Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that that the long-chain fatty acid, DHA, can significantly reduce preterm birth, and that African American women are more prone to preterm births? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Susan Carlson, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research at the U. of Kansas (KU) School of Health Professions, and Distinguished AJ Rice Professor of Nutrition in the KU Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at KU Medical Center. Carlson discusses her research which focuses on the protective effects of docosahexanoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, for preventing preterm birth and enhancing infant brain, visual and behavioral development. Tune in to learn how to get DHA in your diet, recommended supplement dose for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and which popular infant formula comes up short on DHA.This interview is featured for World Breastfeeding Week: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/31-07-2020-world-breastfeeding-week-2020-message?fbclid=IwAR2CwJK1VOTfw-HhnMP90Dvaey3aS2O7h-OXNtLcd0rSIj_Is9lqviQoMnI Related website: http://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/dietetics-and-nutrition/our-people/carlson.html

Did you know that African Americans were purposely left out of recorded history, resulting in lost wisdom and dignity? Join Food Sleuth Radio host, and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Donna Battle Pierce, former food editor and test kitchen director at the Chicago Tribune, and director of the non-profit Skillet Project which creates meaningful connections among generations through food and journalism. Pierce discusses African American food culture, her experience with recipe development, plus history, race and justice through a food lens.Related website: www.blackamericacooks.com/, Maya Angelou, “Family Affairs” https://genius.com/Maya-angelou-family-affairs-annotated

Did you know that the stress and trauma from food insecurity puts children’s mental and physical health at risk? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Cindy Leung, ScD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Leung is a nutritional epidemiologist whose research focuses on diet and health disparities in vulnerable populations. She discusses the psychological distress associated with childhood food insecurity, which has risen exponentially due to COVID-19. (See: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/05/06/the-covid-19-crisis-has-already-left-too-many-children-hungry-in-america/ ). She is the lead author of a paper in the March 2020 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, titled: “Understanding the Psychological Distress of Food Insecurity: A Qualitative Study of Children’s Experiences and Related Coping Strategies.” Related website: https://jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(19)31547-3/pdf

Did you know that water is our most important nutrient, and it is often contaminated with a variety of common contaminants? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Aly Cohen, board certified rheumatologist, integrative medicine, and environmental health expert. Cohen discusses the importance of water quality, common contaminants, filters, national regulation and health. (Part 2 of 2) Related website: https://www.alycohenmd.com/welcome.html

Did you know that environmental chemical exposures impact our immune system, inflammatory response, and risk for COVID-19? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Aly Cohen, board certified rheumatologist, integrative medicine, and environmental health expert. Cohen discusses key points from the book she co-authored, Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World, and her TEDx talk titled: "How to Protect Your Kids from Toxic Chemicals". (Part 1 of 2) Related website: https://thesmarthuman.com/ https://www.alycohenmd.com/environmental-health.html

Did you know that food is a driver of economic and community development? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Craig Willingham, MPH, Deputy Director of the City University of NY Urban Food Policy Institute. Willingham discusses food insecurity, food access, food justice, policy, and the multiple community benefits of urban gardens in NY City during and beyond COVID-19. He also discusses “food metrics.” Related website: https://www.cunyurbanfoodpolicy.org/

Did you know that wild plants offer a variety of nutritional, medicinal and ecosystem benefits? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Dina Falconi, clinical herbalist, wildcrafter, and author of Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook. Falconi describes her personal journey into the joys of foraging, and benefits of appreciating nature’s therapeutic and beautiful plants. Related website: www.foragingandfeasting.com

Did you know that women were the core of the Black Panther Party? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Judy Juanita, MFA, novelist, poet, playwright and former Black Panther member. Juanita describes the Panthers’ work, including the free breakfast program for poor children, the historical struggles of Black people in the U.S., and the role of food in social justice. Related website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuxGFNnXSbU&list=PLOyuQaVrp4qqys-SpZYfxSMD9I

Did you know that the foundation of food safety in America is primarily focused on pathogen and microbiological contaminants? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jackie Bowen, M.S., MPH, Executive Director of the Clean Label Project, a national non-profit with the mission to bring truth and transparency to food and consumer product labeling. Bowen discusses common contaminants, in foods, including heavy metals, processing and packaging chemicals. Related website: www.cleanlabelproject.organd www.puremarket.com

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 official team dietitian. McDowell tells her story of being infected with Covid-19, and provides nutritional tips for preventing and surviving the illness. Related website: https://soundcloud.com/officialredwings/the-red-and-white-authority-episode-145-lisa-mcdowell-red-wings-team-dietitian

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 if such claims turn out to be false or deceptive. For example, Richman discusses legal actions taken against food manufacturers who label their products as "natural" but contain GMOs, herbicide residues, and more. A summary of his firm’s work on food labeling and transparency can be found here: https://richmanlawgroup.com/what-we-do-3/consumer-protection/food-labeling-and-transparency/#generalmillsnaturevalley. Related website: https://richmanlawgroup.com/

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 because of unsafe working conditions. Related website: http://foodchainworkers.org/portfolio/rural-community-workers-alliance/

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 shares the stories of vulnerable populations, including mothers fleeing violence with their children. Ehrens shares her diary notes here: www.openingborders.com/february-2020.html Related website: https://www.bread.org/sites/default/files/downloads/briefing-paper-undocumented-immigrants-face-higher-poverty-rates-june-2017.pdf

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 foods, and discusses how to safely handle groceries and fresh produce. For more information on Food Safety and Covid-19, see the JAMA Patient Page: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2764560 Related website: http://riskyornot.co

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 Sustainability in the United States.” https://academic.oup.com/advances/advance-article/doi/10.1093/advances/nmaa026/5804823 To submit a comment to the Dietary Guidelines Committee: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/work-under-way/get-involved/submit-comment-advisory-committee-reviews-science Related website: www.ucsusa.org

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 cuts to federal nutrition programs. Related website: www.healthyeatingresearch.org

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. Smith also emphasizes the need to preserve regional, diverse and heritage seeds. Related website: www.utopianseed.org

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 Real Organic Project lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CWQ1i7Byi0 Related website: www.dig2grow.com

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 peach trees from Monsanto’s highly volatile herbicide, dicamba. The story has been covered by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and U.S. Right to Know. Anyone who has suffered crop or personal loss due to Monsanto’s (now Bayer) herbicides is advised to contact a lawyer. Related website: http://prwlegal.com

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 agribusiness strategies, questions the “Green Revolution,” and describes key features of climate-resilient agriculture.Related website: https://www.smallplanet.org/eating-tomorrow

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 “well-nourished.”Related website: www.rebeccakatz.com

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 and cognitive function.Related website: www.consumerlab.com

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: www.hartman-group.com

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 can affect weather, lower temperatures and bring moisture to desert landscapes around the world.Related website: https://judithdschwartz.com/

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 waste, including rescuing and repurposing surplus food and by-products of food production. Upcycled food is good business, and good for the planet. Tune in to learn more.Related website: www.upcycledfood.org

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, Blueprint for Protecting Children’s Environmental Health, Children’s Environmental Health Day (October 8th, 2020), the Cancer Free Economy Network, and Project TENDR to reduce neuro-developmental risks.Related website: https://cehn.org/

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 "Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America." He also describes policy and funding changes, as well as personal actions to improve our food system and public health.Related website: https://clf.jhsph.edu/about-us/staff/bob-martin

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 taking food for granted. We’ve equated abundance to food security, but the loss of biodiversity, and focus on selling more calories, has reduced nutritional quality and increased our risk for food scarcity. Nature ranked Walker’s book as one of their top ten books of 2019.Related website: https://islandpress.org/books/grand-food-bargain

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 provides a “self-help” element to encourage other food photographers to create their best work yet.Related website: www.andrewscrivani.com

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, livestock farmer based in northeast Missouri, and Executive Director of the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project. Spence describes how his life changed after 80,000 hogs moved in next door to his family farm. He now works nationally on policies to protect the environment, quality of life, and human health. Spence discusses environmental regulations, citizen rights, and farm practices and policy. Spence frequently speaks on panels following screenings of the new documentary film, “Right to Harm:” https://righttoharm.film/Related website: https://sraproject.org/

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-proof food packaging, and even dental floss. For a map of the U.S. with identified PFAS contamination see: https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_pfas_contamination/map/Related website: https://silentspring.org/project/everyday-exposures-pfas-chemicals

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.Related website: https://www.jamesgreenblattmd.com/

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, keto diets, gut health, and more. If you want to start the next decade on the road to better health, tune in.Related website: http://marydonkersloot.com/smart-eating-show/

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 Sports Medicine to stay abreast of exercise research: www.acsm.orgRelated website: http://nep.missouri.edu/faculty_kanaley.html

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 and promotion. Siegel’s book provides critical reading for anyone who cares about kids and wants strategies to protect their well-being.Related website: https://www.bettinasiegel.com/

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 health benefits of khorasan ancient wheat and organic farming methods.Related website: http://bobquinnorganicfarmer.com/grain-by-grain/

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 “food system” and the power of food, art and music as drivers of unity and community cohesiveness. (Part II)Related website: www.markwinne.com

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

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 Galveston, Texas. Watson discusses her research on endocrine disruptors and provides tips for avoiding these harmful compounds. Related website: https://cehi.org/cheryl-s-watson-phd/

Did you know that organic farming methods provide nutritional benefits to the end consumer and our planet? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Dr. Linley Dixon, Ph.D., farmer and associate director of the Real Organic Project. Linley describes the benefits of organic farming from a farmer and plant pathologist perspective. She describes how organic regenerative farming can increase organic matter in the soil and sequester carbon to help mitigate climate change. Linley describes her own farming methods, the challenges of, and strategies for marketing local organic foods, and how climate change has been impacting farmers nationwide. She also provides strategies for keeping integrity in the organic label, and supporting and connecting with organic farmers. Related website: www.realorganicproject.org

Did you know that new estimates put the death toll from antibiotic-resistant infections in the U.S. at over 160,000 deaths a year, making it the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lena Brook, Director of Food Campaigns, Natural Resources Defense Council, where she leads the Antibiotics Off the Menu coalition and is a key voice on the Chain Reaction Antibiotics Scorecard campaign: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/restaurants-antibiotic-use-report-2018.pdf The two will discuss antibiotic use by the livestock industry, the development of resistant bacteria, and the compounding impact of climate change. Related website: www.nrdc.org/save-antibiotics

Did you know that our cultural narrative of “rugged individualism” fails to recognize strength in community? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. Campbell, one of our nation’s most influential faith-based progressive activists, led the famous “Nuns on the Bus” tour which challenged proposed cuts to programs for the poor. She explains her “three virtues for the 21st Century,” as presented at the Bioneers conference in 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRqovAImD3A , and shares stories about food access and health care from her visits to rural communities across the United States. Related website: https://networklobby.org

Did you know that there are many health benefits associated with intermittent fasting? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with registered dietitian, Lori Taylor, who compares and contrasts the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting, and the benefits of eating within a specific window of time every day. Taylor also identifies specific populations for whom fasting may be harmful, and shares her youtube video for Saybrook University on these topics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPVWln6ef5U&list=PLUakTEuPjbFDg-IbovVkI_dRwSCFCSZ3s&index=2&t=0s Related website: https://www.saybrook.edu/faculty/byname/lori_taylor/

Did you know that every apple in the supermarket is hand-picked? And that out of tens of thousands of varieties of apples, only 11 make up 90 percent of the apples sold in grocery stores? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Susan Futrell, MFA, author of Good Apples: Behind Every Bite. Futrell discusses apple history, methods of agricultural production, harvesting, marketing, and the value of preserving family orchards across the United States. Related website: https://susanfutrell.ink

Did you know that home canning errors can cause serious illness and even death? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Elizabeth Andress, Ph.D., food safety specialist with Georgia Cooperative Extension, and professor in the dept. of Foods and Nutrition at the University of GA, Athens. Andress is the Director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation. She discusses the history and importance of “home economics,” as well as how to safely preserve high quality, bountiful harvests, and identify risky food preservation practices. Related website: https://nchfp.uga.edu/

Did you know that thousands of groundwater wells near coal ash dumps across the U.S. contain arsenic, lead, and other toxic pollutants at levels that exceed federal health-based thresholds, and threaten our drinking water? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Donna Marie Lisenby, President, Riverfox Environmental , which investigates the coal industry. Lisenby works with coalitions around the globe to end the coal industry’s illegal pollution of our water, and dispel the myth of “clean coal.” Lisenby worked extensively with the Waterkeeper Alliance, and was featured in the video, “Clean Coal: Water Pollution at the Light Switch,” https://vimeo.com/16524532. Related website: https://ashtracker.org/

Did you know that dietary supplement manufacturers—unlike drug companies—do not need to prove that their products are safe and effective before going to market? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with John B. Atwater, Ph.D., Senior Director, Verification Programs, for U.S. Pharmacopeia. Atwater describes the process by which USP verifies the quality of dietary supplements, and why consumers should look for the USP verified mark on supplement labels.Related website: https://www.usp.org/dietary-supplements-herbal-medicines

Did you know that omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in the treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injuries? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Michael Lewis, M.D., MPH, President and founder of the Brain Health Education and Research Institute: www.brainhealtheducation.org. Lewis is an expert on nutritional interventions for brain health. He discusses the use of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention, management, and rehabilitation of concussions and traumatic brain injury. Especially critical info during football season.Related website: www.BrainCARE.center

Did you know that some plant-based and cell-cultured meat alternatives may not be better for our health and environment? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., chief science advisor for GRACE Communications Foundation, who takes a critical look at “fake meat,” vegetable-based, and lab-created meat alternatives. She discusses the health and environmental impact of meat from animals raised conventionally (feed-lot) vs. those raised with regenerative agricultural practices (grazing). She also discusses ingredients and labeling.Related website: https://foe.org/resources/from-lab-to-fork/

Did you know that neonicotinoid pesticides are used extensively in conventional agriculture despite their harm to bees and endangered species? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steve Ellis, Minnesota-based commercial beekeeper and national advocate for curbing the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Ellis discusses the attack on USDA scientists who studied the effects of neonicotinoids on bees, and why he filed a lawsuit against the US EPA for sanctioning the widespread use of these chemicals in agriculture without adequate consideration of harm to bees and endangered species. In addition to choosing organic food, which prohibits the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, Ellis offers tips for consumers to protect our environment and health. Related website: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/05/09/judge-epa-violated-law-in-approving-products-dangerous-to-bees-butterflies