PLANTSTRONG Podcast Ep. 327: Sunny Sharma, MD - He Faced a Brain Tumor — and Found the True Power of Lifestyle Medicine
Nov 13, 2025
Dr. Sunny Sharma, a lifestyle medicine physician and MDVIP concierge doctor, transformed his approach to health after surviving an acoustic neuroma. He shares how this experience deepened his empathy and emphasized prevention in his practice. The conversation delves into the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—including plant-based nutrition, movement, and sleep—and their vital role in healing. Dr. Sharma also discusses the concierge model of care and advocates for policy changes to improve access to healthy food, highlighting the power of preventive medicine.
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Lifestyle Is First, But Education Is Lacking
- Medical training cites lifestyle first, but practical nutrition education is minimal and rushed.
- System constraints (short visits) make meaningful diet counseling rare among physicians.
Epiphany From A Pizza Delivery
- Seeing a pizza delivered to a hospitalized patient sparked Sunny's realization that clinicians patch problems without addressing root causes.
- That moment propelled him to adopt a whole-food plant-based approach and pursue lifestyle medicine training.
Use Longer Visits For Deep Prevention
- Spend extended time with patients to review food and exercise logs and personalize plans.
- Use 30–120 minute wellness visits to analyze tests, habits, and set achievable steps.