Plant-Powered People Podcast

How do you find the best vegan snacks at a theme park? Russell Heiman, aka @rollercoastervegan travels the world adding to his 590+ list of roller coasters ridden, and they find the best vegan snacks in the process. They’re on the show to talk about their best theme park tips! Podcast website: http://plantpoweredpodcast.com Show notes: https://plantbasedmealplan.com/ep-80 Show Notes: How Russell conquered their fear of heights through roller coasters and unlocked a new passion Russell’s journey to becoming plant-based How to find good vegan food at theme parks How to plan out a trip to a theme park, near or far Vegan food options at Disneyland Maintaining vegan values &  theme parks that have live animals What to do when your family plans a trip to a theme park with live animals Some of the best theme parks to visit worldwide The different types of rides and roller coasters around the world Tips for staying safe & healthy during theme park visits Tips for sticking to a budget while on a theme park trip How to find discounted admission & bulk deals for theme parks Tips for making waiting in line fun & productive Spooky abandoned theme parks & what happens to them Russell’s Instagram Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenely and Caraway home/plantpoweredkitchen or use plantpoweredkitchen Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Caraway Home (use discount code PLANTPOWEREDKITCHEN)   Resources: Vegan Disneyland Guide Best Vegan Food at Disneyland (Video) Toni’s YouTube Video: What I Ate Vegan at Disneyland + Food Prices

How can you improve the health of an entire fire station? Rip Esselstyn joined the fire department after 10 years as a professional plant-based triathlete, and that’s exactly what he did! Now, Rip empowers the masses to take control of their health through his books, podcast, food brand, and more.   Show Notes: The Esselstyn family’s journey from consuming the Standard American Diet to becoming leaders in the healthy plant-based living space Learning to cook tasty plant-based meals The evolution of plant-based resources How & why Rip got into firefighting after being a professional athlete & communications graduate The lifesaving event that led Rip to start helping firefighters eat healthier & plant-based What it’s like to be a firefighter & the kinds of calls they get The contrast of witnessing the consequences of poor diet choices while his father’s work focuses on reversing them through plant-based nutrition Rip’s shift from saving fire victims to helping firefighters live healthier lives The amazing benefits that Rip’s friend experienced after 28 days of healthy plant-based eating How small group challenges can influence us to live healthier Simple & healthy meal ideas from the fire station A summary of what Rip’s books are about & who they’re for Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Karviva Beverages. Note: most Karviva drinks are fully vegan, but they have a few that aren't. Their Ace sport drink line is not vegan).    Resources: Rip’s books Plantstrong.com Plantstrongfoods.com Plantstrong Podcast

Imagine eating dozens of vegetables worth of nutrients, but only within a few bites? That’s what you can do when you eat sprouts! Doug Evans, serial entrepreneur and author of “The Sprout Book” is here to tell us everything there is to know about sprouting.   Everything you need to know about sprouts Growing your own food at home with sprouts How Doug’s family history of illness influenced his journey How meeting a vegan lady sparked his “cold cucumber” moment Doug’s philosophy around making diet changes How moving to the desert changed Doug’s access to fresh food The shocking nutrient density of sprouts How to grow your own sprouts in the space of a shoebox How sprouting reduces the risk of contamination Why sprouts are so much more expensive at the grocery store  The nutritional benefits of broccoli sprouts vs full grown broccoli How to start sprouting with seeds, jars, and cheesecloth The best seeds to sprout for beginners The best ways to make sprouts delicious & Doug’s signature sprout dish How to get creative with your sprouts The amazing environmental benefits of sprouting vs. farming full vegetables How sprouts can help give access to food in even food deserts Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Karviva Beverages. Note: most Karviva drinks are fully vegan, but they have a few that aren't. Their Ace sport drink line is not vegan).    Resources: The Sprout Book by Doug Evans Doug’s Website Doug’s Instagram

How can you make sure you always have delicious, healthy, plant-based food ready for you to eat when you need it, without spending hours meal prepping every week? Danielle Brown, AKA the creator of Healthy Girl Kitchen, is on the show today to tell us, and share all her healthy eating tips!   Show Notes: How Danielle became a full-time vegan food blogger Danielle’s journey to becoming plant-based The amazing benefits Danielle experienced from going plant-based & focusing on healthy food Why Danielle decided to become a health coach The importance of understanding your WHY for going plant-based  How having answers to the most common questions about your lifestyle change can help you build confidence How to make healthy lifestyle changes that last The power of not being too restrictive when trying to make diet and lifestyle changes Top recommendations for when you want to make healthy meals quick How to be prepared with healthy food without necessarily meal prepping Navigating the becoming plant-based when your household isn’t on board What a day of healthy girl eating looks like Plant-based meal and snack ideas for the on-the-go lifestyle How to make healthy swaps for the treats you want How to build a salad that you’ll be excited to eat Advice for anyone wanting to get started with a healthy plant-based lifestyle Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Karviva Beverages   Resources: Danielle’s Instagram Danielle’s Website

How can fiber, fermented foods, and sprouts improve your gut health? Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is back for another gut health episode to get into all the details that we didn’t cover last week! Get ready for some practical and actionable gut health tips from one of the USA's top gastroenterologists.   Show Notes: The microbiome & why it matters so much for our health, energy, & wellbeing A practical application of HOW to empower your microbiome to be its best How fiber can reduce the risk of 6 of the top causes of death The biggest misconception of fiber How our gut microbes are supporting us more than we are supporting them The power of short-chain fatty acids and how fiber produces them How much fiber do we actually need, & is there such a thing as too much? Why increasing fiber intake too fast can cause gut issues & how to ease into more fiber in your diet Can juice cleansing impact your microbiome? Which are most important: prebiotics, probiotics, or postbiotics? The surprising truth about taking probiotics after antibiotics How to properly support your gut before, during, & after taking antibiotics with plant-based food How a plant-based diet can be better than restrictive diets like keto for weight loss Raw vs cooked food & why it’s important to vary how you prepare your food The power of fermented foods & sprouts The impact of alcohol on our gut health Part 2 of last week’s gut health challenge! Thank you to our sponsors karviva and maxine’s heavenly   Resources: The Fiber Fueled Cookbook by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz Fiber Fueled by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz Dr. Bulsiewicz's Instagram Dr. Bulsiewicz's Website

What does fiber have to do with disease prevention? Turns out, a lot! Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is an award-winning gastroenterologist, internationally recognized gut health expert, and the New York Times bestselling author of Fiber Fueled. He joins us on the podcast to help you optimize your gut health with simple, practical, and potentially life-saving tips. SHOW NOTES How Will got started on the path of practicing & sharing healthy plant-based eating From being an proud fast-food eater in a multi-year health crisis to a proud and healthy vegan Overcoming the struggles of becoming overweight & anxious while meeting the demands of med school The gap in medical education & how nutrition helps What exactly is gastroenterology? What makes Dr. B’s practice different & innovative How Dr. B grew his Instagram to over 414K followers with purpose-driven content How to empower yourself with health knowledge for free Empowerment to take control of the choices that can unveil the best part of yourself Why we were not educated about our gut health How our gut microorganisms are connected to our health, our mood, etc The benefits of good gut health and the effects of bad gut health What ulcerative colitis and crohn's are and why they are not considered autoimmune diseases anymore What your bowel movements say about your health & what healthy bowel movements look like How emotional disturbance is affecting your gut health The power of belly breathing & a breathing exercise you should do everyday How do create a diverse, resilient microbiome by eating more fiber What happens down the line when we eat more fiber How eating more fiber is linked to reduced risk of heart attack, cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and more How many different vegetables you should be eating in a week Thank you to our sponsor’s Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Karviva Beverages RESOURCES Fiber Fueled (the book) The Fiber Fueled Cookbook Dr. B's Instagram Dr. B's Website

What do you do when you need help from a dietician but you’re on a tight budget? Anna Rios is a registered dietician at the FQHC, and she helps low-income Americans to make accessible healthy diet changes that help reverse hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and more! She’s on the show today to discuss the challenges associated with accessing a healthy plant-based lifestyle, and how to make affordable changes.   Show Notes: How Anna provides professional nutrition counseling to farm workers, factory workers, and more who have health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, and more Busting the myth “it’s too expensive to eat vegan” The importance of empowering people with the knowledge, resources, and access to eat healthier and reclaim their lives How Anna’s goals shifted from wanting to be a doctor to becoming a registered dietician Navigating becoming plant-based in a family that is set in their ways & dietary habits How plant-based living helped lower blood pressure, help energy levels, and helps improve mood disorders What is the FQHC and how does it help the low income population? How Anna makes dietary changes seem attainable and less scary using SMART goals How to find and access FQHC clinics with or without insurance in almost every US county How to talk to patients who are uneasy about seeking healthcare Why restrictive and unrealistic diets don’t work long term How Anna’s patient regulated his cholesterol levels and reversed type 2 diabetes The connection between nutrition and mental health The importance of Intuitive & mindful eating The connection between food & culture, family, wellbeing, & happiness How to participate in cultural dishes in a healthier way Thank you to our sponsor’s Maxine’s Heavenly (use discount code PLANTS25) and Karviva Beverages   Resources: Anna’s Instagram Anna’s Tik Tok Anna’s Pinterest Anna’s Website: healthysimpleyum.com Free plant-based meal plans on plantbasedonabudget.com

How much does veganism have to do with Jewish values? Turns out, a lot! Rabbi Shmuly is one of the most influential Rabbis in the USA, and he is here to talk about his plant-based journey, the intersection between vegan and Jewish values, and how to stay plant-based at traditional Jewish meals.   Show Notes: How Rabbi Shmuly went from no interest in veganism at all to living the plant-based lifestyle Raising plant-based children How Rabbi Shmuly embraces transformation and compassion Why a plant-based lifestyle complements Jewish values The difficulty of being in jewish spaces that don’t understand/embrace vegan sensibilities How religion can challenge us to not accept the world as it is, but instead to help us envision and work towards what it should be How religion can help people to support each other and build community How the current food system & factory farming conflicts with Jewish morals Why a Kosher label doesn’t always mean the food was produced ethically How people are becoming more aware of the suffering of other beings, creating new pathways for change Jewish ethos & rejecting dogma How the systems of oppression and technologies of destruction towards people compare to the mass slaughter of animals Being an advocate for those who aren’t seen or heard Tips for using kosher labels to figure out what’s vegan How to politely navigate Jewish holidays and traditions as the only vegan in the room Feel empowered as a vegan at a traditional meal by hosting the event Tips for creating your own vegan traditions Vegan ingredient replacements for traditional Jewish dishes Vegan Jewish recipe suggestions The importance of deepening our inner world in order to create change in the outer world Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly & Natreve    Resources: Rabbi Shmuly’s books Vegan Passover guide Vegan Hanukkah guide Vegan challah bread recipe Vegan noodle kugel recipe Carrot lox recipe Vegan latke recipe  Vegan matzo ball soup recipe

How can you veganize your culture’s dishes that traditionally contain many animal products? It can sometimes be a challenge to maintain the flavors, but there is a way! Alexa Soto specializes in bringing her Mexican culture to the world through plant-based food, and she’s here to give us her best tips on cooking plant-based versions of our culture’s favorite dishes!   Show Notes: Mexican culture & mexican food How to enjoy & love your culture without sacrificing your plant-based lifestyle Dealing with pushback from family about being vegan Vegan swaps for items that are culturally significant Veganizing Mexican, American, and Jewish dishes How to tie your cultural identity into your plant-based food Tips for those trying to veganize their culture’s family recipes Plant-based, wholefood swaps for animal products in our culture’s dishes Learning to enjoy the flavors & textures of vegan ingredients Resources for vegan cultural dishes Tips for ordering a vegan dish at a traditional cultural restaurant Thank you to our sponsors, Maxine’s Heavenly and Natreve   Resources: Alexa’s Instagram Alexa’s Tik Tok The Korean Vegan

How do you discuss the uncomfortable reality of why it’s bad to eat animals without shaming anyone or causing hard feelings? Gene Baur, author of two books, founder of Farm Sanctuary, and expert on the reality of the animal product industry is on the podcast today to help us navigate the conversation!   Show Notes: About Gene’s books & the Farm Sanctuary How to effectively answer the question “What’s wrong with eating animals?” The harm that factory farming causes to animals & the environment How & why Farm Sanctuary started How to make the conversation about slaughterhouses less uncomfortable What it was like being vegan in the 80s when it was more rare Why being making plant-based choices isn’t about being perfect The power of making the conscious choice to avoid unnecessary harm The extremely unsanitary nature of factory farms & the risks they carry The community & environmental impact of the mass production of animal products Why cows being raised for dairy might just be worse than being raised for beef The sad reality of free-range/cage-free/free-roaming egg production Thank you to our sponsors Maxine’s Heavenly & Natreve   Resources: Farm Sanctuary Website Gene’s books The Friendly Vegan cookbook Plant-Based on a Budget World of Vegan Find a farm sanctuary near you!