Ep 20: You Are What You Eat

Weight loss schemes and health trends seem to dominate our social media feeds. Pictures of food are second only to cat videos and inflammatory political rants. Whether you're trying to do battle with the scale, purify your digestive track and character through abstaining from (or introducing) certain types of food, or just trying to find the secret to that elusive idea of a healthy lifestyle, there's a plan being peddled to suit your needs. Fad diets aren't new. No, in fact, it seems that as soon as people weren't producing their own food, advice on what to eat began to flow freely and persistently. Some of the suggestions became so prevalent, despite their outlandish nature, that they can only be called, 'urban legends'. This week we focus on extreme diets, colorful charlatans and despicable dietitians as we dive into the wonderful world of weight loss. We'll meet the man behind the breakfast cereal, Dr. Kellogg; check into Starvation Heights under the care of Linda Hazzard; and see what happens when unrealistic standards of thinness and beauty effect susceptible populations. Join us as we look at everything from outlandish dieting advice, to the real and serious effects of eating disorders Also, check out our historical storytelling podcast Audio Dime Museum:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/audio-dime-museum/id1096211271?mt=2