The Plant Centered and Thriving Podcast

"I saw several doctors and all of them said the same thing. Go plant-based. Every single one of them said this is the answer." Ready to discover the transformative power of a plant-based lifestyle? Join us as we sit down with Sunny—a philosopher, a health enthusiast, and a survivor. After being blindsided by a pituitary tumor and the debilitating side effects of her medication, Sunny fou...

Imagine uprooting your life, moving halfway across the world, and immersing yourself in a new culture with a different perspective on your lifestyle choices. This is exactly what our guest, Leonore, a certified vegan nutritionist, did when she moved from Germany to Tokyo. Leonore provides a candid insight into the ups and downs of her experience. She also has lots of tips and tricks for any of you...

"I’m healthier at 40 than I was at 25" My teammate Sally and I recount our victorious journey in the Mr. America Vegan Strong Plant-Built CrossFit competition. Together, we navigated the intense pressure, proving that a plant-based diet can indeed provide the necessary fuel for peak athletic performance. More than just a competition recap, we delve into Sally's awe-inspiring transfo...

"I have to stay accountable to the patients that I'm helping" Ever wonder how small changes in our everyday lives can lead to significant health improvements? Join us as we delve into these life-changing transformations with our guest, Dr. Amanda, a double board certified internal medicine, lifestyle medicine physician, and an avid health coach. She’s a living testament of the power...

Welcome to Episode 5 of our limited series highlighting the impressive VeganStrong PlantBuilt Athletic Team (myself included) that is headed to the Mr. America Fitness Competition in October of 2023. Tune in as we journey into Jamal's transformation, from a simple vegetarian bet to a fully committed vegan lifestyle, intertwined with a passion for bodybuilding. His journey started like so many...

***Forgive us as we were fighting some slight technical difficulties*** Welcome to Episode 4 of our limited series highlighting the impressive VeganStrong PlantBuilt Athletic Team (myself included) that is headed to the Mr. America Fitness Competition in October of 2023. Ever wondered how a powerhouse vegan athlete, cancer survivor, and naturopathic doctor fuels her body and keeps her health in pe...

Welcome to Episode 3 of our limited series highlighting the impressive VeganStrong PlantBuilt Athletic Team (myself included) that is headed to the Mr. America Fitness Competition in October of 2023. Today I sit down with the remarkable George Matthews - a vegan athlete, CrossFit enthusiast, and the captain of the VeganStrong Plant Built CrossFit team. George's journey is one for the books, a...

Welcome to Episode 2 of our limited series highlighting the impressive VeganStrong Plant Built Athletic Team (myself included) that is headed to the Mr. America Fitness Competition in October of 2023. Prepare to be enlightened today by our guest, Giacomo, co-founder of the Plant-Built team. A bodybuilder who has been committed to a vegan lifestyle for over 15 years, Giacomo joins us to share his j...

Welcome to a special series of episodes in honor of the VeganStrong PlantBuilt Team! I am thrilled to be joining the team this year representing vegan muscle at the Mr. America Competition in October of 2023. In honor of this team, I'll be highlighting some incredible members of the team over the next couple of weeks. My first guest is founder, Dani Taylor, the trailblazer behind the VeganStr...

"If you try to do it all at once, that's a sure way to failure" Imagine growing up in Ireland, full of freedom and banter, building a family of your own, and then life throwing you health and relationship challenges. What if the way out was under one shared roof, creating an incredibly supportive environment and a healing journey fueled by plant-based diets? That's exactly the...

" If someone said tomorrow “you’re cured” there’s no MS, I would not change the way I eat" Have you ever thought about the power of plants and how a plant-based lifestyle could potentially revolutionize your life? Join us as we take a deep dive into the inspiring journey of Catherine, a brave woman who manages her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis through a plant-based diet and lifestyle chan...

This week, we're incredibly fortunate to sit down with Zana, an inspiring advocate for a plant-based lifestyle, who shares her remarkable story of overcoming Crohn's disease through dietary and lifestyle changes. Zana, a computer science engineer turned recipe developer and cookbook author, shares her journey from illness to wellness, demonstrating the potential of plant-based eating to...

"I feel like I was lied to my entire life" Welcome to an enriching conversation with Kate, an Australian health coach championing the vegan lifestyle. Brace yourselves as Kate guides us through her transformational journey from a meat-eater to an ethical vegetarian, and later, a dedicated vegan. She decodes the simplicity and sustainability of plant-based eating while ensuring health and...

We welcome special guest, Lucy Luong, a plant-based registered dietitian and health coach, who shares her transition experience to a plant-based diet. We've had many other dietitians on the show, however, Lucy spent her time in school learning in Loma Linda, the sight of America's only blue zone. She outlines the exciting but intimidating path of moving from California to Calgary and her...

" We don't have to have a dogmatic approach to dieting. It's really getting back to understanding what nutritious foods are." I sit down this week with former NFL athlete Chris Manderino, who’s weaving his passion into a mission to transform lives through a holistic approach to wellness. We're charting his journey from the punishing NFL lifestyle to the creation of his wel...

This episode is a call to action for YOU. Everyday more and more research comes out on the benefits of a plant-forward diet. This isn't just hearsay - in addition to some STAGGERING statistics, we spotlight the inspiring journeys of some of our former podcast guests who have all reaped remarkable health improvements through plant-based eating. By the end of this episode, you'll be equipp...

"Going plant-based was a kick off to changing our mindset and our lifestyle" Today we are joined by Katelyn Glass and her husband Jordan. In May of 2020 she is faced with a health crisis. A long-term COVID diagnosis that plunged their lives into a whirlwind of uncertainties and challenges. Amidst the trials, they found solace in a plant-based lifestyle, a radical shift that proved to be...

“All you have to do is say I’m vegan and all of a sudden you feel this wall going up.” We are thrilled to welcome one of the vegan pioneers of our time, Dr. Melanie Joy. Melanie is a Harvard-educated psychologist, celebrated speaker, and the author of seven books, including the bestselling Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows; Beyond Beliefs: A Guide to Improving Relationships and Communicati...

Before you skip this episode thinking, "this is not for me, I don't eat meat". Think again! Today I welcome, Kaitlin Grady, the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Public Affairs at Clever Carnivore, Chicago's first cultivated meat company.  Not only is she a part of their team, she's also a 30-year vegetarian and 10-year vegan. So if I was going to interview someone ab...

"I was tired of hearing from doctors that there was nothing I could do about my high cholesterol." I LOVE talking with brand new vegans! They are in the midst of trying all this amazing new food, building new habits, experiencing more energy, better digestion and in the case of today's guest, reversing disease. Gina is here as a brand new vegan who found this way of life after watch...

"When we are living in community, we become more open to one another. That’s the power of connection." On the heels of writing and directing the 2015 documentary film "PlantPure Nation", Nelson Campbell founded PlantPure Communities (PPC) in early 2016.  Released in theaters in over 100 cities, the "PlantPure Nation" film (now on Amazon Prime) highlights the dramatic...

"I had no idea the impact going plant-based would have on my life." If you are out there and thinking to yourself, "I could never go vegan", Delanie's story is sure to resonate with you. She was the same way. However, like many of us, she was struggling with chronic health issues and wanted ANSWERS. And in her words, all roads pointed to going plant-based. And now like man...

"Language is declarative in nature so if you say I can’t go without meat, you can’t" At 61 years of age, and 350 lbs, Fred experienced divine intervention when he came upon a book about plant-based eating which sent him down his path to sustainable wellness. Now with over 100 pounds lost, Fred Ford is an author, speaker, and life coach.  He helps people achieve improved health and reach...

"Self-objectification is the invisible prison of picturing yourself being looked at instead of just fully living." Summertime often equates to sunshine and vacation and no school, right? But for a lot of people, it means hating their bodies because they don't look "beach ready". That's why Katie and I dedicate an episode every summer to encouraging self-love. So many...

"I remember saying the words I could never stop eating meat." I welcome Alyssa Meadows today, aka The Hydrated Herbivore.  Her journey is one that many of you will relate to where she has unfortunately had to witness a loved one struggle with major health issues. The silver lining to this struggle was that it was a major catalyst for her to want to take charge of her own health and do ev...