize symptoms
An overview of the 24-day food testing approach outlined in her book
How certain foods might be reintroduced medically, while acknowledging psycoogical and spiritual considerations
Why chemical exposures and non-organic foods were discussed as potential contributors to craving
Adrienne’s perspective on GLP-1 medications, including their limits in teaching coping skills
How 12-step recovery complemented biological interventions and supports long-term maintenanceShow More