Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, and its risk factors mirror those of the coronavirus. Dr. Kim Williams, President of the American College of Cardiology and current Chief of the Division of Cardiology at Rush University, explains the overlap between cardiovascular risk and the deathly serious cases of COVID-19. Hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes put us at severe risk for both of these ailments, but there are ways to keep yourself safe. Take a dive...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 89
As an Academy Award-winning documentarian, Louie Psihoyos has seen the world how it really is. He’s seen the best of nature and the worst of humanity, and he uses his art to celebrate the honorable and change the horrific. This conversation spans decades of experience working as a National Geographic photographer, going undercover to make the award-winning film The Cove , and creating the perfect formula to incite change with The Game Changers . His insight will shock you—from the atrocities com...
Aug 19, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 88
General Motors no longer crash tests on animals because of Ingrid Newkirk. Spay and neuter clinics came into existence because of Ingrid Newkirk. There is more compassion, empathy, and far less suffering in the world because one woman decided to use her human privilege and speak up. Ingrid—the co-founder and president of PETA—started a revolution. Her rallying cry calls for kindness for all sentient beings, and her message has sprung millions into action. In this episode, Ingrid enlightens us wi...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 87
This week on the pod we’re redefining luxury fashion with two emerging icons. First up is Adrian Velarde of Desserto—a Mexico-based company transforming cactus into high-end leather. The new business’s innovative practices sidestep the toxic chemicals used in traditional leather-making and focus on environmental sustainability. Next up the Vora Sisters give us a lesson on ethical fashion, covering topics from the issues with fast-fashion to their own luxury apparel line, Delikate Rayne, that con...
Aug 05, 2020•59 min•Ep. 86
You don’t need to experience trauma to feel depressed. You don’t have to grow up in a certain zip code to be a drug addict, and you don’t have to have obese parents to develop a food addiction. Adam Sud grew up in a comfortable household with a loving family, yet he experienced all of these things. After years of Adderall abuse and excessive consumption of fast-food, Adam tried to commit suicide . Unsuccessful in his attempt, he finally committed to seeking help and discovered the healing powers...
Jul 31, 2020•58 min
Chef Suzi Gerber defies the impossible. With advanced degrees spanning from curatorial studies to social psychology, she fuses her well-rounded education to push the plant-based movement forward. While we first talk market trends and consulting, the bulk of this conversation is spent on food. We learn about her unorthodox vegan journey, her ideas on the vegan keto diet, and how she turns watermelon into incredible plant-based escargot. If you’re curious about upping your homemade culinary game o...
Jul 29, 2020•57 min•Ep. 85
In this episode, we get political—in a good way. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams joins us to discuss his journey to the plant-based lifestyle, his meaningful work as a public official, and the responsibility he feels toward improving the wellbeing of his constituents. As a Black leader and former type 2 diabetic, Adams serves as an example that the plant-based lifestyle is not a “white person” thing, but an accessible choice everyone can make to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. We al...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 84
Kathy Freston is the epitome of the cool vegan. Her fun, friendly, and effortless style is displayed across her work—from her eight books to her guest appearances on virtually every primetime talk show (including Oprah). In this episode, she reveals how she transformed from a girl who would go hunting with her boyfriend to the vegan spokesperson she is today. From recalling a hilarious dinner party catered by the famous Chef Tal Ronnen to listing off heart-warming qualities of animals, Kathy wil...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 83
Need a boost? Tara Heaton’s personal story and can-do attitude will rev your motivation and pick you up. Tara is a communications expert and relies on her knowledge of the human brain to help everyone from corporations to non-profits get their message across and achieve success. She believes in taking responsibility, so when her daughter was suddenly diagnosed with a permanent brain injury, she hit the books. Tara explains the interworkings of the brain and offers advice on how to use this knowl...
Jul 08, 2020•58 min•Ep. 82
Your therapist is probably counseling you wrong. According to Dr. Jennifer Howk, Ph.D., your past experiences have little to do with the way you are. Dr. Howk practices evolutionary psychology which emphasizes the role of nature in the development of one’s personality. As a former staff member of the prestigious True North Health Center, Dr. Howk is an expert when it comes to the psychology behind weight loss. She challenges popular beliefs surrounding human behavior and makes us reassess our de...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 81
Society has perpetuated the idea that masculinity is connected to animal consumption and preying on the weak. Luckily, there are men like Dominick Thompson actively challenging that belief. After going to prison more than seventeen years ago, Dominick had an epiphany about what it means to cause harm in the world. He is now a social entrepreneur and activist with an online wellness program, vegan clothing line, and upcoming food product line. Dominick joins us today to discuss the realization he...
Jun 26, 2020•48 min
If everyone had a pediatrician like Dr. Yami, the world would have a much healthier relationship with food. Board-certified Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster is a plant-based physician that brings practical advice and her sunny personality to her private practice in Yakima, WA. She was so generous with her knowledge and time—think of this as your complimentary one-hour consultation on childhood nutrition. But we talk more than just food. Dr. Yami offers advice on how to build healthy relationships with...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 80
Brendan Brazier is a pioneer when it comes to plant-based sports nutrition. A professional Ironman-turned-serial-entrepreneur, Brendan discovered the connection between plant-based eating and optimum performance as a teenager in the 90's. In the decades since, he has shown the world what plants can do. Brendan has authored several books under his Thrive brand, launched one of the most recognized vegan sports nutrition companies (Vega), backed dozens of other innovative vegan efforts (such as Bey...
Jun 17, 2020•52 min•Ep. 79
Eric Jackson is a force for good. He is standing up against systematic oppression and empowering the Black community to take ownership—ownership of land, ownership of business, and ownership of their situation. What begins as a conversation about food apartheid in a suburb of Baltimore builds into a larger conversation on the history of class-based inequity and how it is up to the oppressed—not the oppressor—to create social change. In times such as these, it is the actions of people like Eric t...
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 78
Lindsay Rubin is setting the record straight—dogs aren’t carnivores, they’re omnivores, and they can thrive on a plant-based diet. As the Vice President of V-dog, a vegan dog food company, Lindsay employs both science and strong anecdotal evidence to help us understand what kind of foods nourish our canine companions the best. Anyone skeptical about feeding their dog meat-free food will definitely walk away from this conversation with a changed perspective—especially after hearing what’s in meat...
Jun 03, 2020•50 min•Ep. 77
What are we really ingesting when we drink cows’ milk? What are mothers passing through their bodies to their children? What in the world is a dairy allergy ? Dr. Vivian Chen dives into the dangers of dairy and her story of transitioning to a plant-based diet after a battle to diagnose the root of her infant’s feeding problem. As a double-certified physician, Dr. Chen has seen a host of improvements in her patients when they cut dairy and address their lifestyle. She’s going to tell you the snea...
May 29, 2020•46 min
Growing up as a white male in South Africa during apartheid, Michael Schwarz developed a strong sense of right and wrong from an early age. Over the years, this sense of justice found its way into all aspects of Michael’s life—including the way he ate. The result was Treeline Cheese—a luxurious French-style cashew-based cheese company now available in Whole Foods and Kroger grocers nationwide. Michael offers his unique insight on a broad range of topics—from ethics in business to the delicious e...
May 27, 2020•54 min•Ep. 76
Jessica Strathdee worked on a typical dairy farm in New Zealand. The animals were not intentionally abused, and they had access to the open green fields so often associated with the pastoral practice of dairying. However, Jessica’s retelling of her experience on the farm is horrifying. It’s not the farm she worked on—it’s the system. There is no way to obtain cows’ milk for human consumption without participating in truly exploitive acts. Jessica is not an animal-lover, nor is she a bleeding-hea...
May 20, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 75
What really happens every time you put food into your body? What is the microbiome? How does it affect us? How important is fiber? What about pre and probiotics? Dr. Will Bulsiewicz answers these questions and more in this riveting episode all about the gut. Think of it as Microbiome 101. Understand the science behind this multifaceted system then learn how to put it into practice by picking up a copy of Dr. Bulsiewicz’s new book, Fiber Fueled. What we discuss in this episode: - Dr. Bulsiewicz’s...
May 13, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 74
How does a young finance professional pivot careers and establish three successful plant-based restaurants without an ounce of traditional culinary training? Hard work, a can-do attitude, and an unrelenting belief in oneself and one’s mission. It’s been a decade-long journey, but Stephanie Morgan—founder of Seabirds Kitchen—has certainly proved herself as a respected chef and restauranteur. Her food is both familiar and creative—from the plant-based pesto-schmeared grilled cheese to the wonderfu...
May 06, 2020•49 min•Ep. 73
Indra Lahiri is a renowned communicator with a resume that boasts senior-level communications positions at global companies from PNC Bank to Coca-Cola. However, she’s using her superior communication skills to foster a relationship between humans and animals. The founder of Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in Dalton, PA, Indra saves and cares for hundreds of rescued farm animals while teaching children and adults alike about the need for compassion, communication, and respect for all lives. Indra is b...
Apr 29, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 72
More than 9 billion land animals are raised and killed for consumption every year, just in the United States. The more people consume meat, the higher the demand, and the more animals are exploited and slaughtered. But why do we tend to only eat certain kinds of meat? Why are more of us investing in premium pet products at the same time the chicken slaughter rate is continuing to increase ? Today’s guest shares some insight into this phenomenon, which she has coined carnism . Dr. Melanie Joy is ...
Apr 24, 2020•59 min
Looking at Dahlia Marin now, you never would have guessed she grew up unhealthy. Diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, high cholesterol, and prediabetes at 17, Dahlia’s overwhelming health issues led her to pursuing a degree in nutrition and ultimately healing herself. She met her husband, James, in school and together they developed a plant-based practice to holistically treat their patients. Dahlia is an expert on gut health and raising healthy children from infancy...
Apr 22, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 71
Growing up, Heather Mitts Feeley juggled soccer balls. Now, she’s juggling three kids under the age of 6 and just as many advocacy projects. A three-time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA, Heather talks in detail about getting into soccer, her Olympic experience, and how she was part of the first wave of professional women soccer players who began pushing for equal pay. We also dive into her home life—what it’s like raising three young kids and navigating a marriage when your spouse isn’t vegan...
Apr 15, 2020•53 min•Ep. 70
Charlie Engle has run across the Sahara. He’s served time in prison. He’s remained sober from a debilitating alcohol and drug addiction for 26 years. Most of us can’t relate to the feats Charlie has accomplished, but we can all learn from his experiences and his wisdom. In the time of COVID-19, we could all benefit from a bit of self-evaluation. Charlie’s advice is sound, attainable, and immensely helpful for anyone who is struggling to overcome a challenge or is simply stuck. Life is a collecti...
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 69
Dr. Neal Barnard is back! Repeat guest (Episode 22), new information. We probe him for the groundbreaking and life-altering information included in his new book Your Body in Balance. It’s all about managing your hormones through plant-based nutrition because it turns out, our hormones affect our health way more than we ever imagined. Man, woman, adult, or child, this information is applicable to everyone. Listen in to start your journey to better health and to simply feel good again in your body...
Apr 01, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 68
If a simple dietary change could limit the destructive effects of cancer, reverse chronic conditions, and heal your body, how quickly would you make the switch? We’ve all been touched by chronic disease, whether we’ve been personally diagnosed or watched a loved one struggle through an illness. Dr. T. Colin Campbell has dedicated his career to proving that a diagnosis doesn’t have to be a death sentence and that prevention is possible. Dr. Campbell is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus ...
Mar 27, 2020•55 min
We’ve heard a lot about COVID-19, but instead of panic-driving headlines, we wanted to get the clear, concise facts from an expert. Dr. Michael Klaper has 40 years of patient experience under his belt, and he offered a comprehensive explanation of the current situation—what it is, who is at risk, how to protect ourselves, and its link to animal agriculture. Beyond that, we dive into nutrition strategies for long-term health and why some omnivores may feel less than optimal after making the switc...
Mar 25, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 67
Dr. Goldner was resigned to live out her life in the clutches of lupus—she expected to become disabled by her forties, deal with chronic pain, and never have children. Her perspective changed after meeting her husband and attempting to get trim for a Maui honeymoon. She shocked herself by healing her disease simply by eating a high-raw, whole-food, plant-based diet. For Goldner—and the hundreds of seriously ill patients she has treated since then—it really is that simple. Food can heal. This epi...
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 66
Hailed by many as “the Vegan Cheese Queen,” Miyoko Schinner is here to lead the food revolution. A vegan for 35 years and hugely successful businesswoman, Miyoko has become a household name in the dairy-free cheese and butter categories. However, creating incredible cheeses from cashews and oats is only one of her priorities—she wants to dismantle the fear around labeling and create a global market where plant-based cheese is the “real” thing and dairy (if it still exists) is the alternative. Sh...
Mar 11, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 65
