PLANTSTRONG Podcast

In 2011, a routine physical revealed a total cholesterol of 240 and LDL of 170 for Vince Rountree. Told there wasn’t much he could do beyond medication, Vince (a chemical engineer) wasn't buying it and kept searching—and eventually found the work of Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr.So he went all-in.For six weeks, Vince ate a 100% whole-food, plant-based diet with no exceptions. When he retested, his total cholesterol had dropped to 132 and his LDL to 78.That experiment changed the course of his life.Today, Vince is a health coach and founder of The Food Fixer Path, helping others explore what whole-food, plant-based nutrition can do for their health. He and Rip dig into type 2 diabetes, heart disease, ApoB, behavior change, social pressure, and why community and a strong WHY can make all the difference.They also talk about Vince’s latest experiment: getting stronger after 60.Since beginning serious strength training, Vince says he has added roughly 20 pounds of body weight and increased his bench press from around 175–185 pounds to 315—all without protein powders, shakes, peptides, or tracking macros.His approach is refreshingly simple: eat whole plant foods, train consistently, and keep showing up.You'll hear:Vince’s six-week cholesterol experimentDiscovering Dr. B. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr.Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and the carb debateHeart health, cholesterol, and ApoBWhy Vince created his five-day health challengeThe importance of community and behavior changeFinding a WHY strong enough to keep you goingBuilding muscle after 60Getting stronger without protein powder or macro countingWhy consistency matters more than complexityEpisode WebpageWatch the Episode on YouTubeLinks to connect with Vince:https://thefoodfixerpath.com/https://www.instagram.com/thefoodfixers/https://www.facebook.com/thefoodfixershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vincerountree/https://www.theredlinechallenge.com/goLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrongevents.com/ Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn 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 Esselstynhttps://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 RatingApple PodcastsSpotify

Who are you—and why do you do what you do?Most of us spend our lives answering questions about what we want to accomplish, what career we should pursue, and what steps we should take next. But Dr. Gary Sanchez believes we’re asking the right questions in the wrong order.Gary is the founder of The WHY Institute and the creator of a system designed to help people discover their WHY, their HOW, and their WHAT—the personal operating system behind how they think, communicate, lead, make decisions, and find fulfillment.Before becoming known as Dr. WHY, Gary spent decades as an accomplished dentist. He continually invested in education, technology, and training, yet struggled to explain what made his practice different from every other dental office. His search for an answer eventually led him to the concept of WHY—and to a new understanding of himself.Gary discovered that his own WHY was to find a better way and share it. His HOW was to clarify, and his WHAT was to simplify.That discovery transformed his dental practice, but it also revealed that dentistry was no longer the work he felt called to do. After a life-threatening internal bleed gave him a second chance at life, Gary finally walked away from his practice to pursue the work that gave him energy: helping other people discover who they are.In this lively and deeply personal conversation, Rip and Gary explore the nine WHYs, the difference between the golden rule and the platinum rule, and why your family, career, or business may be important to you without necessarily being your underlying WHY.Gary also walks Rip through his own results. Rip’s WHY is to contribute to a greater cause and make an impact. His HOW is to challenge the status quo and think differently. His WHAT is to create trust and become a source others can count on.They also examine how purpose can support lasting health behavior. Instead of relying only on rules, discipline, or temporary motivation, Gary encourages us to understand why being healthy matters and what our health will allow us to contribute, experience, and accomplish.His memorable conclusion: Willpower is temporary. WHY power is permanent.You’ll also hear why successful entrepreneurs can feel lost after building businesses that no longer need them, how knowing a child’s personal operating system can transform family conversations, and why it is never too late to choose a path that better reflects who you are.Episode WebpageWatch the Episode on YouTubeTake the Free WHY Discovery QuizLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrongevents.com/ Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn 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 Esselstynhttps://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 RatingApple PodcastsSpotify

Getting older may be inevitable. Getting weak, frail, and sedentary? Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina say absolutely not.In their new book, Plant Powered Seniors, these longtime plant-based nutrition experts explore how to stay strong, healthy, and independent as we age — and they’re living proof. At 84, Vesanto still takes fitness and yoga classes regularly, while Brenda, 67, runs trails, does push-ups, and climbs on the monkey bars with her grandkids.In this conversation, Rip, Brenda, and Vesanto dig into what changes nutritionally after 50, including:protein needssarcopenia and bone healthcalcium, vitamin D, B12, and omega-3swhy progressive resistance training is so important for preserving strengthThey also talk about appetite changes, how loneliness, affects eating, building community, purpose, and why healthy aging is about much more than just nutrients alone.And their message is clear: it is never too late to improve your health.Start where you are. Eat more plants. Lift something. Stay connected. Keep moving...and always keep it Plant Strong.Episode WebpageWatch on YouTubeLearn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrongevents.com/ Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG JourneyLearn 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 Esselstynhttps://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 RatingApple PodcastsSpotify