Libsyn Directory

333 - Afraid of Heart Attacks? 4 Habits to Reverse Heart Disease & Cognitive Decline | Dr. Dean Ornish

Release Date: 08/27/2025

356 - Dietitian: The Protein Craze Has Gone Too Far (Here's What the Science Says)

Switch4Good

Protein has become the buzzword of the moment, but how much of what we're hearing is grounded in science? Registered dietitian and nutrition researcher David Goldman returns to separate facts from marketing and explain what the research actually says about meeting your protein needs, building muscle, and healthy aging. And then there’s this: They say you are what you eat. David's research suggests the story doesn't end there. The plant foods you eat may influence how attractive you appear to others. Packed with practical advice and refreshing clarity, this episode will leave you better...

355 - Gen Z Says the Climate Crisis Is Worse Than You Think (Here's Why They're Still Hopeful)

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Young people today are inheriting a world they didn’t design. They’re facing a climate crisis, a food system that puts profit before health, and a constant stream of misinformation that can make meaningful change feel impossible. But a new generation of advocates is already stepping up, asking difficult questions and challenging outdated systems. In this episode, we talk with Lucy Whitney and Gianna Klein, recent graduates of NYU and Cornell who studied sustainability, the environment, and the connection between what we eat and the only habitable planet we’ve got. Through Switch4Good’s...

354 - Ex-Rancher's Wife Who Bought Her Husband's Cows to Save Them

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A move from Houston to a cattle ranch in rural Texas was never meant to alter the course of her life so completely, but that is exactly what happened for Renee King-Sonnen, founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. What began as a new chapter alongside her husband became something far more complicated as her relationship with the animals deepened and she confronted realities on the ranch she could no longer ignore, reshaping everything from her marriage to her identity and sense of purpose. That internal shift led to the creation of a sanctuary for rescued animals and the path she now walks in advocacy...

353 - Javant Benton on the 4 Pillars That Reversed His Diabetes, Hypertension and Cancer Risk

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By age 35, Javant Benton found himself at a crossroads. He was 85 pounds overweight, prediabetic, prehypertensive, and undergoing tests for cancer. Confronted with his own mortality, he knew something had to change. What began as a personal search for greater well-being became a journey of creativity, discovery, and transformation in the kitchen, where familiar comfort foods were transformed into something nourishing and satisfying. In this episode, Javant shares the wake-up call that altered his trajectory, the lessons he learned along the way, and how his determination to feel better...

352 - Animal Sanctuary Founder: The Cow Who Survived Dairy's Darkest Side | Indra Lahiri

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For more than two decades, Indra Lahiri has dedicated her life to rescuing animals who have survived unimaginable trauma at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in northeastern Pennsylvania. But through years of witnessing suffering day after day, Indra found herself facing something many caregivers, advocates, and helping professionals quietly struggle with: burnout, chronic stress, and secondary trauma. In this conversation, Indra shares how animals helped reshape her understanding of healing, emotional connection, and resilience. We also talk about the restorative power of animals and nature, the...

351 - 1,500 Beagles Rescued From Ridglan Farms: How Alexandra Paul Got Arrested Getting Them Out

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In this very special episode, Alexandra Paul returns to the podcast for a powerful, and at times difficult, conversation. For those of you new here, you may know her from Baywatch or some of the iconic films she’s appeared in. Longtime listeners already know her for her decades of activism, often stepping into spaces most people would never consider. Recently, she made headlines after being arrested during an animal rights operation at a breeding facility in Wisconsin, where activists entered the property and removed dogs being used for research, bringing the issue into the national...

350 - Why High-Milk Countries Have the Most Broken Bones: The Milk-Fracture Paradox | Dr. Walter Willett

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"The rates of fractures are highest in the high milk drinking countries, basically North America, Scandinavia, Denmark, and they're lowest in countries that actually don't consume milk at all." Today, we’re joined by one of the most influential and widely cited figures in nutrition science. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has published over 2,000 papers across four decades. His work includes some of the largest and most rigorous studies on diet and chronic disease ever conducted. He is the author of several books,...

349 - Dr. Michael Klaper on How to Reverse High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, and Inflammation: Cut This Food

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Dr. Michael Klaper returns to the Switch4Good podcast for a conversation that redefines what medicine can achieve when food is placed at the center of care. A physician, educator, and longtime leader in nutrition science, Dr. Klaper has advised NASA on dietary planning for space missions, appeared in documentaries including Cowspiracy, The End of Meat, and What the Health, and authored several foundational books on plant-based health. His latest work, Moving Medicine Forward: What More Doctors Should Know About Nutrition–and How It Can Save Your Life, challenges clinicians and patients alike...

348 - Are These Common Foods Secretly Causing Your Autoimmune Disease? | Michele Fasnacht

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"After struggling with health issues for decades and years of doctors and misdiagnoses, I was finally diagnosed with progressive MS and lupus and the only thing that had happened to me was removing dairy. We started working with plant-based doctors, lifestyle medicine doctors, and working with plant-based and vegan chefs. We created a menu of healthy kid friendly meals. Once you know better, you cannot pretend you don't." What if school could shape not just smarter students, but a more compassionate world? Today, we’re joined by Michele Fasnacht, founder of Solid Rock Community School in...

347 - Why Fiber Matters More Than Protein | Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen & Dr. Regan Stiegmann

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“Fiber is the new protein. Don’t count your protein grams - count your fiber grams. And if you do that, and you’re getting adequate calories, you’re going to be fine.” What if aging didn’t have to mean slowing down, losing strength, or watching your best years slip into the past? What if the mind and body were capable of far more resilience and longevity than we’ve been led to believe? In this episode, two powerhouse voices in human performance challenge the idea that physical and cognitive decline are inevitable. Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen, physiologist, coach, and plant-based...

More Episodes

According to the CDC, about 659,000 people in the United States die from heart disease each year. That’s 1 in every 4 deaths. A staggering 100 BILLION dollars were spent several years ago on stents and bypasses. But how effective are those dangerous, invasive, and costly procedures in improving the patients' quality of life? Is there an alternative?

Today's guest is Dr. Dean Ornish, the founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute. He is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of seven books, all national bestsellers. Dr. Dean Ornish has directed revolutionary research proving that lifestyle changes can often reverse or undo the progression of many of the most common and costly chronic diseases and even begin reversing aging at a cellular level. He documented his findings in his landmark book UnDo It!

Dr. Dean Ornish studied medicine under Dr. Michael DeBakey, an American vascular surgeon and cardiac surgeon, scientist and medical educator known for his trailblazing efforts in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Today, Dr. Dean Ornish is helping people regain their health with his program, The Only Program Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease, which is reimbursed by Medicare from anywhere in the U.S. ’Nuff said! Let's dive into this eye-opening episode and UnDo It!

What we discuss in this episode:

Dr. Dean Ornish walks us through that pivotal moment when he met Woodstock Guru Sri Swami Satchidananda and how that encounter changed the direction of his life
How stress increases our predisposition to cardiovascular diseases and the worst thing about being depressed
Is there something wrong with traditional medicine?
Dr. Dean Ornish talks about the joy that his work brings, enabling people to have options vs. undergoing costly medical procedures
How to UnDo It! Eat Well, Move More, Stress Less, Love More
How comprehensive lifestyle changes influence DNA methylation and gene expression
Does eating specific foods (sweet potato meals vs. blueberry vs. cheeseburgers) influence cancer genes?
What hope do we have in getting the message to people about the way we view our health and the overall healthcare system?
Choosing a plant-based diet - What you gain is so much better than what you give up! Watch The Game Changers, a revolutionary film about plant-based eating, protein, and strength.
The Ornish Diet - What you include in your diet is as important as what you exclude.
The Gut-Brain Connection and how our bodies are affected by the food we eat
Get Dr. Dean Ornish’s landmark book UnDo It! - https://undoitbook.com/
Connect with Dr. Dean Ornish on Instagram and Facebook
Check out Dr. Dean Ornish’s website - https://www.ornish.com/