Every Body | Reclaiming Body Talk

Body and Chronic Illness Martha Grover is an author, poet, artist and writing coach living in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of One More for the People (Perfect Day Publishing) and The End of My Career (Perfect Day Publishing). The End of My Career was a finalist for the Oregon Book Awards in creative nonfiction in 2017. Martha is currently at work on a book of prose poems and essays about Catastrophe, Myth, and being a sick person in the 21st century.  When she is not writing, Martha is making zines, coaching her writing clients, making art, and selling Real Estate. Today we talk about her experience with Cushing’s syndrome and Addison’s disease and what it’s like to live in a body that is chronically ill.  “Some people with disabilities use a spoon to hide, to pass as able-bodied,  that requires energy,  to hide your disability when you aren’t in a safe space. “ - Martha Grover   This Week on the Every Body Podcast: How Martha discovered her acute illness  The social and personal stories and pressures

Shilo George is Southern Cheyenne-Arapaho and Scottish international speaker, trainer, and owner of Łush Kumtux Tumtum Consulting, which means “a great awakening of the heart and spirit” in the Chinuk Wawa trade language. She has lived her life in a body that transgresses and violates Western standards of beauty, size, sexuality, and health. Shilo interweaves cultural traditions and spirituality with an anti-oppressive and decolonizing lenses to promote healing and empowerment in herself and others in the communities she is a part of. Her workshops and presentations explore the intersections of race, sexuality, body size, and trauma (both individual and inter-generational). Shilo trains others on systems of oppression, trauma informed care, and proactive ways that businesses and organizations can create policies and environments that that promote diversity, equity, and healing.  Shilo received her Bachelor of Science in Art Practices in 2012 and a Masters of Science in Educational Leadership and Policy with a

Aaron Flores is a registered dietitian nutritionist based out of Los Angeles, California. With nearly 10 years of experience, Aaron has worked with eating disorders in a variety of settings. A large part of his career was spent working at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System where he helped develop and launch one of the first Binge Eating Disorder programs to help Veterans struggling with this disorder. Since leaving the VA, Aaron has continued to work in the eating disorder community helping run groups and providing individual counseling to adolescents and adults. He currently works part-time at Center for Discovery and part-time in his private practice in Calabasas, CA. He is a Certified Body Trust® provider, and his main areas of focus are Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size®. In his work, Aaron helps individuals learn how to make peace with food and develop body-positive behaviors. His work has been featured during Weight Stigma Awareness Week, in blogs for the National Eating Disorder Infor

Sarah Vance (@sarevance) began focusing on the body when she began walking in her parents' footsteps by competitively body-building. After spiraling with restriction, disordered eating and body dysmorphia, she decided she needed to realign her relationship with her body. She created #effyourfitspo and challenges ideas of "health" and "strength" that are simply diet culture with a new name. Now, as a health care professional, she keeps a vigilant eye out for fat-phobia in the health care industry. We covered a lot of ground, but there's always room to share more and ask more. Take a listen and join the conversation with us on instagram!    "[Body positivity is] becoming more problematic because now fitspo culture and diet companies and diet culture are now co-opting body positivity... then you have a system in a culture that has now utilized something that was in the first place-- body positivity-- that was actually trying to dismantle the system that is now using it." - Sarah Vance   This Week on the Every Bo

Kai was first cast into the spotlight through her participation in, and subsequent denunciation of the weight loss game show The Biggest Loser. Going through the program, she realized the negative impact the show had, not only on her own life, but on society in general. Vowing to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, Kai has fought, often as the lone voice, against unrealistic and damaging message in the media regarding our bodies in general. Over time that struggle has been featured in countless magazines and newscasts, both domestically and internationally, ranging from The Huffington Post, Time Magazine, Good Morning America, ABC News, CBS News, E!, Star Magazine, US Weekly, People, TMZ, The NY Times, The NY Post, Inside Edition, Redbook, Access Hollywood, FoxNews,The Globe, Jezebel, Huffington Post Live and Upworthy, where Kai’s honest, straight forward approach to her own story never fails to shine through. Most of Kai’s time is spent juggling family and professional life. When not wri

Dr. Natalie Boero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at San Jose State University. She joins Every Body this week to discuss the ways our society pigeon holes obesity as a personal problem for the individual rather than examining the wider socioeconomic scope (access to good health care, food deserts, safe places to play and be active)  and its effects on public health. Dr. Boero discusses how she began in the field with her first book, Killer Fat: Media, Medicine and Morals in the American Obesity Epidemic. She explains the problem with medicalizing non-medical instances such as weight or violence with words like "epidemic" which cause panic and risky preventative measures. It was such a pleasure to hear Dr. Boero's thoughts and research on everything from obesity myths to the privilege of "the good fatty." Take a listen and join us in the conversation with us!   "My being the 'good fatty' probably has a lot to do with my class and race privilege in the sense that I have the resources t

Dr. Natalie Boero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at San Jose State University. She joins Every Body this week to discuss the ways our society pigeon holes obesity as a personal problem for the individual rather than examining the wider socioeconomic scope (access to good health care, food deserts, safe places to play and be active)  and its effects on public health. Dr. Boero discusses how she began in the field with her first book, Killer Fat: Media, Medicine and Morals in the American Obesity Epidemic. She explains the problem with medicalizing non-medical instances such as weight or violence with words like "epidemic" which cause panic and risky preventative measures. It was such a pleasure to hear Dr. Boero's thoughts and research on everything from obesity myths to the privilege of "the good fatty." Take a listen and join us in the conversation with us!   "My being the 'good fatty' probably has a lot to do with my class and race privilege in the sense that I have the resources t

Jes Baker (@themilitantbaker) has been a major figure in the fat-positive community for years beginning with her "Attractive and Fat" photo campaign as backlash against Abercrombie and Fitch's anti-fat advertising. Since then, her refreshingly authentic voice has garnered over 77 thousand followers on instagram as well as a wildly popular personal blog. Jes has built her foundation on the idea that #fatgirlsCAN and she continues to shatter society's expectations for fat people with equal parts outspoken advocacy and brazen visibility. I loved getting a chance to sit down with this inspirational woman to talk about complicated topics from "Lisa Frank bopo" to her relationship with movement. Take a listen and join the conversation with us on instagram!    "Every single person right now is being targeted, when it comes to self-esteem and body image, women have historically been the targets of marketing and advertising selling these beauty and weight loss products." - Jes Baker This Week on the Every Body

Body in Culture Kimberly Dark is a writer, sociologist, and raconteur, working to reveal the hidden architecture of everyday life one clever essay, poem, and story at a time. She uses humor, surprise and intimacy to help audiences discover their influences, and reclaim their power as social creators. She teaches in the graduate program in Sociological Practice at Cal State San Marcos. Kimberly Dark has written award-winning plays, facilitated and performed for a wide range of audiences in various countries over the past two decades. Her essays appear in popular online publications such as Everyday Feminism and Ravishly.  Her poetry and prose are available in various literary and academic publications. The storytelling performances and interactive lectures make big, complex ideas relatable at campuses, conferences, companies and anywhere people seek startling revelations and positive change.  Beloved by diverse audiences, Kimberly crosses boundaries to show how we must engage all the wisdom and verve we have

Big Gal Yoga with Valerie Sagun  Valeria Sagun took her first crack at yoga in a college course back in 2011 and now challenges over 152,000 instagram followers to start looking at their bodies through a more positive lens. Valerie (@biggalyoga) joins us this week with friend and co-bopo pal Anna Chapman (@iamannachapman) to talk about how their vastly different backgrounds led them both to a place where they could celebrate their size and encourage others to do the same. Valerie's new book, Big Gal Yoga, dives deeper into her life's story as well as her her yoga tips and practices. The endearing dynamic between these two has got to be some of my favorite #relationshipgoals to date. Take a listen and join the discussion with us!   "Finding that calmness within yoga that I hadn't had before; the simple movement, or just moving your body, can change your mental outlook on things." - Valerie Sagun   This Week on the Every Body Podcast: A look at how Valerie Sagun (@BigGalYoga) and Anna Chapman (@iamannachapman)

Deadly Consequences of Fat Stigma at the Doctor's Office with Laura Fraser Science Daily reported earlier this year that in a study of over 300 autopsy reports, obese patients were 1.65 times more likely than others to have significant undiagnosed medical conditions such as endocarditis, ischemic bowel disease or lung carcinoma. This week's featured guest is Laura Fraser. Laura is a journalist and author of Losing It, an investigative piece entailing her experience going under cover to take a deeper look at how the diet industry creates and exploits our weight worries (LauraFraser.com). A reformed dieter and ex-bulimic, Laura's already impassioned work strikes a deeper chord with the passing of her sister, Jan, last year to a cancer that was ignored by doctors and misdiagnosed as mere excessive weight. Laura takes me through the history of unrealistic body expectations for women as we explore her research and the relationship between big pharmaceutical companies and the mainstream diet industry."     "I wrot

This episode is a follow up to Episode 14 with Lucy Aphramor. I asked if you had questions for her and some wonderful questions were posted on Instagram. Here are some of the answers. Enjoy!   Questions answered in this Bonus episode:  jilllepire Is it ever okay to try to change your physical body while being body positive? If so, how does one do that without being sucked into diet mindset? wee_foodies I’d love to hear more from her around the evidence base on the biological impact of weight stigma and ways to challenge the “tackling obesity” conversation in public health. wanderingdjinn Does Lucy have a script for confronting one's parents about the damage they've done by commenting on one's weight and appearance almost daily, starting at a very young age? I've let go of a lot of my anger towards them and I'm in a better place, but I worry that they're continuing to make weight-related comments to my much younger cousins, and will start on my nieces in a couple of years, if they haven't already. I really fee

EB018 Eating Disorder Recovery and Yoga For All with Dianne Bondy  Dianne Bondy is a yoga teacher and the founder of an online Yoga studio called Yogasteya, where she welcomes everyone. Going through her own recovery journey from eating disorder, she has now become a social justice activist and one of the leading voices promoting representation in Yoga.   Dianne joins me today to tell the story of her eating disorder and recovery.  She also shares how the distorted medical community perceived and handled her disorder a few decades ago.   We also talk about her long love of yoga and how it's help her heal her relationship to her body.     “What my yoga has taught me is my awareness of my body, my body as a vehicle of my own divinity and a way to enjoy my life.”    – Dianne Bondy     This Week on the Every Body Podcast:  How Dianne was introduced to yoga  Her relationship with her body growing up  The society’s body preference during the 70s and the 80s  What led her to develop a severe eating disorder  How th

EB017 Healing Your Relationship with Food Through Storytelling with Dr. Anita Johnston    Anita Johnston, Ph.D., is a Depth Psychologist and author of Eating in the Light of the Moon, which has been published in six languages.  She is the co-creator of the online course, Light of the Moon Café, which is an interactive “workbook” and women’s support circle for Eating in the Light of the Moon.   She has been working in the field of women’s issues and disordered eating for over 35 years and is currently the Clinical Director of ‘Ai Pono Hawaii which has a residential treatment program in Maui, and outpatient eating disorder programs in Honolulu and the Big Island of Hawaii.   Dr. Johnston provides individual consultations online, and conducts Soul Hunger workshops and professional trainings around the world, using metaphor and storytelling, along with her training as a clinical psychologist, to address the complex issues that underlie struggles with eating and body image.      “In order to heal her disordered

Fat Shaming Linked to Greater Health Risks with Dr. Rebecca Pearl  Dr. Rebecca Pearl is a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychiatry at Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Her research revolves around weight bias and stigma, how it affects the overall health of a person, and the possible solutions and interventions to this concern.   Dr. Pearl joins me today to share the effects of fat shaming and weight bias internalization to a person’s physical and psychological health. As she identifies some of the causes of this bias, Dr. Pearl also shares their findings on how to counter this weight stigma and how the concept of dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, can play a significant role in promoting change in an individual’s thinking and behavior towards his or her weight and overall health.   “More and more research is highlighting the negative effects of weight stigma on health. There still seems to be this misconception that stigma is necessary or even

EB015 Freedom from Food and Body Struggles with Carmen Cool  Body-centered psychotherapist and certified Hakomi practioner, Carmen Cool helps people end the cycle of dieting and overeating, once and for all.  Along the way, she helps them unravel their body stories and learn to trust their bodies and themselves.   Her own journey to recovery, partnered with her sister’s death of an eating disorder, makes her even more passionate about her work and a zealous advocate for Health at Every Size.   Carmen joins me today to discuss the nonprofit organization she founded where she partnered with teenagers as they help and address the body struggles in schools, communities, and other circles of influence. She also shares how active engagement in activism helps in her client’s healing process and how taking the change on a societal level helps achieve true freedom from the diet culture.     “I don’t think you can recover from an eating disorder and try to lose weight at the same time.”   – Carmen Cool    This Week on

EB014  The Radical Dietician - Lucy Aphramor  Lucy Aphramor is the Radical Dietician and the Naked Dietician. She believes we must fundamentally change the way we talk about health. In her Well Now approach, social justice and equality become the center and beginning of every conversation about health. For example, how can we talk about food and exercise without talking about access? Her approach integrates social factors, pays attention to trauma, and supports people to improve their overall wellbeing. The Well Now approach has effectively helped people of all shapes and sizes manage health conditions such as heart disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), high blood pressure and so much more. Additionally, she has effectively helped hundreds of people overcome body shame, eating disorders, and depression by staying committed  to promoting respect, dignity, and equality for all.  Lucy was the figurehead at the Health at Every Size movement and is co-author of the book Body Respect with Linda Bacon.  She joi

EB013 Release Food and Weight Obsession with Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant of Be Nourished  Hilary Kinavey, MS, Licensed Professional Counselor and Dana Sturtevant, MS, Registered Dietician are the founders of Be Nourished, founded on the idea that people are born with remarkable instincts to love and care for their bodies. They believe "Body Trust® is a birthright. Our passion is helping people lose the weight of body shame to create the change they seek from a deeper place."   With Hilary’s counseling expertise and Dana’s insightful dietitian skills, we talk about some current events like celebrity diet culture, and a disturbing new research study. We also discuss the importance of pleasure and embodiment. Part of the work they do in the world is helping people reconnect to their bodies, both in the pleasure of movement  and eating.     "Be aware of what triggers the dieting mind."  ~Be Nourished    This Week on the Every Body Podcast:  Dangers of research studies that connect weight loss and eating d

EB012 Fat and Health with DeAun Nelson  DeAun Nelson a Naturopathic Doctor who practices at Watershed Wellness in Portland, Oregon.  She specializes in taking a weight neutral approach to health. Even at a young age, DeAun intuitively knew that health and weight were two distinct things and she has carried these convictions to her medical practice. She understands that one can be healthy and fat and wants to share her scientific knowledge and Health At Every Size approach with others.  We discuss the mental stigmas associated with fat stigma,  from the size of airplane seats to how some medical professionals discriminate against people who are heavier. Dr. Nelson is an advocate for the Health at Every Size movement (HAES), and how it has a profound effect on the physical and mental health of many patients.   “Over the years, I have gotten better at acknowledging that I can take up as much space as I need.” – DeAun Nelson    This Week on the Every Body Podcast:  The shift of wanting to diet to acceptance, and

Today’s guest is registered dietician, author, speaker, and nutrition expert, Evelyn Tribole. She has written nine books with the latest book she co-authored with Elyse Resch called Intuitive Eating Workbook: Ten Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food. Evelyn’s expertise and passion caught the attention of many and has had hundreds of interviews on TV and in print. She also had her own monthly column in Shape Magazine that went ran for 11  years.    Evelyn joins me today to discuss intuitive eating - what it is, how it’s radically different than dieting, and where to start if you want to understand the principles. Evelyn also sheds light on the differences among health, fullness, and satisfaction and how you can change your mindset so you can be more in tune to the messages your body is sending.    “Intuitive eating is a mind-body approach where you’re listening to the messages of your body.” - Evelyn Tribole      This Week on the Every Body Podcast:  What inspired Evelyn to research, wr