Switch4good

“It is absolutely unnatural and unnecessary for adult humans to be consuming the milk of another species. It’s unnatural and it’s unhealthy.” - Dr. Milton Mills, MD   Most doctors receive less than 24 hours worth of nutrition education during their four years of medical school; they prescribe pills and surgeries without first looking at their patients’ diet.   For Dr. Milton Mills, this is not the case. A critical care physician working at an ICU, Dr. Mills is no stranger to patients suffering from advanced stages of chronic disease. His first recommendation? Ditch dairy. He is on a mission to educate the public about the consequences of dairy - to both individual health and that of society.   He supports his claims with medical evidence, and we take a deep dive into exactly why dairy is so harmful. He is truly passionate about this topic, and it was a pleasure to sit down with him and learn so much.   What we discuss in this episode:   - Health risks of consuming dairy, including acne, digestive problems, os

Although food has incredible healing power, there is more you should be doing to take care of your body holistically.    Beyond helping his patients transition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet to fight disease and improve their guts, James Marin is an expert at bettering health from all angles, including by eliminating environmental toxins.     James is a Registered Dietitian and Environmental Nutritionist who, along with his wife Dahlia, specializes in preventing and healing diabetes, auto-immune diets, gastrointestinal treatments, and pediatric nutrition.    He says that there are three levels of health, all of which work together to keep your body working the way it’s meant to.    He joins Dotsie and Alexandra to explain the different levels of health, the impact the environment has on your body, and what you can do to ensure longer-term health.    You’ll hear his how he treats disease by focusing on the cause over symptoms, why it’s necessary for you to pay attention to GMOs and chemicals in your food,

Is it possible to make massive muscle gains without any animal products? How can you shed those last few pounds without relying on boring meals high in animal protein and low in carbs?    The guest in today’s episode can teach you how to do both.   Derek Tresize made the switch over a decade ago when his now-wife took a break from her role as Guild Master in their World of Warcraft game to school him on the evidence supporting a plant-based diet.    As a B.S. in Biology, he dug into research and was convinced by the works of Drs. T. Colin Campbell and Joel Fuhrman to try a thirty-day plant-based challenge. Now he’s a certified plant-based nutritionist, personal trainer, competitive vegan bodybuilder, and author of Vegan Muscle and Fitness.    Derek joins Dotise and Alexandrea today to share the science behind both building muscle and getting lean with the help of a plant-based diet.    He busts the protein myth, breaks down the fear of soy and estrogen, and gives excellent advice for anyone looking to cut an

Fighting for justice on our plates goes beyond fighting for the rights of animals.    Between the implications of the USDA dietary guidelines for people of color, the disparity in food access and education, and gentrification pushing low-income neighborhoods deeper into food deserts, we have to confront the food injustice faced by our human neighbors too.    John Lewis, also known as the Badass Vegan, didn’t see a mango or fresh avocado until he moved from Furguson, Missouri to Miami to pursue his MBA. After his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he threw himself into research that revealed a troubling connection between animal protein and the illness.    While he’s joined his love for health and fitness with his business savvy to create VeganSmart, a plant-based protein shake company, he’s also digging into the darker side of food.    John has teamed up with Keegan Kuhn of What the Health and Cowspiracy to confront food racism through the lens of hip-hop and urban culture in the upcoming documentary, Hungry

Once you’ve experienced true fear and suffering, it’s hard to ignore the agony and trauma of others.    James Aspey was diagnosed with cancer at only 17 and was told he’d be dead in six weeks if he didn’t start chemotherapy immediately.    After three years of treatment, he’d gained 50 pounds and developed a severe binge eating disorder.    As he worked to find peace and healing through the principles of Vipassana meditation, he was exposed to the realities of the meat and dairy industries.    James made vows to resist the impulses of his bulimia, to never consume animal products again, and to stay silent for 365 days to raise awareness and promote peace over violence.    He joins Dotsie and Alexandra in this episode to share how making the switch has been spiritually liberating and has allowed him to live truly aligned with his values.    You’ll hear how he broke out of his food addiction, his tips for transitioning to veganism, and why it’s so important to be part of animal activism outside of your personal

We know that food can play a huge role in healing our bodies and spirits, but what about exercise?    Finding yourself in a new professional sport in your 40s might not be as simple as changing your diet, but Joshua Stevens did it and hasn’t looked back.   Joshua is an ultra-marathon trail runner who ran his first 50K on his 44th birthday after being told he wouldn’t ever run again.    Before he was spending 24 hours on a treadmill for charity, he spent 24 years in the army, which led to two spinal surgeries and opioid addiction.    After reading Eat & Run and watching the documentary Unbreakable, Joshua tapped into his competitive nature and hasn’t stopped running since.    He joins Dotsie and Alexandra to share the painful journey that led him to finding peace on the trails and fostering empathy on his plate.    You’ll hear how he pulled himself out of addiction, went all-in on running, and went down the rabbit hole of plant-based eating.    Plus, hear how his performance has gotten even better since ma

When the hold of sugar addiction and habits are so strong, how can we support people through breaking out of their harmful diets?    Dr. Nadja Pinnavaia, Doctor of Quantum Chemistry and former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, is proving that it's never too late to change your path and create an impact.    She is the founder of Plantable, a meal service that goes beyond food delivery and takes a holistic approach to coaching clients through their transition to a plant-based diet.    Her program is helping people lose an average of 8.9 pounds, regulate their elevated cholesterol and blood sugar, and gain confidence in only four weeks.    In this episode, Nadja joins Dotsie and Alexandra to share the impetus for Plantable, how she’s integrated her academic background to create the menus, and why a plant-based diet is optimal for your health.    You’ll also want to tune in to hear some of her fantastic recipes that you can try at home today and how you can save 10% on any of Plantable’s programs.    What we d

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled in less than fifty years.    If we are more informed about potential health consequences than ever before, why are more and more adults choosing unhealthy eating habits that lead to weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease?   Dr. Stephan Guyenet, who has spent more than a decade studying the neuroscience of body fatness, argues that most of us aren’t choosing our eating habits at all.   His book, The Hungry Brain, dives into the idea that eating behaviors aren’t a result of weakness or poor willpower, but of an evolutionary mismatch between our brain’s ancient programming and our current environment.    Today he sits down with Dotsie and Alexandra to explain how our brains are hardwired to seek the high-calorie, dopamine-releasing foods that our ancestors relied on, and why that works against us in modern society.    You’ll hear what your neurochemistry is influencing your eating habits, why you’re suddenly hungry for dessert after being satiated by dinne

There are tragic similarities in the trauma of abused children and animals raised for slaughter.    Seeing her own pain in the lives of animals being tortured and killed for food is what lead Gianna Simone to make the switch and never look back.    Before Gianna was an activist, model, and actress, it was all she could do to survive. After years of violence, she bounced between foster families and ended up in a group home where she found herself sleeping with a knife and skipping school to find solace in the gym.    She was able to forgive after being saved as a Christian, but she could not disconnect what she suffered from what she was seeing animals forced to endure.    Now, the actress known for her roles in Star Trek Into Darkness, Mother’s Day, and Unbroken: Path to Redemption is an outspoken champion of animal and human rights, an avid aerialist, and the host of Love Gianna, a YouTube series recently picked up by Amazon Prime.    In this episode, Gianna joins Dotsie and Alexandra to tell her harrowing

With global demand for meat being expected to rise by more than 70% by 2050, and the average American’s beef consumption already generating almost 2,000 pounds of greenhouse gasses annually, we have to find an alternative that people will readily adopt.    Non-animal meat products are growing rapidly in availability, but there’s still work to be done.   David Welch, Ph.D., is a plant biologist, ultrarunner, running coach, and the Director of Science and Technology at the Good Food Institute.    His work focuses on creating clean meat and advancing the cultured and plant-based meats industries.    He’s here today to explain exactly what goes into creating “clean meat”, to answer your ethical concerns, and to share the benefits of adopting clean meat and dairy alternatives.    Although an entirely plant-based diet is optimal, you’ll hear how clean meat will eliminate the need for industrial farming and why it might be the best immediate answer to our environmental and animal cruelty worries.    This plant-po

If we are what we eat, what kind of person is your food creating?   Luke Tan is an author, educator, and fitness coach on a mission to help people reach their ultimate physical and mental potential by using the A.W.A.K.E. Method to live an authentic, plant-based lifestyle.   The former bodybuilder is the founder of the Plant Fit Summit, a free online event showcasing plant-based trailblazers, including some of your favorite doctors, athletes, and nutritionists who have been featured on Switch4Good.    He joins Dotsie and Alexandra in this episode to share how he went from eating 1kg of meat every single day to making the switch with his wife overnight.    You’ll hear how he’s not only maintained his fitness, but also improved his performance and massively increased his energy while eating in a way that aligns with his ethics and identity.    If you’re curious how the A.W.A.K.E. method can work for you and how you can reserve your spot for the nine-day expert-packed summit, don’t miss this episode.   What we d

During the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, Switch4Good aired a commercial featuring dairy-free Olympians to fight the dairy industry’s propaganda that that says milk is the key to performance.    One of the world-class athletes featured in the commercial was Kara Lang Romero.    Kara is the youngest woman to have represented Canada on their National Women’s Team. She competed in two FIFA World Cups, at the Beijing Olympics, and is now a Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee.    She has also been vegan since her teens.   Today the plant-based foodie is a certified holistic nutritionist specializing in plant-based health and pre- and post-natal care.    Kara joins Alexandra and Dotsie in this episode to share her journey and the realities of being a plant-powered mom.    She digs into how motherhood expands your empathy for mothers of other species, how she got through two vegan pregnancies and is raising two plant-based boys, and how she navigates relationships with family members who have jobs in the dairy industr

It’s sometimes hard for people to change what they don’t know, and one of the best ways to spread an educational message is through the power of inspiring films.    Marc Pierschel is a documentary filmmaker who has been advocating for animals personally and professionally for decades.    He created an online vegan store, which still operates today, in 2002 and wrote a German vegan cookbook in 2009.    Most recently, he’s the plant-based pioneer behind the films Live and Let Live and The End of Meat and their production company, Blackrabbit Images.   Today he sits down with Dotsie and Alexandra to talk about his journey from vegetarian to vegan to animal rights activist.    He also shares some of the important insights from his films and chats about the vast cultural differences between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to embracing and expanding the reach of veganism.    Tune in to hear how this vocal supporter leads by example and education and, after this episode, check out The End of Meat on Amazon Prime.

If a simple dietary change could limit the destructive effects of cancer, reverse chronic conditions, and heal your body, how quickly would you make the switch?    We’ve all been touched by chronic disease, whether we’ve been personally diagnosed or watched a loved one struggle through an illness.    Dr. T. Colin Campbell has dedicated his career to proving that a diagnosis doesn’t have to be a death sentence and that prevention is possible.    Dr. Campbell is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, where he also founded the online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate program.    He’s the author of more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, has been featured in several documentaries including Forks Over Knives, and has delivered hundreds of lectures worldwide.    You’ve likely heard of the China Project, a comprehensive nutritional study lead by Dr. Campbell which was dubbed “the Grand Prix of epidemiology by The New York Times. The study is the basis of The Ch

The woman behind Switch4Good is a force of compassion who has lifted herself out of pain, into greatness and is now working in pursuit of a kinder world.    Dotsie Bausch is an Olympic medalist, two-time Pan American Champion, world record holder, mentor, renowned speaker, and founder of the Switch4Good non-profit.    In this very special episode, she steps to the other side of the microphone to be interviewed by her co-host and friend, Alexandra Paul.    Dotsie shares her incredible journey from the rock bottom of her struggle with anorexia to the Olympic podium as a plant-powered athlete.    You’ll hear the inspiration behind Switch4Good’s work, what convinced Dotsie to make the change herself, the amazing results she saw in her performance, and the aftermath of her groundbreaking anti-dairy commercial.    She also explains how her therapist, KRS Eckstrom, finally made her feel heard as a young woman and the principles of Krs’s “blue dot method” that Dotsie still applies in her life today.    Dotsie’s story

Like a lot of interesting stories, Matt Frazier’s begins in a bar. A fun challenge between friends to run a marathon, made over a beer, incidentally turned into the start of a lifelong journey for fitness and health.    Seven years after his first long-distance run, Matt cut meat out of his diet, hoping that it would give him the final push to qualify for the Boston Marathon -- and he was amazed by the results.    Struck by the lack of information available to athletes looking to go vegetarian, Matt decided to create the resources himself. Almost a decade later, he’s an author, blogger, podcast host, and the face of No Meat Athlete, a brand dedicated to educating athletes about the benefits of making the switch.    Today he joins Dotsie and Alexandra to share his story of going vegan and making 2019 his fittest year yet.    He gives his best tips for creating lasting habits, sharing your message without feeling pushy, and raising a vegan family.    His advice stretches beyond athleticism and will give you the

What can Americans learn from the diets and lifestyles of other countries?    Football prodigy Chris Manderino played in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals and, later, for the Kansas City Chiefs. During his time as a fullback, he was told he needed to gain 40 pounds to stay competitive -- and eating became another full-time job.    In 2009, Chris signed with the Bologna Doves, an Italian football team, and considers the dietary culture shock a pivotal point in his health journey.   Now the founder of Lyfe Fuel, a plant-based protein brand, Chris is a vocal advocate for simplifying your diet, eating intuitively, and fueling your life with plants.    In this episode, Chris shares how he is healthier and more fit than ever without the typical supplements suggested to athletes.    He also shares the science behind Lyfe Fuel, his rules for buying food, and information about “grass-fed” beef that likely no one else has ever told you.    What we discuss in this episode:   - Alexandra’s appearance at George Washingt

Developing a healthy relationship with food is imperative to properly nourish your body and live a fulfilling life.    So what happens if, instead, you spend your formative years coping with loss and chaos through restriction and deprivation?   Mandy Gill is a super athlete, ultra-marathoner, and has been named one of Canada’s Top 10 Vegan Athletes.    After overcoming her eating disorder and finding joy in exercise, she turned to a plant-based diet and got in tune with what her body truly needed to survive.    Now she’s helping others do the same.   As the founder of the Mandy Gill Fitness & Nutrition Apps, she advocates for healthy living through a life of motion, thoughtful choices, a plant-based diet, self-love, and respect for all beings.    In this emotional episode, Mandy gets vulnerable with Alexandra about her food and fitness journey, her work confronting the dairy industry, and what she eats as an endurance athlete who has made the switch for good.   What we discuss in this episode:   - The f

If you died tomorrow, what adventure would you regret not taking?   As the host of The Amazing Race, a bungee jump world-record-holder, and a cyclist who has ridden across the US for charity, Phil Keoghan walks the walk of his philosophy: “Tick it before you kick it.”   When Phil isn’t interviewing guests like Dotsie on his podcast BUCKiT, he’s crossing experiences off his own list, including dining atop an erupting volcano and renewing his wedding vows underwater while hand-feeding sharks.   His latest adventure? Ditching dairy.   He joins Dotsie and Alexandra to share what’s happened since Dotsie convinced him to make the switch three months ago.   Phil shares his new favorite cheese alternatives and non-dairy milks while giving insight into how you can stop living your life on the sidelines.   You’ll hear how he stays healthy and active while traveling the world and the near-death experience that drove him to tap into his eight BUCKiT themes.   Don’t miss this inspiring episode on living adventurously whil

Jasmin Singer, author of the memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough, was vegan long before she was thin.   She struggled for thirty years with her weight and, more importantly, a destructive relationship with food.   Even after dedicating herself professionally and personally to compassion for animals, she was still missing compassion for herself.   She says it was only after she turned her objective from vanity to self-care, and traded vegan snacks for juice fasts, that she was able to get to the root of her food addiction, lose 100 pounds, and finally heal her spirit.   Jasmin is the co-host of multi-award-winning podcast Our Hen House, the digital director of VegNews, and a TEDx speaker who wants you to know that compassion is the only path to living in our authentic selves.   She joins Alexandra and Dotsie to share how she broke through her emotional eating, why we should all strive to see ourselves through our grandmothers’ eyes, and why she is unapologetic about not eating anyone who has a mother.   W