If people have been eating wheat for thousands of years, how could it possibly be bad for us? Why is bread so addictive, making it feel hard to give up? How does gluten damage the body?

Bio: Anne Buzzelli is a Registered Dietitian who offers nutritional strategies designed to support your unique biochemical make-up. Your individuality does not stop at your fingerprints so cookie-cutter approaches are not enough! Anne uses a whole foods approach because that's what humans ate before we started making food with heavy machinery. She got her Masters in Nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle after deciding to leave her former career as a computer programmer. Anne owns an Integrative Nutrition Practice in historic Staunton, Virginia (BuzzNutrition.com), and also enjoys teaching classes and leading corporate nutrition programs.

Bio: Hello, I'm Frances Arnold,  co-founder of NamasteNutritionist.com and the Namaste Nutritionist Podcast. My mission is to help make nutrition sane, intuitive, and deeply satisfying. My nutrition advice is anti-fad, free of special interests, and supports deep health. I specialize in helping people improve their weight, improve their energy, their digestion, and their aches & pains (whether it's a headache or joint pain or fibromyalgia). My approach to health addresses mind, body and spirit helps people transform their wellness from the inside-out.

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Keeping up with bills passing Congress can be something of a full-time job. And the bills Congress passes affects every aspect of our lives, whether we understand it or not.

How are we to keep up with congressional legislation, and talk to our representatives about our concerns, when keeping up is a demanding (if not nearly impossible) task? Worse, how do the people make their voices heard when new legislation favors the rich and powerful, and not the everyday citizen?

In this podcast, I catch up to Jennifer Briney, hostess of "The Congressional Dish". I ask her to help break down the food and water legislation that is currently up for serious debate in the House of Representatives. Jennifer is enormously passionate, and she dishes up helpful insights regarding what the House is looking at passing (or killing), and what it means for YOU and ME, dear ordinary citizens. She disseminates inspiration and hope for how we - the average, non-wealthy, non-corporation citizen - can talk to our representatives and make a difference in the law-making process.

What we address:

• What was the "Monsanto protection act", and how did it happen?
• How does the food bill work (gen overview)? Can you highlight some of the biggest topics at stake?
• What is the Trans Pacific Partnership? How is this potentially risky to citizens?
• Which committees address safety of water, and what are they currently saying about fracking?
• Who are the consumers best allies in terms of protecting our food and water? How would you recommend that we talk to them (letters, phone calls, etc)?
• How can the avg person understand food legislation and stay more informed (in light of all the ways that life gets overwhelming)?
• What is your advice to consumers about staying engaged and about fact-finding?
• The healthcare reform is very confusing.Tell us about what you're covering on your podcast to help us understand it better?

Shortly after completing this interview with Jennifer, she tweeted me the next day to tell me that the Monsanto Protection act was killed in Congress. Phew!

Carole Bartolotto, a respected dietitian and Huffington Post columnist, opens up about her concerns regarding Genetically Modified Organisims (GMOs). She made headlines earlier this year after her controversial dismissal from a committee tasked with setting policy on GMOs. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (aka "The Academy") was overdue for updating its policy on GMOs at the time, and to date, still has not accomplished this.  Carole was suddenly removed from the committee - without discussion - after pointing out that two of its members had ties to GMO companies.  (Her story made the NY Times here.)

In her article about the Academy's reflexive dismissal after Carole challenged conflicts of interests among panel members,  Carole wrote "Is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Committed to Telling Americans the Truth About Genetically Modified Foods?" for the Huffington Post:

. . . Is it appropriate to have people involved with the biotech industry, which could benefit from the outcome, sit on a biotech-related work group? I don't think so. Additionally, I found it alarming that the Academy was intent on moving forward with a position paper, written by Christine M. Bruhn, PhD, to be published before the evidence review was complete. She wrote the Academy's 2006 position paper, which said that GMOs "...enhance the quality, safety, nutritional value, and variety of food available for human consumption and increase the efficacy of food production, processing, food distribution, and environmental and waste management." I am guessing her 2013 version will offer up more of the same.

Sadly, it is the American people who are the losers in this situation because they will probably not get clear, unbiased and balanced information about what to eat from the organization that represents the largest group of nutrition-related health professionals in the country.

The Academy is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, and is criticized by many dietitians for its questionable sponsorships from junk food companies such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and General Mills. The Academy is expected to update their position on GMOs sometime this year (2013). As of this publication, the Academy still has not released its position statement about GMOs. We'll find out if it dishes up favortism for GMO foods or not.

In this passionate interview, I ask Carole to address the following:

• Tell us about your story with the Academy suddenly dismissing you from its volunteer committee
• How did the Academy address conflict of interest with GMOs?
• How does the FDA approve GMOs (it is considered Generally Recognized as Safe)?
• What are you hearing about patients regarding GMOs (anecdotal, Elle story)?
• What noteworthy tactics have you seen used by the opposition?
• What can you tell us about our food supply being contaminated?
• Health impacts of GMOs - can you talk about the studies?
• What do you see happening in the future of GMO?

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Dietitians for Professional Integrity: a group of concerned dietetics professionals advocating for greater financial transparency, as well as ethical, socially responsible, and relevant corporate sponsorships within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Articles:

• Corporate giant comes out against GMOs
• Allergy Risks from Genetically Modified Foods, by Dr. Michael Hansen
• “Is GMO labeling Anti-Science?”, by Carole Bartolotto
• You think the FDA gets to approve all food additives as safe? Not a chance. by Dr. Marion Nestle

Phone Apps:

Buycott

Non-GMO shopping guide

Ten apps to help you eat GMO free (resource list)

Carole Bartolotto is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in exercise physiology. She worked in the field of diet and health for over 20 years. She likes to stay on top of the latest research and translate it into actionable steps that can transform your health.