Exam Room Nutrition: Practical Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals

Latest Episodes:

176 | Who Actually Needs a Low FODMAP Diet? Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

IBS Symptom Relief Without Lifelong Food Restriction

The low FODMAP diet can be an effective tool for managing IBS symptoms, but what happens when a temporary dietary intervention turns into years of food avoidance? In this episode, I'm joined by Samina Qureshi a dietitian specializing in digestive disorders and disordered eating.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

What to ask when patients say "everything I eat bothers my stomach"
Who is a good candidate for a low FODMAP diet, and when a history of disordered eating, malnutrition, or significant food restriction should make you reconsider.
What are FODMAPs and how the three phases of a low FODMAP diet work
The warning signs that symptom management has become food fear
Why adding more fiber can sometimes worsen IBS symptoms
What to know about probiotics, digestive enzymes, peppermint oil, and IgG food sensitivity testing

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Samina:

Related Exam Room Nutrition Episodes

165 | Fiber and Gut Health: Why “Eat More Fiber” Isn’t Enough

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

175 | Baby-Led Weaning vs. Purées: Which Is Better? Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

Infant Feeding: Gagging, Choking, and First Foods

Starting solids can feel surprisingly complicated for parents, especially when the advice they receive from healthcare providers, social media, and well-meaning family members doesn't always agree.

Purées or baby-led weaning? Four months or six? And is food before one really just for fun? In this episode, I'm joined by Kinzie Matzeller, a registered dietitian and PhD candidate at Colorado State University who researches infant feeding, nutrition, and growth.

What We Talk About:

What developmental signs to look for when determining whether a baby is ready for solids, and why age alone doesn't tell the whole story
Whether baby-led weaning actually offers advantages over purées
How to explain the difference between gagging and choking
Why “food before one is just for fun” overlooks important nutritional needs
Kinzie's approach to introducing common food allergens and how to help parents navigate conflicting recommendations
How much food babies really need when starting solids, how feeding frequency changes during the first year, and why responsive feeding matters

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Kinzie Matzeller on LinkedIn
Kinzie's published research on baby-led weaning versus conventional feeding (additional reading)

Related Exam Room Nutrition Episodes

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174 | Folate, Choline & the Fertility Supplement Hype Oct 28, 2026

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Folic Acid, Inositol, and Choline Explained

Folic acid or methylfolate? Does inositol actually help with PMOS? And why is choline missing from so many prenatal vitamins? Prenatal nutrition has become surprisingly controversial, and social media isn't making it any easier for clinicians to separate evidence from marketing.

In this episode, I'm joined by Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, founder, formulator, and CEO of FullWell, to unpack the nutrients that matter most before and during pregnancy.

Key takeaways:

Why nutrition matters 3–6 months before conception, not just after a positive pregnancy test
Folic acid vs. methylfolate: what's the difference, and why it matters?
The role of inositol in PMOS, insulin resistance, and fertility
Why choline is essential for fetal brain development and often overlooked in prenatal counseling
What to look for when evaluating prenatal supplements, including nutrient forms, dosing, and absorption
How Ayla's clinical experience inspired the development of FullWell's reproductive health supplements

This episode is sponsored by FullWell, a registered dietitian-founded supplement company specializing in prenatal and reproductive health.

Learn more about FullWell: https://fullwellfertility.com

Connect with FullWell: Instagram @fullwellfertility

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173 | The Dancer Looks Healthy. But Is She? Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Nutrition Red Flags in Young Dancers

In this episode, I'm joined by registered dietitian and former ballet dancer Maura Fowler to talk about relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) and the unique pressures young dancers face around food, performance, and body image.

You'll Learn:

Why RED-S can affect both male and female dancers, even when they don't have an eating disorder.
The link between low energy availability and frequent illness, fatigue, dizziness, and recurring injuries
Why changes in menstruation can be an important early warning sign, even when an athlete appears healthy.
When "clean eating" becomes concerning
How to approach dancers who are afraid that eating more will lead to unwanted changes in their bodies or performance.

Connect with Maura Fowler

Instagram: @maura.thedancedietitian
www.beyondthebarrenutrition.com

Related Episodes

166 | Think You Can Spot an Eating Disorder? with Jessica Setnick
158 | The Nutrition Mistake Every Injured Athlete Makes with Emily Barnhart

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172 | Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Diet Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Tick Bites, GI Symptoms, and Hidden Triggers

A patient comes in with recurrent diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained hives. Could a tick bite be responsible?

Alpha-gal syndrome is an unusual food allergy that can develop after a tick bite, causing delayed reactions to mammalian meat and sometimes other animal-derived products. But recognizing it isn't always straightforward, especially when patients have GI symptoms without the typical signs of an allergic reaction.

In this episode, I'm joined by Jerry Simons, PA-C, a nationally recognized medical educator with more than 25 years of experience treating complex GI disorders and tick-borne diseases. Jerry walks us through the diagnostic clues clinicians should know, how he approaches testing and dietary management, and why unnecessarily restricting foods can sometimes do more harm than good.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

Why alpha-gal reactions can occur hours after eating
How to interpret alpha-gal IgE testing alongside the patient's clinical history
A stepwise approach to dietary management
Hidden sources of mammalian ingredients in supplements, medications, and foods that clinicians should know about

Resources Mentioned

Alpha Gal Resources PDF

Connect with Jerry

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171 | Food Rules We Carry Into Adulthood Oct 07, 2026

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Picky Eating, Food Pressure & Body Trust

“Just take one more bite.” “Finish your vegetables, then you can have dessert.” “That’s junk food.”

These comments may seem harmless, but the messages kids hear around food can shape how they eat and think about their bodies years later.

In this episode, I’m joined by registered dietitian Kerry Miller to talk about how parents and clinicians can help kids build body trust and a healthier relationship with food.

Key takeaways:

Why pressure to eat can actually increase picky eating
How to balance mealtime structure with hunger and fullness cues
Why using dessert as a reward can backfire
How childhood food and body messages can follow us into adulthood
One simple question clinicians can ask families during a busy well visit

Resources Mentioned:

Website: www.violetlearns.com
Companion resources for professionals: https://professionals.violetlearns.com/
Instagram: @kerry.millerrd

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170 | What Does “Healthy” Actually Mean? Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

Help Patients Define They're WHY

What does your patient actually mean when they say, “I just want to be healthy?” Because “healthy” can mean something completely different to the clinician, the patient, and the parent sitting next to them. In this episode, I’m talking with registered dietitian Allison McKeany about why defining health may be one of the most important steps in nutrition counseling.

Key takeaways:

Why clinicians should define what “healthy” means before giving nutrition advice
How to uncover a patient’s deeper “why” and use it to support behavior change
Allison’s four areas of health: physical, functional, cognitive, and emotional
Strategies for navigating different health goals between parents and children

Resources Mentioned:

What Does it Mean to Be Healthy, Anyway?

Connect with Allison

Listen to this episode next - Helping patients change

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169 | An Obesity Doctor on GLP-1s, Cortisol & Peptides Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Hunger, Habits and Sustainable Weight Care

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rees Checketts, an internal medicine physician specializing in metabolic and obesity medicine, to talk about what nutrition education in medical training gets right, and where it still falls short. We also dig into the conversations clinicians are having every day about weight, hunger, GLP-1 medications, cortisol, processed foods, and the latest wellness trends.

You’ll learn:

How genetics, environment, hunger and fullness cues can influence weight
Why Dr. Checketts uses a “thoughtful indulgence” approach with patients
How he decides when weight loss medications and GLP-1s may, or may not, make sense
What clinicians and patients should understand about compounded GLP-1 medications
Whether cortisol and “hormone imbalance” are really driving weight gain
Why he’s cautious about the growing popularity of peptides

Resources mentioned:

Peas and Hoppy Meal Guide - use EXAMROOM for 20% off.

GLP Guide by Dr Rees

Other related episodes:

160: Inside an Obesity Clinic: GLP-1 Dosing, Plateaus, and Prior Auths

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From First Foods to Family Meals Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

This episode is part of our four-part Avocados in Practice mini-series, sponsored by Avocados – Love One Today®. Today, we're exploring practical family nutrition strategies from first foods to family meals. Helping families eat well isn't about creating the perfect meal, it's about finding realistic strategies that work through every stage of childhood. In this final episode of our mini-series, Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, and I discuss common nutrition gaps, first foods, picky eating, and practical approaches to building family meals that support healthy eating without becoming short-order cooks, including simple ways versatile foods like avocados can fit across ages and stages.

We Cover

Nutrients children and families commonly fall short on
What we know about maternal nutrition and infant outcomes
Characteristics of a nutritious first food
Practical strategies for navigating picky eating
How to build family meals that work for every age and stage

Resources Mentioned:

Healthy Beginnings (Toolkit)

The Role of Lutein in Child Development: From Prenatal to Early Childhood

Avocado Consumption During Pregnancy Linked to Lower Child Food Allergy Risk: Prospective KuBiCo Study

How to Freeze Avocados for Smoothies

Don't miss the rest of the series:

About Today's Sponsor

Avocados – Love One Today® is a leading source of the healthiest reasons and tastiest ways to enjoy fresh avocados. Backed by science, Love One Today provides turnkey solutions that make it easy for health professionals to stay on top of the latest research and confidently recommend fresh avocados to patients. Embracing the diversity of Latin flavors and traditions while promoting a healthier lifestyle, Aguacates - Love One Today® also offers culturally inspired recipes, tips, and educational handouts para Latinos. Visit LoveOneToday.com for free evidence-based resources, recipes and patient education materials.

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The Bigger Picture of Blood Sugar Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

This episode is part of our four-part Avocados in Practice mini-series, sponsored by Avocados – Love One Today®. Today, we're asking whether we're focusing on the right things when it comes to diabetes nutrition.

When someone is diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, nutrition conversations often become all about sugar and carbohydrates. But are we missing the bigger picture? In this episode, Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, joins me to discuss glycemic load, diet quality, and why overall eating patterns deserve just as much attention as individual nutrients when supporting healthy blood sugar management and type 2 diabetes risk reduction.

What You’ll Learn

How to shift the conversation from restriction toward overall diet quality
The difference between glycemic index and glycemic load
Nutrients to consider beyond total carbohydrates, such as unsaturated fats and fiber
Research exploring avocados, diet quality, blood sugar management, and diabetes risk
Practical ways patients can incorporate avocados into balanced meals

Resources Mentioned:

The Role of Avocados in Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Know the Difference: Natural Sugars vs. Added Sugars (Handout)

The Effect of Including One Avocado Daily in a Habitual Diet on the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load in Free-living Adults with Overweight/Obesity

Associations Between Avocado Intake and Measures of Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Hispanic Individuals With and Without Type 2 Diabetes

Associations Between Avocado Intake and Lower Rates of Incident Type 2 Diabetes in U.S. Adults with Hispanic/Latino Ancestry

Avocado Banana Dairy-Free Ice Cream (Recipe)

Don't miss the rest of the series:

About Today's Sponsor

Any Questions? Send Me a Message

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