Did you know that good nutrition is key to a strong immune system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lisa McDowell, M.S., R.D., Registered Dietitian and Director of Nutrition at St Joseph Mercy Health System, based in Ann Arbor, MI where she started a 25-acre organic farm to ensure fresh produce for patients and employees. In 2011, McDowell began working with the Detroit Red Wings professional ice hockey team, and is now their offici...
Jun 04, 2020•28 min•Ep. 570
Did you know that litigation can help drive legislation? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kim E. Richman, Founding Partner at Richman Law Group which specializes in consumer protection and civil rights litigation with the goal of protecting public health and our environment. The Richman Law Group investigates corporations that may be engaging in deceptive marketing; they verify the accuracy of claims, and hold companies accountable ...
May 29, 2020•28 min•Ep. 569
Did you know that the Smithfield pork processing plant in Milan, Missouri processes 10,500 hogs per day? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Axel Fuentes, Executive Director, Rural Community Workers Alliance, and labor organizer. Fuentes shares real life experiences of Smithfield meat processing plant workers including: line speed, repetitive injuries and lack of bathroom breaks. Now, workers face dire risk from COVID-19 infection beca...
May 22, 2020•28 min•Ep. 568
Did you know that Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights declares that “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution”? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Karen Ehrens, Registered Dietitian based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Ehrens discusses her recent trip to the U.S./Mexican border where she witnessed the living conditions of sheltered immigrants and farm workers, and sh...
May 15, 2020•28 min•Ep. 567
Did you know that there is no evidence to date that people can contract COVID-19 from food? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Don Schaffner, Ph.D., food safety specialist and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, and podcast host ( http://foodsafetytalk.com ). Schaffner describes best practices for safe food handling during the corona virus pandemic. He outlines key steps for good handwashing, assesses risk from take-out foo...
May 08, 2020•28 min•Ep. 566
Did you know that the U.S. Dietary Guidelines are updated every five years, but have thus far not taken sustainability into consideration? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sarah Reinhardt, MPH, RD , Lead Food Systems & Health Analyst, with the Food & Environment Program, at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Reinhardt discusses key findings from her recent research paper titled: “Systematic Review of Dietary Patterns and Sus...
May 01, 2020•28 min•Ep. 565
Did you know that 40 million fellow Americans, or at least one in nine households experience food insecurity? (These numbers are before the impact of the Corona virus on our nation’s economy. ) Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Megan Lott, MPH, RD , Deputy Director of Healthy Eating Research, based at Duke University. Lott discusses nutrition guidelines for the charitable food system, food policy, and the grave impact of proposed cut...
Apr 24, 2020•28 min•Ep. 564
Did you know that okra doesn’t have to be slimy? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Chris Smith, founder and Executive Director of the Utopian Seed Project and author of The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration. The grand champion of okra, Smith describes his okra seed trial research, celebrates okra’s many uses, teaches us how to remove the “slime,” and explains why okra might play a key role in food security during climate change....
Apr 16, 2020•28 min•Ep. 563
Did you know that microorganisms in the soil impact plant health, just as gut microorganisms impact human health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Ann Bikle, M.S., biologist, and co-author, The Hidden Half of Nature. Bikle discusses the community of soil microorganisms, and their role in plant and human health, and identifies the role home gardens could play in carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. Link to Bikle’s 2019...
Apr 10, 2020•28 min•Ep. 562
Did you know that a Missouri peach farmer lost 30,000 trees and his peach business due to drift from Monsanto’s dicamba herbicide? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Paul Lesko, attorney based in St. Louis who is a litigator representing farmers, nurseries, and individuals damaged by Monsanto’s dicamba herbicide. Lesko describes the Bader peach farm case in which the jury awarded Bader over 250 million dollars due to the loss of his p...
Apr 03, 2020•28 min•Ep. 561
Did you know that producing more food with exported Western technologies will not “feed the world? “Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Timothy Wise, M.A., Director of the Land and Food Rights Program at the Small Planet Institute, Senior Research Fellow at Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute, and the author of Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food. Wise exposes...
Mar 27, 2020•28 min•Ep. 560
Did you know that eating is a full sensory experience? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Rebecca Katz, M.S, chef, educator, artist and author of The Cancer Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing Big Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Beyond . Katz describes her artful culinary pharmacy, and the importance of food’s texture, flavor and color in cancer healing, prevention, and more enjoyable eating. Tune in and learn what it means to feel “...
Mar 20, 2020•28 min•Ep. 559
Did you know that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get high quality dietary supplements? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Tod Cooperman, MD., President and Founder of Consumerlab.com, an independent evaluator and reviewer of dietary products and supplements . Cooperman discusses his recent research on flavanol content and heavy-metal contamination of chocolate, plus reviews the most critical nutrients for protecting bone health ...
Mar 13, 2020•28 min•Ep. 558
Did you know that stress and anxiety have replaced weight as the leading consumer health concern? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Melissa Abbott, Vice President of Culinary Insights for the Harman Group, a consumer culture research firm, based in Belleview, WA. Abbott discusses changes in consumer food trends, trend-tracking techniques, and shifts in consumer thinking about food value, health and sustainability. Related website: ww...
Mar 06, 2020•28 min•Ep. 557
Did you know that working with the water cycle can help mitigate climate change? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World - Building Soil, Restoring Land, and Working with the Water Cycle for a cooler, Wetter Planet. Schwartz describes the importance of healthy ecosystems for climate restoration, and specifically how working with permaculture and the water cycle ca...
Feb 28, 2020•28 min•Ep. 556
Did you know that reducing food waste is among the leading ways to mitigate climate change? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council Up to 40 percent of food in the United States is wasted, contributing to extensive environmental, economic, and societal impacts. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Turner Wyatt, Chief Executive Officer of the Upcycled Food Association. Wyatt describes hopeful and powerful solutions to food was...
Feb 21, 2020•28 min•Ep. 555
Did you know that children are not “little adults?” Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Nsedu Witherspoon, Executive Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network, who describes why and how children are more vulnerable to environmental toxins. Witherspoon describes some of the resources, programs and actions available to parents and childcare providers to keep children safe, including the Eco-Healthy Childcare Guide , Bluepri...
Feb 13, 2020•28 min•Ep. 554
registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Robert Martin, director of the Food System Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University’ Center for a Livable Future who takes a deep dive into agriculture research, practices, and policies impacting farm communities and quality of life. Martin discusses findings from his work with the PEW Commission, investigating the negative impact of concentrated animal feeding operations on air, and water quality and antibiotic resistance " Putt...
Feb 07, 2020•28 min•Ep. 553
Did you know that there’s a price to pay for increasing food production without regard to planetary impact? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kevin Walker, Ph.D., author of The Grand Food Bargain and the Mindless Drive for More . Walker discusses the myths and consequences of our industrial food system, and names animal agriculture (CAFOs) as particularly detrimental to our environment and public health. Walker explains the risk of t...
Jan 31, 2020•28 min•Ep. 552
Did you know that photographers use special techniques to create mouth-watering food images? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Andrew Scrivani, NY Times food photographer, and author of That Photo Makes Me Hungry: Photographing Food for Fun & Profit . Scrivani will discuss his career, and describe the techniques he uses to create enticing images of real food. Scrivani’s book not only reveals the photographer’s inside tips, but pr...
Jan 24, 2020•28 min•Ep. 551
Did you know that the American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) because of risk to public health and the environment? See: https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2020/01/13/precautionary-moratorium-on-new-and-expanding-concentrated-animal-feeding-operations Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Terry Spence, livestoc...
Jan 17, 2020•28 min•Ep. 550
Did you know that there are at least 4,700 highly fluorinated chemicals, often called “PFAS” in many everyday consumer products, and that these chemicals pose harm to human health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Laurel Schaider, Ph.D., Research Scientist at the Silent Spring Institute. Schaider discusses water contamination from PFAS chemicals, and the consumer products that contain them, including: non-stick cookware, grease-proo...
Jan 10, 2020•28 min•Ep. 549
Did you know that dieting can lead to disordered eating? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with James Greenblatt, M.D., author of “Integrative Medicine for Binge Eating.” Greenblatt discusses how dieting and food deprivation can lead to disordered eating, and the role of media, sleep, stress and exercise on appetite and binge eating disorders. He describes the benefits of mindfulness, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy in treatment...
Jan 03, 2020•28 min•Ep. 548
Did you know that eating well is one of the most important ways we can feel and look our best? However, navigating popular diets and food and nutrition media messages can be confusing. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her light-hearted but practical interview with Mary Donkersloot, R.D., host of Mary’s Smart Eating Show. Donkersloot discusses some of the most popular eating trends and recommendations from the past year including red meat warnings, ket...
Dec 27, 2019•28 min•Ep. 547
Did you know that the time of day when we exercise can help better control blood sugar levels? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jill Kanaley, Ph.D., Exercise Physiologist and Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri. She’ll discuss her research on the effects of diet composition and exercise/physical activity on blood sugar and body fat. She recommends the American College of Spo...
Dec 20, 2019•28 min•Ep. 546
Did you know that highly processed “junk” food harms children’s health beyond obesity? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Bettina Elias Siegel, attorney, advocate, and author of Kid Food: The Challenge of Feeding Children in a Highly Processed World . Siegel discusses multiple ways highly processed foods harm children’s health, and most important: she describes how we can help protect children from exploitation by junk food marketing ...
Dec 13, 2019•28 min•Ep. 545
Did you know that the industrialization of wheat may be a contributing factor explaining the rise in wheat intolerance? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Bob Quinn, Ph.D., award winning organic farmer based in Montana, and co-author of Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food . Quinn discusses the evolution of industrial wheat production, its impact on rural communities, wheat nutrition, and the h...
Dec 06, 2019•28 min•Ep. 544
Did you know that communities across the country are using food to rise out of economic despair? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Mark Winne, Senior Advisor, Center for a Livable Future and author of Food Town USA: Seven unlikely cities that are changing the way we eat. Winne takes a deeper dive into cities that have been rejuvenated by food despite ongoing struggles with climate change and racism. He also discusses the meaning of a...
Nov 29, 2019•28 min•Ep. 543
Did you know that the food system can be a tremendous economic driver in communities facing economic hardship? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Mark Winne, Senior Advisor, Center for a Livable Future and author of Food Town USA: Seven unlikely cities that are changing the way we eat. Winne explains food’s economic potential and its ability to build social capital and create jobs. Related website: www.markwinne.com...
Nov 22, 2019•28 min•Ep. 542
Did you know that many modern chemicals used in the manufacture of consumer products mimic (though imperfectly) our hormonal systems? Endocrine disruptions caused by this imperfect mimicry can lead to many chronic diseases that have their roots in early exposures. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Cheryl Watson, Ph.D., professor (emeritus) in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Dept. at the University of Texas Medical Branch in ...
Nov 15, 2019•28 min•Ep. 541
