Dr. Monica Aggarwal

IHeart Radio Interview

Blog /

I really enjoyed doing a podcast for Iheartradio called Care Walks with the amazing host, Holly Robinson Peete. We talked about improving food and nutrition practices to reduce arthritis symptoms. This was a fun one and hopefully, will get people to make healthful changes.

I often remind people that everyday, a little bit more. Change is hard but change is good. Make a few changes and then watch the difference. It will be totally worth it when you can walk pain with less pain and feel more energized!

Take a listen here and tell me what you think.

IHeart Radio Interview Read More »

What is Heart Disease?

CardioMinute /

Does the term heart disease confuse you? Heart disease is an umbrella term for many heart conditions. But classically, heart disease refers to when arteries in the heart get clogged.

Heart Disease Solutions Workshop

Combining lifestyle and medical solutions through a holistic approach you’ll gain the tools you need in the fight against heart disease.

Learn More

Listen to other CardioMinutes

What is Heart Disease? Read More »

Episode 6: Moving the Needle with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

Podcast, Seeking Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing /

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope” I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz about his journey.

We talked about his training as a preeminent gastroenterologist, about how his eating habits made him feel lethargic and uncomfortable, about how meeting his wife changed his world. We talk about food habits and change and learning to accept who you are and make changes slowly. We talk about not feeling bad for what we should have done, but to focus on what we can do. We also talk about Dr. B’s incredible book, Fiber Fueled, and his newly released cookbook, The Fiber Fueled Cookbook. Both are incredible books and worth a read. Dr B has transitioned away from a traditional gastroenterology practice to focus on nutrition and lifestyle exclusively. Listen to his story. You will be uplifted and in awe!

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (or “Dr. B”) is an award winning gastroenterologist, internationally recognized gut health expert and the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and Indie Bound-bestselling author of Fiber Fueled and The Fiber Fueled Cookbook.

With a passion for plants and helping people, he sits on the Scientific Advisory Board and is the U.S. Medical Director of ZOE, has authored more than twenty articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, has given more than forty presentations at national meetings, presented to Congress and the USDA, and has taught over 10,000 students how to heal and optimize their gut health.

He completed a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, a medical degree from Georgetown University, and a master’s in clinical investigation from Northwestern University. Dr. B was the chief medical resident at Northwestern and the chief gastroenterology fellow at The University of North Carolina, and received the highest award given by both his residency and fellowship. He completed an epidemiology fellowship on a grant from the National Institutes of Health at UNC’s prestigious Gillings School of Global Public Health.

He lives in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife and children. You’ll find him on Instagram as @theguthealthmd, on Facebook as @theguthealthmd, and at his website theplantfedgut.com.

Episode 6: Moving the Needle with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz Read More »

Episode 5: Finding Joy with Dean Ornish

Podcast, Seeking Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing /

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope” I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Dean Ornish

We talked about purpose, joy, happiness and social connection. It was a wonderful talk. I thought a lot about what he said. He tells his story of how he struggled with depression and how he overcame. We talked a lot about how people are lacking connection, joy and love and how important those components are to healthy living. We talk about education and how one needs to understand peoples’ suffering in order to really change. We talked about plant based eating, healthy lifestyle and how that can have impact on illnesses. We talked about how we all need an “undo it” button. This is one I thought about for a long time and you may have to listen to twice.

Dean Ornish, M.D., is the founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF. For over 44 years, Dr. Ornish has directed randomized trials demonstrating, for the first time, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may begin to reverse even severe coronary heart disease, without drugs or surgery. Medicare created a new benefit category to provide coverage for this program. He directed the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating that lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer. In other research, he has shown that comprehensive lifestyle changes affect gene expression, “turning on” disease-preventing genes and “turning off” genes that promote cancer and heart disease. And in collaboration with Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, he has shown that these lifestyle changes may begin to reverse aging on a cellular level by lengthening telomeres. He is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven national bestsellers, including his most recent book, UnDo It! He received many awards, including the University of California, Berkeley, “National Public Health Hero” award; the inaugural “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; was recognized as “one of the 125 most extraordinary University of Texas alumni in the past 125 years;” by TIME magazine as a “TIME 100 Innovator;” by LIFE magazine as “one of the fifty most influential members of his generation;” by People magazine as “one of the most interesting people of the year;” and by Forbes magazine as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers.”

Episode 5: Finding Joy with Dean Ornish Read More »

Vegan Colonoscopy Prep

Blog /

Colonoscopy prep as a plant-based person is not easy and is a little annoying. The options that the doctor provided me were quite disappointing. No consideration for vegetarians and different ethnicities. Really surprising. Here is an example of my prep that turns out to be very standard unfortunately.

So, I worked with another GI friend to come up with a program that would work for me. While we plant-based people eat loads and loads of fiber, the week before your colonoscopy, you can’t eat fiber. This is because it leaves a residue in the gut, and they simply can’t see. Alot of plant-based people tell me that they won’t do a colonoscopy because they eat so well. My husband had a colonoscopy and is plant-based, and he had a polyp that requires more frequent screening. You don’t want to ignore that genetics plays a role here. Not worth the risk in my mind. So I proceeded to get my colonoscopy scheduled. The new recommended screening age for LOW RISK PEOPLE IS 45 years of age. Please consider scheduling your procedure today. A week of pain is fine. You can do this!

I had my colonoscopy on a friday. So on the Monday prior (4 days before the procedure), I started my dietary change and I have outlined it here and I have a perfect prep and full visibility.

4 days prior (Monday)
Breakfast: cheerios and almond milk, green tea
Lunch: white rice and wok stir-fried tofu
Dinner: cantaloupe, air-fry potato without skin and ketchup

White Rice and Wok Fried Tofu

3 days prior (Tuesday)
Breakfast: Cheerios and almond milk, green tea
Lunch: White rice and stir-fried tofu
Dinner: Air-fry potatoes without skin with ketchup
Snack: few saltines

2 days prior (Wednesday)
Breakfast: Cheerios with almond milk, cantaloupe, green tea
Lunch: Annie’s brand vegan Mac and cheese
Dinner: pasta with marinara sauce, asparagus heads steamed, cantaloupe
Snack: few saltines

1 day prior (Thursday): day before should be a fasting day
Green tea
Loads of water

I did the low-volume, two dose prep. This apparently has been shown to be more successful that other options. I used Clenpiq and took the first dose at 5pm Thursday evening with 20mg Dulcolax. Then since my colonoscopy was at 10am, I did the second dose between 4-5 am. This is not a fun week, but it needs to be done so do what you have to do.

What is your experience?

I certainly don’t have all the answers for vegan colonoscopy prep. What guidance did your physician give you? What do you want to share about your experience?

Let me know through the form below. I’m listening!

Vegan Colonoscopy Prep Read More »

Episode 4: Food Addiction with Chuck Carroll

Podcast, Seeking Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing /

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope” I had the pleasure of speaking with the brilliant Mr. Chuck Carroll from PCRM’s, The Exam Room. He is an incredible host: inquisitive, insightful and kind. 

What many of you might not know is that Chuck struggled with food addiction and once weighed over 300 lbs. Every person is an onion. So much of the time we just see the outside layers. It takes time to peel back the layers though and see the colors and character inside. Everyone has a story. I know you will enjoy hearing Chuck’s story and his message of hope.

Episode 4: Food Addiction with Chuck Carroll Read More »

Episode 3: Driving Change with Jane Esselstyn and Brian Hart

Podcast, Seeking Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing /

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope“, my guests are a dynamic duo: Jane Esselstyn and Brian Hart.

Jane Esselstyn RN is a lovely human being who I am lucky enough to call my friend. She is a skilled nurse, a researcher, mother, and teacher on the forefront of the plant-based movement. She and her mom, Anne, have been actively bringing the world energy and love through food. She is the host of the annual conference, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease for Women, which is focused on the power of plants that I have been honored to speak at. Jane is an avid and inventive designer of plant-strong recipes and the co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook. She created the recipe sections of #1 NYTimes bestseller, Plant-Strong and The Engine 2 Seven Day Rescue, by Rip Esselstyn. And she has a new cookbook coming out that focuses on plant based warriors—so exciting!

Brian Hart, Jane’s husband, is founder and executive director of The Esselstyn Foundation, a non-profit with the mission to “Eradicate lifestyle related diseases through whole food, plant-based nutrition.” Brian is a highly experienced educator with over twenty-five years in the field as a teacher, administrator, and advocate for school change in both the public and private sectors. Brian specializes in collaborating with educators to help them create immersive, hands-on, experiential programs designed to transform thinking and build problem-solving skills. He is a has worn so many cool hats– wilderness EMT, plant-based chef, teacher, middle school principal, and carpenter—if you haven’t seen his cutting boards, they are amazing

Episode 3: Driving Change with Jane Esselstyn and Brian Hart Read More »

Metabolic Health Symposium

Event /

Join me at the Metabolic Health Symposium in Seattle, Washington and VIrtually!

Registration is open for Swedish’s Metabolic Health Symposium: A 3-day in-person & virtual #CME event to explore & apply the science of #metabolichealth and #nutrition to patient care. Coming June 9-11, 2022 to Seattle, Washington and online. I will be speaking at this event on inflammation and chronic illness. This is going to be a great event with amazing speakers. Sign up and listen in. I am particularly interested in listening to the talk on soil health!

Link to register

Metabolic Health Symposium Read More »

Seeking Voices, Kyler Pettry

Episode 2: Don’t Say Gay with Kyler Pettry

Podcast, Seeking Voices: Exploring the Science of Health and Healing /

In this episode of “Seeking Voices of Health, Healing and Hope“, my guest is a man named Kyler Pettry. Kyler is a fabulous person that I have been lucky to know. I met Kyler as my massage therapist—the best massage of my life by the way. He quickly became my friend and someone that I have learned so much from. What I love is that the person that I first met is hardly the person that I know now.

Kyler has been many things in his life: a massage therapist, an artist, a minister, an unrepentant nerd and aspiring academic/theologian. He is the go-to friend for so many and knows more about most things than the smartest people that I know.

Kyler and I spoke about so many things. Here are some of the highlights?

  • How would you describe yourself? What makes you you?
  • I have known you a long time, you always seem self-assured, confident, you know who you are. Has it always been that way?
  • You identify as a gay man, what was that like growing up in rural Florida? How did you family react?
  • How do you deal with the stigmas that go along with being gay? In a time where there is so much GAY pride. But then there are others who feel it is too much. Especially in a time where Florida has the “don’t say gay” bill.
  • Tell me about your weight. I know this has been part of your adult life but when did your eating become an issue?
  • Why do you think you became overweight?
  • What was it like to be large in a world that celebrates skinniness? How did the world’s view affect you?
  • Why do you think we stigmatize people as youths? As kids we make fun of the people who are different; yet we tell people to embrace differences.
  • How did you learn to be strong?
  • What would you say to your younger self?
  • I have always seen you as an optimistic, positive, fun-loving person—something that I admire. You have had your share of hurdles to overcome. How do you keep hopeful and so positive? What gives you the light in your life?

 

Episode 2: Don’t Say Gay with Kyler Pettry Read More »

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top