The Plant Yourself Podcast

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, Healthy at Last. Part family memoir, part political mission statement, part science review, part self-help book, and part cookbook, this is a celebration of the possibilities of health for the American people in general, and the Black community in particular. We talk about...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Today's guest, Barbara Tversky, has spent her professional life questioning the primacy of the mind over the body. Her incredible book, Mind in Motion, argues that our abilities to think and perceive originate in our bodies. And more specifically, in the process of movement and feedback from the environment. Which means that physical activity is far from...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Today's guest, Jovita Lee, is co-founder and vice president of Democracy Green, a North Carolina-based non-profit dedicated to environmental justice. The environmental movement has a long and shameful history of privileging certain parts of the environment over others. Specifically, it's focused on preserving spaces enjoyed by the rich, and where the...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Meryl Fury is a registered nurse and CEO of the Plant-based Nutrition Movement. And she's a fierce advocate for justice and sanity in a world lacking both. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Rajani Katta, MD, is a dermatologist and professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, and the author of Glow: The Dermatologist's Guide to a Whole Foods Younger Skin Diet. On today's podcast, we talk about the evidence connecting diet and lifestyle to radiant, healthy skin. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Gregg Clunis learned most of what he knows about persistence, strategy, personal development, and success from watching his immigrant parents struggle to achieve their dreams. Originally from Jamaica, Gregg and his family followed his father, who had been a professor and police officer in their native country, and worked as a migrant farm laborer in their new...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Judy Brangman, MD, aka The Plant-Based MD, visits the podcast to talk about her labor of love, the Reclaim Your Health Summit. The summit is the first one featuring exclusively people of color in the plant-based healthcare space. Eighteen doctors, a dietitian, and a fitness expert all share their wisdom and action plans with Dr Brangman, and with everyone who...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Steven C Hayes is the originator of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Training, take your pick), one of the most important psychological approaches of the past 100 years. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. A key role of medical professionals whose job it is to help their patients and clients change, is to frame messages to maximize the odds of desired behaviors. Unfortunately, most medical professionals have been trained to communicate in ways that actually reduce patient self-efficacy by challenging their autonomy and undermining confidence in their competence....

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Michael Rothberg, MD, returns to Plant Yourself to share the latest actual scientific understanding of COVID-19. We spoke first in mid-March, when we didn't know much. Fast forward five months, and we now know a lot, but in the US at least, we're ignoring most of the science and suffering for it. I've been as confused as anyone else, daunted by...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Ryan Robinson, DDS, is a unicorn in the medical world: a dentist who helps people open up their airways and learn how to breathe properly. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. If you're fortunate enough to have savings, you've probably thought about how to invest them responsibly. The standard answer is to stick your money into no-load mutual funds that track the market and leave it there for as long as possible. Low risk because of the diversification. Low fee because there's no genius managing your money, just an al...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. The COVID-19 pandemic is not a great time to be pregnant, according to my guests, Jeanne Schumacher and Debra Shapiro of The Pregnancy Advantage. It is, on the other hand, a terrific time to prepare to get pregnant. How does a woman do that, other than paint the nursery, give up booze, and buy a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting? Click to subsc...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. I reached out to Bianca and Michael because I was turning into an asshole. Specifically, I was full of rage and outrage and judgment at all the racists out there. And the fact that I was right, and on the side of right, and standing shoulder to shoulder with people of color, and fighting against systemic oppression that has been going on far too long - just ma...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. For the last 7 years, I've worked to improve human health and wellbeing by focusing on better nutrition, vigorous physical activity, sleep hygiene, and stress management. Turns out I may have been missing the most important determinants of health - the social ones. Marta Zaraska has written a book that is fun, fascinating, scientifically sound, and social...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Lisa A Smith is a serial entrepreneur who's made it her life's work to empower the Black community with information, skills, and philosophies that support health, peace of mind, and mutual support.  Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Glenn Murphy returns to Plant Yourself to talk about how we can self-regulate our emotions and actions during a time of great societal upheaval and division. We talk about our own impulses to "fight" with others, and where there's a messy intertwining of good intentions and unresolved psychological issues. We discuss the physiology of the stress...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Dustin and Josh LaJaunie have amazing transformation stories. They went from obese to fit. From junk food addicts to plant-based eaters. From hunters to vegans. From sedentary to active. And, as you'll see and hear, from racist to antiracist. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Team Sherzai, aka Dean and Ayesha, join me on the podcast to talk about the role of science and scientists in dealing with all the false statements propagated on social media (as well as, occasionally, traditional media).What the Sherzais value highly about science is the holy grail of falsifiability; the challenge that every theory and finding implicitly make...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Most of my work as a health coach involves helping people respond differently to stimuli. That is, develop the ability to make different choices when confronted with tempting foods, tempting environments, tempting people, and tempting sensations, emotions, and thoughts. Think about it - NOT having that ability basically means you're a robot, a machine. If...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Richard Kwok is an environmental researcher who studies the effects of environmental pollution on human health. He's also my neighbor, and we met while cleaning up litter and quickly discovered a lot of interests in common. While the environment doesn't often change our genetics, it can have huge impact on our epigenetics, or how those genes get expr...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Dr Bojana Jankovic Weatherly is one of my favorite physicians, double board certified in internal and integrative medicine. She has also trained in functional medicine, nutrition and mindfulness. Dr Jankovic Weatherly is a real stickler for evidence of efficacy, whatever modality she's exploring or recommending. Which makes her a very reliable podcast gue...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. One day my grandfather punched someone in the face over some disagreement. The recipient of the blow, wounded more in pride than body, wobbled to a seat on the curb and began yelling, "Iodine! Police! Iodine! Police!" Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo. Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Shay Seaborne is a trauma survivor, educator, and activist dedicated to demystifying trauma and helping people heal from - and with - Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD).In our far-ranging conversation, we covered the origins of trauma, the mistaken societal beliefs that reinforce trauma and get in the way of healing, and ways of empowering trauma s...

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know. Mark Silver helps solo entrepreneurs and micro-businesses thrive through heartfelt business practices. The tagline for his company, Heart of Business, is "Every act of business can be an act of love."I wanted to pick Mark's brain on behalf of the many listeners who are in some kind of career limbo in the age of pandemic - unemployed, underemploy...