In medical school, Benny Gavi was taught all about prostate cancer.
How to diagnose it, and what medicines and procedures were available to treat it.
Years later, he found himself counseling men with prostate cancer, and realized that he had actually been taught only a fraction of what was important.
What had been omitted?
Well, what it's like to have prostate cancer. The life-changing (and not in a good way) side effects of common treatments, including impotence and urinary incontinence. And perhaps most important, how to prevent it.
Dr Gavi did a deep dive into the scientific literature, and was shocked to discover, right there in some of the best-respected and best-known research journals, hundreds of articles that pointed to the possibility of prevention.
Not through medical heroics, but through modest and simple lifestyle and dietary choices.
Like many doctors who eventually give up their nights and weekends to write books, Dr Gavi just got tired of telling the same thing to his patients over and over again – and typically when it was too late for prevention.
With med student and high-powered researcher Maya Eylon, an MD-to-be in her own right, Dr Gavi researched and wrote the book we talk about in this conversation: Preventing Prostate Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Simple, Proactive Choices.
One of the things I love about the book is how un-hype-y it is. There's no loud rah-rah cheering for dogmatic regimens. Instead, Gavi and Eylon share the research findings, and provide commentary and analysis that includes telling the reader how strong the evidence is for various claims.
Another great thing about the book is its comprehensiveness. It covers all the lifestyle and diet domains that have been linked to prostate cancer outcomes, and provides suggestions and pathways for each of them.
Finally, I appreciate the book's simplicity. While not stinting on the evidentiary base, with hundreds upon hundreds of citations, the authors share a few simple strategies that, combined, provide the greatest odds of avoiding — or beating — prostate cancer.
In our conversation, we talk about the book, the difference in medical education from Dr Gavi's time to Maya Eylon's, and their hope for the future of lifestyle medicine.
Enjoy!
Links
Preventing Prostate Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Simple, Proactive Choices
Get in touch with the authors:
Dr. Benny Gavi dr****@in*****************.com
Maya Eylon ma**@in*****************.com
Looking for Transformational Change?
You know how when you discovered plant-based eating, you basically went, “Holy shit, how come the entire healthcare system isn't totally embracing this as one of the most powerful keys to disease prevention and reversal!”?
That's how I feel now about a psychological approach to transformational change called “Memory Reconsolidation.” Few psychologists have heard about it, and when they do hear the radical transformations it can bring about in a very short time, they're often skeptical to the point of disbelief.
But I've added Memory Reconsolidation work to my own coaching, and can attest to its amazing efficacy. So much so, that I'm devoting the next year to mastering it, studying with the best clinicians and teachers in the world, and then introducing it into health coaching through my trainings.
Right now, I want to triple my coaching practice to get more and more opportunities to do this work. And I'm lowering my fees – a lot – to make it easier for people to work with me.
If you're interested in working with me (and willing to commit to a minimum of 2 months), click the link below to open the form in a new browser tab and I'll get back to you within 3 business days.
Yes, I'm interested in Memory Reconsolidation Coaching.
You CAN Change Other People!
Well, that's what Peter Bregman and I claim in our provocative book of that title.
What we really mean is, you can help the people around you make behavioral changes in their own best interests. If you think you're powerless to help people change, it's because you've been going about it the wrong way.
Discover our straightforward, replicable process here: You Can Change Other People.
Audiobook: Use the Weight to Lose the Weight
Listen to Josh LaJaunie and me narrate our latest audiobook, about how to start moving when you're obese.
It's $10, and Josh and I split it evenly 🙂
Tip Jar
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Music
The Plant Yourself Podcast theme music, “Dance of Peace (Sabali Don),” is generously provided by Will Ridenour, a kora player from North Carolina who has trained with top Senegalese musicians.
It can be found on his first CD, titled Will Ridenour.
You can learn about Will, listen to more tracks, and buy music on his website, WillRidenour.com.
Gratitudes
Thanks to Plant Yourself podcast patrons – Kim Harrison – Lynn McLellan – Brittany Porter – Dominic Marro – Barbara Whitney – Tammy Black – Amy Good – Amanda Hatherly – Mary Jane Wheeler – Ellen Kennelly – Melissa Cobb – Rachel Behrens – Tina Scharf – Tina Ahern – Jen Vilkinofsky – David Byczek – Michele X – Elspeth Feldman – Leah Stolar – Allan Kristensen – Colleen Peck – Michele Landry – Jozina – Sara Durkacs – Kelly Cameron – Janet Selby – Claire Adams – Tom Fronczak – Jeannette Benham – Gila Lacerte – David Donohue – Blair Seibert – Doron Avizov – Gio and Carolyn Argentati – Jodi Friesner – Mischa Rosen – Michael Worobiec – AvIvA Lael – Alicia Lemus – Val Linnemann – Nick Harper – Bandana Chawla – Molly Levine – The Inscrutable Harry R – Susan Laverty the Panda Vegan – Craig Covic – Adam Scharf – Karen Bury – Heather Morgan – Nigel Davies – Marian Blum – Teresa Kopel – Julian Watkins – Brid O'Connell – Shannon Herschman – Linda Ayotte – Holm Hedegaard – Isa Tousignant – Connie Haneline – Erin Greer – Alicia Davis – Heather O'Connor – Carollynne Jensen – Sheri Orlekoski of Plant Powered for Health – Karen Smith – Scott Mirani – Karen and Joe Crabtree – Kirby Burton – Theresa Carrell – Kevin Macaulay – Elizabeth Rothschild – Ann Jesse – Sheryl Dwyer – Jenny Hazelton – Peter W Evans – Dennis Bird – Darby Kelly – Lori Fanney – Linnea Lundquist – Emily Iaconelli – Levi Wallach – Rosamonde McAtee – Dan Pokorney – Stephen Leinin – Patty DeMartino – Mike and Donna Kartz – Deanne Bishop – Bilberry Elf – Marjorie Lewis – Tricia Adams – Nancy Sheldon – Lindsey Bashore – Gunn Marit Hagen – Tracey Gulledge – Lara Hedin – Meg from Mamasezz – Stacey Stokes – Ben Savage – Michael K – David Hughes -Coni Rodgers – Claire England – Sally Robertson – Parham Ganchi – Amy Dailey – Brian Tourville – Mark Jeffrey Johnson – Josie Dempsey – Caryn Schmitt – Pamela Hayden – Emily Perryman – Allison Corbett – Richard Stone – Lauren Vaught of Edible Musings – Erin Hastey – Sean Owens – Sagar Naik – Erika Piedra – Danielle Roberts – Michael Leuchten – Sarah Johnson – Katharine Floyd – Meryl Fury – for your generous support of the podcast.
Disclosure
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