Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (media.blubrry.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Episode description:
Shena Washburn, Senior Director of Clinical Nutrition and Culinary Services at The Emily Program, joins us for a timely conversation about the newly released Food Guide Pyramid—what it says, what it doesn't, and what it means in the context of eating disorder recovery.
Together, Shena and Jillian explore how public nutrition messaging can reinforce the kind of food hierarchies and moral judgments that make recovery harder, how eating disorder treatment approaches nutrition differently, and what the role of a dietitian in eating disorder care looks like.
About Shena:
Shena Washburn is the Senior Director of Clinical Nutrition and Culinary Services at The Emily Program, with over 15 years of experience in nutrition, mental health, and eating disorders. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Consultant (CEDS-C) through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP), Shena leads efforts to advance the integration of nutrition and culinary services within eating disorder care. Her clinical interests include sports nutrition, digestive health, nutrition-focused physical exam, mindfulness-based approaches, and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP).
In addition to her leadership role, Shena is passionate about supporting individuals in developing a balanced and sustainable relationship with food, movement, and their bodies. She is equally dedicated to fostering collaborative, multidisciplinary care, with a strong focus on mentoring professionals, improving systems, and cultivating leadership within her teams. Outside of work, Shena enjoys dancing, gardening, and spending time with her two young children.
We cover:
How and why nutrition messaging has shifted from the 1990s Food Guide Pyramid to today's inverted triangle
The moral weight our culture places on food, and how that complicates recovery
What “all foods fit” means in eating disorder treatment
Why the work of an eating disorder dietitian is similar to that of an archaeologist
What Shena would change about cultural nutrition messaging
In Shena’s words:
On why she became an eating disorder dietitian: "I sought out eating disorder care as a dietitian because I don't like to tell people what not to eat… We're here to help you repair the relationship with food and get curious about messaging and curious about your body's needs.”
On what public nutrition messaging can't capture: "These public guidelines are population-level tools. They don't know you, they don't know me… This is where that 'all foods fit' comes in...It doesn't mean nutrition doesn't matter. It means food shouldn't be governed by fear and by morality."
On approaching nutrition in eating disorder care: "The focus is more on restoring nutritional adequacy, consistent eating patterns, metabolic stability, and flexibility with food… We work to deconstruct a lot of the morality that gets assigned to food and eating."
About the podcast:
Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking.
You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends!
Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.