The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

Heart disease is the leading cause of death — but it's also one of the most preventable conditions. 
In this episode of The Exam Room, Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll to reveal the best foods for reversing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, and protecting your arteries naturally.
Dr. Barnard breaks down the science behind oats, beans, walnuts, leafy greens, flaxseed, berries, and more — and explain how these foods help remove LDL cholesterol, improve endothelial function, and reduce inflammation.
Can plaque really shrink? How fast can cholesterol levels drop? What should you eat if you've already had a heart attack?
If you're serious about improving your cardiovascular health, this evidence-based conversation offers practical steps you can start today.
🧠 Topics Covered:
- How plaque forms in arteries
- Foods that lower LDL cholesterol quickly
- Nitric oxide and circulation
- Inflammation and heart disease
- How soluble fiber clears cholesterol
- Why beans may be better than meat for your heart
- The truth about cooking oil
- Do nuts help or hurt?
- Why berries are heart-protective
According to the CDC, nearly 80% of heart disease cases may be preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.
That means what you eat matters — a lot.
If you're trying to lower cholesterol naturally, reduce plaque buildup, or protect your arteries, this episode is packed with evidence-based guidance.
🛳️ Dr. Barnard's Bon Voyage Bash: Houston!
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/events/bon-voyage-bash-houston
🍎 International Conference on Nutrition In Medicine
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/ICNM
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Garlic may be one of the most powerful foods in your kitchen due to its vast health benefits.
In this episode, Dr. Hana Kahleova joins Chuck Carroll to explain the science behind garlic's impact on cholesterol, blood pressure, immune function, antioxidant production, and even gene signaling. Backed by randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses, she reveals how just one clove per day may help improve cardiovascular health and reduce infection risk.
🧠 In this episode:
- Is fresh garlic better than supplements?
- Can garlic really reduce LDL cholesterol?
- Does it help prevent colds?
- What about blood pressure?
Plus, practical tips for using garlic daily without smelling like an Italian restaurant on a first date.
🧄 Garlic Press
👉 https://amzn.to/3Of2mgi
💙 Watch Dr. Kahleova's Presentation
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-xGZKkZA1s
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom

- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Millions of Americans are turning to GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. But here's the question few are asking: What happens when you stop?
Research shows that many people regain a significant portion of the weight within a year of discontinuing GLP-1 medications. In some studies, participants regained as much as two-thirds of the weight they lost.
On this episode of The Exam Room, Chuck Carroll sits down with world-renowned obesity researcher James Hill, PhD to unpack the real story behind long-term weight management after GLP-1 medications.
Dr. Hill is a pioneering scientist and former president of The Obesity Society and The American Society for Nutrition. Along with Dr. Holly Wyatt, he co-authored the new book Losing the Weight Loss Meds: A 10-Week Playbook for Stopping GLP-1 Medications Without Regaining the Weight.
In this conversation, you'll learn:
• Are GLP-1 medications meant to be long-term?
• What happens inside the body when you stop taking them
• Why so many people regain weight after discontinuing
• The 10-week transition strategy for maintaining weight loss
• The three types of weight regain—and how to avoid each
• How to quiet food noise and cravings naturally
• Daily habits that can replace the work of GLP-1 medications
Chuck also shares his personal perspective on long-term weight loss success, including:
• What he's learned after weight loss surgery
• The lifestyle shifts that made his results sustainable
• And what he wishes he knew before surgery that he knows now
If you're considering GLP-1 medications, currently using them, or thinking about stopping, this episode could change how you approach weight maintenance forever.
📕 Order the book "Losing the Weight Loss Meds"
👉 https://amzn.to/3Mrm485
💙 Chuck's Newsletter
👉 https://www.chuckcarroll.com
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

For the first time publicly, the cause of death of renowned plant-based cardiologist Dr. Baxter Montgomery is revealed.
In this powerful and respectful conversation, Jackie Williams shares that Dr. Montgomery battled two rare blood disorders: multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis.
What are these diseases?
Could diet have caused them?
Can lifestyle medicine reverse everything?
🧠 In this episode:
• What multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis are
• Who is most affected
• Why his diet did not cause his illness
• The limits — and power — of nutrition
• The legacy he leaves behind
The discussion begins with Jackie who shares her personal journey from grief and declining health to vibrant whole-food, plant-based living.
After years helping build Montgomery Heart & Wellness and supporting thousands of patients, Jackie is now seeking her next opportunity within the plant-based and lifestyle medicine community. If you're looking for experience in patient support, community building, events, or plant-based education, she is open to continuing this work.
We discuss Dr. Montgomery's cause of death beginning at 26:38
📕 Montgomery Heart & Wellness YouTube
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@MontgomeryHeartWellness
📲 Contact Jackie Williams
👉 https://www.instagram.com/jackiewillmhw
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom

- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Your gut has a clock — and most people are completely out of sync.
In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Chuck Carroll sits down with gastroenterologist and three-time bestselling author Will Bulsiewicz to explain how circadian rhythm controls gut health, inflammation, energy, and even your bowel movements.
You'll learn why mornings matter more than sleep alone, how cortisol actually helps your gut when it's timed correctly, and how light, movement, and meal timing send powerful signals to your microbiome. 
Dr. B breaks down groundbreaking research showing that circadian disruption can flatten microbial diversity, weaken the gut barrier, and drive inflammation even without changes in diet.
If you wake up tired, bloated, anxious, constipated, or wired-but-exhausted, this episode explains why — and what to do about it.
🧠 In this episode:
- How circadian rhythm affects digestion, immunity, and inflammation
- Why morning light is the strongest signal for gut health
- How jet lag, shift work, and irregular mornings disrupt the microbiome
- The ideal morning routine to support gut motility and energy
- Why consistency matters more than perfection
📕 Order Plant Powered Plus
👉 https://amzn.to/49jRDcz
🎧 The Gut Insiders Podcast
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@theguthealthmd/podcasts
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom

- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.