The Zesty Dietitian

In Episode 16 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast, I dive into a huge topic lately - GLP-1s and fertility. We go over what a GLP-1 is and what it does, how it may help with PCOS/PMOS, side effects and nutrition considerations, and how to make the best decision for YOU about whether a GLP-1 is the right step for your reproductive health journey. We also answer a few questions from our listeners about nutrients to test for in labs if you’re on a GLP-1, GLP-1s for PCOS, GLP-1s while breastfeeding, and navigating anxiety about weight gain when coming off a GLP-1 for pregnancy.Get the show notes and transcript here: www.feedyourzest.com/blog/2026/15/5/glp1-fertility-podcastWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: ⁠https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counselingCopyright 2026 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast intro/outro music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In Episode 15 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast, I interview my good friend and colleague, Lindsay Helton!Lindsay is a Registered Dietitian and owner of New Paths Nutrition, a North Carolina group practice specializing in eating disorder care. Over the past six years, she and her team have helped clients heal from eating disorders, untangle disordered eating patterns, and address health concerns using a weight-inclusive approach. Lindsay focuses on meeting clients where they are and creating a supportive, comfortable space for healing. She lives near Charlotte in the Lake Norman area, where she recently opened a new office for the practice. When she’s not working, she enjoys time with her family by the water-ideally with an iced latte in hand.In this episode, we discuss Lindsay’s work as an eating disorder dietitian, her personal journey with infertility, the process of getting diagnosed with endometriosis, and ways she’s taking care of her body as a dietitian with endometriosis.Follow Lindsay on Instagram: @newpathsnutritionWork with Lindsay and her team of eating disorder dietitians: www.newpathsnutrition.comResources:Feed Your Zest blog posts on endometriosis Lindsay’s blog post: Non Diet Strategies for Managing Endometriosis Dance Party Workouts with MadFit Work with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠ Copyright 2026 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In Episode 14 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast we’re interviewing my internet friend and fellow prenatal nutrition nerd, Zawwar Khan.Zawwar Khan is the founder of CareNatal, a prenatal vitamin brand delivering comprehensive prenatal nutrition as an easy to drink powder vitamin. After graduating as a mechanical engineer and then working in product development for companies like Proctor and Gamble and PepsiCo, Zawwar took his career down a different path - entrepreneurship. In this episode, Zawwar and I chat about his journey to entrepreneurship, the process of developing a prenatal vitamin, and what it’s like being in the prenatal vitamin space as a man.Follow Zawwar on TikTokFollow Zawwar on InstagramEpisode Sponsored by CareNatal: www.carenatal.comResources:Prenatal vitamin comparison chartFeed Your Zest Prenatal Vitamin GuideWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: ⁠https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counselingCopyright 2026 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast intro/outro music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In Episode 13 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast, I interview our associate dietitian and lactation consultant, Natalie Ostrowski MPH, RDN, IBCLC. We dive into Natalie’s personal journey with PCOS, trying to conceive, her pregnancy journey and birth story, as well as her experience with lactation, with tips for each stage of the journey overall!A little more about Natalie: She is a registered dietitian nutritionist and international board certified lactation consultant. Prior to joining the team at Feed Your Zest, she worked in community health centers as well as a birth center and a breastfeeding medicine clinic. Beyond her clinical experience, she understands firsthand the difficulty of navigating the US healthcare system, feeling confused by irregular menstrual cycles, and experiencing challenges with fertility. She is deeply passionate about supporting folks in attaining their reproductive and nutrition health goals while also making the world of nutrition more clear and approachable. Sometimes sifting through the myriad feelings and emotions that come up when we talk about food and body image can be challenging. She sees it as her role to help guide you through these conversations while offering tailored, evidence-based recommendations to help you along the way.Read Natalie’s bioFollow Natalie on InstagramBook an appointment with NatalieWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: ⁠https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counseling ⁠Copyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In episode 12 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast, I interview my friend and fellow registered dietitian Ella Schwochert, MPH, RDN. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Ella and her team of dietitians at Fuel NC Nutrition specialize in intuitive eating and sports nutrition. She likes to say “Think of me as your hype woman for carbs, curiosity, and body respect.” We talk all about her experience with a twin pregnancy, her passion for movement and fueling for activity, and listening to your body when it comes to staying active while pregnant.Follow Ella and her team on Instagram: @fuel.nc.nutritionWork with Ella and her team: fuelnc.comResources:Learn about Intuitive Eating: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/ Learn about Health at Every Size: https://asdah.org/haes/Run Raleigh (same building as Fuel NC Nutrition): https://runraleighpt.com/Studio Brick Strength and Conditioning (same building as Fuel NC Nutrition): https://studiobrick.com/More about thyroid and nutrition (The Zesty Dietitian Podcast Episode 6): https://www.feedyourzest.com/blog/2024/9/30/podcast-episode-6-hashimotos Information about medications for pregnancy nausea: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancyWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: ⁠https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counseling ⁠Copyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

Season 2 of The Zesty Dietitian is here, and we’re starting off with a super cool interview with my friend and colleague, Reatna Taylor!Reatna A. Taylor, MPH, RDN, LDN, is a bilingual, first-generation Panamanian-American registered dietitian with over five years of experience providing culturally sensitive nutrition care, particularly for Latino communities facing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.She currently serves as the Nutrition Program Manager and Food Pantry Coordinator at Camino Salud, a community health center in Charlotte, NC. In this role, she develops personalized nutrition plans, leads culturally focused cooking and wellness classes, and addresses food insecurity with a focus on health equity.Reatna earned her Master of Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill and her Bachelor’s in Biology from Johnson C. Smith University. Her work is driven by a deep respect for culture, community, and the lived experiences of those she serves.In this episode, we dive into Reatna’s experience with both a hospital and home birth, and the intersection of food, culture, and nutrition in her personal experience and in her work as a dietitian.Find Reatna as @rea_tay on Instagram.Read more about Reatna’s work at Camino Salud here: https://www.caminosalud.com/ Resources:Evidence Based Birth: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/Peruvian “Parto Vertical” https://www.unfpa.org/news/born-end-rope-embracing-indigenous-childbirth-traditions-save-liveshttps://www.asedoulacare.com/ Queen City Cocoa BEANS https://qccocoabeans.com/Mind Body Baby NC https://www.mindbodybabync.org/ Diversify Dietetics: https://www.diversifydietetics.org/ Work with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: ⁠https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counseling ⁠Copyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In Episode 10, we’re diving into a hot topic: endocrine disrupting chemicals! This can be an overwhelming, nuanced topic - know that our intention in this episode is to help you feel informed and empowered, not scared. Our guest on the podcast is one of my dietitian heroes, Judy Simon!Judy Simon, MS, RDN, CD, CHES, is an esteemed registered dietitian nutritionist with a focus on reproductive health. As the founder of Mind Body Nutrition, PLLC, she integrates a comprehensive approach that combines nutrition therapy, mindfulness, and intuitive eating to help individuals improve their health and fertility. Judy specializes in fertility, PCOS, eating disorders, and weight-inclusive healthcare. Her work emphasizes a non-judgmental, inclusive approach to health, and she is the co- founder of the Food For Fertility program. In addition, Judy co-authored Getting to Baby: A Food-First Fertility Plan to Improve Your Odds and Shorten Your Time to Pregnancy (BenBella Publishers, 2024), which offers a science-backed, nutrition-centered approach to fertility. Follow Judy:IG: @fertilenutritionThreads: fertilenutritionFB: Mind Body Nutrition Work with Judy: www.mind-body-nutrition.comEndocrine disruptors mentioned (because spelling is hard):PhthalatesBPA and other bisphenolsPFAsAdditional resources:Getting to Baby by Judy Simon and Dr. Angela Angela ThyerRecipes for safer cleaning products from King County Hazardous WasteBlog post: 6 tips to reduce toxin exposure in fertility and pregnancyWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠: https://www.feedyourzest.com/nutrition-counseling Copyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In this webinar, McKenzie & Dr. Q walk you through ways to navigate constipation during pregnancy and postpartum.Discover effective strategies to manage constipation during pregnancy and postpartumMaster essential dietary and pelvic floor techniques for optimal digestive healthLearn practical ways to apply expert advice in your daily routineThis webinar was broadcast live on 3/28/25!McKenzie Caldwell, MPH, RDN is the Founder and Lead Dietitian at Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness. McKenzie helps folks ditch perfectionism around food and their bodies so they can live fully nourished through fertility, pregnancy, and beyond. Find more information about working with her team at https://www.feedyourzest.comDr. Quana Tribble Jackson is the Founder and Physical Therapist at PTforHer Pelvic Health & Wellness. Dr. Q has extensive experience in treating pelvic floor disorders and is passionate about helping patients improve their quality of life. She specializes in pregnancy and postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy. Find more information about working with her at https://www.ptforher.com

In this episode, I interview my fabulous friend and colleague, Dr. Jessie Hoffman, PhD, RDN all about gut health, hormonal wellbeing, and their connections. There is a LOT of buzz around gut health and hormone health, and a lot of misinformation out there, but there truly are research-backed interventions we can engage in to improve both our digestion and hormonal wellbeing. Jessie and I dive into these in this engaging episode, and I can’t wait for you to listen.Jessie is a Registered Dietitian, Assistant Professor at Winthrop University, and researcher in the field of human nutrition. Her dietetics and research expertise are in gastrointestinal conditions and the gut microbiome. Additionally, Jessie is passionate about scientific and nutritional science communication and does so regularly through social media.  From breaking down nutrition science to busting myths that are so prevalent in today's society, she strives to empower individuals to become responsible consumers of social media content and experts on their own bodies.Follow Jessie on Instagram: @jessiehoffman_phdWork with Jessie: www.jessiephd.comResources mentioned:Jessie’s blogFiber for fertility and pregnancy - Feed Your Zest blog5 tips to help with constipation during fertility and pregnancy - Feed Your Zest blogWhy all 3 macronutrients are important for women’s health - Feed Your Zest blogDecaf and Debunk PodcastWinthrop Graduate Nutrition programWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counseling⁠Copyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by⁠ ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠

In Episode 8 of The Zesty Dietitian Podcast, I interview my amazing friend and colleague Katie Salmon, MS, RDN (she/her) all about prenatal nutrition! We cover some common pregnancy myths surrounding food safety, how to navigate food safety in pregnancy without fear, Katie’s experience being a pregnant dietitian with multiple severe food allergies (twice!!!), body image in pregnancy, and more. I’m pumped for you to dive deep with us in this informative episode!Katie is a weight-inclusive prenatal Registered Dietitian who empowers moms to fuel their bodies while nourishing baby throughout the pregnancy and postpartum journey. While baby's health often becomes the sole focus during pregnancy and postpartum, Katie prioritizes the dynamic relationship between mom's wellbeing and baby's needs. Through her virtual insurance-based practice, she transforms complex nutrition science into practical, judgment-free guidance. Katie specializes in helping busy moms create balanced, satisfying meals that address common pregnancy symptoms while nurturing their changing bodies with confidence.Find Katie on Instagram: @the.pregnancy.rdWork with Katie and her team at The Pregnancy RD: http://www.thepregnancyrd.com/ Resources mentioned:McKenzie’s webinar for dietitians: Perinatal Disordered Eating and Weight Inclusive Nutrition CareSupervision/business coaching with McKenzie for RDsPrenatal/postpartum fitness app: Expecting and EmpoweredFDA Foodborne OutbreaksCDC Foodborne OutbreaksCDC InstagramWork with a Feed Your Zest dietitian for 1:1 nutrition counselingCopyright 2025 Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, LLCPodcast music by ⁠⁠Myles Maxwell⁠