How do you have a meaningful conversation with others in today’s overly emotional food arena? In this podcast episode, dietitian Leia Flure explains the steps to maintaining respectful discussion and making personal choices about what you eat. She suggests more critical thinking is needed in food-based decisions by being analytical about your choices and verifying information.

“What is the motivation behind what I am sharing and what information I am opening myself up to?” A mom to young children and a millennial, Leia shares her personal experiences with other people as she conveys the message to stay open-minded with what you are believing. She suggests you step outside your comfort zone, listen to the other side, know your own standards, and enjoy food!

Key Points

• What do you do when people disagree with you?
• Providing unbiased information and having difficult conversations
• Respectfully countering inaccurate information
• What are we supposed to believe when it comes to food safety; how do we perceive information from a variety of sources?
• Self-preservation and the difficulty of admitting when you are wrong.
• The hypocrisy when it comes to taking risks with food
• How to overcome bias and admit you are wrong
• Stepping outside of your comfort zone
• Risk bias and how the dirty dozen list drives people to avoid produce.

Fabulous Quotes

“It’s just so difficult to have a productive conversation when both sides are not willing to see the other person’s point of view.”

“Sometimes it’s worth staying in the conversation and finding a way to have that conversation that is not questioning a person’s integrity because something different than what you believe, but also knowing when it is okay to just step away.”

“It’s okay to have questions. I think the issue is really seeking out information from reliable sources and not necessarily relying on Dr. Google.”

“The way that we evaluate risk is kind of skewed, and flawed.”

“Do you think our psychology around food is skewed not just because sometimes we can be hypocritical in our choices but because what we want to believe isn't always true?”

“What is the motivation behind even what I am sharing and what information I’m opening myself up to?”

“We like things that are easy.”

“We just don’t like to think about risk and we want to believe that we infallible, but truly we take risks every single by just going outside, and it is very uncomfortable to think about.”

“If I can do this one little thing, I can buy the organic strawberries instead of the regular ones in the grocery store, then I feel better about my choices, but it doesn’t mean that is actually doing anything for me.”

“Of course, as a dietitian, I’d rather people eat more fruits and vegetables instead of be afraid of them and decrease their intake.”

Links

Leia's blog: moderationmaven.com

fruitsandveggies.com 

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