Plant Trainers Podcast - Plant Based Nutrition & Fitness

In today's episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk to Dr. Chiti Parikh about gut microbiome and your health. I first met Dr, Parikh at the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival and she was talking about one of my favorite topics at the moment…poop. I mean microbiome…but poop came up! So, I knew we had to get her on the show to talk about our gut microbiome and bacteria. How to grow the good, shrink the bad and maintain the healthiest body possible. You may have heard of TMAO and Fecal Transplants, so get ready to fully understand what that's all about. Dr. Parikh is an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College where she plays an active role in medical education, research and patient care. She graduated as an AOA scholar from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed her internal medicine residency at New York Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical Center. As a board certified Internist and Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine, she has co-founded Integrative Health at New York Presbyterian Hospital. This program provides services such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, nutrition, psychotherapy, and biofeedback. As an Integrative Medicine practitioner Dr. Parikh focuses on a holistic approach to care that addresses not only physical, but also psychological, social, spiritual and environmental influences on health. By spending more time with patients she creates a personalized treatment plan that is tailored to the individual's unique needs and circumstances. By combining cutting edge innovations of modern medicine with the wisdom of eastern medicine, she partners with her patients to attain optimal health and wellness. In this episode we discuss: Parents' influence The gut microbiome Skin microbiome Good bacteria Antibiotics Knowing if you have good or bad bacteria TMAO Growing positive and negative microbiome What affects our microbiome Probiotics 101 Foods that support a good system Fecal Transplant 3 actionable tips for a healthy microbiome Links to things we mentioned: Order your "Propelled By Plants" t-shirt Meal Planning Mastery Dr. Chiti Parikh's Website Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program Thank you to this month's Patrons for supporting us on Patreon: "Joe" Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don't forget to contact us at [email protected] with your question for our Plant Trainers Facebook Lives! We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and leave us a rating and review over on Apple Podcasts – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeart Radio or Player.FM so you will know when we release a new episode. We're also available to Listen on Google Play Music! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast! Click here for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk to John Rathwell & Tracy Guenard about their project, Searching For Sero. Obviously we ask the questions that everyone wants to know…What is sero and how do you manage to live in a van? But we do get deeper when we discuss what really ignited the fire for John and Tracy to hop in a Westfalia and tour Canada and the US. They both lost loved ones which inspired this project with the ultimate goal of funding suicide prevention and helping others find passion and excitement in green exercise. Searching for Sero is a unique approach, looking for people who are happy in the outdoors and who are encouraging others to find their passion and create more sero. John Rathwell is an internationally published and acclaimed action sports photographer. He has been commissioned by such clients as Red Bull, Outside Magazine, The Enthusiast Network over the last several years, just to name a few. John’s motivation for this project came after his father passed away in 2014 from suicide. His father focused his life on working long hours, overtime and any shift he could take. John watched his father’s lifestyle as he grew up and could see that life needed to be more balanced. Throughout the project, John is hoping to motivate people to put a little more focus on outdoor adventure and hobbies that bring happiness to their lives by sharing the stories and photographs of how others live theirs. Tracy Guenard is a traditional 9 to 5 worker. She has years of experience working in the fields of criminology and youth intervention as well as business organizational analysis. People’s life choices and behaviours have always intrigued her. Tracy’s interest in Searching for Sero comes from the desire to dig in and understand the human-being in the choices they make. She hopes to grasp these people’s relationship to happiness and how they can play an active role in their mental wellness. What is worth living for? Life! Life is worth living for and Tracy wants to find out the inspiring stories of these people and their passions and share them with you so you also feel that amazement still exists.   In this episode we discuss: The project Green exercise Serotonin   Outdoor sports Planning Feeling like yourself again Wanting to spread mental wellness not illness Understanding the idea of taking care of mental wellness Getting feedback, giving hope How to be a Sero story variety Westfalia Minimalism Funding the project The spectrum of mental health and wellness   Links to things we mentioned: New recipe book:   Searching For Sero: , , ,   John Rathwell on Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our Plant Trainers Facebook Lives!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on , ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. We’re also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk with Dr. Jennifer Singh on the truth about dairy. There are many MOOO-sconceptions about dairy that have been ingrained in us since we were small children. “A cup of milk with every meal”, “Milk does a body good” and “Got Milk” ads have glorified the dairy industry, but it has been at a price. Our health is declining here in North America and as we talk about during this show, the absence of dairy can make a huge impact on our quality of life. Jennifer Singh is a doctor, wannabe-chef, wife and mom who is passionate about sharing the power of a plant-based diet and healthy lifestyle. Board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, she is well-acquainted with the dismal health results of the Standard American Lifestyle. Dr. Jennifer Singh is an Assistant Professor at the LSU Health Science Center in Shreveport School of Allied Health, and an Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of North Texas-Fort Worth School of Health Professions, where she teaches others about Lifestyle Medicine in the Graduate Certificate Program. Dr. Jennifer Singh uses her medical knowledge, cooking skills, and fifteen years of professional teaching & lecturing experience in medical education to teach groups of all sizes and backgrounds about the life-changing power of plant-based nutrition and lifestyle. She owns Singh Wellness, a Lifestyle Medicine coaching practice in Shreveport. By providing knowledge and support to help clients change their habits, she continues to be amazed by the health results that people can achieve. When not teaching, she makes sure she has no spare time by bouncing between homeschooling her kids, walking the dog, cooking and biking with her family, reading, blogging, and traveling.   In this episode we discuss: Safety Healthcare and hope Converting hope into change The deal with dairy The good components of dairy Casein Lactose Dairy, disease and illnesses Quality of life without dairy Transitioning away from dairy Non-dairy alternatives Homemade recipes Taking to children   Links to things we mentioned: Dr. Jennifer Singh: ,   Easy Recipes For Busy Parents – – The Documentary Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our Plant Trainers Facebook Lives!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast, we sit down with Sid Garza-Hillman and Dr. Garth Davis for an unscripted, unplanned and unbelievable conversation about the Paleo lifestyle, Protein and having purpose. We recorded this one evening in a hotel breakfast room. The best part of this show is that it was simply a laid back conversation that takes some deep looks on various subjects of plant-based living and research. This show was pretty funny, if you ask Shoshana. She laughed out loud listening to it walking around the house with headphones on. Despite the humor we all brought, there are some major learning opportunities and takeaways no matter where you are at in your health journey. For those of you who don’t know Dr. Garth Davis is the medical director of the Davis Clinic and is a recognized expert in initial bariatric procedures and revisional bariatric surgery as well as the author of Proteinaholic and was on The Plant Trainers Podcast episode 042.  Sid Garza-Hillman is the Nutritionist and Programs Director at the Stanford Inn’s Wellness Center as well as an author, speaker and podcast host who was on episodes 189 and 125 of our podcast. We will cut right into the conversation. It’s not formal in anyway, we just get right into it.   In this episode we discuss: Preaching to the choir? Family feuds What motivates you? Friendly Canadians Fear What made each of us go plant-based Who’s funding studies? “Carbs” Low fat Paleo and anthropology Preventative vs early diagnosis Omegas Butter coffee Calcium   Links to things we mentioned: Email us at: Proteinaholic with Dr. Garth Davis – The Small Step Advocate Sid Garza-Hillman – Making Choices Through Mindset with Howard Jacobson, Josh LaJaunie & Sid Garza-Hillman –   Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our Plant Trainers Facebook Lives!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we come together to bring you episode 200 and to tell you about the free T-shirt giveaway and a special announcement! We are so excited to have reached this milestone. It is because of listeners like you, that we show up every week and put out content that we know inspires you. When we are not recording, coaching clients, teaching students and being parents, we shmooze with potential guests, invite them on the show, plan our conversations, watch them take different turns once we get chatting, edit and prepare show notes just like these! It’s a labour of love and we love it when we get to hear your feedback! Once you hit play you’ll hear what we think is the coolest part about being the hosts of this podcast, you’ll find out exactly how to get your hands on a brand new Plant Trainers FREE T-shirt, and you’ll hear a special announcement about some upcoming changes around the Plant Cave. So give a listen and take some action.   This week’s question: There is no question this week. Adam and I just talk about what is on our mind and we have a cool announcement and contest for a free t-shirt!   Links to things we mentioned: (to win your free t-shirt) Email Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our Plant Trainers Facebook Lives!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In this episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk to Dr. Robert Ostfeld about cholesterol, genes & Montefiore’s Cardiac Wellness Program. We break down the different stages of cardiovascular disease from how it develops, what’s happening inside the body and the role medication plays. If you are wondering if you’re jeopardizing your health by eating nuts regularly or vegan junk food from time to time, you’ll certainly get your answer in this episode. If you know people who think they’re destined for a life of cardiovascular events despite their choice in lifestyle, you’re going to want to share this show with them. Robert Ostfeld, M.D., MSc., a cardiologist, is the founder and director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore, an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Associate Director of the Cardiology Fellowship at Montefiore-Einstein. His professional interests include cardiovascular disease prevention, medical education and clinical research. He earned the Outstanding Full Time Attending of the Year award at Montefiore for excellence in teaching medical residents; the Program Director’s Award for dedicated service on behalf of the Montefiore-Einstein Cardiology Fellowship; and was elected to the Leo M. Davidoff Society at Einstein for outstanding achievement in the teaching of medical students.   In this episode we discuss: Montefiore & The Cardiac Wellness Program Educating the public Changing lives Cholesterol Added cholesterol for women Blood pressure Coming off medication Baby aspirin Effects of one junky meal on WFPB eaters Healthy fats Genes Tips   Links to things we mentioned: Dr. Robert Ostfeld: , , – October 27, 2017 – Forks Over Knives How Not To Die with Michael Greger M.D. – Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our “Hey Plant Trainers” segment!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

Snack foods…Ah, the communal gathering of children coming together to enjoy a snack prepared by one family that must meet the allergy requirements of the school, the tastebuds of younglings and respect the nutritional values of all the other families. Wait a minute. There is no way to make every kid happy. It’s unlikely many families have nutritional standards and it may also be hard to meet all those standards. Having said that, more and more families are making changes in their diets whether they are still eating animal products or not. Many families are choosing foods that are less processed and contain less additives…it’s a slow process, but because of people like you that are making an effort to better your lives, liking Facebook posts, sharing podcasts and spreading the word, it’s happening. At the end of the day I know what it’s like to be the teacher and the parent in this situation. The teacher wants it to be fun for the kids, make it easier for the parents to not have to give snack foods daily and expose the kids to things they would not normally be fed and have them be risk takers. On the other hand, as a parent, it is MY responsibility to feed my child and depending on their age choose what goes into their little bodies. It’s an area of stress because I don’t know what they will be exposed to and then want or even give up other foods because they have tasted fat, sugar and salt on a level they haven’t before. My child is also gluten free so I know he will often not be able to take part in some of the snack foods. At the end of the day, eating together is a skill we must master, as that experience is always present and maybe your child will come home finally loving clementines!   This week’s question: Lindsay Asks: “Hey Plant Trainers, I need to send peanut-free, pre-packaged snack foods to my child’s school for the whole class to enjoy. What do you recommend?”   Links to things we mentioned: – Use “PlantTrainers” at check-out for 15% off your order – Use “PlantTrainers” at check-out for 20% off your order   Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our “Hey Plant Trainers” segment!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk to Dr. Glenn Livingston about how to Never Binge Again. He takes us through his own health journey and how binging on chocolate and other commercially designed foods left him overweight and unhappy. In his Book, Never Binge Again, he describes the coaching process he uses to help people stop binge eating and to start having a healthy relationship with food. We talk about his “inner pig” and how visualization and actionable steps helped him in the process of never binging again! Glenn Livingston, Ph.D. is a veteran psychologist and was the long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry. You may have seen his (or his company’s) previous work, theories, and research in major periodicals like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Indiana Star Ledger, The NY Daily News, American Demographics, or any of the other major media outlets you see on this page. You may also have heard him on ABC, WGN, and/or CBS radio, or UPN TV. Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to offer overweight and/or food obsessed individuals, Dr. Glenn Livingston spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and overeating via work with his own patients AND a self-funded research program with more than 40,000 participants. Most important, however, was his own personal journey out of obesity and food prison to a normal, healthy weight and a much more lighthearted relationship with food.   In this episode we discuss: Exercise bulimia Getting to now   The story you tell yourself Visualization What is binge eating, overeating Food addiction Cravings Tasting that tropical local fruit Big Foods Rules and decisions Will power Fear and powerlessness vs commitment Individuality Never Binge Again   Links to things we mentioned:           Glenn Livingston’s , , Get a Copy of Glenn’s book for free: “”   Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our “Hey Plant Trainers” segment!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

So let’s talk turmeric. Yes the benefits are many. This ancient spice has been used for years for many things because it has so many powers. Before conventional medicine, there were plants. Back in the day, people who suffered from major inflammation, pain and fatigue were often treated with Birch bark (which was like taking ibuprofen) or ginger (which I talk about all the time) or another one of my favorites, turmeric. Today, people are quick to take an Advil or Tylenol to help with inflammation and pain, but do we know the long-term effects of using those over the counter medications? You can actually buy in the powder form in most grocery stores these days or you can opt for the actual root in many health food stores. Be cautious when using turmeric as it tends to stain things orange (especially when handling the root).   This week’s question: Avi asks: “Hey Plant Trainers, I have a foodie question for you. I’ve been reading about the benefits of turmeric and was overwhelmed. Where can I buy turmeric and what can I use it with? Basically I just don’t know what to do with it!”   Links to things we mentioned: – Use “PlantTrainers” at check-out for 15% off your order – Use “PlantTrainers” at check-out for 20% off your order   Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our “Hey Plant Trainers” segment!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services

In today’s episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk about dealing with emotions and the short film “Just Breathe” with Julie Bayer Salzman. We were first intrigued by Julie and her husband Josh’s films, “Just breathe” and “Release”. As school teachers, we quickly understood that this was more than just a tool for children…it was a lesson for all. In our conversation, we talk to Julie about our emotions and the idea of emotional intelligence. We explore how teaching our children early about being mindful about their feelings can help keep their emotional levels stay strong throughout their lifetime. You’ll be sure to get so many ideas on how you can start to calm yourself and react better in stressful situations. A lover of powerful stories with rich imagery, Julie spent the first part of her career gaining a solid understanding of the nuts and bolts of commercial production. For over ten years, she produced and oversaw countless commercial campaigns for others before moving into writing and directing projects of her own at Wavecrest Films. She and her partner Josh Salzman made their directorial debut with “Time & Tide”, a documentary about the impact of globalization and global warming on the tiny South Pacific nation of Tuvalu. The film garnered numerous film festival awards, screened internationally, and was broadcast in the US on PBS. Julie’s sensitivity to subject and subject matter was fully realized and recognized in the widely celebrated short film “Just Breathe” – a film about the power of mindfulness to transform anger (as articulated by a group of elementary school kids). The unscripted piece was showcased on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday program in April 2015, plays internationally at children’s film festivals and has so far been translated into Spanish, Italian, German and Hungarian. Currently, Julie is raising money to do a series of short films about Mindfulness, as well as a film about toxic breast milk in Inuit women in the Arctic. She is writing an animated screenplay based on the true story of the two homeless dogs she and her family adopted,. Julie is developing commercial projects centered on sustainable and progressive businesses. When she’s not working you can usually find her wandering in the hills with her camera in hand and dogs in tow, hanging out with her tribe or just at home digging in the dirt.   In this episode we discuss: Moments in nature Getting into film Creating positive social impact Commercial positive impact “Just Breathe” Emotions in children and adults Emotional intelligence Mindfulness Expressing emotion How to use mindfulness before reacting Where to start Mindfulness lighting up creativity   Links to things we mentioned: Just Breathe – Release –  Julie Bayer Salzman – , ,   Thank you to this month’s Patrons for supporting us on : “Joe” Millie Pearson Stu Dolnick Mary Lou Fusi Don’t forget to contact us at  with your question for our “Hey Plant Trainers” segment!   We hope you enjoyed this podcast! Please take a moment and  – we would be grateful! This will help get our podcast out to others who may enjoy it. We promise to read your reviews and consider your feedback. This show is for you. Please subscribe to The Plant Trainers Podcast on ,  or  so you will know when we release a new episode. Now also available to ! Help us by spreading the news about our totally awesome Podcast!   Click for a list of our services