Switch4Good

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...

From the sultry jungles of Vietnam to the golden dunes of Morocco, to the enchanting café terraces of Paris, today's intrepid guest has seen it all. And after years of personal and professional experience, World Vegan Travel cofounder, Brighde Reed, wants to share her vast knowledge with you. As a passionate vegan activist, chef, and travel enthusiast, Brighde and her partner, Sebastien, have crea...

We're super excited to introduce today's guest! Debbie Adler is the very definition of a renaissance woman. She's been a Wall Street accountant, an actress, a comedienne, a playwright, and a television development executive. But sixteen years ago she found her true calling, as the creator of the very first vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, and allergy-free bakery in Los Angeles. Sweet Debbie's Organ...

We are so fortunate to have a guest who was with us when it all started. He was our very first guest on the Switch4Good podcast, so it's only fitting that he should join us for our very special 200 th episode. You will even see him on our Switch4Good staff page, that's how closely we work with him. We're so thrilled and truly honored to have with us, the esteemed Doctor and vegan activist, Dr. Mil...

No matter what your relationship to food is, we all live in a world manipulated by an addiction business model. We're constantly confronted with ads for foods that have been designed to make us want more, and it began when the tobacco industry started buying up brands like Nabisco and Kraft Foods. Dr. Joan Ifland is an expert in processed food addiction, and her research is both eye-opening and ap...

"In fact, there was a great study that showed that, in the long term, young children and adolescents who consumed minimally processed soy products had a lower breast cancer risk later on in life than those who did not consume soy products. And I thought that was a great thing to point out because this means that it's actually healthy throughout the lifecycle, not just when you're in those years ar...

Born and raised in East Los Angeles and forged in the fires of adversity, cookbook author Chef Babette Davis burst onto the culinary scene with her renowned vegan restaurant Stuff I Eat in Inglewood, California, where the soul food platter is one of the many, many must-try dishes. An ageless paragon of fitness and vibrant health, Chef Babette has legions of social media followers who love seeing h...

Rip Esselstyn is a world record holder, former pro triathlete, best-selling author, firefighter, and founder of Plant-Strong—an organization helping people lead healthier lives through plant-based nutrition. After a career as a pro athlete, Rip transitioned to firefighting at the Engine 2 firehouse in Austin, Texas. It was there that after a friendly competition, he realized one of his co-workers...

Julie Piatt, a.k.a. "SriMati," is a mystic, yogi, musician, artist, chef, author, and healer. She is also the mother of 4 children and finds the divine in all experiences in life, beautiful and challenging alike.  Julie has created over 300 plant-based recipes for a series of bestselling cookbooks and is the author of the plant-based cheese bible, "This Cheese Is Nuts!". She also co-authored the i...