The Rich Roll Podcast

“No one will argue against eating more fruits and vegetables.” Julieanna Hever & Ray Cronise What happens when a NASA scientist teams up with a plant-based dietitian? Today we find out, with the return of my friends Julieanna Hever (RRP #13) and Ray Cronise (RRP #212). Specializing in weight management, disease prevention & sports nutrition, Julieanna is one of the world’s most respected plant-based registered dietitians. She is a sought-after lecturer, talk show host, TEDx speaker, VegNews Magazine nutrition columnist, and the author of numerous journal articles and books that include The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Plant-Based Nutrition and The Vegiterranean Diet. In addition, Julieanna has contributed recipes to both New York Times bestselling Forks Over Knives books and appeared on a myriad of television programs including Dr. Oz, Steve Harvey and E! News. Ray is a scientist-innovator focused on disrupting diet and nutrition advice. A former NASA scientist that spent 15 years with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center working on Physical and Analytical Chemistry and Biophysics as Assistant Mission Scientist on four Spacelab missions, he matriculated to found Zero-G with X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis before pulling meticulous focus on nutrition to solve his decades-long battle with weight and lifestyle infirmities. A Matthew Kenney Culinary graduate, Ray teamed up with leading academic researchers at institutions such as Harvard and the National Institutes of Health to publish work at the intersection of healthspan and plant-based diets. He delivered an amazing talk at TEDMED 2010 and has been featured on ABC Nightline and profiled everywhere, including WIRED Magazine, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, Men’s Journal, The Guardian, The 4-Hour Body and magician Penn Jillette’s book Presto! as the mastermind behind Penn’s dramatic plant-based diet 100-pound weight loss. These two recently combined their wonder twin powers to collaborate on a number of projects that include personalized nutrition consulting and the co-authoring of both medical journal articles as well as their recently released book, Plant-Based Nutrition (Idiot’s Guide Series)*. Today Julieanna and Ray join me for a mind-blowing geek dive into everything you ever wanted to know (and then some) about plant-based nutrition, weight loss, chronic lifestyle illness and more. Break out that pen and paper, because you’re going to want to take notes. Enjoy the exchange! Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe

“The journey is to find your truth and know who you really are.” Danica Patrick Imagine yourself the only female athlete in a very dangerous sport completely dominated by men. You don’t just hold your own. And you don’t just break the glass ceiling. Instead, you obliterate it. Kicking serious ass, you make an indelible mark on the sport you love. Along the way, you inspire millions of women and young girls to rethink the limits of their personal potential. This is the extraordinary story of race car driver Danica Patrick (@danicapatrick) — an  athlete whose life-long love for speed turned her into one of the most successful, revered, and recognizable professional sports figures on the planet. Although her accomplishments are far too numerous to list, among Danica’s many notable glass ceiling explosions include: * first woman to lead the Indy 500; * highest Indy 500 female finish ever (4th); * first woman to win an IndyCar circuit race; and * first woman to win pole position at Daytona 500 Off the track, Danica is a media magnet. She has served up hosting duties on Spike TV, been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and appeared in a litany of commercials, music videos, and television shows. In 2006, she published Danica: Crossing the Line, an autobiography she followed up with the recent release of her brand new mind, body, spirit primer: Pretty Intense. This is a conversation about Danica’s extraordinary career. It’s about the lessons she’s learned along the way about life, performance and wellness. It’s about a piece of unfinished business she calls the Danica Double – her plan to race both the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500 this year — and it’s a glimpse into the new chapter that lays beyond racing. But most of all, this is a conversation about personal empowerment. It’s about the mindset and practices that made Danica a champion, which can be leveraged to unlock the best version of yourself. In other words, take personal responsibility for your path. Stop wasting time. And start kicking ass. Danica is one of the sweetest badasses I know. I totally enjoyed our exchange. I hope you do too. For the visually inclined, you can watch the podcast on YouTube here. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay Thanks to this week’s sponsors

“The most important relationship in your life is between you and consciousness.” Julie Piatt Today’s podcast features Julie and I speaking at NeueHouse Los Angeles as part of their new series entitled Creative Couples, which examines powerful collaborative partnerships and what make them tick. A primer on how to communicate effectively, collaborate successfully, and ultimately elevate your creative output, this episode — which also features audience Q&A and a special cameo appearance by podcast favorite Guru Singh and his amazing wife Guruperkarma Kaur — is appointment listening for anyone looking to take their relationships and productivity to the next level. An exquisitely appointed work and event space occupying the landmarked 1938 CBS Radio Building on Sunset Boulevard, it was a true honor to present before NeueHouse’s dynamic and eclectic community of creators, entrepreneurs, and cultural innovators. Major thanks to Meredith Rodgers, Brian Wanee, Alexandra Van Iden and everyone at NeueHouse for hosting an amazing evening. Plus mad appreciation for allowing me to share the event audio with all of you on this platform. Can I come back and do it again please? NOTE: I’m interested in creating more live podcast events (featuring various guests) in both LA and other U.S. cities. I would like to gauge interest before wading too deep into this exploration, so please let me know (via e-mail or @richroll) if you enjoyed this episode (or the live event episodes from Australia and Dublin) and/or whether you would be interested in actually attending a live event in your locale. I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay Thanks to this week’s sponsors DesignCrowd: Custom graphic, logo and web design from over 550,000 designers around the world! Get the perfect custom design, every time! Visit designcrowd.com/RICHROLL or enter promo code RICHROLL at checkout and receive up to $100 off your design project now! Four Sigmatic: A superfood company founded by a group of Finnish friends. They aim to popularize medicinal mushrooms by incorporating them in more mainstream products like coffee and hot cocoa. Visit www.foursigmatic.com/roll and enter the promo code ROLL at the checkout and save 15% on your order! Harrys.com: A superior shave at an affordable price. Friends of the Rich Roll Podcast can visit Harrys.com/ROLL to redeem your Free Trial Set,which comes with a razor, five-blade cartridge, shaving gel,

“We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.” Winston Churchill  Unbeknownst to most, animal agriculture is the number one culprit when it comes to almost every single man-made environmental ill on the planet. Untenable amounts of land, water and feed are required to raise the number of animals necessary to meet demand. Creating more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector combined, our voracious appetite for meat and dairy products has produced the largest mass species extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs. Meanwhile, the primary driver of ocean acidification, water table pollution, rainforest devastation and a litany of other environmental abominations can be tracked to one primary source: our broken system of food production. Without a doubt, it’s a system that’s destroying human health, irreparably damaging the planet we call home and creating unspeakable suffering in the process. If we want to survive as a species, we need a new way forward. In my opinion, adopting a plant-based is the single most powerful and impactful thing you can possibly do as a conscious, compassionate consumer. It is the medicine that will prevent and reverse chronic lifestyle disease, preserve our planet’s precious resources for future generations, and put an end to mass animal cruelty. Vegan has indeed gone mainstream. That’s awesome. But let’s not be naïve. The rate at which people are adopting a plant-based lifestyle can’t begin to match population growth and its concomitant demand for cheeseburgers and milk shakes. 7.5 billion people currently share this spinning blue planet we call Earth. By 2050, that number will escalate to 9.7 billion. By 2100? 11 billion. How can we possibly feed 11 billion people sustainably? Ask my good friend Paul Shapiro, and he will give you a two-word answer: Clean meat. When Paul — a long-time vegan and mainstream voice for agricultural sustainability — took his first bite of “lab-harvested” meat in 2014, more humans had gone into space than had eaten real meat grown outside an animal. But according to Paul, the clean meat revolution is upon us — and it holds the potential to save the world. Just as we need clean energy to compete with fossil fuels, clean meat is poised to become a competitor of factory farms. Clean meat isn’t an alternative to meat; it’s real, actual meat grown (or more accurately, brewed) from animal cells, as well as other clean animal products that ditch animal cells altogether and are simply built from the molecule up. Today we talk about it. In addition to being among the worldʼs first clean meat consumers, Paul served as the vice president of policy engagement for the Humane Society of the United States, the worldʼs largest animal protection organization. Paul is also the founder of Compassion Over Killing, a TEDx speaker, and an inductee into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Paul just released his first book, Clean Meat:How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, a Washington Post bestseller (with a great foreword by Sapiens author Yuval Noah Harari) that chronicles the wild race to create and commercialize cleaner, safer,

“Stability doesn’t create discipline, discipline creates stability.”  Amy Dresner  Shame can’t survive the light. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. If you’ve been on this podcast adventure with me for a while, then you know well that addiction, alcoholism and recovery are recurring themes of the show — subjects very close to my heart as someone whose life has been spared by sobriety. These themes recur because millions of people from every cross section of life suffer in silence. Deeply ashamed and terrified to confront their truth, these lost souls dwell in the shadows. Paralyzed and powerless, addiction strips them of their humanity as they descend into darkness, wandering lost and alone in what author and addiction medicine specialist Gabor Maté (RRP #188) dubs the realm of the hungry ghost. As a culture we perpetuate the cycle of shame by judging those afflicted as weak, even sub-human. This creates a climate of fear and silence, further entrenching a deep sense of self-hatred that drives the addict into a prison of loneliness and despair, isolating that individual from the life-saving solution to their fatal disease. But shame can’t survive the light. So let’s shine a light on it. Towards that end, I give you the story of Amy Dresner. A former stand up comic, recovering drug addict and all around fuck up (her words), Amy is a writer and author who humorously chronicles her epic ups and downs for The Fix, Refinery 29, Alternet, After Party Chat, Salon, The Frisky, Cosmo Latina, Addiction.com and Psychology Today. I first came across Amy by way of our mutual friend (and record-setting 8-time podcast guest) Mishka Shubaly and her recently released memoir, My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty and Staying Clean. I dig a good addiction yarn, and Amy’s descent into the throes of addiction and ultimate redemption is one for the ages. Growing up in Beverly Hills, Amy had it all: a top-notch private school education, the most expensive summer camps and even a weekly clothing allowance. But at 24, she started dabbling in meth in San Francisco and unleashed a fiendish addiction monster. Soon, if you could snort it, smoke it, or have sex with, she did. Smart and charming, with daddy’s money to fall back on, she sort of managed to keep it all together. But on Christmas Eve of 2011, all of that changed when, high on Oxycontin, she stupidly “brandished” a bread knife on her husband and was promptly arrested for felony domestic violence with a deadly weapon. Within months, she found herself in the psych ward–and then penniless, divorced and looking out on a court-ordered 240 hours of community service. For the next two years, assigned to a Hollywood Boulevard “chain gang,” she would sweep up syringes (and worse) on Hollywood Boulevard as she bounced from rehabs to halfway houses, all while struggling with sobriety, sex addiction, and starting over in her 40s. Amy pulls no punches. Her raw honesty is as devastating as it is courageous – perhaps even shocking for those less intimately familiar with the ravishes of addiction. But she’s also hilarious. Today we get into all of it. This is a candid conversation about the dark underbelly of drug abuse, sex addiction, and alcoholism. It’s about violence, fear, self-hatred, and shame. It’s about the very real struggle to survive. And it’s about the conviction and strength required to achieve sobriety. But between the lines,

“Instead of being ashamed of doing what you do or being what you are, I ask two important questions: Why not celebrate it? Why not be proud of the fact that the body you are in can do great things?”  Mirna Valerio  What is a runner? How do we define an athlete? What does it truly mean to be fit and healthy? Challenging stereotypes, today’s guest demands that we broaden our limited definition of these terms. She may not be fast, but she runs. In fact she runs a lot, an impressive slew of ultramarathons to her name. She’s also not skinny. In fact, she’s big. 250 pounds big. But Mirna Valerio is without a doubt a runner. In fact, the force of nature affectionately known as The Mirnavator is one of the most inspirational athletes I have ever met — a true ambassador of sport on a mission to empower women of all shapes and sizes to proudly embrace their bodies, expand their horizons, and own their truth. Carrying herself with grace, an intelligent self-confidence and a smile so gleeful it brightens all in her path, Mirna’s appeal has less to do with her ability to run long distances and everything to do with her unapologetic celebration of her personal truth. Mirna’s joyful self-acceptance is both real and rare. It’s both authentic and bold. It’s as infectious as it is inclusive. And it’s incredibly empowering to the millions of people who suffer body shame issues silently. When she’s not running, the Brooklyn native (now living in the North Georgia Mountains with her husband and teenage son) is a Spanish teacher, diversity practitioner, cross-country coach, and author of the wildly popular blog Fat Girl Running. She also writes frequently for Women’s Running Magazine and recently released a remarkable memoir I thoroughly enjoyed entitled, A Beautiful Work In Progress. She’s been profiled in the Wall Street Journal and Runner’s World and on NBC Nightly News. She’s also an ambassador for a variety of brands like REI, Merrell, Skirt Sports and Swiftwick. Just this week Mirna became one of the faces of JC Penney’s newly launched Here I Am campaign. I first came across Mirna’s story by way of a mini-documentary produced by REI called The Mirnavator that went viral. Hooked, I was determined to share her powerful story with you. Mirna more than delivered. Much like past episodes with Josh LaJaunie, Adam Sud, David Clark and my most recent episode with Charlie Jabaley, this is an incredibly inspiring underdog every person story. But unlike those tales, Mirna’s journey is not one marked by dramatic before and after photos. On the contrary, this is a story about body acceptance and body positivity. It’s a conversation about self-empowerment and self-acceptance. It’s about tackling stereotypes, overcoming prejudice and the importance of inclusion. And it’s an exchange about the need to redefine how we think about and define athleticism, the spirit of sport, and fitness in general. But more than anything, this is a conversation about owning your truth. I adore Mirna and I absolutely love this conversation. I think you will too. Please stick around to the very end for a treat. In addition to her impressive accomplishments, Mirna is also an extremely talented, Julliard-trained opera singer. I was able to convince her to take us out with her angelic, etheral voice. It’s insane! Peace + Plants,

“I knew I had to change everything in my life if I wanted to live.” Charlie Jabaley He dreamed of being a professional athlete. But Charlie Jabaley was always the fat kid, picked last for kickball. No matter what, he just couldn’t stop gaining weight. Resigned to this fate, he abandoned his athletic dream early. Throwing himself into business instead, it wasn’t long before CEO Charlie was born — an alter ego he created at age 13 that would soon become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By his mid-twenties, Charlie had overcome tremendous odds to achieve extraordinary success in the music business, collecting Grammys and counting Benjamins managing a stable of major hip-hop recording artists like 2 Chainz. The very model of the modern millennial entrepreneur, Charlie’s path provided the high gloss lifestyle of his wildest imagination — a world apart from his humble beginnings. What it didn’t provide? Health, happiness, or an authentic sense of wholeness. On the outside, Charlie was crushing it. On the inside, he was dying. A life-long junk food addict, he had swelled to over 300 pounds by the age of 29. But he wasn’t just morbidly obese. And he wasn’t just chronically depressed. Charlie Jabaley was lost. His health in rapid decline, he tried countless diets, but always gained the weight right back — plus a little extra. He tried running. He even ran three marathons. Ironically, Charlie nonetheless continued to pack the pounds on, rewarding his training sessions with shame-inducing binges. Out of control, Charlie’s waistline only expanded in lockstep with each successive 26.2 effort. Deep down, Charlie knew he would forever remain a prisoner to his seemingly hopeless food addiction until he could summon the courage to face the emotional dysfunction, mental imbalance and spiritual malaise that had been driving his unhealthy lifestyle choices for as long as he could remember. The inside job terrified Charlie. But it’s always darkest before the dawn. At the nadir of his hopelessness, Charlie awoke one day to find his bedroom spinning before suddenly collapsing to the floor. A visit to the doctor only brought more bad news. Charlie Jabaley has a brain tumor. But rather than treat his diagnosis as tragic, Charlie decided to embrace it as a gift — the push he needed to once and for all to face himself honestly, take willing inventory of his life, and finally undertake the measures necessary to save himself from himself. Charlie Jabaley only had to change one thing — everything. One year ago, he walked away from the company he started, leaving millions of dollars on the table to decamp Atlanta for Los Angeles. Completely restructuring his relationship with food, he’s lost over 120 pounds and kept it off. Without medication, his tumor has shrunk to almost nothing. And Charlie has finally achieved his lifelong dream, transforming himself from executive (CEO Charlie) to athlete (Charlie Rocket), training for his first Ironman in New Zealand this March. For the first time in his life, he’s both healthy and happy. But mostly, Charlie Jabaley is free. What he did, how he did it and why is the subject of today’s conversation. It’s a powerful exchange with an everyman hero who wants you to know that you do not struggle alone.  That it’s never too late to change. And no matter how far you have drifted from the person you aspire to be, there is both hope and help. Welcome to 2018 people. This is the new normal. For those visually inclined, you can watch our conversation on YouTube here. Peace + Plants, Listen,

“Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope – a slight change, and all patterns alter.” Sharon Salzberg Welcome to the 5th annual Best of the RRP Anthology — our way of taking a moment to reflect on the year, express gratitude and give thanks for taking this journey with us. It’s been an honor to share my conversations with so many extraordinary people over the course of 2017. Second listens brought new insights — and more reminders that that these evergreen exchanges continue to inspire and inform. For long-time listeners, this two-part episode is intended to launch you into 2018 with renewed vigor and intention. If you’re new to the show, my hope is that this anthology will stir you to peruse the back catalog and/or check out episodes you may have missed. Links to the full episodes excerpted in this anthology are enumerated below. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I appreciate you. I love you. Here’s to an extraordinary 2018. Join me, and let’s do this thing together. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay Thanks to this week’s sponsors 22 Days Nutrition: the 100% plant-based, 100% USDA certified organic nutrition products and meal delivery platform designed to meet the needs of your healthy, active life. For 10% off all products (including the meal delivery) and free shipping, visit 22daysnutrition.com/richroll and use promo code RICHROLL at checkout. Four Sigmatic: A superfood company founded by a group of Finnish friends. They aim to popularize medicinal mushrooms by incorporating them in more mainstream products like coffee and hot cocoa. Visit www.foursigmatic.com/roll and enter the promo code ROLL at the checkout and save 15% on your order! FULL EPISODES EXCERPTED RRP #296: Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D. RRP #298: Meditation Master Sharon Salzberg RRP #302: Addiction Recovery Expert Tommy Rosen RRP #305: charity: water’s Scott Harrison RRP #311: Ultra-Athlete Samantha Gash RRP #317: Bestselling Author Gretchen Rubin RRP #319: Chinese Medicine Physician Colin Hudon RRP #320: Healing Mushroom Expert Tero Isokauppila

“When you think you’re done, you’re only at 40% of your total potential.” David Goggins This is the time of year to pause. It’s the time of year for reflection. For gratitude. And for giving back. So let’s do all those things. Welcome to the fifth annual Best of the RRP Anthology — our way of taking a moment to reflect on the year, express gratitude and give thanks for taking this journey with us. I pride myself on bringing a wide variety of personalities, opinions and attitudes to the show. When I look back over 2017, it’s amazing how many incredibly dynamic conversations and perspectives I was honored to share. Second listens brought new insights. Another reminder that this show is a gift that just keeps giving. For long-time listeners, this two-part episode is intended to inform and inspire your new year’s trajectory. If you’re new to the show, my hope is that this anthology will stir you to peruse the back catalog and/or check out episodes you may have missed. Links to the full episodes excerpted in this anthology are enumerated below. Thank you. I appreciate you. I love you. Here’s to an extraordinary 2018. Join me, and let’s do this thing together. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay Thanks to this week’s sponsors HealthIQ: Life insurance for the active and healthy. Never overpay again! To learn more and get a free quote, go to HealthIQ.com/ROLL. Check it out to see which special plans you qualify for! MeUndies: This holiday season, get 20% off your first pair of the softest underwear you will ever wear, Free Shipping, and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee when you visit MeUndies.com/roll. FULL EPISODES EXCERPTED RRP #266: Navy SEAL David Goggins RRP #267: Kundalini Yogi Master Guru Singh RRP #268: Superfood Hunter Darin Olien RRP #269 Rock Icon Travis Barker RRP #272: Integrative Medicine Doctor Rachel Abrams, M.D. RRP #275: Marathon Swimmer Kimberly Chambers RRP #276: Cultivating Your Inner Jedi With Julie Piatt RRP #278: ‘What The Health’ With Kip Andersen & Keegan Kuhn

“The cleanest burning fuel you can get for the human body is from plants.”  Rip Esselstyn  Friend, mentor and original Plantstrong pioneer Rip Esselstyn and I go way back. Both swimmers, we crossed paths at many a meet — as young teens and later as collegiate rivals (Rip was always far more accomplished than I). During the early stages of my transition to a plant-based diet, I vividly recall perusing Facebook when I stumbled upon Rip, who just happened to be on the precipice of publishing his first book on the very subject I was attempting to master. From that moment forward, Rip became a lighthouse — illuminating my path as a generous friend and cheerleader always available to share his knowledge, experience and inspiration. Today, Rip (finally) joins the podcast to share that knowledge, experience and inspiration with you — a hotly anticipated master course on the incredible power of a whole-food, plant-based diet to prevent and reverse disease, promote optimal health, and fuel your athletic dreams. Educated at the University of Texas at Austin, Rip was a three-time All-American swimmer before spending a decade as one of the premier professional triathletes in the world. He then joined the Austin Fire Department where he introduced his passion for a whole-food, plant-based diet to Austin’s Engine 2 Firehouse in order to rescue a firefighting brother’s health. To document his success he wrote the New York Times’ bestselling book, The Engine 2 Diet, which demonstrates the irrefutable connection between a plant-based diet and good health. Rip left his job as a firefighter in 2009 to team up with Whole Foods Market as one of their Healthy Eating Partners to raise awareness for Whole Foods employees, customers and communities about the benefits of eating a plant-strong diet. As the founder of Engine 2, Rip develops and implements a range of programs and events geared toward education, inspiring and nurturing plant-strong living for individuals, families and organizations across the globe. A New York Times bestselling author of four books, Rip has appeared on hundreds of radio and national television shows, including the Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show. Each year his family produces a series of all-inclusive, immersive events, culminating in Camp Plantstock — an extraordinary experience I highly recommend to anyone looking to reboot their lifestyle. Finally, Rip’s newest book, The Engine 2 Cookbook hits bookstores everywhere on December 26, 2017. This is a conversation I’ve been anticipating since the first episode of this podcast. Specific topics discussed include: * Rip’s ‘Origin Story'; * The pioneering work of his father Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn at the Clevelend Clinic beginning in the 1980’s; * Rip’s athletic career as a swimmer & triathlete; * A review of the Paleo, Atkins & Ketogenic diets; * Rip’s career as a fire fighter in Austin; * The origin of the ‘Engine 2′ program; * How Rip’s story caught the interest of Whole Foods’ CEO John Mackey; * The development of the Engine 2 / Whole Foods Markets product line * Plantstock & Engine 2 Immersion programs * The impact of ‘Forks Over Knives’ Appointment listening, this is an amazing conversation about the extraordinary and indelible power of plants to heal and empower.

“It’s not just about being against cruelty. It’s about being for compassion.”  Nathan Runkle Reared on a farm in rural Ohio, Nathan Runkle’s connection with farm animals runs deep. So deep, he always knew his life would center around the protection and care of these sentient beings. After a local farmed animal abuse case involving a piglet slammed headfirst into a concrete floor during an agriculture project at a nearby high school, Nathan founded Mercy For Animals to give “food” animals a much-needed advocate in his local community. He was just 15 years old. Today, Nathan is the very person he was always meant to be: a world renown animal rights advocate; a nationally recognized speaker; and the man who has tactfully shepherded Mercy For Animals from that high school project into a leading international force in the prevention of cruelty to farmed animals and the promotion of compassionate food choices and policies. Named one of the country’s “Top 20 Activists Under 30 Years Old” and the youngest person ever inducted into the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame (he was 25), Nathan has been featured in hundreds of prominent media outlets and has spent decades working alongside elected officials, corporate executives, heads of international organizations, academics, farmers, celebrities, and film producers to pass landmark legislation and implement animal welfare policy changes. Nathan is also the author of the new and aptly titled, Mercy For Animals. A fascinating call-to-action memoir, the book chronicles Nathan’s personal story from grassroots activist to global animal rights leader while elucidating the history and current state of U.S. factory farming and animal welfare; the environmental and human health implications of food policy; and the compassionate future he envisions. Today I go deep with someone who always knew exactly who he wanted to be and what he wanted to do with his life. We dig into Nathan’s early interest in animal welfare, the founding of MFA in his teens and the undercover work that followed. We discuss the current state and implications of factory farming on animal, human and planetary health. And we review the regulatory landscape that governs our food systems and the implications of the clean meat movement on the future of food. But ultimately, this is a conversation about being who you are. It’s about turning compassion into action. It’s about the ethical and environmental implications of our daily food choices. And it’s about the power we all hold to create change and forge a more compassionate and sustainable world for generations to come. For the visually inclined, the video version of the podcast is also available on YouTube. I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | 

“When you put on really effective armor, you do keep things out but you also keep a lot in.” Tim Ferriss If you think you know Tim Ferriss, think again – this is Tim like you’ve never seen or heard him before. A relentless experimenter and virtuoso of deconstruction, Tim has spent the better part of his adult life studying mastery and sharing what he has learned on his wildly popular blog and string of four consecutive #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling books, which include The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans, and his brand new offering, Tribe of Mentors. Along the way, Tim became a prominent angel investor and philanthropist, named one of Fast Company‘s “Most Innovative Business People” and one of Fortune‘s “40 under 40”. He’s graced the main stage at TED and been featured in every prominent media outlet imaginable. His work hosting The Tim Ferriss Show podcast – one of the most widely listened to podcasts in the world with over 200 million downloads — led The Observer to call him “the Oprah of audio”. I’m willing to bet most of you are already decidedly familiar with this globally renowned polymath. Like you, I’ve followed his blog for years. I’ve read all his books and I listen to his podcast regularly. It’s an understatement to say that Tim’s work has been instrumental in helping me forge the life I’m blessed to lead today. For that I am forever grateful. Nonetheless, I never felt like I really knew the man behind the work. Who is the real Tim Ferriss? It turns out, Tim has been asking himself the very same question. Over the last year, he has endured much. The loss of some good friends matched by turning 40 has left him pondering his mortality. He walked away from tech investing, decamping Silicon Valley for Austin out of a desire to slow the pace of his frenetic life. And a very intense recent 10-day silent meditation retreat is emblematic of a redirected focus inward. Today finds Tim in a rather reflective and contemplative place. A point in time in which he is wrestling with his past, evaluating the person he wants to be, and deeply contemplating what is most important about life. Today we unpack the real Tim Ferriss. Intimate and emotionally raw, this is exactly the kind of conversation I have been patiently waiting to have with Tim ever since I started this podcast – a sincere, deeply personal exchange with the human being behi...

“Who are we if we disconnect from the prince / princess paradigm?” Julie Piatt Today’s podcast is the last in my series of open panel discussions lifted from our Plantpower Ireland retreat this past July. It’s a powerful participatory discourse and Q&A hosted by myself, Julie and Colin Hudon, a physician of Traditional Chinese Medicine and founder of Living Tea which imports the finest living teas sourced from ancient tea trees across both China and Taiwan. Today we focus on relationships. Specifically, we explore: * how to see the divine in your partner * how to navigate interpersonal conflict * strategies for being heard;  * how to upend the outdated prince / princess paradigm; * the masculine desire to fulfill his mission; * the feminine desire to be seen; and * questions from the Plantpower Tribe At its core, this is a powerful master class on redefining how we relate to our most loved ones so that we can experience the best of what a relationship can bring to the collective human experience. One more thing: if the Ireland retreat sounded cool (it was a giant blast), our next retreat will be in Tuscany, Italy May 19-26, 2018. It’s currently sold out, but because it’s not unusual for a person or two to drop out, you can still join the waiting list or reserve your spot for 2019. For more information, visit ourplantpowerworld.com. I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay Thanks to this week’s sponsors Boll & Branch: The first honest and transparent bedding company that only uses sustainable and responsible methods of sourcing and manufacturing. Go to BollandBranch.com today for $50 off your first set of sheets by typing in promo code “RICHROLL”. DesignCrowd: Custom graphic, logo and web design from over 550,000 designers around the world! Get the perfect custom design, every time! Visit designcrowd.com/RICHROLL or enter promo code RICHROLL at checkout and receive up to $100 off your design project now! Show Notes Check out How To Build A Conscious Relationship With Rich Roll and Julie Piatt at mindbodygreen Background, Context & Reference * Connect with Julie:  SriMati.com | Instagram |

“Every power that any human being has ever had here on Earth is in every single one of us waiting to be activated.” Guru Singh As we approach the year’s end, I thought it appropriate to reconvene with the great and vast consciousness that helped us usher in 2017 – kundalini yoga & meditation master Guru Singh (@gurusinghyogi). Long-time listeners will well recall our initial conversation from January (RRP #267), one of my most popular and impactful episodes in the history of this podcast. For those new to the show, imagine a modern-day rock star Gandalf dropping mad guitar licks between pearls of timeless wisdom that beautifully fuse Eastern mysticism with Western pragmatism and you start to get the picture. Named Best Guru in LA by Los Angeles magazine, Guru Singh is a celebrated third-generation Sikh yogi, master spiritual teacher, author, and musician. For the past 40 years he has been studying and teaching Kundalini Yoga – a 5,000 year old ancient science and school of yoga focused on awakening the primal energy known as shakti for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment. He is the author of several books (enumerated below) and a powerful lecturer uplifting thousands worldwide. An extraordinary teacher, he also serves as a behind-the-scenes guide to many a luminary, including Fortune 500 CEOs, athletes, artists and even Tony Robbins. A peer of rock legends like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead, Guru Singh is also a supremely talented musician who began his recording career on Warner Bros’ Sire label in the 1960s. When he isn’t recording tracks with people like Seal, he’s bringing down the house on the daily at Yoga West, his Los Angeles home base. Over the past year, I have become close with Guru Singh — a beautiful and highly relatable consciousness I’m proud to call a good friend and valuable mentor. Today we discuss everything from the benefits of cold-water therapy to the implications of artificial intelligence. We examine the why behind all the recent mass shootings and explore strategies for navigating the treacherous minefields of our deeply divided culture. We envision new educational modalities for future generations. We investigate the effects of diet beyond the physical level. And we consider the importance of maturing the social infantilism of our emotional infrastructure as a cultural imperative. It’s aways an honor to spend time with Guru Singh and it’s a privilege to share more of his powerful wisdom with you today. My hope is that this conversation will empower you to more mindfully navigate our volatile world and encourage you to more deeply invest in the development of your conscious awareness, personal boundaries, and spiritual growth. To rise up, you gotta lie down. So let’s lie down with Guru Singh. For the visually inclined, the video version of the podcast is also available on YouTube I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | 

“We are energy. So doesn’t it make sense that the energy we put into our bodies impacts the energy that comes out of our bodies?” Rich Roll This special mid-week edition of the podcast features a Q&A event that Julie and I hosted along with our friends Stephen & David Flynn of The Happy Pear that took place before a live audience at the gorgeous Smock Alley Theatre this past summer in Dublin, Ireland. Long-time listeners will well remember David and Stephen from #RRP 233, one of my most popular episodes of 2016. For those newer to the show, David & Stephen Flynn are the joined-at-the-hip identical twin brothers behind The Happy Pear, a family run chain of natural food stores and cafés in Ireland as well as a line of organic, locally harvested plant-based food products available across the UK. David & Stephen are also the co-authors of two incredible cookbooks – The Happy Pear (of course) and the more recently released World of the Happy Pear, both runaway, smash bestsellers across Ireland the UK. Fundamentally, The Happy Pear is a movement. A movement rooted in family and community with one singular goal — to make healthy food and lifestyle mainstream. When the super fit dads aren’t making pre-school breakfast picnics on the beach, engaging in impromptu handstand competitions, conducting community-oriented health education courses, or traveling extensively for public speaking, they enthusiastically guide a vast and devoted global audience of wellness warriors across every social media platform from YouTube to Instagram to Snapchat with an endless stream of highly entertaining, quality nutrition and fitness tips, recipes, and daily slice-of-life vlogs with inspiration for miles. David and Stephen Flynn just might be the most charismatic and emphatic advocates for healthy living I have ever met. I sincerely hope you enjoy our live presentation, which includes loads of great questions from the audience. Peace + Plants, Listen, Watch & Subscribe                    Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Soundcloud | Stitcher | GooglePlay In Search of a Filmmaker / Editor / Photographer As you may know, David Zammit joined me 2 months ago as my collaborati...