Feeling stressed in the kitchen? Not sure how to prepare healthy meals while still keeping them delicious and flavor-filled? Have no fear! This week, we're sending you an SOS-Free lifeline in the form of Cathy Fisher, culinary instructor at True North Health, the McDougall Program, and author of the book and blog, Straight Up Food . SOS-Free cooking means preparing meals without added salt, oil, or sugar. Of course, that doesn't mean that you're losing out on richness, sweetness, or flavor. It j...
Jul 14, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 152
Dr. John McDougall was drawn to medicine because of his own health “fate.” At 18, he suffered a massive stroke and was an anomaly to the doctors in Michigan who wanted to explore “why” and “how” this could happen to someone so young. This health scare inspired his own journey to become a doctor, which eventually led McDougall and his wife, Mary, to Hawaii to practice medicine on a sugar plantation in Hawaii and service over 5,000 residents. What he saw there changed the course of his medical pra...
Jul 07, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 151
Paul Young is a hero. He's a husband, father of three, and has been a firefighter in Southern California for 17 years. He LOVES his life and his job. Imagine his surprise when he had his annual firefighting physical and received results that frightened him: 243 total cholesterol, 173 LDL, and a heart calcium score of 104, which put him in the 90th percentile in his age for a cardiac event. As Paul says, he thought he was healthy and had dabbled with whole-food plant-based nutrition but, after th...
Jun 30, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 150
After practicing medicine for several years and raising two children who were officially off to college, Dr. Melissa Sundermann decided it was time to pursue her own passions and expand her knowledge and scope of practice. While she loved being an internal medicine physician in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she wasn’t fulfilled by the revolving door aspect of the system - quick appointments, multiple patients, and prescription-based treatment. So, Melissa did what we all do when we’re searching for an an...
Jun 23, 2022•48 min•Season 4Ep. 149
In honor of Father’s Day, we're thrilled to welcome Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. back on the podcast to answer YOUR questions. He answers questions related to cholesterol, exercise, sodium, fat, atrial fibrillation, the best diagnostic tests, and – of course – how to build an ENDOTHELIUM FORTRESS. The best Father's Day gift is sharing the wisdom and knowledge of this pioneer so let’s get right to it. Episode Timestamps 4:50 It’s Showtime! 5:55 I’m 100% plant-based, but have high cholesterol. Do...
Jun 16, 2022•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 148
I’m excited to introduce you to a PLANTSTRONG brother, Shane Martin. A southern boy through and through, Shane was a football-loving kid, who was born and raised in Mississippi with stints along the way in Nashville, Georgia, Alabama, and other areas as a musician. Life’s demands and raising five children superseded his health and, over a span of several years, he found himself overweight, desperately out of shape, and miserable. He knew he needed to make changes but just wasn’t ready. Doctors e...
Jun 09, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 147
We are living in chaotic and challenging times and so much feels out of our control. This week’s interview also comes at a perfect time because, in the midst of stress and uncertainty, Julieanna Hever invites you to choose yourself again and again, especially if you’re stuck in the cycle of stress eating, yo-yo dieting, and dizzying life schedules. As the O.G. plant-based dietitian, Julieanna has worked with thousands of clients to lose weight for the last time, and many of these lessons are fou...
Jun 02, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Season 4Ep. 146
Raise your hand if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, acid reflux, or other GI issues. Sadly, it seems like it’s just become part of our daily eating routine. Eat crappy (no pun intended) food, feel terrible, take a pill, get some relief, and do it all over again. You can start to break that painful cycle when you begin consuming more nourishing plant foods with, you guessed it – FIBER. In her latest book, Good for Your Gut, registered dietitian , Desiree Nielsen, shares how...
May 26, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 145
Dr. B is back! That’s right. Everyone’s favorite fiber-loving broc-star, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, is back to celebrate the release of his latest book, The Fiber Fueled Cookbook: Inspiring Plant-Based Recipes to Turbocharge Your Health . Dr. B burst onto the scene just a few years ago when his book, Fiber Fueled, hit the New York Times Best Sellers List. This groundbreaking book was a guide to optimizing the gut microbiome and improving your health through a diet rich in diverse fruits, vegetables, n...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 32 min•Season 4Ep. 144
Rip sings, dances, and raps with the legendary Chef AJ as they celebrate the 10th anniversary and re-release of her book, “Unprocessed - Revitalize Your Health with Whole Foods.” Chef AJ shares: Memories of meeting the Esselstyns for the first time Her early TV appearances on Johnny Carson and the Gong Show as a comedian How she accidentally created a daily YouTube talk show at the start of the pandemic that is now nearing 1000 daily live episodes! Her own difficult health journey that is both g...
May 12, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Season 4Ep. 143
We’ve created a society that makes everything so simple. With the push of a button, we can have highly-processed food, entertainment, and all of the excess we can handle (and even some we can’t). This has led to unprecedented levels of disease, despair, and death. We are caught in the pleasure trap. But there is good news. We DO have the power to override these temptations and allow our bodies to heal. In November 1984, Dr. Alan Goldhamer opened the True North Health Center. They create a health...
May 05, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 142
One of our favorite quotes on the PLANTSTRONG team is, “It’s the Food, It’s the Food. It’s the Food!” Well, today, it really is all about the food with guest, Chef Stephanie Michalak White - Lead Chef Instructor of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Plant-Based Degree Program. From an early age, Stephanie was inspired and motivated to make a difference in the food industry. She's worked in a variety of establishments, including small businesses, pop-ups, catering, and farm-to-table restau...
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 141
John Robbins is an absolute trailblazer whose story and mission really go beyond the kale. Imagine being born into incredible wealth - private schools, country clubs, a 14,000 square foot home with multiple three-car garages, and family yachts at your fingertips. Now, imagine walking away from that extravagant life on purpose and with a purpose . John Robbins followed the call of his conscience and walked away from the family business, the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream empire, and moved to a remote i...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 44 min•Season 4Ep. 140
We welcome author, cancer survivor, and healthy-eating coach, Chris Wark, back for his second appearance on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. In 2003 at the age of 26, Chris was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. After surgery, he opted OUT of chemotherapy for treatment and, instead, turned to nutrition to promote his healing. Instead of pumping chemo drugs into his body, he pumped in as many anti-cancer foods as he could and turned his body into a nutritional powerhouse. It’s been almost 20 years, Chr...
Apr 14, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 4Ep. 139
Dr. Heather Shenkman has known she wanted to be a doctor since she was a young girl and today, she’s one of the top Interventional Cardiologists in the country. You see, while Heather does perform complex angioplasties and other surgeries to open up clogged coronary arteries, she prefers to help her patients reduce their risk of heart disease through not only medication, but also a healthy lifestyle, including a whole-foods, plant-based diet and regular exercise. Heather herself has been plantst...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 138
If you’re new to plant-based cooking and feel overwhelmed because you think it’s complicated, expensive, or maybe even boring, think again. Registered dietitian, nutritionist, and author, Nisha Melvani makes a whole foods plant-based lifestyle simple, sustainable, and delicious in her debut book, Practically Vegan - More than 100 Easy, Delicious Vegan Dinners on a Budget. Hundreds of thousands have already flocked to her "Cooking for Peanuts" blog and Instagram because of her relaxed, flavor-foc...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 137
Rip welcomes playwright, screenwriter, and author, Glen Merzer to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. Glen has written or co-authored a dozen books alongside plant-based broc-stars like Chef AJ, Howard Lyman, and Forks over Knives chef, Del Srouffe. Glen discusses his latest book, Food is Climate , zeroing in on the real leading cause of climate change: animal agriculture and consumption. He doesn't hold back because, quite frankly, we are now in a time of urgency. As Merzer writes, "The only thing that's ...
Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 136
Today, we go on a powerful healing journey. Bailey Ruskus was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 11, leaving her in tremendous amounts of chronic pain, while constantly being dosed up on multiple medications. Throughout her young adulthood, she exhausted all standard treatments and turned back to the only thing she really knew – FOOD. You see, Bailey, who goes by Chef Bai - is also a classically trained chef from San Francisco’s Le Cordon Bleu. She spent years in the grind working 65-70 hours a...
Mar 17, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 135
Dr. Anthony Lim is no stranger to helping to inspire change. As Medical Director of the Dr. McDougall Health and Medical Center and former staff physician of True North , Dr. Lim helps his patients prevent and treat their chronic illnesses -such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, and heart disease - all with a whole foods, plant-based approach. Dr. Lim shares his own personal journey to plants (having gone down the paleo and keto route) and how he now works with his own patient...
Mar 10, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 134
Welcome to PLANTSTRONG Snackables, a bite-sized podcast where host, Rip Esselstyn dishes on all things plants! Today's guest is Carrie Barrett, PLANTSTRONG Podcast Producer, longtime PLANSTRONG advocate, and a fellow triathlete. Carrie brings PLANTSTRONG stories and guest transformations to life each week on the podcast using her background in radio, production, and writing to make each episode motivating, inspiring, and actionable. Today, Rip and Carrie encourage you to have a little fun with y...
Mar 03, 2022•50 min•Season 4Ep. 133
If you have extra banana peels at home, don’t throw them away! If you have extra pickle juice in the jar, don’t dump it down the sink! The same is true for broccoli stalks, chickpea juice, and potato peels. Hold on to them…Why? In this fun episode, Rip gets scrappy with food blogger, Instagram and TikTok star, and now – new author of the book, PlantYou – Carleigh Bodrug! In her creative video content, she shows her millions of followers how to turn those scraps into simple, delicious, and nutrit...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 132
For over four decades, Tony Robbins has been encouraging people to take control of their destinies to become, as he says, “the CEO of your own health.” Robbins is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, philanthropist, and the nation’s #1 life and business strategist. Over the past four decades, he has empowered more than 50 million people worldwide through his business and personal development coaching programs and events. This week, he’s on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast to discuss his new book, Life F...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 131
Welcome to our Fourth "Rip's Rescue" Event, where we tackle big topics and arm you with trusted information and the resources you need to take agency of your own health and performance. Speaking of performance, this episode covers the popular topic of "Athletic Performance on a Plant-Based Diet" with Dr. Jim Loomis. Both Rip and Dr. Loomis were featured in The Game Changers documentary and are also both accomplished athletes. They discuss: Why plants are actually a superior source of protein, an...
Feb 10, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 130
Dr. Laurie Marbas is - simply put – A FORCE who is on a mission to bring plant-based Lifestyle Medicine available to everyone from the comfort of your own home. In just two years, Dr. Marbas and her team at Plant Based TeleHealth have amassed nine physicians (including the wonderful Dr. Michael Klaper) to service patients in all 50 states - and Dr. Marbas herself is licensed in ALL 50 States and D.C! Today, you’ll hear about: Laurie's journey to becoming a physician, inspired by her younger sist...
Feb 03, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 129
Harvey Lewis is one of the hottest ultra-distance runners on the planet and, in 2021, was virtually unstoppable. As you'll hear today, this plant-powered school teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio is no stranger to suffering - especially on the racecourse. Last year, among other events, he won the infamous Badwater 135 Ultra (from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney), and then just a few weeks later, he outlasted every competitor at Big Dog's Backyard Ultra where he ran for 354.16 miles four almost four days ...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 55 min•Season 4Ep. 128
“When your body is fit and strong, your mind is fitter and stronger too.” - Nicole DeBoom Today’s episode dives into a topic that is so important for the New Year - mindset and attitude. We're treated to a conversation with long-time PLANTSTRONG ally, Nicole DeBoom. Like Rip, she’s a former top-level swimmer, turned professional triathlete, turned entrepreneur, who recently sold her popular company Skirt Sports and started a new company called Aesop , where people can book interviews and record ...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Season 4Ep. 127
“What you will gain is so much more than what you will give up.” - Dr. Dean Ornish Dean Ornish, M.D. is highly regarded as “The Father of Lifestyle Medicine,” which is the fastest-growing trend in medicine today, and today's discussion with Rip dives deep into the vast body of work and groundbreaking research that Dr. Ornish has conducted for decades. As the founder and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute (PMRI) for over 40-years, he and his team of researchers hav...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 126
“There are two kinds of Cardiologists - those who are vegan and those who haven’t read the data.” - Dr. Kim Williams Such a bold statement from someone, who, since 2013 has been the Head of Cardiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, as well as the former president of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Kim Williams does not mince words. He shares: His personal background and story of what (and who) inspired him to become a doctor at the young age of 11. Why, as a poor kid from ...
Jan 06, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 125
As we round the corner on a new year and a fresh start, we can think of no better way to lift you up than with this inspiring talk from J.D. and Chrissy Roth recorded from this year’s Plant-Stock event. J.D. is an iconic television producer and creator of shows like “The Biggest Loser,” and “The Big Fat Truth,” which helped participants lose weight, fight diabetes, and attain a healthy lifestyle through whole foods, plant-based nutrition. Chrissy Roth is a physical therapist, fitness instructor,...
Dec 23, 2021•35 min•Season 4Ep. 124
What are the Esselstyns serving up this holiday season? Well, as always, it includes a hefty dose of laughter and mayhem, along with delicious, mouth-watering plantstrong goodness. Today, Rip is joined by his mother, Ann, and sister, Jane, to talk about their favorite holiday meals and how they cook together for their entire family. Even though they discuss their Thanksgiving meal in this episode, the dishes and recipes are great for ANY holiday. In fact, we’ve created a complimentary holiday gu...
Dec 16, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 123
