The Allsorts Podcast

A modern, inclusive approach to faith and spirituality

The Allsorts Podcast

Show Notes

To take a page from the legend that is Oprah, if there is one thing I know, it’s that being well is not just about the food we eat. Which is why I called this The Allsorts Podcast…because I wanted to talk about all sorts of things!

I truly believe that our sense of purpose, connection to community and a belief in something larger than ourselves impacts how we perceive the world around us, and ourselves. Which is why I’ve been thinking about doing this episode for a while now. We’re going to talk about faith, religion and spirituality, a topic that I know can be incredibly divisive and triggering for many people. And I could not think of a better person to have this conversation with than my friend Dean Morris, the “rebel” pastor and co-host of A Little More Good Podcast.

I feel like I should lay my cards on the table right now: I am not a religious person, despite having been baptised Catholic. In fact, I am wary of the idea of organized religion, because so many harms are inflicted in its name. So I don’t think I could have imagined this episode without knowing Dean.

This conversation is honest, open and probably contains a lot of hot takes that will surprise you. Dean (who was not raised Christian!) has an incredibly kind, modern and inclusive approach to faith that might change how you view - if not church itself - then the core messages of Christianity. If you’re at all curious, or if you consider yourself a seeker, I hope you’re going to love this conversation!

About Dean Morris:

Dean Morris is a person who wears many hats… Dad, Teacher, Runner, Podcaster, Pastor, Community organizer, and plant based human.

On this episode we chat about:

Dean’s journey to Christianity, growing up without religion

How Dean’s love of Rage Against The Machine led him to learning about Jesus

Why faith should be about love and freedom

How embracing the teachings of spiritual leaders like Jesus and the Buddha would radically change the world for the better

How Spiritual community is as central to wellness as nutrition or movement

How to move towards spirit/source/God if you have not felt safe in religious spaces

The role of prayer and meditation in spiritual connection

The challenges of interpreting the Bible when it was not written to us in modern times

How plant-based eating aligns with Dean’s interpretation of the Bible

How breath connects us to spirit

Why an afterlife-focused faith has contributed to the destruction of nature

Support the Pod!

We couldn’t make this podcast happen without the support of our amazing listeners.

I love hearing your feedback on these episodes to be sure to join the conversation on our instagram @theallsortspod @deaner as well as in our Nutrition with Desiree community.

If you love this episode, please share it with your friends and family, or take a minute to rate, review or subscribe on your favourite podcast app. We appreciate EVERY. SINGLE. LISTEN!

Thanks so much for listening to this episode of The Allsorts Podcast, which is produced by myself and edited by Brian McCalman. We are grateful to live and work and learn on the unceded and ancestral territory of the squamish, musqueum, and tsleil-waututh peoples.

Full show notes, including links + recommendations at https://desireerd.com/podcast/

More from The Allsorts Podcast

Jul 1, 2025

If you have ADHD, or wonder if you do, this episode is an important one…we’re talking all about how neurodivergence impacts your nutrition and the way you feed yourself with Marilee Pumple RD, dietitian with ADHD herself who has an enormous amount of experience helping others navigate nutrition in both neurodivergence and eating disorders. When I started this podcast, it was super important to me that we talk about, well, all sorts of topics surrounding wellness…and not just the ones you might expect. Which is why today’s chat is so important to me: we’re gonna talk about how neurodivergence impacts your ability to feed yourself and, most importantly, tools that can help you thrive. More than a few of my friends have ADHD - and interestingly, most received their diagnoses in adulthood, NOT childhood - so I’m grateful to have one of them, Victoria-based registered dietitian Marilee Pumple on the pod to talk about her experience with living with ADHD and her professional expertise in supporting folks with neurodivergence in navigating nutrition. Today’s episode is a must listen for neurodivergent folks and the folks who love them: we are going to cover nutrition considerations for both adults and kids, including navigating selective eating for parents! An important note before you listen: we are going to talk about eating disorders, both as part of Marilee’s lived experience but also as an important consideration in neurodivergence as the risk of eating disorders is increased. So if that’s not right for you, go ahead and skip this episode and we’ll see you next time! About Marilee Pumple RD: Marilee Pumple (she/her) is a non-diet registered dietitian, late-identified ADHDer, and co-founder of Little Spuds Nutrition—a neurodivergent-affirming pediatric and family nutrition practice based in Victoria, BC. She specializes in eating disorders and neurodivergent nutrition, offering trauma-informed, size-inclusive care that honours body autonomy, sensory needs, and lived experience. Rooted in Health at Every Size® and Intuitive Eating, Marilee’s approach is light-hearted, empathetic, and deeply client-centered—supporting folks to build trust with food and their bodies without shame. She resides in Victoria, where she enjoys her days being a mom to her wild toddler and her love for all things cheese. On this episode we chat about: Marilee’s experience arriving at an ADHD diagnosis in her 30s

Jun 17, 2025

Whether you’re getting into strength training for the first time or starting to take running a little more seriously, you might have already noticed that your body feels like it needs a little more from your nutrition. Maybe you’re dealing with a ton of soreness, or not feeling as strong as you’d like. It’s time to shift the mindset from everyday nutrition to performance nutrition. Which honestly, is something that I know like zero about so I’m stoked to welcome Dr Emily Dow PhD to the pod to talk all about dialling in your nutrition so you can get stronger, faster and feel your best. Today’s episode is packed full of juicy nuggets to help you bust through the rhetoric of performance nutrition online and start to figure out what works for you. Alongside her research, she’s also worked as a performance-driven nutrition coach for the past 5 years, and it really shows because her advice is just so clear and practical and instantly applicable. About Dr Emily Dow PhD: Dr. Emily Dow is a nutrition scientist with a passion for making science practical and approachable. She earned her PhD in Exercise and Nutritional Sciences from Arizona State University, where her research explored how resistance training and dietary interventions impact the gut microbiome, intestinal health, mood, and cognition. On this episode we chat about: Exactly how much protein you need, according to the science

Jun 3, 2025

I know this is gonna seem a wee bit hypocritical, given that I owe my career to the internet, but as a dietitian, I cannot stand just how warped online nutrition information has become. Because at its best, the apps give you access to incredible, evidence-based practitioners that can help expose you to information that can really help you take charge of your health. …but at its worst? The internet is filled with misleading, and downright dangerous, information that circulates in an echo chamber of grifters making money off the views and the supplement sales. So how do you actually engage in wellness online without losing your mind? I’ve invited my friend and colleague, Clara Nosek RD, another very online dietitian for a super nuanced conversation about internet wellness and how we begin to wade through it in order to get what we need without losing the plot entirely. How do we sort fact from fiction? Figure out who’s legit and who’s not…even if they have some sort of credential *cough, glucose goddess, cough* and how do we start to tune in and trust our own knowing about our body as well as giving ourselves permission not to choke through some chalky, sludgy smoothie we hate just because it’s “wellness”...and maybe just have a bowl of noodles? About Clara Nosek RD: Clara Nosek is a US-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the creator behind Your Dietitian BFF. Clara works through the lens of non-diet, providing fun and educational messages that remain in alignment with her commitment to accessible wellness and nutrition. Meet Clara on socials @yourdietitianbff, where she excels in making sustainable nutrition relatable, engaging, and honest, serving up evidence-based advice with a pinch of cheekiness. On this episode we chat about: How social media is transforming how we interact with wellness

Apr 22, 2025

At this point, I think we’ve all gotten the memo that chronic stress is bad for us. We know that stress can mess with our gut health, our heart health and more. BUT (and this is a big BUT)... did you know that some forms of “good” stress can actually make you not just healthier, but stronger and more resilient to chronic stress? It’s kind of a mind-blowing proposition and in this episode of The Allsorts Podcast, I’m talking with Dr Sharon Bergquist MD about exactly what good stress is, and how it can make you a heck of a lot healthier, when applied intelligently. Dr Bergquist is the author of a brand new book, The Stress Paradox, where she outlines the science of hormesis: exactly how - and what kinds of - good stress can influence cellular health and how that underlies all sorts of improvements in metabolism and resistance to chronic stress and disease. I know this sounds like an outlandish internet concept - but one of the reasons why I love Dr Bergquist’s work so much is that it is deeply evidence-based and grounded in well-researched and agreed upon wellness practices like movement and plant-based nutrition. There is something for everyone in this podcast, from the wannabe biohacker to the deep science nerd to the back to basics wellness skeptic! About Dr Sharon Bergquist: Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD, is an award-winning Yale and Harvard-trained physician, innovative healthcare leader, and visionary researcher renowned for spearheading a science-based approach to applying lifestyle as medicine. She has helped lead numerous clinical trials, including the Emory Healthy Aging Study and the NIH funded Emory Healthy Brain Study. She hosts The Whole Health Cure podcast and her popular Ted-Ed video on how stress affects the body has been viewed over eight million times and translated to 35 languages. On this episode we chat about: Why this Harvard-trained internal medicine doctor shifted towards lifestyle medicine

Apr 8, 2025

I get it: we’re all busy…and sometimes, quite rightly, meal prep is not at the top of our priority list. But, what if you’re really feeling stuck in a food rut? As a dietitian, I know that food ruts can suck the enjoyment out of healthy eating…so let’s break out! Sometimes, all you need is someone to spark an idea, or shine a light on a kitchen hack - or ultra-delicious food - that you immediately know you need in your life…so I’m talking with my friend and colleague Michelle Jaelin RD all about her transition from cooking for two to cooking for four, easy ways to make basic meals more exciting and a few new amazing foods to pick up to shake up your eating routine. About Michelle Jaelin: Michelle Jaelin is a nutrition communicator, registered dietitian and content creator who focuses on Asian food and culturally inclusive healthy eating tips. Michelle delivers dynamic educational talks on practicing inclusive nutrition, decolonizing health and wellness and busting myths about cultural foods locally and around the world. Michelle resides in Hamilton, ON with her spouse, twins and rescue dog. On this episode we chat about: How becoming a new parent has changed mealtimes for Michelle

See all episodes →