Conditioned Food Sensitivity

Dr. Ric Arseneau shares practical tools that are good for everyone but are especially helpful for those living with chronic conditions such as mast cell disease, fibromyalgia, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), long COVID, and others. While stress does not cause these conditions, the body’s stress response can significantly amplify symptoms. Dr. Arseneau explains how this...

In this episode, Susan Watson and I explore the challengespeople face when certain foods feel uncomfortable due to their sensory characteristics — such as smell, taste, or texture. Susan shares both her personal experience with sensory differences and the valuable insights she’s gained through her work in nutrition counselling, helping clients navigate foodrestrictions with understanding and self-...

Positive visualization can help us reshape the beliefs andpatterns that hold us back — yet creating personal audio recordings isn’t always easy. In this episode, we break down the process step by step, exploring how to write your own visualization script, record it with confidence, andweave it into a meaningful daily practice. Dr. Navidi is a licensed clinical psychologist andco-founder of GI Psyc...

In this year-end episode, Wendy looks back onsome of the most powerful insights shared by her 2025 podcast guests—especiallyaround the theme of acceptance. Drawing from conversations with her guests, sheexplores how acceptance of symptoms, emotions, and lived experience can reducesuffering and support healing. Wendy also introduces a simple dailyvisualization practice to help listeners soften resi...

A parent/caregiver's food relationship impacts how their child's feeding relationship develops. For example, many children pick up food fear from a parent.   Jaclyn shares tips on how to turn these challenges into teachable moments with your child.   A parent/caregiver's relationship to food has a direct impact on their child's feeding development. As they develop, children learn from observation...

Elimination diets are a primary risk factor for getting stuck in the Conditioned Food Avoidance and Sensitivity Trap. Julia Cassidy joined me for an insightful discussion on this topic. She highlights the key warning signs that you may have developed a fearful relationship with food and what to do if you notice these red flags. Julia Cassidy is a highly experienced dietitian with 20 years of dedic...

Watching other people eat foods you are restricting can be challenging. Janelle shares how she has come to a place of acceptance and compassion over the last 15 years of living with celiac disease. Janelle Smith, MS, RDN, CEDS (she/her) is a registered dietitian nutritionist and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist with lived and clinical expertise in supporting a peaceful relationship with food...

Visualization is a powerful tool to rewire our brain's circuitry and create new pathways that lead to success. Visualization can change our relationship with food and help us move past conditioned food avoidance and sensitivity. Aaron Volpatti is a cognitive performance and injury coach, speaker, retired NHL player, burn survivor, and a graduate from Brown University- B.Sc Human Biology. He is als...

Beth Rosen shares her story of accepting that her digestive discomfort was chronic but also realizing there were many treatments she could explore to get back to a great quality of life. She shares her top tips on travelling this road with persistence and patience. Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN, is a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian specializing in GI nutrition and disordered eating. With 29 years...

Food and symptom journalling can be effective when used properly. However, it can also pull you into symptom hypervigilance and the Conditioned Food Avoidance and Sensitivity Trap (C-FAST). Join Wendy and Dr. Melissa Hunt for tips on avoiding these pitfalls. We will also discuss how the brain amplifies sensations in the body and how you can turn the volume down on this communication. Melissa G. Hu...

Annie shares her story of how the bulimia she developed as a teenager morphed into food sensitivity restrictions while she was enrolled in a "wellness" program. She developed chronic health problems and believed that food was the cause and that a restricted diet was the cure. Annie shares how these restrictions impacted her life and how she broke out of the trap and is now enjoying freedom from fo...

Amy Slabaugh is a returning podcast guest. We released an episode in September 2023 talking about her journey with chronic, debilitating headaches and the importance of taking one road at a time (i.e. systematically trialling new treatments). Through this approach, she discovered brain training tools that dramatically improved her quality of life. Amy Slabaugh is a registered dietitian nutritionis...

Dr. Biesiekierski discusses her groundbreaking research, highlighting the interaction between mind and body in food sensitivity reactions in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Her research was a key finding to support IBS (and other conditions) being classified as Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI).   Dr. Biesiekierski's research focuses on improving diet management for gastrointestinal disord...

Dr. Laurie Keefer discusses how a flexible, curious and resilient mindset makes food reintroduction easier. She will also share her expertise and practical tips on how to make this change. Dr Laurie Keefer, PhD is a GI Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She has a more than 20 years of experience in the devel...

Health psychology focuses on how biological, social and psychological factors influence all aspects of health. However, many people are reluctant to see a health psychologist because the recommendation can sound like, "Your symptoms are in your head" or "Your symptoms are caused by stress; just relax, and you will feel better." This is such a prevalent problem that I wanted to learn more about thi...

Food sensitivity is rarely a simple cause and effect. Biological and psychological factors interplay to produce symptoms. We will talk about the role of symptom expectancy (i.e., nocebo response) in exacerbating symptom severity and how minimizing expectancy can dramatically improve quality of life. Dr. Simons is a GI psychologist in the Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute at the Cleveland Cli...

We will discuss how signals between the gut and the brain (gut-brain access) become amplified in irritable bowel syndrome and strategies for calming this communication. The brain similarly communicates with other body parts, so the concepts and strategies apply to symptoms throughout the body. Joanna Baker is a Dietitian & a Nurse who loves food. Her passion for digestive health stems from a long...

When there is no clear treatment path for your symptoms, you may feel lost or confused by the contradicting treatment options. The frustration often leads to not doing anything (being stuck) or jumping from one thing to the next. Amy will talk about her journey exploring one road at a time. Amy Slabaugh is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in intuitive eating and the dietary managem...

You are probably familiar with the vicious cycle of food avoidance leading to additional sensitivities. Dr. Burton Murray will share her clinical experience, and research showing this cycle can be reversed! She describes avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and how cognitive behaviour therapy can help patients regain a full quality of life. Dr. Helen Burton Murray is the Director of G...

When patients do not have a diagnosis and concrete management plan for their symptoms, they typically feel helpless and out of control. Johannah Ruddy shares her story of working with Dr. Drossman to take charge of her health. Subscribe to receive a  summary of the valuable tips after each episode. Get off the elimination diet roller coaster, rebuild your food trust and expand your diet with suppo...

Language around food sensitivities is often black-and-white, and foods get labelled as "safe" or "unsafe." Dédé Wilson and I will talk about the impact of this black-and-white approach. Softening your language can change your relationship with food and make space for freedom. Subscribe to receive a summary of the valuable tips after each episode. Get off the elimination diet roller coaster, rebuil...

Food and health struggles can drain your body's energy - leaving you feeling weak, helpless and frustrated. Lisa Marie Rankin will share self-care rituals and practices to re-energize and strengthen your ojas. Start 2023 on the right track with Lisa's inspiring tips! Lisa Marie Rankin is an author, teacher, and Ayurvedic wellness coach. She helps women heal their bodies and ignite their feminine p...

When done properly, elimination diets can be extremely beneficial. Unfortunately, most people approach elimination diets haphazardly and jeopardize their long-term physical and mental health. I will discuss my top nine tips for planning and working through systematic diet elimination. With a career spanning 30 years, Wendy has had the privilege of working with and learning from hundreds of food-se...

Retraining your brain is a common buzzword these days. But what exactly does it mean and how does it apply to food sensitivities? Simone Albert will share her insights on the overlap between fear and food reactions and how to change these automatic reactions.   Simone is the principle counsellor and founder of Food Allergy Counselling in Australia. She's a registered counsellor, registered nurse,...

Traumatic experiences associated with food can quickly pull us into the FAST and lead to conditioned food sensitivity. Makena Osborne shares a scary event that she recently went through and how she navigated through the fear. Makena is a student at the University of British Columbia, majoring in psychology! She models internationally (Paris Fashion Week, Vancouver Fashion Week, Western Canada Fash...