Plant Proof - Plant Based Nutrition & Inspirational Stories

In Episode #26 of The Proof podcast, I talked with Julian Mitchell about the nutritional and medicinal properties of mushrooms. Julian is the co-founder of Life Cykel, an Australian-based private company that forages for mushrooms and grows them under specific conditions before extracting the medicinal components and packaging them as extracts. On top of that, Julian and his team have set up the National Mushroom Network, which offers everyday people a way to grow commercial amounts of mushrooms in their backyards to service their local communities while generating an income at the same time.   In this episode, we discussed Julian’s personal path to discovering a passion for sustainable food alternatives, how Life Cykel was founded, the different types of medicinal mushrooms and their benefits, and much more.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit thep

In Episode #25, I chatted to Emily Hazell, owner of Serotonin Eatery in Melbourne, about cultivating happiness with healthy habits. We covered Emily’s personal health journey and how she went from a career in customer service to build her own business. Listen to find out what inspired the Serotonin Eatery concept, how she set up and marketed the business, and how she uses elements of design to improve the mood of her customers.   There are some great takeaways in this episode, including Emily’s personal tips for finding true happiness and her twelve-step Serotonin formula. Connect with Serotonin on Instagram @serotonindealer or Emily directly @emilyhazellnut.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.  Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons)  Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill  Author of The Proof is in the Plants  Wat

In Episode #24, I sat down with co-founder of Plant Based News, Robbie Lockie. Plant Based News has quickly grown to become one of, if not the, most-visited websites for the latest, minute-by-minute, plant-based news. The entire platform is aimed at making people more conscious of the environment, their health, and the other living beings that we share the planet with. Their mission and goals are so well aligned with my own that I couldn’t miss the opportunity to have Robbie on the show to hear just how things have unfolded for him personally and the amazing media company he founded with his business partner, Klaus Mitchell.   Listen to the episode to find out about Robbie’s childhood in Zimbabwe and why he moved to London, his passion for media, his transition to a plant-based lifestyle, the inspiration and team behind Plant Based News, what the future holds for this company, and much more.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and serv

In Episode #23 of The Proof, Jeremy Butler shares his journey from a keto to a plant-based diet. At first glance, Jeremy is your everyday Aussie bloke, who for many years focused, with the best of intentions, on being the healthiest version of himself. What’s fascinating is that beneath the surface Jeremy has gone through a tremendous amount of trial and error to ultimately discover a dietary lifestyle that aligns with his inner values: a diet that causes less harm and promotes longevity.   Listen to find out about Jeremy’s experiences with both the paleo and ketogenic diets and the inner health effects that he noticed behind closed doors. For years, Jeremy ignored these signs and symptoms because he was so committed to the movement, until he had a shift in priorities. He shared with me how he felt on these diets, why he transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, how it felt to become more compassionate towards other life, and how he encourages healthy eating habits at home with his wife and two children. If yo

In Episode #22, I spoke with Thomas King, CEO and founder of Food Frontier, about cellular and plant-based meat alternatives and how they can save the world. Only 22 years old, Thomas is still one of the most impressive humans I have come across. At age 13, he set up the world’s most-visited website on unsustainable palm oil and the industry’s detrimental effects on the environment. In 2015, Thomas received the Young Australian of the Year award for his work as an environmental activist. Most recently, Thomas has become passionate about alternative meat solutions to help reduce the effect of our current food system on animals and the environment.   In this episode, we discussed how Thomas’s passion for our environment developed and his role as an activist, as well as the current food system, its effects on our environment, and alternative meat solutions. Listen to find out what cellular or clean meat is, how it’s produced and regulated, and what the future of cellular meat and plant-based meat alternatives lo

In Episode #21, I spoke with animal activist James Aspey on the horrors of factory farming and why he gave up meat. An Australian animal activist and vegan, James incredibly took a year-long vow of silence to raise awareness of the animal cruelty that takes place within our food system. He has since become one of the world’s best-known animal activists, having given over 500 free speeches across the globe. James lives and breathes this and is well equipped to explain the scale of the issue of animal-product consumption.    In this episode, we talked about James’s childhood and his health journey, particularly a pivotal time of his life that led him to become more health conscious. He shares more about that year-long vow of silence, what that was like, and how he makes money to be able to dedicate his entire life to activism. We talked about the factory farms and what goes on there and what resources you can check out to educate yourself further. Listen to hear James explain why everyone should consider elimin

In Episode #20, Australian celebrity TV host (and vegan) Osher Günsberg (who formerly went by Andy G or Andrew G) shares his story and, in particular, his battle with mental illness and addiction. With his gift of the gab and contagious smile, it would seem Osher was always destined to entertain, but just how did a kid with anxiety end up hosting live TV in front of millions of viewers? What toll did that take on his mental and physical health? And what learnings does he have to share from that experience?   That’s exactly what this episode is all about – Osher came over to my place in Bondi and we had a really open and honest conversation about what he went through behind the scenes, from the terrible lows to the positive learnings and life-changing experiences. He shared how he has learned to deal with mental illness and alcohol addiction, his battle with weight, why he went plant-based, and how he ended up on the cover of Men’s Health. If you are an Australian and know of Osher, this episode will provide y

In Episode #19, I talked with Frank Cusimano (@dr.cusimano) about using science to make informed food choices. With a host of scientific degrees under his belt, a PhD in nutrition, a medical degree underway, and an absolute passion for reading scientific literature, Frank Cusimano is perfectly suited to navigate us through some commonly asked questions about healthy eating. Interestingly, Frank doesn’t specifically classify himself as a vegan. Rather, he chooses his food based on what science says are the healthiest forms of nutrition, and it just so happens that these are animal-free products.   In this episode, we cover Frank’s story and his transition to a plant-based diet. We also dive into a number of common questions around healthy eating, including the optimal times to eat meals, whether we should fast, how much protein we need, whether coconut oil and soy are healthy or beneficial, how important omega-3s are, and much more.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support

In Episode #18, I sat down with Zanna Van Dijk (@zannavandijk) to talk about leading a conscious life to leave the world in a better place than we found it. Zanna is an extraordinary example of a modern-day plant-based woman who is leading by example to make the world and herself happier and healthier. As you’ll find out, Zanna leads a very busy life and does an amazing job of inspiring people through so many different channels. I had a real ‘hoot’ recording this light-hearted conversation with her in Wimbledon, and it throws up many themes that I hope will provoke further thought by all who listen.   Listen to the episode to hear about Zanna’s early life and her time at university studying speech pathology. We also talked about when and why she started her Instagram; her role as ambassador for Adidas; the #girlgains movement co-created by Zanna; the Fit & Fearless podcast on BBC, which Zanna co-hosts; her brand Stay Wild, which produces swimwear from recycled ocean plastic; and much more.    Enjoy, friends.

In Episode #17, I chatted to the gut health MD Dr William Bulsiewicz about how to cultivate a healthy gut microbiome and what this actually means. Dr B, as he prefers to be called, has a fun and agenda-free way of bringing the latest in gut health science to his clinical practice, website, and social media (@theguthealthmd) for us all to benefit from. Dr B’s résumé speaks for itself: he’s a qualified MD, board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology, a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation, and was chief gastroenterology fellow at UNC. He has also published more than twenty scientific articles and given more than forty presentations at national meetings. On top of this, Dr B continues to practice clinically. In this episode, we discussed what the microbiome is and how it can be disrupted, what pre- and probiotics are and what role they play, and how to cultivate a healthy microbiome on a plant-based diet. This episode includes lots of practical information to implement in your own lifestyle.

In Episode #16, I spoke to Fiona Oakes about her path to becoming a marathon runner with three world records despite losing her kneecap (patella) to an illness when she was 17. For me, the really fascinating thing about Fiona’s story is that, despite growing up in a nonvegetarian family, she chose to eat a vegetarian diet at 3 years old and a completely plant-based diet by age 6 due to her love for all animals. After finishing school and working in an office job in London, she eventually started up an animal sanctuary in Essex that still exists today and provides a loving home to over 400 animals.   Fiona is passionate about raising awareness of animal cruelty and showing the world that veganism is both a compassionate and a healthy way to live that can fuel amazing athletic performance. In this episode, we covered Fiona’s conscious decision not to eat animal products at such an early age and how she was ‘different’ to many of her peers growing up. We also discussed her early career in London, how the animal

In Episode #15 of The Proof podcast, I spoke with vegan Derek Sarno about his journey to choosing a life of compassion. Derek Sarno is one of the world’s best-known vegan chefs. One half of the Wicked Healthy team, Derek heads up plant-based product innovation for British grocery giant Tesco. While visiting London, I caught up with Derek and saw firsthand how much love and energy he puts into the food that he creates – just take one look at his Instagram and you will see what I mean! This guy is seriously creative, seriously compassionate, and seriously switched on when it comes to changing the landscape of healthy grocery food.   In this episode, we discussed Derek’s story, from his early years and his diet as a child to becoming a chef and his role at Tesco. Listen to discover how Derek found his way out of grief and substance abuse to adopt a plant-based lifestyle defined by compassion. Connect with Derek, his brother, and Wicked Healthy on Instagram or their website (@DerekSarno, @ChadSarno, @Wickedhealth

In Episode #14, I talked with Matt Cama, an animal activist and weight loss coach from Australia, to ask him to shed some light on what’s happening in factory farms. The cool thing about Matt is that he’s not your typical old-school animal activist – he doesn’t approach things with anger or aggression. His motto is ‘compassion above all else’, and he uses this approach to effectively communicate his message to people from all walks of life, including those with different opinions and belief systems.   In this episode, we chatted about Matt’s upbringing, why he was inspired to change to a plant-based diet and become an animal activist, and how he effectively communicates his message. We also talked about his first-hand experiences at factory farms, and he shared some tips for educating children on where animal products come from. Connect with Matt on Instagram.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To

In Episode #13 of The Proof podcast, Max La Manna shares his story of how to live a no-waste life. Max is the perfect example of a typical American kid who grew up in the 80s and 90s thinking that an Italian American diet, full of meat and cheese, was normal and healthy. Despite having always been slightly more environmentally conscious than his peers, which he credits to the way he was raised, there was a pivotal moment in Max’s life where this consciousness was raised to a new level. To an extent, this moment redefined who he was and helped him work out his true purpose. Today, Max is a passionate vegan, an advocate for living a no-waste life, and an all-round great guy.   Listen to the episode to hear about Max’s personal story and his transition to a plant-based lifestyle, why he cares about the environment, how he lives a no-waste life, and how you can reduce waste in your own life. Connect with Max on Instagram – @maxlamanna – or on his own website.    Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show? 

In Episode #12 I sat down with Ben Handsaker (better known as Abstacker), an Australian champion fitness model, cover model, international motivational speaker, and top performing coach. At the 2014 Musclemania Australian championship, Ben won first place in men’s physique and first place overall. He has since landed four covers in large global fitness magazines and has appeared in fifty fitness magazines around the world.   Despite all this success, Ben’s journey has not been without insecurity, failure, and adversity. Ben was once an overweight party boy who had little regard for his health and wellness. In this episode, learn how Ben was able to turn his life around. We also discussed his morning rituals, how he maintains a positive mindset and handles stress, and his top tips for weight loss and building rock hard abs. Ben is hands down the most motivational and inspiring guy I’ve met, and I recommend this episode for anyone wanting to improve their mindset, become a more positive person, and get better r

In Episode #11, I connected with Sam Webb to find out about his experiences with mental health. We talked about Sam’s personal mental health battles and how he dealt with the suicide of his best mate. He shared the inspiration behind Livin, the non-profit mental health organisation that Sam co-founded, and some tips for handling your own mental health issues or helping a friend with mental health issues.   Connect with Sam on Instagram or check out the Livin website for more information about the organisation and what they offer.   Enjoy, friends.   Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.  Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons)  Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill  Author of The Proof is in the Plants  Watch the episodes on YouTube, or Listen on Apple/Spotify  Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook  Download my complimentary

In Episode #10, I was joined by Ellie Bullen, one of the best-known health and wellness influencers online. Listen to the episode to find out about her upbringing, including her relationship with her twin sister Lauren (gypsea_lust) and her time in the army. Learn about why Ellie moved to a plant-based diet, her top tips for transitioning to a plant-based diet, and how she grew her online social community on Instagram (@elsas_wholesomelife). We also discussed her website and cookbook.   Enjoy, friends.  Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.  Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill  Author of The Proof is in the Plants  Watch the episodes on YouTube, or Listen on Apple/Spotify  Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook  Download my complimentary two week meal plan and high protein plant perfo

In Episode #9 of The Proof podcast, I talked to Dr Padma Garvey about her story and how she uses plant-based nutrition in her medical practice. We covered Padma and her family’s personal transition to a plant-based lifestyle, as well as diving into how she uses plant-based nutrition clinically and explains it to her patients.  Some specific topics that we touch on are how the number of menstruation cycles over a woman’s life can be affected by animal products, particularly high-fat animal products; tips for cooking with oil; and changes in the Indian diet. Padma also shares some great tips for anyone transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle. If you enjoy the episode and want to hear more from Padma, you can jump over to her podcast: the Doctor Mom’s Podcast by Dr Padma Garvey on iTunes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show?  The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.  Simon

In Episode #8, I spoke to Jermaine Jones, professional soccer player and plant-based. He grew up in Germany, where he began his professional soccer career. He then represented Germany before moving to Los Angeles and playing for the USA. Jermaine now resides in Malibu, California, and his wife and five children all live a plant-based lifestyle. In this episode, Jermaine shares his story from his youth all the way up to today, including the magical goal he scored against Portugal in the 2014 World Cup. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.  Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Watch the episodes on YouTube, or Listen on Apple/Spotify. Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Download my complimentary two week meal plan and high protein p

In Episode #7, I spoke to Maya French, the co-founder of start-up company ‘Koia’. Koia produces plant-based beverages sold across the USA in thousands of stores, including Whole Foods. In this podcast, Maya shares how the Koia brand has developed since its inception, gives insight into how to raise funds for start-ups in this space, and provides an overview of her company structure. She also gives a glimpse into what it’s like to work with a major retail giant like Whole Foods.  Anyone who is interested in start-ups and business in general will find this conversation interesting. It’s a tad shorter than my typical podcasts, but with some great take-home learnings. I hope you enjoy the listen. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Pr