we’re thrilled to bring you today’s guests who are also competing at the top level of professional women’s soccer -Toni Pressley and Ali Riley - of the Orlando Pride! Both are using their platforms to promote a PLANTSTRONG diet on and off the field and, in May, they launched their own cooking show called “Girls Gone Veg” on the IAMATHLETE YouTube Channel that was founded by NFL Legend, Brandon Marshall. They’ve only been teammates for a short time, but these two soccer legends connected instantl...
Jul 22, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 98
Welcome to Episode Three of our new PLANTSTRONG Snackables podcast series, a bite-sized podcast where host, Rip Esselstyn, and co-host, Jess Hegarty, dish on all things plants! Jessica leads product innovation for the PlantStrong food line and, together with Rip, will provide a peek behind the curtain on plant-based food headlines, market research, ingredients, and cooking inspiration. Plus, you'll always walk away with a recipe or two to share with your friends and family. In Episode 3, Rip and...
Jul 20, 2021•40 min•Season 3Ep. 97
This week, we get into the nitty-gritty of gut health with Part Two of our conversation with Gastroenterologist, Dr. Alan Desmond. If you missed part one with Dr. Desmond’s Top 10 Prescriptions for Better Health, we highly recommend a listen! Let me ask you this -- “Where do you get your fiber?” If your first answer is Metamucil or any other fiber supplement, this episode is for you. So many of us have what is known as a “carcinogenic microbiome.” It's an unfortunate truth that millions are walk...
Jul 15, 2021•39 min•Season 3Ep. 96
If all health begins in the gut, then the United States needs a major overhaul. One in three adults under the age of 50 have diverticular disease, colorectal cancer will affect more than one in 20 adults in their lifetimes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is off the charts, and millions of others suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and other inflammatory complications in our gut. These are sobering facts, BUT you can do something about it and, today, along with Gastroenterologist Dr. Alan Des...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 95
Everyone loves a great comeback story and, as we head into the 4th of July holiday weekend here in the States, we can't think of any better way to celebrate than with the uplifting story of survival and triumph from one of USA's finest - Dotsie Bausch. Dotsie and her track cycling teammates won the Silver medal at the 2012 London games, which is amazing unto itself; however, when you hear Dotsie’s story of what it took to get there, you’ll be even more astonished. For years, she battled a debili...
Jul 01, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 94
Welcome to Episode Two of our new PLANTSTRONG Snackables podcast series, a bite-sized podcast where host, Rip Esselstyn, and co-host, Jess Hegarty-Pastore, dish on all things plants! Plus, they give you the scoop on all of the upcoming PlantStrong food items. Jessica leads product innovation for the PlantStrong food line and, together with Rip, will provide a peek behind the curtain on market research, ingredients, and inspiration behind the new PlantStrong foods headed your way. Plus, you'll al...
Jun 29, 2021•41 min•Season 3Ep. 93
"Help me learn to prepare wonderful meals!" “I don’t know where to begin in the kitchen!” Here at PLANTSTRONG, these are requests we get all of the time and we totally understand! It can be overwhelming to learn how to make new meals that taste great, especially when you're new to a plantstrong way of eating. Today, we've got you covered with longtime pal and chef, Derek Sarno. It's hard to match the passion of Derek, especially in the kitchen. His company, Wicked Healthy Foods, is bringing plen...
Jun 24, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 92
Plant-based nutrition is definitely having a moment and it's so rewarding to be a key part of the conversation. It's also rewarding to introduce two longtime plantstrong pals who,like those of us at PLANTSTRONG, have been walking the walk and talking the talk for decades. Matt Frazier is founder and creator of “The No Meat Athlete” and he’s absolutely one of the global authorities on plant-based nutrition for endurance athletes. Robert Cheeke is the founder and creator of Vegan BodyBuilding and ...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 91
Welcome to Episode One of our new PLANTSTRONG Snackables podcast series, a bite-sized podcast where host, Rip Esselstyn, and co-host, Jess Pastore, dish on all things plants! Plus, they give you the scoop on all of the upcoming PlantStrong food items. Jessica leads product innovation for the PlantStrong foodline and, together with Rip, will provide a peek behind the curtain on market research, ingredients, and inspiration behind the new PlantStrong foods headed your way. Tasty Bites from Today's...
Jun 15, 2021•35 min•Season 3Ep. 90
Sherra Aguirre is a vibrant soul who proves that health and vitality have no age limit. Her new book, “Joyful, Delicious, Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease” is testament that we can all learn how to enjoy good health naturally at any age―and it starts in our kitchens by changing how we eat. Hers is a colorful and rich story that included a 35-year career as founder and CEO of a Houston-based company that had over 1200 employees. Needless to say, it was a life of stress, travel, dinners, and plen...
Jun 10, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 89
Dig deep into the all-encompassing world of Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Dr. Saray Stancic. Her story has a little of everything that will have you on the edge of your seat -- personal trauma and transformation, redemption, discovery, and a passionate pursuit to change not just her health and the health of her patients, but of the healthcare field as a whole. Not a small task, but as you’ll hear, this plant-armored warrior is more than up to the task! In 1995, as a third-year medical resident, ...
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Season 3Ep. 88
Welcome to a BONUS Edition of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast with an encore performance of “How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind,” featuring Dr. Doug Lisle and Rip Esselstyn. In this free livestream event, Dr. Lisle gave a brief talk on the surprising and inspiring truth about how to achieve sustainable weight loss. The event was so powerful that we want to share it with everyone in hopes of providing some help and reassurance that YOU are not the problem and your genes are not to blame as much ...
May 28, 2021•2 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 87
“Who would be on your wishlists to talk plants?” It was a question for the PLANTSTRONG Podcast team at the beginning of the season and today’s guest was right at the top of that list. Tig Notaro is a comedian and actress known for her subtle but hilarious deadpan delivery in her TV shows, films, and stand-up. In fact, her new film, “Army of the Dead,” was released on May 21st and it is (at time of publication) the #1 film on Netflix. What you may not know about Tig is her traumatic health story ...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Today's episode is a celebration and looks back at the 10-year-anniversary of the film, Forks over Knives with Brian Wendel, founder and president of Forks Over Knives and creator and executive producer of the Forks Over Knives feature film. This film examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases that afflict us can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods, has gone on to become one of the most popular and longest-running independe...
May 20, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 85
We keep the Mother’s Day celebration going with two of the up-and-coming broc-stars, The Plant-Based Juniors, Whitney English and Alexandra Caspero. Together, these two have created a robust community and a haven of support for raising healthy plant-strong babies and toddlers. In fact, their new book, The Plant-Based Baby and Toddler is coming out on May 18th, 2021 and it is the topic of much of the discussion in today’s episode. The PBJs are packed with knowledge, research, and enthusiasm for p...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Today, we welcome and invite you into the magical and whimsical world of The Happy Pear, David and Stephen Flynn. For the past 16-years, these Irish twin brothers have been on an exploration of health, vitality, and happiness and we guarantee it's a journey you'll want to join when you hear them speak. We talked about how these two former tough-guy meat lovin’ rugby players transformed into plantstrong powerhouses. We talk yoga, handstands, meditation, cooking, building community, spreading joy....
May 06, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 83
If there’s one person who has put a face on the vegan lifestyle, it would have to be Kathy Freston. Kathy has written nine books including the popular Veganist , The Lean , and Clean Protein , and she’s been an outspoken plant-based proponent in the mainstream media for many years - including popular appearances on Ellen, Oprah, Good Morning America, and The View. Her new book written with last week’s podcast guest, Gene Stone , is called 72 Reasons to Be Vegan and we continue this conversation ...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 82
Have you ever come across a person in your life who just brings out the best in you? They challenge you, ask the right questions, they’re present, and recognize a gift that maybe YOU didn’t even know you had? Author, Gene Stone, is one of those people for Rip and, if his name doesn't sound familiar, his writing surely will. Gene is the author or co-author of over 50 books including two of Rip's books - “The Engine 2 Diet” and “Plant Strong.” Other familiar titles include Dr. Michael Greger’s boo...
Apr 22, 2021•55 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Do you have a love affair with the salt shaker? Having trouble breaking yourself of the pre-packaged food addiction? Do you have a ballpark guess for the recommended amount of sodium you should be consuming on a daily basis? What about the devastating consequences of too much salt in your diet? Don’t be alarmed or ashamed with any of your answers if you just don’t know. It’s not your fault. We all fall prey to marketing and the lure of salty foods and today Rip speaks with researcher and author,...
Apr 15, 2021•54 min•Season 3Ep. 80
Welcome to a special BONUS episode of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. A few weeks ago, we hosted our first of many Live “Rip’s Rescue'' events. The theme of this first presentation? “Make Yourself Heart-Attack Proof” with Dr. Brian Asbill, my parents- Ann and Essy, and special guest Jim McNamara - one of my father’s patients. The response to that event has been so overwhelming and positive that we wanted to share this audio version with all of our podcast listeners. If you or a loved one has had a card...
Apr 13, 2021•2 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 79
Rip welcomes his sister, Jane Esselstyn, back to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. Many know Jane as a charismatic and energetic voice in the whole food, plant-based space, especially alongside her mother, Ann, in their fun YouTube Cooking Channel. What you may not know is that she is also a registered nurse who uses her charisma and passion to teach Sex Education to middle schoolers! Jane is an advocate for helping both kids and adults to understand that part of being a healthy grown-up should include a...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 78
Rip heads across the pond to talk to a true plant-based gem -- Dr. Gemma Newman . Gemma is a senior partner in a family medical practice in the UK and author of the new book, “The Plant-Power Doctor - A Simple Prescription for a Healthier You.” Like many of us, Dr. Newman was stuck in all of the popular diet wars and tried them all to get rid of the weight she gained during medical school. However, even though she was the doctor in the family, it was her husband’s marathon training that ultimate...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 77
This week, we’re digging into inspiration and exploring your personal limits with a major dose of true grit! In March 2019, Robbie Balenger set sail with his sneakers from Huntington Beach, California to run across America all the way to Central Park, New York in just 75 days. He was relatively new to running as well as to a PlantStrong lifestyle. So, why on earth would he do something like this? Well, as it turns out, the earth had EVERYTHING to do with it. Environmental issues, fitness, and pl...
Mar 25, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 76
If you want to know what service and passion look like, look no further than today’s guests - Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, affectionately known as ‘ Team Sherzai .’ Dean and Ayesha make a return visit to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast to dig into their new book, The 30-Day Alzheimers Solution - The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline, which is being released March 23rd. Undoubtedly, everyone has been affected or knows someone who has been affected by the devastating eff...
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 75
It’s not often that a doctor is inspired to make a lifestyle change because of a patient, but this is exactly the incredible Galileo moment that Dr. Brian Asbill shares today on the PLANTSTRONG podcast. As a cardiologist for 19 years, Dr. Brian Asbill had become adept at diagnosing and treating patients with medications and procedures, a variety of chronic diseases, and yet many of his “optimally managed” patients continued to suffer from recurrent cardiovascular events. A couple of years later,...
Mar 11, 2021•52 min•Season 3Ep. 74
It’s always wonderful to catch up with friends and fellow plantstrong powerhouses! Today, we're thrilled to welcome Paul de Gelder back to the podcast. You can catch his first interview here in season one . In 2009, Paul was a Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver on a training exercise in Sydney Harbor when he was viciously attacked by a nine-foot bull shark. He came precariously close to death, as you’ll hear him recount today. As a man who faced death face-on, he knows a thing or two about fe...
Mar 04, 2021•50 min•Season 3Ep. 73
Last week, we spoke with registered dietitian and author, Brenda Davis, about her latest work called, Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families--With Tips & Recipes for Bringing Health, Joy, & Connection to Your Dinner Table . This week, we continue with part two of this important topic with co-author, Dr. Reshma Shah. Dr. Shah is a board-certified pediatrician, mother, plant-based home-cook, teacher, and student. She has nearly two decades of experience caring for...
Feb 25, 2021•51 min•Season 3Ep. 72
She has been called the "Godmother of Vegan Dietitians" and the "High Priestess of Vegan Nutrition" and today, we're proud to welcome friend, author, and plantstrong pioneer, Brenda Davis, to the podcast. Brenda is the author of 12 books and she’s been a speaker at our Plant-Stock events for years. Not only does she captivate with the energy of a teenager, but her evidence-based research leaves folks inspired regardless of where they are on their own journey to health. That’s why we're excited t...
Feb 18, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 71
What do nitric oxide, turmeric, sulforaphane, and humming all have in common? Your health and longevity, of course! You’re going to be humming with joy after you listen to this episode today with Dr. Irminne Van Dyken. Dr. Van Dyken is a general surgeon based in Hawaii, and she is also a cutting-edge researcher and plant-based advocate who teaches others how to optimize their own health and microbiome through diet and lifestyle. Get ready to have fun and think a little outside the box because th...
Feb 11, 2021•41 min•Season 3Ep. 70
Meet Rodney and Jennifer Barrett of Barrett Family Farm. Jennifer and Rodney have been poultry and cattle farmers in rural Arkansas for almost 20 years. But, after a series of major health setbacks, financial hardships, and moral crises, they finally decided to give it up. No longer could they reconcile their work with a greater purpose and as Rodney says, “You wouldn’t think we’d be doing something for so long that was detrimental to our own health.” But, like most of us, they just didn’t know....
Feb 04, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 69
