Eat Meat Sparingly: a Word of Wisdom Podcast

If you've ever wondered whether you should toss an electrolyte packet into your water bottle every day, this episode is for you. In This Episode: What electrolytes are and why they're essential for your body The five main electrolytes and the role each one plays Why most people don't need electrolyte supplements When electrolyte drinks can actually be beneficial Why many sports drinks contain more...

Host Ali Essig interviews Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, about the International Conference on Nutrition and Medicine in Washington, D.C., which trains doctors to apply nutrition science in practice while serving healthy, tasty meals. Barnard shares how an autopsy job and learning about atherosclerosis led him from a meat-heavy upbringing to plant-b...

Osteoporosis doesn't start when you're diagnosed—it begins years, even decades, earlier. The good news? There's so much you can do today to build stronger bones and reduce your risk of fractures later in life.     In this episode, I break down the biggest myths about bone health, explain why calcium alone isn't enough, and share the evidence-based nutrition and exercise strategies that t...

$10 Trial of the PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/AsLsmm2N/checkout If your cholesterol is creeping up, where should you start? In this episode, I share the exact evidence-based strategies I would use to lower my LDL naturally. We discuss: • The Portfolio Diet and why it is one of the most powerful eating patterns for lowering cholesterol • The best plant protein swaps , incl...

Interviewing Dr. Michael Greger has been on my bucket list for years. His book How Not to Die changed the way I think about food and health, so sitting down with him for this conversation was a true honor. In this interview, we discuss: • What Dr. Greger actually eats while traveling • The truth about protein and strength training • What "eat meat sparingly" really means • The best foods for longe...

The 2027 Holistic Holiday at Sea vegan cruise, if you mention PlantWhys you will get $100 off! https://holisticholidayatsea.com/     18 Easy Ways to add more plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0   How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1 Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/strong...

Ali interviews Jenedy Paige, a professional oil painter and American Ninja Warrior athlete, about how her path unfolded through faith, hard work, and consistency. Jenedy explains she discovered art senior year after moving to Colorado, where an art teacher taught her to communicate emotion; she then studied at BYU-Idaho, worked intensely to catch up, and kept painting. She describes starting Ninja...

Podcast listeners get 30% off for a limited time to the retreat recordings with this link:  https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/A7ps2qwz?coupon_code=2026 The host recaps the annual PlantWhys Retreat, where about 25 women attended workshops and workouts, and invites listeners to access the event recordings via a link. She shares “cliff notes” from her presentation, “The Obstacle Is the Way,” insp...

FREE GUIDES: Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1 Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0 Ali Essig reflects on her grandmother’s difficult Alzheimer’s...

Podcast host Ali Essig interviews licensed marriage and family therapist and certified eating disorder specialist Amy Harman, who has 20 years’ experience treating eating disorders, body image concerns, anxiety, and depression (primarily teens and their parents). They discuss orthorexia as a rigid, health-fixated pattern that disrupts life and can fit within anorexia, and how practices like calori...

Yerba Mate (LivMate) Discount code: LIVYERBA26 that give you 20% off until July. Here is the link to my caffeine guide with all the amazon links: https://www.plantwhys.com/caffeine-guide Get two months free in the PlantWhys membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9ZQQPobv/checkout    00:00 Menopause Can Thrive 01:09 Hormones Run Everything 01:16 Estrogen Foods And Soy 04:34 Pelvic F...

 How to “feed” skin to reduce fine lines and wrinkles through nutrition, gut health, sun protection, and a simple topical routine. Helpful foods include antioxidant-rich plants, dark chocolate (70%+ cacao), healthy fats (nuts, seeds, oils, omega-3s), selenium (Brazil nuts), and zinc. She outlines a practical routine: PM cleanse (ideally double), retinol, moisturizer/oil; AM water rinse, vitam...

If you’ve ever wondered… “Do my kids really need Gatorade, protein bars, or all these sports snacks?!” This episode is your answer. Today, I’m breaking down a simple, realistic nutrition approach for youth athletes—especially for busy moms who want their kids to have steady energy, better performance, and strong, healthy bodies… without overcomplicating everything or relying on processed sports pr...

A few spots remain for the PlantWhys Lakeside Wellness Retreat (May 5–8, DC area), featuring plant-based meals, workshops on the science of change, Pilates, and a podcast-listener discount if you use the code BUNDLE: https://www.plantwhys.com/lakeside-wellness-retreat       “Forever chemicals” (PFAS) are everywhere right now—from headlines to social media—and it’s leaving a lot of p...

In this episode of Eat Meat Sparingly, Ali shares a powerful and practical conversation sparked by a simple question: “If we don’t serve ham for Easter… what do we eat instead?” That question opens the door to a deeper discussion about food, tradition, and what actually impacts our long-term health. Ali breaks down the hierarchy of animal products—what to reduce first, what matters most, and how t...

In this episode of Eat Meat Sparingly, Ali dives into a topic that often gets overlooked in the plant-based world: exercise—and what actually works.     While most people focus on food, the truth is that exercise plays a critical role in long-term health, strength, and longevity. And yet… most of us either overcomplicate it or ignore key pieces altogether.     Ali breaks down t...

Host Ali Essig promotes the women-only, all–plant-based PlantWhys Lakeside Wellness Retreat (May 5–8 at Lake Anna, near Washington, DC)  https://www.plantwhys.com/lakeside-wellness-retreat In this episode, Ali shares why weight loss is about so much more than calories, willpower, or “trying harder.” She talks about the surprising power of potatoes and beans for fullness, the lessons she sees...

PlantWhys Healthy Habits Journal: https://amzn.to/3PBqZnV Host Ali Essig promotes the Plant Wise “Healthy Habits Made Simple” six-week tracking journal and introduces an episode on why people struggle to act on health knowledge. She explains that most people get stuck between contemplation and action, shares coaching and Pilates examples about actions over words, and recounts Teen Line training em...

The host critiques an interview titled “We’re Getting the Word of Wisdom Wrong” featuring BYU metabolic scientist Dr. Benjamin Bikman, arguing he has a predetermined anti-carb, pro-animal-protein agenda and selectively uses evidence and scripture. They dispute his claimed role in shaping U.S. dietary guidelines, emphasizing modern randomized trials and drug data supporting LDL as causal in atheros...

Join the membership here: www.plantwhys.com/collective One month free in the meal plan: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout In a workshop for women eating plant-based without desired weight loss, the speaker explains that plant-based works but progress may stall without three shifts: addressing stress and emotions with self-compassion and completing the stress cycle (movement, breat...

Check out the PlantWhys Membership Here: https://www.plantwhys.com/collective Grab the PlantWhys Food Journal Here:  https://amzn.to/3OkyQ94  00:00 Welcome + PlantWhys Membership: What’s Coming in March & April 00:17 March Focus: Emotional Eating, Embodiment & Letting Feelings Pass 01:32 April Focus: Strength Training Basics (Progressive Overload for Real People) 02:46 How to Joi...

Link to the PlantWhys Retreat:  https://www.plantwhys.com/lakeside-wellness-retreat In this episode, the host shares her recent experiences of moving to a new home and the emotional, physical, and mental challenges that accompany such a transition. She highlights the upcoming Plant Wise Retreat, a women's only event focused on plant-based recipes and overall wellness. She draws parallels betw...

In this episode of Eat Meat Sparingly, host Ali Essig welcomes Amanda Wilkinson, who shares her deeply personal and transformative journey through grief following the loss of her two children. Amanda discusses how she coped with her profound losses, initially using food as a coping mechanism, which led to negative health spirals. Learning from her experiences, she shares how shifting to a whole fo...

In this episode, sponsored by the Plant Wise Lakeside Wellness Retreat:  https://www.plantwhys.com/lakeside-wellness-retreat Ali demystifies mitochondria, commonly known as the powerhouse of the cell. The episode discusses the importance of mitochondria for overall health, including their role in energy production, metabolic function, and disease resistance. Contrary to popular biohackin...

PlantWhys Retreat info:  https://www.plantwhys.com/lakeside-wellness-retreat Use the code JANUARY during the month of January to save 15%. There are just a couple rooms left! In this episode of the 'Eat Meat Sparingly: A Word of Wisdom' podcast, host Ali Essig delves into the Bible's perspective on plant-based eating versus meat consumption. Essig explains that while the Bible does not c...