It’s not out of the ordinary for us to hear about self-care, ideal ways to practice it, and why it’s so imperative. It is rare, however, to hear it discussed within the culinary world. 

Enter Chef Stephanie Michalak White, who developed and launched a plant-based program at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts [currently ranked as the #1 culinary school in the entire world.]

Stephanie and I discuss her program development, what self-care means for chefs and folks in culinary worlds, and the major topic of food insecurity.

Many folks come to veganism later in life, but there are a select few who start slightly earlier. Kingston Zoom Walters, also known as King Zoom the Vegan Kid, has been vegan since birth.

Kingston is an 18-year-old vegan, neurodivergent, feminist social justice activist and environmentalist. His early passion for speaking up against injustices towards animals, humans and the planet evolved into speaking at many events across North America.

Kingston joins me to discuss what he’s learned as a child activist, self-care for vegan animal activists, and his brand new book.

What constitutes a “vegan legend”? Let’s start with almost 40 years of veganism, being listed by VegNews among the “Top 10 Living Vegetarian Authors’, establishing the Main Street Vegan Academy…and more.

Meet Victoria Moran. Victoria first joined me on the podcast for episode 46, and this is our second discussion. We talk about the Main Street Vegan Academy training and certification program [where she is Founder/Director], healthy aging, leaving a lasting legacy, and the intersection of compassion with both faith and spirituality.

"I've got a great opportunity for you to start your own business and earn extra income on the side!" -- most of us have received an MLM (multi-level marketing) pitch like this from a distant acquaintance after some small talk.

Although they're declining in popularity, MLM is a business structure rampant in the fitness, nutrition, and health space. Beachbody, Arbonne, Herbalife, Younique, Amway...the list goes on. In this episode I share 6 reasons why MLM is unethical, and why it's problematic within the fitness -- and vegan -- realms.

I also discuss why MLM decreases the brand equity of existing businesses, as well as the future of, and alternatives to, MLM.

It’s no secret that our podcast episodes often contain at least a few mic drops. This one may set the bar. 

Earlier this year, Registered Dietician Desiree Nielsen joined me to discuss all things food and nutrition. Our conversation was so expansive, we needed to bridge it into a separate discussion, and invite Coach Zoe [my fellow BS-buster] to join the talk.

We discuss dismantling certain structures within the ‘fitness industrial complex’ [term coined by Fitness for All Bodies], the problematic components of the diet industry, nutrition, when veganism is used as weight loss incentive, and so much more.

We’re all relatively familiar with the term and concept of meal plans. For years, they’ve been offered to us as the fail-proof, non-negotiable element that will help you nail all of your nutritional goals. What if there was a completely different approach that didn’t involve meal plans? Furthermore, what if they actually have a detrimental impact?

Certified plant-based sports nutritionist Philip Bryden joins me to talk about this- and much more! He also holds certifications in Integrative Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Nutrition Coaching, Anatomy and Physiology, Plant-Based Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, and he’s a certified Yoga Instructor and Ultra Running Coach. Philip works with international professional athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, tennis, and ultra running; and he’s Club Nutritionist for the world’s first vegan rugby club.

Climate action has been a longstanding subject, as we become more and more aware of the current, irrefutable climate crisis. However, while we discuss its connection to many parts of our lives, this may be one of the first times we’ve explored its connection to….fitness! 

Emily Kennedy is a systems thinker from Nova Scotia, a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and founder of resiliFIT Coaching. She uses her love of food and fitness to demonstrate the impact we have on climate change through daily choices, while connecting folks with nature.

Maybe you’ve heard the terms; maybe you haven’t: gut health. Anti-nutrients. There are many terms, often elusive, that circulate within the nutrition realm. What do they mean, and which ones should we be paying attention to?

Registered Dietician Desiree Nielsen joins me to discuss these terms, chat about anti-nutrients, where we find them, and answer the big question: are they bad for us? Alongside this subject and others, we dive into nutrition myth-busting, drop some mics, and discuss re-thinking the approach to nutrition as a whole.

When you hear the term marathon swim, it’s generally referring to a 10km distance [6.2 miles]. Our guest for NBSV #120, Susan Simmons, is an ultra-marathon swimmer. You do the math.

Susan Simmons discusses how she uses veganism to manage multiple sclerosis, and fuel her training. 

In her own words: “My number one form of exercise is swimming and my diet is vegan. Both minimize the stress on my body, making it possible for me to live an active life.” 

Listen now via link in bio! 

We’ve all heard them, right? Veganism exists alongside a selection of myths, perpetuated by mainstream media, particular industries, and marketing [to name a few!] 

Do you want to know three of the most familiar myths out there, and promptly have them busted by truth and facts?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nisha Melvani joins me to do just that, alongside a discussion about her new book release, attending culinary school at the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC, and much, much more.