We're honored to introduce you to a fellow kale-loving athlete, Dominick Thompson. Imagine growing up poor in Chicago’s west side, witnessing your first murder at age 5, doing whatever it takes to protect yourself and provide for your family, and going to prison at age 21 – all while still excelling in school, athletics, and work. It’s a background that is so different from most, but such an important story to tell because, to understand Dom now, you simply have to look back on his past. Today, Dom is a beautiful humble soul who defies every stereotype we have of a “tough guy.”  He’s an activist, bodybuilder, endurance athlete, dog dad,  and social entrepreneur, known for his businesses, Eat What Elephants Eat and Crazies and Weirdos. It’s even more fascinating to learn that Dom went vegan during his first week of prison. Unbelievable.  He had a spiritual epiphany and the decision to stop eating animals completely transformed his life.  His mantra? “If it requires harm, then nahhh.”  Today, he gives us a riveting look at his past and discusses that spiritual shift that informs his present-day work as an activist and social entrepreneur.  “When you eradicate harm from your life, the universe has your back,” he says. We couldn’t agree more.   Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/3cD-KXOAJ28  Eat What Elephants Eat Crazies and Weirdos Follow Dom on Instagram - @domzthompson Follow Dom on TikTok - @domzthompson   Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat   Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode

Dr. Uma Naidoo has been called a “triple threat” for her work and knowledge in food and medicine. Not only is she a psychiatrist, but she’s also a trained professional chef and nutritionist. If there was ever anyone more qualified to talk about the impact that foods have on our brain and well-being, it’s Dr. Naidoo. In addition to her work at Harvard and Mass General, Dr, Naidoo is also the author of the best-selling book, This is Your Brain on Food. where she explains the ways in which food can influence our mental health and how a plant-forward diet can improve our mood and help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others.We also go through each of her six pillars of nutritional psychiatry: Be Whole, Eat Whole - and why sugar is a problem Eat the Rainbow The Greener the Better Tap Into Your Body’s Intelligence Avoid Anxiety Triggering Foods This Lifestyle is a Marathon and Not a Sprint  In addition, Dr. Naidoo also shares: Spices and foods for optimizing brain power Tips for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder Foods that boost happiness and relaxation Yes, it’s a marathon, but It’s worth it. In the spirit of “New Year’s Resolutions,” resolve to make your mental and physical health a priority one meal at a time. Every step in the right direction is a step towards a better you.Episode ResourcesWatch the Episode on YouTubeEpisode WebpageDr. Naidoo’s WebsiteOrder This is Your Brain on FoodTo stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreatJoin Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrongGive us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.Theme Music for Episode

Rip explains the dangerous impact of a sedentary lifestyle and what sitting too long does to our bodies. He also explains the scientific research advocating for us to get up and moving!It doesn’t matter if you’re training for a triathlon, a bodybuilding competition, or seeking the energy to enjoy a day with your grandkids, becoming plantstrong is a true game changer.Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active will:Improve your brain healthHelp manage weightReduce the risk of diseaseStrengthen bones and musclesImprove your ability to do everyday activities. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity and it’s available to everyone regardless of age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size.Episode ResourcesWatch the Original Episode on YouTubeEpisode WebpageTo stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreatJoin Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrongGive us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life.Theme Music for Episode

We’re thrilled to share this special bonus episode with you as we head into the New Year and give us all something to look forward to…The Future of Medicine. Dr. Zach Burns is a 2nd-year family medicine resident who also works with Dr. Michael Klaper’s Initiative, “Moving Medicine Forward,” where they speak to schools and medical students across the globe about whole food, plant-based nutrition.  Dr. Burns is a bright spot in the medical community and his knowledge, tenacity, social consciousness, and passion for “food as medicine” brings us hope –which is why we want to share it with you on the eve of this new year.  See it as proof that the needle is moving in the right direction. Medicine is moving forward with people like Zach, Dr. Klaper, and all of the pioneers we feature on the PLANTSTRONG podcast.  The future is bright, my friends, and we’ll continue to shine that light on those who are paving the way. Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube Moving Medicine Forward Website - https://www.doctorklaper.com/moving-medicine-forward Dr. Zach Burns’s Website - www.herbivores.life   To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023 https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode

We’re honored to welcome Dr. John McDougall back to the podcast for another hearty discussion. Dr. McDougall was on the podcast on Episode 151, and we took a look at his storied life and career as a pioneering physician and talked about his discoveries that informed his unwavering practice of a starch-based diet. In this episode, Rip dives in on very specific topics to get his opinions on procedures like mammograms and colonoscopies, bone density scans, blood pressure medications and other pills, as well as treatments for hormone-related diseases like male pattern baldness, endometriosis, body odor, bad breath, and more!  Dr. McDougall has been in practice for almost 50 years and, if there’s everyone who has earned the right to state their researched opinions, it’s him. Yes, he has strong opinions about modern medicine, but his point is clear and simple. So many of these screenings, procedures and medications can be diminished or even eradicated with PLANTS, and more specifically, a starch-based diet.  He doesn’t want his patients to undergo treatments that are harmful, painful, and expensive — when so many of the solutions are simple — It’s the FOOD. Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/fLoom9Dz99Y  McDougall Foundation Website Dr. McDougall Website Meer.org To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our new granola and teas, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode

Picture this – you’re about to be wheeled into the operating room for triple bypass surgery. One artery is 100 percent blocked and two others are 65 percent blocked. You have an enlarged heart, leaky valves, and a heart murmur, among other issues. At the eleventh hour, your cardiologist says, “Look, we can do this triple bypass, or you can try whole food, plant-based diet.” You have no idea why, but you choose a plant-based diet. Surely it’s easier than a triple bypass. Thanks to the work and encouragement of a certain Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, you make the radical lifestyle change and your angina disappears within three weeks, putting you on a path to health, self-discovery, and a new purpose in life. Today, we're sharing the remarkable true story of Paul Chatlin. Inspired by the radical shift in his health and the desire to spread the word about plants, in 2014, Paul created the Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group, or PBNSG for short. PBNSG is dedicated to evidence-based education and advocacy of plant-based whole-food nutrition and an active lifestyle to prevent and reverse disease. They provide classes, community, and plenty of support to guide people in this transformation and optimize health. Paul is a true go-getter, working from the heart (pun intended) to help spread to good word about whole food plant-based nutrition. Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group Join us in Black Mountain, NC for a Transformative PLANTSTRONG Retreat - April 16-21, 2023https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/2023-black-mountain-retreat Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, and delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode

Mr. Bluezones is back! That’s right, Dan Buettner is back on the PLANTSTRONG podcast to discuss his newest book, The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100. As most of you know, Dan Buettner uncovered the five places around the world where people consistently live past 100 years old. It isn’t the exception. It’s the norm. Only one of those Blue Zones happens to be in the United States - Loma Linda, California – but, did you realize that our traditional American food is firmly “planted” in a rich abundance of plant-based nutrition? Our indigenous and Native American brothers and sisters thrived on grains and beans. Immigrants to the US brought with them potatoes, pasta, masa, corn, beans…beautiful nutritious food. Buettner and his team took a tasty historical tour around the US and worked with contemporary chefs to create some of these traditional dishes and, today, Dan and I talk about many of these recipes and he shares memories and stories of the chefs, cultures, and meals that have shaped the diverse people we are today. I know we think of American cuisine (if that’s what you want to call it) as hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple pie, but our history is radically more diverse, nutritious, and dare I say – PLANTSTRONG?! Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube Join Team PLANTSTRONG and Run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong Order The Blue Zones American Kitchen

 To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode

This week, we present a bonus episode from our friends at Switch4Good. If you’re not familiar with the work of Switch4Good, they are an evidence-based nonprofit, advocating passionately for a dairy-free world. For too long, society has accepted the distortion and misinformation Big Dairy feeds us. So Switch4Good exists to set the record straight, for the sake of human health, food justice, and the future of our planet. They work with health experts, athletes, social justice warriors, enlightened policy-makers, and progressive corporations to promote ethical lifestyles and widespread behavioral change related to how we eat. The Switch4Good podcast is hosted by Olympic medalist, Dotsie Bausch and former Baywatch actress, Alexandra Paul. I believe so much in the work they’re doing that I wanted to share one of their podcast episodes with you today, especially as it relates to athletic performance.  Ryan Duff is a medical student and a recreational ultra-endurance runner, but more impressive than his academic and athletic achievements is his story of overcoming an eating disorder. Dotsie and Alexandra talk with Ryan about his struggle from anorexia to binge eating, and how he’s overcome those hurdles by shifting to a plant-based diet.  They discuss the underlying causes of eating disorders, coping mechanisms, and the holistic impact of a whole-goof plant-based diet on your physical and mental health. As he says in the interview, “I don’t run to eat. I eat and run.”   Episode Resources Download the Free Plant-Based Playbook from Switch4Good: https://switch4good.org/plant-based-playbook/ Join Team PLANTSTRONG and run with Rip! https://plantstrongfoods.com/pages/team-plantstrong  Original Episode show notes  - https://switch4good.org/from-binge-eater-to-an-ultra-runner-with-ryan-duff/  Ryan Duff Instagram - @unleashtheduff  

Rip welcomes back our cancer-crushing warrior, Dr. Kristi Funk, for her third appearance on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast   Dr. Funk is a board-certified breast cancer surgeon & physician, bestselling author of the book, Breasts - the Owner’s Manual, and women's health advocate. Simply put, she is an encyclopedia of knowledge and a dynamo personality, which is why she’s the perfect expert to dig into the latest in cancer prevention research. They catch up on some of that research and discuss four healthy lifestyle habits that will minimize your risk of breast cancer and optimize your health for the long haul:  Eating a plant-based diet Maintaining a healthy weight Getting regular exercise Putting the kibosh on your alcohol consumption  One of the big takeaways is learning about easy additions that can have profound benefits - simple things like adding in a little fruit each day or scooping a couple of tablespoons of flax into your food. These little changes can make a huge difference in slowing cancer down and prohibiting it from growing. Dr. Funk shoots straight.  It doesn’t matter if she’s on Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, or the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, she is always unapologetically promoting the benefits of plants to crush cancer.  Episode Timestamps 10:45 Dr. Funk describes her four-plan attack to reduce the risk of breast cancer. 11:49 Exactly why is eating plants our best defense against breast cancer? What does the research say? 29:00 What about processed plant-based foods?  33:20 Does a late-age pregnancy elevate the risk of cancer? 34:40 What is the median age of getting breast cancer and other important stats about breast cancer risk 39:10 Why in the world should people eat mushrooms?  40:30 Benefits of Exercise - Can it really reduce the chance of breast cancer? 43:00 What is it about alcohol that is a massive contributor to cancer growth? 47:30 Why you should be a Loser when it comes to weight and a quitter when it comes to smoking and drinking  52:30 Pink Lotus - Dr. Funk’s empowering website  56:20 What does the research say about coffee and cancer risk? 58:20 What about drinking sparkling water?   Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/nXrNPE1nnIQ Pink Lotus Website - https://pinklotus.com/ Dr. Kristi Funk Intstagram - @drkristifunk Download the Free Holiday Guidebook - https://plantstrongfoods.com/holiday  Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG and run the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K with Rip! plantstrongfoods.com/team Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong  Theme Music for Episode

Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician at the Mayo Clinic Jacoby Center for Breast Health where she works with breast cancer patients during and after their diagnosis to heal and thrive using the pillars of lifestyle medicine alongside their conventional cancer treatments.  Dawn has many remarkable stories of patient recovery, but the biggest recovery story of all is her own. You see, in addition to being a physician, teacher, wife, and mother, Mussallem is also a cancer survivor, 2021 heart transplant recipient, and as of February 2022, she's also a marathon finisher! It's a story you simply have to hear to believe and her passion and positivity will leave a lasting impact. Not only does she acknowledge her family and faith in this decades-long journey, but she also credits her whole foods plant-based diet with her ability to thrive and train with a renewed sense of purpose and boundless energy. It's a life force she brings both to her life and the lives of the patients she works with on a daily basis.  About Dawn Mussallem, DO Dr. Mussallem is a consultant in the Department of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic and is an Assistant Professor of Medicine. She is a diagnostic breast specialist at The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health and serves as Medical Director for Mayo Clinic Florida Lyndra P. Daniel Center for Humanities in Medicine. Dr. Mussallem is double-board certified, including a board certification in Lifestyle Medicine. She has over 25 years of patient-centered clinical wellness experience with international recognition in the field of breast medicine, lifestyle medicine, integrative oncology, cancer prevention, and cancer survivorship, and a unique personal experience as a stage IV cancer patient diagnosed 3 months into medical school, as well as a heart transplant recipient. She shares that her journey as a patient cultivated her boundless energy and deep purpose to help guide patients toward renewed vitality. In 2015, she founded the Integrative Medicine and Breast Health Program at Mayo Clinic Florida, a patient-centered program that works with breast cancer patients during and after a breast cancer diagnosis, introducing them early on to the importance of lifestyle optimization and evidence-based mind-body practices alongside conventional cancer treatments with a goal to reframe the cancer diagnosis as a “teacher of life,” leading patients to discover renewed vitality through healthier living.    Episode Resources Join TEAM PLANTSTRONG - plantstrongfoods.com/team Watch the Episode on YouTube Become an Organ Donor Mayo Clinic News Network Story on Dawn Dawn's Journey from Cancer Survivor to Heart Transplant Recipient Running to a New Beat - Heart transplant recipient to mark 1-year anniversary with marathon To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there! We’ve also got an Instagram! Check us out and share your favorite PLANTSTRONG products and why you love it! Don’t forget to tag us using #goplantstrong 🌱💪 Want to live your best PLANTSTRONG life? Join our exclusive PLANTSTRONG Community of friendly, plant-loving peeps! This is a goldmine of resources, recipes, and incredible support to feed your PLANTSTRONG life. Theme Music for Episode