Do Vegan Diets Really Require Careful Planning? Dr. Matt Nagra Sets the Record Straight
For years, we've been told that vegan and vegetarian diets "require careful planning" to be healthy — while omnivorous diets get a free pass. But is that really true? In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, host Chuck Carroll sits down with Dr. Matt Nagra to discuss his new peer-reviewed study published in the International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention: "Asymmetrical Dietary Guidance: Reassessing the 'Careful Planning' Caveat in Vegetarian and Vegan Diets." You'll also hear why some vegans experience a slightly higher fracture risk, what's really behind that finding, and how simple nutrition strategies can easily close the gap. In this conversation, you'll learn: What new research reveals about vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets How omnivorous diets often miss critical nutrients for long-term health The role of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium in plant-based nutrition Why all diets require thoughtful planning to meet nutrient needs The real reason vegans may have a higher fracture risk — and how to prevent it How language in nutrition guidelines may unintentionally stigmatize plant-based diets Listen and learn how balanced nutrition guidance can improve health outcomes for everyone — and why reframing the conversation around "careful planning" could change the future of public health. Read the study 👉 https://ijdrp.org/index.php/ijdrp/article/view/615 Visit Dr. Matt Nagra's website 👉 https://drmattnagra.com 🌱 Start your journey to better health today! Work with the expert doctors and dietitians at the Barnard Medical Center: https://www.BarnardMedical.org If you feel like you've raised your health IQ, please leave a 5-star rating and nice review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Supplements Exposed: What's Healthy and What's Harmful | Dr. Gemma Newman
Are supplements helping you — or wasting your money? In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Dr. Gemma Newman joins Chuck Carroll to break down the science, myths, and marketing behind the multibillion-dollar supplement industry. Discover which supplements are truly worth taking, which can be harmful in excess, and how to build better health through a whole-food, plant-based diet. Whether you're taking vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3, or a daily multivitamin, Dr. Newman explains how to personalize your nutrition safely and effectively. In This Episode: - The truth about supplements and what's actually backed by science - Why multivitamins don't extend lifespan — and can sometimes harm your health - How to get vitamin B12 safely - The risks of "natural" supplements - The difference between fish oil vs. algae-based omega-3s - Dr. Newman's SMART method: Science, Mechanism, Aim, Risk vs. Benefit, Tracking - How to spot fake supplement ads and AI deepfakes online Known as The Plant Power Doctor, Dr. Newman is a respected physician and lifestyle medicine expert helping patients reverse chronic disease through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle change. 🌱 Start your journey to better health today! Work with the expert doctors and dietitians at the Barnard Medical Center: https://www.BarnardMedical.org 👩🏼⚕️ Visit Dr. Newman's website: https://gemmanewman.com 💻 Apply to become a Building Healthy Communities intern or see current career openings at PCRM: https://www.pcrm.org/about-us/careers If you feel like you've raised your health IQ, please leave a 5-star rating and nice review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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How To Heal Your Thyroid Naturally | Dr. Neal Barnard
Your thyroid could be the hidden key to your energy, mood, and metabolism. What you eat may be making or breaking it. In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Chuck Carroll sits down with Dr. Neal Barnard to uncover the powerful connection between thyroid health and diet. Discover how eating certain foods and reducing stress can help restore hormone balance, boost metabolism, and reduce inflammation. Dr. Barnard also reveals how dairy, iodine, selenium, and soy all play surprising roles in thyroid function — and what you can do starting today to protect and restore this vital gland. 🍎 In This Episode You'll Learn: - How dairy proteins can trigger autoimmune thyroid disorders - Why people eating a plant-based diet have the lowest rates of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism - The best foods for your thyroid — including seaweed, Brazil nuts, and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables - The truth about soy and cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli - How stress, sleep, and crash diets affect thyroid hormones - The role of environmental toxins and processed foods in hormone disruption 🌱 Start your journey to better thyroid health today! Work with the expert doctors and dietitians at the Barnard Medical Center: https://www.BarnardMedical.org 📕Order your copy of Dr. Barnard's book Your Body In Balance which covers thyroid dysfunction: https://amzn.to/3JcPrcI This episode is sponsored by The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund, which supports organizations like the Physicians Committee that carry on Greg's passion and love for animals through rescue efforts, veganism, and wildlife conservation. Visit their website: https://gregoryreiterfund.org If you feel like you've raised your health IQ, please leave a 5-star rating and nice review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Former CDC Director Reveals The Formula for Better Health | Dr. Tom Frieden
Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to reveal The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives, Including Your Own. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Frieden breaks down what's keeping America sick — from poor diets to toxic environments — and how we can turn the tide with simple, proven steps that save lives. He shares his three-part framework — "See, Believe, Create" — a practical guide for improving personal and public health. Discover what science says about potassium deficiency, the dangers of ultra-processed foods, and how nutrition, environment, and policy can come together to create a healthier world for everyone. Dr. Frieden also discusses: - Why the potassium-to-sodium ratio is one of the strongest predictors of heart health - The impact of microplastics, PFAS, and air pollution (PM2.5) on chronic disease - How food industry tactics mirror Big Tobacco's playbook - The truth about processed meats, sugar-sweetened drinks, and trans fats - What governments can learn from Chile's bold food labeling laws - Why plant-based, high-fiber diets are key to longevity and disease prevention - The risks of animal agriculture and wet markets in future pandemics 📘 Get Dr. Frieden's book: https://amzn.to/4nf1xzU If you feel like you've raised your health IQ, please leave a 5-star rating and nice review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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She Healed Thyroid Cancer Naturally with a Plant-Based Diet | Dr. Ruby Lathon
What happens when a systems engineer is told she has cancer—but refuses to accept that medication and surgery are her only options? In this inspiring episode of The Exam Room Podcast, host Chuck Carroll sits down with Dr. Ruby Lathon, who healed her thyroid cancer naturally through the power of food. Discover how she turned her research skills into a mission to help others use plants to prevent and reverse disease. Ruby shares the exact steps she took to restore her health—including how she eliminated dairy, sugar, and processed foods, and the mindset shift that helped her truly heal. Today, she's thriving as a wellness coach, author, and founder of Ruby Reds Vegan, teaching people that food truly is medicine. What You'll Learn - How Dr. Ruby Lathon reversed thyroid cancer with plant-based nutrition - The foods that help regulate thyroid function and fight inflammation - Ways to make whole-food, plant-based meals delicious and satisfying 📕 Order Dr. Ruby's cookbook, Stop Playin' Go Vegan: https://bit.ly/DrRubyCookbook 🥦 Check out Ruby Reds Vegan meal delivery service: https://www.rubyredsvegan.com This episode is powered by Menopause Makeover that unites the science of strength and the power of transformation—so you can reclaim your body, your life, and your confidence. Check the program out online at https://menopausemakeover.online If you feel like you've raised your health IQ, please leave a 5-star rating and nice review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Dive into the science of your diet! Learn how a humble blueberry can fight cancer or what the longest living cultures in the world are eating. Every episode is packed with facts that will raise your health IQ and boost your nutrition knowledge. "The Weight Loss Champion" Chuck Carroll is joined by Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of The Physicians Committee, and other leading doctors and dietitians. Unlock the secrets to living longer and healthier life and how to fight diseases with every meal.
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