Podcast
Making It Awkward
Hosted by Jessica Wilson, MS RD · EN
What's going on with health and food policy right now? Each week dietitian and author Jessica Wilson shares her conversations with experts in their field or on their farm and figures out how we got here and why. Jessica has followed the ultra-processed food hysteria to trad wife pipeline and the direct path from COVID conspiracies to RFK Jr to the current administration.
From her conversation with the Make America Healthy Again spokesperson to the Oregon beef farmer this podcast connects it all. Listen each week as she brings something new to the conversation and at times makes it awkward.
38episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Thought Hygiene: Manifesting, Magical Thinking and OCD with Lindsay Lee Wallace
Jan 800:48:42Tap to summarizeHave you been thinking clean thoughts and manifesting for 2026? Lindsay Lee Wallace returns to the show to talk about the idea of thought hygiene, OCD, magical thinking and manifesting. Lindsay shares the highlights of the conversation she had with a manifestation coach and she brings her thoughts about wellness as a line item in your budget. Lindsay and Jessica start the episode with a discussion about Dr. Robert Lustig and his company's first product, Monch Monch, a supposed fiber sponge that soaks up sugar. A quick note that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is out and that will be next week's episode! Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies
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Childfree By Choice; Joyful, Unapologetic Childfree Women Frighten the Patriarchy
Jan 100:56:00Tap to summarizeRe-release! Chrissy King joins Jessica Wilson, MS RD for a conversation about being childfree by choice. Chrissy talks about how she made her decision and how Jessica didn't ever think it was a choice she needed to make. Chrissy got to share her thoughts on many things including the marketing of parenthood, the idea of it taking a village to raise a child and aging like the Golden Girls. The two talk about how they've been asked about their decision not to have kids 347 times but it's not the norm to randomly ask parents why they decided to have kids. They both talk about how much their moms poured into their upbringing and how that impacted how they viewed them and their decision not to have kids. They also talk about what it's like to live in a society in which parenthood, particularly motherhood, is the norm. After wrapping this conversation Chrissy and I discussed the potential for backlash from this conversation and that parents might take our choices personally. Either way we'd love to hear your feedback! Motherhood Should Come with a Warning Label Childfree Reddit Chrissy King Chrissy's book
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The Caucacity of the Mediterranean Diet with Sherene Chou, MS. RDN.
Dec 2501:05:51Tap to summarizeRe-release! Jessica talks with Sherene Chou about the whiteness of the Mediterranean Diet and its origins. The two chat about their mixed reviews of speaking at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health's Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives. Sherene discusses a variety of "healthy diets" out there and how they fall short of meeting the moment. She also spills the beans on the next superfood. Jessica is very excited that Sherene has worked at the restaurant at the center of Bad Vegan! Should the two watch and review for an episode!? Blue Zones, Planetary Diet/EAT-Lancet diet, EAT-Lancet diet twitter war Info on MedDiet research The Whiteness of the Mediterranean Diet https://www.sherenechou.com/ https://foodandplanet.org/ You can become a podcast patreon! You can rate and review this show! You can email the show at makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode on Spotify and at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Jessica's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies
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Confinement Nannies and MAHA's Luxury of Taking From Other Cultures with Sherene Chou, MS., RD.
Dec 1800:40:25Tap to summarizeDietitian Sherene Chou returns to the pod, this time to talk about her experience having a confinement nanny for a month after giving birth. Confinement nannies families in the post-partum period, to help manage household tasks, and prepare nutritious meals according to Chinese postpartum rules, and also helps with feeding of the infant. Leslie Voorhees Means, wife of White House food and nutrition advisor Calley Means, recently posted a video of everything that her confinement nanny had done for her during her confinement period, and it was dripping with appropriation. It was especially disturbing as Leslie actively supports and advocates for the current presidential administration which is dedicated to the deportation of immigrants. Asian immigrants are being targeted for deportation around the country, and today Sherene has a direct message to Leslie. People who drink the MAHA Kool-Aid have the luxury of taking from other cultures. Sherene also has some advice for people who are on the fence about having kids. Leslie Voorhees Means video about her confinement nanny RFK talking about breast milk Fei Zheng separated from son Jessica got to interview the initial spokesperson of MAHA before Calley Means took the torch and ran with it Myasiannanny.com RFK and breast milk talk Sherene talking about the Mediterranean diet with Jessica Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson
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Calley Means is In Over His Head and Giving True Crime Vibes with Selena Salfen, MFA., MPH., RDN.
Dec 1101:09:04Tap to summarizeCalley Means has returned to the White House as a Senior Advisor supporting food and nutrition policy. Since his return the Dietary Guidelines have been delayed and should(may) now be delivered to us in January 2026. Additionally, TIME has reported that there may be a return to the Food Pyramid in the updated Guidelines. Selena Salfen returns to the show to share the many reasons why Calley should be a White House intern and not a Senior Advisor, and definitely not in charge of nutrition policy. Jessica and Selena discuss Calley's "documentary" Breaking Big Food; an infomercial that went on for way too long. The "doc" was presented by Jigsaw Health, which is a wellness company that sells supplements to consumers, and, of course, partners with Calley Mean's Truemed. Jessica also shares details of Calley and Casey Means's childhood that have been left out of the narrative of their mother's illness and death. It seems like Gayle Means was quite a character! Calley never registered as a lobbyist and was in a sweat lodge with RFK Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies
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Cheryl Hines: The Sad Beige Life of a Dangerous Optimist with Alison Pill and Natalie Ingraham
Dec 401:16:52Tap to summarizeCheryl Hines, wife of RFK Jr, wrote a memoir and "wrote" is used loosely in this context. Her publication team didn't do her any favors with this lightly edited, sprawling account of Cheryl's life and path to becoming the unwilling wife of the Secretary of HHS–or is he the secretary of HHR? Cheryl doesn't understand that her choices have consequences, even as they continue to pile up, including the demise of her podcast and relationship with Tig Notaro. Jessica talks to Natalie Ingraham and Alison Pill about the book and Cheryl's life. Olivia Nuzzi's book Secretary of HHR Cheryl photoshoot This would have been a better cover photo RFK Poem Slate article Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies
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Re-Release: Re-Grifting: Casey and Calley Means; Taking Truemed to the White House with Selena Salfen, MPH, RDN
Nov 2601:10:10Tap to summarizeSelena Selfan, MPH, RD is back for the next installment in the re-grifting series! She is the resident Means Siblings Scholar and talks to host Jessica Wilson, MS RD about her deep dive! Dr. Casey Means is currently the presumptive nominee for Surgeon General. Her brother Calley Means is a special advisor to RFK Jr and cofounder of Truemed. The two are fervent MAHA supporters and foot soldiers in RFK's fight. Listeners will learn about the Means siblings's upbringing and the love and support for their parents. And then plot twist: their father, Grady Means wrote a gender expansive children's book. Selena shares how Cassie has evolved in her career, and spits Calley's facts like a pro. The two talk about the grift of the Means siblings and Selena's prediction for Calley's future. The Means siblings have direct connections to Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Andrew Huberman, our first and second grifters. Stay tuned for the next one about Dr. Paul Saladino. See Selena's bibliography below! Calley's Politico interview Tucker Carlson interview Deadly Lightbulbs Surgeon shortage Oregon Medical Board Casey's Instagram posts about Jessica: August 28, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QjRljJ1mr/?hl=en August 29, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_N6qSPPcT2/?hl=en Instagram - Never. Buy. Ultraprocessed. Food. Ever. Again. Casey's sponsors with conflicted research: Pendulum, newsletter, study funded by Pendulum Mitopure, Newsletter, study funded by Mitopure Life expectancy data health insurance stat FSA/HSAs: https://www.numerator.com/resources/blog/fsa-hsa-consumer-spending/ https://www.ebri.org/content/new-analysis-of-3.2-million-flexible-spending-accounts-finds-average-contributions-increasing-while-half-forfeiting-funds-to-their-employers Forbes list of growing industries Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson
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Autism Research Ethics and the Exploitation of Alternative Stats with Jocelyn Green
Nov 1900:45:08Tap to summarizeJocelyn Green of @audhd_academic joins Jessica to discuss the concept of "losing an autism diagnosis" and what's often missing when discussing autism research. The two discuss the limitations of autism statistics and how their misuse can become unethical. They also talk about disability, what conditions may present to make someone seek an autism diagnosis later in adulthood, support needs for autistic people, and of course RFK. This conversation was inspired by last week's episode with Dr. Theresa Lyons and includes listener feedback. Dr. Lyons anchored her work in the idea that 37% of autistic kids will lose their autism diagnosis with behavioral changes. She based this on one study and didn't represent the research to the degree it deserved. Theresa also claimed that people don't learn to mask their autism until they're teenagers, when in fact young children can learn to mask. Some parents want to split the autism spectrum Referenced in last week's episode: Life's Best Medicine Podcast FDA approves leucovorin Frat test Suing tylenol Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com You can buy awkward merch! You can become a Patreon member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies
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