Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey there, sunshine. Welcome to the Power On Plants podcast. We're your host, jared and Anita Roussell, and we're absolutely head over heels for whole plant foods and helping you navigate this incredible plant based journey. That's because our lives have been completely changed by plant based goodness. We used to struggle every day with excess pounds and low energy, vascular disease, joint pain and lack of sleep, just to name a few, and even though we're medical professionals, we still weren't getting practical answers that actually worked. So we dug into the research, we started living what we learned, and now we both have our lives back, and that's what we want for you, too. The truth is, you can do this, and it's not hard. You just need a way that will bring real and lasting change, and that path. It has to be simple and enjoyable, and it's got to be delicious too. So are you ready to live your life to the fullest? Then you're in the right place, because living without limits that's what Power On Plants is all about. So pull up your chair, grab a matcha latte and let's get started.

Speaker 2: 1:07

Alright, in today's episode of Power On Plants, we're flipping the script just a little bit.

Speaker 1: 1:12

I knew this was going to happen. Yes, you knew it was just an eventuality.

Speaker 2: 1:17

Well, today I have planned the episode and I have left Anita a little bit in the dark on what we're talking about Completely in the dark.

Speaker 1: 1:25

It's black over here, y'all Just saying it. I need a flashlight.

Speaker 2: 1:29

Yes, go back and listen to episode 224, where she pulled that on me. And that's not the only one, ladies and gentlemen. That is not the only one.

Speaker 1: 1:37

Yeah, no, you can listen to a lot of episodes and hear that happening.

Speaker 2: 1:41

Yes, I thought today not that this is retribution, but I had an interesting idea.

Speaker 1: 1:46

It feels like retribution. Well, it's not.

Speaker 2: 1:49

It's not I promise you it's not, but I want to take you, our listener, on just a little bit of a thought journey here, and I wanted Anita to go along with you, and it'll make complete sense here in just a moment, alright, whenever we think about certain foods like meat, what is the first thing that comes to? Mind with meat.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Well, okay, I'm sorry y'all, you'll get there if you're not there yet. I used to love meat. I used to love it. I grew up in a barbecue restaurant. It was my life, but I know how to have it now and it turns my. You'll get there. You will get there, trust me. I know you think there's no way. I will not love that. But okay, I'm sorry I'm hijacking the episode.

Speaker 2: 2:35

No, maybe this keeping you in the dark was a bad idea. I did not expect you to say that.

Speaker 1: 2:40

Okay, say it again. What was the question? But when you think about meat.

Speaker 2: 2:44

What is it that you think about?

Speaker 1: 2:46

What is it that I would have liked back in the day? Not?

Speaker 2: 2:49

so much liked. But just in general, back in the day, meat. I'll help you out here Protein.

Speaker 1: 2:57

Okay, or where do you get your protein. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 3:01

What is the knee jerk reflex reaction? It's meat.

Speaker 1: 3:04

Uh huh, yeah, if somebody asked me where I got my protein back, then it would immediately have been that.

Speaker 2: 3:09

Or if someone first told you okay, you have to stop eating animal based products and just eat plants, one of the very first thoughts would be where do I get my protein?

Speaker 1: 3:19

Where do you?

Speaker 2: 3:19

get your protein.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Or calcium, calcium.

Speaker 2: 3:23

Well, you took one. I was actually headed just there. Why are you A half a second away from that?

Speaker 1: 3:29

Yeah, because I know that dairy with animal products. I wasn't thinking meat, but I was thinking more with dairy.

Speaker 2: 3:34

Yes, so then with dairy? If I say you can't have dairy, what is the thought?

Speaker 1: 3:39

that I would have been worried.

Speaker 2: 3:41

Yeah, well, you would have been worried one because you loved it so much. But Well, yeah, but then nutritionally what is the thought that comes to mind?

Speaker 1: 3:47

Yeah, calcium. How am I going to get my calcium? What's going to happen to my bones? Are they going to become brittle? Am I going to get osteoporosis?

Speaker 2: 3:55

Now, why are those the first thoughts that come to your mind? Pause.

Speaker 1: 4:01

Well, I know now why it is. I know why I think it is All right.

Speaker 2: 4:05

well, why you are listener? Why do you think that is that that is the first thing that comes to your mind when either of those subjects are brought up?

Speaker 1: 4:14

You want me to tell you Programming. It's programming it's, marketing it's marketing. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:21

What about? Do you ever think where am I going to get my potassium? Have you ever ever thought about where am I going to get my potassium?

Speaker 1: 4:30

No.

Speaker 2: 4:30

Where am I going to get my magnesium? Where am I going to get my manganese? These are all important.

Speaker 1: 4:35

Where are we going to get our phytonutrients?

Speaker 2: 4:37

Well, phytonutrients yes, but even just thinking minerals like calcium, I'm doing kind of a one to one there so potassium very important for nerve bone health extremely important. It's as plentiful in our body as is sodium. Sodium, typically, is found outside our cells. Potassium is found inside of our cells and then whenever a nerve fires, you get depolarization and these ions are going in and out of cells. So, extremely important you must have potassium, but have you ever worried about do I have enough potassium?

Speaker 1: 5:08

Not really.

Speaker 2: 5:09

Except for maybe, like if you have a muscle cramp.

Speaker 1: 5:11

Right Sometimes Maybe.

Speaker 2: 5:12

We've kind of been programmed to say, oh, you got a muscle cramp, Ah you need a banana.

Speaker 1: 5:15

Go get some potassium. Get some potassium. You need a banana yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:17

Interesting fact, though, is that bananas are not your absolute best source of potassium Right. Do they have it, yes, but I seem to recall seeing a list where a certain cane I'm not going to name the name because I don't want you going out buying this candy thing. It's a good source of potassium, but there was a popular candy that was actually found to have a little bit more potassium than a banana.

Speaker 1: 5:36

Volume for volume so do bananas have it? No, no, I just got to say no to the candy thing. No, exactly.

Speaker 2: 5:43

So bananas do have it, but other things do as well.

Speaker 1: 5:46

Well, yeah, and there are better plant-based sources of them than as well, we were talking about dates on the last episode.

Speaker 2: 5:53

Those are a fantastic source of potassium.

Speaker 1: 5:55

Now you're talking my language.

Speaker 2: 5:57

Prunes are a fantastic source of potassium.

Speaker 1: 5:59

Love them so.

Speaker 2: 6:00

Do we ever worry about these other things?

Speaker 1: 6:03

No, and then what about the other nutrients that we don't even know about, that are in the feeds? I mean, we worry about this little nutrient and that little one-off nutrient and that little one-off nutrient. We've been programmed especially for these two biggies that you brought up today, which were great points. Yes, where do I get my protein? And are my bones going to become brittle and I'm going to crumble? I mean really. So I have this thinking, and it starts even from the food guide pyramid, from the time that we're young.

Speaker 2: 6:30

Yes, haven't finished making my point, though. Okay, I want to hear your point we haven't gone to our destination on this thought journey, but we're having fun along the way we are.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Oh, it's always fun, so you said programming.

Speaker 2: 6:44

Where does this programming come from? I mean, what is the initial source of programming? Where we have heard that message?

Speaker 1: 6:52

TV billboards, school I mean school. I've heard it in school at three of the Food Guide pyramids that we would learn things like that.

Speaker 2: 7:02

But yes, the Food Guide pyramid, but TV billboards radio, whatever it is what are these forms of?

Speaker 1: 7:10

Advertising.

Speaker 2: 7:11

Advertising, Marketing. So we have learned these things based upon marketing. What is the purpose of marketing? To sell products To sell your products.

Speaker 1: 7:26

Now, are y'all having fun on this journey?

Speaker 2: 7:27

Yes, I'm having a little fun on this journey, well and I feel like we need to look at this step by step and take it to its logical conclusion so that we know that we're making the best choices. I mean, it's really quite eye-opening when you think why is it so ingrained into me, especially if you're new to this, that I must have animal products for protein? Because every day I'm talking to my patients about plant-based and it just it never ceases to amaze me how many people don't realize plants have protein. They all have. Protein Plants are the original source of protein Right.

Speaker 1: 8:02

Right, they all have it.

Speaker 2: 8:03

Cows don't eat meat. Cows are eating plants, so plants are the original source of all amino acids.

Speaker 1: 8:10

And then and that's a whole different topic altogether and I just want to throw in there that most people are over-proteined and that taxes your kidneys and other parts of your body. I won't go into all that, but most people who eat plant-based get over two times the protein they need just by not even worrying about it and just eating plants. I mean, that's how simple it is to get the amount of protein your body needs, and it's not nearly as much as what we've come to believe in our mind due to the marketing. Yes, okay, now I'm going to throw this out there too. Okay, so you're checking out at the grocery store. What do you see on every aisle on it? And then you're at the front. I mean, what do you see there?

Speaker 2: 8:45

It's all protein shakes, protein powder, protein bars protein.

Speaker 1: 8:50

What protein shake do you recommend? What, yeah, what plant protein do you use? Why would I use plant protein? Right, I want y'all to understand and have this mindset of you. Know, I don't have to do things just because I've been programmed to believe them. I don't have to just buy into something because somebody's told me look at the research, start digging in for yourself. We've done the digging. I mean we've done the digging for you. But by all means get out your computer and start doing some of the research, because it's there. The research is in. Plants all have protein. We brought this up before about the animals. The strongest animals get their protein from plants.

Speaker 2: 9:30

So you look at the- the elephant, the giraffe, the gorilla, just any of these large land animals. They are 100% herbivores, right, all right. So bringing us back to the original journey here Okay. We're back, so you have. Marketing is designed to sell you things.

Speaker 1: 9:47

Right.

Speaker 2: 9:48

So that companies can make money.

Speaker 1: 9:50

Okay.

Speaker 2: 9:51

We like to think that this is all based on truth and facts, but in our research and study of things in the past, like back in, I don't know, I forgot when it was you had mentioned to me previously about how the whole idea of eating breakfast or eating bacon for breakfast, they sold it as oh, this is healthy, get your protein. It was only really to try to help this company sell more bacon. Right, that was it. It was not founded on any science, right? Right? So these marketers done. Now they're selling a product, but how have they gotten us to bite the hook?

Speaker 1: 10:32

Making the package pretty worrying about our health.

Speaker 2: 10:37

There you go. That's what I was looking for, because they have sold us on. We need protein, you must have protein, and if you see some of these advertisements from 1950s, 1960s, it's all about you want your family to be healthy and they show the family around the breakfast table and the mom is there and the kids are happy and smiling going off to school and they're telling you you need protein for strong, healthy muscles and bones. You're a calcium for your bones. You need this and this is a source of which. Is true, animal products are a source of protein, but are they the best source?

Speaker 1: 11:12

That's never addressed. No, and you've gotta think about. There are lots of sources of certain minerals and things that you would never eat. I'm not gonna bring up any specifics, but there are things out there that have minerals. I mean, there's probably some animal poop that has minerals in it, but I'm not eating it. I don't know if that was a bad example.

Speaker 2: 11:33

No, not a bad example. I mean, that's pretty gross. An example that comes to mind for me is that if somebody is smoking and as they inhale there's oxygen in that, yeah, you can say, hey, smoking's good for you, because there's oxygen in there, never mind all the other things that are present with that. It's almost kind of like a bait and switch. It's like, hey, look at this one thing, but forget about all these others. Don't look there. Don't look behind the curtain, look here.

Speaker 1: 11:56

So with the animal products, then we're all worried about getting our protein, so we feel like we need to eat meat. So now, oh well, I've had, and this is how we even identify our meals. Oh, I've just had a light bulb moment, because most of us at least I used to are you like this? Do you do this too? You identify your meals and you lay them on your plate based on okay, I've got my protein, you know, this is my protein and it's always animal product, right? Yes, so I've got my protein. And then I've got a little veg on the side, I'm a little salad or something, and so you're laying out your plate based on and when you label something, the protein you need, in your mind it's always an animal product. Why is that? How brilliant.

Speaker 2: 12:38

I mean, it's exactly what we discussed here Exactly. Or when you go to a restaurant, if you order something, say a salad, the server may say would you like to add a protein today? No, thank you. I've got a bowl full of protein that I've just ordered from you.

Speaker 1: 12:50

Yeah right, Exactly, I'll pass Thanks Because they don't mention so. They plot the one ingredient to make it look attractive. They harp on that ingredient and make you worry about it. Find ways to make you worry about your health. If you're missing this one thing, that's in here that you can get in other things that are really healthy for you, and they don't mention all the other stuff in there that you're getting along with it.

Speaker 2: 13:15

So, with dairy being rich in calcium, is dairy really the best source of calcium? What the research shows is no. Plant-based calcium is the actual most usable source of calcium for our bodies. But they have played upon our fears in this advertising, especially early on. They've manufactured this. Hey, you want your family to be healthy? Well, of course we do. Right, right. We want to make the best choices and do the best that we can and the best that we know for our families. And so then they've created this marketing strategy to play on those fears that they've really manufactured, because I would almost say that a lot of people didn't really think about that prior to that, before protein was kind of discovered as to what it was, nobody ever thought do I have enough protein on my plate?

Speaker 1: 14:02

Right ever. But then my thing is, they're pulling out this one thing and they're tugging on your heart strings by talking about your family and your health, or you might somehow get sick if you don't get this one nutrient, which of course is also found in plant feeds. All right, and it's more usable forms for our body, like what you're talking about. But my thing is, what else am I getting when I get my protein from an animal source that they're not talking about Exactly. So we've got. This is where you were going, weren't you?

Speaker 2: 14:32

Well, no, where I was going was that. This is all based on fear.

Speaker 1: 14:37

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 14:37

And I want you to recognize that, because if you realize that at the base level, that there's a fear that my family or that you yourself are not getting what you need, yes, then you can recognize that and say you know what. I've already addressed this. Plants are the ultimate source of calcium. The ultimate source of protein, and protein absolutely, and all the other nutrients and you can confidently eat that, give it to your family. Know that you are actually doing the best thing for your family.

Speaker 1: 15:05

Right, and then the smoke and mirrors thing, like we're talking about. I mean, that's the thing that's blown my mind here. I like these kinds of episodes. We need to do this sometimes. This is really good. So it's made me think about how they get our attention on that one nutrient. But we can get it from better sources. Not only that, when we eat it from the source they want us to eat it from, which is the animal products, what else are we getting that is bad for our bodies? And that's what we gotta look at down the road. How is that cholesterol gonna stick to your vessels and clog you up and cause all kinds of damage, because now your cholesterol is very high, now your blood pressure is going up, because your arteries have gotten damaged. I'm just thinking about all the different things that are in there. So we've got the cholesterol, we've got the saturated fats, we have no fiber no fiber.

Speaker 2: 15:55

No fiber whatsoever.

Speaker 1: 15:56

And this is the question that we need to be asking right when do you get your fiber? Because most everyone is fiber deficient. There is digestive. There are so many digestive issues in our society. Like I could go on and on. We could go from one topic to another right now because I'm about to get lit up, but this is the thing, and this is what Jared's pointing out here is that we have been so, I hate to say, brainwashed, but scared, scared really. I mean honestly, to some degree it is brainwashed but, it's just given the label of marketing, and so they've got us in the place that they want us so much so that we're worried now, if we stop eating this food, that somehow we won't be able to give our family the nutrients that they need. I mean, it's bad enough that we worry about our bodies crumbling or we're not getting what we need. Now we're gonna somehow stent our kids' growth. They're not gonna get enough nutrients, they're not gonna get enough protein. That is the number one thing we hear. Honestly, where am I gonna get my protein? Well, now you're not gonna have to worry about that anymore. And if you are worried about it, still go back. We've got two more episodes at least, maybe more, on protein, but I know we have two that are titled protein Search it. Get in there, listen to those episodes, because you've got to understand this and move past the fear and stop letting marketing execs and businesses have the control over you Play on your fears to make these decisions when the science doesn't really bear it out.

Speaker 2: 17:25

And again, have you ever worried about potassium? No, if you have low potassium it is very critical. So I mean, these are important elements or important minerals in our bodies, and that's what I'm trying to highlight with this that if it gets too low your heart stops beating. But we don't ever think about that, we just don't. But if we eat enough plants, we don't have to, we don't have to worry about it. Our body gets what it needs. Same with calcium, same with iron. Sometimes we kind of think about iron if it gets low, and that's a component in beef, but again, that is not a better source of iron, right, right. But the two big highlights, the things that I hear all the time, especially for my patients protein and calcium.

Speaker 1: 18:04

Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 18:05

And I thought why is that? At its most basic level, is because of fear, Right, We've been taught to be afraid that we won't get enough. These things are present in these foods. They're not the best source, but are they present? Yes? It's like saying, hey, there's calcium and chalk, so chalk is a good source of calcium. You need calcium. Eat chalk. I mean, that sounds ridiculous.

Speaker 1: 18:28

That's a much nicer example than what I get for a liquor.

Speaker 2: 18:31

That's kind of like what they're saying with dairy.

Speaker 1: 18:35

We just have to be really careful as women of faith to not have fear-based mentality in any area, including our health, like if someone walks in in a white coat and tells you you have stage three or stage four diagnosis. You don't just take that on because now you're afraid and you give them that power in your life. You have a creator who loves you and there are ways out of even stage three and four. It happens all the time, right? So have faith in your creator. Be wise in who you listen to and the words that they're speaking. Does it line up with the word? Does it make sense with how your body feels when you eat? Think about those kind of things, ask those kind of questions and don't let your decisions be driven by fear. Okay, he totally took me off guard on this one. Y'all I loved going on this journey with you, though that was so much fun, jared, you might have brought it too well this time. Now I'm gonna expect this every once in a while. That is really fun.

Speaker 2: 19:35

I enjoyed it myself. It was really fun. It was fun not being in the hot seat for once.

Speaker 1: 19:41

I don't mind it, so bring it All right. That was fun y'all. Have a great, great week, and if you had fun today and learned something new on this journey, be sure to go right now to Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast listing app and leave us a review. We love reading them. It is so much fun hearing about what you learned, what you discovered and how this podcast is changing your life so that we can celebrate with you. And we'll see you next time on Power and Plants. Tweeted music.