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Racism

How Our Communities Can Get Healthy at Last: Eric Adams on PYP 432

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, Healthy at Last. Part family memoir, part political mission statement, part science review, part self-help book, and part cookbook, this is a celebration of the possibilities of health for the American people in general, and the Black community in particular.

We talk about the title – from Etta James, and not Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I have a dream” speech, as I first assumed – and the fact that, in Adams’ words, “slavery never ended,” and remains entrenched in the slave foods that are still harming Black people to this day.

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Creating a Platform for Black Plant-Based Health Experts: Judy Brangman, MD, on PYP 426

Judy Brangman, MD, aka The Plant-Based MD, visits the podcast to talk about her labor of love, the Reclaim Your Health Summit.

The summit is the first one featuring exclusively people of color in the plant-based healthcare space. Eighteen doctors, a dietitian, and a fitness expert all share their wisdom and action plans with Dr Brangman, and with everyone who signs up for this free event.

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Steven C Hayes on PYP 425: How to Liberate Our Minds

Steven C Hayes is the originator of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Training, take your pick), one of the most important psychological approaches of the past 100 years.

Why the high praise? For several reasons:

ACT is evidence-based
ACT is learnable
ACT is actionable
ACT can be practiced and shared by pretty much any human in any role, unlike most therapies that require degrees and certifications.
ACT is built from the ground up from fundamental theories of human cognition and behavior
ACT seeks to create mental health, rather than simply address mental illness

In our conversation, we tackled the question that has vexed so many philosophers: Why is it so damn hard to be a human?

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Healing from Racism with Bianca and Michael Alexander: PYP 419

I reached out to Bianca and Michael because I was turning into an asshole.

Specifically, I was full of rage and outrage and judgment at all the racists out there. 

And the fact that I was right, and on the side of right, and standing shoulder to shoulder with people of color, and fighting against systemic oppression that has been going on far too long – just made me more of an asshole, to be honest. 

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Empowering Black Health with Lisa A Smith: PYP 417

Lisa A Smith is a serial entrepreneur who’s made it her life’s work to empower the Black community with information, skills, and philosophies that support health, peace of mind, and mutual support. 

Ms Smith is the founder of the Black Health Academy, creator of the Pharm to Table course, and executive director of the 7000+ member Plant Based Nutrition Support Group operating in Detroit (see below for an interview with the founder, Paul Chatlin).

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Empathy is Stronger than Fear: Glenn Murphy on PYP 416

Glenn Murphy returns to Plant Yourself to talk about how we can self-regulate our emotions and actions during a time of great societal upheaval and division.

We talk about our own impulses to “fight” with others, and where there’s a messy intertwining of good intentions and unresolved psychological issues.

We discuss the physiology of the stress response, particularly as it relates to the shame and guilt that accompanies some of our attempts to right wrongs and redress injustices.

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Going from Racist to Anti-racist with Dustin and Josh LaJaunie: PYP 415

Dustin and Josh LaJaunie have amazing transformation stories. They went from obese to fit. From junk food addicts to plant-based eaters. From hunters to vegans. From sedentary to active. 

And, as you’ll see and hear, from racist to antiracist.

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The Role of Science in Public Discourse and Racial Justice: Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, MDs: PYP 414

Team Sherzai, aka Dean and Ayesha, join me on the podcast to talk about the role of science and scientists in dealing with all the false statements propagated on social media (as well as, occasionally, traditional media).

What the Sherzais value highly about science is the holy grail of falsifiability; the challenge that every theory and finding implicitly makes to other scientists: prove me wrong!

They also appreciate the inherent humility that is baked into true science, as well as the imperfect nature of knowledge at any given time.

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Healing Racism in the Vegan / Plant-based Community with Milton Mills, MD: PYP 357

In June, 2019, Dr Milton Mills gave testimony before the USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee about their persistent recommendation to include dairy in our diets.

Dr Mills short presentation was not what I was expecting to hear.

Instead of just repeating the overwhelming body of evidence showing that cow’s milk is not a healthy or suitable food for humans,  he put the debate in the context of racism.

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