Yumlish: Diabetes and Multicultural Nutrition

Shireen Abdullah

Welcome to Yumlish podcast, where our mission is to amplify the voices of health professionals to help you better manage chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes, through nutrition and wellness. We discuss everything from preventative care to multicultural nutrition to the stigmatization of chronic illness. Join us every Thursday for your weekly dose of nutrition, physical activity, and all things health.

  1. 1d ago

    Nutrition After Breast Cancer: Food and Recovery

    Guest:  Lauren Anton Show Notes: Recovery after breast cancer isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and nutritional, too. Listen to the first-hand experience of registered dietitian and breast cancer survivor, Lauren Anton as she explores what healing really looks like after treatment, why nourishment can feel complicated, and how survivors can begin rebuilding trust with their bodies. Tune in for evidence-based guidance and compassionate insights that support recovery, resilience, and learning to nourish yourself again. Guest Bio: Lauren Anton is a speaker, registered dietitian, and breast cancer survivor passionate about helping people to reconnect with their bodies, breaking free from diet culture noise and learning how to treat their bodies with compassion and respect. She helps audiences, groups, and individuals learn how to re-imagine their bodies as a home, and recognize food and movement as conduits for a deep connection with the body.  Quote: “Being able to remember very clearly what it's like to walk through the swamp of our own minds is so important. And that's what lived experience gives us, that a textbook can't.” Question of the Day: How has illness, recovery, or a major life event changed your relationship with your body and food? On This Episode You Will Learn:  How lived experience as a breast cancer survivor shapes Lauren’s approach to nutrition and body image Why self-compassion and changing self-talk are essential during recovery and body changes How nutrition after cancer treatment should focus on body respect and individual needs, not rigid rules How appetite, digestion, and food tolerance can change during and after treatment, and how to adapt How friends and family can practically support someone in treatment, especially through food and everyday help Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Lauren Anton! Website URL: laurenantonrd.com Instagram URL: @laurenatnonrd   LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-anton-ms-rd-ceds-c-cpt-683b7430/

    17 min

  2. Jun 4

    How Indigenous Eating Practices Support Cardiovascular Health

    Guest:  Denee Bex Show Notes: Indigenous foodways aren’t trends, they’re heart-healthy blueprints. This episode maps how traditional ingredients, cooking methods, and land stewardship support cardiovascular health today, with practical ideas for reconnecting even when access is limited. Guest Bio: Denee Bex is a Registered Dietitian & CDCES from the Diné (Navajo) Nation and is the owner of Tumbleweed Nutrition LLC, a dietetics and nutrition education consulting firm. She teaches her Native community about nutrition without judgement. Denee provides inclusive & evidence-based nutrition education for organizations which honor American Indian heritage. Quote: “Food is more than sustenance. Food is also community. Food is also family. Food is also connection. And that's something that many of our Indigenous families, Native families have known for centuries, if not thousands of years.” Question of the Day: Which traditional or ancestral food from your own culture would you like to explore or incorporate more often for better heart health? On This Episode You Will Learn: Why culturally relevant nutrition care is essential for Indigenous communities. How traditional Indigenous foods can support heart health and blood sugar. How food plays a role in culture, identity, and connection, not just nutrition. Why Indigenous foods are often missing from mainstream nutrition research. How individuals and healthcare providers can better support Indigenous food systems. Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Denee Bex! Website URL: www.tumbleweednutrition.com Instagram URL: @tumbleweed_nutrition Facebook URL: Tumbleweed Nutrition

    24 min

  3. May 21

    Beyond Diets: Redefining Health and Eating

    Guest:  Rebecca Blake Show Notes: Registered dietitian Rebecca Blake unpacks what diet culture really is, how it quietly shapes the way we see food and our bodies, and why weight and BMI don’t define health. This conversation explores how social media and cultural ideals can push us toward restriction and body criticism without us realizing it. You’ll learn how to spot subtle red flags in nutrition content, rebuild trust with your hunger and fullness cues, and begin redefining health beyond the number on the scale. This episode offers a more compassionate, realistic path toward healing your relationship with food and your body. Guest Bio: Rebecca is a registered dietitian and clinical nutrition subject matter expert, having worked across traditional healthcare spaces, into health technology, and most recently as a full-time solo practitioner focusing on preventive health, hormonal health, and disordered eating. Quote: “So here's what I'll say about diet culture. We are all privy to it, influenced by it and in many ways victimized by it every single day, knowingly and unknowingly and mostly unknowingly.” Question of the Day: What is one belief about food or your body that you started to unlearn, and how has it changed the way you approach eating or self-care? On This Episode You Will Learn: What diet culture really is and the subtle ways it shapes how we think about food, body image, and health every day. How social media, wellness trends, and “healthy eating” content can reinforce harmful food rules and unrealistic body standards. Why health is about more than BMI or the number on the scale, and what “Health at Every Size” actually means. How to rebuild trust with your body by reconnecting with hunger and fullness cues instead of restrictive dieting rules. Practical mindset shifts to create a healthier, more compassionate relationship with food, self-care, and body image. Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Rebecca Blake! Website URL: wwwrebeccablakenutrition.com Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccablakenutrition/ Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563918696083 LinkedIn URL: Rebecca Blake, MS RD CDN | LinkedIn

    24 min

  4. May 8

    Keeping Culture on the Plate: Healthier Traditional Recipes

    Guest:  Elisa Irvolino Show Notes: This episode explores how you can improve your health without giving up the cultural foods you love. Our guest, Elisa Irvolino, shares practical strategies, like smarter oil swaps, portioning rice and flatbreads, and using fresh herbs, citrus, and simple cooking methods, to lower sodium, sugar, and saturated fat while keeping traditional flavors intact. Listeners also get an easy, culturally focused grocery haul and label-reading tips to get started right away. Guest Bio: Elisa Irvolino is a Dominican mom, author, and creator of The Mujer Within, dedicated to helping Latina women reconnect with their creativity through food, culture, and home. She teaches cooking and craft classes that celebrate heritage and empower mujeres to honor themselves. Quote: “If we can make some adaptations where I can still eat the foods that I love and the flavors that bring me back to my home and to my country and honor my ancestors, I think that you’re more likely to stick to it.” Question of the Day: What's one traditional dish from your culture that you would love to make a little healthier? On This Episode You Will Learn: How to keep traditional dishes on your plate while still improving health through small, realistic swaps. Simple ways to lower sodium without losing flavor. How to rethink rice and grains with portion size and healthy options. Which cooking fats and oils to prioritize and which highly processed oils to limit. How to read food labels quickly and shop smarter at the store by focusing on fewer, recognizable ingredients. Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Elisa Irvolino ! Website URL: elisairvolino.com Instagram URL:  https://www.instagram.com/elisa.irvolino?igsh=MXYxcDNzeDh5eTBpMw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/share/1MoAyV27Ld/?mibextid=wwXIfr Facebook Group URL: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BqdsN4gzJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-irvolino-12a91721a?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

    19 min

  5. Apr 23

    Food Policy and Chronic Disease: What Needs to Change

    Guest: Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN Show Notes: Food policy isn’t abstract, it shapes what food costs, what’s marketed, and what ends up on our plates. In this episode, we break down the biggest policies influencing America’s diet (from subsidies to school meals), how policy can either fuel or prevent chronic disease, and why sustainability belongs in the conversation. Stay to the end for a practical playbook on how you can influence change locally, starting now. Guest Bio: Christina Badaracco works as a healthcare consultant, author, and thought leader, seeking to advance the role of nutrition in healthcare. She also regularly writes, teaches, and develops programs about nutrition, culinary medicine, and sustainable agriculture at both the local and national levels. Quote: “The way that we spend our dollars does have an influence on what food companies are making and what types of food businesses are actually able to operate.” Question of the Day: How do you see food policy affecting your own health or community? On This Episode You Will Learn: What food policy is and how it shapes food access, pricing, and marketing How federal, state, and local policies influence what we grow, sell, and eat Why U.S. food subsidies impact the rise of ultra-processed foods How policies can either increase or help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease Practical ways individuals can influence food policy in their own communities Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with !Website URL: www.christinabadaracco.com  Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/cbadarac/?hl=en  LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-badaracco/  Other promos (books, publications, speeches, etc.) : https://islandpress.org/books/farm-bill#desc,   https://www.christinabadaracco.com/booksandcourses

    37 min

  6. Apr 2

    Healthy South Asian Eating Without Losing the Flavor

    Guest:  Fareeha Jay, BSC, MSC, RD - Diabetes Specialist Show Notes: South Asian food is rich, comforting, and deeply cultural—and it can absolutely support better health. In this episode, award-winning dietitian and diabetes specialist Fareeha Jay shares how to make simple, realistic upgrades to traditional meals without losing taste or tradition. From rebalancing carb-heavy plates to boosting vegetarian protein and navigating fasting and festival seasons, you’ll walk away with practical tools to keep blood sugar steady and feel your best—starting today. Guest Bio: Fareeha Jay is an award-winning dietitian and former NHS Diabetes Specialist with six years of experience delivering education to people newly diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. She specialises in South Asian diets and provides expert, evidence-based nutrition advice to South Asians worldwide. She has developed the South Asian Eatwell Guide, which is now widely used in many NHS trusts and various charity organizations. Quote: “A very small icebreaker, which I always use, is that I always tend to learn how they say hello in their own language. For example, if I'm speaking to someone from Nepal, I would learn how they say hello. And as soon as I start my consultation with them, I say that one word. And just using that one word, you know, it breaks all the barriers. They feel so much more comfortable speaking to me.” Question of the Day: What traditional South Asian dish means the most to your family, and how have you adapted it, if at all, to support your health? On This Episode You Will Learn: Why South Asian communities face higher risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease (and what’s actually preventable) How to rebalance classic meals (curry, naan, channa, dal) without giving up cultural integrity Simple ways to cut back on oil, ghee, and salt while keeping the flavor you love Go-to strategies for vegetarian protein, iron, and B12 (plus what to do with lactose intolerance) How to handle fasting + feasting seasons (Ramadan, Navratri, Eid, celebrations) while keeping glucose and energy more stable Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Fareeha Jay!Website URL:  www.fareehajay.com  Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_fareehajay/  Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/aapkidietitian/  Facebook Group URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1575269765877135  Twitter(X) URL: https://twitter.com/FareehaJay  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_fareehajay/ LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fareeha-jay-457a34209/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app&fbclid=IwAR0NCUqyRnLWN3oEGpFIc4HvLni86Pg6E-hOyDh5uAYvNG4maiZfZ0iNAPE  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSXc-Vg8wc2SdY8Jh7TK45A/videos  Tik Tok : https://www.tiktok.com/@dietitianfareehajay?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

    25 min

  7. Mar 19

    Closing the Gap: Diabetes, Heart Disease & Health Equity

    Guest:  Dr. Sherita Golden Show Notes: Diabetes and heart disease don’t impact every community the same and the reasons go far beyond personal choices. In this episode, we break down the structural barriers, environmental realities, and healthcare blind spots that drive unequal outcomes, especially in underserved and rural communities. You’ll also learn why mental health must be treated as part of chronic disease care and how patients, families, and communities can advocate for better screening, treatment, and support. Guest Bio: Dr. Golden’s research interests focus on mental health complications of diabetes, understanding and eliminating diabetes health disparities and implementing and evaluating systems interventions to improve patient safety and quality of care in hospitalized patients with diabetes.  Quote: “And so in order to advocate for yourself, it's really important to ask those questions like you have a right to do so.” Question of the Day: What changes would you like to see in your community to make it easier for people to prevent or manage diabetes and heart disease? On This Episode You Will Learn: Why diabetes and heart disease outcomes are worse in many underserved communities—and what’s actually driving the gap How environment and policy shape health (food access, safe spaces to move, quality healthcare availability) The biggest screening and care gaps that delay diagnosis and worsen complications Why depression and chronic stress directly affect diabetes and heart health—and how clinicians can normalize mental health screening Practical ways to advocate for better care, including community-based screenings and learning to ask for your numbers (A1C, BP, cholesterol) Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Sherita Golden!LinkedIn URL: Sherita Golden | LinkedIn John Hopkins Profile Page: https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/sherita-hill-golden/2704881

    24 min

  8. Mar 5

    Diabetes Care Beyond the Clinic: Food, Community, and Real Access

    Diabetes care doesn’t happen only in the clinic—it happens where people live, shop, and eat. This episode explores why food access, community support, and real-world resources matter just as much as medical care.We unpack how food insecurity and the digital divide affect diabetes management, where food-as-medicine programs can make a real difference, and how GLP-1 medications fit without replacing nutrition and behavior change. We also highlight one policy shift that could dramatically expand access to diabetes nutrition support. Guest Bio: Dr. Melanie Hingle is a nationally recognized nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, and Professor at the University of Arizona whose work on diet-sensitive disease integrates community-engaged research, digital health, and Food As Medicine interventions across the Southwest.  Quote: “Fresh produce, high in fiber, high in nutrients, these are things that help people manage, not just the blood glucose a little bit better, but can displace some of the less healthy options” Question of the Day: How might you help advocate for better nutrition support or diabetes resources in your community? On This Episode You Will Learn: Why community-based nutrition is essential for effective diabetes care How food insecurity and access gaps directly shape diabetes outcomes What programs like produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals get right How to integrate GLP-1s with nutrition counseling without losing the food-first focus Which policy and reimbursement changes could most effectively reduce diabetes disparities Connect with Yumlish! Yumlish Website: Yumlish Yumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_ Yumlish on Facebook: Yumlish Yumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_ Yumlish on LinkedIn: Yumlish Connect with Dr. Melanie Hingle! University of Arizona Website Profile: https://profiles.arizona.edu/person/hinglem Email: hinglem@arizona.edu

    27 min
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4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to Yumlish podcast, where our mission is to amplify the voices of health professionals to help you better manage chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes, through nutrition and wellness. We discuss everything from preventative care to multicultural nutrition to the stigmatization of chronic illness. Join us every Thursday for your weekly dose of nutrition, physical activity, and all things health.

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