Switch4Good

Are you yearning for a healthier lifestyle but feel uncertain about where to begin? Join us in this episode as we delve into the transformative world of whole-food, plant-based living with our guest, Melissa Webster.   Melissa is a certified health coach, holistic nutritionist, and founder of Choosing My Health. She inspires her 70,000 YouTube followers to flourish through plant-based eating, driv...

If you've ever wondered how to make nutritious food taste amazing or what foods boost your health by supporting your gut microbiome, then you're going to love today's episode!   Our guest is Desiree Nielsen, a plant-based recipe developer, podcaster, author, and registered dietitian with a focus on plant-based nutrition and gut health. In her new book, "Plant Magic: A Celebration of Plant-Based Co...

Today, we're joined by Dr. Christopher Gardner, a renowned nutrition researcher and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. In this episode, Dr. Gardner shares his wealth of knowledge and valuable insights into nutrition science, from dissecting popular diets like ketogenic vs. Mediterranean to discussing his groundbreaking study on cardio-metabolic effects in identical twins randomly assign...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Rachael Hunter, a distinguished clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University. Dr. Hunter joins us to delve into her groundbreaking research on "Plant-based Recovery from Restrictive Eating Disorders." Drawing from her wealth of experience working closely with individuals grappling with eating disorders, Dr. Hunter offers valuable ins...

Today, we're diving into the world of sustainable, mouthwatering cuisine with none other than the culinary visionary herself, Carleigh Bodrug.   Carleigh's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Growing up on a farm where meat reigned supreme, she later discovered the alarming truth about red and processed meats being classified as carcinogens by the World Health Organization. This revelation, cou...

Our extraordinary guest today is a true adventurer at heart. From hang gliding to paragliding, from flying small planes to training for the US Olympic team as a luger, Caroline Paul's life is a series of thrilling escapades.   As one of the first female firefighters in the San Francisco Fire Department, Caroline faced challenges head-on. Her autobiography "Fighting Fire" chronicles her remarkable...

Today, we welcome back Dr. Melanie Joy, a renowned psychologist, author, and advocate for compassionate living. Dr. Joy is the president of Beyond Carnism, a non-profit organization exposing and transforming the invisible belief system that shapes our attitudes toward eating and torturing animals. Her groundbreaking concept, "carnism," has sparked global conversations about the psychology behind m...

Ever wonder why some people who get exposed to colds or the flu get really ill while others experience mild symptoms or don't get sick at all? Fortunately, today's guest is here to provide answers to this mystery. An authority on the microbiome, Dr. Robynne Chutkan, is here to tell us all about the remarkable flora residing in our intestines and how feeding it the right foods can promote health, p...

Humans are the dominant species on the planet, but we have lost sight of our connection to, and dependence on, an ecosystem that we have pushed dramatically out of balance and to the brink of collapse.   Today's guest, Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, is an Australian environmental scientist, and he is passionate about highlighting the influence of our food systems on climate change. Gerard is currently...

Around the world, there are tens of billions of non-human animals trapped in the barbaric system of industrial animal agriculture. And unfortunately, that number is increasing. It's a severe problem, not just for the suffering animals, but for human health and the health of our planet.    Fortunately, there are people dedicating their lives to tackling this issue. And today, we're joined by one of...

We are very excited to welcome back to the show one of the most visionary minds of our time. He's an Oscar-winning filmmaker, an award-winning photographer, and a passionate environmental activist. Through his lens, he has captured not only the beauty of our world but also the urgent need to protect it.   From his groundbreaking documentary "The Cove," which exposed shocking animal abuse in Japan,...

Our remarkable guest today is scientist and acclaimed author Dr. Marion Nestle. She's a Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University and founder of the field of food studies. She's THE authority on food politics – in fact, she wrote the book on it – and for decades, she has been a transformative figure, working to improve our diet...

Over 150 million women around the world are on the birth control pill. And while "the pill" has given women the ability to control their fertility, there are things that every woman should know about its effects, short-term and long-term.    Our guest today - professor, research psychologist, and author Dr. Sarah Hill -  is here to discuss her must-read book This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: Ho...

Today's exciting guest is a pioneer whose name is synonymous with environmental advocacy – he's truly the godfather of celebrity environmental activists. In fact, he's been fighting for the planet for 53 years, and he really practices what he preaches.    Ed Begley Jr. came to prominence as Dr. Victor Ehrlich in the groundbreaking hit series St. Elsewhere, which earned him six consecutive Primetim...

Our guest today, Erin Ireland, is a legend in the Vancouver food scene, first as a food reporter and purveyor of good taste and now as the owner of a renowned vegan bakery in East Vancouver.    When she learned about the cruelty and environmental destruction caused by animal agriculture, she dared to convert her successful nonvegan business – To Die For Foods – into the thriving vegan storefront b...

Our guest today is living proof that anyone can change their life. Alishea Basson was a mom of four and creeping into dangerous territory in regard to her health by the time she was 30 years old. Severely overweight and plagued with seizures and high blood pressure, Alishea decided she couldn't live with her emotional eating self any longer. She educated herself on how to eat healthfully and exerc...

At the age of 47, our guest today, marathoner, author, and world record holder Dr. Ruth Heidrich, received the terrifying news that she had stage 4 breast cancer. After answering an ad to participate in a cancer and diet research study conducted by Dr. John McDougall, she immediately chose to adopt a whole food plant-based diet and forgo chemotherapy and radiation. Two years later, she was in remi...

Today's guest is Dr. Faraz Harsini. He's a cultivated meat bioprocessing scientist at the Good Food Institute and the founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection – a nonprofit that supports and mentors student advocates and future vegan leaders for the abolition of cruelty to humans and nonhumans. Dr. Harsini appeared on the podcast in episode 256, in which we discussed his upbringing...

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled in less than fifty years.    If we are more informed about potential health consequences than ever before, why are more and more adults choosing unhealthy eating habits that lead to weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease?    Dr. Stephan Guyenet , who has spent more than a decade studying the neuroscience of body fatness, argues that most of...

Growing up in South Africa to a family of activists and witnessing the devastating effects of apartheid, today's guest, Michael Schwarz, had his moral compass set to true north at an early age.    Driven by a profound sense of justice and a desire to combat the deleterious effects dairy has on our planet, he decided to step away from a 25-year career as an intellectual property lawyer and change t...

You don't get to be 400 pounds overnight. You also don't completely reverse your diet and become a plant-based expert overnight. Chuck Carroll has experienced both of these extremes, and today he joins us as a health and nutrition advocate and host of the Exam Room podcast. This is for everyone who has an addictive behavior—when moderation simply does not work. Whether it's an addiction to Taco Be...

Our guest today has done whatever it takes to grow the vegan community by working tirelessly in many different avenues. A vegan for over 20 years and a former restaurateur, Lisa DeCrescente is now the director of special projects at Farm Animal Rights Movement, she's a board member for Sustainable Earth Eating, AND she's the writer of the powerful, heart-wrenching short film The Next Girl, which h...

Our guest today is certified Health Coach and Chef Becca Serenity. Becca specializes in helping professionals transform their health so that they can live their best lives.    As a college athlete, Becca suffered from depression, anxiety, and a crippling eating disorder, but after five years of yo-yo dieting and binging, she changed her mindset and took control of her own healing journey. She lost...

Ever wonder what an Olympian does every day to stay fit, or how an actress with a storied career navigated Hollywood? In today's fun and insightful episode, Dotsie and Alexandra decided to interview each other for a change, and open up like never before, tackling everything from their successful marriages to health struggles, from activism to surviving the holidays with family. Nothing is off limi...

Dr. Goldner was resigned to living out her life in the clutches of lupus—she expected to become disabled by her forties, deal with chronic pain, and never have children. Her perspective changed after meeting her husband and attempting to get trim for a Maui honeymoon. She shocked herself by healing her disease simply by eating a high-raw, whole-food, plant-based diet. For Goldner—and the hundreds...