Seeking Voices of Health, Healing & Hope

Do you sleep well? Do you ever wonder about those stages on your Aura Ring/Apple Watch/Fitbit? Is there an optimal sleep amount? Is there a one sleep fits all? Meet Dr. Michael Breus who is a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist. With the clever eponym, the sleep doctor, Michael Breus is a sleep guru. Recently named the Top Sleep Specialist in California's Reader's Digest, and one of the 10 most influential people in sleep, Dr Breus creatively teaches people about why sleep is important and how to achieve good sleep habits. Topics we covered: - Why is sleep important? - Is there an optimal sleep pattern for each person? What are chronotypes related to sleep? - What is a circadian rhythm? - What are the hormones of sleep? - What are the stages of sleep and their significance? Is there one stage we should want more than other? - How do we maximize a sleep stage: more restorative, better for longevity, important for memory - What is the optimal amount of sleep? is it the same for everyone? Why do we sleep less as we age? Do we need less sleep as we age? - How do we create good sleep habits? - What is neuroplasticity and its correlation to sleep? - What do you think of the Apple Watch and Aura rings?

Have you met Heather Borders? Heather is a registered dietitian and focuses on getting patients to use plant-based nutrition to heal their illness. She meets people where they are and gives you the gentle nudges you need to heal your body. In this episode, we learn about Heather as she offers quick tips on change and why we struggle with our foods. Here are some of the topics we discussed: 1. Heather's personal story. How did she become an RD? 2. Credibility in nutrition. How to navigate social media and nutrition advise 3. Why is it hard to change your diet? 4. How should we navigate cooking for one and cooking on a budget. 5. Three changes we can all make and quick! If you are interested in working with Heather, you can schedule an appointment at https://askmonica.me/schedule

"I am not a medical doctor; how do I impact others with healthy eating? How do I impact change?" Meet James Beard Chef Hari Pulapaka and Podiatrist Dr. Jenneffer Pulapaka: A married couple trying to impact healthy changes in their patients, one bite at a time. They are a dynamic duo who focus on plant forward nutrition and healthy living in their respective areas of business. Whether, it is while teaching people how to cook, Hari brings in healthy tips and asks the questions of why we choose the foods we do. When it is foot health, Dr. Jennifer talks about how to use complex carbohydrates instead of refined ones to reduce their diabetes and improve their foot health. Topics we discussed: - What motivates a chef and a podiatrist to want to change how people eat? - What does change mean? - What are simple things people can do to change their diet? - Hari and Jenneffer have written a new book about heart healthy plant-based eating. What were your goals in writing this? - Does eating healthy have to be hard? How can we make this simple and easy? - How do you encourage people to change? Join us for another great episode of Seek Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing

How many times have you heard from a doctor that you need to eat better and exercise for better health? Well, those of us who have been told this, know that it is much easier said than done. Introducing Dr. Liz Klodas, a preventive cardiologist who created a food company to offer people a "step one" to make changes in their diet. She understands that it is hard to change and that sometimes having options that you can take out of the refrigerator or pantry that are healthful can get you started and on your way. I can't wait for you all to hear my friend, Dr. Liz Klodas, talk about her journey as a cardiologist who decided to start a food company.

How does the grandson of the Baskin Robbins empire become a plant-based educator, believer and CEO of the food revolution network? Meet Ocean Robbins and join me as we chat about his journey and where he is making a difference. Topics we discuss include: What is it to follow your own star? What are three things you were taught growing up? Do we naturally have the “inherent desire to serve?” Are we born with compassion? What does healthy living look like to you? Is there a point where you can't change your diet? Grandson of Irv Robbins, cofounder of Baskin-Robbins Ice cream, Ocean Robbins is co-founder & CEO of the million-member Food Revolution Network. He is author of the bestsellers, 31-Day Food Revolution and Real Superfoods. Ocean founded Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!) at age 16, and directed it for the next 20 years. He has spoken in person to more than 250,000 people, organized online seminars and events reaching more than a million, and facilitated leadership development events for leaders from 65 nations. He has served as adjunct professor for Chapman University, and is a recipient of the national Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service, the Freedom's Flame Award, the Harmon Wilkinson Award, and many other honors. His TEDx talk, Eating Our Way To Happiness, has been seen by more than a million people.

Have you considered how you want to age and how you want to die? How do you make sure that you focus on quality and not quantity of life?  Meet Amy O'Rourke who is an aging specialist and care advisor for families as they age. She has written a great book called The Fragile Years that I highly recommend for anyone has an aging parent. Key Areas We Discuss: - Why are we in an "Aging Crisis"? - What are the fragile years, and how do you know if a loved one is there? - How do you prepare to enter the fragile years? - How do you reconcile aging with dignity and aging safely? - What is the best way to age? In place? Around family? In nursing care? What if “aging in place” is unsafe and parents don't want to move because of friends and they are where they have always been? - How do we make peace with aging and dying? - How to avoid becoming a burnt out caregiver? - What is a good death? - 3 things can we take away to do a better job with our aging and our parents' aging?

Why Should You Care how Food is grown? What could that possibly have to do with your health? Meet Mr. John Rivers, the founder and owner for 4Rivers smokehouses in Southeast Florida. Through his foundation, he and his wife have started a nonprofit farm called 4Roots Farm that is focuses on unearthing the power of food for human health. https://4roots.org

What is the difference between aging well and simply aging? Have you considered what longevity means and what aging means without vitality? Meet Babette Davis, globally recognized plant-based chef, fitness enthusiast and motivational speaker who calls Inglewood, Ca home. She pioneered the first plant-based restaurant, “Stuff I Eat” in her community in the early 2000's where she still receives visitors from around the world. Once a hairstylist, Babette became a self-taught chemist in the kitchen, perfecting eating healthy while keeping the flavor of her dishes the focal point. Her combination of thoughtful food preparation with an intense fitness regimen has made her one of the most sought-after experts in her field. While in her 70s, she motivates people of all ages to live their best life. Topics we discuss include: - Fitness and aging - The role of plant based eating in Chef Babette's life - Chef Babette's aging secrets - The fear of aging - Supplements - How to motivate change - A day in the life of Chef Babette - How to live your best life

Have you ever wondered about why you can't lose weight? Have you thought that your metabolism is just too slow to lose weight? Join me as I speak to New York Times Bestselling Author and preeminent doctor, Dr. William Li. William W. Li, MD, is an internationally renowned physician, scientist and author of the New York Times bestseller “Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself.” His groundbreaking research has led to the development of more than 30 new medical treatments that impact care for more than 70 diseases including diabetes, blindness, heart disease and obesity. His TED Talk, “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” has garnered more than 11 million views. Dr. Li has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, CNBC, Rachael Ray and Live with Kelly & Ryan, and he has been featured in USA Today, Time Magazine, The Atlantic, O Magazine and more. He is President and Medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and he is leading global initiatives on food as medicine. His newest book New York Times bestseller, “Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer,” was released March 21, 2023.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mark Corriere and Dr. Rita Kalyani. They are both diabetes specialists who have written a lovely book called "Winning with Diabetes: Inspiring stories to help you thrive" which I enjoyed talking to them about. Dr. Mark D. Corriere, MD (BALTIMORE, MD), is an adjunct assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a clinical endocrinologist at Maryland Endocrine. Dr. Rita R. Kalyani, MD, MHS(BALTIMORE, MD), is an associate professor of medicine and a diabetes specialist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is the past chair of the American Diabetes Association's committee that establishes the standards of medical care for all people with diabetes. Kalyani and Corriere are coauthors of Diabetes Head to Toe: Everything You Need to Know about Diagnosis, Treatment, and Living with Diabetes. Patrick Smith (BALTIMORE, MD) is a biomedical science writer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is the author of Extra Innings: The Joy and the Pains of Over-30 Baseball Essential reading for people who have diabetes and their families, Winning with Diabetes highlights the challenges, perseverance, and successes of sixteen elite athletes living with the disease. From mountain climber Will Cross, to college softball champion Kylee Perez, to NBA legend Dominique Wilkins, and many more, these are the real-life stories of diagnosis, adapting new day-to-day routines, finding support, training, competing, and connecting with communities of other people living with diabetes. The book features advice for facing common fears and challenges, both on and off the playing field. Each chapter includes interviews with athletes about their experiences, paired with expert commentary from the authors. Chapters also include summaries of key concepts, along with illustrations and other graphics. Winning with Diabetes will inspire readers of all ages—those newly diagnosed as well as those who have lived with diabetes for years. Written by physicians who have set the standards for management of the disease, this book brings you expert insight into finding ways to live your best life. Let the experts, the athletes, and the inspiration in Winning with Diabetes give you what you need to you stay in the game.

Anxiety affects 31% of the American population and this number is increasing. People are noticing more and more anxious feelings, nervousness, depression and inability to cope with day to day activities. Understanding your anxiety is an important first step to building resilience. Join me as I speak to Dr. Carol Lewis who speaks to us about our emotional health and tools we can use to keep ourselves strong and more capable of dealing with life's surprises.

Do have challenges learning? Join me as I discuss Learning How to Learn with Dr. Barbara Oakley. We'll cover illusions of learning, memory techniques, dealing with procrastination, and best practices shown by research to be most effective in helping you master tough subjects. Dr. Oakley's research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her book A Mind for Numbers, on effective learning in STEM disciplines, has sold over a million copies worldwide; Uncommon Sense Teaching is a critically praised guide to teaching based on insights from neuroscience.

I had a great time speaking with Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina. They are fabulous dietitians who are very well known in the nutrition field. They took me on a deep dive into the world of protein. We discussed a number of topics such as plant-based vs animal proteins, protein needs for children/seniors/athletes, and we knocked over a few myths along the way. All this info is in their new book, "Plant Powered Protein" (https://amzn.to/44k5Np2), and worth picking up.

Julieanna Hever speaks about her struggles with her weight and eating and how that helps her when she works with patients. I was most intrigued by her “Choose You Now Diet” book. I love the title and what that stands for. Choose you now. Very important to choose you. Ms. Hever is a registered dietitian with a Masters of Science degree in Nutrition. She has authored seven books including Choose You Now Diet, The Healthspan Solution, Plant-Based Nutrition (Idiots Guide) and Vegiterranean Diet. She is a regular columnist on Veg News, has given a TEDx talk and been on many television shows talking about healthy eating.  She works with clients individually who come to her to work on weight loss, food addiction and reducing chronic illness. She develops a detailed plan with her clients to affect change. Her results are amazing. https://plantbaseddietitian.com/

Enjoy this conversation with top Cardiologist Dr. Kim Williams If you have questions about your health and would like to have a conversation, please visit: https://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/

Have a question you'd like answered from today's conversation with Akash Vaghela? Jump in our Free Community and let's have a conversation

Dr. Beth Frates is a pioneer in Lifestyle Medicine education and is an award-winning teacher at Harvard. In our conversation Dr. Beth Frates discusses how social connections impacts our health and happiness. Have a question you'd like answered about our conversation? Jump in our Free Community and let's have a conversation

Dr. Shivam Joshi is a highly awarded Kidney doctor and in this video he shares everything you need to know about improving your kidney health with nutrition. He discusses what foods are good for your kidney, how much water you should consume daily for optimal kidney health and also discusses what you should avoid (whether you have kidney disease or not).

Ann and Jane Esselstyn join us today to review Be a Plant Based Woman Warrior and why they wrote this book. To review our show notes from the interview and our big takeaways click-here: https://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/blog/ If you'd like to learn more about my Telemedicine practice and ways to work together, click-here: https://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/sche... Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior includes more than 125 recipes made for women on the go, from Apple Flax Flapjacks and Black Ramen Bowls, to Portobello Sliders with Green Goddess Sauce, to Mint Chip Outta Sight Brownies. And it includes big-flavored dinners like Sweet Potato and Cashew Ricotta Lasagna and Plant-Based Pad Thai, sure to tempt even the most reluctant vegetable-focused eaters. Full of life, captivating energy, and delicious food, this cookbook brings readers to the Esselstyn family table, where plants and joy are at the center.

Today Dr. Cyrus Khambatta shares how to improve your Diabetes Health Dr. Cyrus Khambatta shares his own personal struggles he's faced with diabetes and what he has done to turn around his own health and over 10,000 others who've struggled with diabetes. We'll also spend some time diving deep into his New York Times Best Seller Mastering Diabetes!

Today actress Gianna Simone shares how to trust during life's hard times. Gianna Simone shares the struggles she faced during her childhood and how she was able to survive when life got really hard. If you'd like to learn more about how diet and lifestyle can help prevent and treat disease visit: https://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/ Who is Gianna Simone: Gianna Simone is an exemplary role model for kids, teenagers, young adults, and young professionals, who seek inspiration for how they can positively impact the world. Overcoming great obstacles of her past Gianna found great strength in acting. She has been in some of Hollywood's biggest successes such as “Star Trek Into Darkness”, “I Can Only Imagine”, Garry Marshall's “Mother's Day”, & “Unbroken Path To Redemption” to name a few. Her life goal is to bring hope and positive change to abused and neglected individuals all around the world. As a role model her story of success includes creating educational opportunities through special relationships in the educational arena, and providing hope that through hard work and persistence there is a bright future. She serves as a mentor for a residential foster facility in the Los Angeles area, and also serves as a board member of The Plantrician Project where physicians and healthcare practitioners are educated empowered and equipped with knowledge about the indisputable benefits of plant-based nutrition. Gianna is also the producer and host of the Amazon Prime show “Love, Gianna” where she interviews the world's top plant based physicians and athletes. She has spoken at the United Nations on behalf of her foundation The Gianna Simone Foundation. Which provides scholarships to Rwandan survivors of the 1994 genocide, works closely with foster youth, sex trafficked women and animal rescues.

Chef AJ is such a delight. What I love about AJ is that she is so creative in the kitchen, brutally honest and not afraid to talk about the not so nice parts of life. As we discussed in this show, she is a "graceful ram". AJ and I spoke about her childhood. We talked about how she entered the plant based movement during a time when vegetarianism was not celebrated. We talked about her great show. One of the questions I had for was how she approaches the person who says that they don't like cooking or that it is hard to cook for one person. These are real issues that hold people back. It was great to hear how she approaches these issues. This podcast was really fun to do. I am thankful for the work she is doing. ---- Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for nearly 45 years. She was the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ which aired on Foody TV. A chef, culinary instructor and professional speaker, she is the author of three bestselling books, The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss: A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry, Own Your Health and The 10th Anniversary Edition of Unprocessed, all which have received glowing endorsement by many luminaries in the plant based movement. Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her vegan, sugar, oil, salt and gluten free desserts which use the fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the whole fruit. She broadcasts CHEF AJ LIVE! on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter daily. She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and the body that they deserve and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. In 2018 she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.

Listen to a conversion to with Dr. Michael Klaper about his transition to eating plant based. He talks a lot about how he made his transition—that it took some time to change completely, reminding all of us that change is hard but change in good. Perhaps, because he took some time to transition himself, it makes Dr. Klaper a better doctor—teaching future physicians to meet people where they are. We had a lovely conversation about transition, but also talked about judgment, time and patience. We ended the conversation about Mike telling us all about his initiative to move medicine forward. He now spends his time educating future physicians about the importance of nutrition in healing. Can't wait for you to hear it!

In this episode of Healing Voices, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz about his journey. We talked about his training as a preeminent gastroenterologist, about how his eating habits made him feel lethargic and uncomfortable, about how meeting his wife changed his world. We talk about food habits and change and learning to accept who you are and make changes slowly. We talk about not feeling bad for what we should have done, but to focus on what we can do. We also talk about Dr. B's incredible book, Fiber Fueled, and his newly released cookbook, The Fiber Fueled Cookbook. Both are incredible books and worth a read. Dr B has transitioned away from a traditional gastroenterology practice to focus on nutrition and lifestyle exclusively. Listen to his story. You will be uplifted and in awe!

Dr. Dean Ornish and I talked about purpose, joy, happiness and social connection. It was a wonderful talk. I thought a lot about what he said. He tells his story of how he struggled with depression and how he overcame. We talked a lot about how people are lacking connection, joy and love and how important those components are to healthy living. We talk about education and how one needs to understand peoples' suffering in order to really change. We talked about plant based eating, healthy lifestyle and how that can have impact on illnesses. We talked about how we all need an “undo it” button. This is one I thought about for a long time and you may have to listen to twice. Dean Ornish, M.D., is the founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF. For over 44 years, Dr. Ornish has directed randomized trials demonstrating, for the first time, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may begin to reverse even severe coronary heart disease, without drugs or surgery. Medicare created a new benefit category to provide coverage for this program. He directed the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating that lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer. In other research, he has shown that comprehensive lifestyle changes affect gene expression, “turning on” disease-preventing genes and “turning off” genes that promote cancer and heart disease. And in collaboration with Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, he has shown that these lifestyle changes may begin to reverse aging on a cellular level by lengthening telomeres. He is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven national bestsellers, including his most recent book, UnDo It! He received many awards, including the University of California, Berkeley, “National Public Health Hero” award; the inaugural “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; was recognized as “one of the 125 most extraordinary University of Texas alumni in the past 125 years;” by TIME magazine as a “TIME 100 Innovator;” by LIFE magazine as “one of the fifty most influential members of his generation;” by People magazine as “one of the most interesting people of the year;” and by Forbes magazine as “one of the world's seven most powerful teachers.”

I had the pleasure of speaking with the brilliant Mr. Chuck Carroll from PCRM's, The Exam Room. He is an incredible host: inquisitive, insightful and kind. What many of you might not know is that Chuck struggled with food addiction and once weighed over 300 lbs. Every person is an onion. So much of the time we just see the outside layers. It takes time to peel back the layers though and see the colors and character inside. Everyone has a story. I know you will enjoy hearing Chuck's story and his message of hope. https://www.theweightlosschampion.com/

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope“, my guests are a dynamic duo: Jane Esselstyn and Brian Hart. Jane Esselstyn RN is a lovely human being who I am lucky enough to call my friend. She is a skilled nurse, a researcher, mother, and teacher on the forefront of the plant-based movement. She and her mom, Anne, have been actively bringing the world energy and love through food. She is the host of the annual conference, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease for Women, which is focused on the power of plants that I have been honored to speak at. Jane is an avid and inventive designer of plant-strong recipes and the co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook. She created the recipe sections of #1 NYTimes bestseller, Plant-Strong and The Engine 2 Seven Day Rescue, by Rip Esselstyn. And she has a new cookbook coming out that focuses on plant based warriors—so exciting! Brian Hart, Jane's husband, is founder and executive director of The Esselstyn Foundation, a non-profit with the mission to “Eradicate lifestyle related diseases through whole food, plant-based nutrition.” Brian is a highly experienced educator with over twenty-five years in the field as a teacher, administrator, and advocate for school change in both the public and private sectors. Brian specializes in collaborating with educators to help them create immersive, hands-on, experiential programs designed to transform thinking and build problem-solving skills. He is a has worn so many cool hats– wilderness EMT, plant-based chef, teacher, middle school principal, and carpenter—if you haven't seen his cutting boards, they are amazing https://janeesselstyn.com/prevent-and-reverse-heart-disease-for-women/ https://esselstynfamilyfoundation.org/

My guest is a man named Kyler Pettry. Kyler is a fabulous person that I have been lucky to know. I met Kyler as my massage therapist—the best massage of my life by the way. He quickly became my friend and someone that I have learned so much from. What I love is that the person that I first met is hardly the person that I know now. Kyler has been many things in his life: a massage therapist, an artist, a minister, an unrepentant nerd and aspiring academic/theologian. He is the go-to friend for so many and knows more about most things than the smartest people that I know. Kyler and I spoke about so many things. Here are some of the highlights? 1. How would you describe yourself? What makes you you? 2. I have known you a long time, you always seem self-assured, confident, you know who you are. Has it always been that way? 3. You identify as a gay man, what was that like growing up in rural Florida? How did you family react? 4. How do you deal with the stigmas that go along with being gay? In a time where there is so much GAY pride. But then there are others who feel it is too much. Especially in a time where Florida has the “don't say gay” bill. 5. Tell me about your weight. I know this has been part of your adult life but when did your eating become an issue? 6. Why do you think you became overweight? 7. What was it like to be large in a world that celebrates skinniness? How did the world's view affect you? 8. Why do you think we stigmatize people as youths? As kids we make fun of the people who are different; yet we tell people to embrace differences. 9. How did you learn to be strong? 10. What would you say to your younger self? 11. I have always seen you as an optimistic, positive, fun-loving person—something that I admire. You have had your share of hurdles to overcome. How do you keep hopeful and so positive? What gives you the light in your life? Twitter: https://twitter.com/kypet5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kypet5/ Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

My guest today is the amazing Dotsie Bausch. Dotsie has been a pioneer in the plant-based movement and runs an amazing campaign called Switch4Good that focuses on eating more plant based and the “ditching dairy” movement. She has caught national news with her campaign against companies that don't allow milk alternatives or charge extra for them. Dotsie has been remarkable in every step of her life. She was once a journalism major, a New York runway model and an Olympian cyclist who won silver! I marvel at the images of Dotsie on the Olympic podium. She is beautiful and a lovely human being. I have had the pleasure of talking to her about so many things: about plant-based nutrition, health, removing dairy and she has even given me amazing makeup tips which I have yet to do by the way! Sometimes when we see people, we only see those beautiful parts, but Dotsie has had hardship too. Some people might not realize that Dotsie suffered from anorexia/bulimia, attempted suicide twice and had a cocaine dependency. I hope to talk about some of these important parts that make up the amazing Dotsie Bausch. Dotsie Bausch: https://dotsiebauschusa.com Switch4Good: https://www.switch4good.org

Introducing Seeking Voices of Health, Healing & Hope. Listen to what inspired me to launch this podcast and what I seek to accomplish. Join me on the journey.