Dear Body, Dear Mind

This episode explores ARFID, or Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, a lesser-known eating disorder that is not driven by body image concerns. Learn how sensory processing, fear responses, and appetite signals in the brain can influence eating behaviors and why ARFID is much more than picky eating.

This episode features an interview with Sam Golden, a neuroscientist at the University of Washington whose research explores how the brain shapes motivation, reward, stress, and behavior. Learn how neuroscience is advancing our understanding of mental health, resilience, and the neural circuits that influence the choices we make every day.

How are eating disorders diagnosed, and why were the DSM-5 criteria updated? This episode explores a research study on eating disorder classification and explains how changes to diagnostic guidelines helped more individuals receive diagnoses that better reflected their symptoms.

Why can anorexia nervosa be so difficult to overcome? This episode explores neuroscience research suggesting that differences in reward learning and habit formation may contribute to the persistence of the illness, offering new insights into how the brain changes throughout recovery.

This episode features an interview with Cynthia Bulik, a leading expert in eating disorder research and treatment. Explore the science behind eating disorders, including genetics, neuroscience, behavior, and emerging research on the gut-brain connection, while examining how these illnesses are far more complex than common misconceptions suggest. Interested in contributing to eating disorder resear...

This episode explores the neuroscience of bulimia nervosa and how self-control circuits in the brain can become disrupted. Learn why behaviors can feel out of control and how brain-based understanding can support recovery.

This episode explores the Minnesota Starvation Study and how restriction affects the brain and body. Learn how food preoccupation, emotional changes, and eating behaviors can be driven by starvation and why nourishment is key to recovery. Learn more about the study here: https://psychiatry.duke.edu/blog/starvation-experiment

This episode explores a neuroscience study on brain connectivity in anorexia nervosa based on research by Blair Uniacke and colleagues . Learn how changes in habit circuits and brain networks help explain rigid thinking, repetitive behaviors, and why recovery involves both the body and the brain. Read more about the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30590873/

This episode features an interview with Registered Dietitian and REVV Health founder Marissa Beck, exploring how diet culture, body image, and nutrition messaging impact mental and physical health in teens and young adults. Learn how building a balanced, sustainable relationship with food can support overall well-being, along with practical ways to approach health without rigidity or extremes. Lea...

This episode explores how omega-3 fatty acids support brain cell communication and mood regulation. Learn how these essential fats help maintain flexible neuron membranes and support the brain’s emotional and cognitive functions.

This episode explores how blood sugar influences mood, focus, and emotional regulation. Learn how consistent nourishment supports brain function and why stable energy helps the mind and body work together.

This episode explores how perfectionism and control are wired into the brain and why they are closely linked to eating disorders. Learn how fear circuits, error detection systems, and habit pathways reinforce rigid behaviors, and how flexibility can be rebuilt over time.

This episode explores the first steps toward eating disorder recovery and the resources available for support. Learn how connection, professional guidance, and consistent nourishment help retrain the brain and begin the healing process.

This episode addresses the stigma and silence surrounding eating disorders in men and boys. Learn how cultural expectations, brain chemistry, and misconceptions can delay diagnosis and support, and why open conversation is essential for recovery.

This episode breaks down what supportive meal support really looks like and why it matters. Learn how presence, neutrality, and calm can help reduce anxiety and create a sense of safety for someone struggling during meals.

This episode explores how sleep and nutrition work together to support brain function and cognitive health. Learn how eating patterns influence sleep cycles, and how sleep quality affects appetite, focus, and emotional regulation.

This episode explores why holidays can feel triggering around food and offers practical tools to stay grounded and supported. Learn how stress, routine changes, and social pressure affect the brain and discover strategies to navigate holiday meals with compassion and confidence.

This episode features Sammie’s inspiring journey from pain to self-discovery, paraphrased with care and respect for her experience. You can find the original story here: https://eatingdisorders.org.au/story/sammies-story-the-journey-of-choosing-myself-of-choosing-recovery/

This episode explores how social media shapes body image, self-worth, and eating behaviors. Discover how online influence impacts the brain and learn ways to build a healthier, more compassionate digital environment for yourself.

This episode explores how stress, pressure, and performance impact the athlete’s brain. Learn how cortisol, reward circuits, and fear responses influence eating behaviors, and discover strategies to support healthy habits and a balanced mind-body connection in sports.

This episode explores how nutrition influences brain chemistry and mental health. Learn how nutrients affect serotonin and dopamine production, and how eating patterns can support a balanced mood and stronger mind-body connection.

This episode explores how the brain’s fear and reward systems shape eating behaviors. Learn how dopamine, the amygdala, and habit circuits influence restriction, bingeing, and compulsive patterns, and how understanding these brain pathways can support healing and recovery.

This episode explores how the brain and body communicate through hunger and fullness signals, focusing on the hypothalamus and the gut-brain axis. Learn how hormones like ghrelin and leptin guide appetite and what happens when those signals get out of balance.