Rethinking Wellness

Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS

Rethinking Wellness offers critical thinking and compassionate skepticism about wellness and diet culture, and reflections on how to find true well-being. We explore the science (or lack thereof) behind popular wellness diets, the role of influencers and social-media algorithms in spreading wellness misinformation, problematic practices in the alternative- and integrative-medicine space, how wellness culture often drives disordered eating, the truth about trending topics like gut health, how to avoid getting taken advantage of when you’re desperate for help and healing, and how to care for yourself in a deeply flawed healthcare system without falling into wellness traps. **This podcast feed shares generous previews and very occasional full-length episodes. To hear everything, become a paid subscriber at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.** rethinkingwellness.substack.com

  1. NOV 17

    How to Feed Picky Eaters (Without Diet Culture) ft. Katja Rowell, M.D.

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com Katja Rowell, M.D. joins us to discuss responsive feeding, picky eating, and how to parent without passing diet culture norms on to your kids.  We also explore the science behind a few common misperceptions from parents and doctors including: why playful or gamified tactics to change eating habits can be harmful and backfire, the problems with many “early interventions” around child BMI, and reasons to question growth charts in early childhood. Behind the paywall, Dr. Rowell offers practical advice for parents who want to feed their children well without pressuring them, and Christy shares her experience with her daughter’s picky eating and health concerns. They also discuss how MAHA and anti-vax culture are affecting parents and offer support for relieving the pressure of tricky conversations with other adults. Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To read the full post and upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com. More from Christy: Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.  If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course. Subscribe on Substack for full interviews and more! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges, and a place to connect with other listeners.

    33 min
  2. NOV 10

    How to Reclaim Your Attention from the Algorithm with Amelia Hruby, PhD

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com Philosopher, podcaster, and our producer Amelia Hruby, PhD returns to the show to discuss the many perils of the attention economy. We explore the nuanced relationships between attention and productivity, social media and mental health, and algorithms and agency. Amelia also shares her critiques of digital detoxes, flow states, all-or-nothing thinking, and short-form video.  Behind the paywall, we discuss quantum listening, the political and social impacts of algorithms, generative AI, and an exclusive discount code for Amelia’s new book, Your Attention Is Sacred Except on Social Media. Plus, Christy shares some big news: Amelia will be on the mic for more episodes starting next week! Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To read the full post and upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com. More from Christy: - Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.  - If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course. - Subscribe on Substack for full interviews and more! Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges, and a place to connect with other listeners.

    34 min
  3. NOV 3

    Neurodivergence and Nutrition: Separating Myths from Facts with Dietitian Jackie Silver

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com Registered dietitian Jackie Silver joins us to discuss nutritional approaches that are helpful for neurodivergence, why people with autism and ADHD are often the targets of wellness and diet culture, the kinds of wellness-culture messages she’s gotten as a person with a disability, and why the advice to cut out gluten for autism is often harmful. Behind the paywall, we get into why ultraprocessed food consumption doesn’t cause autism and why cutting out these foods doesn’t “cure” it, the harmful discourse around autism and ADHD in the culture right now, why it’s harmful to categorize foods as “good” and “bad,” and more. Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com.  Jackie Silver is a Registered Dietitian and founder of Jackie Silver Nutrition, a virtual private practice specializing in supporting neurodivergent kids, teens, and adults with ADHD, autism (ASD), and intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Her team offers neurodiversity-affirming, nonjudgmental, and weight-inclusive care. Jackie earned her Master of Health Science in Nutrition Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University and has specialized training in mindful eating and sensory-based feeding therapy. She and her team support clients across Ontario, Canada, and several U.S. states, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, helping with meal planning, selective eating, food aversions, digestive health, chronic disease management, and more. In her free time, Jackie enjoys rock climbing, yoga, pilates, swimming, traveling, visiting museums, and spending time with family and friends. Learn more about her work at jackiesilvernutrition.com. If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it!  Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges and subscriber threads where you can connect with other listeners, and more. Learn more and sign up at rethinkingwellness.substack.com. Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.  If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.

    26 min
  4. OCT 13

    Parenting at the Intersection of Technology and Wellness Culture, with Amanda Hess

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com Cultural critic and author Amanda Hess joins us to discuss her new book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age. We talk about the intersection of pregnancy, early parenthood, and technology, her experience using a popular period app to track her pregnancy, how she navigated self-blame and cultural stigma when her baby was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, and more. Behind the paywall, we get into the pervasiveness of diet culture in pregnancy, the natural-childbirth movement and the role of crunchy wellness influencers in perpetuating myths about what birth should look like, how to challenge ableism and eugenic thinking about childhood disability, and more. Plus, Christy shares some thoughts on her current pregnancy and relationship with technology, diet culture, and comparisons with other bodies. Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first half is available to all listeners. To upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com.  Amanda Hess is a critic-at-large at the New York Times, where she writes about internet and pop culture. Her first book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age, was published in 2025. She is a National Magazine Award winner who has contributed to the New York Times Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, Best American Sportswriting, Best American Magazine Writing, and Slate. Learn more about her work at amandahess.org. If you like this conversation, subscribe to hear lots more like it!  Support the podcast by becoming a paid subscriber, and unlock great perks like extended interviews, subscriber-only Q&As, full access to our archives, commenting privileges and subscriber threads where you can connect with other listeners, and more. Learn more and sign up at rethinkingwellness.substack.com. Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.  If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course. Contains affiliate links to Bookshop.org, where I earn a small commission for any purchases made.

    32 min
4.4
out of 5
220 Ratings

About

Rethinking Wellness offers critical thinking and compassionate skepticism about wellness and diet culture, and reflections on how to find true well-being. We explore the science (or lack thereof) behind popular wellness diets, the role of influencers and social-media algorithms in spreading wellness misinformation, problematic practices in the alternative- and integrative-medicine space, how wellness culture often drives disordered eating, the truth about trending topics like gut health, how to avoid getting taken advantage of when you’re desperate for help and healing, and how to care for yourself in a deeply flawed healthcare system without falling into wellness traps. **This podcast feed shares generous previews and very occasional full-length episodes. To hear everything, become a paid subscriber at rethinkingwellness.substack.com.** rethinkingwellness.substack.com

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