In Episode #59, I sat down with Dr Renae Thomas, MD, a physician working in Loma Linda, California, one of the ‘Blue Zone’ areas that display incredible longevity and high quality of life. This is a really important podcast; sometimes in nutritional science, we can become too reductionist and zoom in on potential mechanisms without appreciating the complexities of human beings. Observational data from people displaying longevity, happiness, and a high quality of life serve as a reminder that som...
Mar 15, 2019•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 60
In Episode #58, I sat down with one of the pioneers of lifestyle medicine, Dr Neal Barnard, to break down the process by which people become insulin resistant and how we can eat to avoid or even reverse type 2 diabetes. Neal covers his clinical experience with type 2 diabetes, the clinical trials on type 2 diabetes and nutrition he has run and published, how Atkins/ketogenic/low-carb diets can affect type 2 diabetes, and – importantly – the idea of reversing type 2 diabetes We also cover plenty ...
Mar 08, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 59
In Episode #57, I sat down with Carly Taylor and James Aspey to talk about animal activism and the importance of being patient, kind, and understanding when communicating the plant-based message. For those of you who may be more interested in the health aspects of a plant-based lifestyle, or perhaps see people following a plant-based lifestyle as extreme, I urge you to listen to this conversation – I think it just may give you a different view. In this 2.5-hour episode, we cover strategies for t...
Mar 02, 2019•2 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 58
In Episode #56, I sat down with gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond to talk about restoring and maintaining good digestive health with healthy eating habits. With digestive health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) on the rise globally, understanding how to take control of your own gut health is enormously important. This episode is full of scientific evidence to support health eating h...
Feb 22, 2019•2 hr•Season 1Ep. 57
In Episode #55, I sat down with superstar Adidas trainer Tanya Poppett to talk about her journey into the world of health and fitness. In particular, we discussed her relationship with food and exercise in her teenage years, when she felt a lot of pressure about her appearance. She shared how her challenges with body image as a teenager spurred her on to become the woman she is today. Listen to find out what Tanya thought about people following a plant-based lifestyle before making changes to he...
Feb 14, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 56
In Episode #54, I sat down with Erin Ireland to talk about why she personally transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle and how this affected her business. This was a fascinating discussion about why Erin eventually changed the foods on her plate, how it’s been for her talking to friends and family about the benefits of plant-based foods, and how her personal lifestyle changes have influenced those around her. One of the big changes for Erin was to her baking business, and she shared the biggest h...
Feb 09, 2019•1 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 55
In Episode #53, I sat down with Torre Washington to talk about his journey, how he got into bodybuilding, and what it’s like being a plant-based bodybuilder. We intended to record this episode in the USA; however, our worlds collided a little earlier than planned, so we recorded it in Byron Bay. As well as discussing some of the places we ate during our time in Byron Bay, we dove into Torre’s childhood years, his bloodlines, and what the Rastafari culture means to him. We talked about his journe...
Feb 01, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 54
In Episode #52, I sat down with Joe Holder, founder of the Ocho System. He is an absolute wealth of knowledge when it comes to exercise optimisation and ‘levelling up’ to adopt a mindset that enables you to achieve the performance and physique goals you desire. Strap yourself in…this one is damn interesting! In our conversation, we spoke about his passion for sport and how getting injured changed his perspective on healing and performance and ultimately helped him develop his love for health. He...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 53
In Episode #51, I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with European pop sensation Ben Cristovao or ‘Benny Cristo’ as he goes by. Ben is a man with an extreme amount of raw talent, a strong work ethic, and steel-like determination to fulfil his potential. But despite his impressive résumé of achievements, the lasting impression on me from this conversation was Ben’s thought processes and overall state of consciousness. He has an incredible story, and where many would be sidetracked by the ...
Jan 16, 2019•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In Episode #50, I sat down with good friend Will Dalton to chat about aspects of my own life, including what inspired me to transition to a plant-based lifestyle and ultimately start The Proof. For those of you who have followed The Proof’s journey so far, you may know that I don’t actually like to share a lot about myself. But given its growth, I appreciate that many of you will want to get to know me better, and rightly so! Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to suppor...
Jan 11, 2019•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 51
In Episode #47, I sat down with environmentalist, fellow Aussie, and ocean lover Tim Silverwood. Tim is the co-founder of Take 3, an organisation that encourages people to collect rubbish and dispose of it correctly. He was also recently featured in the documentary Blue and is an absolute wealth of knowledge about the damage we’re doing to this planet and what we can all do to fix it. Get ready folks…some of the statistics about the damage we have caused is mind blowing! We discuss ocean plastic...
Dec 22, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In Episode #46, I sat down with Adam Guthrie to hear about his journey, which at one point saw him in a critical care hospital literally fearing for his life. I first met Adam in Ubud, Bali, earlier this year, and when I heard his story, I knew I had to share it with The Proof community. Listen to find out about Adam’s heart attack, how he took control of his health, and his transition to a plant-based diet. Hear how he stepped up to train for and complete the Ironman Triathlon, how he’s working...
Dec 19, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In Episode #45, I sat down with the owner of Beyond Sushi, chef Guy Vaknin, to learn more about his story and the journey of one of my favourite places to eat in New York. Listen to find out how Beyond Sushi was born, its journey from vegetarian to plant-based, the challenges of starting and scaling a small business in New York, and the restaurant’s future. We also talked about Guy’s childhood, when and why he moved to NYC, how he developed an interest in hospitality, and much more! Enjoy, frien...
Dec 15, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In Episode #44, I caught up with Andrea, who you may know as Earthy Andy, on the north shore of Oahu. Andy was in the final few weeks of her pregnancy (and has since given birth to baby Nalu) so it was such an amazing effort for her to sit through quite a long recording! In this episode, we talked about her early years, how and where she met Shem, what inspired her to make changes to the food she was eating, and what Shem thought of her moving to a plant-based lifestyle. Andrea shared how she in...
Dec 09, 2018•1 hr 54 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In Episode #43, I sat down with Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, to chat about his personal health journey. Eric is a former NYPD police officer and New York state senator who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In our conversation, he shared what his diet was like before his diagnosis, why he changed his diet, and how this affected his diabetes management and quality of life. We also talked about the work he’s doing at the community level in Brooklyn, including his work with Dr Michelle ...
Dec 05, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In Episode #42, I caught up with pro surfer and vegan mother Alana Blanchard in Kauai, Hawaii. From when she was just 8 years old, Alana had a dream to become a pro surfer, and she dedicated her life to turning it into reality. We covered a lot in this episode: her relationship with Bethany Hamilton; the shark attack incident, how it affected her, and her journey to getting back in the water; the movie Soul Surfer that covered Bethany and Alana’s story; why she follows a plant-based diet; her pr...
Dec 01, 2018•1 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In Episode #41, I sat down with Ellen Fisher to learn about her journey and the steps she’s taken to build a family centred around consciousness, abundance, life learning, love, and lots of fun. In this conversation, we covered what Ellen’s childhood was like in California; why she changed her diet; why she and her high school sweetheart, Andrew, decided to leave California for Hawaii; and what life is like there. Ellen also shares her experiences during her three pregnancies and breastfeeding, ...
Nov 26, 2018•1 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Episode #40 is certainly not for the faint hearted. Legendary punk rocker, author, and plant-powered athlete John Joseph takes us through his life and what it was like to grow up in Manhattan in the 60s, 70s and 80s with no money and little family support while being surrounded by some truly bad influences. If you don’t like swearing or you have young kids listening, this is not the episode for you. John grew up in some crazy times and did some crazy things to basically stay alive. But despite t...
Nov 22, 2018•2 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In Episode #39 of The Proof podcast, I sat down with cardiologist Dr Rob Ostfeld to talk about preventative medicine and how he treats his patients to improve their quality of life and promote longevity. Among other things, we delved into Dr Ostfeld’s medical training, how he ended up specialising in cardiology, when and why his own diet changed, and how he became interested in preventative medicine. He also goes into the science of saturated fat, cholesterol, and statins (cholesterol medication...
Nov 18, 2018•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In Episode #38 of The Proof podcast, I spoke with Bianca Taylor about her journey from a seemingly lost, sad, and powerless soul to a vibrant, inspirational, and empowering woman taking charge of her life and understanding her purpose. Listen to find out about Bianca’s childhood and teenage years and her mental health, including what happened when her father was shot outside their home and how this affected her. We also dive into relationships, her lowest moments where she asked herself ‘what’s ...
Nov 12, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In Episode #37, I sat down for the second time with Dr Michelle McMacken (previous guest on Episode #2) to talk about the science behind eating for longevity. This is one of my favourite episodes so far in terms of breaking down the science, clearing the confusion, and helping us all understand what we should be eating more and less of. Grab a pen and paper…you’re going to want to take notes and probably listen more than once! We talked about Michelle’s project, which offers plant-based food pro...
Nov 07, 2018•1 hr 45 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In Episode #36, I sat down with Suzy Amis Cameron, wife of popular filmmaker James Cameron, at her house in Malibu to chat about her life and how we can eat to not only thrive but also save the planet. We discussed her childhood, her time as a Ford model and actress, what Muse School is and why she co-founded it, and the inspiration behind her new book, OMD: The Simple, Plant-Based Program to Save Your Health, Save Your Waistline, and Save the Planet. Listen to hear Suzy’s thoughts on just how r...
Nov 01, 2018•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In Episode #35, I sat down with plant-based dad, author, endurance athlete, and podcast host Rich Roll. We went through his journey from an unhealthy man in his 20s and 30s battling with addiction and poor food choices to a man in his 50s thriving physically and mentally while living a life of purpose and fulfilment. Rich’s story is very well documented, but given that this is his first time on The Proof podcast and that we plan to record future episodes together, I thought it was important that...
Oct 27, 2018•2 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In Episode #34, I caught up with Ben Richards, owner of Seeds of Life Cafe in Ubud, Bali, to chat about his story and what raw or ‘living’ foods are all about. It’s a three-hour episode, so a bit of a marathon one, but it’s full of golden nuggets to get you thinking about life at a deeper level, particularly why we eat what we do. Some highlights include Ben’s experience with plant medicines, including mushrooms and ayahuasca; what ‘raw food’ means and whether it’s for everyone; what soaking, sp...
Oct 20, 2018•2 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In Episode #32, I sat down with world-renowned vegan chef Gaz Oakley to discuss his story and rise to stardom over the past three years. Since early 2016, Gaz has taken social media by storm with his avant-garde cooking displays on YouTube and Instagram, amassing a combined following of over 700,000 people. Gaz has phenomenal talent, a bright future ahead, and is as humble and genuine as they come. In our conversation, Gaz took me through his journey so far, including how he developed a passion ...
Oct 11, 2018•1 hr 50 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In Episode #31 of The Proof podcast, I sat down with Loni Jane. Loni started sharing her journey pretty much as soon as Instagram was launched. She’s a great example of someone in very poor health who adopted a plant-based lifestyle and was able to turn her life around, both mentally and physically, to create a life of love, prosperity, growth, and wellness. Loni has now built a life that is in her control and on her terms, in stark contrast to her former life where she battled with excessive dr...
Oct 03, 2018•1 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 32
In Episode #30, I sat down with Australia’s ninja warrior pinup boy Jack Wilson to talk about mindset, creating good vibes, and making life-changing decisions. Jack has a powerful message and is incredibly articulate and humble. His passion for bringing out the best in those around him is obvious, and his positivity is contagious. Everyone who listens to this one will walk away feeling uplifted and motivated to be a positive example for those around them. In this episode, expect to hear about Ja...
Sep 28, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In Episode #29, I talked with Damien Clarkson to get his insights into the plant-based movement in the UK. Listen to learn about Damien’s personal story and transition to a plant-based lifestyle, with insights into the UK plant-based market and statistics. We also dive into Vevolution’s mission, future, and its role in bringing people together and promoting positive change in the world. It was great to talk to Damien about innovations in plant-based products and the opportunities that exist for ...
Sep 24, 2018•59 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In Episode #28, I spoke to one of Australia’s top DJs, DJ Tigerlily (Dara Kristen Hayes), to find out how she navigated her way through an industry that, as you can imagine, consists of a lot of drugs, alcohol, and sleepless nights. We discussed Dara’s early years, her introduction to music, and how she developed a love for DJing. She shared her insights into what it’s like working in the DJ and nightclub industry and the effect it had on her health, and she explained why she moved to a plant-ba...
Sep 20, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 29
In Episode #27, we use a question-and-answer format with show host Simon Hill (@theproof) and previous show guest Jeremy Butler (@bar_night). This episode breaks down some of the common questions and fears of people who want to add more plants to their plate. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons...
Sep 17, 2018•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 28
