34: Why You’re Vilifying Food (And How Diet Culture Is Quietly Shaping Your Choices)

Are You Vilifying Food Without Realizing It? We live in a culture obsessed with optimization. Keto. Carnivore. Biohacking. Wearables. Red light therapy. Cryotherapy. Longevity protocols. The next “perfect” way to eat. And somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, many of us slowly drift from caring for our bodies… to controlling them. In today’s episode, I’m challenging the quiet, subtle way we begin to vilify certain foods — not because our body said no, but because a protocol did. This is not an anti-health episode. This is a pro-body wisdom episode. Your body was designed to communicate what it needs — when it needs it — and how much it needs. The question is: are you listening? In This Episode, We Cover: How diet culture sneaks in even when you think you’re “just being healthy” The difference between informed eating and rigid food rules Why keto and carnivore may work for some — but not for everyone How wearable health devices can increase stress (and affect your body) The danger of labeling foods as “good” or “bad” A real patient story about sourdough bread improving digestion Why your body’s cravings may not be the enemy How women’s nutritional needs shift throughout their cycle The difference between intentional nourishment and habitual snacking How to build trust with your body instead of outsourcing your wisdom A Story That Might Shift Everything One of my patients felt like she needed to “confess” to eating sourdough bread. She had been eating extremely clean. Avoiding bread. Doing all the right things. But when she reintroduced sourdough? Her digestion improved. Her bowel movements normalized. Her body responded beautifully. Not because bread is magic. But because her body needed something different in that season. This is what I want you to hear: Sometimes the issue isn’t the food. It’s the rigidity. The Bigger Message Your body is not a machine to hack. It’s a relationship to build. And like any relationship, it takes: Time Consistency Curiosity Trust You don’t need to follow rigid food rules to be healthy. You don’t need elite biohacking tools to live a long life. You don’t need to fear grapes because they contain sugar. You need rhythm. There will be seasons your body wants more carbohydrates. There will be seasons it wants more protein. There will be days it wants yogurt. There will be days it wants eggs. The more you respond when it whispers, the louder and clearer it gets. If You Feel Overwhelmed If you’re thinking: “I don’t even know where to start.” Start simple. Pause. Connect. Ask. Adjust. And if you want guidance walking through that process, my free Body Signal Decoder Assessment walks you step-by-step through the bodyOS™ framework so you can begin interpreting your signals with clarity instead of confusion. Loved This Episode? If this conversation resonated with you: Rate and review the podcast Share this episode with a friend And come back next week as we continue learning how to listen without fear, obsession, or overwhelm ✨ Your body has been trying to tell you something. Find out what it's saying with the free 30-second Body Signal Decoder Assessment. Pick your signal, get your personalized guide straight to your inbox, and finally start making sense of what's going on inside. Get it here: os.drbrooksheehan.com/decoder 🎧 And if you caught the mention of the Talk to Me, Body affirmation card deck during the episode, here's where to grab yours. 63 scripture-anchored cards to help you trust the body God designed for you. Get yours here: drbrooksheehan.com/talk-to-me-body/ 📱 Come say hi on Instagram: @drbrooksheehan ⭐ If this episode spoke to you, would you take a second to leave a five-star review on Apple or Spotify? It helps more women find this show. And more women learning to listen to their bodies is exactly why I do this.