PLANTSTRONG Podcast

In the ever-changing world of “celebrity culture," it's hard to find someone so resolute about their activism as Moby. He's had undeniable staying power on the music scene, but it’s his vegan activism that has left the most lasting impression.

Moby went vegan in 1987 and remains an ardent supporter of animal rights, climate change advocacy, and humanitarian aid. He is also the author of several books, including memoirs and vegan cookbooks.

Moby, without question, is one of the most prolific and thoughtful thinkers on the planet and he and his co-host Lindsay Hicks recently started The Moby Pod to provide even more insight into their advocacy work.

Lindsay Hicks, like her pal Moby, is also an environmentalist and sustainability expert. On the Moby Pod, they discuss a wide range of topics with humor and humility, providing their unique perspectives on the entertainment industry, animal activism, and beyond. In fact, recent episodes have featured everything from guest, Dan Buettner, to writing songs…and even a little paranormal chat!

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If you believe in a divine purpose, then get ready for an important show.

The Daniel Fast is a scripture-based program that chronicles the story of Daniel from the Old Testament who “refused to eat the King’s Diet” of rich and indulgent food. Instead, in order to stay strong in body and mind, he subsisted and thrived on vegetables and water - or what we may refer to these days as a whole food, plant-based diet.

Today, modern-day Daniel Fasts are conducted all over the world and that’s what brought my two guests together.

Gigi Carter and Sersie Blue know the best way to live out their divine purpose with excellence is to be healthy and also help others who are on their own journeys.

Their first book, Daniel Fast - Why You Should Only Do It Once hits bookshelves everywhere on September 8th, and we're lucky enough to hear how they were called to eat the foods that serve their divine purpose - plants, of course!

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• Healthy for My Purpose - Learn More About Gigi and Sersie
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After this interview, I promise you’ll want to load up the family and head east to Providence, Rhode Island!

Over eight years ago now, Kim Anderson and her family watched “Forks Over Knives” and “Cowspiracy” and felt an IMMEDIATE responsibility to educate others and inspire change.

They hosted movie nights and dinners where hundreds would come to enjoy a delicious plant-based meal, but the refrain they kept hearing was, “It’s a shame I can’t eat my values and my health when I go out to eat.” There just weren’t many plant-based options.

That changed when Kim and her family opened Plant City, the world’s first plant-based food hall and marketplace in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island. Packed with multiple restaurants (including Mexican, sushi, Italian, and burgers), Plant City also features a bakery, coffee shop, and a vast community space packed with monthly educational programs and cooking classes.

Today, she and Rip discuss:

• The genesis and inspiration behind Plant City
• Her personal journey to plants, inspired by her son
• How this experienced entrepreneur with no restaurant experience brought her vision to life with internationally acclaimed chef, Matthew Kenney
• The unique environment and worldly flavors they bring in each of the restaurants
• Transformations of guests who visit since most are not plant-based
• How Plant-City, which opened in the fall of 2019, adapted the business to survive the pandemic
• How Kim continues to educate students at area universities about the impact of climate change, animal agriculture, and sustainability

Kim and her family’s mission is to invest in companies for a more sustainable and humane future and you’ll hear that unrelenting passion in today’s conversation. She was inspired by "The Game Changers," but she, too, is a true game changer.

Article on Kim in Rhode Island Monthly Magazine

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Rip welcomes author and health coach, Janet Verney, to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast.

For 40 years, Janet suffered from an undiagnosed illness that affected her lungs and gut, leading to years of medical treatments, antibiotics, and even a cumbersome breathing machine.

In 2013, she started focusing on optimizing her health through lifestyle changes and a whole foods, plant-based diet and it was only then that her real healing began. As she says in the episode, she now has control over her illness. It no longer controls her. Today, she is affectionately referred to as the "plant-based princess of positivity" by friends and clients.

As a coach, she helps others "unearth" their dis-ease to get to the root cause of their issues. How?

* She helps you "weed" out the excuses and roadblocks

* She teaches you to "nourish" your body with nutrition, self-care, and doing the things you love

* If you weed and nourish, you will "bloom" into the person you were always meant to be

Her books Roots2Wellness and her new cookbook Health'd Up are available at https://janetverney.com/

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Not long ago, we received an email that stopped us in our tracks. It was a letter of thanks written to Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., but the email also told a harrowing surgery story that was so compelling, we just had to share it with you. And, it’s actually the first time Rip and his Father have interviewed a patient together on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast.

Rip's guest, Mike Melloh, was seemingly doing everything right. He exercised regularly, ate a “healthy” diet, and even booked appointments for preventative tests to ensure he was a picture of health, as he always believed.

He was in for the surprise of his life when test results came back showing significant blockage. What happened next in the operating room is something no one could predict; however, it's given Mike a whole new appreciation for life and the power of whole food, plant-based nutrition.

His story and the commentary and education that Dr. Esselstyn provide are so powerful. We hope you'll listen and share because it just may save a life.

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Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstyn

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Rip welcomes Anthony Masiello, co-founder and CEO of Love Life Telehealth, who shares his personal transformation and innovative approach to healthcare access to whole food plant-based physicians. Anthony recalls his own struggle with weight issues from a young age, trying various methods to lose weight. Despite his active lifestyle, his weight continued to fluctuate, leading him to question how weight gain occurs and the role of genetics and environment in this process. After sharing his own personal journey, Anthony delves into the creation of Love Life Telehealth, a platform that aims to revolutionize healthcare by providing comprehensive support through coaching, education, and community. He explains the concept of telemedicine and how Love Life Telehealth connects patients with doctors across different states, offering lifestyle medicine consultations. The ultimate goal of Love Life Telehealth is to change the way healthcare is practiced, prioritizing a lifestyle-first approach and using medicine only when necessary. The team of ten doctors work collaboratively with patients to understand their complete profile and help them achieve their goals. Anthony describes the development of other programs and offerings, such as a monthly payment model and a year-long program, all designed to help people not just live life, but love life and be passionate about enjoying it.

About Anthony Masiello

Anthony has been working in healthcare for more than 25 years. His professional career started in the 90s at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) doing bioinformatics for the Human Genome Project. He later shifted into Research and Development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, where he was interested in contributing more directly to the development of new disease therapies.

After transforming his own health, and learning there is a better way, he shifted once again and is now 100% focused on providing access to medical services centered on the prevention and reversal of disease utilizing lifestyle medicine rooted in whole food plant-based nutrition.

Anthony came to a plant-based lifestyle himself after being denied a 20-year term life insurance policy at age 33. He was morbidly obese, weighing more than 360 pounds, medicated for high blood pressure, and suffering from psoriasis, eczema, migraine headaches, and sleep apnea. Through the transition to a whole food plant-based diet and healthy lifestyle, Anthony lost 160 lbs. and reversed all of these conditions. He has maintained that weight loss, optimal health, and a greatly improved quality of life for more than 15 years and counting.

Anthony’s personal health transformation has been featured on the Megyn Kelly Today show, on PBS, in The Huffington Post, in the bestselling book Eat to Live, and by Forks Over Knives, Runners World, and numerous magazines, websites, radio shows, podcasts, and articles.

Anthony was Co-founder and CEO of Plant Based TeleHealth, a national lifestyle telemedicine service focused on the prevention and reversal of disease with lifestyle medicine and whole food plant-based nutrition. In 2022, Plant-Based TeleHealth was acquired by Love.Life, a national network of wellness hubs that is leading the convergence of food, medicine, and wellness for a one-stop transformative health experience.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Love.Life Telehealth

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In April 2023, we first aired this special Facebook Live Friday episode with Trucker Steve.

Steve lives on the road as a semi-truck driver. As you can imagine, this is NOT an easy life, especially when you’re trying to keep yourself healthy. Long days in the truck, gas stations, truck stop food, lonely stretches for days on end…you get the point.

Well, after hitting over 500 pounds, Steve committed to a whole food, plant-based diet and, at the time of this recording, had lost almost 200 lbs!

How does he do it? What are his favorite on-the-go meals? What does he always have stocked in his truck cooler?

Steve shares some of his tips from the road that, no doubt, will help anyone who does a fair amount of traveling.

Episode Resources

Watch the Original Episode on YouTube

Episode Webpage

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our teas, stews, pancakes cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Chef Vegan Vicki is a proud Cleveland native who, in 2008, was diagnosed with non-smoking lung cancer.



After surgery, she started researching ways to get healthy and avoid a recurrence of this or any form of cancer. No surprise, her homework led her to a whole foods, plant-based diet and she ended up losing almost 100 lbs!

This transformation changed everything in her life and she went from working in the insurance industry to becoming an iconic chef.

In this inspiring conversation, she shared how she started her cooking journey at the Cleveland Veg Fest and Taste of Black Cleveland events, offering mouthwatering vegan soul food that no one else was making at the time. 

As you can imagine, she faced initial resistance and skepticism towards vegan food; however, she persisted, gained recognition, and eventually became the first vegan to be in a major sports arena at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland!

Today, as founder of Koncious Kuisine, she’s also a private vegan chef to several families and members of the NBA and NFL, and continues to run pop-ups in the arena and all over the Cleveland area.


Episode Highlights

10:10 Her surprising diagnosis and Medical journey in 2008

15:00 How she went from the Queen of Longhorn Steakhouse to a plant-based diet, thanks to a stranger in a grocery store

22:15 From insurance to iconic chef?! 

35:00 From initial skepticism and reluctance, to all-out stardom with her vegan soul food

38:00 Where does she find her inspiration and what's it like cooking for the stars?

41:36 Vicki’s favorite mouth-watering sandwich

45:00 More rapid fire questions with Vicki - her best scrambled egg substitute, sweet potato pie, risotto and more

50:00 Vegan Vicki’s favorite cookware

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Follow Vegan Vicki on Instagram - @koncious_kuisine

Article on Vegan Vicki in VegNews

Koncious Kuisine Website

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our teas, stews, pancakes cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Today, we dive deep into the world of fast food ingredients and their impact on health. Our guest for today is Mel Weinstein, a former food chemist who has spent decades studying industrial foods and additives.

Mel and Rip discuss a variety of eye-opening topics related to fast food ingredients, how they end up in our food system, and the impacts they have on our health. 

You'll learn about:

• Mel’s personal journey to food chemistry, vegetarianism, and eventually veganism

• All cornfields are not the same! How field corn, or dent corn, differs from the sweet corn we buy at grocery stores.

• How this dent corn is grown and processed to create various products and components like starch, oil, protein, and fiber.

• The government's role in regulating the food industry and how this later influenced the creation of dietary guidelines.

• What the food manufacturing companies did to resist these recommendations and drastically alter the food industry (and our health). 

• The rise of fat-free products loaded with sugar and the unintended consequences of Olestra, an indigestible fat-like substance, as a response to the government's push to reduce fat in foods.

• Why it’s difficult for consumers to know what they are eating when dining out in restaurants.

• The ridiculous amount of ingredients found in common meals at places like Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut. 

• Mel’s Processed Food Index (PFI) and what makes something lightly processed vs. extremely processed, or industrialized.

• What are some of these “Ingredients” commonly found in food products, such as azodicarbonamide, natural flavors, hydrogenated soybean oil, methylcellulose, pea protein isolates, and soy protein isolates, and do they get the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” from Mel?

• What about carrageenan, alternatives like xanthan gum and enzymes, wheat gluten, and the industrialization of citric acid?

• Should we "fear our food?!"

We know fast food is, for the most part, crap, but what we didn’t realize is just how bad some of it really is. Not surprisingly, the food industry doesn’t want us to know what’s really in that fried chicken or juicy burger, but thanks to Mel we’re inspired and educated to drive right on past that drive-thru.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Order Fast Food Ingredients Revealed

Food Labels Revealed Podcast

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We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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About Mel Weinstein

Mel Weinstein is a retired chemist living in Central Illinois. In his professional career, he taught chemistry for 10 years at the community college level, worked as an analytical chemist for over 20 years in a research center for a multinational food ingredients company, and studied food science at the graduate level. Since his early 20's, he has had a fascination with the constituents of industrial foods, exploring the purpose of additives and their impact on health. In 2016, he started an online podcast called "Food Labels Revealed" to share with consumers his knowledge of food ingredients, their history, and potential problems associated with diets high in hyper-processed foods.

In studying the myriad additives found in commercial foods, he eventually posed the question, "Do fast foods contain the same additives as found in packaged foods on grocery store shelves?" To answer this question, he researched menu items in various fast-food restaurants. The results of the research led to the writing of this book, Fast Food Ingredients Revealed. Mr. Weinstein sincerely hopes that in reading this book consumers will gain a better understanding of what they are eating when they are lured into fast food restaurants promising fantastic smells, tastes, and textures invented by very creative food scientists and engineers.

Jackie Akerberg is the creator of Jackfruitful Kitchen, a popular food blog devoted to simple, healthy, and delicious plant-based meals using minimally processed ingredients.

She's also the author of, The Clean Vegan Cookbook, which features over 60 whole-food, plant-based recipes that will satisfy every craving. (And when you see the gigantic burger on the cover of her book, you’ll see what we mean.)

Jackie grew up in a healthy household and learned to appreciate fresh food and cooking at a young age because her parents owned a successful catering company.

Never one for meat, she cut out eggs and dairy and turned fully to plants as a solution to her own health and digestion problems. Today, she creates content to show that clean vegan food can be nutritious, delicious, and full of flavor. 

Today, she and Rip dig into several of her recipes and discuss:

• Growing up in Iowa with homemade meals from her parents

• Why she decided to cut out all animal products

• The void she saw in the cookbook space and how “The Clean Vegan Cookbook” came to be

• How she enhances her gluten-free recipes with cauliflower rice, zucchini, and other vegetables

• The wonders of jackfruit as a “meat replacement”

• Using tofu in pancakes?!

• How she impresses the biggest meat lovers with her recipes including chilis, burgers, pastas, tacos, and more.

   

I feel like sometimes people think clean or healthy vegan eating has to be restrictive or flavorless or doesn't have that satisfying, umami, texture or taste or flavor. And I wanted to show people that it can."

About Jackie Akerberg

Jackfruitful Kitchen provides delicious, easy-to-follow, vegan and gluten-free recipes to help make healthy cooking and meal planning a breeze. These balanced plant-based recipes will nourish your body and help you look and feel your very best. Jackfruitful Kitchen recipes are crafted with pure whole foods and organic ingredients that are good for you and good for the planet.

The name “jackfruitful kitchen” was inspired by four different parts: 1. My first name (Jackie) 2. One of my favorite ingredients for vegan cooking (Jackfruit) 3. The ability to be full and satisfied by eating clean, whole, plant-based food 4. The goal to live a more fruitful life.

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Order The Clean Vegan Cookbook

Jackfuitful.com

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all-new pancake and waffle mixes, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

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Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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This week, we're busting down the barriers to habit change, especially your food and lifestyle habits.

 Cyd Notter has been a vegetarian since 1991, but it wasn’t until 1999 when she turned fully to a whole food, plant-based diet, that her life and career took off. She's been skyrocketing on plants ever since.

 Today, she’s 67 years old and thriving as a busy health and nutrition coach, writer, and speaker. She holds just about every plant-based certification on the planet and works each day to educate and inspire others - what a true calling!

Because Cyd works a lot with people who are just learning the “how-tos” of a whole food, plant-based, oil-free lifestyle, she and Rip center their discussion around some of the biggest barriers to making this change.

They address:

• Blind or willful ignorance

•  Fear of change - fear of failure, out of your comfort zone, changes in your routine

• Avoidance of short-term pain and inconvenience

• Ingrained habits that are hard to break

• False perceptions about being plant-based

• Denial of health issues or insistence that a change isn’t necessary

• Pride (or rebellion)

• Family and social pressure

• Emotional eating

• Spiritual attack on our values

Every one of these is important to get out on the table and discuss because, no matter what change you’re trying to make, you will run up against these and other obstacles.

The biggest question is how you’ll respond and Cyd coaches you (and her clients) through every difficult scenario to ensure that you are equipped to make the healthiest possible choice.

About Cyd Notter

Cyd Notter is a Center for Nutrition Studies PBNC Certified Professional, a past newspaper columnist, and an instructor for several dietary therapy courses, including The Starch Solution, Food Over Medicine, and Women’s Health. She’s also the author of the award-winning book, The “Plan A” Diet: Combining Whole Food, Plant Based Nutrition with the Timeless Wisdom of Scripture.

Cyd offers a variety of health and cooking classes, hosts a monthly “Inflammation Support Group” for PBNSG.org, provides nutritional coaching on both individual and corporate levels, speaks to local groups, and has worked with school district employees and a hospital’s fitness center. Cyd also served as a Certified Health Educator for many years for Wellness Forum Health.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Learn more about The Plan A Diet

Cyd Notter’s Website - https://cydnotter.com/

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all-new pancake and waffle mixes, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

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Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Drs. Matthew Lederman and Alona Pulde pioneered the medical program that was used in the film, Forks Over Knives, and after the popularity of that groundbreaking film, they went on to co-author multiple books including The Forks Over Knives Plan, The Forks Over Knives Cookbook, Forks Over Knives Family and the Whole Foods Diet with former Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey. 

Today, we discuss their latest book Wellness to Wonderful: 9 PILLARS FOR LIVING HEALTHIER, LONGER, AND WITH GREATER JOY. Through a comprehensive and beautiful combination of Eastern, Western, and lifestyle medicine practices, Matt and Alona work with their patients to help them wake up every day thinking, “My life is wonderful.”

They do this through private sessions, support groups, and courses on nutrition, nonviolent verbal communication (or NVC), spirituality, weight loss, and more. This isn’t your average 10-minute doctor's appointment. Wellness to Wonderful is a complete life paradigm shift for you and your family.

Their book’s nine fundamental pillars of health include: self, nutrition, activity, play, sleep, family & friends, work, spirituality, and the natural world, but we focus much of our conversation around non-violent communication and family connection because we at PLANTSTRONG truly believe that communication and connection is KEY to a wonderful life. 

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Order Wellness to Wonderful

WeHeal.Health - Connect with Drs. Pulde and Lederman on all of their classes and programs

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all-new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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My guest today is Kiki Nelson, but you may know her best as Plantiful Kiki. Her book, Plantifully Lean is turning heads, but what turned my attention to Kiki was her transparent health and weight loss journey.

As a young adult, Kiki struggled with her weight and suffered all of the ill consequences as a result - high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, hormonal imbalances, lack of energy - and none of this was optimal for a young Mom of two active children.

Two things really moved the needle for Kiki - and they are the cornerstone of the work she does today. She found simple whole food, plant-based nutrition and did (and still does) a lot of work around self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-love. 

The results? In a little over a year, she lost 70 pounds and reversed those lifestyle diseases that were only going to progress. It’s a remarkable story of someone willing to believe that they are worth the work and she shares that work with all of us. 

Rip and Kiki discuss:

• The ups and downs of yo-yo dieting

• What turned Kiki onto plant-based nutrition

• The lecture from Jeff Novick that changed everything for her

• Why she loves carbs and doesn’t avoid them

• How she divides her plate for optimum nutrition and satiety

• The way she cooks as a Mom of two

• How she leaned into self-love and compassion in her journey

• Why she wrote Plantifiully Lean and is so transparent on social media about her weight loss journey

• A few of the “Firefighter-approved” recipes she created from her book.

Today, you can find her on her social media channels dishing up plenty of recipes and inspiration, and you can find her book Plantifully Lean on bookshelves now.

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Order Plantifully Lean

Plantiful Kiki’s website - https://plantifulkiki.com/

Follow Kiki on Instagram - @plantifulkiki

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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We joke today that there are three things that plant-based eaters must face – death, taxes, and the dreaded question, “Where Do You Get Your Protein?!”

Well, today, we tackle the ever-popular topic of protein with two of the authors of a recent book, Plant Powered Protein.

Vesanto Melina and Cory Davis dispel the myths and misconceptions about plant-based protein - and - (and this is the part we love) make the science understandable and digestible.

Let’s put to rest that you can’t get enough protein at various stages of life including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adulthood, your senior years, and even for the athlete population.

You can get plenty of protein and this book shows you how with easy-to-follow protein recommendations and recipes so that you never feel deprived or deficient.

Let’s also put to rest those myths that plant protein is somehow weaker or not complete. Whole food plant-based sources of protein are not only superior to our animal sources, but also have a  lighter carbon footprint and the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. It’s time to eat strong food.

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Order Plant Powered Protein

Plant Powered Protein Website with more resources

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Sgt. Vegan, Bill Muir, has always had a “think outside the box” attitude – from being a straight-edge punk rocker to going vegan in 1992, and then joining the military just after 9/11 where he served as a US Army Paratrooper.

And all of this - YES - as a hardcore vegan. Needless to say, it wasn’t easy, but he was (and is) so convicted and grounded in his values that he made it work.

Today, Sgt. Vegan chats with Rip about:

• How he became a hardcore straight-edge vegan

• Why he joined the military to give back

• How he made it through basic training as a vegan

• What it took to procure his own food and remain grounded in his values

• Why he’ll never eat chili again and what he eats these days

Today, he is a Registered Nurse at a VA Hospital in LA, where he continues to stand up for those who need assistance. Whether it’s helping humankind, animals, or our planet, Sgt. Vegan is ready to serve.

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Sgt. Vegan Website

Sgt. Vegan Instagram @sgt_vegan

PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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In a world that is littered with false information and blatant lies, especially when it comes to health and nutrition, it is so important to seek the truth. 

Matthew Rees is a treasure trove of facts and commentary about food and health at his website, foodandhealthfacts.com.

As a longtime journalist, speechwriter, and author, Rees has written for such esteemed publications as The Economist, The New Republic, and The Wall Street Journal. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Reader’s Digest, and more. 

He’s also co-authored several books, but his personal passion lies in nutrition. He pulls information and research from recent scientific studies, interviews, books and more, and makes them all easily digestible nuggets of truth on our toxic food culture and how it’s contributing to massive rates of disease and death throughout the country.

It is his mission to help us better understand how consuming unhealthy foods leads to the mess of chronic health issues we’re facing today as a society, but also provide understanding and solutions. 

Episode Resources

Episode Website

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

Visit and bookmark foodandhealthfacts.com

PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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In honor of Mother's Day weekend, we're thrilled to feature everyone’s favorite PLANTSTRONG Woman Warrior - Ann Crile Esselstyn.

In late Spring, Rip and Ann did a Facebook live where she took questions from the audience and that's what we share today.

They run the gamut of subjects today including:

• The foods and ingredients that are exciting her most these days

• Her current favorite meals

• Advice for those at the beginning of their plantstrong journey

• How to navigate unsupportive loved ones

• Exercise and how she's building a 40-day habit with her Peloton bike

• How she gets her leafy greens

• Her go-to quick and easy salad dressing

• And... her favorite thing about being 87 years young!

As always, Ann holds nothing back and we wouldn’t want her any other way!

Episode Resources

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube that Aired on March 31, 2023

Order Be A Plant-Based Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Kathy Stevens founded the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in 2001 with 80 acres of land that she turned from a virtual trash heap into an idyllic sanctuary where rescued, abused, and forgotten animals can live their final years filled with the love, care, and respect they so richly deserve. 

In her work and in her exquisitely written books, Kathy describes the essence and personalities of these animals – and today, she shares some of the most poignant stories from those souls she has had the privilege of caring for through the years. 

Every animal has a rich emotional life and they want to live. Like humans, they have pain and fear, but can also learn to trust with the right interactions. 

Thank goodness for humans like Kathy Stevens and places like Catskill Animal Sanctuary who bring love and care to animals, while also making the world a better place for all of us. 

Episode Highlights

11:05 When and how did she get the property to start Catskill Animal Sanctuary?

17:02 How does she acquire her sanctuary animals?

22:25 Animals of the stories, starting with Rambo the sheep

37:30 Polly, the cockfighting rooster

41:35 Buddy, the Blind Horse

48:25 What Kathy knows for sure about all of her animals

51:20 Dino, the only survivor of a fire that killed 22 other horses

54:10 The special pig/human relationship

58:30 Mealtime is the magical time at Catskill Animal Sanctuary

1:01:10 How has our current climate affected sanctuaries?

1:05:10 What makes her most proud about her work?

1:06:50 How does she say, “hello” or welcome a new animal to the sanctuary?

1:09:45 How do they say, “goodbye” to these precious animals?

"I believe that in all of us is a good and pure knowing that beneath the surface of things, beneath gender and skin color, religion and nationality, social class and sexual preference, and yes, beneath species, we are all the same. This book is dedicated with love and hope to that good and pure knowing in you."

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Catskill Animal Sanctuary Website and Resources - including public tours and donation information

Order Where the Blind Horse Sings

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Kim Campbell is the Director of Culinary Education and Development at PlantPure and the daughter-in-law of T. Colin Campbell known, of course, for authoring The China Study and his work in Forks Over Knives.

Together, Kim and her husband Nelson Campbell run PlantPure Nation, where they provide support and resources to help people experience the benefits of a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

In December 2022, Kim released her latest cookbook, PlantPure Comfort Food, which features over 100 plant-based and mostly gluten-free recipes from cultures and ethnicities across the globe.

These family meals pack the flavor without all of the oils you often see in the traditional recipes and this book proves that the possibilities for healthy, delicious plant-based eating are endless and know no cultural bounds!

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order PlantPure Comfort Food

PlantPure Nation Website

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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When Ann Crile Esselstyn, tells you to do something, you do it! So, when she told me I had to interview today’s guest, I didn’t hesitate.

Ruth Morley is an adventurer. She’s rarely at home in Cincinnati because she’s usually found on a hiking trail. I’m talking about the Appalachian Trail, the Florida Trail, the Buckeye Trail, and Kilimanjaro…just to name just a few. 

She’s even ridden her bike 3,000 miles across the country and competed in dozens of marathons and triathlons. 

Oh, and did I mention that Ruth (known by her trail name, “Ruthless!”) is 70 years old and 100% PLANTSTRONG? 

Today, she tells us how she prepares all of her food for these multi-week adventures and shares the details of her equipment and intricate logistics as a solo hiker. 

This conversation is inspiring, informative, and downright motivational – not just to do these super-long hikes - but to do anything that is out of your comfort zone. 

Her slogan? “Make plans, not excuses.” 

Episode Highlights



5:00 She had lunch with Ann??

7:15 From depression to a game-changing moment - What inspired Ruth to go plant-based?

11:45 What immediate effect did it have on her emotional and physical well-being?

13:20 Where does this adventuring spirit come from? 

15:15 How much does her backpack weigh?

16:30 Her athletic journey from runner to triathlete

18:30 Why she stays in “cheap” hotels and loves to hike alone

21:25 Self-supporting her hike on the Buckeye Trail 

27:30 What a LASHer! How many major trails has she hiked? (Patagonia, Asia, Kilimanjaro, Appalachian Trail, Buckeye Trail, Florida Trail) 

33:00 All about the food and prepping meals for these massive hikes! https://excaliburdehydrator.com/

41:50 Her preferred tent: https://durstongear.com/

Backpack: https://www.ula-equipment.com/product/circuit/

Sleeping Bag: UGQ https://ugqoutdoor.com/ 

Shoes: Topo Athletic https://www.topoathletic.com/ and Altra https://www.altrarunning.com/

Outdoor Research Hat https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/ 

49:05 Hikers Midnight - How long does she sleep and how does she make her daily hiking schedule?

52:00 Who's the most interesting person she’s ever met on a trail?

54:05 What was her hardest moment on the trail? 

1:02:00 What does she say to people who need the inspiration to eat better and move more?

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Ruth's Blog

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Every so often, a new brocstar bursts onto the scene and just blows our PLANTSTRONG socks off with their passion, personality, and unique approach to plant-based eating. Today’s guest, Max LaManna, is one of those people.

He has over a million followers on social media and, for one year, Max asked his audience which foods they threw away the most.

Using the tens of thousands of responses, he narrowed down a list of thirty of the most commonly wasted ingredients and those were the inspiration for his new book, You Can Cook This!

We’re talking about peppers, potatoes, onions, beets, grains, carrots, leafy greens, and bananas - all of the things we love most here at PLANTSTRONG.

Max and Rip dig into some of these fun recipes today and talk about how to prepare and store your food to maximize its freshness and extend its shelf life. No more throwing away those perfectly good banana peels or potatoes, let’s put them to use!

Max inspired all of us at PLANTSTRONG and we know he will inspire and transform the way you cook, eat, and save your food.

Episode Highlights

8:20 Growing up in the food industry and thinking his parents were “foodies”

10:35 How he went from zero followers to over a million talking about zero-waste

16:10 Wait. We waste HOW much food each year here in the US?

17:00 How his audience inspired his latest book, You Can Cook This!

19:00 Max shares his story of going vegan twice

26:15 Tips for food storage and avoiding waste for all types of food

• Don’t fill up the fridge too full!

• You can put tomatoes in the fridge to extend their shelf life

• Why do you never want to store potatoes and onions together?

• The trick for using and cleaning bell peppers

• Freezing asparagus, leafy greens, and other veggies are a-ok.

• Take a look at what other veggies are in the freezer section at the grocery

44:45 A Deep Dive into the Recipes of You Can Cook This!

1:25:00 Rapid Fire Questions with Rip

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Max LaManna's Website with Recipes and Links to all of his Social Channels and Resources

Follow Max on Instagram @maxlamanna

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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You know those times when you see someone and you just think, "WOW, You look incredible! What are you doing?!"

That happened with today's guest, grammy award winner, and multiplatinum recording artist, Richard Marx.

We at PLANTSTRONG saw recent photos and videos of Richard lighting up the stage in Australia and just had to know the secret to his vitality and energy. 

Well, wouldn't ya know, Richard Marx is PLANTSTRONG, baby, and, together with his wife Daisy Fuentes, they share a passion and advocacy for this lifestyle. 

Of course, you know Richard from some of his biggest hits, “Hold Onto The Night,” “Endless Summer Nights,” “Don’t Mean Nothing,” and “Right Here Waiting,” BUT, in addition to those timeless chart-toppers, he is also a crazy accomplished songwriter – having written hits with stars like Keith Urban, Kenny Loggins, Madonna, NSYNC, Luther Vandross, and so many more. 

Today, we talk about his colorful and illustrious musical journey and the emotional moment he and Daisy looked at each other and said, “We’re going all in on plant-based living.” 

His only regret? They didn’t do it sooner. 

That’s ok, Richard and Daisy. We’ve been “Right Here Waiting for You.”

About Richard Marx

Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, producer and best-selling author Richard Marx has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, landing a #1 song on the charts (for himself and others) in each of the past four decades. He remains the only male artist in history whose first seven singles reached the Top 5 on the Billboard charts. A father to three grown sons (all are musicians), he lives between LA and Miami with his wife Daisy Fuentes. Marx is active in many charitable organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and Mercy for Animals.

Episode Resources

Richard Marx Website - https://richardmarx.com/

Richard Marx Instagram - @therichardmarx

Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/-lNOUqKP-TM

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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Episode Highlights

5:45 Richard is a fan-boy of Dr. Esselstyn!

7:15 Touring and eating plant-based around the world - Yep, he loves his Happy Cow app! 

9:30 Getting paid for the 22 hours he’s not on stage

11:30 What was the pivotal moment when Richard and Daisy went all-in on plant-based eating?

21:00 Why he loves playing small towns

22:19 The magical moment when Lionel Richie invited Richard to his studio

27:50 How Richard inherited the best traits from his Mom and Dad 

35:04 Hitting the son jackpot and some of his legendary musical collaborations with Kenny Loggins, Kenny Rogers, Burt Bachrach, and more!

44:00 How ego goes out the door when collaborating with other songwriters

45:40 “How a Man Thinketh” - how this book helped him clean up his thoughts and shift his life for the better

48:56 Any routines of suspicions before he hits the stage?

53:05 Does Richard have insurance on his voice?

54:40 A love child of Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams?!

58:50 Richard and Rip’s favorite features about themselves

1:01:55 Becoming a hip grandfather who’s digging TikTok!

1:07:10 The experience and romance of cooking with Daisy

1:08:10 His favorite breakfasts and his favorite beans (Yep - he’s a bean dude)

1:12:10 Why it’s important for them to be vocal advocates of this lifestyle

1:17:20 His current favorite TV shows

1:21:00 What does he think happens to us when we die?

Imagine someone telling you that they would only give your diet a "B-" when you've been eating whole foods, plant-based for over 35 years?! Well, that was the average grade Rip Esselstyn's diet received from today's guest, Dr. Doug Graham.

Doug is most known for developing and authoring the 80-10-10 Diet Book; which is when 80% of your calories come from carbohydrates in the form of raw fruits and vegetables, 10% comes from plant protein, and the last 10% comes from fat. Not only does he live this way, but he actually wrote the book about it back in 2006.

No doubt, Doug has unconventional opinions and data on topics like whole grains, beans, oats, protein, and even mono-eating, but it was wildly educational and eye-opening.

You'll learn about the history of why we eat what we do, why cooked food may not be all it’s cracked up to be, and how you can level up your own plate each day.

Episode Highlights

10:30 What exactly is 80-10-10?

13:30 isn't that many carbs bad for you? Don’t we need more protein?

22:30 Doug’s Biggest Fans in the plant-based world

23:30 What does he love so much about raw fruit, and why is it so important?

26:05 So THAT’s why they call it a “sweet tooth!”

29:00 What are examples of Doug’s breakfast and lunch?

33:30 The case for eating mono-meals

36:25 Why isn’t he a fan of cooked foods, including beans, and potatoes?

37:45 What do the five GENS have to do with our longevity and health? (Think: CarcinoGENic)

45:15 Are all these GENS being created in beans and potatoes as well?

47:30 “Don’t Eat the Paste.” What in the world is he talking about?

50:10 What did Dr. Nathan Pritikin get wrong?

53:00 Rip gets a B- on his diet?? Are you serious?

57:10 How does he feel about frozen fruit?

57:50 This sounds freaking expensive 

1:03:30 Is he a fan of drinking water? 

1:04:35 How does he recommend people make this transition?

1:06:30 What’s his take on fiber? 

1:12:15 Protein - Why does more not necessarily mean better?

1:23:00 what age should you start 80-10-10?

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Doug Graham's Website: https://foodnsport.com 

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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Rachael Brown's book, For Fork's Sake, takes readers on a 10-day journey from the SAD diet to the HAPPY Diet – that is, “Healthy and Plant-Powered, YAY!!” 

Rachel discusses her family’s journey and all of her trusted tips for making this transition, including:

• What does this way of eating even entail?
• How do you bring your family along, especially if they’re reluctant?
• How do you handle naysayers and questioners?
• What are some of the common misconceptions and pitfalls you will encounter?
• And, oh my goodness, how do you handle the picky eaters in your family?

This book is easily digestible but packed full of so many tips. As she says on her website,

“Changing your family’s food, health, and life for the better doesn’t have to be drastic. Transition to healthier, happier Whole Food, Plant-Based, No Oil eating with help from a mom who’s done it.”

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Learn More About Rachael Brown and For Fork’s Sake

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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New York Times bestselling author and PLANTSTRONG founder, Rip Esselstyn, is joined by a very special guest, his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., discussing the nine ways he has documented reversal of cardiovascular disease over the last 40 years.

When Dr. Esselstyn started his work at the Cleveland Clinic in the early 80s, he was the chairman of the breast cancer task force. In his work, he encountered multiple cultures where breast cancer was virtually non-existent and the same was true for cardiovascular disease. 

Why was the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease so prevalent in the U.S. and other Western cultures, but not so in others? 

Essy set out to prove that cardiovascular disease COULD be reversed with a whole food, plant-based diet, but first he had to find compliant patients and that’s where the conversation starts today. Once he had amassed compliant patients he did, in fact, prove reversal of heart disease in nine different measures, including:

Oh, and stick around to the end when he answers audience questions ranging from caffeine, salt, and alcohol, to diabetes, saturated fats, and gum disease.


Episode Highlights

10:10 Where does cardiovascular disease begin?

11:00 Role of nitric oxide

13:00 Is it ever too late to bring endothelial cells back to life?

14:30 What are the foods you should and shouldn’t eat to protect endothelial cells

16:00 Benefits of chewing your greens six times daily

21:20 Top Greens to Consume (i.e. Essy’s Rap!)

39:45 Essy Answers Your Questions

40:30 Will this also help with type 2 Diabetes?

41:05 Why are my triglycerides so high when I’m compliant?

42:00 Is one drink of beer or wine ok with dinner?

42:35 Are you against statin drugs?

44:50 Can old plaque be reversed?

46:50 Are plant-based milks ok?

48:50 Why is the totality of sodium intake important?

49:50 What are your recommendations on B-12?

50:53 Is there a link between gum disease and heart disease?

51:11 What are your thoughts on red rice yeast extract in place of statins?

51:25 What’s more toxic - salt or sugar?

55:50 How can avocados damage endothelial cells?

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order Dr. Esselstyn's Book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure

Dr. Esselstyn’s Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Website

Slides from Dr. Esselstyn's Presentation

Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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What do cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, soy, and green tea all have in common?

According to hundreds of scientific studies, they all can drastically reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men.

Here are a few facts:

• Prostate cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer in men

• One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their life

• Sadly, one in 40 will succumb to this disease

However, much like heart disease and many other lifestyle diseases, this cancer can mostly be prevented, and today's guests lay out the extensive research and practical solutions in their book, Preventing Prostate Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Simple, Proactive Choices

Dr. Benny Gavi, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, teamed up with researcher Maya Eylon to compile more than one hundred recent, reliable, and relevant international studies on the effects of diet on prostate health.

As you probably guessed, all signs point to a whole-food, plant-based diet, combined with exercise and screenings, as your best defense against prostate cancer.

Today, we discuss some of their research, along with outlining the biggest cancer-fighting foods to consume on a regular basis.

16:00 Cruciferous Veggies - super fighters for our bodies

20:25 Tomatoes and Lycopene

23:20 Healthy Soy Consumption

27:28 Green Tea

They also share research on foods you should avoid, including meat, dairy, and eggs in excess

This book is a powerful tool to empower men (and those of you who love those men) to make healthy, lifestyle changes that can save thousands of lives.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order Preventing Prostate Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Simple, Proactive Choices

Email Maya: maya@interactivewellness.com

Email Dr. Gavi: drgavi@interactivewellness.com

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Learn more about the PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

What is the most common myth about adopting a whole food plant-based diet? (Ok- besides that crazy fear of not getting enough protein)...The biggest misconception is that this way of eating is expensive, unattainable, and elitist even. This simply isn’t true. I mean, what’s more economical than potatoes, beans, and rice?! 

Toni Okamoto (plantbasedonabudget.com) has been on a mission to bust this myth to smithereens since she launched her website in 2012 to prove that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive.

She’s created meal plans that show how to eat plant-based if you only have $25 per week to spend, she started the Plant-Based on a Budget Facebook group and has written multiple books, including her latest, which drops on March 7th - Plant-Based on a Budget: Quick and Easy, featuring 100 fast and healthy meals.

There’s no pretentiousness here - just plant-powered fun as she walks through her story and digs into some of the tips and recipes in her new book that will stretch your dollar and leave you with quick, easy, mouth-watering meals.

Episode Highlights:

25:40 The Value of Meal Planning 

29:00 Have a Well-Stocked Pantry and Freezer

31:40 Time-Saving Kitchen Tools

33:10 Smart Storage for Produce to Maximize Freshness

37:03 Recipe Highlights from Plant-Based on a Budget Quick and Easy

40:14 Make Ahead Breakfast Highlights

-Fluffy Freezer waffles

-Baked Oatmeal

-Overnight Oats

45:50 One-Pot Meal Highlights - Leave the dishes and messy kitchen behind with one-pot meals

-Alfredo pasta

-Curry lentil soup

-Turmeric, lentils, and split peas - Ethiopian-inspired flavors

52:05 30-Minute Meals Highlights - Spend under $30 a week and only 30 minutes of time

-Pesto pasta - Use raw sunflower seeds because they are cheaper than pine nuts

-Cauliflower fried rice

-Southwestern lettuce wraps

1:02:20 Sheet Pan Dishes and Casserole Highlights

-Sheet pan fajitas

-Chili cornbread casserole

-Vegetable and garbanzo beans foil packets

1:12:15 Mix and Match Bowls

-Always prepare a base of quinoa, brown rice, beans

-Frozen veggies, baked tofu

1:17:00 Make and Take Snacks

1:17:55 Desserts

About Toni Okamoto

TONI OKAMOTO is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, the popular website and meal plan that shows you how to save dough by eating veggies. She’s also author of the Plant-Based on a Budget cookbook, The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook, and the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast. Okamoto’s work has been profiled by NBC News, Parade Magazine, and she’s a regular presence on local and national morning shows across the country, where she teaches viewers how to break their meat habit without breaking their budget. She was also featured in the popular documentary What the Health. When she’s not cooking up a plant-based storm, she’s spending time with her husband in Sacramento, CA.

Episode Resources

Visit the Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order Toni’s New Book, Plant-Based on a Budget Quick and Easy

Plant-Based on a Budget Website

Follow Toni on Instagram: @plantbasedonabudget

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

For almost 15 years now, we’ve been beating the drum about the positive health impacts of a whole-food plant-based diet. 

We know that it can improve your physical health in remarkable ways but, surprisingly, no research study has ever been done on the impact of a plant-based diet on addiction and recovery— until now. 

Enter our friend, Adam Sud and the Infinite Study. Inspired by his own addiction and mental health recovery, Adam sought to prove that his own recovery wasn’t a fluke so he piloted the first controlled trial to investigate the impact of nutrition and nutrition education on early addiction recovery outcomes.

The long-awaited results of his groundbreaking research study are out and let’s just say we think they’re pretty plantstrong. 

About Adam Sud

Adam Sud is a behavioral wellness & nutrition expert, international speaker, and the founder and CEO of Plant Based for Positive Change, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing research and understanding of how nutrition impacts mental health and addiction. He has studied the use of nutrition in disease reversal under the mentorships of leading plant-based physicians and has worked in mental health and behavioral health treatment centers using plant-based nutrition as a tool for strengthening recovery and relapse prevention.

In 2012 Sud was personally struggling with multiple addictions, serious chronic diseases, and mental health disorders. His life nearly came to an end when he attempted suicide by drug overdose. With the help of treatment and the implementation of a plant-based diet, he began a journey that led to the reversal of his chronic disease conditions, the cancellation of all medications, and the lowering of his weight from Class III Obesity levels. He is currently 10 years sober.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

The Infinite Study from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

Forbes Magazine Article on The Infinite Study results

Psychology Today - Can Plant-Based Diets Help Us Overcome Addiction?

Adam Sud Website

Follow Adam on Instagram @plantbasedaddict

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

Bonjour, mes amis.

This week, we’re heading to the bayou to celebrate Mardi Gras with Camryn Clements, The Plant-Based Cajun!

Dan Buettner from the Blue Zones was the first to introduce us to Camryn because she’s one of the chefs featured in his new book, The Blue Zones American Kitchen. 

Camryn is a busy Mom and when her young family moved from Louisiana to Texas for her husband’s medical residency, she found herself missing her cajun culture, especially being so isolated and far away from home during the pandemic.

At the same time, she and her family were also trying to improve their own health so she started taking some of her favorite cajun dishes and making them plantstrong. We’re talking about mushroom etouffee, jambalaya, tofu shrimp, red beans and rice, and even king cake. The plant-based cajun knows just the right combination of spices to kick up your taste buds and have you dancing with your friends and family.

And, with Mardi Grad right around the corner, we couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate Camryn and the authentic cajun flair she shares with her audience.

So, no matter where you are on your plantstrong journey, let’s let the good times roll, or as they say down there in Louisiana - “Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

About The Plant-Based Cajun

Camryn grew up in Lake Charles, LA with all the trappings of a true Cajun: Mom made the cuisine, Dad and her siblings studied and spoke French (very rusty at this point in life!), and her Dad played in a Cajun band that we performed in often. Her childhood was full of culture.

Her husband began his residency in Internal Medicine in 2018. At the time, he was battling fatty liver disease along with other health issues related to unhealthy eating (the Standard American Diet). They knew they needed to change, and they knew where the evidence pointed: the plant-based diet.

The plant-based Cajun was born!

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

The Plant-Based Cajun Instagram: @theplantbasedcajun

The Plant-Based Cajun Website

The Plant-Based Cajun YouTube

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

D. Anthony Evans loves pain. Pain, you might say, is his superpower, which is a good thing because he lives with excruciating pain every second of the day. 

D. Anthony was born with Neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic condition causing multiple tumors to grow on the nerve tissue. He has hundreds of them on and in his body. 

Unfortunately, they can become malignant and turn into an aggressive, mostly terminal, form of cancer. 

In 2012, D. Anthony was diagnosed with this cancer. Doctors removed hundreds of tumors and told him he had six months to live.  

Eleven years later, he’s thriving. 

How in the world did he go from a death sentence to the physical specimen and motivational force that he is today?  One word: PLANTS. 

This beautiful soul embraces a daily rigorous physical and spiritual practice where he chooses to celebrate a birthday every day because every day is a renewal of life and one more day he gets to celebrate being alive. 

About D. Anthony Evans

Adidas called D. Anthony Evans one of the world’s most inspirational athletes, and they’re not alone in being amazed at his powerful story. As a plant-based lifestyle transition coach and dynamic advocate, D. Anthony is dedicated to helping people with major health issues defy the odds and learn to thrive - because he knows how to. Despite being diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, being given 6 months to live, and having 385 tumors removed from his body over the course of eleven nine-hour operations, he has not just survived but thrived for 11 years longer than anyone in history with his cancer. He attributes all of his success to adopting an alkaline mindset and lifestyle that rest perpetually on the foundation of a positive mindset, consistent challenging physical fitness, and a whole food plant-based lifestyle.

Through his nonprofit Cheri Inspires which he founded in his mother's name, he aims to bridge the widening access gap that poor and fixed-income patients face should they decide to fight for their life holistically with treatments traditional insurance just doesn't cover. This is where D, identified the need and created a solution. D didn't fight his fight traditionally because he had the help of Chef Dave. This is why this part of his mission is so important to him because understands that unless you are independently wealthy, fighting cancer holistically is really not an option.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

D. Anthony Instagram @danthonytrains

D. Anthony Facebook

Cheri-Inspires.org - D’s non-profit dedicated to helping people receive holistic treatment

H.O.P.E. The Project - Cancer Patient Given 6 Months To Live in 2012 | D Anthony Evans Part 1 | Plant Power Stories - Part 1

H.O.P.E. The Project - Cancer Thriver Defies His Prognosis | D Anthony Evans Part 1 | Plant Power Stories - Part 2

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

Let’s cut right to the chase today. A whole food, plant-based diet CAN save your life. 

It sounds like hyperbole, but it isn’t, because today’s guest is living proof. 

John Tanner was out on a run in 2009 and went into cardiac arrest. He collapsed to the ground and his heart stopped beating. Fortunately, the quick action of others to get help saved his life. 

In recovery, John started reading everything he could about the causes of heart disease and how to prevent it. His research, of course, led him to the work of Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr, T. Colin Campbell, and others. He learned what most doctors don’t know:

Heart disease need not exist. It is reversible and, in most cases, preventable. 

John tells his harrowing story and discusses the remarkable advocacy work he is doing now with his non-profit NuSci and food delivery company, Little Green Forks. 

In fact, he’s offered a generous discount code at Little Green Forks: Rip15New to receive $15 off your order. 

A plantstrong diet brought him back to life and it can help you, too.

About John Tanner, PhD

John Tanner earned his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Caltech. John is the Founder and CEO of Tanner Research, Inc., an advanced R&D company that was named to the "LA Fast 50" five years in a row and that develops software, electronics, and robotics. Dr. Tanner is also the founder and Director of NuSci, The Nutrition Science Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through education of nutrition science. More recently he founded the healthy meal delivery company, Little Green Forks.

Episode Resources

Watch the Original Episode on YouTube

Episode Webpage

NuSci.org

Little Green Forks - Use code: Rip15New to receive $15 off your order

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

Rip welcomes the mover, shaker, and influencer that is Pinky Cole - founder of The Slutty Vegan restaurant chain based in Atlanta. 

In 2018, Pinky started selling her vegan burgers from her kitchen in Atlanta on Instagram. Yes, Instagram!  They immediately became an enormous hit and now, just five years later, she’s gone from her apartment kitchen to nine brick-and-mortar locations in and outside of Georgia– including her newest locations in Brooklyn and Harlem.

Pinky Cole is unapologetic about her brand and you can feel that in the energy she brings to her food, her Pinky Cole Foundation, and her new book, Eat Plants, B*itch - 91 Vegan Recipes that will Blow Your Meat-Lovin Mind.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

The Slutty Vegan Website

Buy Pinky’s Book, Eat Plants, B*itch - 91 Vegan Recipes that will Blow Your Meat-Lovin Mind.

The Pinky Cole Foundation

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

We’re happy to welcome back the popular, Jessica Hegarty, to the podcast! Jess and Rip did this Facebook live event a few weeks ago and the response was so powerful, we wanted to share it with all of you.

Jess is the Director of Food Development and Strategy around all of our PLANTSTRONG food lines. She’s the one who researches every new product and ingredient we look at for our foods and if it doesn’t pass her sniff test, it doesn’t make it into the mix! Needless to say, we trust her implicitly and, if you’ve tasted our PLANTSTRONG foods, you know the rigorous taste and nutritional standards she holds us all to. 

Today, Jess is here to talk coconuts. As you may know, we at PLANTSTRONG aren’t huge fans of it because of the ridiculously high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fat isn’t just detrimental to our arteries and endothelial cells, but it’s also harmful to our brain health. In fact, it’s pretty much the only whole plant food we just can’t endorse and you’ll hear exactly why.

But, Jess doesn’t just look under the hood of the coconut itself.  she also explores other popular coconut-based products:

• Coconut oils

• Coconut waters

• Coconut extract

• Coconut yogurts and milks

• Coconut flours

Can any of these products be considered a plantstrong food? Are all the “supposed” health benefits just marketing hype? Is any of it worth our valuable dollar?

She’ll tell us and even provide some fun and healthy alternatives! It’s a fun and in-depth look at this exotic fruit.

Episode Timestamps

6:25 Why is coconut the one plantstrong food we recommend you stay away from?

6:40 Why is saturated fat so detrimental to our health and endothelial function?

12:30 What is the saturated fat of typical foods in the American diet?

18:44 Coconuts are saturated fat bombs — similar to a Meal from McDonald’s?? Jess talks about the study to prove it.

24:00 Coconut Oil - Are there any health benefits to our body and skin?

28:48 Coconut Extract - Not flavors! 

30:10 How to make your own coconut extract at home

31:10 Coconut Milk and Yogurts - What are some great alternatives to this concentrated saturated fat bomb?

37:08 Coconut Water - Is it really packed with electrolytes?  Alternatives? Green tea and whole foods

40:40 Why was coconut even put on this planet? 

46:00 Coconut Sugar - concentrated sugar with no fiber. Alternatives? Try dates! 

48:55 Coconut Meat and Dried Shredded Coconut

54:30 Coconut Flours - Can you find de-fatted coconut? 

Episode Resources

Watch the Original Episode on YouTube

PubMed Study - Impairment of endothelial function--a possible mechanism for atherosclerosis of a high-fat meal intake

Homemade Coconut Extract Recipe

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

We're honored to introduce you to a fellow kale-loving athlete, Dominick Thompson.

Imagine growing up poor in Chicago’s west side, witnessing your first murder at age 5, doing whatever it takes to protect yourself and provide for your family, and going to prison at age 21 – all while still excelling in school, athletics, and work.

It’s a background that is so different from most, but such an important story to tell because, to understand Dom now, you simply have to look back on his past.

Today, Dom is a beautiful humble soul who defies every stereotype we have of a “tough guy.” 

He’s an activist, bodybuilder, endurance athlete, dog dad,  and social entrepreneur, known for his businesses, Eat What Elephants Eat and Crazies and Weirdos. It’s even more fascinating to learn that Dom went vegan during his first week of prison. Unbelievable. 

He had a spiritual epiphany and the decision to stop eating animals completely transformed his life. 

His mantra? “If it requires harm, then nahhh.” 

Today, he gives us a riveting look at his past and discusses that spiritual shift that informs his present-day work as an activist and social entrepreneur. 

“When you eradicate harm from your life, the universe has your back,” he says. We couldn’t agree more.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/3cD-KXOAJ28 

Eat What Elephants Eat

Crazies and Weirdos

Follow Dom on Instagram - @domzthompson

Follow Dom on TikTok - @domzthompson

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

Dr. Uma Naidoo has been called a “triple threat” for her work and knowledge in food and medicine. Not only is she a psychiatrist, but she’s also a trained professional chef and nutritionist. If there was ever anyone more qualified to talk about the impact that foods have on our brain and well-being, it’s Dr. Naidoo.

In addition to her work at Harvard and Mass General, Dr, Naidoo is also the author of the best-selling book, This is Your Brain on Food. where she explains the ways in which food can influence our mental health and how a plant-forward diet can improve our mood and help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others.

We also go through each of her six pillars of nutritional psychiatry:

• Be Whole, Eat Whole - and why sugar is a problem
• Eat the Rainbow
• The Greener the Better
• Tap Into Your Body’s Intelligence
• Avoid Anxiety Triggering Foods
• This Lifestyle is a Marathon and Not a Sprint

In addition, Dr. Naidoo also shares:

• Spices and foods for optimizing brain power
• Tips for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Foods that boost happiness and relaxation

Yes, it’s a marathon, but It’s worth it. In the spirit of “New Year’s Resolutions,” resolve to make your mental and physical health a priority one meal at a time. Every step in the right direction is a step towards a better you.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Episode Webpage

Dr. Naidoo’s Website

Order This is Your Brain on Food

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

Theme Music for Episode

Rip explains the dangerous impact of a sedentary lifestyle and what sitting too long does to our bodies. He also explains the scientific research advocating for us to get up and moving!

It doesn’t matter if you’re training for a triathlon, a bodybuilding competition, or seeking the energy to enjoy a day with your grandkids, becoming plantstrong is a true game changer.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active will:

• Improve your brain health
• Help manage weight
• Reduce the risk of disease
• Strengthen bones and muscles
• Improve your ability to do everyday activities.

Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity and it’s available to everyone regardless of age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size.

Episode Resources

Watch the Original Episode on YouTube

Episode Webpage

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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We’re thrilled to share this special bonus episode with you as we head into the New Year and give us all something to look forward to…The Future of Medicine.

Dr. Zach Burns is a 2nd-year family medicine resident who also works with Dr. Michael Klaper’s Initiative, “Moving Medicine Forward,” where they speak to schools and medical students across the globe about whole food, plant-based nutrition. 

Dr. Burns is a bright spot in the medical community and his knowledge, tenacity, social consciousness, and passion for “food as medicine” brings us hope –which is why we want to share it with you on the eve of this new year. 

See it as proof that the needle is moving in the right direction. Medicine is moving forward with people like Zach, Dr. Klaper, and all of the pioneers we feature on the PLANTSTRONG podcast. 

The future is bright, my friends, and we’ll continue to shine that light on those who are paving the way.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Moving Medicine Forward Website - https://www.doctorklaper.com/moving-medicine-forward

Dr. Zach Burns’s Website - www.herbivores.life

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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We’re honored to welcome Dr. John McDougall back to the podcast for another hearty discussion.

Dr. McDougall was on the podcast on Episode 151, and we took a look at his storied life and career as a pioneering physician and talked about his discoveries that informed his unwavering practice of a starch-based diet.

In this episode, Rip dives in on very specific topics to get his opinions on procedures like mammograms and colonoscopies, bone density scans, blood pressure medications and other pills, as well as treatments for hormone-related diseases like male pattern baldness, endometriosis, body odor, bad breath, and more! 

Dr. McDougall has been in practice for almost 50 years and, if there’s everyone who has earned the right to state their researched opinions, it’s him. Yes, he has strong opinions about modern medicine, but his point is clear and simple. So many of these screenings, procedures and medications can be diminished or even eradicated with PLANTS, and more specifically, a starch-based diet. 

He doesn’t want his patients to undergo treatments that are harmful, painful, and expensive — when so many of the solutions are simple — It’s the FOOD.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/fLoom9Dz99Y 

McDougall Foundation Website

Dr. McDougall Website

Meer.org

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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Picture this – you’re about to be wheeled into the operating room for triple bypass surgery. One artery is 100 percent blocked and two others are 65 percent blocked. You have an enlarged heart, leaky valves, and a heart murmur, among other issues.

At the eleventh hour, your cardiologist says, “Look, we can do this triple bypass, or you can try whole food, plant-based diet.” You have no idea why, but you choose a plant-based diet. Surely it’s easier than a triple bypass.

Thanks to the work and encouragement of a certain Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, you make the radical lifestyle change and your angina disappears within three weeks, putting you on a path to health, self-discovery, and a new purpose in life.

Today, we're sharing the remarkable true story of Paul Chatlin. Inspired by the radical shift in his health and the desire to spread the word about plants, in 2014, Paul created the Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group, or PBNSG for short. PBNSG is dedicated to evidence-based education and advocacy of plant-based whole-food nutrition and an active lifestyle to prevent and reverse disease. They provide classes, community, and plenty of support to guide people in this transformation and optimize health.

Paul is a true go-getter, working from the heart (pun intended) to help spread to good word about whole food plant-based nutrition.

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group

Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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Mr. Bluezones is back! That’s right, Dan Buettner is back on the PLANTSTRONG podcast to discuss his newest book, The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.

As most of you know, Dan Buettner uncovered the five places around the world where people consistently live past 100 years old. It isn’t the exception. It’s the norm.

Only one of those Blue Zones happens to be in the United States - Loma Linda, California – but, did you realize that our traditional American food is firmly “planted” in a rich abundance of plant-based nutrition?

Our indigenous and Native American brothers and sisters thrived on grains and beans. Immigrants to the US brought with them potatoes, pasta, masa, corn, beans…beautiful nutritious food.

Buettner and his team took a tasty historical tour around the US and worked with contemporary chefs to create some of these traditional dishes and, today, Dan and I talk about many of these recipes and he shares memories and stories of the chefs, cultures, and meals that have shaped the diverse people we are today.

I know we think of American cuisine (if that’s what you want to call it) as hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple pie, but our history is radically more diverse, nutritious, and dare I say – PLANTSTRONG?!

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong

Order The Blue Zones American Kitchen



To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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This week, we present a bonus episode from our friends at Switch4Good. If you’re not familiar with the work of Switch4Good, they are an evidence-based nonprofit, advocating passionately for a dairy-free world. For too long, society has accepted the distortion and misinformation Big Dairy feeds us. So Switch4Good exists to set the record straight, for the sake of human health, food justice, and the future of our planet. They work with health experts, athletes, social justice warriors, enlightened policy-makers, and progressive corporations to promote ethical lifestyles and widespread behavioral change related to how we eat.

The Switch4Good podcast is hosted by Olympic medalist, Dotsie Bausch and former Baywatch actress, Alexandra Paul. I believe so much in the work they’re doing that I wanted to share one of their podcast episodes with you today, especially as it relates to athletic performance. 

Ryan Duff is a medical student and a recreational ultra-endurance runner, but more impressive than his academic and athletic achievements is his story of overcoming an eating disorder. Dotsie and Alexandra talk with Ryan about his struggle from anorexia to binge eating, and how he’s overcome those hurdles by shifting to a plant-based diet. 

They discuss the underlying causes of eating disorders, coping mechanisms, and the holistic impact of a whole-goof plant-based diet on your physical and mental health. As he says in the interview, “I don’t run to eat. I eat and run.”  

Episode Resources

Download the Free Plant-Based Playbook from Switch4Good: https://switch4good.org/plant-based-playbook/

Join Team PLANTSTRONG and run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong 

Original Episode show notes  - https://switch4good.org/from-binge-eater-to-an-ultra-runner-with-ryan-duff/ 

Ryan Duff Instagram - @unleashtheduff

Rip welcomes back our cancer-crushing warrior, Dr. Kristi Funk, for her third appearance on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast  

Dr. Funk is a board-certified breast cancer surgeon & physician, bestselling author of the book, Breasts - the Owner’s Manual, and women's health advocate. Simply put, she is an encyclopedia of knowledge and a dynamo personality, which is why she’s the perfect expert to dig into the latest in cancer prevention research.

They catch up on some of that research and discuss four healthy lifestyle habits that will minimize your risk of breast cancer and optimize your health for the long haul: 

• Eating a plant-based diet

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Getting regular exercise

• Putting the kibosh on your alcohol consumption 

One of the big takeaways is learning about easy additions that can have profound benefits - simple things like adding in a little fruit each day or scooping a couple of tablespoons of flax into your food. These little changes can make a huge difference in slowing cancer down and prohibiting it from growing.

Dr. Funk shoots straight.  It doesn’t matter if she’s on Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, or the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, she is always unapologetically promoting the benefits of plants to crush cancer. 

Episode Timestamps

10:45 Dr. Funk describes her four-plan attack to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

11:49 Exactly why is eating plants our best defense against breast cancer? What does the research say?

29:00 What about processed plant-based foods? 

33:20 Does a late-age pregnancy elevate the risk of cancer?

34:40 What is the median age of getting breast cancer and other important stats about breast cancer risk

39:10 Why in the world should people eat mushrooms? 

40:30 Benefits of Exercise - Can it really reduce the chance of breast cancer?

43:00 What is it about alcohol that is a massive contributor to cancer growth?

47:30 Why you should be a Loser when it comes to weight and a quitter when it comes to smoking and drinking 

52:30 Pink Lotus - Dr. Funk’s empowering website 

56:20 What does the research say about coffee and cancer risk?

58:20 What about drinking sparkling water?

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/nXrNPE1nnIQ

Pink Lotus Website - https://pinklotus.com/

Dr. Kristi Funk Intstagram - @drkristifunk

Download the Free Holiday Guidebook - https://plantstrongfoods.com/holiday 

Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG and run the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K with Rip! plantstrongfoods.com/team

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 

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Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician at the Mayo Clinic Jacoby Center for Breast Health where she works with breast cancer patients during and after their diagnosis to heal and thrive using the pillars of lifestyle medicine alongside their conventional cancer treatments. 

Dawn has many remarkable stories of patient recovery, but the biggest recovery story of all is her own. You see, in addition to being a physician, teacher, wife, and mother, Mussallem is also a cancer survivor, 2021 heart transplant recipient, and as of February 2022, she's also a marathon finisher!

It's a story you simply have to hear to believe and her passion and positivity will leave a lasting impact. Not only does she acknowledge her family and faith in this decades-long journey, but she also credits her whole foods plant-based diet with her ability to thrive and train with a renewed sense of purpose and boundless energy. It's a life force she brings both to her life and the lives of the patients she works with on a daily basis. 

About Dawn Mussallem, DO

Dr. Mussallem is a consultant in the Department of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic and is an Assistant Professor of Medicine. She is a diagnostic breast specialist at The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health and serves as Medical Director for Mayo Clinic Florida Lyndra P. Daniel Center for Humanities in Medicine. Dr. Mussallem is double-board certified, including a board certification in Lifestyle Medicine. She has over 25 years of patient-centered clinical wellness experience with international recognition in the field of breast medicine, lifestyle medicine, integrative oncology, cancer prevention, and cancer survivorship, and a unique personal experience as a stage IV cancer patient diagnosed 3 months into medical school, as well as a heart transplant recipient. She shares that her journey as a patient cultivated her boundless energy and deep purpose to help guide patients toward renewed vitality. In 2015, she founded the Integrative Medicine and Breast Health Program at Mayo Clinic Florida, a patient-centered program that works with breast cancer patients during and after a breast cancer diagnosis, introducing them early on to the importance of lifestyle optimization and evidence-based mind-body practices alongside conventional cancer treatments with a goal to reframe the cancer diagnosis as a “teacher of life,” leading patients to discover renewed vitality through healthier living. 

Episode Resources

Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG - plantstrongfoods.com/team

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Become an Organ Donor

Mayo Clinic News Network Story on Dawn

Dawn's Journey from Cancer Survivor to Heart Transplant Recipient

Running to a New Beat - Heart transplant recipient to mark 1-year anniversary with marathon

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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This week in the United States, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving, which is why we decided to drop this BONUS “Friendsgiving”- themed episode featuring my Mother, Ann, and my sister, Jane. 

This recording was taken from a LIVE event we did a few weeks ago where Jane and Ann whipped up two wonderful holiday-themed dishes - Mommy’s Mushroom Gravy and Twice-Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. 

Yes, you can absolutely listen to the show, or you can watch the YouTube broadcast in its entirety. 

Not only will you get two new recipes, but you can also download our FREE Complete Holiday Recipe Guide with 15 holiday-inspired recipes.

And, during the episode, you’ll also hear us mention our Holiday Pantry Bundle, which is also on sale right now at plantstrongfoods.com 

So, whether you’re gathering with family or making it a true “friendsgiving” celebration, we’re here to help make it joyous, delicious, and nutritious for everyone. …and that’s something we can all be thankful for, right? Enjoy!

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/ccL23gbUkog 

Download the Free Holiday Guidebook - https://plantstrongfoods.com/holiday 

Shop for Your PLANTSTRONG favorites - Holiday Food Bundle - https://plantstrongfoods.com/products/holiday-pantry-bundle 

Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG and run the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K with Rip!

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

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Hellah Sidibe is the first black man to run across America (fueled by plants!) and has been running every day since May 15th, 2017. That’s officially over 2000 days in a row in every weather condition imaginable! This year, he also completed the iconic Leadville 100 Trail Race in Colorado. 

And, it all started with a commitment to run just 10 minutes a day. 

Like many, Hellah hated running but started moving his body to lift himself out of a dark period in his own life. It was his way of taking responsibility for his own happiness.

Five years and thousands of miles later, running is now his primary outlet to raise money for charities, help others find inspiration in their daily lives, and demonstrate the endless power of a plant-based diet.  

On Instagram, he writes,  “Using our energy on what we’re afraid of is wasteful when it can be used on what we want to accomplish. We don’t need everyone to believe in us in order to chase those dreams and goals. Enjoy the process and get after it y’all!” 

Episode Timestamps and Highlights

6:53 Origins of his name, Hellah, and his upbringing in Mali

10:57 How tragedy brought him to the US

17:28 His dream of becoming a professional soccer player

18:40 Did he always love running and what compelled him to even start a run streak?

29:45 When did he decide to run across the country?

33:15 Adventures of running across the country 

36:00 How and why Hellah switched to a plantstrong diet

41:30 His favorite running conditions 

43:29 Does he prefer running alone, or with people?

45:00 What about listening to music or podcasts?

48:24 Favorite athletes, or inspiration?

49:30 What in the world do his parents think about this non-traditional career?

53:40 Low points on his Run Across America

57:20 His experience at the Leadville 100

1:02:23 How did he fuel for a 27-hour race in the mountains of Colorado?

1:11:25 For Hellah, what constitutes a run distance to qualify as a “streak?”

1:14:55 What does he eat in a day?

1:17:30 How does he sleep? 

1:18:00 How does he keep his feet healthy with all of this running? 

1:22:26 What’s next for Hellah?

Episode Resources

Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG and run the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K with Rip!

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Hellah’s Instagram: @hellahgood9

Hellah’s YouTube: @hellahgood

Additional Links and Resources for Hellah Sidibe

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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A few weeks ago, we hosted a Facebook live event with Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn to discuss the importance of green leafy vegetables in preventing and reversing heart disease. 
During the broadcast, Essy shared the science behind chewing vs. drinking your leafy greens and he also spent time answering viewer questions. It was packed with so much information and action, that we’ve decided to share the playback in podcast format.

Ann even got in on the action because she was so darn jazzed about it! And you know her, when she’s excited, she just can’t sit still!

Essy answers:

• What do we need to know about endothelial function?

• What is nitric oxide and what functions does it perform?

• What is so magical about green leafy vegetables?

• Why we should chew our greens, as opposed to drinking them? What is the science behind this recommendation?

• Why do greens have to be steamed? Is raw ok?

• Can I use apple cider vinegar on my greens, or is it only balsamic vinegar?

• What does caffeine do to your artery cells?

• If I chew my green leafy ands still have a smoothie, is that ok?

• Should I limit spinach, or should I mix up my greens?

• How long should I chew my greens? Is there an optimum amount of time?

• What effect does wine have on the endothelium?

• What is the best way to store greens?

• Ann and Essy's thoughts on microgreens or baby greens?

• Can we eat the stems from our greens?

• Is insulin resistance the core cause of cardiovascular disease?

• Is hyperthyroidism improved with a whole food plant-based diet?

• If I have a problem with tooth decay, is it ok to use toothpaste with fluoride?

• What are some of Ann’s favorite ways to get greens into her meals?

• Does Menirges Disease have any correlation with heart disease?

• Where does exercise come into play? How important is it to our health?

• I’m wfpb and my cholesterol is still high. Anything I can do?

• What can I do to raise my heart ejection fraction rate?

• How quickly can a plant-based diet improve your arteries?

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn, MD

Order Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior by Jane and Ann Esselstyn

Order Rip's Books

Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG and run the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K with Rip!


To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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• Are you on meds for acid reflux and indigestion?

• Do you take antibiotics or birth control?

• Do you enjoy artificial sweeteners in your coffee?

• Do you drink alcohol on a regular basis?

These are all ubiquitous substances in our society at this point, but they are also posing a threat to our immune system.

Multiple studies show that antibiotics, medicines, and substances like alcohol and sweeteners actually reduce the amount of stomach acid in your gut, wreak havoc on your gut microbiome, and actually increase the likelihood of getting hit hard by viral illnesses like COVID-19. 

So what in the world can we do to prevent this? 

Gastroenterologist, Dr. Robynne Chutkan, is back with her latest book, The Anti-Viral Gut: Tackling Pathogens from the Inside Out and that is exactly what she and Rip discuss today.

Why are some people more susceptible to contracting these new viruses, and what practices can we do to minimize that risk and boost our immunity?

Dr. Chutkan is a powerhouse of research and information in this interview, and they start with the basics:

• What exactly are the gut and the digestive tract?

• Why do so many suffer from dysbiosis, which is a damaged gut microbiome?

• What makes some of these commonly-prescribed meds so bad for our gut lining? 

Once we learn “the why,” then we can take action and that’s what the second half of the interview is all about. Dr. Chutkan shares her Top 10 Guidelines to boost your defenses and overall health.

It’s a jam-packed session of research and science, but also hope. Our bodies heal at an enormously rapid rate if we provide the assistance it needs. According to Dr. Chutkan. those key elements include plenty of dirt, sweat, and whole lotta veggies!

Episode Timestamps

17:26 Why write “The Anti-Viral Gut” Now?

26:40 What are PPIs and what percentage of the population is taking these drugs to treat acid reflux and indigestion?

28:30 People believe (because of marketing) that their stomach is producing too much acid and so they need these meds. This isn’t always true. What’s actually the cause of the discomfort?

31:42 Digestion 101 - What are the gut and the digestive tract?

39:22 Short Chain Fatty Acids- What are they and why are they so important?

45:30 What happens when you don’t have enough short-chain fatty acids to provide energy to the cells of the gut lining?

52:55 Disbiosis of the gut -What is it and why is it happening? What did the American Gut Project show us?

1:05:11 Robynne’s 1-2-3  system for getting more fruits and veggies

1:07:45 Birth control pills, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol -How do those affect the gut?

1:20:55 The cascading effects of stress and lack of sleep on our microbiome and immunity

1:27:30 The OAF - The Open Air Factor - The importance of getting outside

1:29:35 Dr. Chutkan’s Top 10 List for health and longevity

1:49 Robynne’s ‘Ride or Die’  Guidelines for optimized health

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order The Anti-Viral Gut

Dr. Chutkan’s Website

Follow Dr. Chutkan on Instagram @gutbliss

Download our FREE Holiday Recipe Guide

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention and Debbie Adler epitomizes that phrase. In 2006, she opened Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes bakery, the first to feature vegan and sugar-free treats. 

However, a year later her son was born with many life-threatening allergies, forcing her to take an even deeper dive into nutrition and food-related illnesses. Because of her son's needs, she developed recipes and new baked goods that were not only vegan and sugar-free, but also gluten and allergy free. Her business skyrocketed. 

Her son is now 14 and doing great, thanks in part to her diligence. Debbie has since gone on to write three cookbooks, including her latest, The Mediterranean Plate, which is what we discuss today. 

This book is filled with delicious Moroccan, Greek, Spanish, Italian, French, and Middle Eastern recipes without all of the oils, fish, meats, and cheeses that are so prevalent on the Mediterranean diet. In fact, not only is every recipe whole food plant-based, but also salt, oil, sugar, and gluten-free.

We dig through foods that may be familiar to you, but with Debbie’s special twist - think gnocchi, moussaka, pancakes, her recipe for feta, soups, and so much more. 

Cooking from scratch can be intimidating, which is why most of these dishes are “one-pot” recipes, minimizing mess and clean-up. She even provides her recommended equipment and pantry staples to make this adventure as simple as possible. 

So enjoy this conversation and mouth-watering tour through, “The Mediterranean Plate,” with Debbie Adler.

Episode Highlights:

• Debbie’s reason for starting her vegan and sugar-free bakery

• Why write The Mediterranean Plate?

• Her Top 18 Ingredients for Healthy Aging

• Kitchen must-haves and favorite spices and seasonings

• Gathering grains, flours, and powders - What should you have in your pantry?

• Preferred sweeteners, canned foods, and favorite tools/appliances

• Rip and Debbie’s mouth-watering tour through the book!

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Order The Mediterranean Plate

Debbie Adler’s Website

Follow Debbie on Instagram @plant.based.debbie.adler

Follow Debbie on Facebook @SweetDebbieAdler

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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As busy families, it’s easy to catch yourself coming and going, shoveling back quick meals without even thinking, and prioritizing convenience over health, especially when you’re constantly pressed for time. 

You know you’re supposed to incorporate healthier eating habits for your whole family, but HOW?

Enter board-certified pediatrician, certified lifestyle medicine physician, health coach, and mother of two, Dr. Yami! 

Dr. Yami’s work and her private practice focus on how families can start to integrate more whole plant-based foods into their diets and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits even when moving a million miles a minute.

Easier said than done, right? 

Well, Dr. Yami literally wrote the book to help families in this transition. A Parent’s Guide to Intuitive Eating: How to Raise Kids Who Love to Eat Healthy, is packed with research and support to help parents and families work together on creating a healthier lifestyle. 

We talk all about body shaming and how to get your kids to eat whole-food plant-based without forcing it down their throats and allowing them to follow their kind of intuitive eating clues. 

Even if you’re not a parent, you’ll love the advice of Dr. Yami, especially if you consider yourself to be a picky eater (spoiler alert: most of us are). 

As Dr. Yami says, we can’t necessarily control what our bodies look like, but we can control how we view them, and her work is all about starting an ongoing conversation with your family about getting healthier TOGETHER.

And that’s what it’s all about!

You'll hear: 

• Dr. Yami’s many credentials and certifications
• Why did she write Intuitive Eating and How to Raise Kids Who Love to Eat Healthy?
• Dr. Yami shares her own personal journey to plants and her TEDx talk inspiration
• Dr. Yami is finally a proud “Super Pooper” after decades of constipation and Miralax
• When and why Dr. Yami decided to open her own private practice, with an emphasis on nutrition health
• What exactly is “Intuitive Eating?”
• What happens when parents start to force kids into specific eating patterns and times? Why can this be a slippery slope?
• What about body image? How can we instill a positive body image in our children?
• Dr. Yami didn’t always have a positive body image. Why did she loathe her body and what has she done to feel better in her body?
• Rejecting weight stigma in kids - why this is such a complex issue and important to understand that poor nutrition and body image can affect anyone.
• How to work with “picky eaters” in the family (and this includes adults!)
• What do you think is the best way for a parent to frame a conversation with their children about starting to eat healthier in the household?
• Eating out! Yes - you can get plant-based meals at places like Taco Bell, Panda Express and Wendy’s! Dr. Yami shares some of her favorite finds in fast food restaurants. 

Episode Resources

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Dr. Yami’s TEDx Talk - “From Chicken to Chickpeas”

Dr. Yami’s Website

Veggie Fit Kids

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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We’re thrilled to bring you the gravity-defying, jaw-dropping, artistic calisthenic work of Raymond, “The Noodnick.” 

His strength, grace, and skill of his movements shouldn’t come as a surprise because Raymond is PLANTSTRONG, baby!  In fact, his Mom and Uncle were the original founders of the Nasoya Tofu brand that you see today in grocery stores. 

Raymond has fascinating stories and philosophies on life, love, nutrition, and compassion that he shares with his hundreds of thousands of followers and with us today. 

It was a breath of fresh air to chat with someone who seeks love and true fulfillment every second of the day, but the real magic is watching him fly through the air with the greatest of ease.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage with Videos 

Watch the Episode on YouTube

“The Noodnick” Instagram - @thenoodnick

“The Noodnick” TikTok - @thenoodnick

Vivo Barefoot Shoes

Born Primitive

To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.

Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!

We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪

Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.

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