Dr. Vera Tarman

Psychiatrist Dr. Matt Bernstein, CEO of the metabolic psychiatry program Accord, discusses how brain energy metabolism — not just neurotransmitters — may underlie depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and even Alzheimer's risk decades before symptoms appear. He explains how ketogenic and … [Read more...] about Episode 291: Dr. Matt Bernstein, MD | Metabolic Psychiatry, Ketosis, and Food Addiction

Physician and naturopath Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of "The Magnesium Miracle," explains how widespread magnesium deficiency may drive fatigue, brain fog, and cravings that don't resolve even with a "clean" diet. She connects magnesium status to candida/yeast overgrowth and sugar metabolism, and … [Read more...] about Episode 290: Dr. Carolyn Dean | Magnesium, Yeast Overgrowth & Sugar Cravings

Registered psychotherapist Brian Baumal, who has over 14 years of food addiction recovery himself, discusses the moment an intense reaction to a piece of chocolate revealed the scale of his own food addiction. He and the hosts explore the difference between adaptive and toxic perfectionism, how … [Read more...] about Episode 289: Brian Baumal | Perfectionism, Shame, and Food Addiction Recovery

Cognitive psychologist Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson, founder of Bright Line Eating, discusses her 2025 study reporting six-year outcomes from an abstinence-based food addiction recovery program. She shares her own path from drug addiction to food addiction recovery, the honest story behind her book … [Read more...] about Episode 288: Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD — Six-Year Outcomes, GLP-1s & the Identity Shifts Behind Lasting Recovery

Nephrologist and bestselling author Dr. Jason Fung explores whether fasting is safe for people in food addiction recovery, challenging the calorie-centric model of obesity in favor of a hormonal one. He breaks down homeostatic, hedonic, and conditioned hunger, warns against using fasting as … [Read more...] about Episode 287: Dr. Jason Fung | Is Fasting Safe for the Food Addict?

Psychologist and former food-industry consultant Dr. Glenn Livingston explains the framework behind his book "Never Binge Again," built on structured food rules and separating from the "voice" that drives bingeing. Drawing on his own 80-pound weight loss and work with thousands of clients, he … [Read more...] about Episode 286: Glenn Livingston | Never Binge Again — Taming the Voice That Drives You to Eat

Ophthalmologist and functional medicine practitioner Dr. Radka Toms explains the surprising connection between sugar, gut health, and vision, including how an eye exam can reveal insulin resistance before bloodwork does. She covers the "gut-eye axis," seven eye conditions linked to metabolic … [Read more...] about Episode 285: Dr. Radka Toms | Can Your Eye Doctor Spot Sugar Damage Before Your Blood Work?

Molly Painschab and Clarissa Kennedy dig into shame and stigma as one of the biggest barriers to recovery from ultra-processed food use disorder, drawing on recent in-person retreat conversations. They trace how stigma becomes internalized and why shame rarely drives lasting change, offering … [Read more...] about Episode 284: Clinician’s Corner | Shame, Stigma & Ultra-Processed Food Use Disorder

Certified nutritional therapist Natalie Peltro shares the food-recovery framework she built after her son, diagnosed with severe nonverbal autism at 18 months, would eat only three foods. She breaks down the biology behind picky eating, including taste sensitivity tied to nutrient deficiency, and … [Read more...] about Episode 283: Natalie Peltro | From Picky Eater to Plate Adventurer — Helping Kids (and Adults) Fall in Love with Real Food

Chartered psychologist Dr. Erin Bellamy explains ketogenic metabolic therapy — how carbohydrate restriction can support psychiatric and food addiction recovery by addressing mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and neuroinflammation. She compares ketogenic therapy to GLP-1 medications … [Read more...] about Episode 282: Dr. Erin Bellamy | Can a Diet Replace Psychiatric Meds? Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for Food Addiction & Mental Health

UCLA psychologist Dr. Stephen Sideroff breaks down his Nine Pillars of Resilience model and applies it directly to food addiction recovery. He discusses stress as the primary driver of both addiction and relapse, the role of the inner critic, and why joy is a physiological necessity rather than a … [Read more...] about Episode 281: Dr. Stephen Sideroff | The 9 Pillars of Resilience in Recovery

Biomedical engineer Bob Messerschmidt, who helped develop health-sensing technology for the original Apple Watch, discusses a simple inflammation marker called ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and its potential role in recovery. He explains how at-home inflammation tracking could give people … [Read more...] about Episode 280: Bob Messerschmidt | The ESR Marker That Could Change Recovery