E160: GLP-1s, Diet Culture, and Eating Disorders—Dr. Rebecca Berens on Doing No Harm

Welcome back to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! In Episode #160, I’m joined by Dr. Rebecca Berens, a family medicine physician and private practice owner in the suburbs of Houston, Texas (Vida Family Medicine).Dr. Berens shares how she became a go-to physician for patients recovering from disordered eating—often after harmful, triggering experiences in healthcare—and what “weight-neutral” medicine can look like in everyday primary care. We break down the difference between disordered eating vs. eating disorders, how diet culture sneaks into medical advice, and which patients may be more vulnerable due to genetics, trauma history, food insecurity, ADHD/autism overlap, and more.We also discuss practical red flags clinicians can look for, how to address metabolic conditions without reinforcing shame, and how to approach GLP-1 medications thoughtfully—especially for patients with eating disorder history. This is an episode for anyone who wants a healthier relationship with food without losing sight of real medical care.Dr. Berens is a family physician and founder of Vida Family Medicine where she provides primary care to individuals and families.  Prior to opening her private practice she worked in and led a community health center in Philadelphia, PA and taught medical students and residents in Houston, TX at Baylor College of Medicine. She treats each patient as an individual and tailors prevention and treatment plans to the needs of each patient rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. She particularly enjoys caring for individuals recovering from disordered eating and who struggle with metabolic conditions such as PCOS and metabolic syndrome. Her office is welcoming to all, and her care is trauma-informed and weight-neutral.00:29 Meet Dr. Rebecca Berens + Vida Family Medicine01:14 Her accidental niche: caring for patients in recovery from disordered eating03:00 Disordered eating vs. eating disorders (DSM criteria)05:29 How diet culture shows up in primary care + “wellness” marketing online08:16 Who is most at risk: genetics, trauma, food insecurity, ADHD/autism overlap10:48 How to discuss metabolic health without triggering shame14:00 Red flags clinicians should screen for (time rules, rigidity, missing food groups)17:05 How common is it? Eating disorders vs. disordered eating (and why underreported)23:33 Metabolic health: behaviors first, meds when appropriate (metformin/GLP-1 nuance)33:20 Parenting + food beliefs, plus “don’t skip breakfast” and first gentle stepsConnect with Dr. BerensPractice Website: www.vidafamilymed.comPersonal Website: www.rebeccaberensmd.comPersonal IG and TikTok: @ rebeccaberensmdPractice IG:  @vidafamilymedicine  Connect with Dr. RellerPodcast website: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryrellermd/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterFamilyMedicineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearwaterfamilymedicine/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kerryrellermdClearwater Family Medicine and Allergy website: https://sites.google.com/view/clearwa...Podcast: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou...Subscribe to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Pandora.