PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
The PLANT STRONG Podcast is for people who want real answers about food, health, and longevity—without the noise, fear, or extremes.
Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition and want a path forward that actually supports healing. Maybe you’re an athlete looking to fuel performance and recovery. Maybe you’re a parent trying to escape the ultra-processed food aisle and feed your family real, nourishing meals. Or maybe you’re simply tired of being confused about what “healthy” actually means.
The challenge? Eating more real food can feel overwhelming. You’ve heard warnings about protein, cost, or restriction. You’ve been told it’s complicated, boring, or socially isolating.
This podcast exists to change that.
Each week, host Rip Esselstyn sits down with leading doctors, researchers, athletes, authors, and everyday people who are proving—through lived experience and science—that eating more whole plants and moving your body consistently can deliver powerful, lasting results. We’re not interested in perfection or dogma. We’re here to be extremely practical, extremely evidence-based, and extremely encouraging.
Rip’s work began more than two decades ago, when he helped transform the health of his fellow firefighters using simple, whole foods—guided by the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. That experience launched a lifelong mission to help people reclaim their health through real food and active living, and ultimately led to the creation of PLANT STRONG.
Today, the podcast is an extension of that mission: cutting through misinformation, challenging cultural norms, and showing what’s possible when you fuel your body with food that actually supports it.
You’ll hear conversations about:
Preventing and reversing chronic disease
Strength, endurance, and recovery
Gut health, inflammation, and longevity
Behavior change that actually sticks
How to build habits you can sustain in real life
You’ll also hear about REAL30™—our simple, powerful framework built around consistency, not restriction:
30 days
30 minutes of movement a day
30 different whole plants each week
REAL30 is often where listeners turn inspiration into action—and it’s a recurring thread throughout the show.
This podcast isn’t about being perfect. It’s about eating real food, building real habits, and getting real results. You won’t be weak when you eat strong food.
Welcome to PLANT STRONG.
Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition and want a path forward that actually supports healing. Maybe you’re an athlete looking to fuel performance and recovery. Maybe you’re a parent trying to escape the ultra-processed food aisle and feed your family real, nourishing meals. Or maybe you’re simply tired of being confused about what “healthy” actually means.
The challenge? Eating more real food can feel overwhelming. You’ve heard warnings about protein, cost, or restriction. You’ve been told it’s complicated, boring, or socially isolating.
This podcast exists to change that.
Each week, host Rip Esselstyn sits down with leading doctors, researchers, athletes, authors, and everyday people who are proving—through lived experience and science—that eating more whole plants and moving your body consistently can deliver powerful, lasting results. We’re not interested in perfection or dogma. We’re here to be extremely practical, extremely evidence-based, and extremely encouraging.
Rip’s work began more than two decades ago, when he helped transform the health of his fellow firefighters using simple, whole foods—guided by the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. That experience launched a lifelong mission to help people reclaim their health through real food and active living, and ultimately led to the creation of PLANT STRONG.
Today, the podcast is an extension of that mission: cutting through misinformation, challenging cultural norms, and showing what’s possible when you fuel your body with food that actually supports it.
You’ll hear conversations about:
Preventing and reversing chronic disease
Strength, endurance, and recovery
Gut health, inflammation, and longevity
Behavior change that actually sticks
How to build habits you can sustain in real life
You’ll also hear about REAL30™—our simple, powerful framework built around consistency, not restriction:
30 days
30 minutes of movement a day
30 different whole plants each week
REAL30 is often where listeners turn inspiration into action—and it’s a recurring thread throughout the show.
This podcast isn’t about being perfect. It’s about eating real food, building real habits, and getting real results. You won’t be weak when you eat strong food.
Welcome to PLANT STRONG.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 26, 2026 • 57min
Ep. 346: Erasing Diabetes - Peggy Kraus’s Fiber-First Rescue Plan
Rip sits down with Peggy Kraus, a clinical exercise physiologist and diabetes care specialist with over 30 years of experience in cardiac rehab.Peggy shares how she moved beyond conventional nutrition advice to embrace a fiber-centric, whole-food, plant-based approach—helping patients reverse type 2 diabetes, lower A1C levels, lose significant weight, and reduce or eliminate medications.They discuss why cutting carbs misses the point, how fiber stabilizes blood sugar, the role of movement after meals, and why community and accountability are essential for long-term success. This episode is packed with real stories, practical strategies, and hope for anyone navigating diabetes, heart disease, or metabolic health issues.You'll Hear: Why only 7% of people with type 2 diabetes are referred to education—and why that mattersHow fiber helps reverse diabetes and heart diseaseThe truth about carbohydrates vs. “carbs”Blood sugar, A1C, and the power of the 10-minute moveFood synergy, the microbiome, and whole-food nutritionCommunity-based healing and sustainable behavior changeBreakfast timing, circadian rhythm, and metabolic healthExclusively for our Plant Strong Podcast audience - Join Peggy’s Thrive program for just $147 for six months, or a full year for $297. And, if you’re interested in “Peggy in my Pocket,” it’s $10 for the first month, just to try it out. And then it'll renew at $17. Or, you can try a whole six months for just $57. https://peggykraus.com/ Episode WebpageWatch the Episode on YouTubeLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrong.com/pages/events Apply for a Scholarship to our April 2026 Retreat in Black Mountain, NC: https://forms.gle/wt4rPyKMEDht6HKG7 Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn More About Our Corporate Wellness Program: https://liveplantstrong.com/corporate-wellness/ COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstynhttps://plantstrong.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GoPlantstrong https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong/https://www.instagram.com/ripesselstyn/ Follow the PLANTSTRONG Podcast and Give the Show a 5-star RatingApple PodcastsSpotify
Mar 19, 2026 • 52min
Ep. 345: The Health Wake-Up That Led Javant Benton to Lose 80 Pounds and Reverse Lifestyle Disease
What if the foods you love most—the ones tied to family, culture, and comfort—could also help you heal?In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Rip sits down with Javant Benton, creator of Healthy Vegan Eating and author of Make Your Own, to talk about food, family legacy, self-love, and breaking generational cycles of disease.Javant shares how a frightening health wake-up—pre-diabetes, pre-hypertension, and a suspected lymphoma diagnosis—forced him to confront the way he was eating and living. What followed was a slow, intentional journey through paleo, pescatarian, and ultimately whole-food, plant-based nutrition—guided by research, lived experience, and mentors like Joel Fuhrman, who wrote the foreword to Javant’s book.Together, Rip and Javant explore how empowerment—not deprivation—is the key to lasting change. From oil-free Southern classics to protein-rich plant meals, Javant proves you don’t have to give up the foods you love—you just have to make your own.This episode is equal parts inspiration, practical nutrition, and permission to value your health—even when it means going against the grain.Key TakeawaysHealth often changes after a crisis—but it doesn’t have to. Javant’s story shows how fear can be a catalyst, but education and self-worth sustain long-term change.You don’t need perfection—just progress. Javant’s journey unfolded over years, not weeks, proving that incremental change is both realistic and powerful.“Make Your Own” is about autonomy and empowerment. By recreating familiar foods with whole, plant-based ingredients, people can heal without feeling deprived.Self-love is a nutritional strategy. Choosing differently—especially in social settings—requires confidence, boundaries, and valuing long-term health over short-term approval.Flavor is the gateway drug to better eating. Sauces, spices, textures, and presentation matter—and they make plant-based living sustainable.Episode WebpageWatch the Episode on YouTubeLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrong.com/pages/events Apply for a Scholarship to our April 2026 Retreat in Black Mountain, NC: https://forms.gle/wt4rPyKMEDht6HKG7 Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn More About Our Corporate Wellness Program: https://liveplantstrong.com/corporate-wellness/ COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstynhttps://plantstrong.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GoPlantstrong https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong/https://www.instagram.com/ripesselstyn/ Follow the PLANTSTRONG Podcast and Give the Show a 5-star RatingApple PodcastsSpotify
Mar 12, 2026 • 54min
Ep. 344: The 15-Plant Breakfast Bowl That Keeps You Full All Morning with Molly Patrick
What if your breakfast could power you through the entire morning—without cravings, crashes, or hunger an hour later?In this episode, Rip sits down with Molly Patrick, founder of Clean Food Dirty Girl, to dive deep into the breakfast bowl that has become a cult favorite. Molly shares the story behind her hearty, nutrient-packed “Hippie Porridge Bowl”—a recipe she spent nearly eight years perfecting after realizing her usual steel-cut oats weren’t keeping her satisfied. The result? A powerhouse bowl built from a diverse mix of whole plant foods—grains, lentils, leafy greens, seeds, fruit, and crunchy toppings—that delivers sustained energy, incredible flavor, and serious nutrition.They share the philosophy behind the bowl, the importance of nutrient diversity, and why batch cooking can make plant-strong eating effortless—even on the busiest days.If you’re looking for a breakfast that’s simple, satisfying, and packed with plants, this episode might just change your morning routine.Watch the Episode on YouTubeEpisode WebpageLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrong.com/pages/events Apply for a Scholarship to our April 2026 Retreat in Black Mountain, NC: https://forms.gle/wt4rPyKMEDht6HKG7 Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn More About Our Corporate Wellness Program: https://liveplantstrong.com/corporate-wellness/ COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstynhttps://plantstrong.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GoPlantstrong https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong/https://www.instagram.com/ripesselstyn/ Follow the PLANTSTRONG Podcast and Give the Show a 5-star RatingApple PodcastsSpotify
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 4min
Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life
Charles Gassenheimer, a former Division I runner and Wall Street pro who reversed severe health decline with a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. He talks about losing 70+ pounds, stopping medications, returning to running and completing 15+ marathons, fueling and training strategies, supporting cardiac wellness programs, and raising plant-based children.
Feb 26, 2026 • 1h 13min
Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?
Dr. Sachin Shah, pharmacist-scientist and CEO of PillClarity working on medication transparency and alpha-gal research. He discusses alpha-gal, a tick-triggered meat allergy and its medical implications. He explains noninvasive heart therapies like EECP and why inactive drug ingredients matter. Conversation centers on food as medicine, drug–food interactions, and tools to take clearer control of health.
Feb 19, 2026 • 48min
Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health
Rachel Atcheson, founder of Food Policy Pathways and former NYC food policy deputy, has built plant-forward defaults across schools, hospitals, and government programs. They discuss how Meatless Monday, plant-based hospital meals, and lifestyle medicine clinics scaled citywide. Conversation covers behavioral science of defaults, culinary training, and building a pipeline of officials to change food systems for the long run.
Feb 12, 2026 • 1h 3min
Ep. 340: Jan Liband - The Masculinity Myth That’s Wrecking Men’s Health
Jan Liband, a former college athlete turned plant-based and food-sustainability advocate, shares his journey to plant-based living. He discusses how a pamphlet changed his diet, rapid gains in recovery and energy, why cultural masculinity and protein myths block men, practical transition swaps, and how food choices impact climate and biodiversity.
Feb 5, 2026 • 1h 12min
Ep. 339: Jackie Akerberg - Why Progress over Perfection Wins Every Time
Jackie Akerberg, plant-based cook and creator behind Jackfruitful Kitchen who writes accessible whole-food vegan cookbooks. She shares how plant flavors transformed her cooking. Talks viral recipe growth, kitchen shortcuts like the microwave, squash and tofu favorites, tempeh tips, one-pan meals, and balancing a mixed-diet relationship. A cheerful case for progress over perfection.
Jan 29, 2026 • 57min
Ep. 338: Andrew Schaefer - How This Firefighter Went From Kidney Donor to Kitchen Hero
Andrew Schaefer, an Avon, Ohio firefighter who donated a kidney and switched to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. He recounts rapid recovery after donation, how cooking plant-strong meals at the firehouse transformed his crew, and the role of nutrition in stamina, breathing, and reducing lifestyle-driven medical calls.
Jan 22, 2026 • 1h 15min
Ep. 337: Jet Benitez - The Keto Diet Almost Killed Him. So, He Turned to Plants.
Jet Benitez, a 66-year-old former keto devotee, shares his remarkable health transformation after switching to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. Once struggling with angina and high calcium scores, he found renewed vitality post-diet change, allowing him to hike again after years of inactivity. He recounts the emotional wake-up call at a reunion and how the diet led to stunning improvements in his health markers. Jet offers advice for those curious about changing their diets and emphasizes the importance of compassion and joy in helping others adopt healthier habits.
