PLANTSTRONG Podcast

by vgty

The PLANT STRONG Podcast is for people who want real answers about food, health, and longevity—without the noise, fear, or extremes. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition and want a path forward that actually supports healing. Maybe you’re an athlete looking to fuel performance and recovery. Maybe you’re a parent trying to escape the ultra-processed food aisle and feed your family real, nourishing meals. Or maybe you’re simply tired of being confused about what “healthy” actually means. The challenge? Eating more real food can feel overwhelming. You’ve heard warnings about protein, cost, or restriction. You’ve been told it’s complicated, boring, or socially isolating. This podcast exists to change that. Each week, host Rip Esselstyn sits down with leading doctors, researchers, athletes, authors, and everyday people who are proving—through lived experience and science—that eating more whole plants and moving your body consistently can deliver powerful, lasting results. We’re not interested in perfection or dogma. We’re here to be extremely practical, extremely evidence-based, and extremely encouraging. Rip’s work began more than two decades ago, when he helped transform the health of his fellow firefighters using simple, whole foods—guided by the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. That experience launched a lifelong mission to help people reclaim their health through real food and active living, and ultimately led to the creation of PLANT STRONG. Today, the podcast is an extension of that mission: cutting through misinformation, challenging cultural norms, and showing what’s possible when you fuel your body with food that actually supports it. You’ll hear conversations about: Preventing and reversing chronic disease Strength, endurance, and recovery Gut health, inflammation, and longevity Behavior change that actually sticks How to build habits you can sustain in real life This podcast isn’t about being perfect. It’s about eating real food, building real habits, and getting real results. You won’t be weak when you eat strong food. Welcome to PLANT STRONG.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Ep. 375 Vince Rountree - A 108-point cholesterol drop in 6 weeks?

In 2011, a routine physical revealed a total cholesterol of 240 and LDL of 170 for Vince Rountree. Told there wasn’t much he could do beyond medication, Vince (a chemical

Oct 15
1 h 06 min

Ep. 374: Mark Sisson - Stop Chasing the Health Hacks. Want to Live Longer? Start with Your Feet.

Rip sits down with longtime friend, former triathlon coach and Primal Kitchen founder, Mark Sisson, for a wide-ranging conversation about biohacking, longevity, chronic c

Oct 8
1 h 16 min

Ep. 373: Dr. Gary Sanchez - Willpower is Temporary. Your "Why" Power is Permanent.

Who are you—and why do you do what you do?Most of us spend our lives answering questions about what we want to accomplish, what career we should pursue, and what steps we

Oct 1
1 h 16 min

Ep. 372: Carleigh Bodrug: No Time to Cook? PlantYou Quickies to the Rescue!

New York Times bestselling author, Carleigh Bodrug, is back with PlantYou: Quickies, her third cookbook, packed with more than 140 fast, approachable plant-based recipes

Sep 24
1 h 10 min

Ep. 371: Plant Powered Seniors: How to Stay Strong, Sharp, and Independent as You Age with Brenda Davis, RD & Vesanto Melina, RD

Getting older may be inevitable. Getting weak, frail, and sedentary? Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina say absolutely not.In their new book, Plant Powered Seniors, these lo

Sep 17
1 h 09 min

Ep. 370: Neal Barnard, MD: Why He's Is Suing The Federal Government Over the New Dietary Guidelines

Dr. Neal Barnard is back on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast — and this time, he and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are taking the federal government to court.A

Sep 10
43 min

Ep. 369: Lisa Wargofchik - How to Make Healthy Choices Without Relying on Willpower

Rip sits down with Certified High Performance Coach and author Lisa Wargofchik to talk about her book, Remarkable Routines: How Daily Habits Shape a Life of Intention and

Sep 3
58 min

Ep. 368: The Fountain of Youth Is Movement: Rip Esselstyn on Fitness, Fun, and Community

Originally recorded for Complement's Plantapalooza in 2024, this timeless conversation with CEO, Matt Tullman, explores how sport, community, fun, and whole plant foods c

Aug 27
1 h 03 min

Ep. 367: Menopause Is Not the End: Dr. Jessica Shepherd on Hormones, Plants, and Thriving in Midlife

Rip sits down with OB-GYN, women’s health expert, and author of Generation M, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, for a candid, empowering conversation about perimenopause, menopause,

Aug 20
56 min

Ep. 366: What Your Cholesterol Numbers Aren't Telling You: Dr. Daniel Chong Explains ApoB, Lp(a), Plaque, and Disease Prevention

Dr. Daniel Chong has spent years helping patients understand their true cardiovascular risk and take meaningful action to prevent heart attacks and strokes.In this episod

Aug 13
55 min

Ep. 365: Kendale Ritchey, DPM - A Podiatrist’s Own 30-Year Mystery Illness Solved with Plants — and the Devastating Effects of Diabetes on Y

Dr. Kendale Ritchey is a podiatrist in Knoxville, Tennessee, a former University of Tennessee swimmer, and a self-described “recovered barbecue-aholic.”For nearly three d

Aug 6
52 min

Ep. 364: Micah Yu, MD - A Doctor's Own Joint Pain Wake-Up Call and His Top Supplements to Help Your Chronic Inflammation

At 17, after adopting a high-protein diet filled with meat, milk, protein powder, and processed meats, Dr. Yu experienced his first gout attack. The pain was so intense t

Jul 30
54 min

Ep. 363: Melissa Mondala, MD - Why So Many Women Feel “Off” In Midlife— and How to Feel Better

Dr. Melissa Mondala joins Rip to talk about women’s health, autoimmune disease, anxiety, perimenopause, metabolic health, hormones, and the power of whole food, plant-bas

Jul 23
50 min

Ep. 362: Why You Eat When You’re Not Hungry — and How to Stop with Dr. Jud Brewer

Ever eat when you weren’t really hungry and wonder why willpower wasn’t enough to stop you?This week, Rip talks with Dr. Jud Brewer - neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and au

Jul 16
54 min

Ep. 361: The Whole Truth: Nelson Campbell on the Hidden Agendas Behind Decades of Health Misinformation—and What to Do About It

Nelson Campbell joins Rip Esselstyn for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about his new book with Dr. T. Colin Campbell, The Whole Truth: The Hidden Agendas Beh

Jul 9
56 min

Ep. 360: Real 30, Real Food, Real Results: Meet Barbara Court - A Plant Strong Success Story

Barbara Court is almost 75 years old, full of humor, full of heart, and living proof that it is never too late to get Plant Strong.After joining PlantStrong’s free Real30

Jul 2
42 min

Ep. 359: Dr. Kim Williams Breaks Down the New Heart Health Guidelines (and it's Great News for Plants!)

The newest AHA and ACC guidelines for treating dyslipidemia are here — and according to Dr. Kim Williams, they mark a powerful shift toward prevention, earlier testing, a

Jun 25
43 min

Ep. 358: How Terri Edwards Reversed Her Joint Pain, Lost 50 Pounds & Transformed Her Health with Comfort Foods

Rip sits down with Terri Edwards — founder of EatPlant-Based.com — to talk about the recipes, habits, and simple food swaps that helped her completely transform her healt

Jun 18
1 h 04 min

BONUS: Your Doctor Needs to Hear This — A Vital Signs Preview

In this special episode, Rip shares a preview of Vital Signs: Real Food. Real Medicine. Real Change., Plant Strong’s upcoming CME-focused conference for healthcare provid

Jun 16
48 min

Ep. 357: What Your Doctor ISN'T Telling You About Food with Dr. Alan Desmond

Rip welcomes back Dr. Alan Desmond, consultant gastroenterologist, lifestyle medicine advocate, and author of the new book, What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Food.

Jun 11
1 h 07 min