Will Bulsiewicz, MD MSCI, trained to become a gastroenterologist at some of the top hospitals in the world: Georgetown, the University of North Carolina (go ‘heels!), and Northwestern. He's board certified in both gastroenterology and internal medicine.
Why am I trotting out Will's credentials to introduce this podcast? Because even with all that education, Will found himself unable to answer even his patients' most basic questions about what they could do about their own GI conditions.
What should they eat? What should they avoid? What causes gluten sensitivity and celiac disease? Why eat local and organic?
None of that was covered in his medical education or subsequent internship and residency. Instead, he and his profession were trained exquisitely in the cellular and molecular minutiae of pathology.
It's like someone studying to become a highway safety engineer spending a decade learning what happens when a car bumper strikes different kinds of concrete barriers, and the best ways to repair those barriers following an accident. And never getting any training in how to design safe roads.
Will grew unsatisfied with his role as diagnoser and pill promoter, and dove into the scientific research on the link between nutrition, lifestyle, and the newly emerging understanding of the microbiome. What he learned, he implemented. And through his teaching and social media outreach, he taught.
With a popular Instagram channel (10k+ followers, baby!), he's educating the world about the power of diet and lifestyle to give us a healthy gut and a healthy life.
Will and I covered a ton of ground, including:
- training to become a plant-based gastroenterologist – and finding out that things were missing
- unable to answer patients' basic questions about nutrition and GI conditions – even after studying at the top programs in the country
- the power of a vegetarian wife
- “the way we are eating in the US is a tremendous mistake”
- “we don't have to wait for better science”
- sharing the information on gut health via Instagram and public speaking
- the 1500-page pathology textbook that doctors know backwards and forwards
- medical training focuses on disease and treatment on a cellular level, and missing the obvious causation
- “our training system isn't designed to prevent disease”
- “we wait until you have disease, and then intervene”
- the conversations that need to happen at ob/gyn, pregnancy, and pediatric visits
- the three-part etiology of celiac disease
- the new science of gut health
- 99% of our DNA isn't our own
- genetics didn't pan out like we thought when we unlocked the genetic code – predispositions, not predictions
- 95% of our serotonin is produced in the gut – the link between GI health and depression?
- how animal foods compromise our microbiome diversity
- thousands of chemical preservatives in our food with no long-term safety studies
- the move from an ancient to a modern lifestyle in a very short time
- the importance of fermentation
- why healthy soil is necessary for healthy plants – and healthy humans
- “drink two monstrous glasses of water every morning”
- why his son enjoys bitter broccoli sprouts
- the immense benefits and reversible dangers of chlorinated water
- why and how to filter drinking water
- what about kombucha: healthy beverage or dental nightmare?
- the true significance of the Blue Zones data
- how to make sauerkraut without fancy equipment
- how exercise and sleep affect gut health
- why hugging a tree isn't just for treehuggers
- Dr B's Instagram “Tournament of Plants”
- and much more…
Enjoy, add your voice to the conversation via the comment box below, and please share – that's how we spread our message and spread our roots.
Links
Dr B on Instagram and Facebook
Pickle Pebbles on amazon
Fermentation Weights on amazon
Elena Verdú's Gluten Intolerance research
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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
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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
This post may contain amazon affiliate links. I may receive compensation from your actions on such links. It don't cost you a dime, tho.
This was even more interesting than usual – thank you, Howard!!
If you are still battling with your sauerkraut 🙂 , I’ve found “Fermented Vegetables” by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey a great resource with simple recipes and practical advice.
Thanks, Nigel! Will check out the book as soon as I get my next amazon affiliate gift certificate!
You don’t need to court sodium or sugar risks in kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha, if you want to incorporate fermented foods into your diet. Make your own soy-based yogurt, which you can also use for dressings, sauces, in baking, and strain into creme fraiche and cream cheese.
Thanks for the tip, Cathy!