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PLANTSTRONG Podcast — Fitness & Nutrition
PLANTSTRONG Podcast

The PLANT STRONG Podcast is for people who want real answers about food, health, and longevity—without the noise, fear, or extremes.

Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition and want a path forward that actually supports healing. Maybe you’re an athlete looking to fuel performance and recovery. Maybe you’re a parent trying to escape the ultra-processed food aisle and feed your family real, nourishing meals. Or maybe you’re simply tired of being confused about what “healthy” actually means.

The challenge? Eating more real food can feel overwhelming. You’ve heard warnings about protein, cost, or restriction. You’ve been told it’s complicated, boring, or socially isolating.
This podcast exists to change that.
Each week, host Rip Esselstyn sits down with leading doctors, researchers, athletes, authors, and everyday people who are proving—through lived experience and science—that eating more whole plants and moving your body consistently can deliver powerful, lasting results. We’re not interested in perfection or dogma. We’re here to be extremely practical, extremely evidence-based, and extremely encouraging.

Rip’s work began more than two decades ago, when he helped transform the health of his fellow firefighters using simple, whole foods—guided by the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. That experience launched a lifelong mission to help people reclaim their health through real food and active living, and ultimately led to the creation of PLANT STRONG.

Today, the podcast is an extension of that mission: cutting through misinformation, challenging cultural norms, and showing what’s possible when you fuel your body with food that actually supports it.
You’ll hear conversations about:
Preventing and reversing chronic disease
Strength, endurance, and recovery
Gut health, inflammation, and longevity
Behavior change that actually sticks
How to build habits you can sustain in real life

This podcast isn’t about being perfect. It’s about eating real food, building real habits, and getting real results. You won’t be weak when you eat strong food.
Welcome to PLANT STRONG.

Copyright: © 2024

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 66: The Chef's Garden - A Veritable Wonderland of Vegetables Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Recently, we were introduced to a produce farm just outside Cleveland, Ohio, and quickly learned that this longstanding family-run business is as passionate about growing vegetables as we are about eating them. So we flew to the Chef's Garden farm, so we could film this magical visit and let you experience it firsthand with us.

The Chef's Garden has been delivering specialty products with optimum shelf life, quality, flavor, and nutrition direct from the farm to the world's most discriminating chefs for over 30 years.

This vast playground of vegetables is also host to the Culinary Vegetable Institute, which provides the world’s most forward-thinking and creative chefs with a place to exchange knowledge, experiment with new ideas, and discover cooking and growing techniques using the canvas of the most flavorful, colorful and nutritious vegetables on the planet.

While there, we learned so much about regenerative farming—what it is, what it means for our future, and why we should care. Farmer Lee and Bob's passion was contagious and we are excited to share it with you.

Their mission, through their beautiful growing techniques, is to deliver the freshest, most nutrient-dense, tasty vegetables directly to your door, and as Farmer Lee says, "Healthy soil makes healthy vegetables, which makes healthy people."

We're proud to support this family farm and hope you will too. Join us for our Mystery Valentines Day Dinner for two complete with fresh produce delivered directly to your door from The Chef's Garden.

Episode and PLANTSTRONG Resources:

Chef's Garden Website and Social Channels
Join our Mystery Valentines Day Dinner with Chef's Garden - All the Ingredients Delivered Directly to Your Door.
PLANTSTRONG Challenge Starts January 9th, 2021
PLANTSTRONG Foods - Order your favorites!
PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - Discover the easy way to eat PLANTSTRONG
Rescue 10X Program
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Ep. 65: Dr. Kristi Funk - Fighting Breast Cancer with Plant-Based Nutrition Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Kristi Funk is a Board Certified Breast Cancer surgeon and physician, a bestselling author of the book, Breasts: The Owner's Manual, an outspoken women's health advocate, a regular feature on shows like Good Morning America, and best-known as the breast surgeon who treated both Sheryl Crow and Angelina Jolie. This passionate doctor's mantra is "God, family and kill cancer," which she wrote to empower women to understand the role they play in their own health.

For the majority of her career, she thought she was doing all she could to help women fight the battle against breast cancer, but 18 years into her practice, she found herself confronted with a new truth. She learned that nutrition, specifically plant-based nutrition, undisputedly plays a huge role both in a person's predisposition to get breast cancer and in their ability to fight it. And once she discovered the truth, she wasn't afraid to do an about 180, both personally and professionally, and she literally emptied her fridge and changed her patient protocols to advise a whole food plant-based diet as the best means to live optimal lives and to thrive.

This interview will empower you with facts and research, and it will debunk so many of the myths that we hear all the time, like what about soy or alcohol or underwire bras.

Dr. Funk not only embraced the truth, but she has also been on a mission to share it with the world. Please share today's episode with one of the millions of people that you know that have been touched by breast cancer.

Episode and PLANTSTRONG Resources:

Pink Lotus - Dr. Funk's website and resource library
PLANTSTRONG Challenge Starts January 9th, 2021
PLANTSTRONG Foods - Order your favorites!
PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - Discover the easy way to eat PLANTSTRONG
Rescue 10X Program
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Ep. 64: Dr. Michael Klaper - Looking Through the Lens Jan 01, 2021

Show notes

I can empathize with Galileo of knowing how when you know a truth and you know it to be true, you can't turn your back on it. It just won't let you sleep with good conscience. You just can't pretend. They say once you look behind the curtain, you can't pretend you don't know what's behind the curtain. And, those of us in plant-based nutrition, we've seen these diseases go away with a plant-based diet. We know. We've looked behind the curtain. So now it's a matter of getting that word out and helping our colleagues wake up. - Dr. Michael Klaper

Season 3 of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast explores those Galileo Moments, when you seek the real truth about your health and dare to see the world through a different lens. This season, we honor those courageous seekers who have paved the way for all of us, which is why there could be no more perfect guest to kick off this season than Dr. Michael Klaper.

Dr. Klaper, of course, went to Medical school, but also minored in Astronomy, marrying his lifetime fascination with the nighttime sky and the world according to natural law.

His own Galileo moment came in 1981 when he was an anesthesiology resident in Vancouver. He would put patients to sleep so that surgeons could open up their patients' chests. What he saw inside those arteries was unforgettable - yellow gunky atherosclerosis caused by the foods and the high-cholesterol diets they were consuming.

He could no longer deny the truth. He looked through the lens. Not only did Dr. Klaper change his diet to a whole-foods plant-based diet right away, but he also changed his own area of focus in medicine, from anesthesia to plant-based lifestyle medicine. That was almost 40 years ago and he's been going strong ever since, helping to clear those arteries and get his patients off medicine rather than performing these massive avoidable surgeries.

His goal now? Help others, including aspiring physicians, to peel back the curtain and seek the truth about the real cause of illness in our society. "It's the food, it's the food, it's the food."

Episode and PLANTSTRONG Resources:

Dr. Michael Klaper Website- Moving Medicine Forward
PLANTSTRONG Challenge Starts January 9th
PLANTSTRONG Foods - Order your favorites!
PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - Discover the easy way to eat PLANTSTRONG
Rescue 10X Program
Have you had your own ‘Galileo moment’ that you’d like to share? What happened when you stepped into the arena and shed the beliefs you thought to be true? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at hello@plantstrong.com to submit your story
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PLANTSTRONG Season 3 Trailer: Courageous Truth Seekers Dec 29, 2020

Show notes

Season three of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast explores those Galileo moments - when you seek the real truth about your health - and dare to see the world through a different lens. This season, we honor those courageous seekers who have paved the way for all of us. So, grab your telescope, point it towards your future, and let’s get PLANTSTRONG…together.

The PLANTSTRONG podcast is hosted by Healthy Eating Advocate and Author, Rip Esselstyn. To learn more, visit: plantstrong.com

Ep. 63: Transformation Tuesday: Ken Lander - New Heart...No Surgery Required Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

The tale of how Ken Lander and Rip met is nothing short of astounding. In 2017, at 430 pounds, Ken was diagnosed with a battery of lifestyle diseases, including major heart disease. When he found out, the first thing he did was Google “reverse heart disease.” Of the 200+ books that came up, he randomly picked “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn. Literally, at the exact same time, and unbeknownst to everyone, Ken had a mutual friend who was trying to connect him to resources at Engine 2. It’s FATE - wouldn’t you agree?

The rest...as they say...is history in the making. Ken is now three years into his new life and has a new beautiful heart -- without the need for surgery.

From his coffee farm in beautiful Costa Rica, Ken shared his transformation story at the recent Kitchen Rescue Primer Event. Today, we share it with you.

Episode Resources:

Engine 2 Meal Planner Take Advantage of our Free 14-Day Trial Period! Redeem your free two week trial with the code: TWOWEEKS
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Ep. 62: Transformation Tuesday: Karen Drexler - Find a Way to Make it Work Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

We know that when you’re seeking inspiration and motivation, it often comes directly from those who are living this lifestyle with passion and newfound purpose.

Who better to feature than our Plant-Strong/Engine 2 advocate, Karen Drexler?!

Karen started her plant-strong journey three years ago and, in the process, has lost over 80 pounds, recruited her family to get on board, and has even become an official advocate on the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue groups, serving as speaker and moderator.

Today, this busy mom of three shares her seven tips for starting and maintaining a plant-strong life.

Episode Resources:

Register for the Plant-Strong Kitchen Primer on October 23rd-24th, 2020
Engine 2 Meal Planner Use code: HEALTHNOW for $20 off yearly membership
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Ep. 61: Transformation Tuesday: Daniel Shuman - If the Plant "Shu" Fits, Wear It! Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

Daniel Shuman has been on his own plant-strong journey since April of 2017 when he started at 355 pounds.

But, he actually reached out to us on behalf of a friend who was also struggling with their health. As he says, “If they can see that someone like me can do something like this - and the positive impact it has on every aspect of my life - medically, socially, emotionally, my relationship with my children and wife, my intimacy...It’s really unbelievable.”

Daniel is obviously on a journey. He’s not perfect. None of us are. Remember, adopting a whole-food plant-based diet isn’t an “all or nothing.” I can be all or something because it really does check every box.

That’s what this episode is all about - sharing his story to propel others and getting people to reimagine what’s possible when you get out of your own way.

He’s living proof that the possibilities are endless.

Episode Resources:

Register for the Plant-Strong Kitchen Primer on October 23rd-24th, 2020

Engine 2 Meal Planner Use code: HEALTHNOW for $20 off yearly membership
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Ep. 60: Transformation Tuesday: Mark and Amy Papa - Taking Control of Their Health Destiny Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

In 2019, Mark Papa begrudgingly joined an Engine 2 Seven Day Immersions, which catapulted this former meat-eating triathlete back to fitness.

Mark and his wife, Amy, are the quintessential “normal” family from Pennsylvania. Mark is a Type 1 diabetic, he’s in the restaurant business, and he and his wife have five kids. So, if there was ever a family that had excuses NOT to change, this is it. And yet, they did and, as you can predict, the results have been remarkable.

We caught up with Mark and Amy last year at their home in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and we talked about what life was like before and after the immersion. It’s been quite an adventure and they are more than happy to share their success.

Episode Resources:

Register for the Plant-Strong Kitchen Primer on October 23rd-24th, 2020
Engine 2 Meal Planner Use code: HEALTHNOW for $20 off yearly membership
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Ep. 59: Transformation Tuesday: Nick Berman - As seen in "The Game Changers" Sep 29, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to a BONUS "Transformation Tuesday" edition of the Plant-Strong Podcast! Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to share this inspirational series dedicated to showcasing some of my new friends and their remarkable, plant-strong stories.

It’s our hope that these bonus clips inspire and motivate you because, as you’ll hear, cutting out all the meat and dairy and adopting a whole food plant-based diet may not be easy at first, is massively life-changing from the inside out. Believe me when I say these people are just like you.

You may recognize Nick Berman from one of the climactic scenes in The Game Changers. He, along with other members of the FDNY, had just completed the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Challenge and Nick was blown away by how far his cholesterol had tumbled. These results ARE typical.

Today, you won't believe how far he's come! I hope you enjoy this episode—and the surprise cameo by the one-and-only Jon Stewart!

Episode Resources:

Register for the Plant-Strong Kitchen Primer on October 23rd-24th, 2020
Engine 2 Meal Planner Use code: HEALTHNOW for $20 off yearly membership
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Ep. 58: Season Finale: Heart of a Hero - Fit for Duty. Fit for Life. Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Today, the Plant-Strong Podcast wraps-up Season Two with a special 'Heart of a Hero' finale featuring three of New York’s bravest firefighting heroes.

Keith Mitchell was listening to Season One of the Plant-Strong podcast back in 2019, and following the transformation of fellow firefighter Joe Inga like thousands of others.

As a triathlete, Keith already worked hard to keep himself healthy and in shape, but after listening to Joe's story, decided to go all-in and embrace the Engine 2 plant-strong way of life.

Like Joe, the hurdles during mealtime at Keith’s fire station were difficult to overcome. Despite having seniority, Keith’s decision to eat differently shook the firehouse and created unforeseen tension. But then Keith heard Kevin Duffy’s story in Episode 19 of Season One. Kevin is another NYC firefighter, Ironman triathlete, and a true hero for his own health. Having the testimonials of Joe and Kevin only strengthened his resolve.

Today, this finale brings together all three of these heroes for a candid conversation about their jobs and the challenges they face within the firehouse culture. Despite the ridicule and pushback, they press on and continue to thrive against the status quo and they optimize their own health for the health and well-being of those they serve...That's what heroes do.

Thank you to Joe, Kevin, and Keith. At this time when firefighters across our nation are battling multiple blazes, we can think of no more appropriate way to wrap up our season than to honor you, our firefighting heroes.

Episode Resources:

Support for this week's episode comes from Wild Earth Dog Food. Visit the episode page at plantstrongpodcast.com to claim their offer of up to 50% your purchase.
Register for the Plant-Strong Kitchen Primer on October 23rd-24th, 2020
Engine 2 Meal Planner Use code: HEALTHNOW for $20 off yearly membership
The NutraMilk - Make Alternative Milks and Butters in Minutes Use code: PLANTSTRONG for $50 off
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