On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in November 2025.

838. Are manufacturers using a regulatory loophole to sneak untested chemicals into our food? In this episode, we break down what GRAS really means, why it exists, and how the process works. 

Resources:

GRAS database

Database of substances added to foods

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a nutrition question? Send an email to [email protected].

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips. 

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. 

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874. If you're prone to kidney stones, you've probably been told to cut back on calcium. If you're worried about your bones, you've been told to get more. So which is it?

Turns out it's a false choice. The old advice to restrict dietary calcium doesn't lower your risk of calcium stones -- it can raise it, while leaving your bones more vulnerable to loss. In this episode, Monica breaks down why the calcium in your food behaves so differently from the calcium in a pill, when timing it with a meal actually makes a difference, and how much calcium and vitamin D you really need if you're filling a gap.

She also looks at how sodium, animal protein, and fluid intake each shape your kidney stone risk, and why the same evidence-based eating habits that guard against osteopenia and protect bone health as you age are also the ones that protect your kidneys.

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, founder of Wellness Works Here.

New to Nutrition Diva? Start here: New to Nutrition Diva, Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts, Stronger Bones at Every Age, Gut Health 

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Question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Related episodes

130, 131, 427, 470, 699, Bone Series

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On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in November 2024.

California recently enacted legislation to ban certain food dyes in public schools. What’s the scientific case to support this?

Nutrition Diva is hosted by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN. Transcripts are available at Simplecast.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a nutrition question? Send an email to [email protected].

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips. 

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

874. Some wellness articles promise that certain foods can flush plastics and forever chemicals out of your body. In this episode, Monica tracked down the actual studies behind those claims, looking at what the research on fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants really shows about clearing PFAS. She also unpacks why PFAS and microplastics keep getting lumped together even though they behave nothing alike, and covers the practical steps that do the most to limit your exposure. 

References

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in circulation in a Canadian population: their association with serum-liver enzyme biomarkers and piloting a novel method to reduce serum-PFAS - PMC 

Human gut bacteria bioaccumulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - PMC

Related episodes

871: Can you eat your way off your cholesterol medication?

756: Can you absorb nutrients through the skin?

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, founder of Wellness Works Here.

New to Nutrition Diva? Start here: New to Nutrition Diva, Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts, Stronger Bones at Every Age, Gut Health 

Join the community: Facebook, LinkedIn, Newsletter, Transcripts

Question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in August 2024.

Examining whether vitamins and nutrients can really be absorbed through the skin using products like patches and creams. 

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a nutrition question? Send an email to [email protected].

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips. 

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

873. Colonoscopy prep flushes everything out of your large intestine, including the trillions of bacteria that make up your gut microbiome. So once it's over, is that a chance to rebuild your intestinal flora better than before? A listener named Fred wondered the same thing, and when he asked his gastroenterologist, the idea got pooh-poohed. 

In this episode, Monica digs into what colonoscopy prep actually does to your gut bacteria, how quickly a healthy microbiome bounces back, and whether that reshuffling opens a real window to influence which species take hold. She shares her common-sense approach to restoring gut flora afterward, from the fiber-rich foods that feed beneficial bacteria to the fermented foods linked with greater microbiome diversity, plus the two things worth easing off while your gut recovers. And she weighs in on whether probiotic supplements are worth your money or just wishful thinking.

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Find Monica at wellnessworkshere.com

Discover more from Nutrition Diva:

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Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in September 2023.

Traveling doesn't mean your healthy eating habits have to take a vacation too. Nutrition Diva shares practical, no-hype strategies for finding good options in convenience stores, airports, fast food joints, and unfamiliar cities — so you can stay on track wherever the road takes you.

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

787. How do we balance the need to protect our skin from UV rays with our body’s need for vitamin D?

Mentioned in this episode:

DMinder (iOS/Android) - http://dminder.ontometrics.com/

Vitamin D and UV Tracker (Android) - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uv.vitamindtracker

SunDay Vitamin D and UV Tracker (iOS) - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sunday-vitamin-d-uv-tracker/id1133953409

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Find Monica at wellnessworkshere.com

Discover more from Nutrition Diva:

Facebook 

LinkedIn

Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer Saturdays: Best of QDT

Encore Episode: This episode originally aired May 2024.

706. Bloggers recommend everything from bleach to baking soda. Food safety experts insist that tap water is all you need. What’s the best way to kill germs on fresh produce?

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

Research references:

Antibacterial action of vinegar against food-borne pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli | National Library of Medicine | 1998 Aug (nih.gov)

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health!

Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a nutrition question? Send an email to [email protected].

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips. 

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

872. Social media is full of alarming food lists: staples a cancer survivor swore off, ingredients a nutritionist says to toss immediately. In this episode, Monica works through three listener questions that share a common thread -- microwave popcorn and PFAS, microplastics in chewing gum, and whether mold makes oatmeal a risk. She sorts the legitimate concerns from the inflated ones, and explains why cooking your oats for 10 minutes won't do what a viral claim promises.

Related Episodes

480 - Can Xylitol prevent bone loss?

856 - Is coffee mold actually making you sick?

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinagel.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Find Monica at wellnessworkshere.com

Discover more from Nutrition Diva:

Facebook 

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Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

871. Your doctor says your LDL is too high and you'd rather change your diet than take a pill. The Portfolio Diet promises results that rival statin drugs -- but wait until you hear what it actually takes to follow it. Nutrition Diva breaks down the science, the evidence, and the real-world catch. 

References:

• Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods vs Lovastatin on Serum Lipids and C-Reactive Protein | Cardiology | JAMA | JAMA Network 
• Assessment of the longer-term effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods in hypercholesterolemia - ScienceDirect 

Related Episodes:

• 560 - Fiber 2.0—Fiber's New Science of Health-Boosting Benefits
• 592 - Is Soy Healthy or Harmful?
• 260 - What Are Phytosterols?

Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinegal.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. 

Have a question for Nutrition Diva? Email: [email protected]

Find Monica at wellnessworkshere.com

Discover more from Nutrition Diva:

Facebook 

LinkedIn

Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.