Libsyn Directory

257 - What Beating Cancer and Amazing Holiday Recipes Have in Common: Chef & Nutritionist Lauren Kretzer

Release Date: 11/22/2023

280 - Reversing Constipation & Hair Loss with Nutrition Coach Melissa Webster

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Are you yearning for a healthier lifestyle but feel uncertain about where to begin? Join us in this episode as we delve into the transformative world of whole-food, plant-based living with our guest, Melissa Webster. Melissa is a certified health coach, holistic nutritionist, and founder of Choosing My Health. She inspires her 70,000 YouTube followers to flourish through plant-based eating, driven by her own journey of overcoming chronic illness. Her fitness expertise, empathy, and unrestrained enthusiasm make her the perfect guide to assist you in your journey to...

279 - Dealing with Digestive Issues with Nutritionist & Cookbook Author Desiree Nielsen

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If you’ve ever wondered how to make nutritious food taste amazing or what foods boost your health by supporting your gut microbiome, then you’re going to love today’s episode! Our guest is Desiree Nielsen, a plant-based recipe developer, podcaster, author, and registered dietitian with a focus on plant-based nutrition and gut health. In her new book, "Plant Magic: A Celebration of Plant-Based Cooking for Everyone," Desiree offers a wonderful collection of creative recipes that make incorporating more plants into your diet easy, convenient, and delicious. If you're a...

278 - What Science Teaches Us About Losing Weight and Boosting Energy With Stanford Nutrition Researcher Dr. Christopher Gardner

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Today, we’re joined by Dr. Christopher Gardner, a renowned nutrition researcher and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. In this episode, Dr. Gardner shares his wealth of knowledge and valuable insights into nutrition science, from dissecting popular diets like ketogenic vs. Mediterranean to discussing his groundbreaking study on cardio-metabolic effects in identical twins randomly assigned to vegan or omnivorous diets, featured in the Netflix documentary "You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment." Throughout the episode, we delve into Dr. Gardner's research, uncover the...

277 - Fight MS & Disordered Eating with a Plant-Based Diet! with Dr. Rachael Hunter

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In this episode, we welcome Dr. Rachael Hunter, a distinguished clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University. Dr. Hunter joins us to delve into her groundbreaking research on "Plant-based Recovery from Restrictive Eating Disorders." Drawing from her wealth of experience working closely with individuals grappling with eating disorders, Dr. Hunter offers valuable insights into the transformative potential of plant-based diets in promoting recovery. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Hunter shares her deeply personal journey, including her courageous battle...

276 - Tips & Tricks to Using Food Scraps in Your Recipes with Plant You Cookbook Author Carleigh Bodrug

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Today, we're diving into the world of sustainable, mouthwatering cuisine with none other than the culinary visionary herself, Carleigh Bodrug. Carleigh's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Growing up on a farm where meat reigned supreme, she later discovered the alarming truth about red and processed meats being classified as carcinogens by the World Health Organization. This revelation, coupled with her personal experience of her father's battle with colon cancer, propelled her toward a transformative shift in her diet. Fast forward to today, and Carleigh has become a household...

275 - Finding Awe As We Age for a Longer, Happier Life with NYT Bestselling Author Caroline Paul

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Our extraordinary guest today is a true adventurer at heart. From hang gliding to paragliding, from flying small planes to training for the US Olympic team as a luger, Caroline Paul’s life is a series of thrilling escapades. As one of the first female firefighters in the San Francisco Fire Department, Caroline faced challenges head-on. Her autobiography "Fighting Fire" chronicles her remarkable 13-year journey with the department as one of 15 women out of 1500 men. She was also the very first woman on the Rescue team, which was tasked with getting people out of collapsed buildings and...

274 - Learn to Communicate for a Better World and Deeper Relationships with Dr. Melanie Joy

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Today, we welcome back Dr. Melanie Joy, a renowned psychologist, author, and advocate for compassionate living. Dr. Joy is the president of Beyond Carnism, a non-profit organization exposing and transforming the invisible belief system that shapes our attitudes toward eating and torturing animals. Her groundbreaking concept, “carnism,” has sparked global conversations about the psychology behind meat consumption and its consequences. Dr. Joy is also the author of 6 books, and she appeared on our show in episode 52 to discuss her best-seller Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows,...

273 - Your Gut Microbiome with Dr. Robynne Chutkan

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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, prevent disease, and even help us with our weight. Dr. Chutkan is a board-certified gastroenterologist at Georgetown Hospital, founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness, and author of the books...

272 - Animal Ag is Killing Us with Climate Scientist Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop

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Humans are the dominant species on the planet, but we have lost sight of our connection to, and dependence on, an ecosystem that we have pushed dramatically out of balance and to the brink of collapse. Today’s guest, Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, is an Australian environmental scientist, and he is passionate about highlighting the influence of our food systems on climate change. Gerard is currently the executive director of the World Preservation Foundation, but for three decades, he monitored vegetation cover and deforestation as the principal scientist with Queensland Government...

271 - Should You Care About Farmed Animals? with Lewis Bollard

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Around the world, there are tens of billions of non-human animals trapped in the barbaric system of industrial animal agriculture. And unfortunately, that number is increasing. It’s a severe problem, not just for the suffering animals, but for human health and the health of our planet. Fortunately, there are people dedicating their lives to tackling this issue. And today, we’re joined by one of these remarkable individuals. Lewis Bollard is a dedicated animal advocate making meaningful change on a global scale. He is the Farm Animal Welfare Director at Open...

More Episodes

Our guest today, Lauren Kretzer, is a vegan chef, recipe developer, and holistic nutritionist. She has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and cooked privately for celebrities. Her work has been featured in magazines like Vogue and New York Magazine, PLUS her recipes are in some of your favorite vegan cookbooks.

In 2020, while the world was being forever altered by a pandemic, she was forced to square off against a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Rather than undergo formal treatment, Lauren chose to fight back with a holistic approach.

Today, Lauren is cancer-free, and she has a message – food can be our greatest healer.

Tune in to learn from this renowned chef and cancer survivor what foods we should all be eating more of!

“Being plant-based around the holidays is not as difficult as people anticipate. I think in terms of the menu, speaking about Thanksgiving specifically, but also true for the December holidays as well, most people are excited about the sides. So, when you think about Thanksgiving, even meat eaters will tell you that turkey is probably not high on their list of things that they really love. It’s just part of the tradition and part of the centerpiece of the table, but you can have lots of beautiful centerpieces for a table that aren’t a bird. You know, I personally splurge for a beautiful floral arrangement that day, which I normally don’t do, but I will, you know, go all out on that. And then I’ll make sure that I have gorgeous dishes of lots of other abundant things on the table. So, we still have mashed potatoes in my family, we just make them plant-based. We have vegan stuffing. We have vegan green beans. We have cranberry sauce, of course, which is naturally vegan. All the traditional Thanksgiving dishes can be made plant-based.” – Lauren Kretzer

What we discuss in this episode:

- Switch4Good’s efforts to remove dairy from the dietary guidelines.

- The events that led to Lauren receiving a cancer diagnosis.

- How she overcame fear and negativity after receiving her diagnosis.

- Why Lauren chose a holistic approach rather than conventional therapy.

- The changes she made to remain cancer-free.

- Lauren’s list of anti-cancer foods.

- The importance of reducing stress and the stress reduction techniques Lauren employs.

- What she does every day to stay healthy.

- Lauren’s tips for raising vegan children.

- Her plant-based holiday tips.

- Lauren’s work as a recipe developer.