Exam Room Nutrition: Practical Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals
Nutrition advice is everywhere. Your patients need help sorting through misinformation, and you need practical guidance for communicating nutrition clearly and compassionately. Exam Room Nutrition is the podcast for physician associates, registered dietitians, and healthcare professionals who want to stay current on nutrition and feel more confident counseling patients. Hosted by Colleen Sloan, PA-C, RDN, each episode breaks down evidence-based topics including pediatric nutrition, weight management, diabetes, supplements, sports nutrition, and more. You’ll learn how to translate the evidence into realistic recommendations without judgment, shame, or overwhelming your patients.
Whether you are a PA strengthening your nutrition knowledge or an RD sharpening your counseling skills, Exam Room Nutrition will help you bring practical, compassionate nutrition care into every patient conversation.
Exam Room Nutrition: Practical Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals
103 | Toxic Superfoods: Are They Really Poisoning Us?
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Are oxalates quietly damaging our health? Could common foods like spinach, almonds, and berries be the real culprits behind everything from kidney stones to joint pain and brain fog? That’s the claim in Toxic Superfoods by Sally Norton—a book that has sparked concern among patients and providers alike.
To separate fact from fiction, I brought in kidney stone expert and dietitian Melanie Betz to break down the science behind oxalates. She’s done a deep dive into the book’s claims, the research it cites (or misrepresents), and the real impact of oxalates on health.
Key Takeaways:
- What oxalates are and how the body processes them
- Who actually needs to limit oxalates—and who doesn’t
- The real risks of extreme dietary restrictions based on misinformation
- How misleading research and anecdotal evidence fuel nutrition myths
- How to spot nutrition misinformation online
Before patients cut out half their diet, let’s take a closer look at the science.
Feel confident tackling the latest nutrition controversy with your patients.
Resources:
Listen to Episode 9 | Kidney Stone Prevention
Read Melanie's deep dive here.
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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.