PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
People become curious about whole food, plant-based nutrition for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, or another chronic disease and you know (or you’ve been told) that this is your best shot at healing your body. You may be an athlete looking to maximize your performance and recovery with the power of plant-based nutrition, or you’re a parent who wants to escape the processed food aisle and start feeding your children real, nourishing foods. Perhaps you are concerned about climate change and the profound negative impact that animal agriculture has on the planet.
The problem? A whole food, plant-based diet can seem overwhelming, confusing, and, yes, expensive. You’ve been told it will make you deficient in something, or that you won’t get enough protein. You think it might be a boring way to live, or that it is so extreme you’ll alienate yourself from friends and loved ones.
Well, here at the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, we’re not afraid to be extreme - extremely positive, extremely helpful, and extremely well-researched. Each week on the show, host Rip Esselstyn talks to medical experts, authors, athletes, and people just like you who are not just surviving on a plant-based diet, but THRIVING.
As founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG, Rip Esselstyn is a wellness advocate, former professional athlete, firefighter, and NY Times best-selling author renowned for his dedication to promoting vibrant health through plant-based nutrition and active living.
Over twenty years ago, Rip rescued several of his fellow firefighters with whole, plant-based foods following the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. The results were so dramatic that Rip wrote the bestselling book,The Engine 2 Diet, to spread the word. His subsequent works, including Plant-Strong, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and The Engine 2 Cookbook, further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the plant-based movement. Rip was also featured in the documentary Forks over Knives and served as an executive producer of The Game Changers film; a revolutionary documentary that shatters the myths about meat, protein, and strength.
Rip’s mission and the mission of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast is to make plant-based living accessible and approachable, and to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We share the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes, and prescribes plants as the solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, and restoring the environment.
You won’t be weak if you’re eating strong food. PLANTSTRONG food.
We welcome you wherever you are on your plant-based journey and we’re thrilled you’re here.
The problem? A whole food, plant-based diet can seem overwhelming, confusing, and, yes, expensive. You’ve been told it will make you deficient in something, or that you won’t get enough protein. You think it might be a boring way to live, or that it is so extreme you’ll alienate yourself from friends and loved ones.
Well, here at the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, we’re not afraid to be extreme - extremely positive, extremely helpful, and extremely well-researched. Each week on the show, host Rip Esselstyn talks to medical experts, authors, athletes, and people just like you who are not just surviving on a plant-based diet, but THRIVING.
As founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG, Rip Esselstyn is a wellness advocate, former professional athlete, firefighter, and NY Times best-selling author renowned for his dedication to promoting vibrant health through plant-based nutrition and active living.
Over twenty years ago, Rip rescued several of his fellow firefighters with whole, plant-based foods following the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. The results were so dramatic that Rip wrote the bestselling book,The Engine 2 Diet, to spread the word. His subsequent works, including Plant-Strong, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and The Engine 2 Cookbook, further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the plant-based movement. Rip was also featured in the documentary Forks over Knives and served as an executive producer of The Game Changers film; a revolutionary documentary that shatters the myths about meat, protein, and strength.
Rip’s mission and the mission of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast is to make plant-based living accessible and approachable, and to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We share the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes, and prescribes plants as the solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, and restoring the environment.
You won’t be weak if you’re eating strong food. PLANTSTRONG food.
We welcome you wherever you are on your plant-based journey and we’re thrilled you’re here.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 20, 2023 • 56min
Ep. 206: How Trucker Steve Lost over 170lbs on the Road
In April 2023, we first aired this special Facebook Live Friday episode with Trucker Steve. Steve lives on the road as a semi-truck driver. As you can imagine, this is NOT an easy life, especially when you’re trying to keep yourself healthy. Long days in the truck, gas stations, truck stop food, lonely stretches for days on end…you get the point. Well, after hitting over 500 pounds, Steve committed to a whole food, plant-based diet and, at the time of this recording, had lost almost 200 lbs! How does he do it? What are his favorite on-the-go meals? What does he always have stocked in his truck cooler? Steve shares some of his tips from the road that, no doubt, will help anyone who does a fair amount of traveling. Episode Resources Watch the Original Episode on YouTube Episode Webpage Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our teas, stews, pancakes cereals, granolas, pizza kits, 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
Jul 13, 2023 • 1h 10min
Ep. 205: Chef Vegan Vicki - Lung Cancer Survivor to Vegan Chef
Chef Vegan Vicki is a proud Cleveland native who, in 2008, was diagnosed with non-smoking lung cancer.
After surgery, she started researching ways to get healthy and avoid a recurrence of this or any form of cancer. No surprise, her homework led her to a whole foods, plant-based diet and she ended up losing almost 100 lbs! This transformation changed everything in her life and she went from working in the insurance industry to becoming an iconic chef. In this inspiring conversation, she shared how she started her cooking journey at the Cleveland Veg Fest and Taste of Black Cleveland events, offering mouthwatering vegan soul food that no one else was making at the time.
As you can imagine, she faced initial resistance and skepticism towards vegan food; however, she persisted, gained recognition, and eventually became the first vegan to be in a major sports arena at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland! Today, as founder of Koncious Kuisine, she’s also a private vegan chef to several families and members of the NBA and NFL, and continues to run pop-ups in the arena and all over the Cleveland area.
Episode Highlights 10:10 Her surprising diagnosis and Medical journey in 2008 15:00 How she went from the Queen of Longhorn Steakhouse to a plant-based diet, thanks to a stranger in a grocery store 22:15 From insurance to iconic chef?! 35:00 From initial skepticism and reluctance, to all-out stardom with her vegan soul food 38:00 Where does she find her inspiration and what's it like cooking for the stars? 41:36 Vicki’s favorite mouth-watering sandwich 45:00 More rapid fire questions with Vicki - her best scrambled egg substitute, sweet potato pie, risotto and more 50:00 Vegan Vicki’s favorite cookware Episode Resources Watch the Episode on YouTube Follow Vegan Vicki on Instagram - @koncious_kuisine Article on Vegan Vicki in VegNews Koncious Kuisine Website Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our teas, stews, pancakes cereals, granolas, pizza kits, 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
Jul 6, 2023 • 1h 20min
Ep. 204: Mel Weinstein - What Are You REALLY Eating?! Fast Food Secret Ingredients Revealed
Former food chemist Mel Weinstein reveals the secrets behind fast food ingredients and their impact on health. Topics include the evolution of fat-free products, the excessive use of ingredients in popular chains like Taco Bell and KFC, and the deception of natural flavors. The discussion also delves into the rise and fall of Olestra, the chemistry behind food oils and additives, and the processing of pea protein isolates.
Jun 29, 2023 • 1h 15min
Ep. 203: Jackie Akerberg - Veganism Doesn't Equal Bland. How to Live a "Jackfruitful" Life
Jackie Akerberg is the creator of Jackfruitful Kitchen, a popular food blog devoted to simple, healthy, and delicious plant-based meals using minimally processed ingredients. She's also the author of, The Clean Vegan Cookbook, which features over 60 whole-food, plant-based recipes that will satisfy every craving. (And when you see the gigantic burger on the cover of her book, you’ll see what we mean.) Jackie grew up in a healthy household and learned to appreciate fresh food and cooking at a young age because her parents owned a successful catering company. Never one for meat, she cut out eggs and dairy and turned fully to plants as a solution to her own health and digestion problems. Today, she creates content to show that clean vegan food can be nutritious, delicious, and full of flavor. Today, she and Rip dig into several of her recipes and discuss: Growing up in Iowa with homemade meals from her parents Why she decided to cut out all animal products The void she saw in the cookbook space and how “The Clean Vegan Cookbook” came to be How she enhances her gluten-free recipes with cauliflower rice, zucchini, and other vegetables The wonders of jackfruit as a “meat replacement” Using tofu in pancakes?! How she impresses the biggest meat lovers with her recipes including chilis, burgers, pastas, tacos, and more. I feel like sometimes people think clean or healthy vegan eating has to be restrictive or flavorless or doesn't have that satisfying, umami, texture or taste or flavor. And I wanted to show people that it can." About Jackie Akerberg Jackfruitful Kitchen provides delicious, easy-to-follow, vegan and gluten-free recipes to help make healthy cooking and meal planning a breeze. These balanced plant-based recipes will nourish your body and help you look and feel your very best. Jackfruitful Kitchen recipes are crafted with pure whole foods and organic ingredients that are good for you and good for the planet. The name “jackfruitful kitchen” was inspired by four different parts: 1. My first name (Jackie) 2. One of my favorite ingredients for vegan cooking (Jackfruit) 3. The ability to be full and satisfied by eating clean, whole, plant-based food 4. The goal to live a more fruitful life. Episode Resources Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Order The Clean Vegan Cookbook Jackfuitful.com To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all-new pancake and waffle mixes, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
Jun 22, 2023 • 1h 2min
Ep. 202: Cyd Notter - Break Down the Barriers to Lasting Habit Change
Cyd Notter discusses barriers to lasting habit change like fear of failure, family pressure, emotional eating, and more. She shares insights on navigating social pressures for healthy eating and confronting emotional eating. The podcast also introduces new plant-based food products and explores Sid's journey to a plant-based diet.
Jun 15, 2023 • 1h 33min
Ep. 201: Matt Lederman, MD and Alona Pulde, MD - Find Deeper Connections with Your Loved Ones and Go From Wellness to Wonderful
Drs. Matthew Lederman and Alona Pulde pioneered the medical program that was used in the film, Forks Over Knives, and after the popularity of that groundbreaking film, they went on to co-author multiple books including The Forks Over Knives Plan, The Forks Over Knives Cookbook, Forks Over Knives Family and the Whole Foods Diet with former Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey. Today, we discuss their latest book Wellness to Wonderful: 9 PILLARS FOR LIVING HEALTHIER, LONGER, AND WITH GREATER JOY. Through a comprehensive and beautiful combination of Eastern, Western, and lifestyle medicine practices, Matt and Alona work with their patients to help them wake up every day thinking, “My life is wonderful.” They do this through private sessions, support groups, and courses on nutrition, nonviolent verbal communication (or NVC), spirituality, weight loss, and more. This isn’t your average 10-minute doctor's appointment. Wellness to Wonderful is a complete life paradigm shift for you and your family. Their book’s nine fundamental pillars of health include: self, nutrition, activity, play, sleep, family & friends, work, spirituality, and the natural world, but we focus much of our conversation around non-violent communication and family connection because we at PLANTSTRONG truly believe that communication and connection is KEY to a wonderful life. Episode Resources Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Order Wellness to Wonderful WeHeal.Health - Connect with Drs. Pulde and Lederman on all of their classes and programs To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all-new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
Jun 8, 2023 • 1h 17min
Ep. 200: Plantiful Kiki - Lean Into Loving Yourself
My guest today is Kiki Nelson, but you may know her best as Plantiful Kiki. Her book, Plantifully Lean is turning heads, but what turned my attention to Kiki was her transparent health and weight loss journey. As a young adult, Kiki struggled with her weight and suffered all of the ill consequences as a result - high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, hormonal imbalances, lack of energy - and none of this was optimal for a young Mom of two active children. Two things really moved the needle for Kiki - and they are the cornerstone of the work she does today. She found simple whole food, plant-based nutrition and did (and still does) a lot of work around self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-love. The results? In a little over a year, she lost 70 pounds and reversed those lifestyle diseases that were only going to progress. It’s a remarkable story of someone willing to believe that they are worth the work and she shares that work with all of us. Rip and Kiki discuss: The ups and downs of yo-yo dieting What turned Kiki onto plant-based nutrition The lecture from Jeff Novick that changed everything for her Why she loves carbs and doesn’t avoid them How she divides her plate for optimum nutrition and satiety The way she cooks as a Mom of two How she leaned into self-love and compassion in her journey Why she wrote Plantifiully Lean and is so transparent on social media about her weight loss journey A few of the “Firefighter-approved” recipes she created from her book. Today, you can find her on her social media channels dishing up plenty of recipes and inspiration, and you can find her book Plantifully Lean on bookshelves now. Episode Resources Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Order Plantifully Lean Plantiful Kiki’s website - https://plantifulkiki.com/ Follow Kiki on Instagram - @plantifulkiki To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
Jun 1, 2023 • 1h 20min
Ep. 199: Vesanto Melina MS, RD and Cory Davis MBA, P.Ag - The Muscle Behind Plant-Powered Protein
We joke today that there are three things that plant-based eaters must face – death, taxes, and the dreaded question, “Where Do You Get Your Protein?!” Well, today, we tackle the ever-popular topic of protein with two of the authors of a recent book, Plant Powered Protein. Vesanto Melina and Cory Davis dispel the myths and misconceptions about plant-based protein - and - (and this is the part we love) make the science understandable and digestible. Let’s put to rest that you can’t get enough protein at various stages of life including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adulthood, your senior years, and even for the athlete population. You can get plenty of protein and this book shows you how with easy-to-follow protein recommendations and recipes so that you never feel deprived or deficient. Let’s also put to rest those myths that plant protein is somehow weaker or not complete. Whole food plant-based sources of protein are not only superior to our animal sources, but also have a lighter carbon footprint and the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. It’s time to eat strong food. Episode Resources Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Order Plant Powered Protein Plant Powered Protein Website with more resources To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE. PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
May 25, 2023 • 1h 7min
Ep. 198: Sgt. Vegan Bill Muir - Called to Serve Humankind, Animals, and Our Planet
Sgt. Vegan, Bill Muir, has always had a “think outside the box” attitude – from being a straight-edge punk rocker to going vegan in 1992, and then joining the military just after 9/11 where he served as a US Army Paratrooper. And all of this - YES - as a hardcore vegan. Needless to say, it wasn’t easy, but he was (and is) so convicted and grounded in his values that he made it work. Today, Sgt. Vegan chats with Rip about: How he became a hardcore straight-edge vegan Why he joined the military to give back How he made it through basic training as a vegan What it took to procure his own food and remain grounded in his values Why he’ll never eat chili again and what he eats these days Today, he is a Registered Nurse at a VA Hospital in LA, where he continues to stand up for those who need assistance. Whether it’s helping humankind, animals, or our planet, Sgt. Vegan is ready to serve. Episode Resources Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Sgt. Vegan Website Sgt. Vegan Instagram @sgt_vegan PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our all new chilis, 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
May 18, 2023 • 1h 37min
Ep. 197: Matthew Rees - A Big Fat Crisis: Uncovering Fact from Fiction about Our Food
In a world that is littered with false information and blatant lies, especially when it comes to health and nutrition, it is so important to seek the truth. Matthew Rees is a treasure trove of facts and commentary about food and health at his website, foodandhealthfacts.com. As a longtime journalist, speechwriter, and author, Rees has written for such esteemed publications as The Economist, The New Republic, and The Wall Street Journal. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Reader’s Digest, and more. He’s also co-authored several books, but his personal passion lies in nutrition. He pulls information and research from recent scientific studies, interviews, books and more, and makes them all easily digestible nuggets of truth on our toxic food culture and how it’s contributing to massive rates of disease and death throughout the country. It is his mission to help us better understand how consuming unhealthy foods leads to the mess of chronic health issues we’re facing today as a society, but also provide understanding and solutions. Episode Resources Episode Website Watch the Full Episode on YouTube Visit and bookmark foodandhealthfacts.com PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH to receive free two weeks Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023 To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, 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 🌱💪 Theme Music for Episode
