Dr. Vera Tarman – Author, Speaker & Food Addiction Expert

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Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 190: Dr. Èvelyne Bourdua-Roy

Dr. Èvelyne Bourdua-Roy

Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast! In today’s episode, your host, Dr. Vera Tarman, and co-host, Clarissa Kennedy, are thrilled to welcome Dr. Èvelyne Bourdua-Roy to the show. Dr. Roy is a highly respected family medicine physician with a wealth of knowledge and experience in treating patients with various health concerns, including those related to food addiction and recovery. Dr. Roy graduated from the University of Montreal in 2015 and from LaValle University in 2012, bringing a rich educational background and a compassionate approach to her practice.

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of food addiction recovery, exploring how positive and negative expectations can shape the journey to better health. Dr. Roy shares her insights on the importance of flipping expectations, patient challenges, and practical strategies for building new, adaptive expectations that support lasting recovery.

Whether you’re struggling with food addiction, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in learning more about this critical topic, this episode offers valuable perspectives and actionable advice. Tune in to discover how shifting your mindset can be a powerful tool in overcoming food addiction and reclaiming your health.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Dr. Èvelyne Bourdua-Roy’s journey in medicine and her passion for helping patients overcome food addiction.
  • The concept of flipping expectations and how it can transform the recovery process.
  • Common challenges faced when trying to change expectations and how to overcome them.
  • Practical tips for building realistic, adaptive expectations that support long-term recovery.
  • The role of self-awareness, emotional regulation, and support systems in sustaining positive change.

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 189: Dr. Hala Lahlou

Dr. Hala Lahlou

n this episode of the Food Junkies podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman interviews Dr. Hala Lahlou, a leading obesity medicine physician based in Montreal, Quebec. Dr. Lahlou shares her journey into bariatric medicine, which began with her family medicine practice, where she noticed that many of her patients struggled with obesity and metabolic issues. This personal connection, along with her own experiences with obesity, motivated her to specialize in this field.

Dr. Lahlou discusses the complex role of adipose tissue, explaining its function as an endocrine organ that plays a significant role in metabolism, immunity, and inflammation. She emphasizes that obesity is not merely a cosmetic issue but a serious health condition that can lead to various diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.

The conversation also delves into the use of GLP-1 agonists and bariatric surgery as treatments for obesity. Dr. Lahlou explains that GLP-1 agonists, initially developed for diabetes treatment, are now being used to treat obesity because they help reduce food cravings and manage metabolic disorders. However, she also highlights the challenges, including side effects and the high cost of these medications.

Dr. Lahlou also touches on the importance of screening for underlying conditions like ADHD, which can complicate weight management due to issues with impulse control and emotional regulation. She explains that ADHD, often underdiagnosed in obese patients, can contribute to food addiction and challenges in following structured weight loss plans.

The episode concludes with Dr. Lahlou’s thoughts on the future of obesity medicine, her focus on educating medical students and residents, and her hope for a more compassionate approach to treating obesity, recognizing it as a complex, multifaceted condition rather than a simple issue of willpower or discipline.

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 188: Matthew W. Johnson, PhD

Matthew W. Johnson PhD

Matthew W. Johnson, PhD, is a senior researcher for the Center of Excellence for Psilocybin Research and Treatment at Sheppard Pratt’s Institute for Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics. He is one of the world’s most accomplished scientists on the human effects of psychedelics and has conducted seminal research in the behavioral economics of drug use, addiction, and risk behavior. Dr. Johnson, an expert in behavioral pharmacology research, has decades of experience. In his most recent role, he served as a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dr. Johnson’s current research centers around the efficacy and safety of psychedelics in the treatment of various medical and mental health conditions.

In 2008, Dr. Johnson played a crucial role in revitalizing human psychedelic research by publishing psychedelic risk and safety guidelines, which are now widely recognized as field standards. His trials have explored the effects of psychedelics on mystical experience, personality change, cancer distress treatment, and depression treatment. Dr. Johnson published the first research on psychedelic treatment for tobacco addiction in 2014. In 2021, he received the first federal grant in a half-century for treatment research with a classic psychedelic. He has received continuous National Institute of Health (NIH) funding as Principal Investigator since 2009 and has reviewed for >75 journals, including serving as guest editor on two special issues on psychedelics. Dr. Johnson has reviewed grants for the NIH, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Military, and multiple governments outside the U.S. He was a member of the Addictions Risks and Mechanisms (ARM) NIH study section for 5 years. He has been invited to present his research in over a dozen countries.

Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Oregon University and earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Vermont. He served as President of the International Society for Research on Psychedelics in 2020, the first scientific society dedicated to quantitative research on psychedelics and one he played a role in founding. In 2019, Dr. Johnson also served as President of the Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse Division of the American Psychological Association.

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 187: Monica Boyer

Monica Boyer is a certified Ketogenic Lifestyle Coach and a passionate holistic health and wellness advocate. Her journey began with a life-changing experience seven years ago that inspired her to leave her career as an Administrative Secretary and pursue certifications in nutrition, ketogenic coaching, and food addiction recovery. With a profound weight loss of over 120 lbs through the ketogenic lifestyle, Monica has maintained her transformation for nearly seven years and is passionate about helping others achieve the same.
 
To that end, Monica got her Keto certification with Ketogenic Living 101 with Kate Jaramillo and Life Coaching with the Transformational Academy in 2018. But the focus on low-carb eating was not enough; food addiction was a missing piece in her practice. She completed her Holistic Medicine for Addiction and SUGAR  certification with Bitten Johnson in early 2024. 

Monica has also received her Intermittent Fasting Certification with Bryan Bryn and is getting her certification with Dr. Mindy Peltz, author of Fasting Like a Girl, where she will work with women and nutrition building based on their hormones.  This year, she acquired  Ketogenic Living 101 and now runs one of the US’s most successful Keto Coaching certification programs.

In addition to her coaching practice, Monica has launched a podcast called “Beyond the Scale: Weight Loss & Wellness.” 

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 186: Dr. Vimlasara (Valerie) Mason-John M.A (Hon.Doc)

Dr. Vimlasara (Valerie) Mason-John M.A (Hon.Doc)

Welcome to the show, DR. VIMALASARA, also known as (VALERIE) MASON-JOHN M.A (HON.DOC). Vimalasara is a founding facilitator of Compassionate Inquiry and the author of 10 books, including the award-winning book, “Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction” and “Detox Your Heart: Meditations for Emotional Trauma.” There are 8 Step Recovery meetings held on several continents. And they are co-founder of the training program, Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR), which is delivered in both English and Spanish. They work as a public speaker in the field of Mindfulness for Addiction and Trauma. They also work online and in person between Canada, the USA, the UK, and Spain.

In this episode:

  • Their personal story of eating disorders, food addiction and recovery
  • How to work with the shame we experience around eating disorders and food addiction
  • The mutual help recovery community Vimalasara created Eight Step Recovery: Using the Buddhist Teaching to Overcome Addiction.
  • Their new book First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviours
  • Vimalasara does two practices in this episode around SHAME and LOVE

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 185: Maia Szalavitz

Maia Szalavitz

Maia Szalavitz is an acclaimed journalist and author renowned for her expertise in neuroscience and addiction. With a career spanning over three decades, she has become one of the most prominent voices in the field, advocating for evidence-based approaches to addiction treatment and policy.

Szalavitz’s career as a journalist began in the late 1980s. Her work has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Washington Post, and Scientific American. She has reported extensively on topics ranging from addiction and mental health to neuroscience and public health.

Maia Szalavitz is the author of several influential books that have reshaped the public’s understanding of addiction and recovery.

In this episode:

  • How her personal journey influenced her professional work and views on addiction
  • Key misconceptions about addiction that persist in society today
  • The role of trauma and mental health issues in the development and perpetuation of addiction
  • Addiction as a learning disorder
  • Harm Reduction and Radical Empathy
  • The future of addiction treatment and the evolution of harm reduction in the next 10 to 20 years
  • Signature Question: If you could tell a younger version of yourself something about addiction and/or Harm Reduction – what would it be?

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 184: Kathy Williams

Kathy Williams

Kathy Williams has an MBA from the Goizueta School of Business, Emry University, and a Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. She has also been certified by the University of Pittsburgh’s Diabetes Prevention Program. As CEO of Williams ConsultlingGroup, Kathy is an author, speaker, health strategist, and diabetic prevention advocate. She also has a private coaching practice where she helps clients eliminate their cravings and sugar addiction in 90 days.  

Like many of us in the field, Kathy has her own personal story. From being prediabetic, she halted her prediabetic progression back to a normal blood sugar level, which she has maintained for over 10 years.  Notably – She was even able to help her son, a type ONE diabetic, to reduce his insulin and greatly improve his blood sugar levels. This is far and beyond what most doctors can achieve. She did this by changing his diet. She has found a way to reach out to children and adults. Of interest to us at Food Junkies:, what can Kathy tell us about how to encourage and support families to live a sugar free life – in a world that equates love with sugar? 

Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 183: Amanda M Raines, PhD

Amanda M Raines PhD

Dr. Raines is a distinguished clinical investigator at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the LSU School of Medicine. With a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University, she has over 13 years of clinical experience, specializing in treating patients with anxiety and related conditions, including those which intersect with hoarding behaviors. She has published an number of peer reviewed articles focusing on hoarding disorder and its associated psychological aspects. 

Dr. Raines is the Chair of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Research and Professional Development Committee and a member of the Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL), and Division 12 of the American Psychological Association (APA). Further, she serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. .

    Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 182: Claire Sehinson

    Claire Sehinson - Neurodivergence and Disordered Eating Behaviours

    Claire Sehinson is an educator and researcher specializing in functional medicine and nutritional therapy. She brings to her work her passion and lived experience of being multiply neurodivergent and diagnosed with Autism, dyslexia, and ADHD as an adult whilst navigating her own recovery from ME/CFS and dealing with many mental health issues throughout her lifetime.

    Claire has over a decade of specialist clinical experience working with complex illness, trauma, CFS, Fibromyalgia, and chronic infections. Claire is the Head of Research at the Optimum Health Clinic (an integrative body-mind clinic). She researches and trains practitioners on cutting-edge protocols to support complexly ill clients.

    She created the IHCAN award-winning Therapeutic Nutrition course, a six-month postgraduate practitioner training program supporting patients with CFS/ME and complex illnesses. Claire continues to advocate for marginalized groups to raise awareness and share knowledge of intersectionality in healthcare. Her research focus is the overlap of Neurodivergence, hypermobility spectrum disorders, and chronic complex illness.

    In this episode:

    • Her personal story with Neurodiversity and WHY it was important to her to pursue this career?
    • Some of the myths about what people think ADHD is and what it is
    • The unique challenges faced by those with ADHD
    • What is the relationship between ADHD and eating disorders, and how can the symptoms of each condition exacerbate the other?
    • We talk about interoception and how this affects individuals with ADHD when it comes to feeding and eating
    • What are the sensory processing and differences that ADHD people experience?
    • What are some helpful tips for practitioners working with diet & nutrition plans in ADHD?
    • How do ADHD symptoms intersect with substance use disorders?
    • What are some common coping mechanisms or self-medicating behaviors that individuals with ADHD may adopt, leading to potential addiction issues?

    Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 181: Dr. Janathan Paramsothy

    Dr. Janathan Paramsothy

    Dr. Jananthan Paramsothy received internal medicine training at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, New York. He has also worked as an anesthesiologist and critical care physician in Sri Lanka. He has published several peer-reviewed articles, one on a study of auto-brewery syndrome. He is also a student in the Executive MPH program at Yale School of Public Health.

    We have heard much about the microbiome and its possible role in food addiction. We at Food Junkies are interested to know what role gut fermentation syndrome might be contributing to our food addiction as a result of the ultra-processed foods that so many of us are eating.

      Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 180: Dr. Kirby Reutter

      Dr. Kirby Reutter

      Meet Dr. Kirby Reutter, a bilingual clinical psychologist and leading trauma specialist.

      Dr. Reutter currently contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide treatment services for individuals seeking political asylum. He is also the author of three books, including “The DBT Skills Workbook for PTSD.”

      In this episode:

      • Dr. Kirby Reutter educates us on what PTSD is
      • How Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can treat PTSD
      • We talk about addiction, trauma, and DBT
      • How mindfulness can be a very important piece to treating trauma
      • Our signature question and so much more
      • We are definitely having Dr. Reutter back!

      Food Junkies Podcast Ep. 179: Dr. Carl Erik Fisher

      Dr. Carl Erik Fisher

      Carl Erik Fisher, M.D., is an addiction psychiatrist, bioethics scholar, author, and person in recovery. He is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, where he studies and teaches law, ethics, and policy relating to psychiatry and neuroscience, especially issues related to substance use disorders and other addictive behaviors. He also maintains a private clinical practice focused on complementary and integrative approaches to addiction and recovery.

      He is the author of the nonfiction book The Urge: Our History of Addiction, named one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker and The Boston Globe. The Urge is an intellectual and cultural history of addiction, interwoven with his own experiences as an addiction psychiatrist at Columbia and as someone in recovery himself. His other writing for the general public has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Slate, Scientific American MIND, and elsewhere. He is also the host of the podcast Flourishing After Addiction, an interview series focused on addiction and recovery.

      Carl’s scholarly work addresses the role of neuroscience and psychiatry in society, primarily as reflected in ethics, law, and policy. His academic writing has been published in JAMA; The American Journal of Bioethics; The Journal of Medical Ethics; and The Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics, among others. He is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and he is an appointed member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Psychiatry and Law.

      In this episode:

      • Shares his personal and professional journey
      • Why it was important for him that his book focus on the history of addiction
      • Can and should personal recovery inform professional treatment?
      • Why he believes if you can do so safely, you should recover out loud
      • Why he wrote the book The Urge: Our History of Addiction
      • What are his thoughts on models of addiction?
      • Is there a false dichotomy between harm reduction and abstinence-based treatment?
      • He addresses some common misconceptions about addiction
      • Dr. Fisher turns the tables and walks Vera & I through an exercise to see how our treatment are more aligned than different
      • What he would say to his younger self about addiction
      Addictions Unplugged, The Power Is Ours