The Brain Food Podcast Isha Das

In this new episode, we're diving deep with the extraordinary Dr. Natalie Keirns, a postdoctoral research fellow studying cardiovascular behavioral medicine. Dr. Keirns earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma State University in 2023 and her research is nothing short of groundbreaking. Get ready to be dazzled as we uncover the intricate links between psychosocial stress and cardiometabolic disease, and explore Dr. Keirns' revolutionary psycho-behavioral approaches to disease prevention. What's truly captivating is Dr. Keirns' investigation into how weight stigma stress impacts our physical health. We'll delve into concepts like internal weight stigma and the surprising effects on blood cortisol levels, while learning how to safeguard our mental well-being. So buckle up, listeners! Today's episode isn't just about knowledge—it's about empowerment and reclaiming control over our health journey. Join us for an inspiring and informative conversation with the remarkable Dr. Natalie Keirns!

It’s been a while…. But I am back with an amazing guest who I am so lucky to call one of my friends: Ellen Amico. After graduating with a major in psychobiology and a minor in food studies from UCLA, Ellen is now attending USC to pursue her master's of science in nutrition, healthspan, and longevity at USC. After both struggling with one herself and working at an eating disorder treatment center in Beverly Hills, Ellen has incredible advice to share on how to find a healthy balance of healthy habits and nutrition in our everyday lives. Get ready to hear an incredible episode talking about personal journeys and mindset switches to breaking down seemingly complex healthy habits into simple steps to make them long-lasting!

Join me in my first episode of 2023 in my conversation with Dr. Janet Tomiyama, a psychology professor at UCLA who also is the head of the Dieting, Stress, and Health lab at UCLA. Her research interest focuses on the harmful health consequences of stress, dieting, and fat shaming, and has even been covered in the media. Today we are going to be discussing one of her studies that were mentioned in the Washington Post which covered how we can actually re-train our brains to crave healthier alternatives when we are stressed. We cover how our bodies change during times of stress, how it affects our brains, and what we can do to combat it with an adaptive coping mechanism.

In this episode, I am so excited to be speaking with someone who shares the same college atmosphere as I'm sure many of you listeners do! I am speaking with Leah Roga, another student at UCLA who shares a student's perspective on her own fitness and health journey. We talk all things gym, nutrition, reverse dieting, and how to balance it all!

Welcome back to another episode after a while, and I promise we are hitting the ground running!! Today, I am speaking with Dr. Lauren Hofschneider, who is actually my health psychology professor at UCLA. She takes a psychophysiological perspective in her research to investigate how factors, such as stress, subjective social status, and perceptions of scarcity, shape food choice overall. In this episode, we cover the psychological basis of eating behaviors, as Dr. Hofschneider connects what she has uncovered about food scarcity to dieting behaviors. Get ready for an incredible episode!

In today’s episode, we cover everything you need to know about probiotics, and there is no one better to speak on the subject than Dr. Tien Dong. Dr. Dong is a gastroenterologist at UCLA who is also the PI of his own lab. His research is focused on evaluating the impact of the brain-gut microbiome axis on obesity and fatty liver disease. Dr. Dong is actually currently embarking on an exciting project of his own where he is working on creating his own probiotic blend! Get ready for an exciting episode to have all your questions about probiotics answered.