PLANTSTRONG Podcast

Bonjour, mes amis. This week, we’re heading to the bayou to celebrate Mardi Gras with Camryn Clements, The Plant-Based Cajun! Dan Buettner from the Blue Zones was the first to introduce us to Camryn because she’s one of the chefs featured in his new book, The Blue Zones American Kitchen.  Camryn is a busy Mom and when her young family moved from Louisiana to Texas for her husband’s medical residency, she found herself missing her cajun culture, especially being so isolated and far away from home during the pandemic. At the same time, she and her family were also trying to improve their own health so she started taking some of her favorite cajun dishes and making them plantstrong. We’re talking about mushroom etouffee, jambalaya, tofu shrimp, red beans and rice, and even king cake. The plant-based cajun knows just the right combination of spices to kick up your taste buds and have you dancing with your friends and family. And, with Mardi Grad right around the corner, we couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate Camryn and the authentic cajun flair she shares with her audience. So, no matter where you are on your plantstrong journey, let’s let the good times roll, or as they say down there in Louisiana - “Laissez les bons temps rouler!" About The Plant-Based Cajun Camryn grew up in Lake Charles, LA with all the trappings of a true Cajun: Mom made the cuisine, Dad and her siblings studied and spoke French (very rusty at this point in life!), and her Dad played in a Cajun band that we performed in often. Her childhood was full of culture. Her husband began his residency in Internal Medicine in 2018. At the time, he was battling fatty liver disease along with other health issues related to unhealthy eating (the Standard American Diet). They knew they needed to change, and they knew where the evidence pointed: the plant-based diet. The plant-based Cajun was born! Episode Resources Episode Webpage Watch the Episode on YouTube The Plant-Based Cajun Instagram: @theplantbasedcajun The Plant-Based Cajun Website The Plant-Based Cajun YouTube 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

D. Anthony Evans loves pain. Pain, you might say, is his superpower, which is a good thing because he lives with excruciating pain every second of the day.  D. Anthony was born with Neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic condition causing multiple tumors to grow on the nerve tissue. He has hundreds of them on and in his body.  Unfortunately, they can become malignant and turn into an aggressive, mostly terminal, form of cancer.  In 2012, D. Anthony was diagnosed with this cancer. Doctors removed hundreds of tumors and told him he had six months to live.   Eleven years later, he’s thriving.    How in the world did he go from a death sentence to the physical specimen and motivational force that he is today?  One word: PLANTS.  This beautiful soul embraces a daily rigorous physical and spiritual practice where he chooses to celebrate a birthday every day because every day is a renewal of life and one more day he gets to celebrate being alive.  About D. Anthony Evans Adidas called D. Anthony Evans one of the world’s most inspirational athletes, and they’re not alone in being amazed at his powerful story. As a plant-based lifestyle transition coach and dynamic advocate, D. Anthony is dedicated to helping people with major health issues defy the odds and learn to thrive - because he knows how to. Despite being diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, being given 6 months to live, and having 385 tumors removed from his body over the course of eleven nine-hour operations, he has not just survived but thrived for 11 years longer than anyone in history with his cancer. He attributes all of his success to adopting an alkaline mindset and lifestyle that rest perpetually on the foundation of a positive mindset, consistent challenging physical fitness, and a whole food plant-based lifestyle. Through his nonprofit Cheri Inspires which he founded in his mother's name, he aims to bridge the widening access gap that poor and fixed-income patients face should they decide to fight for their life holistically with treatments traditional insurance just doesn't cover. This is where D, identified the need and created a solution. D didn't fight his fight traditionally because he had the help of Chef Dave. This is why this part of his mission is so important to him because understands that unless you are independently wealthy, fighting cancer holistically is really not an option. Episode Resources Episode Webpage Watch the Episode on YouTube D. Anthony Instagram @danthonytrains D. Anthony Facebook Cheri-Inspires.org - D’s non-profit dedicated to helping people receive holistic treatment H.O.P.E. The Project - Cancer Patient Given 6 Months To Live in 2012 | D Anthony Evans Part 1 | Plant Power Stories - Part 1 H.O.P.E. The Project - Cancer Thriver Defies His Prognosis | D Anthony Evans Part 1 | Plant Power Stories - Part 2 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

Let’s cut right to the chase today. A whole food, plant-based diet CAN save your life.  It sounds like hyperbole, but it isn’t, because today’s guest is living proof.  John Tanner was out on a run in 2009 and went into cardiac arrest. He collapsed to the ground and his heart stopped beating. Fortunately, the quick action of others to get help saved his life.  In recovery, John started reading everything he could about the causes of heart disease and how to prevent it. His research, of course, led him to the work of Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr, T. Colin Campbell, and others. He learned what most doctors don’t know: Heart disease need not exist. It is reversible and, in most cases, preventable.  John tells his harrowing story and discusses the remarkable advocacy work he is doing now with his non-profit NuSci and food delivery company, Little Green Forks.  In fact, he’s offered a generous discount code at Little Green Forks: Rip15New to receive $15 off your order.  A plantstrong diet brought him back to life and it can help you, too. About John Tanner, PhD John Tanner earned his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Caltech. John is the Founder and CEO of Tanner Research, Inc., an advanced R&D company that was named to the "LA Fast 50" five years in a row and that develops software, electronics, and robotics. Dr. Tanner is also the founder and Director of NuSci, The Nutrition Science Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through education of nutrition science. More recently he founded the healthy meal delivery company, Little Green Forks.   Episode Resources Watch the Original Episode on YouTube Episode Webpage NuSci.org Little Green Forks - Use code: Rip15New to receive $15 off your order 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  

Rip welcomes the mover, shaker, and influencer that is Pinky Cole - founder of The Slutty Vegan restaurant chain based in Atlanta.  In 2018, Pinky started selling her vegan burgers from her kitchen in Atlanta on Instagram. Yes, Instagram!  They immediately became an enormous hit and now, just five years later, she’s gone from her apartment kitchen to nine brick-and-mortar locations in and outside of Georgia– including her newest locations in Brooklyn and Harlem. Pinky Cole is unapologetic about her brand and you can feel that in the energy she brings to her food, her Pinky Cole Foundation, and her new book, Eat Plants, B*itch - 91 Vegan Recipes that will Blow Your Meat-Lovin Mind. Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube The Slutty Vegan Website Buy Pinky’s Book, Eat Plants, B*itch - 91 Vegan Recipes that will Blow Your Meat-Lovin Mind. The Pinky Cole Foundation 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

We’re happy to welcome back the popular, Jessica Hegarty, to the podcast! Jess and Rip did this Facebook live event a few weeks ago and the response was so powerful, we wanted to share it with all of you. Jess is the Director of Food Development and Strategy around all of our PLANTSTRONG food lines. She’s the one who researches every new product and ingredient we look at for our foods and if it doesn’t pass her sniff test, it doesn’t make it into the mix! Needless to say, we trust her implicitly and, if you’ve tasted our PLANTSTRONG foods, you know the rigorous taste and nutritional standards she holds us all to.  Today, Jess is here to talk coconuts. As you may know, we at PLANTSTRONG aren’t huge fans of it because of the ridiculously high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fat isn’t just detrimental to our arteries and endothelial cells, but it’s also harmful to our brain health. In fact, it’s pretty much the only whole plant food we just can’t endorse and you’ll hear exactly why. But, Jess doesn’t just look under the hood of the coconut itself.  she also explores other popular coconut-based products: Coconut oils Coconut waters Coconut extract Coconut yogurts and milks Coconut flours Can any of these products be considered a plantstrong food? Are all the “supposed” health benefits just marketing hype? Is any of it worth our valuable dollar? She’ll tell us and even provide some fun and healthy alternatives! It’s a fun and in-depth look at this exotic fruit. Episode Timestamps 6:25 Why is coconut the one plantstrong food we recommend you stay away from? 6:40 Why is saturated fat so detrimental to our health and endothelial function? 12:30 What is the saturated fat of typical foods in the American diet? 18:44 Coconuts are saturated fat bombs — similar to a Meal from McDonald’s?? Jess talks about the study to prove it. 24:00 Coconut Oil - Are there any health benefits to our body and skin? 28:48 Coconut Extract - Not flavors!  30:10 How to make your own coconut extract at home 31:10 Coconut Milk and Yogurts - What are some great alternatives to this concentrated saturated fat bomb? 37:08 Coconut Water - Is it really packed with electrolytes?  Alternatives? Green tea and whole foods 40:40 Why was coconut even put on this planet?  46:00 Coconut Sugar - concentrated sugar with no fiber. Alternatives? Try dates!  48:55 Coconut Meat and Dried Shredded Coconut 54:30 Coconut Flours - Can you find de-fatted coconut?    Episode Resources Watch the Original Episode on YouTube PubMed Study - Impairment of endothelial function--a possible mechanism for atherosclerosis of a high-fat meal intake Homemade Coconut Extract Recipe 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 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