The Rich Roll Podcast

Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed.

This week's AMA explores:

* the employment of passion

* engaging in process over results

* reconciling spiritual detachment with the law of attraction

* releasing old ideas & changing your story; and

* self-acceptance: embracing dark and light

Special thanks to Steven Simpson and Jeff Warrington for today's questions, as well as everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming!

The show concludes with My Man, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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I love talking to smart people. Today's guest is certainly that — and so much more.

Contravening millennial stereotypes, Ryan Holiday is a prolific, rising literary talent. A maverick media strategist. Not to mention a philosopher of sorts — a guy with big ideas often at odds with the status quo.

An autodidact, Ryan dropped out of college at nineteen to apprentice under acclaimed author Robert Greene, author of (among many other great books) The 48 Laws of Power*, later graduating to advise many New York Times bestselling authors like Tim Ferriss and RRP #154 alum Tucker Max, multiplatinum musicians like Linkin Park and startups like Casey Neistat's ( RRP 73 & RRP 144 ) recently launched social media platform Beme.

By the time he was legally allowed to drink (21!) Ryan had already ascended to director of marketing duties at American Apparel, where his iconoclastic campaigns and tactics have been used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google and written about in places like AdAge, the New York Times, and Fast Company.

Ryan is also the bestselling author of 3 books, including Trust Me I’m Lying* – a highly entertaining and admittedly disturbing first hand look at the machinations behind digital media's dark underbelly — and The Obstacle Is The Way* – a modern and practical reframing of stoicism, the ancient Roman philosophy originated by guys like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus, with a focus on functional applicability of stoic principles for turning modern day obstacles into opportunities and adversity to advantage.

If you think philosophy is purely academic — a useless waste of time reserved for the arrogant intellectual elite — Ryan has a message for you:

think again.

I really love this book. I found it to be eminently practical. An incredibly insightful and utilitarian tool box for navigating crises, strengthening character and maximizing excellence in any situation, irrespective of circumstance.

On RyanHoliday.net and places like Thought Catalog and Observer (where he is editor at large), Ryan writes frequently on a wide variety of business and marketing related subject matters. But it's his fresh and unique take on real life stuff that keeps me coming back.

Enjoy!

Rich

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Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed.

This week's AMA explores:

* releasing the need for permission to live your life

* empowerment via “choosing yourself”

* practicing creativity in all things

* confronting your fear through action

* removing fear-based stimuli from your life

* managing criticism

* overcoming judgment and resentment

* combating addiction by prioritizing sobriety

Special thanks to Farmer Diddly, Nathan & everyone who contributed to this week’s questions!

The show concludes with Beloved, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Are you waiting for permission to chase a dream? Why? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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I'm exploding with excitement about this week's hotly anticipated show.

Today I sit down with James Lawrence — aka The Iron Cowboy — fresh on the heels of completing an absolutely unprecedented and mind-boggling 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states in just 50 days.

I honestly believe this is one of the greatest achievements in the history of (voluntary) human endurance.

For the uninitiated, consider swimming 2.4 miles, pedaling your bike 112 miles and then running a marathon, 26.2 miles. After quickly eating and bathing, you enjoy anywhere from two to four hours of shut eye, usually in the back of a Subaru as it drives through the night to meet dawn in an adjoining state. Then you heave your weary bones up, eat, get dressed and do it all over again. Every single day. 50 days in row, across each and every one of the 50 states — including Hawaii and Alaska — without one single day off.

Just think about that for a moment. Let it sink in.

During James' initial appearance on the podcast (RRP 149) just prior to his 50/50/50 attempt, I went on record here and on various media outlets like Triathlete.com voicing my concern that James just might have aimed a bit too high.

As someone who did 5 ironman-distance triathlons in a row on each of the 5 Hawaiian Islands, I happen to have a little experience in this arena. Admittedly my accomplishments now seem paltry (almost embarrassing) by comparison, the fact remains that I happen to be one of the few people on the planet who can truly understand, appreciate and deeply empathize with the abyss James would inevitably face, battle, endure and be forced to overcome in order to complete his extraordinary journey intact.

I know what it's like to meet unforeseen obstacles that threaten to imperil the mission. I know what it's like to fall asleep on your bike. I know what it's like to have saddle sores so painful you can't sit down. I know what it's like to run through the night, hallucinating. And I know what it's like when that inevitable moment arises and you ask yourself: what am I doing to myself?

But James and his entire family were all in from the get go. To underwrite the endeavor, they even sold their house and put all their earthly possessions in storage. So never for a second did I doubt his level of commitment. I knew he could complete 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states. It was the 50 days part that bent my brain. Certainly he'll have to take at least one day off, right? Maybe two. In my mind, I predicted at least three intermittent rest days.

James, you proved me wrong. You proved the world wrong.

And I couldn’t be happier. Or more proud. It's not just that you did what you said you would do. It's the way you did it. It was your composure. It was you tremendous grace under fire. Your selflessness in service to a greater cause. All fueled by an attitude of gratitude.

On a last minute whim, I decided to show up unannounced in Utah to surprise James, join him on his final marathon jaunt, and witness the conclusion first hand. An experience I will never forget, it was thrilling and emotional to be running just off his shoulder as he crossed his historic finish line, accomplished his goal,

Enjoy!

Rich

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I'm so intimidated.

This week Julie and I are joined by the dynamic duo of the Choose Yourself era themselves, James and Claudia Altucher — a prolific couple changing the world with insights that are empowering millions to live more dynamic, authentic lives.

When someone fires off a long list of occupations in conversation, my instinct tells me that person probably isn't great at any of them. James is not that guy. Abundant in talent. A true polymath with just the right amount of self-deprecation and pitch perfect comedic timing. Blogger, bestselling author, podcaster, public speaker, investor, entrepreneur, columnist, and humorist, he seemingly does it all.

Oh yeah, he's also a nationally ranked chess master.

James had made millions, lost millions and made millions again. Maybe he'll lose it again. I don't know. He’s started and run something like 20 companies. Then there's a slew of venture capital, hedge, angel and sundry other funds he ran. Maybe he still runs them. I don't know that either. In fact, I don't understand any of it.

James' Altucher Confidential is one of the most widely read blogs on the internet, amassing over 15 million readers since its 2010 inception.

The James Altucher Show debuted as the #1 podcast on all of iTunes last year.

I think he's written 13 books. It could be 16. I can't keep track. He writes faster than I can read.

My favorite is the Wall Street Journal Best Seller Choose Yourself. A primer for anyone seeking firmer control of destiny, it's a prescient and highly entertaining look at how new and unprecedented tools, technology and economic forces have suddenly emerged to make it possible for individuals to create art, careers, success, fulfillment and change the world without permission from the gatekeepers of yore.

When you finish that book, then read The Power of No — also a Wall Street Journal Best Seller. Two things you need to know about this book: (1) it's really great; and (2) learning how and when to say no is, like, really important.

Wait, there's a third thing: it was co-authored by James' wife Claudia.

In many ways James' perfect match, the Argentinian-born Claudia is also a widely acclaimed multi-hyphenate. Writer, podcaster and yoga aficionado, she has written or co-written three books, including the recently released Become An Idea Machine. You can find her Yoga Podcast on iTunes and read her musings at ClaudiaYoga.com. But I don't know how much longer she can keep this up because any day now she's going to be named the new CEO of Twitter.

Am I joking? Read this and you tell me.

I had James on my podcast a while ago. Then I did his podcast. Then Julie did Claudia's podcast. They fell in love. I was already in love with James.

The only thing? None of us had ever met in person. Until now.

Wonder twin powers activate!

I'm not sure whose podcast we did. We just hit record and started freestyling. I thought we were interviewing James and Claudia but now I think I have it all backwards.

Enjoy!

Rich

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Imagine yourself so debilitated by a battery of chronic ailments you can barely get out of bed. Merely walking down a simple flight of stairs or lifting a a book is excruciating. Knife-like pains cause you to scream so loudly, your neighbor calls 911. Then one day you collapse at work and awake in the hospital to discover you have suffered 36 embolisms that are filling your lungs with blood so quickly, drowning is a very real possibility.

Now imagine yourself a couple years later in a tropical jungle competing in La Ruta Del Conquistadores. Widely considered one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet, La Ruta is a 3-day, 161-mile mountain bike race with over 29,000 feet of climbing that traverses Costa Rica from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea.

This is the incredible arc of today's guest, Seamus Mullen.

An award-winning New York City chef, restaurateur and cookbook author known for his inventive yet approachable Spanish cuisine, Seamus is the proprietor of several restaurants, including Tertulia (a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best New Restaurant”), El Colmado, a Spanish tapas and wine bar at Gotham West Market, and Sea Containers at Mondrian London.

A semi-finalist for Best Chef NYC by the James Beard Foundation 3 years in a row, Seamus was also one of 3 finalists on the Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef. He frequents the popular Food Network series Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay as a featured judge and is a recurring guest on programs such as The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, and CBS This Morning.

But the important things in life snapped into focus for Seamus in 2007 when he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that precipitated a near death experience and quite literally brought him to his knees.

A once avid cyclist who raced competitively in his twenties, Seamus suddenly found himself unable to properly function.

Pedal a bike? A pipe dream.

Seamus was faced with a choice. Either live out the remainder of his days with unbearable suffering, or take matters into his own hands. He chose the latter.

It wasn't easy. And it wasn't overnight. But by making a decision to make wellness his number one priority; by harnessing the power of holistic, functional medicine; and by rebooting his lifestyle wholesale, Seamus Mullen ultimately healed himself.

By virtue of working with people like lifestyle architect Ari Meisel and functional medicine doctor and RRP alumnus Frank Lipman (click here to listen to my podcast with Frank), Seamus can now add wellness advocate and authority to his already impressive resume. And when he's not racing his bike across Costa Rica, he's pedaling for charity or lost on one of his many cycling and motorcycle adventures exploring remote parts of the planet.

Seamus has shared his amazing story of renewal with major publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and through his bi-monthly column in Men’s Journal. He is currently making a documentary about his journey called Back on the Bike.

Seamus is a great guy and we had a fantastic conversation that explores all the aforementioned topics and then some, including:

* the importance of healthy school lunch programs

* the story behind his Rheumatoid Arthritis

* the failure of traditional RA treatment protocols

* symptomatic treatment vs. true healing methodology

* his vivid near-death experience

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We're back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed.

As a person prone to extremes, I have been spending quite a bit of time lately pondering the importance of balance and moderation in living an optimally fulfilling life.

What is the role of balance when you are pursuing your best self? Is moderation in all things truly an aspirational path?

In short, I am starting to question the premise.

This week Julie and I discuss this personal conundrum at length. Our conversation also explores:

* my experience with Iron Cowboy as he completed his historic 50/50/50

* Julie's perspective on crewing for me at Ultraman

* stoicism & overcoming obstacles

* how to best serve the needs of “out of the box” children

* the exploration required to discover your passion

* how distractions negatively impact our life path; and

* how to meet the social challenges of living plant-based

Special thanks to Nanette, Doug & David for this week’s questions!

The show concludes with Beloved, written and performed by Julie, aka SriMati, accompanied by Mark Schultz and our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

How do you define balance? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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We need more doctors like Michelle McMacken, MD.

Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. McMacken is an assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine, an attending primary care physician at New York City's Bellevue Hospital Center and director of the Bellevue Adult Weight Management Clinic, where she specializes in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Interestingly, Dr. McMacken wasn't always all that intrigued by nutrition. Not surprisingly, her medical school experience was woefully lacking in this regard. But after eight years of medical practice, she was becoming progressively distressed by her obesity clinic patients' general inability to get — and stay — healthy.

Determined to find better, more sustainable solutions for her patients led to a search engine result for “lifestyle change” that prompted Michelle to attend the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference– a game-changing experience that enlightened her to a holistic, disease preventive perspective on patient care that ultimately reinvigorated and forever altered her medical practice.

Beyond her one on one work with patients, many of which are underprivileged, what is uniquely inspiring about Dr. McMacken is her grant-funded commitment to study evidence-based nutritional protocols and apply the practical knowledge to faculty, colleagues & resident doctors. In other words, she is devoted to educating not only her patients about healthy nutrition, but her fellow medical professionals as well — filling the much needed gap in our current system of medical education.

This is an enlightening and highly informative conversation that explores:

* the state of medical education with respect to nutrition

* the responsibility of doctors to practice holistic, preventive medicine

* the significance of a plant-based diet in promoting optimal wellness

* Dr. McMacken's personal & professional path to plant-based nutrition

* the health impact of high protein diets, ketosis & glycogen depletion

* the differences between animal & plant protein

* alkaline/acid-forming foods and their impact on metabolism

* paleo vs. vegan – finding common ground

* the truth behind dietary cholesterol & saturated fat

* the importance of aligning actions with values

* plant-based patient case studies

I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion.

What is preventing you from a more holistic approach to long-term wellness? I'd love to hear about your personal challenges in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Aussie born, UK-dwelling adventure athlete Luke Tyburski isn’t superman. He’s not famous nor is he a world champion. And he’s the first to say he’s just not that talented. In most ways Luke is a normal bloke. An everyman who decided to face his debilitating battle with clinical depression through the lens of adventure and ultra-endurance sports.

Soccer obsessed as a young boy, from the get go Luke realized he lacked the God-given athletic gifts enjoyed by his teammates. Nonetheless, perseverance prevailed and Luke achieved his life-long dream of traveling the world as a professional footballer.

Unfortunately, that career was cut short by significant, chronic & persistent injuries. What followed was an unexpected yet quite severe bout with acute, clinical depression — a back hole of desperation that often left him bedridden and teetering on hopelessness.

To escape this prison, Luke dug deep. Through sheer force of will matched with equal parts faith, he compelled his mutinying body, mind and spirit to simply get up, get outside and begin exploring again — one step at a time.

Having never ran more than 10 kilometers at any one time, and with only six months to prepare, in 2012 Luke conquered the infamous Marathon des Sables, a 250 kilometer, six stage self-sufficient running race across the treacherous and unrelenting sand dunes of the Moroccan Sahara.

Since then he has competed in a variety of adventure races, including the Mt. Everest Ultra Marathon. His first ever triathlon? The double ironman distance Double Brutal Extreme Triathlon.

My kind of guy.

Currently, Luke's sights are set on achieving the truly extraordinary — a self-styled 12-day, 2000 kilometer adventure he calls The Ultimate Triathlon that kicks off in Morocco with a swim across the Straight of Gibraltar before cycling and running the coastline all the way to Monaco.

It’s easy to admire the feats of the truly touched. It’s inspirational. But I cherish sharing stories like Luke's because they are aspirational. And because relatable, everyman guys like Luke demonstrate that big dreams are possible and accessible for all.

This is a conversation that explores:

* what its like to be clinically depressed

* preparing for The Ultimate Triathlon

* developing confidence as an outmatched youth

* how attention to nutrition changed his game

* the importance of a holistic approach to well-being

* endurance sports as escapism

* the importance of adventurous life

* how the compassion of strangers in Nepal changed his perspective

* what keeps him motivated; and

* how to bridge the gap between inspiration and action

An adventurous life is a worth leading. Luke's life is well worth the examination. I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion.

How can you invite more adventure into your life? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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It’s one thing to thrive on a plant-based diet as a skinny endurance athlete. But what about sports that place a premium on size, speed, agility, power, quickness and just plain brute force?

Is it possible to compete at the highest level of the NFL not as a punt returner, not as a quarterback or even a running back, but as a defensive lineman – a position where only the absolute biggest, baddest, strongest and fastest survive?

Meet David Carter — aka The 300 Pound Vegan.

Introduced to the game at age 5, David began his football career playing Pop Warner. He made waves at Fontana's Kaiser High School in Southern California and went on to become a star player at UCLA. In 2011, he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 6th round and has since been a bit of a journeyman defensive linebacker, playing for the Dallas Cowboys, the Oakland Raiders and most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Like most athletes, David grew up eating tons of meat, fully adhering to the conventional mythology that in order to become muscle you must consume muscle – the more the better.

But as his career matured, David became plagued by a variety of persistent, chronic injuries including arthritis, tendonitis, nerve damage and chronic muscle fatigue. Not surprising given the nature of his job, but nonetheless devastating — ailments he simply could not overcome that left him sidelined despite the best sports medicine and rehabilitative resources of the NFL at his disposal.

David soon realized that in order to continue playing, something had to change. He began researching the cause of his conditions, as well as alternative remedies to resolve them at the source. Heavily influenced by a series of documentaries that included Forks Over Knives and the holistic lifestyle habits practiced by his wife Paige, David arrived at a rather counter-intuitive conclusion for an athlete whose professional career relies entirely upon physical prowess and sheer brute force:

all the nutrition he had been relying on to maximize his size and strength was actually killing him.

Therefore, in February 2014, David made a rather radical and quite controversial decision: he adopted a 100% plant-based diet.

Criticism came swift from all sides. Trainers, coaches, friends and fellow players all chimed the familiar refrain: it's impossible to maintain your weight and strength without meat!

But David has remained steadfast and confident in his decision.

Why? Because a battery of unexpected positive results came and came quickly. Eating entirely plant-based, David experienced more energy. His recovery time was profoundly accelerated. His stamina went through the roof. To the great surprise of his coaches, trainers and teammates, every single one of those nagging, persistent injuries mysteriously corrected themselves and ultimately vanished altogether. All his numbers in the weight room actually went up – this is a guy who can bench 470 and squat 660. Amazingly, he found himself quicker, more agile and responsive than ever. And perhaps most important to David, no living thing had to die in order for him to thrive.

Through football and his off the field advocacy for healthier lifestyles, animal rights and the planet, David is now devoted to a cause greater than his on field performance — being an example of positive change in the world.

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I don't how long we've been together — 17 years? 16? — but I do know that Julie and I just celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. It's been a wild, and at times astonishing ride.

So suffice it to say, the subject of relationships is on my mind.

So how does one attract, cultivate, nurture and sustain a relationship that isn't just healthy and intimate but is in fact extraordinary?

This week's installment of Ask Me Anything is devoted to just this issue.

This conversation explores:

* the transformational aspects of relationships

* destiny & fate in selecting a mate

* human love versus divine love

* prioritizing self-development

* the primacy of commitment

* the significance of complementary core values

* the power of neutral compassion & observance

* the practice of taking contrary action

Special thanks to Jeremy Bell for this week’s questions and Jason for his fan letter.

The show concludes with I'm Here Now, written and performed by Julie (aka SriMati), accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

How do you define an extraordinary relationship? Let me know in the comment section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Insurgent educator Stephen Ritz is truly one of the most inspiring game changers I have ever met. A South Bronx elementary school teacher and administrator, he has faced and overcome tremendous bureaucratic, political, and socio-economic odds to catapult generations of young, underprivileged at-risk students to unimaginable academic success and upwardly mobile employment — all while simultaneously reclaiming and rebuilding the Bronx from the inside out.

The modality leveraged to serve this end? Food. Specifically, growing food.

The personification of triple bottom line values and a staunch advocate of project-based, experiential learning, it all began when Stephen accidentally began growing plants in his classroom. The unexpected result was a level of student engagement even this maverick educator could not have predicted. So what began by fluke soon became Stephen's passion. It wasn't long before his Bronx classroom featured the first indoor edible wall in the entire New York City Department of Education — a wall that routinely generates enough produce to feed healthy meals to 450 students while also training the youngest nationally certified workforce in America.

Stephen's classroom farm would soon expand, both in the classroom and out, spreading across a community in desperate need for healthy food options. Under his spirited leadership and the tireless efforts of his student and community growers, vacant lots and rooftops across the Bronx — fairly characterized as an urban food desert — have been literally transformed, now boasting bountiful gardens that have produced more than 30,000 pounds of vegetables. Food that feeds his students and the greater borough at large.

In the Bronx public school system, student attendance and graduation rates are historically abysmal. But Stephen's passion and engagement with his students resulted in attendance skyrocketing from a mere 40 percent to 93 percent daily. Not to mention it helped create 2,200 youth jobs. And now he is committed to building the first ever independently financed National Health, Wellness and Biodiversity Center in a 100+ year old reclaimed Bronx public school library.

The staggering success of Stephen's non-traditional teaching methods have captured the world's attention. His work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, ABC, CNN, NBC, NPR and beyond. Accolades include being one of three Americans named a 2015 Top Ten Finalist for the prestigious Global Teacher Prize– teaching's Nobel Prize. He received the United States EPA Award for transforming mindsets and landscapes in New York City. And in 2014 he and his 4th and 5th grade students were invited to, and fêted by, none other than the White House.

After viewing Stephen's super inspiring TEDxManhattan Talk, ranked in the Top 25 Food / Education TED Talks of all time, I knew I had to have him on the show.

Stephen followed this up with another stunning TEDx Talk:

And if that's not enough, this beautiful Upworthy short on Stephen and his work is sure to bring a tear to your eye:

Stephen Ritz is the teacher you wish you had. The teacher every kid deserves. A true paradigm breaker,

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I'm hitting a groove.

Although I definitely have some sustainability concerns about posting two weekly editions of the show (have I said how much work this is?), I'm keeping my promise. So here we are again with another installment of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my typical guest interview format where we answer questions submitted by you, the listener.

But this week it's a twist on that twist.

In addition to entertaining a few listener inquiries, I gave Julie the latitude to raise a few issues and themes currently on her mind. I think the recipe worked — it's quite a revelatory exchange.

This conversation explores:

* Appreciating Diversity Among RRP Guests

* How To Define True Health

* What It Means To Live In Balance

* Eating In Harmony With Nature

* Perspectives On Aging

* Mindful Ruminations on Death

* Cultural Objectification Of Women

* Successful Marriage & Open Communication

The show concludes with Mother of Mine, written and performed by Julie (aka SriMati), accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion.

How Do YOU define ‘True Health”? Let me know in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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For most of her young adult life, Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram was in and out of hospitals. Constantly sick, hyperglycemic, low on energy and losing hope that she could ever feel normal.

Little did Kristina know that a chance encounter with a strange man at the grocery store would soon change everything, radically and permanently altering the trajectory of her life.

This week I am delighted to sit down with the effervescent and passionate Fully Raw Kristina — as she is now popularly known on the internet – to hear all about how a raw vegan diet not only healed her body, but gave her life purpose.

Boasting over 600,000 subscribers, many of you may know Kristina from her wildly popular YouTube Channel. For most, this would be an all consuming full time gig. But making videos is subservient to Kristina's first passion, which is running Rawfully Organic – the food cooperative she founded in 2007 at age 20. What began in her living room is now the largest raw organic produce co-op in the United States, providing affordable, healthy raw produce to over 6000 members across the Houston area weekly.

Although I would not label myself as fully raw, it's fair to say that I eat tremendous amounts of raw plant foods every day and can personally attest to the importance of prioritizing a large variety of fresh raw produce on your plate at every meal.

Nonetheless, I can hear you muttering under your breath: eating fully raw sounds so extreme! Is it possible to be healthy, vibrant and happy on raw plant foods alone? Won't I suffer nutrition deficiencies? To quell these questions, Kristina visited 2-time RRP alumnus Garth Davis, M.D. for a checkup. Here's how it went down:

Forefront in today's conversation is of course diet and nutrition. A fun exchange that probes:

* how eating raw resolved Kristina's hyperglycemia and repaired her health

* the pros & cons of ‘mono-mealing'

* how cultural traditions can lead us astray

* why fruit is unfairly vilified

* why we should support local, organic farming

* tips & tricks to eating raw economically

* the importance of falling in love with yourself; and

* how to live your truth irrespective of public opinion

I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion & look forward to your thoughts in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Time to step it up.

I am excited to announce that today marks my commitment to henceforth deliver two episodes of the RPP per week. Each week, from today forward I will post the show every Sunday night (as usual) plus every Wednesday night (late night Pacific Standard Time). Like today, sometimes it will be a Q&A episode; other times it will be the typical one-on-one guest format. Perhaps some of them will be topic-specific mini-sodes. Time will tell.

To kick off this new and exciting growth phase, Julie and I are back with another installment of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my typical format where we answer questions submitted by you, the listener. I absolutely love this format, primarily because it connects me more deeply and authentically with the global community of people who enjoy the show. Because community is truly what it's all about.

It's been an exciting time for us. In the last few months we launched The Plantpower Way and have been on the road spreading the word. Recently returned from an incredibly fruitful trip to New York City, Julie and I share a little behind the scenes and catch up on where things are headed with the podcast and our commitment to wellness advocacy.

Then the conversation turns to listener submitted inquiries. A conversation that explores:

* Substance Abuse, Co-Dependency in Relationships

* The ‘Self-Full’ Mandate

* Our perspective on Plant Medicine Ceremonies

* Strategies to Uncover, Address & Conquer Fear

* Connecting With The Authentic Self Within

* Adding Site Resources & Community Forum

* The Importance of Good Deeds

The show concludes with I'm Here Now, written and performed by Julie (aka SriMati), accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.

Thank you everyone who submitted the 100's of questions we reviewed. If we didn't get to yours (obviously chances are we didn't), don't be shy & keep them coming. Until we settle on a web-based means of collecting and organizing listener submitted inquiries (if you have ideas on the best way to do this I'm all ears), please send your questions to info@richroll.com and we'll do our best to answer!

I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion & look forward to your thoughts in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This week I'm going out on a limb.

When the opportunity arose to sit down with Tucker Max, I admit to a little discomfort and trepidation. On the one, hand, I was genuinely honored he was interested in doing the show. On the other hand, I wasn't convinced he was the right fit for what I do.

To be sure, Tucker Max is a high performing super-achiever. He is incredibly bright. He is insanely accomplished. And he has millions of fans the world over. Nominated to TIME magazine's “100 Most Influential List” of 2009, Tucker's first book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell* was a #1 New York Times Bestseller, spent 5 years on the list and ultimately sold over 2 million copies. He followed it up with two more books, both of which were also New York Times Bestsellers. Perhaps most impressive? Tucker is one of only three writers — along with Malcolm Gladwell and Michael Lewis — to ever have three books on the New York Times Non-Fiction Bestseller List at the same time.

Tucker Max is a publishing juggernaut.

Irrespective of whatever opinion you may hold about the content of those books, you cannot deny that is a towering achievement.

However, it's these very books, the fratire genre he singlehandedly birthed, and Tucker’s very public persona as America’s foremost bro — well known for his healthy ego, brash opinions and candid chronicling of his outlandish partying exploits – that gave me considered pause.

Do I really want to talk to a guy who wrote a book called Assholes Finish First?* It’s just not my scene. It's not what I’m about. I don’t support those ideas. I'm not interested in that guy. It’s not me.

But what is interesting, and why I ultimately decided to go forward with this interview, is that's not Tucker either. At least not any more.

The Tucker Max of today is not the same hard drinking, hard partying, womanizing Tucker Max that made him famous and rich.

In the wake of his staggering success, Tucker woke up to realize that all the material benefits he worked so hard to attain just weren't quite all they were cracked up to be. None of it made him happy.

So what then? Ego must submit to introspection. Entering a period of honest self-reflection, Tucker took inventory of his life. He underwent psychological analysis. He asked himself the hard questions. What is truly important?

In a word, Tucker Max grew up.

Emerging from that former guy far more self-actualized, Tucker is telling a new story. Retired from fratire writing and the partying lifestyle, Tucker is now happily married (yes, monogamous) with Bishop, his newborn son. Today he is an angel investor and start up entrepreneur with a successful and exciting new venture designed to democratize publishing called Book In A Box. He co-founded and co-hosts The Mating Grounds, a popular podcast designed to help men have successful relationships with women. And September marks the release of his new book

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What's it like to traipse the far outreaches of the globe in search of the the world’s greatest edible food sources for optimal health?

Meet the Indiana Jones of Superfoods.

This week my friend Darin Olien joins me to share insights and wisdom from his extraordinary adventure-based experiences as a widely recognized exotic superfoods hunter, wellness advocate & environmental activist.

Darin's passion was seeded early. Attending his father’s lectures on agricultural business at the University of Minnesota birthed an early appreciation of whole food nutrition. But it wasn't until a football injury sidelined a frustrated young Darin that his curiosity in the relationship between food and health begin to truly take root. A curiosity that began with a simple question:

There must be a better way to heal myself.

The intrigue that evolved from that initial query has been an ongoing, twenty-year plus quest for better, more natural pathways to ultimate wellness. A journey that led Darin to study exotic, indigenous herbs and superfoods from every imaginable port of call across the developing world. Communing with thousands of rural farmers, growers and manufacturers in remote communities across Peru, Bhutan, the Amazon, the Himalayas, the South Pacific, Latin America and Asia, Darin now shepherds high-quality, fair-trade superfoods and herbal commodities to market through his company, Darin’s Naturals.

Perhaps best known for his work with fitness company Beachbody, Darin was instrumental in the development and ongoing formulation of the wildly successful whole-food supplement, Shakeology. He chronicles his experience in his new book Superlife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You healthy, Fit & Eternally Awesome – as well as on his website Superlife.com – where he demystifies health, fitness, nutrition, and longevity into simple daily actions designed to promote life-long wellness.

What is most intriguing to me isn’t just that Darin is a respected authority on the healing potential of food. And it isn't just that he has been instrumental in introducing these so called superfoods to western consumers. What is most interesting is his commitment to do it right. A deep rooted responsibility to fairly, sustainably and transparently support the grower communities and their long-term interests.

Ripped and Malibu sun kissed, Darin more than resembles a plant-based version of his friend and workout buddy Laird Hamilton. So it would be natural to presume he has always been a model of health and fitness. But that presumption would be misplaced. Because for Darin it wasn't always this way. Like all of us, Darin has faced many challenging and relatable life obstacles on his path to living what I think is fair to characterize as his best, most authentic superlife.

At the same time, the term superfoods is prone to cavalier overuse. Are these foods truly “super” or is it all just exaggerated marketing hype?

This is a conversation that explores that issue and so much more.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this exchange with a man who exudes positive energy, passion and enthusiasm for health. I look forward to your thoughts in the comments section below.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Josh LaJaunie is perhaps the most inspirational everyman example of healthy, transformative living I have ever met.

After 151 episodes of the podcast, our first initial conversation back in December of 2013 (RRP 63) is to this day one of the most popular, most downloaded episodes in the history of the show. If you missed it, please make a point of listening to this amazing exchange here.

That conversation transpired on Skype. We had never actually met. Now we have. At Healthfest in Marshall, TX a few months back I had the opportunity to spend an entire weekend with Josh. It was a memorable experience that left me more impressed than ever with this fine young man. Not just because he has overcome tremendous obstacles to restore and maintain his health. Not just because he continues to impressively evolve as an athlete and runner. But because of the exemplary human being he has become. A big spirit who continues to grow. A giant heart and shining example of service — constantly educating and inspiring his loved ones and community at large.

The story — as laid out in his self-penned manifesto “Free Josh LaJaunie”– goes like this:

In November of 2013, this guy I had never heard of called Josh LaJaunie tweeted me his before and after pictures. The change was so astonishing, my first thought was, can this be real? The 400+ pound guy on the left bore almost no resemblance to the guy on the right, a super fit, handsome young man running with a big smile on his face.

Chris Farley had morphed into Bradley Cooper. But how?

On a lark, I invited him on the podcast. I had no idea his story — more importantly his ability to own and tell his story — would be so extraordinary. The experience left me and everyone who tuned in indelibly changed. Ever since, I have felt inexplicably bonded to a guy I never actually met.

In short, Josh accomplished what some would deem impossible, dropping over 200 pounds and a life-long addiction to unhealthy foods & lifestyle habits to discover a passion for running. A journey that led him to completing multiple marathons and more recently his first ultramarathon. He didn't just lose weight. And he didn't just keep the weight off. He became an athlete.

A real athlete.

Most impressive is how he faced, battled and overcame astounding, impossibly entrenched cultural obstacles to change everything about how he lives his life. A gift he now freely and quite joyously shares, permanently transforming the lives of everyone who crosses his path.

Born & bred in southern Louisiana, Josh is a 100% genuine, authentic, self-avowed “swamp dweller” from Bayou Lafourche. A big kid with an even bigger heart surrounded by a loving nuclear and extended family united by their shared adoration of food. Josh was a standout high school football player, recruited to play college ball. But disillusioned by college life in Arkansas, he dropped out of school, only to return home, aimless and unmoored. He found work in the family construction business, but lived for the weekend – time spent hunting, fishing, cheering for his beloved New Orleans Saints, feasting on his favorite local delicacies — po boys...

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Today my friend WuDe returns to the show to drop some mad Zen Buddhist wisdom.

In case you missed it, I strongly encourage you to dial up our first conversation. RRP #87: Art & The Importance of Living Tea is a fascinating deep dive into the world, history, and ancient teachings of tea as a means to glean broader truths about health, healing, community, the environment, and oneness – the universal interconnectedness of everything.

During that initial conversation, we barely scratched the surface with respect to the extensive knowledge and wisdom brimming from WuDe's soul. So when he returned for recent visit to Los Angeles, I jumped on the chance to have him back on the show. A rare opportunity to more fully mine the philosophy and the traditions of Zen Buddhism to help us better navigate our modern lives.

Born in the United States as Aaron Daniel Fisher, Wude was drawn to the East from a very early age. After studying philosophy in college, he traveled the world and ultimately settled in Taiwan, where he has since become a Buddhist monk. A tea master. And the founder of Global Tea Hut– a school and center that harvests tea, educates all comers on the traditions surrounding tea, and welcomes people from all over the world to study the Dao of Tea as a method of spiritual cultivation.

I said it in reference to our first conversation. I'll say it again.

This just might be the most fascinating and soul expanding conversation you will hear all week.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This week marks the return of Garth Davis, MD — a veteran weight loss surgeon who took it upon himself to determine exactly why so many people are plagued by obesity. A quest that led him down a deep research hole to identify the ultimate human diet to maximize and maintain weight loss; optimize human health; and prevent (and even reverse) lifestyle disease — both for himself and his patients (tune in to RRP 50 for our first conversation).

About 7 years ago, the good doctor became his own patient. At the time, he was suffering from high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a fatty liver. In other words, he was downright sick; headed towards a future plagued by obesity and chronic illness. Ironic, yes. But not surprising given the demanding hours of the surgeon lifestyle, lack of exercise, a preference for salty, fatty foods, and the convenience of fast food options in the hospital cafeteria. In fact, there was a Wendy's in the University of Michigan hospital where Garth did his internship and residency, resulting in a daily dose of double cheeseburgers — a habit he maintained for years.

Let's just say I can relate.

Current conventional wisdom in his field is that overweight patients should adopt a very low carb, low to no fruit, high protein diet — hop on board the ketosis bandwagon. Like many, and without inquiring further, Garth simply bought into this idea as truth. He even wrote a book in 2007 advocating this approach to food, called The Experts Guide To Weight Loss Surgery*.

The only problem? This approach to diet failed him and many other friends, colleagues and patients. He knew there had to be a better solution. And his patients needed help beyond knee-jerk surgery. Finally ready for a personal change, he took it upon himself to research — truly research — nutrition for the first time.

His study became an obsession. The more he delved into the peer reviewed work, the more convinced he became that there is absolutely no legitimate science to back the long-term health claims surrounding the strongly held belief that if we want to be thin and healthy we should eat a high protein low carbohydrate diet.

What did he find? If we want to prevent obesity and disease; attain and maintain ideal weight management; and achieve true optimal health and long-term wellness, we need to embrace our inner herbivore.

Sound far-fetched? Before you balk, understand that (much like me) adopting a plant-based lifestyle absolutely revolutionized Garth's health beyond what he could have imagined. Not only did he drop the weight that plagued him for years, all of his blood markers suddenly and quite magically normalized. His allergies vanished. His sleep improved, his energy levels skyrocketed and he got off his statin medications. In short, he finally began to walk his talk. As his life began to turn around, he wanted to be an example to his patients. For the first time in his life, he began exercising.

Then he did the extraordinary. Despite never having been an athlete, in 2011 he completed Ironman Texas in 12 hours and 6 minutes.

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\UPDATE: July 26, 2015. He did it. Yesterday I had the great honor and privilege of running the final marathon with James, and watching him cross the finish line on his 50th ironman in 50 states in 50 days to the deafening cheers of over 1,000 fans in attendance. What James has accomplished isn't just stunning — it's truly one of the greatest achievements in the history of (voluntary) human endurance. We made plans to do a follow up podcast today, but alas he lost his voice taking the time to talk to all his fans late into the evening last night. However, I promise we will reconvene very soon so I can bring you the full story, pillar to post. Until then, please enjoy this prefatory conversation.

People roll their eyes in incredulity when I tell them about my experience completing 5 ironman-distance triathlons on five Hawaiian Islands in under a week. If you are one of those people, brace yourself. This week's guest will blow the lid off everything you thought you knew about human potential. The capacity to suffer. And the will to endure.

James Lawrence — aka the Iron Cowboy — is a husband. A proud father of five kids. And an athlete with two Guinness World Records in triathlon: most 70.3 races in a calendar year (22 in 30 weeks) and most Ironman triathlons in a calendar year (30).

Nonetheless, James is restless. He knows he is capable of so much more.

So just two weeks from today, on June 6, 2015 the Iron Cowboy will strive for the seemingly impossible when he attempts a challenge so mind numbing I get delirious just thinking about it:

50 Ironman courses, 50 consecutive days, through all 50 States.

You read it correctly. James' impending adventure is literally 10x the magnitude and degree of difficulty of anything I have personally experienced — a challenge that will test James' mind, body and soul beyond anything I can personally fathom.

The best part? He is inviting everyone to join with him.

This week I sit down with James to sort it all out:

* what inspired his lunatic fringe;

* how he is preparing physically, mentally, emotionally;

* the “whys” behind the hows and whats;

* how he balances his training and racing with professional & family life

I found James to be surprisingly grounded; extremely gracious; and quite large at heart. But if I am being completely honest, I have serious doubts about the plausibility of him succeeding in his 50/50/50 quest. I have no doubt James can do 50 Ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states. It's the 50 days part that gets me. Because it leaves absolutely zero room for error. None. And if there is one thing I know about adventures of this ilk, error is an indispensable part if the equation. It's not if something will go wrong. The question is when.

Please don't misunderstand. I'm a fan. James is one of the good guys. Someone easy to pull for. I want to see him succeed and you will too. So let's get behind James and his extraordinary goal.

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Philosopher. Author. Futurist. Counter culture provocateur.

Described as a mashup of James Merrill, H. P. Lovecraft, and Carlos Castaneda, I was first introduced to Daniel Pinchbeck through his rather fascinating metaphysical study of prophesy in 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl*– a book that explored humanity's precarious balance between greater self-potential and environmental disaster.

Raised by Beat generation parents — his mother dated Jack Kerouac around the time On The Road exploded on the scene – Daniel’s roots in the New York counterculture movement run deep. Throughout the 1990s, Pinchbeck matured into a member of New York's literary select. He wrote for publications such as The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Rolling Stone and Harper's Bazaar.

But slowly something happened. As he approached his late twenties, he describes falling into a deep spiritual crisis fueled by a frustration with the inherent shortcomings of mainstream media and a friend's sudden passing due to a heroin overdose. Despair ultimately led him to an investigation of shamanism. Embracing metaphysical belief systems, his psyche and body began to open to the mystical. His first book, Breaking Open the Head*, chronicled these experiences and observations from a first hand perspective and was heralded as the most significant on psychedelic experimentation since the work of Terence McKenna.

Today, everything Mayan, shamanistic and post-modern psychedelia seems to always point to this uniquely perspicacious, probing mind. And I think it's fair to say that Daniel is considered a leading pioneer of the post-modern psychedelic movement, advocating a measured, responsible exploration of shamanistic cultural rites and the substances they employ to expand consciousness.

If Daniel is anything, he is a maverick, persistently challenging social, political, economic and cultural paradigms. A man searching for answers both personal and global, his insights are both provocative and fascinating, and more often than not imbued with hope for a better (if not idealized) future world.

A confession: Daniel has a prodigious intellect. I admit to being a bit intimidated. Moreover, I have no experience with psychedelics, and as a sober person in recovery it is unlikely I ever will. So I was unsure as to whether interviewing him would be a good idea or even appropriate for this show. But the opportunity arose and I couldn't imagine passing it up.

I’m glad I didn’t. Much like my recent conversation with Tom Hardin, this episode marks a departure into new terrain for me. On a personal level, I found Daniel to be engaging, introspective and not surprisingly possessed with the rare ability to muse on a vastly diverse array of challenging themes.

This is a fascinating — albeit at times challenging — mind-bender deep dive into Daniel's paradigm breaking vision.

Enjoy!

Rich

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It's time to explore what it takes to be competitive in one of the most popular professional sports in the United States — NASCAR.

Meet Landon Cassill.

Driver. Triathlete. Husband. Plant-based.

Racing as far back as he can remember, at just 19 years of age Landon burst onto the national scene as the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year. In 2013, he broke the track record at the famous Gresham Motorsports Park track. Now 25, Landon pilots the #40 Chevrolet SS for the Hillman-Circle Sport LLC team and the #01 Flex Seal Chevrolet for JDMotorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Beyond Will Ferrell's turn in Talledega Nights, NASCAR (make that auto racing in general) is a world I know close to nothing about. So it was really fun to sit down with Charlotte-based Landon to explore his personal story; the very specific and peculiar culture of NASCAR; what it really takes to professionally toe the line at prestigious races like the Daytona 500; and how diet and triathlon have come to play a crucial role in Landon’s daily success equation.

Extremely likable and humble beyond expectation, I think it's fair to say this Iowa-bred young man is a fine living example of solid midwestern values and what can transpire when lifelong passion meets true drive, keen focus and a Malcolm Gladwell-esque 10,000+ hours of very hard work, sweat and determination.

This is a great conversation that explores:

* the athleticism, skill, technology and funding required to excel as a professional driver;

* myth & reality behind NASCAR stereotypes;

* the nexus between mindfulness and driving;

* how triathlon informs driving performance;

* swim training with Olympians Ryan Lochte, Cullen Jones & Tyler Clary;

* his decision to go plant-based;

* plant-based fueling for athletic performance;

* strategies for optimal nutrition when traveling; and

* what he drives when not racing (the answer will surprise you)

On May 24, Landon will be racing the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After competing in NASCAR's longest and most challenging test of man and machine, Landon will pioneer an entirely new form of endurance multi-sport when he jumps out of his car post-race, laces up his running shoes and tacks on an additional 14 miles for the day with a run from Charlotte Motor Speedway to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The Cassil 614 will kick off Snap Fitness’s “Snap Serves” summer campaign, which honors those who have served in the military and encourages people around the country to start their fitness journey.

Between now and Landon's big day, do me a solid and let's pump him up for this challenge by giving him a supportive shout out on Twitter at @landoncassill.

I genuinely hope you enjoy this glimpse into the passionate life of Landon Cassill — my version of Talledega Nights.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This week we explore some very new terrain.

Let's kick it off with the Greek myth of Icarus.

As the story goes, Daedalus — a master craftsman best known for building King Minos' labyrinth to trap the Minotaur — plied his talent to construct a pair of wax and feather wings to help him and his son Icarus escape from Minos' vendetta (it's a long story) and Crete altogether.

Being the good father he was, Daedalus pled with his son not to fly too close to the sun for fear that the heat would melt the wings. But as sons are wont to do, Icarus ignored his father’s advice.

The rest is history. The heat indeed melted Icarus' wings, sending him into a deathly free fall collision with the sea which today bears his name, the Ikarian Sea near Ikaria — ironically one of the Blue Zones as described in my recent podcast conversation with Dan Buettner.

As most know, this is an age-old remonstration about ambition. A tragic allegory about the perils of hubris, particularly when fueled by a sense of entitlement, and perhaps sprinkled with a light dusting of denial.

These are all very human traits of course. And if today's guest is anything, he is quite human indeed.

Tom Hardin was a highly motivated young guy with a big bright future and Wall Street aspirations. After graduating from the prestigious Wharton School of Business, he was on track to achieve his dream when he landed in the fast paced hedge fund world and quickly rose through the ranks.

But it wasn’t long before Tom felt he was falling behind – lacking that mysterious competitive ‘edge’ so many others seemed to freely enjoy (without repercussion) to their reward in untold millions.

What was that edge? If you ask Tom, he will tell you the not so secret to success within the insular hedge fund world meant having a network of inside sources willing to share reliable confidential information about companies they worked for or with.

Everybody's doing it. Nobody's getting caught. I'm falling behind.

Then one day Tom got a call from an investor colleague named Roomy Khan – a woman with some pretty juicy insider tips.

The timing was right. Tom was primed. And that fateful moment arose. That moment when you make a decision to take a very small step over a very important line. A decision you simply cannot undo. Not now, not ever.

For Tom, it started with taking a few small crumbs off the table. An imperceptible insider trade here, another one there. Until one day, the previously unthinkable became easy. Almost too easy.

Capitalizing on a handful of secrets fed by Khan and others about companies like Google, 3Com and Hilton Hotels, Tom's flight towards the sun escalated to the tune of $1.7 million in gains for his fund and $46K in personal profits.

Then in July 2008, while dropping of his dry cleaning one morning, Tom felt a tap on the shoulder. A tap that would alter the trajectory of his life forever.

Like a scene out of a movie, Tom turned to face two FBI agents boxing him in with with a Hobson's choice – either get in the back of the black sedan for a trip downtown, or start providing actionable information on those higher up the food chain.

Panicked and heart pounding, he immediately opted for the latter.

Ultimately, Tom became one of the most prolific informants in securities fraud history. Soon infamous as the mysterious, unnamed Tipper X, Tom spent the next several years wiretapping and documenting the illegal misdeeds of friends and c...

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When the question turns to living your truth, this first line from Timothy Shieff's self-authored bio says it all:

I'm a Human practicing Being.

Widely considered one of the world’s best Freerunners (more commonly referred to as parkour), Timothy — aka Livewire — specializes in a death and gravity defying skill set that leaves mere mortals agape. Scaling buildings and leaping off rooftops with effortless grace, Tim is a perfect physical manifestation of focus, coordination, strength, agility and fearlessness.

Indeed, this proper and polite young English lad can do things you can’t. And yet his expression is fueled not by competitive drive, but by something deeper. Tim's particular brand of parkour is subversive. Reframing the inanimate building, rooftop, curb or railing, Tim inverts the human relationship between human and object. Truly a social and political performance artist, Tim leaves me inspired to live more harmoniously with our ever-changing environment.

Despite captaining Team Europe to a world championship on American Ninja Warrior (and setting records along the way), Tim's athleticism runs a distant second to his passion for advocacy. A powerful young voice in the vegan movement, Tim wakes up every morning enthusiastic to not only expand his own horizons, but inspire others to do the same.

But more than any of this, it's Tim's spirit that moves me, and why I'm so proud to introduce his return to the RRP. In case you missed it, be sure to check out my first conversation with Tim — RRP #86.

Intelligent and articulate beyond his years, my hope is that this conversation leaves you with a new mindfulness and perspective on your path and priorities; pondering the impact of our consumer choices on the planet; and questioning culturally entrenched assumptions about the relationship between nutrition and extraordinary athletic performance.

I genuinely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This week marks the return of my friend Casey Neistat to the podcast.

Where to even begin…

As a filmmaker credentialed with co-creating an HBO series and laurels from prestigious outlets like Cannes, Sundance and the Independent Spirit Awards, one would expect an artist of his pedigree to be directing feature films, documentaries and television shows for mainstream media. And yet sometime around 2010, Casey opted for the road less travelled, putting the traditional filmmaker path in his rearview to blaze a different and quite surprising path more in alignment with his DIY sensibilities:

YouTube.

The great irony is that in embracing the most democratic of platforms as his primary artistic outlet, Casey has indeed become one of the most compelling and culturally relevant voices of his generation.

From his sensational “Make It Count” (my fave) to his poignant “What Would You Do with $25,000?” to his gleeful “Snowboard NYC”, Casey has logged over 129 million YouTube views, compelling Wired Magazine to remark, “Casey Neistat’s bite-size Internet movies have so much viral potential they make influenza jealous.” Let's not even get into his continent-sized following on Snapchat (check out his ancillary Snap Stories YouTube Channel ), or the fact that he recently began posting a daily vlog so stellar, suddenly every other vlogger looks remedial. 

Putting out a volume of content that would rival a major network, Casey Neistat is truly a do-it-yourself triumph — famed and fêted for unceasingly documenting his life, globe-trotting adventures and myriad curiosities with boundless perspicacity and bootstrapping panache.

So what is it exactly that makes Casey's work so irresistible? Maybe it's simply because he knows how to tell insanely great personal stories. Perhaps it's his rapier-like knack for tapping the zeitgeist pulse. His fidelity to authenticity. Or his expertise when it comes to connecting emotionally with a signature style that always leaves you yearning for more.

If you ask me what sets Casey apart, it's something else entirely:

an absolute disregard for failure.

That, and a profound work ethic. He makes it look easy, but make no mistake: Casey Neistat works way harder than you do.

No, you can't have his life. But you can have your own. To echo Casey, if you are doing it like everyone else, you're doing it wrong. So stop following the heard.

Define your own path.

It was a treat to once again drop in on his singular Lower Manhattan studio — “one of the most compulsively organized, ridiculously customized, and mind-bogglingly gear-saturated spaces on Planet Awesome” — and I am pumped to share this conversation with one of the most interesting, creative, prolific — and in my opinion important — visual artists working today.

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I have some serious sustainability concerns about doing two podcasts a week. It's just an absurd amount of work. But I'm keeping my promise. Plus, I'm having fun. So here we go with another round of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my typical long-form interview format where we speak to the issues you want addressed.

This is my way of deepening my connection with the global community of people who enjoy the show. And community is the very thing that carries the potential energy to truly shift cultural paradigms across the globe, one listener at a time.

Today marks one week until our new book The Plantpower Way* hits stores all across North America. It's been quite a mind blowing journey to arrive at this quite privileged place, so Julie and I check in on where things currently stand in our Herculean attempt to launch a plant-based lifestyle primer into the mainstream.

Long story short? Everything is going great. To be totally transparent, today we eclipsed 4,000 books pre-sold and over 1.5 million in social reach on our Thunderclap campaign. Unbelievable!

This is because of you. The support you have given us is beyond what we could have ever imagined, so please know that our appreciation runs deep. Very deep.

And yet much work remains to be done. If we want to hit the NY Times Bestseller List and catapult the book — and the plant-based movement — into the cultural zeitgeist, we need to sell at least 7,000 books before May 1.

We simply cannot do this alone. So far the TODAY Show hasn't called. We're getting no love from Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, John Stewart or any other major national news outlet. So when I say we are relying on you — the community — to step up and help get the word out and make this happen, I f*$ing mean it.

If you are a fan of the podcast and all the content I work tirelessly to provide free each week, this is your moment of reckoning. The fact that our amazing pre-order gift bundles expire on April 28 should be enough self-serving motivation to act. But if not, consider this: despite your assumed personal proclivity for all things wellness, right now millions of people across the world are sick; stuck in a downward spiral of negative eating and lifestyle habits that promote disease and are unnecessarily killing us. 70% of Americans are obese or overweight. 1 out of every 3 Americans will die of heart disease. By 2030, 50% of us will be diabetic or pre-diabetic. Meanwhile America is exporting this lifestyle overseas with reckless abandon. And yet 80-90% of chronic lifestyle illness is preventible or reversible via simple diet and lifestyle changes.

The Plantpower Way is the solution to this insanity.

This not hyperbole. If my story means anything, it's that sustainable health and well being is accessible and available to us all, irrespective of age or circumstance. And I promise that this book will get you there — the most powerful, life altering gift you can give to yourself; to your loved ones; to your children; to our animal friends; and to the planet.

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I was first introduced to meditation and mindfulness principles 17 years ago during my 100-day voluntary incarceration in what is more amiably referred to as rehab.

Initially, I balked at the concept. How can stillness possibly improve my life?

Intellectually, I attributed every decent personal achievement not to innate talent, let alone some intangible force of the Universe. Instead I credited my prodigious work ethic — a huge capacity to grind harder and longer than my peers. Get up early. Stay late. Put in the extra mile. Repeat. Never stop.

Do more.

At best, stillness meant stasis. Mostly I wrote it off as regressive — wasted time lost. The purview of flaky, new-age hippies who couldn't begin to fathom my logic-based intellect, understand my terminally unique life problems, nor comprehend how I successfully navigated the world.

Always good for a solid re-sizing, my rehab counselor — let's call him Hugh because that's his name — reminded me of one simple, powerful fact:

My best thinking landed me in a mental institution.

That blast of truth and humility fell on my head like a ton of bricks. In recovery, they call it self-will run riot. And that was me, in a nutshell — a desperate hope to die alcoholic. A broken young man who had squandered promise and destroyed his life, literally tightrope walking the divide that separates life and death.

Hardly a vision for you, It was time to try something different.

Surrender.

At the time, I perceived this concept as synonymous with defeat. Anathema to my core idea of who I was. But Hugh was right. I was out of options, with only one saving grace — willingness. So I (quite reluctantly) released my resistance. I let go of logic. I opened myself to possibilities beyond the rational, to something perhaps entirely unknowable. And in so doing, my life didn't just change, it transformed wholesale — dramatically and irrevocably improving every aspect of my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well being.

I wish I could tell you that from that day forward I devoted myself to a daily meditation practice.

That didn't happen.

Newly sober, life quickly got better. Priorities rearranged, and that willingness to surrender — the one character trait that had saved me — started to wane until the very thing that had been so indisputably beneficial to my overall sense of self had been relegated to back seat status — a convenient tool relied upon only when life got complicated, but hardly a consistent mainstay. Despite great appreciation for the benefits of meditation, consistency and momentum eluded me. For many years, I would practice only in spurts as a last ditch salve to alleviate some form of emotional pain.

Then about six months ago, I discovered Headspace– a mobile app and digital platform (boasting over 1 million users) pre-packaged with an endless rotation of very accessible, secular guided meditation programs all pleasantly voiced by the company's founder and today's guest, Andy Puddicombe.

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It's been a while, but Julie and I are finally back with another installment of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my typical format where we answer questions submitted by you, the listener. I absolutely love this format, primarily because it connects me more deeply and authentically with the global community of people who enjoy the show. Because community is truly what it's all about.

This is an exciting time for us. We have been working super hard getting everything ready for the impending release of The Plantpower Way, so we thought it would be fun to share a little behind the scenes on why we wrote the book; the collaborative and often intense two-year process undertaken to create it; the insane amount of effort and diligence required to launch a book into the mainstream; and our ultimate aspirations for the work.

Then the conversation turns to listener submitted inquiries. A conversation that explores:

parenting tips for temperamental teenagers;

the nutritional needs of athletic plant-based kids;

the journey towards service & mentorship;

tips for starting a podcast based on Rich's experience;

gender challenges faced in the wellness lifestyle;

pursuing a plant-based lifestyle on a budget;

the impact of increasing nutrient density on appetite & cravings; and culminates with

In the Sun- an original song by SriMati (aka Julie)

It was really fun to once again sit down with Julie — my wife and co-collaborator — to engage with the audience first hand, hashing out free-form the subjects you care about most. Thank you everyone who submitted the 100's of questions we reviewed. If we didn't get to yours (obviously chances are we didn't), nonetheless please keep them coming. I plan on doing many more supplemental Q&A focused editions of the show (both with Julie and surprise guest hosts), so don't be shy. Fire your queries off to info@richroll.com and we'll do our best to answer!

I sincerely hope you enjoy the offering.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Newsflash: heart disease is still America’s #1 killer.

Despite groundswell interest in all things wellness, the incidence of atherosclerotic disease is at an all-time high. One out of every two people in the United States will suffer some form of cardiac ailment. And one out of every three people will actually die of heart disease. Meanwhile, we are exporting the standard American diet overseas like it's the next blockbuster installment of The Avengers. The result? The developing world is now facing rates of lifestyle-related illness unprecedented in the history of humankind.

This is a disaster.

The great irony of course is that 80-90% of chronic illnesses like atherosclerosis, type-2 diabetes and obesity are preventible and oftentimes even reversible via simple diet and lifestyle alterations.

I can preach all day, but to truly capture the attention of the mainstream, catalyze seismic cultural change and put an end to avoidable disease, we desperately need more highly qualified medical professionals who understand the complicated mechanisms that lead to these diseases and are compelled to implement the preventive measures required to combat and avoid them.

This is where cardiologist Robert Ostfeld, MD comes in.

A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a medical degree from Yale and a Masters in Epidemiology from Harvard, Dr. Ostfeld did his internship and residency at prestigious Massachusetts General Hospital and his cardiology fellowship and research fellowship in Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital – both teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School.

An insanely smart dude with mad skills and a bulletproof resume, Robert had his pick of the litter when it came to choosing where to hang his professional hat. Most would have chosen the highest paying, most coveted cardiology department in the country. But this guy had different plans. Instead, Robert headed north of Manhattan to The Bronx to work with underprivileged populations at Montefiore Hospital, while also serving as Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

That right there says a lot about what kind of guy Robert is. But there's more to the story.

Despite training with the best at Yale and Harvard, Robert was nonetheless left with little understanding when it came to nutrition. For years thereafter, he applied evidence-based medicine, recommended a “healthier” lifestyle (which typically included a Mediterranean-style diet), and watched somewhat helplessly as his patients’ diseases all too often progressed. Frustrated and dissatisfied with his patients' consistent inability to achieve true health, he started to search for alternative means of combating chronic disease.

This search led him to The China Study* by T. Colin Campbell; 

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Somewhere along the way, you've likely heard of something called the Blue Zones — a term coined in reference to five hidden slivers of the world that boast the highest per capita populations of centenarians – people who thrive to 100 and beyond. Unlikely locales were people not only live inordinately long, but also seem resoundingly happier than their fellow western world equals.

Places where people forgot to die.

This is the work of my friend Dan Buettner.

A renaissance man in the truest sense, Dan transcends categorization. Global adventurer. Three-time Guinness Book world record holding endurance cyclist. National Geographic Fellow. Multiple New York Times bestselling author. A wellness and longevity superhero, Dan has keynoted speeches for Bill Clinton’s Health Matters Initiative, Google Zeitgeist, and TEDMED. He's appeared on Oprah twice and his TED Talk “How to live to be 100+” has been viewed over 2 million times.

Without mincing words, Dan is my hero. A man who exudes life. A man with huge vision. And a man whose life work has positively, permanently and quite unequivocally improved the well being of millions.

You might have caught Dan on The TODAY Show (which is featuring segments on Dan and his work throughout the week), read about him in last Sunday's PARADE magazine, seen him on NBC News or caught him on CNN's The Wonder List a few weeks ago. The common theme of these stories? Grappling with the lifestyle tenets that govern Blue Zone cultures as a means to help the rest of us live longer and better.

According to Dan, Blue Zone cultures extending wellness into Ponce De Leon territory all live in accordance with 9 identifiable, convergent lifestyle principles (listed in the show notes below). Principles that are replicable on both the individual and civic level, as demonstrated by Dan's Blue Zones Project– a community well-being improvement initiative that has wholly transformed 20 cities and municipalities to date by implementing permanent changes to environment, policy, and social networks that make healthy choices easier.

The Blue Zones Solution*, Dan's new book out this week, is a highly detailed primer that extrapolates from these principles powerful eating and lifestyle tools to transform your health.

Enjoy!

Rich

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We are all born compassionate. And we carry this powerful, inherent trait through adulthood. But often this deeply ingrained impulse becomes repressed — quelled by childhood trauma; eroded by social constraints; overwhelmed by the harried gestalt of daily life and the denial that accompanies our compulsion for convenience and immediate gratification.

Today's guest is a powerful reminder of who we really are. A call to action to better align this core value of compassion with the countless choices we make daily that dictate how we live our lives. To be more mindful about not only what we what eat, but what we do; the hows and whys behind our behavior; and the implications of personal choice on both ourselves and the world at large.

How to describe my friend Gene Baur? Hailed as the “conscience of the food movement” by TIME magazine, this is a guy who has spent the last 25 years traveling extensively around the country, campaigning to raise awareness about the abuses of industrialized factory farming and our current food system. Humanitarian, environmentalist, activist, undercover investigator and best-selling author, Gene is most well known as the president & co-founder of Farm Sanctuary. The first animal rescue organization dedicated to farmed animals, Farm Sanctuary shelters in New York and California provide rescue, refuge, and adoption for hundreds of farm animals each year, enabling visitors to connect with farm animals as emotional, intelligent individuals. Gene believes these animals stand as ambassadors for the billions on factory farms who have no voice, and he has dedicated his career to advocating on their behalf.

He's so handsome it makes me jealous, yet I can't help but love everything about this guy. He's a beautiful soul. And he's a darn good plant-based marathon runner & ironman athlete to boot.

Now for some context. This show is no stranger to people with strong points of view. But Gene was the first true animal rights activist I interviewed (in case you missed it, you can listen to our premier conversation from June 2013 here. I’m the first to admit that my original reasons for going vegan were far more selfish than ethical. Understanding that animal rights isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea, I admit to having some trepidation about publishing that interview.

But that was 2013. In truth, that conversation changed me. Gene really disarmed what I would consider willful blindness when it came to so many facets regarding how our world functions. Today I have a very different lens on the issues that spark Gene's passion. Today, I can't imagine not sharing Gene's perspective.

For me this marks personal growth. The evolution-revolution that is the hallmark of this journey I undertook eight years ago. Because the more educated I become about how our food system actually functions to deliver meals to our plates, the more interested and outspoken I have become about advocating for change. And the more strident and diligent I have become about aligning my daily personal decisions and consumer choices with a more compassionate and communitarian set of core values.

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I'm really excited to have Robin Arzón back on the show this week. From corporate lawyer to ambassador of sweat and swagger, Robin brings the heat with unique personal style and an unwavering confidence that is matched only by her unlimited vivaciousness. In the event you missed it, I highly recommend going back and listening to our first conversation, RRP #99. You also might want to go back and read (or re-read) the blog post I wrote for that one, because it's kind of awesome.

Longtime listeners know Robin is all about story. The power of story. How to properly own your story. How to properly tell your story. The capacity for story to catalyze positive change in others. And the capability we all inherently have to let go of whatever negative story we tell ourselves about ourselves — and instead form an entirely new one.

To recap, only three years ago Robin was living a completely different life — toiling away as a corporate lawyer at one of the world’s most prestigious law firms. But a near-death experience being held hostage at gunpoint several years prior gave her the courage to not only begin a new chapter of her life, but to — you guessed it — tell an entirely new story about herself.

Robin jumped out on her secure career without a parachute, soared on faith arms spread wide and glided down to a graceful landing on the downtown streets of lower Manhattan like a glorious bird of prey clad in blinding color and a pair of chartreuse running shoes.

How do you describe someone who defies definition itself? Robin is so many things I struggle to find words to capture a spirit that can only be properly understood by experiencing her first hand. Nonetheless, I'll give it a shot. Today Robin is a NYC-based urban, bridge-running force of nature; an accomplished ultramarathoner (she once ran 5 marathons in 5 days across Utah); a running coach; a cycling instructor; and a consultant to some of the biggest brands in the world, like Nike, Adidas and Puma. Not enough? She's also a lifestyle entrepreneur as well the co-founder and publisher of a relatively new magazine called UNDO. Where sweat meets culture, it's a gorgeous, high quality production that can be found worldwide in places like Urban Outfitters.

But Robin is not immune from obstacles. About a year ago, she faced a unforeseen new challenge: Type 1 Diabetes. Not one to let her illness limit, let alone define her, Robin navigates this setback with the poised demeanor she meets everything — simply another opportunity to empower and inspire others to get out of their comfort zone and, in Robin's words:

do epic shit.

As a father of two little girls, I am inspired by her shining example of positive female empowerment. It gives me hope. And she never fails to put a smile on my face while simultaneously challenging my own preconceptions about what is possible for both myself and others.

This conversation picks up where RRP #99 left off, delving further into Robin's story.

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Right now this spinning land mass we call Earth is host to over 7 billion hungry human mouths to feed. Our current set up for handling this relentless, growing need isn't just problematic, it's broken, outdated technology that is making us sick and decimating the planet at an unfathomable rate.

If we want to preserve a vibrant planet for future generations, it is imperative we find better, more innovative, more economic, more compassionate, more sustainable ways to sate the population.

This is a long way of saying it's high time for a paradigm shift.

If you listened to my podcast with Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn – the guys behind the highly compelling documentary Cowspiracy (I implore you to check out both the podcast and the film if you haven't already), then you already know that industrialized animal agriculture is our #1 environmental threat — far more deleterious to planetary health than transportation or fracking and the current leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction.

Adopting a plant-based diet is the single most powerful thing we can do as consumers to take a stand against this insanity. But to truly solve this problem we need to first acknowledge that we have a serious protein fixation. Facilitating a mass cultural shift away from our strong preference towards an animal-centric diet requires more than a simple plea to go vegan. To truly break the paradigm we need phenomenal food alternatives with mainstream appeal. Products that aren't just more sustainable and consciously harvested, but inventive products that rival, if not altogether outdo our appetite for beef, chicken, fish and eggs in not just nutritional content, but in flavor, taste and texture as well.

The good news is that there are super intelligent, highly motivated people hard at work on just this — innovating brand new ways to improve human health, positively impact climate change, address global resource constraints and improve animal welfare with products, which for lack of a better phrase, simply taste good.

Ethan Brown is one such innovator.

Conceived in 2009 as a potential solution to problems he saw with the meat industry, Ethan founded Beyond Meat with a singular goal — to produce plant-based food products that would essentially replicate meat in an effort to render some of the downsides of the meat industry obsolete.

In the same way last week's podcast guest Joshua Katcher implicitly understands that ethically manufactured garments must outmatch their less sustainable comparisons in fashion flair, Ethan understands that to win mainstream hearts and minds, his food products need more than satisfy the palates of enthusiastic carnivores.

Backed by heavy hitters like Bill Gates and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, it's not a stretch to say Ethan is well on his way to achieving this goal. Food impresario Alton Brown called Beyond Meat's Chicken Strips “more like meat than anything...

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We talk quite often about food on this podcast — particularly the health, environmental and ethical implications our collective dietary choices and the global impact of the industrialized food industry on the same.

But you might be less consciously aware of the massive extent to which the garment industry impacts a wide range of concerns from global climate change to animal welfare to ethics and beyond.

Fashion is a world that desperately needs an environmentally consci tion. Joshua and his work is part of that solution — leveraging forward-thinking, modern textiles and progressive, business practices that embrace fashion and aesthetics to bring consumers beautiful, better and quite honestly, more ethically imagined and manufactured garments for us to enjoy.

This is a really interesting talk about:

* the complex intersection of ethics, aesthetics and fashion;

* the social norms and parameters that define masculinity;

* why fur is the furthest thing from cool;

* what really goes into creating garments from wool;

* the environmental impact of raising animals for clothing;

* the advent of more sustainable and ethically manufactured materials for garments; and

* the realities behind what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the garment industry.

Highly intelligent, hyper-articulate and of course always bespoke, Joshua is an outstanding ambassador and aesthete of modern fashion modalities, not to mention badass at CrossFit to boot. It's my honor to share my friend Joshua's message and experience with you and my hope is that you will come away from this conversation more enlightened and educated when it comes to aligning your consumerism with your values. I did.

Even if fashion is not your thing, trust me. This compelling exchange just might surprise you. I sincerely hope you enjoy the offering.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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From a young, troubled gang member facing an almost certain future of jails and institutions to becoming one of today's freshest voices in the conscious media movement, the life arc of Preston Smiles is something to behold. So it's a pleasure to welcome my friend back to the podcast.

Inspirational speaker. Motivational messenger. Fount of creative positivity. All around solid, loving dude.

If you are relatively new to the RRP, I strongly suggest rewinding the podcast back to my first sit down with today's guest (RRP #103) for the full Preston Smiles lowdown and origin story — a conversation that ranks right up there amongst some of the most popular and downloaded episodes in the history of the show.

I am proud to share this powerful conversation with you today. A conversation that traverses a tapestry of mental, emotional and spiritual topics and truisms, including healthy strategies for:

* navigating relationship pitfalls;

* overcoming the scarcity mentality;

* learning how to access, attract and accept abundance into your life; and

* why none of us should be afraid to love loudly in our quest to embrace our highest self.

I'm a better dude for having Preston in my life. I truly enjoyed this conversation and sincerely hope you do too.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Futurist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke famously said, the only way to find the limits of the possible is by going beyond them to the impossible. An apropos theme for my conversation with Jennifer Steinman, a documentary filmmaker who spent well over a year following four seemingly normal, far from professional athletes as they prepare for and undertake one of the most grueling, backbreaking endurance challenges on the planet — a collection of ultra-distance adventure footraces teetering on the absurd dubbed the 4 Desert Series.

WHAT IS THE 4 DESERTS?

Named by TIME magazine as one of the world's Top 10 Endurance Competitions, the 4 Deserts is the world's leading rough-country endurance footrace series. A unique collection of world-class events that take place over 7 days and 250 kilometers in the largest and most forbidding deserts on the planet.

Jennifer has a more poetic take on this lunatic fringe:

Imagine you’ve been dropped off in the middle of one of the largest, driest deserts in the World. Over the next six days you will have to run, jog, walk or crawl 155 miles through incessant heat, across soft sand and hard-packed gravel, over sand dunes multiple stories high and down razor-sharp rocky cliffs. You must do this carrying everything you need to survive — clothes, food, sunscreen, emergency medical supplies, sleeping bag — in a 20-pound pack on your back.

Now imagine doing this not just once, but four times in one calendar year, through the driest, windiest, hottest, coldest and ultimately the most treacherous four deserts in the world: the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Gobi Desert in China, the Sahara in Egypt … and then, the final stage, a 150-mile footrace across the single most inhospitable landscape in the world: The Last Desert in Antarctica.

Any single race in RacingThePlanet’s 4Desert Ultramarathon Series is an extraordinary, life-threatening challenge– something we would only expect the most accomplished, elite athletes on the planet to try. But most of the courageous men and women who come from all over the world to compete in these Herculean events are not professional athletes at all, they’re ordinary people—people with families and day jobs and mortgage payments– people like you and me who have decided, for a variety of personal reasons, to take on this extreme physical challenge.

Why do they do it?

This week's guest set out to answer this question. The result is Desert Runners– a feature length character-driven documentary that follows a remarkable collection of brave souls on an extraordinary year-long adventure, racing to the four corners of the Earth.

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Let's talk about food. Despite all the diet and nutrition content I consistently and freely generate, Julie and I are still inundated daily with inquiries like:

So what exactly do you guys eat?

How can I get my kids to make healthier choices?

Is it possible to eat healthy on a budget?

How can I overcome my cravings for unhealthy foods?

And of course…Where do you get your protein?

It's questions like these that led to an epiphany: I think it's time for the next book.

A cookbook.

However, there is is no shortage of amazing plant-based cookbooks already available. What could Julie and I possibly bring to this conversation that hasn't already been said?

After pouring through all the cookbooks at our local Barnes & Noble, we made a rather shocking discovery — not a single plant-based cookbook seemed to speak directly to the primary concerns of the typical modern family.

So we started to think about how we could fill this gap by providing real, tangible guidance for the soccer moms and softball playing dads with young kids just looking to live a little healthier. Normal people searching for a simple, solid roadmap to make better choices at the market and in the kitchen. A book that would really address the true needs of everyday, budget-conscious folks too busy to study nutrition yet seeking easy-to-implement answers. A book that would guide, educate and inspire people to adopt healthier eating and lifestyle habits and instill such habits in their children.

Visualizing such a book was easy. Because it's just a natural, authentic extension of our every day family lifestyle. A lifestyle we call The Plantpower Way.

It's taken more than two years of solid focused work to get this book right. So this week Julie and I thought it would be fun sit down and learn more about her personal journey in food while rehashing the long journey undertaken to finally birth this book to life.

WHAT IS THE PLANTPOWER WAY?

Everybody deserves optimal health. And wellness begins with what we put on our plate. But that's just the beginning. So we decided to pick up where every other cookbook leaves off by providing concrete tools, tips and general lifestyle guidance to foster long-term wellness and catalyze your journey towards unlocking your best, most authentic self.

Bursting with inspiration, practical guidance, and beautiful food and lifestyle photography, The Plantpower Way features more than 120 of Julie's delicious, easy-to-prepare whole food recipes, certain to delight even the most finicky or carnivorous of your clan.

But this is more than a mere cookbook. It's a fully formed, comprehensive lifestyle primer chock-a-block with information, tools, resources and inspiration to not only answer all those questions we field daily, but elevate and guide the modern family towards healthier, more sustainable food, lifestyle and parenting practices. Both evolutionary and revolutionary, it's a book you will proudly use every day, share with colleagues, eagerly gift family members and even display on your coffee table for friends to peruse and enjoy.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Although the book doesn't hit stores until April 28, it is currently available for pre-order. The way publishing works, pre-orders are very important in terms of setting up the book for long-term success.

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In 2005, New York City firefighter, avid marathoner and ironman athlete Matt Long hopped onto his bike to do what he did every day — ride from his East side Manhattan apartment north to the Randall's Island fire academy where he helped train the city’s bravest. As he crossed 52nd Street, a 20-ton bus made a right turn from the middle lane. The bus didn't just hit him, it dragged his body completely underneath, where Matt was then quite literally impaled by his bike.

After receiving 68 units of blood in the first 40 hours post-accident, Matt spent the next month in a coma.

When he woke up, the doctors told him he was facing a one percent chance of survival.

Matt had other plans.

After a 5-month hospital stint and 40 surgeries in under two years, he did more than survive. He finally came alive.

The story of Matt’s accident and his comeback quest to tackle the 2008 NYC marathon just 3 years after his accident was first chronicled in an extraordinary story in Runner's World by Charles Butler entitled A Second Life. That story was later adapted and expanded into Matt's exceptionally inspiring memoir, The Long Run* , a work of co-authorship by Long and Butler (not to be confused with my buddy and RRP favorite Mishka Shubaly's equally compelling Kindle Single, also entitled The Long Run*).

Today Matt will tell you not only does he not regret the accident, it is the one thing that has made him whole.

There are many words that can be used to describe Matt — firefighter, 9/11 first responder, ironman athlete, accomplished marathoner, advocate, bon vivant, husband and father. But one word will suffice: hero.

Matt is a man I hold in high regard as an incredible example of the resiliency not just of the physical body, but of the emotional body — the indomitable, boundless strength of the human spirit in selfless service to others.

Great guy. Great talk.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Jason Hall is having a moment. The country is having a moment.

Although hardly an overnight success story, it's fair to say American Sniper is this talented screenwriter's big break. A break so big he just might win his first Oscar a few days from today. But the celebratory mood is tempered by one inescapable fact: it is constructed from the tragic demise of a man named Chris Kyle. The soldier who not only serves as this contentious movie's protagonist, but was also a man Jason called friend.

In an era when studios shy away from war movies as box office poison, American Sniper is an unsuspecting juggernaut. Breaking records left and right, the Bradley Cooper starrer seems to have touched a national nerve, packing theatres across the U.S. to the tune of over $300 million domestically and a fast approaching $400 million worldwide gross. Not only is American Sniper Clint Eastwood's most successful film to date, it's the highest grossing war film of all time.

And yet the film is not without its critics and controversy. Propaganda or protest movie? War polemic or character study? The glorification of a highly skilled killer or the tragic tale of one man's demise? 

Let the pundits pontificate, Jason Hall would say. The important thing is that people are now talking about things that need talking about.

Irrespective of your personal feelings about this film, you cannot deny that it is a work that demands to be reckoned with. A reckoning that has catalyzed a productive dialog around a litany of important issues such as:

* the incidence and treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in today’s soldiers;

* the physical, mental and emotional impact of multiple deployments on soldiers, their families and society; and

* how to systemically improve the much needed care and support we provide our troops.

This is the dialog that interests Jason – a guy with his feet on the ground who really gets that the success of this movie is not about him. It's about service. It’s about the responsibility we collectively shoulder as a society – irrespective of politics — to do a much better job of taking proper care of the men and women who voluntarily enlist to place their lives on the line daily, and without reservation.

This is a compelling conversation about many things, from the machinations of Hollywood to the fragility of life. But to me, this is about the responsibility to make your journey about something bigger and more important than your self and your ego.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Remember that big deal about how the bread at Subway contains chemicals found in yoga mats?

Then there was the story about how fast food French fries contain a chemical used in Silly Putty. And the whole to-do about how there’s actually no pumpkin in the Starbucks pumpkin latte.

The person behind these semi-salacious, headline grabbing campaigns is this week’s guest, Vani Hari – aka Food Babe – the outspoken and often divisive food activist behind the wildly popular FoodBabe.com blog.

I met Vani at a dinner party this past summer and found her not only delightful but also razor sharp, fiercely passionate and tenacious when the subject turned to food — particularly what big food manufacturers don’t want you to know about what’s in our food. Her message? To empower the typical soccer mom with the information to feed her family right and the courage to stand up for greater transparency and accountability from companies that produce what ends up on our plates.

FoodBabe.com, which exceeds an astounding 2.5 million unique visitors per month, along with the mobilization of Vani’s passionate Food Babe Army following, has been incredibly successful in getting gigantic companies like Subway, Kraft, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and even Anheuser-Busch to not only remove certain harmful ingredients from their food but also steer them toward more healthful policies.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that food companies are terrified of her. Her voice and legion of supporters pose a significant threat to corporate profits and business as usual. This makes her a target. Attacked daily, it’s not uncommon for her to receive death threats. But that’s what happens when you really put yourself out there, on the front lines.

The fact that she soldiers on is super ballsy. She is a warrior. Totally punk rock. The Erin Brockovitch of food.

Congressman Tim Ryan calls her Vani “a one woman consumer protection agency.” And I for one have tremendous respect for anyone who demonstrates her level of courage and advocacy.

Vani and I were supposed to sit down in person in New York a couple weeks ago but the big storm that never was left her with a cancelled flight and compelled me to break my cardinal rule and host this conversation on Skype. I never do this, but I think Vani’s message is potent and important and it didn’t appear we would be in the same city at the same time again anytime soon, so I took a chance and I’m glad I did.

This is a great talk. A talk about how all of us, irrespective of our personal dietary proclivities, can live a cleaner, more organic and healthier lifestyle in today’s overprocessed, contaminated-food world.

This is a talk about corporate responsibility and corporate transparency.

This is a talk about government oversight and regulation of our food, our food companies, and the ingredients that find their way into our food.

And most importantly, from my perspective, this is a talk about the inherent power and responsibility we hold as as consumers to be advocates; to raise our voice and be heard; to hold the people behind the food we eat more accountable for how its made and what goes into it.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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America's #1 killer, heart disease currently kills 1 out of every 3 Americans; 70% of Americans are obese and getting fatter; and Studies forecast that by 2030, 50% of Americans will be diabetic or pre-diabetic.

The great irony in all of this is that, as Dr. Kahn so astutely points out, 80-90% of all chronic health problems can be resolved via pretty simple diet and lifestyle alternations.

The tricky part is translating these lifestyle alterations from theory to practice. I understand that it can be difficult for many, particularly when there is so much confusing information out there concerning about heath, nutrition and diet. So confusing in fact, that it becomes incredibly challenging for even the most savvy consumer to separate fact from fiction and truth from hyperbole.

Just because good news about bad habits makes for tempting clickbait doesn't mean the information is reliable — its usually not.

To help sift through all of this, I once again sit down for a heart to heart (pun intended) with cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD — you can listen to our first conversation (RRP #44) here.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Michigan's prestigious Inteflex program (a 6-year undergraduate / graduate program that developed doctors fresh out of high school), Joel has served as Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Wayne State University School of Medicine since 1993. He's authored over 130 articles on heart disease, is a frequent lecturer on heart disease and its prevention, has performed thousands of cardiac procedures, and has been advising patients on heart healthy programs for over 20 years.

Not only does Dr. Kahn know what he is talking about, his basic message is elementary: if you want to experience true long-term wellness, then you must focus on implementing sustainable long-term preventive protocols into your lifestyle. This starts and ends with diet and active lifestyle.

The specific thrust of this conversation focuses on separating truth from marketing with respect to certain zeitgeist trends in nutrition science. To wit:

Is butter really back?

What are the health impacts of a low carb / high fat diet?

What are the risks (and benefits, if any) of trendy practices like putting butter and oil in your morning coffee?

Is everything we thought we knew about saturated fat truly wrong?

Who was Ancel Keys and what is the import of his nutritional studies?

What is the true impact of dietary cholesterol on arterial and heart health?

Finally, and most importantly, what specific dietary and lifestyle protocols does this veteran cardiologist recommend to maintain optimal heart health in a culture in which heart disease has become a wildly out of control pandemic?

You'll want to tune in to find out.

Amazingly informative, this is straight talk from a solid guy. An awesome and trusted and educated and experienced and entertaining guy I am proud to call my friend.

I sincerely hope you heed the call and enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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What can mined from the abyss that separates ordinary from extraordinary?

Although he's never pedaled a single stage of the Tour de France as a professional cyclist, Mike Cotty has done things on the bike that would make even Jens Voigt (the consensus hard man of the pro peloton) cringe.

Here's a taste. Last summer Mike rode his bike 1000 kilometers non-stop across 21 mountains in the Dolomites, Eastern Alps and Swiss Alps, from Conegliano, Italy, to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. That's over 21,000 meters in elevation gain. That's 54 hours of riding without sleep. That's like riding 8 to 10 stages of the Tour de France without stopping.

How is that even humanly possible?

Mike also rode 684 kilometers for 30 hours straight across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. A feat rivaled only by his 33-hour, 677 kilometer ride that ascended 16,000 meters of elevation gain across the Alps.

Obviously I wouldn't characterize Mike as normal. Far from it. But there is a very relatable everyman aspect to Mike's story that captured my fancy.

Mike's path has hardly been linear, but today he is not only an extraordinarily accomplished athlete, he is a respected filmmaker, brand ambassador, media & marketing consultant and entrepreneur. Through his company Media-24, Mike creates compelling content and develops marketing strategy for top tier organizations like Mavic, Cannondale and the Cannondale-Garmin professional cycling team. Mike's latest passion project is The Col Collective, a high quality online video resource dedicated to helping inspire and educate cyclists to reach the summit of the most spectacular mountain passes in the world.

Mike's is also a path without ego, well grounded in a true desire to educate, positively impact and inspire people to overcome their own barriers. All these elements make for great conversation about passion. About pushing past that voice in your head that wants you to quit. About what is required to break through seemingly insurmountable barriers. And about the self-discovery incident to attempting something personally unprecedented.

This is a conversation about the value and importance of hard work over the life hack. About the pain, suffering, joy and pride that comes with embracing the journey. About living in balance with nature. About faith, having a strong conviction about yourself and the path ahead. And it's about what's required to turn your passion into your profession.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This week's episode is a bit of a departure. But like Frost's road less travelled, it's a direction well worth pursuing.

My podcast was borne from a love of the art of the long form conversation. Authentic expression is a predominant theme of virtually every episode. And I sheepishly admit to a slight obsession with talented people at the nadir of their creativity, expressing their specific life purpose with unapologetic conviction.

Sam Jones is the embodiment and ethos of all these ideals and more. Lauded photographer, documentary filmmaker, award winning music video director, magazine publisher, television creator and podcast host. Oh yeah, he's also married with kids.

As a photographer, Sam is the go to guy for top tier magazines such as Vanity Fair, Esquire, Rolling Stone, GQ and Time for creating timeless portraits of luminaries, A-list actors and musicians like Barak Obama, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Bob Dylan, Jack Nicholson and Dave Grohl.

All of this is super cool of course. But quite frankly it's not what motivated me to want to sit down with Sam. What really captivated me about this talented artist is Sam's newest venture, a multi-media, multi-faceted project he created entitled offCamera.

It's photography. It's a magazine. It's a television show. It's a podcast. It's journalism. It's entertainment. It's art – the art of exquisite portraiture achieved through images, words and conversation.

Simply put, Sam performs up close and personal, uninterrupted long-form conversations with today's most prolific cultural icons – people like Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Laura Dern and more. Each conversation is filmed for initial broadcast on DirectTV's Audience Network and subsequently available on the offCamera website as well as on iTunes as an audio podcast. Accompanied by a formal portrait, the interviews are also reformatted in print to comprise a printed magazine.

After listening to Sam's intimate dialog with Robert Downey Jr., I was left to ponder this question: where else could I possibly listen to (or watch) someone like this converse for a full hour on the particulars of life and art?

Nowhere. You can't. Blame our soundbite obsessed world, but conversations like these are extremely rare if not altogether nonexistent in publicly available form. Complemented by his extraordinary attention to detail and quality, these are all reasons why Sam's work is such a gift to us all.

I have been so moved by offCamera that I felt compelled to turn the mic around, point it at Sam and get to the bottom of his story. Thank you Sam for your willingness to engage me in a dynamic conversation that explores the intersection of art and commerce; the importance of authenticity in the expression of one's creativity; and what can be learned from working with the most prolific musicians, actors, filmmakers and artists in the world.

In the words of Sam,

“it has taken me a lifetime to develop my attention span, and I want to use it.”

Me too Sam. Me too. I sincerely hope you enjoy the listen.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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If we want to repair our broken health care system and move culture towards true, long-term sustainable wellness, then medicine must embrace a a new approach to healing. An approach that's so new, it's old.

Less reductive, more holistic.

Less diagnose & prescribe and more all-encompassing, functional and preventive.

Let’s kick start that conversation. This week's guest is nutritionist, acupuncturist, herbalist, Reiki Master and expert Chinese Medicine practitioner Heather Lounsbury, author of Fix Your Mood with Food*.

Although she gave up meat nearly 30 years ago for ethical reasons, Heather was a junk food vegetarian with zero interest health until hers hit the skids. Moody and constantly fatigued, she began experimenting with nutrition and was astonished to discover the extent to which she could modulate her physical and emotional vitality relative to the types of foods she would eat. This realization lead Heather to pursue graduate degrees in nutrition and Chinese medicine. Today Heather is a well respected clinical practitioner with over a decade of experience treating patients with a wide variety of mental, emotional and physical issues.

Her basic message? Live natural. Live well. Food has a far greater impact than we recognize on not only our physical health but on our mental and emotional health as well. Not only can proper diet (amplified by additional holistic healing measures) alleviate stress and elevate your mood naturally, it can prevent and often reverse a wide variety of chronic infirmities, including heart disease, elevated cholesterol, digestive issues, diabetes (diabesity!) and more.

Over the course of our conversation we discuss:

How pain and digestive disorders can be holistically managed and alleviated;

How holistic healing practices can be used to treat mental health & addiction issues;

The importance of progress over perfection;

The role and function of certain herbs on physiological functions;

Primer and origin of food allergies;

Thoughts on GMO’s, Omega- 3 EFA's & Supplementation; and

Addressing the social barriers that impede healthy eating.

Lots of good stuff to chew on this week. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Welcome back to our second spin around the listener Q&A merry-go-round!

Due to popular demand (and all the great questions flooding our inbox), we're happy to once again banter on the subjects, issues and topics you want addressed.

In this episode Julie and I cover a ton of ground, name dropping resources like an over-caffeinated publicist. Here's a top down view on the landscape:

* The importance of the morning ritual to optimize your day;

* Inspirational and educational books, websites, podcasts & other online resources;

* Resources to facilitate your shift to a Plantpower lifestyle;

* A few (very brief) thoughts on high carb / low carb / gluten and nutritional density;

* More brief thoughts on certain foods to avoid and others to embrace; and

* A few closing thoughts on running volume.

No need to break out pen and paper. Due to the hard work of my trusty right hand Chris Swan, everything is detailed, itemized and hyperlinked for your convenience in the below show notes. So just sit back and enjoy.

Special thanks and shoutout to everyone who submitted questions. Keep them coming!

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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What if the path you think you're meant to be living isn't your path at all?

I grappled with this mental and spiritual Rubik’s cube for decades. Only now — at 48 — do I feel like I have any insight whatsoever into this quandary.

Not so with today’s guest. After a drunken car accident at age 19, Jake Ducey had an epiphany: maybe, just maybe, the traditional promise of the American Dream isn't my path to happiness and personal fulfillment. What did he do with this realization? He up and quit school, walking out on a collegiate basketball scholarship to instead light out and travel the world.

Along the way, Jake chronicled his journey, distilling his insights down to a book entitled Into the Wind . Undaunted by being turned down by every publisher, he nonetheless self-published his book. And without any marketing budget or publicist, Jake still managed to self-promote Into the Wind to Amazon’s top 300 – no small accomplishment.

Jake subsequently piqued the interest and mentorship of people like Chicken Soup for the Soul* author Jack Canfield and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus* author John Gray. He became a TEDx speaker. And at 23, Jake became the youngest author to land a motivational book publishing deal at a major publishing house (Tarcher/Penguin).

The Purpose Principles* – hitting book stores this week — is the product of Jake's journey to date, drawing on the stories of success, failure, and the common threads among some of today’s most successful and influential people to illuminate a plan for living your best life in a changing world – a theme not inconsistent with this show.

I’ve hosted more than a few impressive young and precocious twenty-somethings on the show over the last two years because I love getting the millennial perspective on life. I like young people and as a parent of two teenage boys and two soon to be teenage girls, I truly want to understand what makes the next generation tick. What is important to millennials? What is the lens through which they perceive their environment? And how will this perception frame and shape the world they will soon inherit and steward into the future?

But let’s face it – at 48 I'm likely older than Jake's father. So is there really anything (anything at all?) that this 23 year old (or any 23 year old for that matter) could possibly teach me? Maybe I'm being a snob (probably). But it's a question worth asking, isn't it? What kind of insights could such a young person possibly have that would legitimize a book of any legitimate merit or substance?

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Welcome to Part 2 of our second annual Best of the RRP Anthology series. If you haven't already, I suggest listening to The Best of 2014 Part 1 first.

Once again, this is a compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014. Our way of saying thanks. Our way of giving back. Our way of trying to catapult you into the new year armed with the information and inspiration required to make it your best year yet.

Once again, it's worth reflecting upon the incredible year that was 2014. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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This is the time of year for celebration. This is the time of year for giving back. This is the time of year for gratitude.

This is the time of year for reflection.

So let's do all those things. Welcome to the second annual Best of the RRP Anthology. This is our way of reflecting back. Our way of expressing gratitude. Our way of giving thanks for taking this journey with us.

I pride myself on bringing a wide variety of personalities, opinions and attitudes to the show. When I look back over 2014, even I am surprised by how many incredibly interesting and unique people and perspectives I was honored to entertain and share with you. Second listens brought new insights. Another reminder of what a gift this show has been to me. A gift that gives and keeps on giving.

A compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014, the next two episodes of the podcast are certain to catapult you into the new year inspired.

If you’ve been with me all along, these offerings will bring certain insights back into the forefront of your consciousness as you contemplate your trajectory heading into the new year. If you're new to the show, then these episodes will definitely inspire you to peruse the catalog and listen in full to some of the guests and or episodes you may have missed. Links to the full episodes excerpted in this anthology are enumerated below.

It has been an incredible year. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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At the highest echelons of sport, all the athletes are supremely talented. All have devoted their lives to being the best they can be. All train as hard as they possibly can. And all are optimizing their sleep, nutrition and recovery to glean every extra edge imaginable.

So what distinguishes the gold medalist from the also ran?

Is it luck? Talent? Support? Resources? Of course every result is significantly influenced by some combination of these important variables. But all things being equal, the athlete with the mental and emotional edge will stand atop the podium every time.

Once the embarrassing last stop on a flailing athlete’s career, the world's top sports psychologists now enjoy a highly influential and respected role proactively honing the mental and emotional edge of today's most successful athletes, CEOs and creatives looking to elevate peak performance beyond the imaginable.

Enter Dr. Michael Gervais- the go to high performance psychologist everyone is talking about.

Director of the High Performance Psychology arm of DISC (Diagnostic and Interventional Surgical Center) Sports & Spine Center in Marina Del Rey and a key member of the Red Bull High Performance Program, Michael works in the trenches of high-stakes environments, where there is no luxury for mistakes, hesitation, or failure to respond. With the vision of helping his clients thrive under pressure, Michael has created a performance model — melding state-of-the-art brain mapping techniques with an approach grounded in high-performance psychology — that allows people to achieve their maximum potential, whether on or off the field.

Dr. Gervais' results are staggering. If you follow the NFL, then you might recall Michael as the guy Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll credits as integral in their Super Bowl win for the meditation, mindfulness and other crucial team building techniques he helped foster and instill into the fabric of the Seahawks organization and team culture that paved the team’s path towards incredible success.

You might also remember that Felix Baumgartner’s now-infamous Red Bull Stratos jump from an altitude of 128,000 feet almost never was simply because Felix simply could not overcome the high level of anxiety and claustrophobia he experienced every time he donned the jump suit. It was none other than Gervais who helped Baumagartner resolve the issue and get Stratos back on track. No Gervais, no history making jump.

In addition to the Seahawks and Red Bull's North American athletes, Dr. Gervais has worked with the US Olympic Team, snowboarders, golfers, basketball players, track and field athletes, an impressive array of top collegiate programs, and professional sports organizations including the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and UFC. In addition, his work has played an integral role in the US Military, as well as several collegiate and high school programs.

While Dr. Gervais’ roster includes some of the sports world’s most elite, this isn’t just about high performance athletes, its about high performance life. To coin his phrase,

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