The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

When breast cancer touches your life, everyday choices can take on a new urgency. What should you eat? Does exercise matter? And what should you make of products wrapped in pink for breast cancer awareness?
Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll to explore the science behind pink and red plant foods as part of the Physicians Committee's Let's Beat Breast Cancer campaign.
The conversation goes inside strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and beets to explain why similar colors can come from very different compounds—and why an overall eating pattern matters more than chasing one superfood.
You'll hear:
How gut bacteria break down the colorful compounds in berries.
Why tomato sauce can provide more absorbable lycopene than a raw tomato.
What breast cancer survivor research found about fruit and vegetable intake combined with physical activity.
How the pigments in plant foods differ from the pink color in meat.
Why breast cancer fundraising tied to alcohol deserves scrutiny.
Whether cooking and freezing change the benefits of these foods.
How Dr. Barnard went from avoiding berries to eating them every morning.
The research discussion includes both a randomized dietary trial and an observational analysis of diet plus activity.
🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else!
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
💪 Let's Beat Breast Cancer
👉 https://letsbeatbreastcancer.org
▶️ Venus Williams and Dr. Funk Ad
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH4djQ0OATg
This episode of The Exam Room Podcast is sponsored by the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund. Our sincere thanks to Alysoun Mahoney and everyone at the fund for their generous support of the Physicians Committee and The Exam Room Podcast.
🙂 Gregory Reiter Fund
👉 https://gregoryreiterfund.org
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
- 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.

An abnormal mammogram. No ride to the next appointment. No one to watch the kids. And a paycheck that won't stretch far enough to cover both groceries and medical care.
Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk explains how those everyday challenges can become barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment—and why helping women overcome them can change lives.
She joins Chuck Carroll to examine a troubling finding: Black women have a lower overall incidence of breast cancer than white women, yet a higher death rate. Dr. Funk explains why differences in age, cancer subtype, and stage at diagnosis don't tell the whole story.
The conversation also follows the connections between the food available in a neighborhood and the health of the people living there. What happens when nutritious food is difficult to find, but less healthy options are everywhere? And how do insulin resistance, inflammation, hormones, and gut bacteria fit into the breast cancer picture?
You'll hear:
Whether ultra-processed foods can cause breast cancer
The difference between a food desert and a food swamp
How insulin resistance can affect hormone signaling
The gut microbiome's role in processing estrogen
How patient navigators help women manage their breast cancer journey
Overlooked symptoms that deserve attention after treatment
Dr. Funk's experience working with Venus Williams
At the heart of this conversation is a practical question: What can we change so more women get the food, care, and support they need?
🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else!
👉 https://pcrm.org/SupportExamRoom
💪 Let's Beat Breast Cancer
👉 https://letsbeatbreastcancer.org
📕 Breasts: The Owners Manual by Dr. Funk
👉 https://link.amazon/B0edhJ8lr
▶️ Venus Williams and Dr. Funk Ad
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH4djQ0OATg
 
Make a gift to support The Exam Room Podcast and the life-changing work of the Physicians Committee. All gifts of $20 or more receive a mention on the show. Gifts of $100 or more receive an exclusive Exam Room Podcast tote!
Exam Roomie of the Week
- Guillermo Irizarry

This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

- 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.

Is yogurt really good for your gut? What about dairy kefir—and are plant-based yogurts a better choice?
Gastroenterologist Dr. Alan Desmond joins Chuck Carroll to examine the human research behind some of the biggest claims in the yogurt aisle. They discuss why live cultures do not automatically mean lasting health benefits, where fermented dairy can help people with lactose intolerance, what to look for in a plant-based yogurt, and why your overall eating pattern matters more than one product.
Dr. Desmond also talks about his new book, What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You About Food, and the chapter that has drawn more pushback than any other.
In this episode: 
Yogurt and the microbiome
Dairy versus plant-based yogurt
Kefir studies
Lactose intolerance
Fiber and gut health
🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else!
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/examroomvip
📕 Dr. Alan Desmond Book
👉 https://link.amazon/B028fE68A
📱 Website
👉 https://www.alandesmond.com
 
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
- 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.

Too tired to cook, but still want a meal you feel good about? PlantYou creator and bestselling cookbook author Carleigh Bodrug joins Chuck Carroll live on The Exam Room to talk about quick, easy plant-based meals for busy people.
 
Carleigh's new cookbook, PlantYou Quickies, is packed with approachable recipes and ideas for the nights when your time and energy are limited. Chuck and Carleigh explore pantry staples, convenient shortcuts, flexible meals, low-effort dinners, and ways to make plant-based cooking feel doable in real life. 
 
What would you make with fifteen minutes and the ingredients already in your kitchen? Bring your questions to the live chat and join the conversation.
 
📕 PlantYou Quickies Book
👉 https://link.amazon/B0bZyi4fT
 
📱 PlantYou Videos
👉 https://www.instagram.com/plantyou
 
Make a gift to support The Exam Room Podcast and the life-changing work of the Physicians Committee. All gifts of $20 or more receive a mention on the show. Gifts of $100 or more receive an exclusive Exam Room Podcast tote!
 
Exam Roomie of the Week
- Lorraine Smith
 
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
 
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
 
- 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.

Nearly one-third of American adults may have some form of iron deficiency. Does that mean we should be eating more meat—or could that advice create an entirely different set of health problems?
 
Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll to examine a Washington Post article recommending meat, poultry, and seafood as sources of highly absorbable heme iron. They also explore the counterargument from Dr. Jim Loomis of Barnard Medical Center, who says beans and greens are the healthier choice.
 
You'll learn how to meet your iron needs while eating a plant-based diet, including the best foods, the importance of vitamin C, and common mistakes that can interfere with absorption.
 
Dr. Barnard also examines the complete nutritional package that comes with each source of iron. How do beans compare with beef when calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, and protein are considered? And what could the choice mean for LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, blood pressure, weight, and other metabolic markers?
 
Plus, discover the potential concerns surrounding heme iron, including its associations with colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, oxidative stress, and type 2 diabetes.
 
Topics discussed include:
Heme iron vs. non-heme iron
The best plant-based sources of iron
Beans, lentils, tofu, seeds, whole grains, and leafy greens
How vitamin C improves iron absorption
Ferritin, hemoglobin, and transferrin saturation
When an iron supplement may be necessary
The potential risks of taking iron without medical supervision
Calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, and fiber in iron-rich foods
Heme iron and the risks of cancer and heart disease
 
🥩 Iron in Meat Linked to Heart Disease
👉 https://bit.ly/meat-iron-risk
 
This episode of The Exam Room Podcast is sponsored by the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund. Our sincere thanks to Alysoun Mahoney and everyone at the fund for their generous support of the Physicians Committee and The Exam Room Podcast.
 
🙂 Gregery Reiter Fund
👉 https://gregoryreiterfund.org
 
Make a gift to support The Exam Room Podcast and the life-changing work of the Physicians Committee.
 
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
 
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
 
- 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 action