Brain Fog, Bloating, Joint Pain? Inflammation and Your Gut May Be the Link | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Release Date: 05/14/2026
Lower Cholesterol With Food: The Portfolio Diet Explained | Dr. David Jenkins
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Can you lower LDL cholesterol by changing the foods you eat? Dr. David Jenkins, the pioneering nutrition researcher behind the Portfolio Diet, joins to explain how a carefully selected combination of foods may help bring cholesterol under control. Dr. Jenkins reveals why oats and barley may be particularly effective for , how their sticky soluble fiber interacts with bile acids, and why simply telling someone to “eat more fiber” may not be specific enough. You’ll also learn: The difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol Whether dietary cholesterol is necessary for...
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Can’t Poop? Do This to Help Constipation | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz returns with a complete guide to constipation, including the symptoms many people overlook even when they are having a bowel movement every day. Dr. B joins Chuck Carroll to explain the different patterns of constipation, including slow transit, pelvic-floor or outlet dysfunction, IBS with constipation, and the surprisingly common problem of a digestive system that has simply fallen out of rhythm. They also discuss the morning habits that may help train your body when to go, foods associated with constipation relief, magnesium and fiber supplements,...
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When Healthy Eating Becomes Unhealthy | Dr. Matthew Lederman
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Can trying to eat perfectly actually make you less healthy? Dr. Matthew Lederman joins Chuck Carroll to explore the hidden connection between food perfectionism, fear, chronic stress, gut health, sleep, and the nervous system. A nutritious diet remains an essential foundation for good health. But what happens when healthy choices are driven by anxiety? When a small amount of oil, salt, or sugar feels dangerous? Or when every unexplained symptom sends you searching for another food intolerance, supplement, or dietary rule? Dr. Lederman explains why two people can eat the same healthy meal while...
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Real Meat vs. Fake Meat: Which Is Healthier? | Dr. Neal Barnard
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Are Impossible Burgers and fake meats worse for you than a steak or hamburger? Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to examine one of today’s biggest nutrition debates. A veggie burger and a beef burger may both be classified as processed, but does that make them nutritionally equal? What about plant milk versus dairy milk, packaged cereal versus bacon and eggs, or a protein bar versus a cheeseburger? Dr. Barnard explains what “ultra-processed” actually means, why certain foods can encourage overeating, and whether the widely used NOVA classification system...
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Food Addiction Is Real: How to Break Cravings | Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Junk food was harder for Susan Peirce Thompson to quit than crack cocaine. The founder and CEO of Bright Line Eating joins Chuck Carroll for a deeply personal conversation about food addiction, compulsive eating, cravings, and long-term weight loss. Susan shares her remarkable journey from crystal meth and crack addiction to becoming a PhD and internationally recognized expert in the psychology of eating. She explains why food addiction can be uniquely difficult to overcome when triggers are everywhere and eating remains necessary for survival. Chuck also revisits his own...
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Why Modern Medicine Isn’t Making Us Healthy | Drs. Joel Fuhrman & Columbus Batiste
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Why do chronic diseases remain so common when we have more medicine and medical technology than ever before? Chuck Carroll is joined by two leading physicians for a powerful live conversation about what truly creates health. Dr. Columbus Batiste is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and passionate advocate for protecting the heart through lifestyle. Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician, nutritional researcher, and seven-time New York Times bestselling author. Learn about Dr. Batiste and Dr. Fuhrman. Recorded at the National Health Association Conference, this...
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Raw Milk and Cow Hearts: Dr. Neal Barnard on Soccer Star's Dangerous Diet
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Erling Haaland eats six meals and roughly 6,000 calories every day to fuel his extraordinary performance on the soccer field. But should anyone else be eating like him? Haaland’s highly publicized routine includes raw milk, beef liver, cow heart, steak, eggs, fish, pasta, vegetables, and honey. In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Dr. Neal Barnard joins “The Weight Loss Champion” Chuck Carroll to examine whether the foods powering one of the world’s greatest athletes could create serious health risks for the average person. Dr. Barnard explores the immediate...
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She Survived a Mass Shooting, Then Cancer | Krista Ryan
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Krista Ryan survived the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas. Years later, she faced another life-altering challenge when she was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer. Four surgeries, chemotherapy, an ileostomy, and a difficult recovery followed. But Krista kept going. She joins Chuck Carroll to share the resilience philosophy she calls KFG: Know, Focus, Go. The initials also carry another, considerably more forceful meaning that captures the determination required to move forward when life becomes unimaginably difficult. Krista...
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What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Food | Dr. Alan Desmond
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
A leading gastroenterologist reveals that many doctors are never taught about food, nutrition, and the diseases that can been prevented with diet education. Dr. Alan Desmond joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to discuss his new book, What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Food, and the conversations he believes every doctor should be having with patients. Why do so many doctors avoid talking about nutrition? Are carbs really bad for you? Should healthy people worry about glucose spikes? Do GLP-1 medications fix the root problem? And what does the gut microbiome have...
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Brain Tumor Diagnosis Changed How Top Doctor Sees Health Care | Dr. Bobby Mukkamala
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
The president of the American Medical Association became the patient after being diagnosed with a large brain tumor. Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, immediate past president of the AMA, joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about how his diagnosis changed the way he sees health care, medicine, prevention, access, and the patient experience. Dr. Mukkamala opens up about being diagnosed with a grade 2 astrocytoma, the shock of seeing an eight-centimeter brain tumor on his scan, and what it felt like to suddenly experience the health care system from...
info_outlineInflammation is tied to some of the biggest health problems in the world — heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, gut disorders, brain health issues, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, mood changes, and more.
And one of the best ways to understand what is driving that inflammation may begin in your gut.
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, bestselling author of Fiber Fueled and Plant Powered Plus, joins Chuck Carroll to reveal how the gut microbiome can shape inflammation throughout the body — and what you can do to start reducing inflammation naturally.
Dr. B also shares practical steps for people with sensitive stomachs, bloating, IBS, or food intolerances who want to improve gut health without making symptoms worse.
This is your gut-first guide to understanding inflammation, identifying what may be driving your symptoms, and taking the first steps toward better health.
🧠 You’ll learn:
- What inflammation actually is
- Why chronic inflammation is so dangerous
- How gut bacteria influence the immune system
- The best foods to start eating today
- Exercises that can reduce inflammation
- How sleep, stress, and weight also affect inflammation
- The biggest food drivers of inflammation
- Why ultra-processed foods may raise inflammatory markers
- How fiber helps produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids
- Why eating 30 plants per week can support a healthier microbiome
Dr. B also shares details about his free live workshop, Discover the Inflammation Phenotype Driving Your Symptoms, happening Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET. The 90-minute webinar will explore how inflammation may express itself differently from person to person, why symptoms such as bloating, autoimmune flares, brain fog, joint pain, hormonal issues, fatigue, and mood changes can show up together, and what may connect them beneath the surface.
Exam Roomies of the Week
Doreen Kupau from Hawaii and Anita Kregielska from Edinburgh, UK.
You can become an Exam Roomie of the Week by supporting PCRM.
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
👨⚕️ Dr. Bulsiewicz's Free Inflammation Workshop
👉 https://bit.ly/DrBFreeWorkshop
📺 Dr. B's YouTube Channel
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@theguthealthmd
🎉 Las Vegas Plant Powered Party
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about cancer screening, treatment, and any changes to your diet or lifestyle.