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Vegan and Vibrant Episode 06: Molly Patrick on the Importance of Embracing the Suck

January 24, 2021 Valerie Martin
Molly-Patrick-Vegan-and-Vibrant-Podcast

NOTE: As of October 2021, this podcast is no longer publishing new episodes; however, you can download mp3 files of all existing episodes at these show notes posts on the blog.

After an unintentional pause (long story), the podcast is BACK with biweekly interviews with badass vegans! I haven't decided if I'll normally stick to Thursdays or publish on a different day, but I'm publishing this episode specially on a Sunday, for any Clean Food Dirty Girl meal plan folks who are spending time in the kitchen today batch cooking the week's food and want something great to listen to!

My interview with Molly Patrick was a huge gift in a number of ways I would never have predicted when I first got an email about interviewing her on the pod.

First of all, a lesson about all-or-nothing thinking: while I'm loud and proud about my #antidietvegan perspective, I  almost deleted the email without any further thought or response purely because of the words "clean food" in the name of Molly's business. Me: "The idea of 'clean food' or 'clean eating' proliferates good vs bad foods, rigidity, restriction, orthorexia... all things that I cannot abide!"

And while my concerns about "clean eating" remain, something in my gut told me— "maybe dont be so quick to judge this book by its cover." So I responded saying that I was intrigued after looking through the website, but that it would be important for me to have a candid conversation about the concept of clean food.

Molly was incredibly open and genuine in her response, and shared my concerns about rigidity and moralizing based on the 'purity' of food. PHEW. After the interview itself— which was so good and I will just let you listen to find out what we talked about— I thought, "hmmm... I do love a good meal plan service that takes the decision-making out of what to shop for and cook. What the hell, I'll do a free trial."

The free trial quickly turned me into a paid subscriber, because I was blown away by the custom online classroom CFDG has built and how ridiculously delicious the recipes are. If you are someone who enjoys doing "batched" cooking (i.e. taking a few hours on a Sunday to cook most of the components of the week's meals), you will LOVE these meal plans. There are so many other things I love about them, but I won't belabor the point here— just give it a shot!

And meanwhile, enjoy this conversation with the Dirty queen herself, Molly Patrick.

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 file HERE.

About Molly Patrick

Molly Patrick is the co-founder of Clean Food Dirty Girl, a company dedicated to helping people eat more plants while celebrating human imperfection. Through her swear-y and inclusive approach, Molly has built a thriving business and global community. Before she was a successful entrepreneur, she was a champion drinker and smoker. So much so that her drinking and smoking privileges had to be revoked. Molly grew up in the middle of nowhere New Mexico on 5 acres of land. Her parents handbuilt their home out of mud, straw, and rocks.

While her parents were building their house, they lived in a Teepee on the land and made do without electricity, indoor plumbing, or hot water. Molly’s rugged and unconventional upbringing made her innovative, appreciative, determined, and always humble. She has never eaten meat in her life. Molly lives in Hawaii with her wife and has a virtual team around the globe.

Molly and her Dirty team custom create weekly Whole Food Plant Based Meal Plans to teach their subscribers how to shop, cook, and eat plants that taste damn good. She has also sent out a "Sweary Saturday Love Letter" to her email list since January 2014, where she celebrates human imperfections and all the messiness of life. 

🐷Clean Food Dirty Girl website
🐷@cleanfooddirtygirl on IG

In Podcast Tags podcast, mental health, psychology, sobriety, orthorexia, anti-diet, intuitive eating, cooking, meal planning
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Vegan and Vibrant Episode 05: Jenn Friedman on Veganism and Eating Disorder Recovery

December 23, 2020 Valerie Martin
Jenn-Friedman-Vegan-and-Vibrant-Podcast

NOTE: As of October 2021, this podcast is no longer publishing new episodes; however, you can download mp3 files of all existing episodes at these show notes posts on the blog.

So many people conflate veganism with any other "diet" like keto, paleo, Whole30, etc.— or assume veganism implies disordered eating (especially within the eating disorder recovery community).

 In this conversation with Jenn Friedman, we go deep with disentangling eating disorders and veganism, and she shares her own story as a person who was in treatment that did not support her continuing with eating vegan despite it being an ethical lifestyle choice.

Jenn is so down to earth and truly VIBRANT, and we are both living proof that you can be vegan in recovery— though as you'll hear in our conversation, it is a very complex and individual thing!

She's also been working on a book to be released in 2021, Eating Disorders and Veganism, which is how we connected this past fall. The ED treatment field needs her message BADLY, and I'm so grateful she is writing this book.

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 file HERE.

About Jenn Friedman

Jenn Friedman is a musician (singer/songwriter/piano-player), author, and Eating Disorder Recovery Advocate from Brooklyn, NY. She has shared her recovery message through discussion and performance at various schools and recovery events, and has also made weekly videos for the WeRFreEDomFighters YouTube recovery channel.

Jenn released her first book, Eating Disorders on the Wire: Music and Metaphor as Pathways to Recovery through H.T.F.K. Press in March 2014. She also released a full-length album, On the Wire, on Personal Bias Records. The book and music can be enjoyed together or separately, but both explore the emotional journey of an eating disorder through metaphor.

🐷Eating Disorders and Veganism  forthcoming book
🐷 Jenn's  main website

Additional Resources + Mentioned on This Episode:

  • Jenn’s recovery-focused album and corresponding book

  • Alsana ED treatment center

  • Washington Post article: “Veganism and eating disorders— is there a link?”

  • Her highly-recommended editor Louise Tucker

In Podcast Tags podcast, mental health, psychology, eating disorders, recovery, treatment
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Vegan and Vibrant Episode 04: Dr. Amy Mariaskin on Anxiety, OCD, Values, and Rigidity

December 10, 2020 Valerie Martin
Dr.-Amy-Mariaskin-Vegan-and-Vibrant-Podcast

NOTE: As of October 2021, this podcast is no longer publishing new episodes; however, you can download mp3 files of all existing episodes at these show notes posts on the blog.

Amy Mariaskin is one of those wonderful humans who feels like a bit of a walking paradox— but actually is just absurdly well-rounded.

She works incredilby hard working her own treatment center in Nashville, and is... goofy AF.

I'm fortunate to call Amy a good friend, and I can't wait for you to hear some of her expertise around anxiety and OCD and how they can relate to/overlap with veganism or folks wanting to explore a vegan lifestyle. 

This is an incredibly rich conversation, and if you have personal experience with any of these topics or love someone who does, you're gonna dig this episode!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 file HERE.

About Amy Mariaskin, PhD

Dr. Amy Mariaskin is a licensed clinical psychologist and owner/director of the Nashville OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center. As a clinician, she works with individuals across the lifespan who have anxiety, OCD, and related disorders using evidence-based treatment. Dr. Mariaskin also supervises a multidisciplinary team of therapists and serves as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University where she provides training and supervision for doctoral students. She lives in Nashville with her husband and her elderly hound dog, Mr. Cleveland.

🐷 Follow @OCDnashville on Instagram for Amy's rad cartoons
🐷 NOATC's website

Additional Resources + Mentioned on This Episode:

  • International OCD Foundation

  • The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris - book, app, and free resources

In Podcast Tags podcast, Amy Mariaskin, OCD, anxiety, mental health, Nashville, psychology, values, ACT
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