Plant Based Curious

I used to live with chronic digestive issues myself, so I know how overwhelming it feels when your body seems to betray you after every meal. That's why I'm so excited to bring you this conversation with Hannah Aylward a functional gut health practitioner who has helped hundreds of women heal their IBS, bloating, and food sensitivities by getting to the root cause . In this episode, Hann...

I'm so glad you're back for another episode of *Plant Based Curious*. Today, we're diving into something that completely changed how I think about the food on my plate, the local food economy and I've brought along the perfect guide. Meet Greg Peterson. Greg has spent a lifetime obsessed with sustainable food systems, from his early experiments with aquaculture to his groundbre...

  Hey plant based curious friends, What happens when a high-performing, travel-intensive working mom hits a wall of severe burnout and declining health? For me, that low point became the unexpected launchpad for a radically different way of living and in this episode, I get to share my story with you from the other side of the mic. I was recently invited to join Dr. Jean Storm, Medical Director at...

In this solo episode of Plant Based Curious, I’m walking you through my three-part playbook for navigating social situations as the only plant-based eater in the room. We start with the mindset play : finding your anchor why (mine started with a health scare and grew into something much deeper) and discovering the quiet courage to stay true to your values even when it feels lonely. I share the per...

Welcome back to Plant Based Curious . It’s been three years since I started this podcast, and I’m reaching back to share the episode that started it all;a conversation that captures why I created this space. I sit down with Yvonne Pierre of Let’s Talk Healing   to talk about my own journey from sickness to plant-based living. I open up about struggling with hypertension and gut issues at a young a...

This week, I'm talking with Molly Patrick of Clean Food Dirty Girl and trust me, you're going to love her. Molly has never eaten meat. Not one bite. She grew up in a teepee in New Mexico while her parents’ hand-built their home, and today she lives on Maui leading a global community of over 280,000 "Dirties." Her approach? Warm, hilarious, and sprinkled with just the right amou...

The One-Liner: Think plant-based eating is too expensive? I’m shutting that myth down with real strategies from my own life; from my days as a single mom to navigating inflation today. What I’m Covering Today: My Story: Two very different seasons of budget-conscious eating (single mom years vs. today’s economy) and what they taught me about real, nourishing food. The Myth: You don’t need expensive...

Ever feel like sugar and refined carbs have a strange hold on you? You’re not alone, and it’s not just a lack of willpower. In this week’s incredibly clarifying conversation, I sit down with Lewis Bertus, PA-C , to unravel the real reason so many of us struggle—and how to break free for good. Lewis shares a genius analogy that finally made "carbohydrates" make perfect sense to me. He ask...

What if I told you the grass is literally screaming when you mow it? Or that a forest shares an underground internet made of fungi? Or that the key to healing chronic illness could be growing on a tree in your backyard? In this mind-blowing episode of Plant Based Curious , I sit down with plant biologist, fungi evangelist, and host of the Flora Funga Podcast , (KK) Kaitlyn Kuehn. KK has a gift for...

What if I told you the most powerful climate technology on Earth isn't in a lab, but right under our feet? In this episode of my podcast, Plant Based Curious, I sit down with the brilliant filmmaker and regenerative thought leader, Rebecca Tickell , Documentary Filmmaker of Common Ground to get to the root of a truth we all learned in grade school but have since forgotten: the profound, world...

One of our most practical episodes is back! We sat down with retired analytical chemist Mel Weinstein to decode the hidden world of food additives and ultra-processed foods. Mel didn't just reveal problems—he gave us powerful solutions. He introduced us to lifesaving apps like Yuka , which lets you scan any product to find a healthier alternative. This tool has become a non-negotiable part of...

In one of our most popular episodes ever from Season 1, I had an incredibly grounding conversation with my guest, Marla Rose , the founder of VeganStreet.com . We tackled the questions and fears that held me back for so long, and that I know stop so many of you: Is going vegan too expensive? How do I deal with my family's skepticism without causing a scene? With over 30 years of lived experie...

In this episode of Plant Based Curious, I sat down with functional medicine expert Martin Pytela to uncover the hidden connections between your gut, mood, and metabolism. We dive deep into why wheat can be as addictive as heroin, how your ancestors’ diet holds the key to optimal health, and a simple 2-meal test to discover whether carbs or fats work best for YOUR body. Martin also shares his top l...

"What if you could actually reverse chronic disease—not just manage symptoms? Today’s guest proved it’s possible."   I’m your host Diane Randall, and in this eye-opening episode of Plant-Based Curious, I sit down with Lauren Bernick , a health advocate who completely transformed her heart health through plant-based nutrition after receiving a terrifying diagnosis in her 40s.   Here’s wha...

I’ll never forget this powerful conversation with Jordan Simon—one of those exchanges where everything just clicked. We dove deep into how fear holds us back from transformation, why whole living isn’t about perfection, and the magic that happens when we align our plates with our purpose.   As a holistic coach, I shared tools I’ve used with clients (and myself!) to break through limiting beliefs—b...

Join host Diane Randall for a soulful conversation with Jan Brandenburg, Appalachian native, longtime vegan, and author of The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia. Jan shares how she’s won over her meat-loving family with veganized comfort food, the emotional ties between tradition and ethics, and her top tips for making plant-based living accessible—even in the heart...

In this eye-opening episode, Diane Randall sits down with Anu Simh, functional health coach and gut health guru, to explore how your microbiome holds the key to weight loss, energy, and longevity. Anu debunks probiotic myths, exposes how processed foods starve good bacteria, and shares why sleep is non-negotiable for gut balance. Learn how a 1-week plant-based shift can transform your microbial he...

This episode is a game-changer for anyone seeking to optimize their healthspan, combat chronic disease, and understand the revolutionary science of fasting-mimicking diets (FMD). Dr. Joseph Antoun, a physician-scientist and longevity pioneer, unveils how to "hack" aging at the cellular level, exposes hidden dangers in the food industry, and shares actionable steps to reverse biological a...

In this episode of the Plant Based Curious Podcast, host Diane Randall chats with Alison Corey (creator of Keeping the Peas and author of Weeknight Vegans).  Allison shares game-changing tips for balancing taste buds, reducing resistance, and making meals everyone actually wants to eat. Learn how to turn chili night vegan, win over picky eaters, and save time with smart prep—no separate meals requ...

Confused about protein, carbs, or cost on a plant-based diet? In this episode of the Plant Based Curious Podcast, Registered dietitian Anna Tseng smashes the biggest barriers holding people back. Host Diane Randall, chats with Anna about why you don’t need perfection, how to eat filling meals without meat, and budget hacks to save money. Perfect for curious beginners!     Key Takeaways:   No All-o...

 In this episode of the Plant based Curious Podcast, host Diane Randall chats with Systems engineer and climate visionary Dr. Sailesh Rao who reveals how animal agriculture drives 66% of global heating—more than fossil fuels—and why reclaiming our health through plant-based living is Earth’s lifeline. From colonial food addiction to a bold Vegan World 2026 roadmap, this episode is a wake-up call t...

In this powerful solo episode of Plant-Based Curious, host Diane Randall, M.A. CHC, merges raw personal storytelling with groundbreaking science to reveal how food rewires mental health. Struggling with chronic fatigue, brain fog, and a near Crohn’s diagnosis in her 30s while juggling tech career chaos and single motherhood, Diane shares her transformative pivot to plant-based eating—and how it sa...

Season 1, Episode 4 of Plant Based Curious   In this heartfelt episode, host Diane Randall chats with Katie Galley, owner of Healthification, about navigating the emotional challenges of veganism. Katie shares her journey from being an "angry vegan" to leading with love and compassion, offering practical tips to channel frustration into effective advocacy. Learn her ABC framework—Awarene...

In this episode of Plant Based Curious, host Diane Randall sits down with Matthew Halteman, philosophy professor, Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics fellow, and author of Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan. Together, they flip the script on veganism, exploring how it’s not about restriction—but about abundance, joy, and alignment with our deepest values.    Key Takeaways:  Matt...

Plant Based Curious, host Diane Randall sits down with Claudia Braun, a mindset and holistic lifestyle coach, to unpack why saying “yes” to yourself can feel so difficult—and how to transform guilt, societal pressures, and self-doubt into unshakable self-trust.     Claudia shares powerful insights on:   The hidden scripts that keep you stuck in cycles of people-pleasing and burnout.    Awareness,...