The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

Can an athlete become stronger, recover faster, and clean and jerk more than 440 pounds without eating meat?
Three-time Olympian Kendrick Farris says the answer is yes.
Kendrick represented the United States at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games and was featured in the hit documentary The Game Changers. He ate a standard American diet during his first two Olympic appearances. By his third, he was completely plant-based—and he says the difference was extraordinary.
Kendrick tells Chuck Carroll that he did not lose explosiveness after changing his diet. He believes he gained more, recovered faster, completed more work, and became stronger.
He also opens up about growing up in poverty in Shreveport, Louisiana, where there were days when his family did not have enough food. When he asked his mother what they were eating, her answer was sometimes, "Fast and pray." That experience helped build the faith and discipline that would eventually carry him to the Olympic stage.
In this episode:
How much protein an Olympic weightlifter eats
How his performance changed after going plant-based
His experience competing nine times in one year
Why recovery became his greatest advantage
Why he replaced whey with plant-based protein
The bloating he experienced before changing protein sources
How to order plant-based food at any restaurant
What The Game Changers did for plant-based athletes
Why he believes strength is physical, mental, and spiritual
The Physicians Committee's Plant-Powered Performance sports nutrition course begins Sept. 14 and features live instruction, expert Q&A, recordings, athlete-focused recipes, and practical strategies for improving energy, endurance, strength, and recovery.
🎉 PCRM Sports Nutrition Course
👉 https://bit.ly/PlantBasedAthletePCRM
🏋🏿‍♂️ Kendrick Farris
👉 https://blessthegymforever.com
🙏 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

Can fiber be even more important than protein for athletic performance, muscle health, and healthy aging?
Dr. Regan A. Stiegmann and Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen join "The Exam Room Podcast" to challenge some of the biggest assumptions in fitness and sports nutrition.
Dr. McDowell-Larsen is an exercise physiologist, nine-time Ironman finisher, and age-group world champion who remains an elite competitor at 65. She reveals how changing her diet helped resolve debilitating breathing problems, eliminate her need for three asthma medications, and revive an athletic career she thought was over.
Dr. Stiegmann is a former U.S. Air Force major and flight surgeon who helped advance lifestyle and performance medicine in the military. She explains why nutrition can influence everything from muscle recovery and cognitive performance to military readiness and long-term health.
Together, they explore the emerging gut-muscle connection and explain why America's obsession with protein may be causing athletes to overlook fiber.
In this episode:
Why protein alone may not prevent age-related muscle loss
How fiber supports muscle, bone, and metabolic health
What a 65-year-old Ironman champion eats in a typical day
The relationship between gut health and muscle function
Why exercise cannot erase the effects of a poor diet
The potential risks of extreme endurance exercise
How a plant-based diet may improve recovery
Why some professional athletes keep plant-based eating a secret
How daily choices determine the trajectory of aging
Dr. Stiegmann and Dr. McDowell-Larsen are the co-authors of "Staying in the Game," an evidence-based guide to maintaining physical, mental, and metabolic performance throughout life.
The six-week online course begins Sept. 14 and features live instruction, expert Q&A, recordings, athlete-focused recipes, and practical strategies for improving energy, endurance, strength, and recovery.
Chuck and professional wrestler Dan Healy, known to wrestling fans as Austin Aries, will be among the featured presenters.
 
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
🎉 PCRM Sports Nutrition Course
👉 https://bit.ly/PlantBasedAthletePCRM
📕 Staying In The Game Book
👉 https://amzn.to/3UUx5T4
🚴‍♀️ Sharen McDowell-Larsen Substack
👉 https://sharonmcdowelllarsen.substack.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 action

Why does healthy eating feel so hard—even when we know exactly what to do?
Dr. Doug Lisle joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room to explain the psychology behind The Pleasure Trap and why today's food environment may be even more difficult to navigate than it was two decades ago.
Dr. Lisle is the co-author of The Pleasure Trap and a longtime voice in evolutionary psychology. In this conversation, he shares his perspective on why highly processed foods can be so alluring, why shame and willpower are not enough, and how people can build a more sustainable whole-food plant-based way of eating.
In this episode:
Why the modern food environment can feel impossible to escape
The psychology of pleasure, pain avoidance, and habit
Why healthy diets can fail when they feel too restrictive
Dr. Lisle's "vegan Bushman" approach to calorie density and satisfaction
What he thinks about GLP-1 weight-loss medications
How to judge dietary progress without obsessing over daily scale changes
A preview of his upcoming book, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret of Life
 
Dr. Lisle will also be joining Chuck at the Plant Powered Party in Las Vegas, September 4–6. Chef AJ, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Brooke Goldner, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Columbus Batiste, and many more will be there, too.
Can't make it to Vegas? Watch all three days live from anywhere with replay access for a full year. This is Chef AJ's last event for a long while, so don't miss it. 
Exam Roomies of the Week
Evan Haas
Lucy EverHope
 
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
🎉 Plant-Powered Party Las Vegas
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
📕 The Pleasure Trap
👉 https://amzn.to/4xX1hes
📗 Sherlock Holmes and the Secret of Life
👉 https://bit.ly/SherlockLisleBook
 
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

Can food really be medicine? Dr. Ron Weiss is a physician who believes the answer starts long before a meal reaches your plate—it starts in the soil.
In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Chuck Carroll visits with Dr. Weiss about his unique model of care at Ethos Farm in New Jersey, where regenerative farming and lifestyle-based primary care come together. They explore why soil health matters, what "living soil" means, and how whole plant foods can become a practical, powerful part of a healthier life.
Dr. Weiss also shares how he helps patients make lasting changes without turning healthy eating into an impossible all-or-nothing assignment. From the first plant-based meal to a more intentional plate, this is a conversation about making better health feel more approachable.
You'll learn:
Why Dr. Weiss says the first priority is to eat more whole plants
What regenerative farming and healthy soil have to do with the food we eat
How minimally processed plant foods differ from heavily processed options
Why a healthy lifestyle should be practical, personal, and sustainable
What patients can expect from Dr. Weiss's farm-based model of care
How coaching, lab work, and lifestyle changes can fit into a long-term health plan
Why community support can make healthy change easier to maintain
How to take your first realistic step toward eating more plant-based foods
Dr. Weiss will also be joining Chuck, Chef AJ, Carleigh Bodrug from PlantYou, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and others at the Plant Powered Party in Las Vegas, September 4–6, 2026. It's a full weekend of inspiring speakers, practical presentations, delicious plant-based food, and community. Join in person or watch online from anywhere.
Exam Roomies of the Week
Meng Tee
Andrea Bonnett 
Carolyn Doyle
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
 
🎉 Plant-Powered Party Las Vegas
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
🩺 Ethos Primary Care
👉 https://ethosprimarycare.com
🥕 Ethos Farm
👉 https://ethosfarmtohealth.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 action

Dr. Dawn Mussallem survived stage 4 cancer, received a heart transplant, and became the first person in history to complete a full marathon just one year later.
Her remarkable story doesn't end there.
After experiencing unimaginable loss, Dawn found new love in the produce aisle—thanks to a purple sweet potato. And after 25 years at Mayo Clinic, she is beginning another major chapter as chief medical officer at Fountain Life.
Dawn joins Chuck Carroll to share her extraordinary journey and the health lessons she has learned along the way.
They discuss:
The difference between longevity and health span
The foods associated with healthier aging
Why fiber may be one of the most overlooked health tools
Protein needs for active adults and people taking GLP-1 medications
The surprising reason Dawn developed prediabetes
How sleep can affect blood sugar
Personalized nutrition and the gut microbiome
Her historic marathon after receiving a heart transplant
Finding new love in the produce aisle
Her major career move after 25 years at Mayo Clinic
Chuck and Dawn will both appear at the Plant Powered Party, September 4–6 in Las Vegas. Explore the complete speaker lineup, schedule, tickets, and current virtual-access information at the link below.
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
 
🎉 Plant-Powered Party Las Vegas
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
 
🎉 Dr. Dawn Mussallem
👉 https://dr-dawn.co
 
This episode is powered by Dr. Brooke Bussard — a lifestyle medicine health coach who believes in the power of plants to maximize wellness.
👉 https://drbrookebussard.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 action