Episode 38: Dr. Michael Goran and Dr. Nicole Avena (Encore)

Food Junkies Podcast

Dr. Michael Goran is a childhood nutritional expert. He works as a Professor of Pediatrics in the Keck School of Medicine at the U of Southern California. He is the program chair for Diabetes and Obesity at the Saban Research Institute and he holds the Atkins Endowed Chair in Childhood Obesity and Diabetes. He has worked for more than 30 years covering research areas such as Maternal-Infant nutrition, how the developmental programming of obesity occurs, and the ethnic disparities in obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Dr. Lustig has said that “Dr. Michael Goran trained as a biochemist and has morphed into a pediatric nutrition research powerhouse”.

He is the co-author (with Emily Ventura) of "Sugar Proof: How Sugar Puts Your Kids at risk of Hyperactivity, Tantrums Digestive Troubles and Learning Problems and More- And What You Can Do About It.”

FB and IG: @sugarproofkids

Twitter: @michaelgoran

Dr. Nicole Avena is a research neuroscientist, author, and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet, and addiction. She received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Psychology from Princeton University, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in molecular biology at the Rockefeller University in New York City.

She regularly appears on TV and radio and speaks at universities, government agencies, schools about her research on food, addiction, and nutrition throughout the life span. As a mother of a 10-year-old daughter, she has a keen interest in the nutritional needs of infants and toddlers.

She is the author of books such as

- Hedonic Eating: How the Pleasure of Food Affects our Brains and Behaviour

-Why Diets Fail: Because You're Addicted to Sugar,

and for the parents struggling to make sense of food in today’s food environment:

-What to Eat When You're Pregnant

-What to Feed Your Babies and Toddler: A month by Month Guide to Support Your Childs’ Health and Development

www.drnicoleavena.com

In today’s episode:

What happens in pregnancy when consuming sugar

The role our brains play in the preference for sweetness and genetic changes in the reward system in babies who were gestated in a sugar environment

Developing children are more susceptible to the dangers of sugar

The importance of early life nutrition

Why breakfast is a big deal!

Examples of healthy swaps that we can make for our children

Consider starting a Switch Witch tradition

What should limits on added sugar be for our children

How to have conversations with our children about reasonable amounts of sweets to be eating in a day

The budding sugar addict and what to do

Sugar Substitutes/low-calorie sweeteners

Thoughts on simple and complex carbs and our children

How grandparents can help their children and grandchildren to reduce added sugar in their lives

Why do we need more research on Food Addiction in the younger populations

The importance of treating the symptoms of Food Addiction whether it is or not

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede the professional relationship and direction of your healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.