In this second episode of a two-part series on mental health, Soleil speaks with Heather Armstrong and Kimberley Wilson on the links between diet and mental health. Armstrong, a blogger and writer also known as “Dooce,” tell us how her last attempt at veganism resulted in the worst depression of her life. Then, psychologist Wilson talks to us about her work busting myths about clean eating and dieting in the UK.
Produced by Juan Ramirez and Stephanie Kuo. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.
LINKS DU JOUR
- Read more about the state of prison food in this piece via Governing.
- The science of serotonin—the chemical produced in the intestines—is fascinating!
- Yes, the use of the word "superfood" in food marketing was banned in the EU.
To commemorate our producer emeritus’ upcoming podcast for and about Filipino Americans, we’re re-releasing this great interview with Filipino Kitchen on the history of the cuisine. We want to send a big warm congratulations to Alan Montecillo for launching Balikbayan! The first episode drops July 24!
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For years, we've been hearing from the food media that Filipino cuisine is the "next big thing;" that it would only be a matter of time before it "arrived." To hash that all out, we talked to a bunch of Pinoys! First, our producer, Alan Montecillo; then we patched in Sarahlynn Pablo & Natalia Roxas of the website, Filipino Kitchen. They all walked us through the history of Filipino cuisine and the meaning it holds for Filipino Americans today. And of course, we went back and forth on the question of whether or not validation from Western society matters all that much, in the end.
Today's episode is an important one for us at Racist Sandwich. We talk a lot about the intersection of food, race and culture, but we're also a podcast about class – because we know a lot of people aren't afforded the luxury of food as leisure. For a lot of people, food is survival. But prolific writer and self-proclaimed "internet yeller," Ijeoma Oluo says the poor deserve more than that. In this episode, Ijeoma joins producer Stephanie Kuo for a frank and emotional conversation about food and poverty and how society uses food to deny the poor their dignity and humanity. They're made to feel shame about their hunger, their choices and their desire to enjoy life and eat something decadent every once and a while.
Thanks to the pair of awesome people who donated to RAICES as part of our quick Twitter fundraiser last week. RAICES needs all the support it can get to help immigrant families who are being detained at the border. It's not too late to give! Donate here.
Produced by Stephanie Kuo. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.