Foodie Pharmacology Podcast

We’d once again like to thank Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated for their sponsorship of this episode. What if a single tick bite could change the way you eat forever? In this episode, I sit down with allergy expert Gary Falcetano to explore alpha-gal syndrome, a strange and increasingly recognized condition triggered by tick bites that can lead to delayed allergic reactions to red meat and ot...

Did you know that one of the most important organs shaping lifelong health is only temporary? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, I sit down with developmental biologist Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld to explore the fascinating science of the placenta and its role as the communication hub between mother and developing baby. We discuss the emerging concept of the placenta-brain axis and discuss how mater...

Journey to Brazil to uncover the hidden roots of Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian spiritual tradition shaped by African plant knowledge, resilience, and cultural memory. In this episode, I speak with ethnobotanist Dr. Bob Voeks to explore how enslaved Africans preserved sacred healing traditions and foodways across the Atlantic, transforming plants into powerful symbols of identity and survival. From...

Pet nutrition has undergone a dramatic shift over the past century, moving from whole foods to highly processed convenience diets, and not always for the better. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Judy Morgan, a veterinarian with over 40 years of experience in integrative and holistic care, about what’s gone wrong in the modern pet food industry and how to rethin...

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine, raising the risk of a return to a pre-antibiotic era where common infections become life-threatening. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Nadine Ziemert about how scientists are turning to microbial genomes to discover the next generation of antibiotics. A professor of translational g...

The health of our environment underpins everything from food systems to future medicines, yet much of the damage done to nature goes unaddressed. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Jacob Phelps about a new approach to conservation that brings science into the courtroom. Together, they explore how environmental litigation can move beyond small fines and toward holding...

Spring is a time when many of us think about fresh starts and better health, including the well-being of our pets. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Angela Ardolino about natural approaches to supporting aging dogs. Angela, a formulator and educator specializing in cannabinoids, medicinal mushrooms, and adaptogens, explains how these compounds interact with the endo...

Seed oils are everywhere. From salad dressings to snack foods, they’ve become a quiet staple of the modern diet. But how did they get there, and what do we really know about their impact on human health? This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave sits down with nutritionist Cherie Calbom, MS, known as “The Juice Lady,” to unpack the rise of industrial seed oils and the debate surroundin...

Spring is here, and seasonal pollen along with it! This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Gary Falcetano , PA-C, AE-C, Senior Manager of Global Medical & Scientific Affairs in Allergy at Thermo Fisher Scientific and a longtime clinician and educator in asthma and immunologic disorders, about pollen food allergy syndrome and why certain fresh foods can suddenly cause...

What if the key to reducing food waste, strengthening community, and reconnecting with our food systems is already in your kitchen? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Julia Skinner, food writer, fermentation expert, and founder of the Culinary Curiosity School , to explore the practice of food preserving. From fermentation to freezing, Julia shares how pres...

Flowers may seem delicate, but they have transformed the planet! In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. David George Haskell, author of the new book How Flowers Made Our World , about the revolutionary rise of flowering plants. They discuss how grasses helped shape human evolution as “grass apes,” why orchids rely on intimate fungal partnerships, and how floral...

What if the future of antimicrobial discovery lies buried in medieval manuscripts? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with microbiologist Dr. Freya Harrison of the University of Warwick about the emerging field of “Ancient-biotics”. They examine how early medieval remedies such as Bald’s eyesalve are being reconstructed and tested against modern antibiotic-resistant...

Inflammation is essential for healing, but when it becomes chronic, it can quietly drive joint pain, blood sugar imbalance, autoimmune conditions, and long-term disease. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Josh Redd, founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness and author of The 30-Day Inflammatory Reset, about the root causes of chronic inflammation. They discus...

Sake sits at the intersection of fermentation science, ritual, and food culture. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave is joined by Dr. Eric C. Rath, professor of history at the University of Kansas and author of Kanpai: The History of Sake . Together, they explore what sake really is, how fermentation with koji mold transforms rice into alcohol, and why sake has played such...

In the remote Alaskan wilderness, survival is not a simple metaphor. It is an act of daily practice. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave reconnects with Sue Aikens, best known from National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, to talk about her memoir North of Ordinary. Broadcasting from Alaska, Sue reflects on a life shaped by abandonment, fierce independence, and learning to end...

For decades, Alzheimer’s research has been shaped by a dominant hypothesis, enormous funding streams, and the promise of breakthrough cures. But what happens when the science itself is compromised? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave sits down with investigative science journalist Charles Piller to unpack the revelations behind his book Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Trage...

This week on Foodie Pharmacology, we explore the cultural, scientific, and social dimensions of kava (Piper methysticum) with Douglas La Rose, Executive Director of the Kava Coalition. We discuss kava’s roots in Pacific Island traditions, how it’s prepared, what the new AHP monograph means for safety and standards, and why this non-alcoholic beverage is gaining global interest as a pro-social, cal...

What makes ibogaine such a remarkable plant-derived compound? I sit down with Jonathan Dickinson, CEO and co-founder of Ambio Life Sciences, to explore the fascinating neuropharmacology of this alkaloid and its profound impact on the brain. Jonathan is an expert on ibogaine, with more than 15 years of experience spanning clinical care, traditional practice, and psychedelic research. We discuss ibo...

What if the future of egg farming could eliminate one of the industry’s most difficult animal welfare issues—male chick culling? Thanks to in-ovo sexing technology, that future is here. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, I talk with Jasen Urena, Vice President of NestFresh, about the launch of their Humanely Hatched™ eggs—the first in the U.S. to ensure only female chicks are incubated. It’s a grou...

Plants are master chemists. From caffeine and nicotine to powerful drugs like colchicine, they manufacture an incredible array of molecules that defend against pests, attract pollinators, and sometimes even become lifesaving medicines for humans. But how exactly do plants build these complex compounds, and why do they make them in the first place? This week, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Nett, Assistan...

Food allergies affect millions of children and adults worldwide—and the numbers are rising. This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Sarita Patil, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Co-Director of the MGH Food Allergy Center, to explore the science behind allergic reactions. They discuss the differences between food allergies and intolerances, the rise in childho...

What if our future food security depended not on fields of grain, but on forests of trees? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, I sit down with Elspeth Hay, author of Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food and host of the Local Food Report on CAI NPR. Elspeth takes us on a journey through oak groves and chestnut stands to explore how nut-bearing trees once fed the world—and could again...

This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Giulia Menichetti, a computational physicist at Harvard Medical School, about one of the most elusive frontiers in nutrition science: the “dark matter” of food. While most nutrition data is focused on a handful of known nutrients, Dr. Menichetti’s “Foodome” Project is charting the vast landscape of overlooked bioactive compounds hidden in everyday i...

This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with conservation biologist Dr. Daniel Villar about the deep connections between culture, ecology, and traditional knowledge in the Central Andes. Their conversation centers on Lake Titicaca, one of the world’s highest navigable lakes, where Dr. Villar has studied how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) shapes and responds to environmental change.  They d...

What if your doctor prescribed kale instead of pills? This week on Foodie Pharmacology , Dr. Quave sits down with Dr. Steven Chen and Nat Irwin to discuss Recipe4Health , a pioneering “Food as Medicine” program transforming how we treat chronic disease. Based in Alameda County, CA, this initiative pairs regenerative and organic produce with health coaching—all covered by Medi-Cal (Medicaid). Learn...