Fellow anti-diet dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor Ayana Habtemariam joins us to discuss how she’s bringing intuitive eating to marginalized communities, whether food environments influence health, the oppressive roots of diet culture, paternalistic nutrition policies, and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to deal with worries about your partner’s health. (This episode originally aired on February 17, 2020.)

Ayana is a nutrition therapist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and macro social worker. She is the founder of Truly Real Nutrition, LLC, a private nutrition practice where she empowers clients to give up dieting in exchange for trusting their bodies and breaking free from food rules that result in feelings of failure and shame. She encourages her clients to embrace the beauty, power, and connection that their food traditions, personal experiences, and values add to their lives. Ayana is committed to increasing awareness of intuitive eating and weight inclusive philosophies in black communities. She believes that weight-centric approaches to health and wellness only serve to exacerbate body image issues, stress, and anxiety which contribute to increased rates of chronic diseases often seen in black and other communities of color.

Ayana has 10+ years of experience educating the public on the relationship between the nutrition environment and health outcomes. Prior to transitioning to private practice, she worked with community leaders and local politicians as a nutrition policy advocate and community nutrition educator, in the healthcare field as a clinical dietitian at Mercy Philadelphia Hospital, and as an award-winning, top performing account manager at a Fortune 500 company. Find her online at TrulyRealNutrition.com.

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For full show notes and a transcript of this episode, go to christyharrison.com/foodpsych.

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