PLANTSTRONG Podcast cover art

PLANTSTRONG Podcast

PLANTSTRONG Podcast

By: Rip Esselstyn
Listen for free

About this listen

 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.2024 Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life

    Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life
    Mar 5 2026

    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 his decline — not reversing it.

    Then one conversation changed everything.

    After meeting cardiologist Dr. Robert Ostfeld, Charles committed to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. The results were extraordinary: he lost over 70 pounds, came off medications, reversed his cardiovascular risk markers, and returned to running.

    Today, Charles has completed over 15 marathons — including running the New York City Marathon faster in his 40s than he did in his 20s — while raising three plant-based children and supporting cardiac wellness programs for underserved communities.

    This episode is about reclaiming your health, challenging your assumptions, and making Plant Strong living non-negotiable.

    Episode Webpage: https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/charles-gassenheimer

    Watch the Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Tb2twg7p9Pg

    Learn 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 Journey

    Learn 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 Esselstyn

    https://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 Rating

    Apple Podcasts

    Spotify
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?

    Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?
    Feb 26 2026

    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 transparency and patient safety. Together, they explore why food truly belongs at the center of health, how modern medicine sometimes misses the human in healthcare, and why knowing what’s inside your pills can be just as important as knowing what’s on your plate.

    Dr. Shah also breaks down alpha-gal syndrome—a tick-bite–triggered condition that can make people allergic to red meat and certain medications—while also sharing hopeful, forward-looking ideas around heart health, non-invasive therapies, and the power of informed choices.

    This is a conversation about clarity, care, and taking your health back into your own hands—with compassion, curiosity, and a whole lot of heart.

    Episode Webpage

    Watch the Episode on YouTube
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health

    Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health
    Feb 19 2026

    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 policy powerhouse Rachel Atcheson, founder of Food Policy Pathways, for a wide-ranging conversation about how food policy can transform public health, reduce chronic disease, and make healthy eating the default — not the exception.

    Rip and Rachel unpack how initiatives like Meatless Monday and Plant-Powered Fridays in NYC public schools, plant-based default hospital meals, and lifestyle medicine clinics became reality — reaching millions of people while saving money and cutting carbon emissions.

    They dig into the behavioral science behind defaults, why taste and culinary training matter, and how real change happens when policy aligns with public health.

    Rachel also introduces her newest chapter: Food Policy Pathways, an organization building a pipeline of professionals who want to work inside government to advance healthier, more sustainable food systems at the city, state, and federal levels.

    This conversation is optimistic, practical, and deeply motivating — proof that playing the long game can reshape our food future.

    Episode Webpage

    Watch the Episode on YouTube
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
All stars
Most relevant
What an amazing story and what an amazing man to do everything you have done. I wish more people were able to see that animals they are exploiting are no different than their pet dogs or other pets. Thankyou so much for protecting the wildlife from humans.

Damien you rock!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.