The Health Feast

Dr. Rak
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Biweekly

The Health Feast is a podcast about making good health feel joyous, communal, and abundant—like a feast. Hosted by Dr. Rak (short for Rakesh Jotwani), a board-certified internist and Lifestyle Medicine physician, the show dives deep into what truly supports well-being in real life. Each episode, Dr. Rak talks with physicians, chefs, athletes, artists, and changemakers who are redefining what it means to be healthy—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Conversations are rooted in science, but never lose sight of heart, culture, and lived experience. Whether you’re working to reverse chronic disease, reconnect with purpose, or simply show up for your life with more energy, The Health Feast offers practical tools, fresh perspectives, and stories that nourish. New episodes weekly. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Live well and RAK ON.

  1. Jul 3

    The Plant-Based Backlash and the Rise of Carnivore with Rip Esselstyn

    We live in a post-truth world. Anyone can say anything and call it a fact. Strawberries cause cancer. Beans destroy your gut. Beef tallow is the new health food. This is what happens when attention is more profitable than accuracy. When influencers sell confusion and call it health advice. Rip Esselstyn has been watching this happen for decades. He is not an influencer. He is the real thing. What we get into: why the carnivore wave is built on bro science and not evidence. The truth about carbs and why 95 percent of Americans are eating what Rip calls carbage. His father's landmark work reversing heart disease at the Cleveland Clinic. Adam Sud's transformation from 350 pounds and addicted to reversing 15 conditions in eight months on rice, beans, and oatmeal. His 90-year-old mother's Guinness World Record dead hang. And why every nourishing meal is an act of self-love, whether you feel it yet or not. Inappropriate application of a method is no reason for its abandonment. If it did not work before, that does not mean it cannot work now. This is about freedom, not discipline. Once you feel it, you will not want to go back. FREE RESOURCES What is a plant-based eater's best friend? A good sauce. Start with the Sauce Library, a free collection of whole-food sauces and dressings that make anything taste incredible. It comes with Health That Flows, a free 5-day email series built around the same approach that helped me lose over 80 pounds and reverse my own chronic diseases. One idea a day. Nothing to overhaul. Get it free at https://rakyourlife.com/experience-life/ CONNECT WITH RIP ESSELSTYN Website: https://plantstrong.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ripesselstyn PLANTSTRONG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong Podcast: https://plantstrong.com/podcast CONNECT WITH DR. RAK Website: https://rakyourlife.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rakyourlife Podcast: https://rakyourlife.com/podcast TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 02:25 The cultural swing back to meat and dairy and why it is not rooted in science 05:38 What went wrong with the plant-based products of 2013 to 2019 09:41 The strawberries claim and the state of nutrition confusion 15:54 His father's journey at the Cleveland Clinic reversing heart disease 18:03 Why Rip started eating whole food plant-based at 19 18:54 From triathlon circuit to firefighter and how the movement grew 24:47 Building a support system and why setbacks are not failure 32:08 Turning intention into routine with the Plant Strong food line 37:19 Building a best-for-you brand in the CPG space 43:11 Vital Signs a new gathering for healthcare providers 46:46 The 2026 monthly health challenges 47:28 His mother's Guinness World Record dead hang 51:10 Reframing health as a celebration not a punishment 55:05 The Plant Strong Podcast and moving beyond fad diets

    The Plant-Based Backlash and the Rise of Carnivore with Rip Esselstyn

  2. Jun 23

    066 Why Your Exercise Habit Keeps Failing (It's Not Laziness)

    You're not lazy. So why does your workout keep losing to the snooze button?You set the alarm for 6am. Clothes laid out the night before. The alarm goes off, you hit snooze, and by 6:18 you’ve decided today is a write-off. You’ll start again Monday. That moment is not a willpower problem. It has a name, and once you see it you cannot unsee it. Dr. Michelle Segar is back on the show. Her work inspired the name of The Health Feast. She has spent 30 years at the University of Michigan studying why exercise habits fall apart, and she just published the first study of its kind on all-or-nothing thinking in exercise. Here’s what we get into: Why skipping a workout can feel like relief, and what that relief is quietly costing youThe difference between “I can’t do five days, so I won’t start” and “my plan broke, so I did nothing”The perfect workout trap, and how fitness culture trained us to think pass or failPOP in the moment: Pause, Open up your options, Pick the joy choiceBuilding a movement menu so you can flex when life gets in the wayThe story of what I did within an hour of my wedding, after months of forcing myself to run You do not need a better workout. You need a more flexible, more forgiving relationship with movement. This conversation shows you where it starts. Live well and RAK ON, – Dr. Rak 👊🏽 Timestamps 00:00 – The 6:18 AM scenario 02:28 – What's happening in your brain when you skip 03:27 – The study: how it started and what they found 09:06 – Rigid idealized criteria explained 11:59 – How fitness guidelines backfire 19:38 – The cancer patient who wouldn't walk around the block 22:51 – Why skipping feels like relief 25:56 – Novice vs. expert exercisers 32:51 – The brain's cost-value calculation 38:47 – When failure becomes identity 40:05 – The trap of comparing yourself to your past self 52:49 – The solution: where to start 56:37 – POP: pause, open options, pivot 01:03:04 – Building a new identity through small choices 01:08:10 – Fitness culture as a cult and how to deprogram About Dr. Michelle SegarDr. Michelle Segar is a motivation scientist at the University of Michigan and one of the leading voices on how people build health behaviors that actually last. Across 30 years of NIH-funded research she has chased one stubborn question: how do we help people stay active inside the unpredictability of real life, instead of quitting the first time the plan breaks? She is the author of The Joy Choice and No Sweat, and her work has informed the World Health Organization and the US National Physical Activity Plan. Her latest research is the first study of its kind on all-or-nothing thinking in exercise. Connect with MichelleWebsite: michellesegar.comBook: The Joy Choice, No SweatLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelsegar/ —Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or professional services. We recommend you consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes. The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our employers.

    066 Why Your Exercise Habit Keeps Failing (It's Not Laziness)

  3. May 26

    065 What Your Doctor Isn't Measuring

    You’re doing everything right. But how do you actually know any of it is working?You eat well. You move. Maybe you track your cholesterol, your VO2 max, your labs. But here’s the uncomfortable truth. Almost everything we use to measure health is a proxy. An association. A stand-in for the thing we actually care about. And the thing we actually care about is simple. Can your body still do the things you love? Will it keep doing them as you age? That question is what my guest this week has spent his career answering. Scott Fulton lectures on aging at the University of Delaware and sits on the True Health Initiative Council. In his new book, Function, he builds the framework medicine forgot. Not how to manage disease, but how to measure whether your body can actually do what your life requires of it. In this episode we explore: Why most of what we measure in medicine is a proxy, not a direct answerThe five domains of functional health, and the blind spot hiding in the one you ignoreWhy fitness can coexist with fragility, but function cannotThe simple at-home tests that tell you where you really standHow Scott’s wife rebuilt her bone density in 16 monthsWhy doing a little bit every day beats chasing the optimal program Whether you’re in midlife and want to stay ahead of this, or you’re a little older and want to know where you really stand, this episode shows you what’s possible and what to do next. Timestamps 00:00 – Why your health metrics might be lying to you 01:38 – Drowning in hype, starving for truth 04:12 – Proxy vs. direct measure: why the difference matters 07:28 – The problem with the VO2 max obsession 09:52 – The fear underneath every health conversation 11:45 – What an engineering and failure-analysis mind sees that clinicians miss 15:12 – Fitness can coexist with fragility. Function cannot. 18:46 – The word “fragility,” and what it really means 21:23 – The five domains of functional health 23:30 – Blind spots: the domain quietly failing while you optimize the rest 30:52 – The user guide: five domains, three tiers, 44 self-assessments 38:57 – Why the low quartile is your biggest opportunity 44:25 – The house of cards: why one weak link brings it all down 45:33 – How Scott’s wife rebuilt her bone density in 16 months 56:30 – Scott’s words to live by 59:38 – Making life a feast: try something new, plan to fail About Scott FultonScott Fulton is a longevity authority and aging educator who came to this work not as a clinician but through engineering, systems research, and failure mode analysis. That background shapes everything about how he thinks. He is the person who walks into a broken system, figures out what to measure, gathers data you can trust, and uses it to fix what’s wrong. He lectures on aging at the University of Delaware, is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, sits on the True Health Initiative Council, and is past president of the National Aging in Place Council. His new book, Function, lays out a framework for measuring functional health span, the five domains that determine whether you can keep doing the things you love as you age. It’s built around 44 self-assessments you can do at home, drawn from standard tests refined over decades of population data. He is also an Ironman triathlete based in Charlottesville, Virginia. — Disclaimer: This is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own physician or healthcare provider. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your health routine.

    065 What Your Doctor Isn't Measuring

  4. Apr 24

    You Don't Get Stronger When You Work Out (RAK On with Coach Smoot)

    Hey there- Dr. Rak (“rock”) here. When it comes to training and working out, I used to think more was always better. More workouts. More intensity. Less rest. Several years ago, I became addicted to Spartan obstacle course races, and it has really fueled my training. Early on, I was aiming to train six days a week, often pushing through pain, and I kept getting hurt. Pulled muscles. Knee pain. Cramping in my calves one week before a race I had trained six months for. I thought the answer was to do more. It turns out I had it completely backwards. Coach Nick Smoot is back on The Health Feast, and this time we are talking about the half of training almost nobody pays attention to: recovery. Because you don’t get stronger when you train. You get stronger when you’re not training. And if you’re not recovering, you are leaving every single gain on the table. We get into: Why your body can’t tell the difference between a hard workout and a hard day at workWhy walking might be the most underrated tool you haveWhy the couch is not the same as recoveryAnd Nick tells a jiu-jitsu story that will change how you think about working hard.Whether you are grinding and going nowhere, or you love someone who is, this one is for you. Timestamps0:00 Intro 1:54 What recovery actually is 4:11 Two types of athletes: under-recovery vs. over-resting 5:30 Sleep: the greatest recovery tool you have 10:24 Your body can’t tell the difference between training stress and life stress 12:34 Why walking is the most underrated recovery tool 18:04 Why sitting on the couch is not recovery 26:39 How to fuel for training -- and when protein timing actually matters 37:13 Training when sick: the above-the-neck rule 41:12 Rest is not weakness -- it is part of the work 45:10 The jiu-jitsu story: 75% consistent beats 100% burned out 48:23 Coach Smoot’s closing message Follow Coach Smoot:Instagram: @smoot_fitSubstack Newsletter: smootfit.substack.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/smootfitAbout The Health FeastThe Health Feast is the podcast where health stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like a joyful and abundant feast. Hosted by Dr. Rak Jotwani, a board-certified Lifestyle Medicine and Internal Medicine physician. New episodes every week (or two). Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, join the conversation on YouTube, and if this episode was useful, leave us a review and share with others! These are the best ways to help the show reach more people. Live well and RAK ON. Dr. Rak — Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own physician or healthcare provider. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise, nutrition, or health routine.

    You Don't Get Stronger When You Work Out (RAK On with Coach Smoot)

  5. Apr 3

    063 Why Men Have No Friends (And How To Change That)

    What if the biggest barrier to healing isn't your body — but the belief that you have to fix everything alone? Want more from The Health Feast? Sign up for my free 5-day email series and learn how to make health habits stick with ease in your life. Visit rakyourlife.com to get started. Nearly half of middle-aged men say they feel lonely. One in five admit to having zero close friends. A couple years ago, I was one of those men. When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, I realized I had almost no close friends nearby. That's when I found F3 — a completely free men's movement that changed my life. Today I'm sitting down with Frank Schwartz (Dark Helmet), CEO of F3 Nation. He went from over 250 pounds and what he calls "curating the museum of himself" to now leading a movement that's reached over 100,000 men worldwide. In this episode we explore: Why the "lone wolf" mindset is destroying men's healthThe three Fs of F3: fitness, fellowship, and faith (and why the order matters)How naming, ritual, and identity create deeper transformationWhy leadership can be lonely — even in a movement fighting lonelinessWhat Frank would tell a man who feels completely stuck right nowThe completely free resource any man can access this week Whether you're a man feeling this isolation yourself or you have someone in your life who is — this conversation will show you what's really going on and what's actually possible. Live well and RAK ON, – Dr. Rak 👊🏽 Timestamps00:00 Dr. Rak's intro: The loneliness epidemic in middle-aged men 02:43 Why men are struggling with isolation and the "lone wolf" mentality 05:50 How society pushes individualism too far 08:56 What is F3 and where did it come from? 10:59 The three Fs: fitness, fellowship, and faith 13:33 Why men connect "shoulder to shoulder" vs face to face 17:12 The accountability factor and outsourcing responsibility 18:51 Dr. Rak's personal F3 discovery story 21:36 The raw vulnerability that emerges after physical exhaustion 25:16 The power of naming, ritual, and tribal identity 28:59 How nicknames represent a new chapter of life 32:03 Frank's transformation: from "curating the museum" to authentic leadership 36:20 The completion vs creation phases of a man's life 42:45 Why leadership can be profoundly lonely 48:52 Maintaining mental health as a leader 53:12 The intentionality behind F3's common language 58:44 Frank's advice to men who feel stuck: "Just stand up" 1:05:52 Overcoming the mental barriers to getting started 1:09:05 Frank's mindset tip: continuous improvement with no arrival point 1:10:49 How Frank makes his own life a health feast Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourage you to consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes. The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our employers.

    063 Why Men Have No Friends (And How To Change That)

  6. Mar 20

    062 This Former Olympian and Doctor Says One Daily Choice Could Help Save the Planet

    If you’ve been paying attention to all the things: the chronic disease epidemic, a food system full of processed food, a planet that is genuinely struggling, then you feel it. The scale of it. The weight of it. And then comes the question that stops so many of us cold. Does anything I do actually matter? My guest today, Dr. Scott Stoll, has spent more than 20 years answering that question. He’s a former Olympic athlete turned physician who built the largest annual gathering of plant-based healthcare professionals in the world, bringing together thousands of clinicians and changemakers from across the globe. And he is one of the most gifted storytellers I’ve come across in this space — the kind of person who can make you feel something and think something at the same time. Does anything I do actually matter? After this episode, you’ll agree the answer a resounding yes. Live well and RAK ON, Dr. Rak 👊🏽 ⏱️ Episode Timestamps Timestamps 0:00 – Dr. Rak's intro 3:37 – What feels most urgent right now? 6:07 – The plate as a convergence point 7:37 – Why health became a personal responsibility 9:49 – Why food is such a powerful entry point for change 12:51 – Community as the multiplier 15:56 – When Scott started seeing the plate as more than nutrition 20:55 – Why a new kind of gathering is needed — the Power of the Plate 24:40 – The origin of the Plantrician Conference (2013) 30:01 – Living with urgency without burning out 33:08 – How people actually make change — the power of story 36:27 – The patient in the borrowed camper 40:45 – The conference as a recharge 47:44 – Healthcare as illness care, not health care 50:43 – Health as a more wonderful life 51:07 – Mindset tip: Maya Angelou and grace for the past 53:26 – How Scott makes his own life a health feast 55:52 – On storytelling and oration 58:14 – How to find and register for the Power of the Plate Conference About Dr. Scott StollDr. Scott Stoll is a board-certified physician specializing in sports and regenerative medicine and an internationally recognized leader in lifestyle medicine and whole food plant-based nutrition. Before medical school, he was a member of the 1994 U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team at the Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. He co-founded the Power of the Plate Conference and the previous International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference, which has grown into a global community of clinicians and changemakers. He has hosted week-long Total Health Immersions for over 16 years, helping hundreds of patients recover lost health, reverse chronic disease, and restore their quality of life. Connect with Dr. Scott StollWebsite: drscottstoll.comInstagram: @drscottstollofficialThe Plantrician Project: plantricianproject.orgPower of the Plate Conference — May 14–17, San Diego: poweroftheplate.orgDisclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourage you to consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes.

    062 This Former Olympian and Doctor Says One Daily Choice Could Help Save the Planet

  7. Mar 3

    061 Chronic Inflammation, Gut Health, and Why You Might Be Constipated | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

    What if the reason you’re still inflamed… isn’t what you think?Hey Health Feasters — You’re bloated. Foggy. Tired. You’ve cut foods. Added supplements. Tried protocols. Some things improve. But you still don’t feel right. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, or Dr. B, a board-certified gastroenterologist, microbiome expert, and New York Times bestselling author of Fiber Fueled as well as his new book Plant Powered Plus. Dr. B and I unpack what might actually be going on. Because sometimes the issue isn’t effort. It’s the diagnosis. In this conversation, Dr. B breaks down three big ideas: 1. Misdiagnosis is common. The most frequent cause of bloating is constipation, even when you “go every day.” Getting the diagnosis right matters more than trying another protocol. 2. Inflammation isn’t the enemy. Chronic activation is. Seventy percent of your immune system lives in your gut. When the gut barrier breaks down, the immune system stays switched on. That’s very different from the short-term inflammation that helps you heal. 3. Gut health is bigger than food. Sleep, circadian rhythm, stress, trauma, loneliness, and human connection all shape the microbiome. You can’t out-supplement a nervous system that never downshifts. This conversation reframes gut health in a powerful way. It’s not just about what you eliminate. It’s about what you restore. So if you’ve been trying hard and still feel off, this episode offers a clearer lens for understanding what’s happening, and where to focus next. Live well and RAK ON, – Dr. Rak 🌿 Want to Put This Into Practice? For $11/month (or $99/year), you can join our membership community where we practice this work together LIVE. Click here to sign up and learn more. ⏱️ Episode Timestamps 00:00 Dr. Rak’s intro 03:05 – The first step: Get the diagnosis right 05:29 – You might be constipated and not know it 16:37 – Acute vs. chronic inflammation explained 20:18 – The gut barrier, leaky gut, and 70% of your immune system 24:35 – Gut health is more than food 30:00 – Sleep, circadian rhythm, and morning cortisol 36:55 – Why inflammation may tie your whole health history together 41:26 – Empowerment, personalization, and why he wrote Plant Powered Plus 48:13 – The “free” health tools: sleep, light, movement 50:53 – Organic vs. conventional and the microbiome 58:35 – Stress, safety, and the nervous system 1:07:47 – Loneliness, purpose, and gut diversity| 1:14:15 – Practical steps: nutrition, rhythm, brain–gut connection 1:19:21 – Dr. B’s morning routine 1:21:24 – The best things in life are free Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourage you to consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes. The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our employers.

    061 Chronic Inflammation, Gut Health, and Why You Might Be Constipated | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

  8. Feb 17

    060 What This Heart Doctor Wants You to Know Before it's Too Late

    Hey Health Feasters — Have you ever been told your labs are “normal”… and still felt uneasy? Maybe your cholesterol is “a little high.” Your blood pressure is “borderline.” Your doctor says, “Let’s just keep an eye on it.” And at the same time, your social feed is full of people saying cholesterol doesn’t matter. Statins are poison. Carnivore fixes everything. This supplement will solve all your problems. It’s no wonder people feel confused. We’re surrounded by strong opinions and half-truths. And when it comes to heart disease — the number one killer in this country — that confusion carries real consequences. This week on The Health Feast, I sat down with Dr. Andrew Freeman, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver and former chair of the American College of Cardiology’s Nutrition and Lifestyle Work Group. He’s not just reacting to internet trends. He helped shape the actual guidelines. In this conversation, we talk about: - What actually causes heart disease - What heart disease “reversal” really means (and what it doesn’t) - Whether statins are always necessary - Why lifestyle medicine works and why and when Western medicine still has an important role - And how to lower your risk without falling for fads Dr. Freeman is thoughtful, evidence-driven, and refreshingly human and I know you’re going to love this conversation. So, if you’ve felt stuck between fear-based medicine and internet hype… If you want clarity instead of confusion… If you care about prevention instead of regret… this episode is for you. -------------------------- 🌱 Join the RAK ON Tribe For $11/month (or $99/year), you can join our membership community where we practice this work together. The RAK ON Tribe membership includes: - Live breathwork with Yang - Group strength training with Coach Alexander - Cook-alongs and monthly Q&A with me, Dr. Rak - A growing library of replays, resources, and recipes - A supportive, encouraging community We’re currently at 28 members, and once we reach 50, the membership price will increase. If you join now, you’ll be locked in at the founding rate of $11/month or $99/year. As the Tribe grows, so will the live events, guest sessions, and resources inside. Early members grow with us — and help shape what this becomes. If you’re looking for ongoing support, not just inspiration, this is where we build it. find out more at www.rakyourlife.com/rakon ⏱️ Episode Timestamps 00:00 Dr. Rak’s intro 03:08 The Role of Lifestyle in Heart Health 05:57 The Impact of Nutrition on Cardiology 08:50 Reversing Heart Disease: Is It Possible? 12:10 The Importance of Tailored Medical Advice 15:02 Cultural Influences on Dietary Choices 17:52 Creating Delicious and Healthy Alternatives 20:47 The Power of Motivation in Lifestyle Changes 24:06 The Nuances of Heart Disease Reversal 26:58 The Allure of Supplements vs. Lifestyle Changes 29:46 The Quick Benefits of Lifestyle Changes 33:07 Finding the Right Medical Support 36:03 The Challenge of Patient Resistance 38:55 The Role of Healthcare Providers in Lifestyle Medicine 41:49 Key Takeaways for Heart Health Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourage you to consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes. The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our employers.

    060 What This Heart Doctor Wants You to Know Before it's Too Late
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5
out of 5
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About

The Health Feast is a podcast about making good health feel joyous, communal, and abundant—like a feast. Hosted by Dr. Rak (short for Rakesh Jotwani), a board-certified internist and Lifestyle Medicine physician, the show dives deep into what truly supports well-being in real life. Each episode, Dr. Rak talks with physicians, chefs, athletes, artists, and changemakers who are redefining what it means to be healthy—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Conversations are rooted in science, but never lose sight of heart, culture, and lived experience. Whether you’re working to reverse chronic disease, reconnect with purpose, or simply show up for your life with more energy, The Health Feast offers practical tools, fresh perspectives, and stories that nourish. New episodes weekly. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Live well and RAK ON.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Rak
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dr. Rak
  • Show Website
    The Health Feast

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