WELL / AWARE Show 010: Food as Medicine and Babies with Jessica Murnane

Jessica Murnane podcast

Jessica Murnane podcast

Here we are at Episode 10. What better way to celebrate this mini-milestone than with a special guest and an extraordinary story. Jessica Murnane of One Part Podcast and One Part Plant fame is such a pleasure to listen to. If you haven’t tried her podcast yet, I highly recommend it.

Getting to chat with Jessica was a real treat. This episode is fantastic for anyone who feels like you haven’t found your thing. It was fascinating to hear about her background, which involved stationery design and opening bars, and how grappling with chronic pain ultimately led her to where she is now… and helped her land her BOOK DEAL! If you feel like you’re pulled in a million directions, it’s enlightening to hear how she found her flow.

Whether she knows it or not, she challenged me in this episode. This comes up when we start discussing sugar and why people choose to be well. One of my own demons — restrictive eating — came up and she reminded me that her philosophy was never based around restriction (unlike my past, which was), but comes from a place of healing and making choices based on how certain foods make her feel. And that’s largely why I admire her mission. I’m super grateful this conversation lead to that awareness, especially as I become more conscious of when old demons come up in new ways. It was real-time WELL / AWARE. Thanks, Jess, for that.

It is also a conversation for women (and men!) who aren’t sure about whether they want kids, who fear pregnancy or who know they want to adopt. I don’t talk about this deeply personal subject very much because I don’t think I want a family. Never say never I suppose, but when it comes up in real life, people are dismissive and rude more often than not, and I just default to autopilot, shutting down because it’s easier than defending my position time and time again. Today, a shield comes down. We hold nothing back, have a few very moving moments and illuminate an exchange that’s in need of light.

In a nutshell, we discuss:

  • how chronic pain caused by endometriosis affected her daily life
  • how she identified skills from several seemingly unrelated careers and channeled them into one passion project
  • how she avoided a major surgery by following a plant-based diet
  • how that plant-based diet was not all rainbows and roses at first, reality check
  • one of her most popular posts, On Never Wanting to Be Pregnant, and the judgment women experience when choosing anything other than a traditional family
  • the beautiful stream of consciousness she experienced when adopting her son (you will want to listen to this, even if you don’t want kids)

I can’t wait to hear your experiences, stories and thoughts as it relates to this episode. I love receiving your emails, comments and @mentions, keep them coming! Jessica’s contact information is below too, give her a shout if you love her.

SHOW NOTES:

Jessica’s channels (say hi, tell her how you liked the episode!): website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest (please note her hair! she gives us the low down in the podcast)

On Not Wanting to Be Pregnant

Photos of Sid: six months, green juice lover, cool kid and little babe

Sid’s adoption agency

Some of Jessica’s favorite easy, plant-based recipes: Easy pesto veggie bowl and almond butter curry sauce with veggies

Photo of Jessica by Eva Deitch

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  1. This was probably one of the most realest conversation I’ve heard about the subject. I too, am at a point in my life where I’m not sure about pregnancy or even adding motherhood to my realm of titles. Thank you so much for being honest! I feel better knowing I’m not alone.