PLANTSTRONG

What happens when you grow up in a Mexican steakhouse, but later discover the healing power of plants?

For Dora Ramírez, the journey from sizzling meats to vibrant, plant-based cuisine was nothing short of transformative. Raised in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Dora feared giving up animal products would mean giving up her culture. Instead, she found that beans, grains, veggies, and spices didn’t just replace her favorite dishes—they enhanced them.

Now, as the author of Comida Casera, Dora is sharing her fresh, plant-strong take on everything from tamales and mole to street food and comforting family classics. Her story is a celebration of food, culture, and the powerful connection between tradition and wellness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Dora transformed her steakhouse upbringing into a plant-based journey
• The inspiration behind her cookbook, Comida Casera
• Why dishes like tamales and mole carry deep cultural meaning
• Practical tips for making authentic Mexican food at home—100% plant-strong
• How food can honor heritage, heal the body, and bring people together

Whether you’re new to plant-based eating or just looking to spice up your kitchen with authentic Mexican flavors, Dora’s story proves you don’t have to sacrifice tradition to cook with plants.

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This week on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, Rip sits down with the legendary Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, as she prepares to step away after more than 20 years of rescuing animals and inspiring people to live with compassion.

Since 2001, Kathy has been leading with love—creating a safe haven for thousands of animals and cultivating a culture that welcomes everyone, no matter where they are on their journey. In this heartfelt conversation, she reflects on her legacy, the lessons learned from her four-legged teachers, and the future of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.

You’ll hear:

• Kathy’s journey from teacher to animal sanctuary founder
• Lessons in empathy from Catskill’s rescued residents
• Why “leading with love” beats judgment every time
• The challenges of passing the torch to a new leader
• Her vision for the future of sanctuaries in a changing world

Kathy’s warmth, wisdom, and dedication shine through in every story—including one unforgettable tale about Rambo the ram, who forever changed her outlook on life.

Learn more or support the Catskill mission at casanctuary.org

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If you’ve ever been told that 'carbs are the enemy,' or if you think type 2 diabetes is a life sentence, Adam Sud is about to blow the lid off those myths.

He’s a certified insulin resistance and food addiction coach, and returns for his fourth appearance on the podcast to clear up the misconceptions and set the record straight about what really causes diabetes.

He shares the real root causes of insulin resistance, the role of fat vs. carbs, how movement and muscle can be your secret weapons, and the simple, sustainable changes you can start making today.

You'll learn how:

• Insulin resistance is reversible with the right diet
• Saturated fat and excess calories—not carbs—fuel the problem
• High-fiber, plant-based foods boost insulin sensitivity
• Walking after meals and building muscle improve metabolism
• The PILAF method to help track key health markers

This episode just might change everything you've heard about insulin resistance and put your back in the driver's seat of your health.

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Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

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At 38, Tyler Dodge was battling anxiety, erectile dysfunction, and extra weight—but instead of turning to medication, he turned to plants. By embracing a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, Tyler shed 50 pounds, lowered his blood pressure and cholesterol, and reclaimed both his physical and mental health. His powerful story proves that real men eat plants—and thrive.

This is a must-listen—especially for the men in your life—especially because Tyler talks openly about the things most guys never say out loud.

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Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

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In this week’s episode, Rip talks with Dr. Luella Jonk, a seasoned relationship coach and psychotherapist, about how to keep your relationship strong when you’re on different pages.

Drawing from 25 years of experience, Dr. Jonk shares the core pillars of lasting partnerships, including trust, unity in parenting, financial alignment, and the quiet power of “silent connection.” She explains why marriage is a covenant, not a contract, and how to lean into partnership over individualism to build deeper connection.

Whether you’re navigating lifestyle divides, parenting challenges, or the everyday distractions of modern life, this conversation offers real tools to help your relationship thrive.

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Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

Leave Us a Voicemail Question

Leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/plantstrong

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https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong/

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What happens when a seasoned cardiologist realizes that prescriptions and procedures aren’t enough?

You get Dr. Jami Dulaney—a board-certified cardiologist who transformed her practice (and personal life) by embracing plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Motivated by her own family history of heart disease and a desire to do more than simply manage symptoms, Dr. Dulaney shares her transformative journey from practicing traditional cardiology to building a lifestyle medicine practice that focuses on the healing power of whole food, plant-based nutrition and movement.

You'll hear how she made this bold shift in her practice after seeing firsthand how food can reverse chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. She also opens up about her personal evolution from golfer to runner, including her love of endurance running and how she stays motivated to live plantstrong.

Dr. Dulaney’s memberships include an annual comprehensive physical exam that incorporates screening and diagnostic tests, and focuses on nutrition, fitness and exercise, lifestyle management, mental wellness, stress management, and chronic disease management. The result is a customized wellness plan to guide you in achieving and maintaining optimum health and disease prevention.

Together, Rip and Dr. Dulaney explore:

• Why she left the “pill for every ill” model behind
• How lifestyle medicine is reversing chronic disease in her patients
• Why oils—even so-called “healthy” ones—have no place in a heart-healthy diet
• The power of community and education in sustaining health changes
• Her training mindset as a runner and the connection between physical and mental health
• How doctors can (and should) create space for deeper, more meaningful patient care

Dr. Dulaney proves that it’s never too late to rewrite the script—whether in your medical practice or your own life. This episode is a powerful reminder that food is medicine, and the future of healthcare starts with prevention, not prescriptions.

Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

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In this unforgettable episode, Rip Esselstyn sits down with Nancy Wells, whose near-death experience at the Glass City Marathon turned into a life-saving wake-up call—and a triumphant return to running and living with purpose.

While racing last April, Nancy collapsed from a massive heart attack—a"Widowmaker." Thanks to the quick actions of a retired nurse and fast-acting paramedics, Nancy survived. But surviving was just the beginning.

Now, joined by Rip and cardiologist Dr. Brian Asbill, Nancy shares her gripping story: from waking up in the hospital scared and confused… to discovering a powerful new path forward through a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

In this three part episode, they explore:

• What actually happens during a "Widowmaker" heart attack—and how fast action saved Nancy's life
• How nutrition played a key role in her recovery and transformation
• The emotional toll of surviving a near-death experience—and the mindset needed to rise again
• The life-changing effects of the PLANTSTRONG Meal Plan Bundle, from better sleep to lower blood pressure and a renewed zest for life and sustainable weight loss
• Why she laced up her shoes again—one year later—for a return to the race that nearly took her life

This conversation is raw, real, and incredibly uplifting. Nancy’s journey is living proof that hearts can heal, lives can restart, and food can empower transformation.

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

Leave Us a Voicemail Question

Leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/plantstrong

Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstyn

https://plantstrongfoods.com/

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It’s hard to believe that one of the safest places to be when we’re sick can also be one of the deadliest. That’s right - a hospital stay. Despite massive amounts of training and new technologies, preventable harm in healthcare is one of the leading causes of death here in the U.S.

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Julie Siemers, a patient safety consultant and critical care nurse who has spent over 45 years on the frontlines of healthcare. She brings a message that everyone needs to hear: preventable harm in hospitals is far more common than most people realize.

Despite decades of focus, medical errors and breakdowns in communication continue to be a leading cause of death in the U.S. And the worst part? Many of these tragedies are avoidable.

What can you do? A lot, actually.

Dr. Siemers shares the signs to watch for when a loved one is hospitalized, how to speak up when something seems off, and why being an active participant in your care could save a life.

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Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

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Doug Evans is back on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast—and he’s sprouting with wisdom! It’s been over four years since Doug’s first appearance, and his passion for sprouts has only intensified.

Rip and Doug dig deep into the nutritional superpowers of sprouts, the simplicity of growing them at home, and the transformational impact they can have on your health, your plate, and your life.

Doug shares his deeply personal journey, the origins of his obsession with sprouts, and why they are one of the most sustainable, accessible, and under-appreciated foods in the plant-based world.

Whether you’re a sprouting newbie or a seasoned plant-strong pro, this conversation will inspire you to see sprouts in a whole new light.

You’ll learn:

• Sprouts as Superfoods: Discover how sprouting seeds dramatically increases their nutrient density, making them living, functional foods.
• Home Sprouting Made Simple: Doug explains how anyone—even in a tiny kitchen—can grow nutrient-rich sprouts with minimal effort and space.
• Health Benefits Galore: Learn how sprouts are packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and compounds that support detoxification, immunity, and overall vitality.
• Sprouting as a Lifestyle: Doug shares how this practice transformed his physical, emotional, and spiritual health—and how it can do the same for you.
• A Sustainable Solution: Growing sprouts at home is not only cost-effective, but also environmentally friendly and empowering.
• Exciting Research Ahead: Get a preview of Doug’s upcoming collaboration with Dr. Alan Goldhamer at True North to clinically study the healing power of sprouts.

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Upcoming Events:

Join us for our 2025 Plantstrong Retreat in Black Mountain, NC - Nov 9-14, 2025: https://plantstrong.com/pages/black-mountain-retreat

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Use Code: KALE20 for $20 off Annual Subscription at https://home.mealplanner.plantstrong.com/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer

Leave Us a Voicemail Question

Leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/plantstrong

Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstyn

https://plantstrongfoods.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 Rating

Apple Podcasts

Spotify