Switch4Good

As human beings, we are addicted to animal products, and it will take a lot of time to make a change. But today's guest is a creator with a purpose and joins me this week to share their inspiring journey towards making lasting change. Robbie Lockie is a brave soul filled with grit, determination, and the desire to see real change happen. They are the co-founder of Plant-Based News, an outlet that...

On Friday, March 17th, after nearly six hours of deliberation, and facing up to six months in jail if convicted, Alexandra Paul and co-defendant Alicia Santurio were acquitted by a California jury of the alleged crime of taking two sick, slaughter-bound chickens from a Foster Farms truck in Livingston, California. Prosecutors called it stealing, but Alexandra and Alicia called it a rescue. From ac...

Today's incredible guest, Darcy Gaechter, has been whitewater kayaking for over two decades and is considered one of the best kayakers on the planet. She's won whitewater kayaking races throughout the world, led kayaking expeditions in over a dozen countries, and in the year 2013, she became the very first and only woman to kayak the entire Amazon River, from its origin in the Andes Mountains to t...

Ice hockey is often stereotyped as a white man's sport. In fact,  USA Today claims that the National Hockey League is made up of only 3% non-white players. But today's guest helped pave the way to increase that percentage and get more men of color on the ice. Georges Laraque  is a retired professional hockey player, Canadian sports commentator,  author , and animal rights activist. In his 13 years...

Our guest today is an award-winning pain specialist with decades of experience helping patients with chronic pain achieve a better quality of life. Dr. Andrea Furlan is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. In her new...

The story of our guest today, Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen, is one of perpetual movement. A plant-based athlete and former Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership, she's lived on multiple continents and competed in IronMan triathlons, mountain bike races, Ultra Trail races, and Nordic ski races, just to name a few. Dr. McDowell-Larsen has a PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Nebra...

What does it take to become a successful vegan entrepreneur? Today's guest can tell you. Lauren Joyner grew up, like so many people, eating a diet rich in meat, dairy and processed foods. For her family, queso was a staple on the dinner table. However, as an adult, working as a tech startup designer, something changed. She made the switch to a plant-based diet and began taking an interest in creat...

Today on the show we have the legendary athlete, podcast host, author, and all-around wonderful human being, Rich Roll. Rich is a father and husband, but most of you will recognize his grounding voice from his weekly masterclass in personal and professional development—the Rich Roll Podcast. From a promising Stanford swimmer to a desperate entertainment lawyer caught in the vicious cycle of alcoho...

Our guest today, Michelle Slater, is a true testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. She suffered symptoms from late-stage neurological Lyme disease for six years, symptoms so devastating, so utterly debilitating, that after exhausting every possible treatment—from allopathic to holistic—she actually considered assisted suicide. But in the face of seemingly impossible odds, she had the...

Today's guest grew up, like so many of us, on the Standard American Diet. But after watching the seminal documentary, Forks Over Knives, Dr. Steven Lome charted a new course in his life, both personally and professionally, by adopting a vegan diet, losing 100 pounds, and spreading the message about the healing power of plants. Dr. Lome is a board certified cardiologist, the founder of the Plant Ba...

Today's guest was on Episode 43, and we're so happy he's on again to talk about his upcoming book and new documentary! From the rough-and-tumble streets of Ferguson, Missouri, to the tropical shores of Miami, Florida, Vegan Badass John Lewis has an inspiring story. Growing up on a diet practically devoid of fresh fruits and vegetables, and weighing in at over 300 pounds when he was just thirteen,...

Our guest today knew her calling at a much younger age than most of us. A fitness enthusiast, environmentalist and outspoken animal rights activist before she was even 15, Ella Magers is today a fitness coach, an author, and the founder of Sexy Fit Vegan. She's been on a personal quest to help people change their attitudes toward food and wellness, and she has the international following to prove...

With childhood obesity reaching epidemic proportions, our guest today, Dr. Leigh Ettinger, aka Dr. Herbivore, is a pediatric nephrologist who has seen firsthand the benefits of a plant-based diet for children. Dr. Ettinger is board certified in General Pediatrics and received his medical degree from Tufts University. He also received his certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell in 2016,...

Our guest today is functional medicine practitioner Dr. Peter Kozlowski, and for those who aren't familiar with functional medicine, you're in for a real treat. Dr. Koz practices getting to the root of disease rather than treating the symptoms, while also addressing mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Doesn't that make sense?  Dr. Kozlowski has authored two books: Unfunc Your Gut , in which h...

To talk to today's guest, you may not guess he's an extremely accomplished mixed martial artist. Modest, thoughtful, and incredibly insightful, Mac Danzig is a true maverick – a warrior poet and animal rights proponent who defies stereotypes and can wax philosophical about anything from human nature to photography, even skateboarding. A 2nd-degree  black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he came to pro...

Today's guest is an example of how veganism can have a sweeping impact on your whole life. Born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, Fit Vegan Chef Natalie Matthews began surfing professionally at the age of sixteen. But when she started experiencing hypoglycemia, extreme fatigue and severe acne from dairy consumption, Natalie and her husband George were galvanized to learn the transformational...

She's a self-starter, she's an activist, she's a multi-hyphenate. Today's guest, Jasmine Leyva, made her directing debut with the groundbreaking documentary The Invisible Vegan , which highlights her own journey with veganism while exploring the unknown history of plant-based eating directly linked to African roots. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it immediately.  Vibrant, el...

Got gut issues? We've got a doctor on call. Dr. Alan Desmond is a general practitioner and gastroenterologist based in the UK. He incorporates whole, plant-based nutrition to treat the problem, not the symptoms, and he's seen remarkable results with hundreds of patients. He's also the author of "Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 Days to a Happier Gut and a Healthier You" and serves as an ambassador...

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,...

Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician at the Mayo Clinic Jacoby Center for Breast Health, where she works with breast cancer patients during and after their diagnosis to heal and thrive using the pillars of lifestyle medicine alongside their conventional cancer treatments. Dawn has many remarkable stories of patient recovery, but the biggest recovery story of all is...

Who says you have to be defined by a type 1 diabetes diagnosis? Who says your life can't continue to be just as rich or fulfilling? Certainly not today's guest. Lauren Plunkett is a registered dietitian, a diabetes education specialist, a fitness instructor, a dynamic national speaker, a plant-based nutrition advocate, and a shining beacon of positive energy, exemplifying how to live your best lif...

Okay, today's guest has an incredibly compelling story. He's someone who truly knows how to turn adversity into opportunity. Uber-successful serial entrepreneur, David Israel, has owned, among other things, a nightclub, a jewelry store, a chain of upscale pawnshops, and a maintenance company. But what's most interesting, is that in 2011, while enduring the most personally challenging period in his...

Our guest today is an expert on all things related to the penis and male reproductive medicine. Although many folks are uncomfortable talking about issues related to the penis, Dr. Arron Spitz normalizes important conversations around it and sexual health. He specializes in male fertility and is a board-certified urologist who has a broad practice that includes nutrition-sensitive intervention. He...

Our guest today, Dr. Sheil Shukla, practices internal medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois, but within him beats the heart of a true artist, and it's apparent in everything he does – whether it's treating patients or photographing mouthwatering meals that he's prepared for his 60,000 followers on Instagram. Dr. Shukla is also a contributor at the culinary publication – Best of Vegan. He's...

* Trigger Warning: I will be discussing weight/size and some tough concepts. This information may be triggering, may lead to cognitive dissonance, and bring up uncomfortable feelings*   In this special episode of Veggie Doctor Radio, I discuss weight stigma and weight bias to raise your level of awareness around this important topic. I've opened up one-on-one coaching spots for a limited time! Sig...