PLANTSTRONG Podcast

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Rip Esselstyn

English Alternative Health Health & Fitness Medicine Nutrition

Apple Podcasts Spotify Website RSS

Episodes 371

Avg. Duration 1h 4m

Activity Highly Active

Apple Rating ★ 4.8 (2,282)

Since Apr 2019

Latest Episode Jun 2026

Outreach Signals

Open to Sponsors Features Guests

Publishing Details

Schedule

Weekly

Format

Episodic

Consistency

100%

Hosting

feeds.captivate.fm

About This Podcast

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.

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Recent Episodes

S4E357 Ep. 357: What Your Doctor ISN'T Telling You About Food with Dr. Alan Desmond

Jun 11, 2026 1h 7m

Rip welcomes back Dr. Alan Desmond, consultant gastroenterologist, lifestyle medicine advocate, and author of the new book, What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Food.Dr. Desmond explains why food…

S4E356 Ep. 356: How Well Do You Want to Age? with Scott Fulton

Jun 04, 2026 1h 3m

What if the real goal isn’t simply living longer… but staying healthy, capable, sharp, and independent for as long as possible?In this fascinating conversation, Rip sits down with researcher,…

S4E355 Ep. 355: How Alternative Meat Could Replace Industrial Animal Agriculture with Bruce Friedrich

May 28, 2026 1h 8m

Rip visits with Bruce Friedrich, founder of the Good Food Institute and author of Meat, to explore the future of protein—and why alternative meat could reshape our global food system.Bruce breaks…

S4E354 Ep. 354: Cancer. Heart Disease. High Cholesterol. Inside One Fire Department’s Wake-Up Call

May 21, 2026 55m

What happens when almost 500 firefighters get a full health screening—and many discover hidden risks they never saw coming?Rip sits down with Deputy Chief Jayme McConnellogue and Lieutenant Ian…

S4E353 Ep. 353: Why Fiber Sometimes Backfires (and How to Fix It) with Dr. Chris Miller

May 14, 2026 58m

Rip sits down with lifestyle medicine physician Dr. Chris Miller to explore why some people struggle when transitioning to a high-fiber, plant-based diet—and how to fix it.While fiber is one of the…

S4E352 Ep. 352: Beyond Carrots - Here are the Best Foods For Eye Health with Rani Banik, MD

May 07, 2026 1h 13m

Rip sits down with integrative neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Rani Banik to explore how nutrition, lifestyle, and daily habits shape your long-term eye health.From macular degeneration and glaucoma to…

S4E351 Ep. 351: The "Evil Cousin" to LDL - Why Everyone Should Know Their Lp(a) Number with Dr. Akil Taher

Apr 30, 2026 57m

What if one simple blood test could reveal a genetic risk factor for heart disease that affects 1 in 5 people worldwide?Rip sits down with physician, endurance athlete, and author Dr. Akil Taher to…

S4E350 Ep. 350: Ali Essig - Six Kids. Her Husband Had a Stroke at 37. Why She Chose Plants to Help Her Family Heal

Apr 23, 2026 59m

What happens when a 37-year-old father of six suffers a stroke with no clear cause?For Ali Essig, it became a wake-up call that changed everything.In this powerful conversation, Rip sits down with…

S4E349 Ep.349: Food as Medicine - Dr. Elizabeth George and Chef Nick lula Share How Whole Food Plant-Based Eating Reverses Disease

Apr 16, 2026 1h 6m

Rip sits down with Dr. Elizabeth George and Chef Nick Iula, co-authors of Healthy Eating Adventure, to explore how whole food, plant-based eating can transform health and lives.Dr. George helped…

S4E348 Ep. 348: Dr. Michael Klaper - Disease Reversal Is Real When We Start Moving Medicine Forward

Apr 09, 2026 1h 20m

For over 50 years, Dr. Michael Klaper has practiced medicine. And today, he says something that stops you in your tracks:“I am profoundly embarrassed to be a physician in America today.”Why?Because…

S4E347 Ep. 347: What It Really Takes to Be Forever Fit with Maxime Sigouin

Apr 02, 2026 1h 24m

What does it really mean to be “forever fit”?Rip sits down with fitness coach and author Maxime Sigouin to explore sustainable strength, whole-food plant-based nutrition, and the mindset required to…

S4E346 Ep. 346: Erasing Diabetes - Peggy Kraus’s Fiber-First Rescue Plan

Mar 26, 2026 57m

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…

S4E345 Ep. 345: The Health Wake-Up That Led Javant Benton to Lose 80 Pounds and Reverse Lifestyle Disease

Mar 19, 2026 51m

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…

S4E344 Ep. 344: The 15-Plant Breakfast Bowl That Keeps You Full All Morning with Molly Patrick

Mar 12, 2026 53m

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…

S4E343 Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life

Mar 05, 2026 1h 3m

At just 43 years old, Charles Gassenheimer was 75 pounds overweight, pre-diabetic, struggling with joint pain and memory loss, and taking high-dose cholesterol medications. His doctors were managing…

S4E342 Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?

Feb 26, 2026 1h 12m

What if your health wasn’t just shaped by what you eat—but by what’s hidden in your medications?In this episode, Rip sits down with pharmacist-scientist Dr. Sachin Shah, a leading voice in medication…

S4E341 Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health

Feb 19, 2026 48m

What does it look like when plant-based living moves beyond personal choice and into real systems change? This episode answers that question in a big way.Rip sits down with longtime friend and food…

S4E340 Ep. 340: Jan Liband - The Masculinity Myth That’s Wrecking Men’s Health

Feb 12, 2026 1h 2m

In this deeply grounded conversation, Rip sits down with Jan Liband — a former college athlete, longtime plant-based advocate, and expert in food and environmental sustainability. What began for Jan…

S4E339 Ep. 339: Jackie Akerberg - Why Progress over Perfection Wins Every Time

Feb 05, 2026 1h 12m

It’s been way too long since Jackie Akerberg (@jackfruitfulkitchen) was on the podcast, and this episode is a true catch-up in every sense of the word. Jackie is a plant-based cook, creator, and…

S4E338 Ep. 338: Andrew Schaefer - How This Firefighter Went From Kidney Donor to Kitchen Hero

Jan 29, 2026 56m

Firefighters are trained to run toward danger — but too often, their own health is what’s at risk. In this episode of the Plant Strong Podcast, Rip sits down with fellow firefighter Andy Schaefer of…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does PLANTSTRONG Podcast have?

PLANTSTRONG Podcast has published 371 episodes since April 2019, covering topics in Alternative Health, Health & Fitness.

Is PLANTSTRONG Podcast still active?

PLANTSTRONG Podcast is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 1h 4m.

How do I contact PLANTSTRONG Podcast for sponsorship or guest appearances?