Stay ConnectedWhether you are? vegan, veg-curious, or just starting your wellness journey we are excited to have you tune in. ??
We are bringing honest conversations to you discussing a range of health, wellness, and lifestyle inspirational topics from Guest Speakers and our Plantarion Community Members.
Copyright: © 2019-2020 The Plantarion Podcast
Welcome to episode 20 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with Robin Walker of Wilma Bakes Cakes to chat about the sweet details on how she transitioned from animal rights advocacy work to full time vegan baker and entrepreneur.
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Interview with Robin Walker of Wilma Bakes Cakes
After a long career working in the animal protection movement Robin Walker decided to branch out and make her hobby a full time job and Wilma Bakes Cakes was launched! A small but mighty bakery that strives to bring smiles to the masses while also giving back to the community.
Robin has held many different positions in the movement however she is most proud of her many years of working on the DC VegFest committee and seeing it grow to the festival it is today.
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Welcome to episode 19 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with Dr. Baruch of ELife Restaurants (formally known as Everlasting Life) to discuss why he was motivated to bring plant-based food options to the black community. He's a native Washingtonian and has been vegan for 44 years. Through his experience, he saw a need in the black community for access to better, healthier food options. This inspired him to not only provide healthy food options but also use media to educate the community on why eating healthier is important within the under served communities.
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Interview with Dr Baruch Ben-Yehudah of Elife Restaurant
Everlasting Life Restaurant is not just another vegan restaurant, it is a place of peace, hope and inspiration in the midst of a community plagued with an astounding number sick and obese residents who have been drowning in a sea of poor dietary habits for decades. Located in a strip mall just minutes away from the nation’s capital, the establishment is surrounded by fast food restaurants with no source of fresh, healthy food for miles. “I see a community that was left without, underserved,”says Everlasting Life’s founder, Dr. Baruch. “It is gross what is being done to our people. But rather than curse the darkness, I made it a mission of Everlasting Life to shine that light.”
Dr. Baruch Ben-Yehudah (known as Dr. Baruch), who has been vegan since 1978, founded Everlasting Life with the idea that one should not have to leave one’s own neighborhood to find something healthy to eat. He looked around and realized there were only unhealthy restaurants serving his largely African American community. His observation is based on an awareness that stemmed from an experience he had 24 years ago. While setting up speakers at a food conference, he heard one of the speakers practicing her speech in which she said, ‘If you can control a man’s food, you can control a man.’ A statement that triggered both his heart and his business mind and led him to asking the very important question: ‘Who is controlling my food?’
That was the impetus for his first business, a food co-op in the garage of his Temple Hills home in the early 90s. He later opened a restaurant on Georgia Avenue in Washington, DC, Everlasting Life Café and in 2001 he opened Everlasting Life Restaurant and Lounge in Capitol Heights, MD. Everlasting Life is now scheduled to open a new location December 2018 in Anacostia. Anacostia particularly special in offering Dr. Baruch a homecoming, given his Southeast DC roots.
“Our food is our medicine,” Ben-Yehudah says. “We call Everlasting Life a ‘hospi-rant,’ a hospital restaurant.
Everlasting Life, now Elife Restaurant, is a cafeteria-style restaurant offering fresh salads, whole plant-based entrees and side dishes, vegan desserts, juices and smoothies. Visit one of our locations: Capitol Heights, Takoma Park and Anacostia. (DC Metro Area)
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Welcome to episode 18 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with Shaun Sharkey & Chef Riccio about their restaurant, Pow Pow, went vegan! We chat about the connection Shaun made between the music industry and creating restaurant concepts, how they got their team to agree to let Pow Pow go vegan for Meatless May, how Pow Pow is expanding to new locations plus a food truck, how their serving the community during the COVID-19 crisis, and their upcoming restaurant concepts that you're going to drool over.
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Interview with Chef Riccio & Shaun Sharkey
Shaun Sharkey Bio:
Born and raised in DC to a restaurant family, Shaun got his professional start in the music business as a recording artist and producer, signing to the major label, Elektra / Warner Group at the early age of 23. After traveling the world and being inspired by different cultures and global cuisine, Shaun combined his keen sense of the arts and business to later transition into the restaurant business. Creating concepts and shaping brands for other restaurants in the DC area became second nature. In 2016, Shaun opened his own restaurant, Pow Pow on the street and section of town in which his grandparents from both his mother and father's side had businesses in the late 50’s and 60’s. In the four years since opening, Pow Pow has won multiple awards and has gained critical acclaim as one of the city's pioneers in plant-based food.
Shaun is co-founder and conceptual designer for the restaurants Pow Pow, Bubbie’s Plant Burgers & Cenzo's Upper Eastside.
Chef Margaux Riccio:
Born and raised in the San Francisco bay area, Chef Riccio started working in family restaurants where she developed an amazing sense for flavors and the science behind food techniques. After moving to DC in 2005, while further developing her skills, Riccio acquired a dairy allergy, ultimately changing her direction in food. Chef Riccio then used her knowledge and experience with flavors and science to develop foods she missed and was no longer able to eat. Under Chef RIccio’s supervision, Pow Pow was awarded 2018’s compassionate business award from the global organization, PETA. In 2019, Chef Riccio volunteered for Chef Jose Andres’ World Kitchen ‘Chef’s For Feds’ program where she served thousands of meals a day for furloughed government employees.
Margaux Riccio is a nationally recognized plant-based and kosher certified Chef. Chef Riccio is Head Chef for Pow Pow, as well as co-founder and Chef for Bubbie’s Plant Burgers & Cenzo's Upper Eastside.
(0:00) Welcome to the Plantarion Podcast
(2:14) Introducing Shaun Sharkey & Margaux Riccio
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Welcome to episode 17 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with Dr. T. Colin Campbell about the connection of COVID-19 with China and his new book coming out this December.
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Interview with Dr. T. Colin Campbell
T. Colin Campbell, PhD has been dedicated to the science of human health for more than 60 years. His primary focus is on the association between diet and disease, particularly cancer. Although largely known for the China Study--one of the most comprehensive studies of health and nutrition ever conducted, and recognized by The New York Times as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology”--Dr. Campbell’s profound impact also includes extensive involvement in education, public policy, and laboratory research.
(0:00) Welcome to the Plantarion Podcast
(2:14) Introducing Dr. T Colin Campbell
(3:00) Why he doesn't identify as a vegan
(11:33) What Danni & Dr. Campbell have in common
(13:50) What inspired you to do the China Study
(32:06) The link between COVID-19 and China
(43:24) Is eating a plant-based diet enough to keep a strong immune system
(45:02) His new book coming out this year
(49:23) Nutrition Studies, eCornell, & Plant Pure Communities
(56:53) Follow T. Colin Campbell and his campaigns
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Welcome to episode 15 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks Mary Beth Olson of MBO Media about her work in animal advocacy and how she uses public relations to get the word out.
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Interview with Mary Beth Olson of MBO Media
Mary Beth Olson is the founder of MBO Media, a seasoned publicist of more than 15 years and an on-camera media contributor. Mary Beth brings an extensive background in beauty, lifestyle, health, and wellness to her clients. Having worked in NYC for close to 10 years, Mary Beth has held leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies including Avon Products, Inc., Victoria’s Secret PINK and Coty, Inc. and specializes in PR, media training, branding, and animal advocacy.
From New York to Washington, DC, Mary Beth has secured coverage for her clients in major national lifestyle magazines such as InStyle, VOGUE, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair and ALLURE to the nation’s top newspapers and TV outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today. The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, The Daily Show and more.
In her fairly new role as Founder of MBO Media, Mary Beth works with DC and LA based non profits such as LadyFreethinker and Animal Outlook, plant based restaurants like PLNT Burger in the Whole Foods in Silver Spring and Columbia, MD and Capitol Heights in DC, vegan powerhouses like best selling author and nutritionist Tracye McQuirter, MPH of By Any Greens Necessary and Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn, securing coverage in such outlets as Washingtonian Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, Good Morning Washington, FOX5, NBC4, ABC7, The Washington Post, Women's Health Magazine, among others and brings an extensive list of media contacts covering plant based trends, food and wellness.
Mary Beth can be seen on ABC7’s “The Mother Side” and is a frequent on air media contributor on USA9’s Great Day Washington. Mary Beth is also a DC Contributor for Jane Unchained News.
(0:00) Welcome to the Plantarion Podcast
(2:30) Introducing Mary Beth Olson
(5:37) Animal Agriculture Awareness
(9:47) Raising Compassionate Children
(12:18) Working with Celebrities like Halle Berry and Beyonce
(14:45) Working with Vegan Advocates
(17:11) Most Proud Moment Working in Animal Advocacy
(21:11) What is MBO Media?
(23:41) Expert Media Tips
(28:24) Follow MBO Media on Social Media
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Welcome to episode 15 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with some of the members of the Howard University Student Sustainability Committee and how we climate strike for the planet.
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Interview with the HUSSC
The Howard University Student Sustainability Committee (HUSSC), is a unified coalition of students and sustainable orgs/student groups with the goal of increasing sustainability on Howard's campus and in engaging the surrounding community in the DMV.
Destiny Hodges is a junior interdisciplinary major at Howard University from Birmingham, Alabama. Her mission is to educate and uplift the stories of marginalized communities--specifically the Black community-- impacted by environmental inequity by using media as a form of narrative organizing.
Travis Flowers is an alum of Howard University with a B.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Montego Bay, Jamaica. In his spare time, he exercises his creativity to develop Caribbean inspired vegan recipes and is a proud author of his very own recipe book "Vegan by Chef Flowazboi".
Audre’ana Ellis is a senior Environmental Studies major and Political Science minor at Howard University from Hampton, VA. She believes it is important for people of color to be key players in the environmental movement because marginalized communities are affected first and worst by environmental hazards and unjust laws.
Jaylin Ward is a junior interdisciplinary journalism major from the Bronx, New York at Howard University. Through every initiative in her professional tenure, she strives to achieve inter-generational healing through access to knowledge, education, and real food.
(0:00) Welcome to the Plantarion Podcast
(2:06) Introducing HUSSC
(4:49) What is HUSSC and what is your mission?
(5:30) How did Travis, Destiny, Audre'ana & Jaylin get involved with HUSSC?
(11:10) The Climate Strike at Howard
(13:56) Climate Change Club & Other sustainability organizations and initiatives on campus
(15:45) What does HUSSC does to help bring awareness to sustainability practices
(18:25) What sustainable activities do you do on campus?
(22:57) Sustainability tips you can do today!
(29:10) Upcoming virtual events for HUSSC
(31:07) Covid-19 & Food Access
(33:46) Follow HUSSC on social media
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Welcome Back SEASON 2 Episode 9 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee talks with Ajani Simmons, vegan ultrarunner and founder of the DC Vegans of Color.
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Interview with Ajani Simmons
Ajani is a vegan chef, food/portrait photographer, and founder of the DC Vegans of Color. After decades of loving meat and loving to cook, he realized that he could cook without the meat and truly spread love and compassion. He was inspired to go vegan by a number of music artists including Dead Prez and by the unhealthy state of America especially within the African American community. After going vegan, he started running 5ks and marathons and then ultramarathons up to 75 miles at a time.
He has taught numerous cooking classes as a Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and hosted private pop up vegan dinners within the DC area. In his free time, he can be found with his fur baby Kesha the pup, tending to his over 50 houseplants, making tacos, and running ultramarathons.
(0:00) Welcome to the Plantarion Podcast
(1:53) Introducing Ajani Simmons
(2:48) Welcome Ajani!
(3:00) Ajani's vegan story
(6:30) Ultrarunning and plant-based diet
(14:44) PCRM's Food for Life Instructor program
(19:22) Vegan food photography
(21:04) DC Vegans of Color meetup group
(32:47) Follow Ajani's upcoming projects
(35:01) What does vegan mean to Ajani
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Mentions:
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Welcome Back SEASON 2 Episode 8 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee gives us a recap of the first half of the season along with some updates about the future of the Plantarion podcast! She starts off the episode with some vegan comedy!
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Midseason Recap with Danni McGhee
Danni McGhee give us a recap of the amazing guests we'v already had on the podcast this season. Tune in to hear more about what's coming up for the Plantarion podcast.
(0:00) Intro
(0:31) 46 Questions Vegans are Asked Every Single Day
(3:12) Welcome to Episode 8
(4:14) Season 2 recap
(8:01) What's coming for Season 2
(8:23) Shoutout to my co-host Thomas Goodman
(9:55) Podcast announcements
Mentions
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Welcome Back SEASON 2 Episode 7 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee and Thomas Goodman talk with John Oberg. We have a fun chat about how he became vegan and is now using social media to help influence others to make more informed choices when it comes to living a vegan lifestyle.
Special Note: We, at Plantarion, want to send our love and encouragement during the Coronavirus crisis. Take care of yourself by eating healthfully, getting fresh air and sunlight daily, stay hydrated, and get some much needed rest. Stay well, friends!
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Interview with John Oberg
John Oberg is an animal advocate, influencer, and social media professional, dedicated to making the world a kinder place for animals by utilizing the power of social media. He has launched his own independent project for animals through Patreon. Prior to that, he served as Director of New Media for the international animal protection organization, The Humane League. And prior to that, John served as Director of Communications for Vegan Outreach. In both of these roles, John oversaw social media for the organizations which led to a tenfold increase in following in both, as well as over 1 billion views of content posted to these pages. John is an Advisory Board Member at Plant Dining Partnerships.
(0:00) Intro
(0:31) Danni & Thomas chat about being vegan for everything
(4:24) Introducing John Oberg
(5:06) Welcome John!
(5:38) John's vegan story
(12:58) John's animal activism work
(17:42) John steps into social media advocacy
(19:31) John's on Patreon
(20:38) The power of social media
(24:00) The urgency of becoming an animal activist
(27:28) John's social media tips to advocate for the animals
(29:45) Support John via Patreon
(31:17) Follow John Oberg on social media
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Welcome Back SEASON 2 Episode 6 of the Plantarion Podcast! Danni McGhee and Thomas Goodman talk with Dr. Neal Barnard of PCRM & the Barnard Medical Center. He give us an understanding of how a plant-based diet correlates with positive health.
Special Note: We, at Plantarion, want to send our love and encouragement during the Coronavirus crisis. Take care of yourself by eating healthfully, getting fresh air and sunlight daily, stay hydrated, and get some much needed rest. Stay well, friends!
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Interview with Dr. Neal Barnard
Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 90 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students.
As president of the Physicians Committee, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research. His research contributed to the acceptance of plant-based diets in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In 2016, he founded the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as a model for making nutrition a routine part of all medical care.
Working with the Medical Society of the District of Columbia and the American Medical Association, Dr. Barnard has authored key resolutions, now part of AMA policy, calling for a new focus on prevention and nutrition in federal policies and in medical practice. In 2018, he received the Medical Society of the District of Columbia’s Distinguished Service Award. He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health.
Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Barnard received his MD degree at the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the same institution. He practiced at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York before returning to Washington to found the Physicians Committee.
(0:00) Intro
(0:31) Danni & Thomas chat about food
(4:11) Introducing Dr. Neal Barnard
(6:24 ) Welcome Dr. Barnard
(6:35) Dr. Neal Barnard's Vegan Story
(10:22) What inspired him to found PCRM
((14:17) How does PCRM support their clients
(16:18) Dietary guidelines and it's changes
(18:53) Are doctors starting to suggest plant-based diets more?
(20:44) The Barnard Medical Center experience
(20:14) Nutrition is powerful
(25:25) Tips to stay well during COVID-19
(30:41) Nutrition training on medical school
(32:01) Policy change for nutrition
(34:32) What if your doctor doesn't advocate for a plant-based diet?
(36:53) Follow Dr. Neal Barnard and his campaigns
Follow Dr. Neal Barnard & his campaigns
PCRM's Instagram
PCRM's Facebook
PCRM's Website
PCRM's 21 Day Kickstart program
Barnard Medical Center's Facebook
Barnard Medical Center's Website
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