Rip sits down with OB-GYN, women’s health expert, and author of Generation M, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, for a candid, empowering conversation about perimenopause, menopause, hormones, nutrition, sex, sleep, strength, and what it really means to thrive in midlife and beyond.

For too long, menopause has been framed as a decline — something to dread, hide, or simply suffer through. Dr. Shepherd is here to change that narrative. She explains that menopause is not a failure of the body, but a natural biological transition — and one that deserves far more education, support, and celebration.

In this conversation, Rip is joined by PLANTSTRONG Podcast producer Carrie Barrett, who, at 53, brings her own lived experience in perimenopause to the discussion. They eplain why estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone affect far more than reproduction — influencing the brain, bones, heart, muscles, metabolism, skin, sleep, and sexual health.

And because this is Plant Strong, they also dive into the power of nutrition. Dr. Shepherd emphasizes that food is one of the most important tools in the menopause toolbox, especially during the 10–12 year perimenopausal window. A colorful, plant-centered diet rich in beans, greens, whole grains, berries, legumes, soy foods, fiber, and fermented foods can help support heart health, gut health, metabolic health, inflammation, muscle maintenance, and long-term vitality.

This episode is not about one magic fix. It is about building the full toolbox: plants, movement, resistance training, sleep, self-advocacy, and, when appropriate, hormone therapy. As Dr. Shepherd reminds us, women deserve agency, options, and the chance to live their 70s, 80s, and 90s with strength, clarity, and confidence.

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Dr. Daniel Chong has spent years helping patients understand their true cardiovascular risk and take meaningful action to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

In this episode, Rip and Dr. Chong dig into the confusing, often polarizing world of cholesterol and heart disease. Is LDL cholesterol really important? How low should it go? Is ApoB a better marker? What about calcium scores, lipoprotein(a), statins, saturated fat, and the growing noise around keto and carnivore diets?

Dr. Chong offers a grounded, practical, and highly nuanced perspective. He explains why standard LDL cholesterol is only part of the picture, why ApoB and LDL particle number may provide a clearer view of risk, and why cardiovascular disease is never about one single factor. Instead, it is about the full internal environment: inflammation, endothelial function, blood flow, plaque stability, lifestyle, and diet.

Rip and Dr. Chong also explore the limits of coronary artery calcium scores, the risks of relying on a “zero” score too early in life, and why soft plaque can still pose a serious threat even when calcified plaque is not detected.

They also discuss saturated fat, heme iron, blood viscosity, hydration, testosterone therapy’s potential effect on red blood cell count, and the fascinating protective layer inside our blood vessels known as the glycocalyx.

This conversation is a reminder that cardiovascular prevention is about building a body that supports vitality from the inside out.

You’ll Learn:

• LDL cholesterol matters, but ApoB and LDL particle number may offer a more precise picture of cardiovascular risk.
• The longer LDL particles remain elevated, the greater the potential risk over time.
• Saturated fat can interfere with the body’s ability to clear LDL particles from the bloodstream.
• Coronary artery calcium scores can be useful, but they do not detect soft, non-calcified plaque.
• A calcium score of zero does not always mean “clean arteries,” especially in younger people.
• Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is an important marker to test at least once.
• Dr. Chong recommends looking at a broader cardiovascular panel, including lipids, ApoB, Lp(a), A1C, and hs-CRP.
• Heme iron from red meat is absorbed differently than non-heme iron from plants and may contribute to oxidative stress when elevated.
• Blood viscosity — or how “thick” your blood is — can influence endothelial function and plaque formation.
• Hydration, plant foods, and, in some cases, blood donation may help support healthier blood viscosity.
• The glycocalyx is a delicate, hair-like protective layer that supports endothelial function.
• A whole food, plant-based lifestyle remains one of the most powerful foundations for vascular health.

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Dr. Kendale Ritchey is a podiatrist in Knoxville, Tennessee, a former University of Tennessee swimmer, and a self-described “recovered barbecue-aholic.”

For nearly three decades, Kendale lived with recurring episodes of intense abdominal, chest, and joint pain, along with fevers and debilitating inflammation.

Then, after watching Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead and Forks Over Knives with his wife Connie, Kendale decided to try a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

Within weeks, he noticed something extraordinary: the episodes were milder. Then they stopped.

In this conversation, Rip and Kendale talk about his years of unexplained pain, his eventual discovery of Familial Mediterranean Fever through genetic testing, and why a plant-based lifestyle became the turning point in his health.

They also discuss Kendale’s work as a podiatrist and the devastating toll of type 2 diabetes on the feet, including neuropathy, poor circulation, infections, and preventable amputations.

You’ll hear:

• Kendale’s background as a swimmer at the University of Tennessee
• The construction accident that may have triggered decades of inflammatory episodes
• What Familial Mediterranean Fever is and how he eventually discovered the diagnosis
• The documentaries that changed everything for Kendale and his wife Connie
• How whole food, plant-based eating helped calm his symptoms
• His 60-pound weight loss and renewed energy
• What he eats now and how he makes the lifestyle work
• Why type 2 diabetes is so devastating for the feet
• The connection between blood sugar, circulation, nerves, immunity, and amputations
• Why Kendale now plants seeds with his own patients about food and lifestyle

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pmsjP92_xH8

Episode Webpage: https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/kendale-ritchey

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

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