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
Jun 18, 2019 • 48min
Ep. 10: Dr. Michael Klaper and Dr. Doug Lisle, PhD on Keto - A Physiologic Parlor Trick
In part two of this continued exploration on the pitfalls of the popular paleo and ketogenic diets, we enlist the expertise of Dr. Michael Klaper as well as Dr. Doug Lisle, clinical psychologist at the TrueNorth Health Center, on why these two popular diets are nothing more than a physiological parlor trick you play on your health. Like a trusty old car, the human body is amazingly resilient. In the same way that you can go several thousand miles without a proper oil change and maintenance, you can also load your body over time with processed acidic foods. The effects of this neglect and accumulation of “dirty fuel,” may not be immediate but, rest assured, they will swell into serious health issues in the long-term. As Dr. Lisle says, “The keto diet is a credit card. It can make you feel rich, but you’re really just accumulating a tremendous amount of debt.” The cost? Your health. Don’t trade years of a vibrant life for a few pounds on the scale. . Support for this week's episode comes from Nutramilk - the easiest and fastest way to make your own plant milk at home! Enjoy a $50 discount and free shipping with code PLANTSTRONG. Seeking a solution for making the plant-strong lifestyle convenient and inspiring? The Plant-Strong Meal Planner offers 1000s of recipes customized to your preferences, an integrated shopping list and grocery delivery! Our Engine 2 Coaches are on hand to offer support and answer any questions - all for $1.90 a week when you sign up for a year. Visit our Plant-Strong Meal Planner today! Engine 2 Diet Website Michael Klaper, MD Website Doug Lisle, PhD
Jun 11, 2019 • 46min
Ep. 9: Dr. Michael Klaper on Paleo - The Devil's Bargain
This week on the podcast, Rip dives head-first into the paleo-keto debate after he and Joe discussed how popular the meat-centered and carb-limiting diets are in firehouses across the country. I bet it's taking over in your circles too. At first blush, it may seem hard to debate the merits when the paleo diet does result in weight loss and the ketogenic diet does reduce blood sugars (temporarily). But at what cost? Dr. Klaper has been practicing on the front lines of medicine for almost 40 years and knows a thing or two about how the body works. He also knows a poorly designed shortcut when he sees one. Listen in and hear all about the pitfalls of paleo and how it really is like making a bargain with the devil! . Support for this week's episode comes from Nutramilk - the easiest and fastest way to make your own plant milk at home! Enjoy a $50 discount and free shipping with code PLANTSTRONG. Seeking a solution for making the plant-strong lifestyle convenient and inspiring? The Plant-Strong Meal Planner offers 1000s of recipes customized to your preferences, an integrated shopping list and grocery delivery! Our Engine 2 Coaches are on hand to offer support and answer any questions - all for $1.90 a week when you sign up for a year. Visit our Plant-Strong Meal Planner today! Engine 2 Diet Website
Jun 4, 2019 • 50min
Ep. 8: Paul de Gelder - Improvise-Adapt-Overcome
Change is a Choice. Paul de Gelder wasn't given a choice the day he was attacked by a shark as a clearance diver in Sydney Harbor. But he did choose how he would react. Using the mantra he’d been taught in the Army to "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome,” Paul was able to fight back from life-threatening injuries and to create a life that exceeds his most wild dreams. In this episode, Paul shares how and why he adopted a plant-based diet and what it’s meant to his health, and his efforts to save the very creatures that nearly killed him. Now a host of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, Paul is a vocal advocate for shark education and conservation. Buckle-up for this one and prepare to be inspired by someone who will make you question every excuse you’ve ever made.
May 21, 2019 • 38min
Ep. 7: Chuck Carroll - Crushing Fast Food Addiction
This episode is NOT sponsored by Taco Bell. Fast food is highly addictive and in this week's episode, we meet a man who overcame the siren song of the drive-thru and is using plants to stay the course. At just 5 feet 6 inches tall, Chuck Carroll weighed 420 pounds before radically changing his life. He was taking a long walk off a very short pier. Like so many others, he tried and failed countless times to lose weight. Any success he achieved was short-lived as the weight came pouring back on and then some. But then he did something remarkable and turned it all around. Rip had a chance encounter with Chuck at the Barnard Medical Center while being interviewed for "The Exam Room". Chuck's story of radical transformation is jaw-dropping and his candid conversation with Rip highlights all that is possible with plants and determination. Intimately acquainted with the lonely and habitual trap of fast food, Chuck weighs in on Joe’s recent slip up with Burger King and cautions against further "experimentation".
May 16, 2019 • 36min
Ep. 6: Check in with Joe Inga
When you're going plant-strong, it seems the world is working against you. We can't turn on the TV or drive down the street without being tempted. We live in a cultural mindset of "everything in moderation" - giving us the green light to indulge at every turn as long as we put in extra time at the gym. And we know marketing campaigns are scientifically designed to trigger us - making us crave sugary, salty, fat-laden, food-like substances. For many, including Joe, the drive-thru is a powerful siren song. In this check-in episode, Joe gives Rip an update on how he's doing. Hear which recipes he's made for the firehouse plus his updated biometric results. Joe will share his progress in building stamina and strength with exercise, and a setback where he found himself ordering Burger King (after 60 days of going 100%!). Plus, we'll meet Joe's wife, Jennifer!
May 14, 2019 • 32min
Ep. 5: Dr. Aaron Spitz - Let's Talk About the Elephant...In Your Pants
“If we can’t get [men] with concern over their heart or concern over cancer, we can probably get them with concern over their penis. A plant-powered penis is the key to a plant-powered person. It is the gateway organ,” shares Dr. Aaron Spitz in this eye-opening and *ahem* uplifting conversation giving straight answers on the topic every man cares about, but is too afraid to ask. Dr. Spitz has a clear five-step plan to improve sexual health: Go Fork Yourself, Sexercise, Go Offline, Detox, and Snooze or Lose. His easy-to-implement directives cover a wide range of behaviors worth examining and will dispel any concern listeners may have about forfeiting their man card in exchange for a plant-strong diet.
May 7, 2019 • 36min
Ep. 4: J.D. Roth & Chrissy Roth - Whoever Loses the Most Wins
Achieving real change in your life starts with losing before you can win. As the creator of The Biggest Loser on NBC, J.D. Roth built an empire giving people the tools they need to shed their identity and turn on the light switch to finding their ‘beast mode’. Listen as Rip and J.D. talk about the mental resiliency of a true “loser” and why we all should aspire to be one. Joe’s been gaining an average of 13 pounds a year, jeopardizing his performance as a firefighter and a father. He needs to pump the brakes and adopt a better plan - including some lofty athletic goals. J.D. is a straight shooter when it comes to busting excuses and firmly believes that anyone can do anything. J.D.’s wife Chrissy is a plant-strong force as well and has not only converted the couple’s teen boys, but a growing number of friends and neighbors have embraced the lifestyle due to their efforts. This plant-powered couple inspires everyone around them to step over the cultural hurdles, crush the excuses and just do it.
Apr 30, 2019 • 34min
Ep. 3: Drs. Dean & Ayesha Sherzai - Sleep! Who Needs It? You do.
Getting a good night’s sleep at a fire station is like trying to do homework at a rock concert. Dream on! For most of us, sleep can be elusive, interrupted, and hard to come by in our tech-heavy, fast-paced world. But good sleep is crucial for brain health, allowing our main operating system to repair and reboot. This week, Rip introduces Joe to husband-wife neurologists Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, leading physicians and researchers on brain health and the prevention of Alzheimer’s. “Assume you have bad genes and then live in a way that reduces your vascular risk”, says Dr. Dean Sherzai before sharing how plant-based nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental activity and stress reduction all play pivotal roles in our ability to thrive. Learn tips for getting a good night’s sleep even if your life circumstances are working against you. Be inspired by some positive news about Alzheimer’s and dementia - and hear simple actionable steps we can all take today to avoid this kind of demise.
Apr 23, 2019 • 40min
Ep 2: Ann Crile Esselstyn - I'm In! Now What Do I Do?
Eating plant-based, especially in a firehouse, can be challenging. In this episode, Rip introduces Joe to his mom Ann Crile Esselstyn, and serves up a dose of her unbridled enthusiasm. Thriving in her 80’s, Ann is a true force of nature and embodies the many benefits of plants. She’s learned many tricks-to-the-trade since starting this lifestyle in 1984 - hear how she keeps inspired, joyful, and motivated to experiment in the kitchen. She shares five kitchen essentials everyone should have, how to set yourself up for success, tasty hacks for adding greens to your meals plus a dozen simple and delicious ideas on what to eat. These practical heartfelt solutions will help anyone to be brave and dive into the lifestyle, fork first! Joe’s made progress in the kitchen too and his palate is changing. He’s working hard to keep the new foods interesting, to plan ahead, and to prepare for ‘grab and go’ situations. Can you do the same in your house?
Apr 4, 2019 • 2min
PLANTSTRONG
Plant-Strong’s inaugural season marshals together an all-star line-up of some of the world’s most renowned physicians and inspirational leaders to help Bronx firefighter Joe Inga change his life. An near fatal accident on the job forced Joe, a 34-year-old husband and father of two, to face his own mortality. Instead of falling back into old destructive habits, Joe decides he wants a different outcome. Join our host Rip Esselstyn, #1 New York Times best selling author and founder of Engine 2, as he coaches Joe how to rescue his health.
