Doctor Reveals the 2 Foods to Avoid: Ultra-Processed Foods Aren't the Problem

Can a bag of frozen berries earn a place on your immune-health grocery list? What do beans and mushrooms bring to the table? Dr. Niki Davis from Lifestyle Telemedicine joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room to explore five foods and food groups for supporting a healthy immune system, with practical ideas for cold and flu season. Her five picks: Mushrooms Beans, peas, and lentils Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables Berries Sweet potatoes Learn why Dr. Davis highlights beta-glucans in mushrooms, how gut bacteria turn fiber into butyrate, and why variety matters when choosing plant foods. The conversation also covers broccoli and sulforaphane, frozen versus fresh berries, and different sweet potato varieties. Beyond the plate, Dr. Davis discusses movement, strength training, sleep, and stress. Audience questions explore oxalates and kidney stones, dairy, yogurt and kefir, probiotics after antibiotics, and eating with Hashimoto's. Plus, Chuck shares his experience eating a mushroom steak at one of the top rated plant-based restaurants in the world, and Dr. Davis reveals her favorite frozen blueberries. 🩺 Lifestyle Telemedicine https://lifestyletelemedicine.com 👩🏻‍⚕️ Dr. Niki Davis https://drnikidavis.com 🩺 Barnard Medical Center https://www.barnardmedical.org Exam Roomie of the Week Andrea Csuvay Make a gift to support The Exam Room Podcast and the life-saving work of the Physicians Committee. All gifts of $20 or more receive a mention from Chuck. Gifts of $100 or more receive an exclusive Exam Room Podcast tote! 🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM 👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom - 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 actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Before you buy another gut-health product, hear what the human research actually found. Stanford nutrition scientist Christopher Gardner, PhD, explains the evidence on fiber, fermented foods, and inflammation. When you're trying to feel better, a promise of billions of beneficial bacteria can sound convincing. But what do those numbers really tell you about the product you're buying? Gardner joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to unpack a human trial that surprised his own research team. The fermented-food group increased gut microbial diversity and had lower levels of several inflammatory markers, while the fiber group's responses were more complicated. He explains why these findings do not mean fiber has failed, and why a study of foods cannot automatically validate every product marketed for your microbiome. In this episode: What prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics mean Why a bigger CFU count does not establish a better health outcome How fermented foods and fiber produced different results in a small human trial Why mouse findings did not predict the human results Why fibermaxxing can be a rough transition for your gut The limits of research measurements of inflammation Gardner's response to seed-oil claims How to build a varied, plant-rich eating pattern you can sustain What he has learned from making 250 batches of kombucha 📕 Food Sense: What to Eat and Why 👉 https://link.amazon/B0ebl1EAc 🔬 Gut Immune System Trial 👉 https://bit.ly/gutimmunetrial Exam Roomie of the Week - Lori Goosmann Make a gift to support The Exam Room Podcast and the life-changing work of the Physicians Committee. All gifts of $20 or more receive a mention on the show. Gifts of $100 or more receive an exclusive Exam Room Podcast tote! 🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM 👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom - 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

You're eating healthier, but the bloating won't quit. By afternoon, your stomach feels tight, your clothes feel uncomfortable, and you're wondering which food to give up next. Before you cut out another healthy food, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz wants you to consider something surprising: You can poop every day and still be constipated. The gastroenterologist joins Chuck Carroll to explain five approaches to reducing bloating and why simply eating more fiber isn't always the answer. DR. B'S FIVE TIPS FOR REDUCING BLOATING Address constipation. Going every day doesn't necessarily mean you're emptying your bowels fully. Reduce swallowed air. Look at habits such as drinking carbonated beverages, sipping through straws, chewing gum, and gulping drinks. Increase fiber gradually. "Low and slow—that's the tempo." Start with what you tolerate and build at your own pace. Consider a trial without dairy and artificial sweeteners. Dr. B explains how lactose and certain sweeteners, including sugar alcohols, can contribute to gas and bloating. Slow down when you eat. Take time to chew, avoid rushing through meals, and try putting your fork down between bites. BONUS: Take a "fart walk"! Dr. B explains how moving your body can help move gas through your digestive system. You'll also hear the difference between feeling bloated and having a visibly distended abdomen, plus when ongoing symptoms deserve a conversation with your doctor. Dr. B discusses BDR, the supplement he developed through his company, 38TERA, and explains its peppermint oil, probiotic, and capsule design. There are plenty of laughs along the way—but the message is serious: You deserve to feel comfortable, and persistent bloating shouldn't be something you simply accept. 🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else! 👉 https://pcrm.org/examroomvip 🩺 Dr. Will Bulsiewicz 👉 https://www.theguthealthmd.com 🩺 38Tera 👉 https://www.38tera.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

Kidney disease can develop quietly. What should you ask when your blood work is labeled "normal" but your numbers are changing? Kidney and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Sean Hashmi joins Chuck Carroll to discuss foamy urine, the role of urine testing, and why he pays close attention to trends in kidney function. Then the conversation becomes deeply personal. Dr. Hashmi explains why he tells patients struggling with obesity that it isn't their fault, how food can become a source of comfort through trauma, and why he wants to understand someone's "why" before prescribing another major lifestyle change. Chuck reflects on his own journey from 420 pounds and the lunchtime walks that helped him build consistency. In this episode: Recurrent foamy urine and questions to ask your doctor Kidney health, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight Pain relievers and kidney concerns Muscle preservation during weight loss Five-minute walks, chair squats, and wall push-ups Substitution, realistic goals, and building trust with your doctor Why a lab result or a number on the scale should not define you Dr. Hashmi also shares how losing his sister shaped his understanding of pain and human connection. 🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else! 👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom 💻 Dr. Hashmi Website https://www.seanhashmimd.com ▶️ Dr. Hashmi YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@SeanHashmiMD 🏥 Barnard Medical Center Appointments 👉 https://www.barnardmedical.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 actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

When breast cancer touches your life, everyday choices can take on a new urgency. What should you eat? Does exercise matter? And what should you make of products wrapped in pink for breast cancer awareness? Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll to explore the science behind pink and red plant foods as part of the Physicians Committee's Let's Beat Breast Cancer campaign. The conversation goes inside strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and beets to explain why similar colors can come from very different compounds—and why an overall eating pattern matters more than chasing one superfood. You'll hear: How gut bacteria break down the colorful compounds in berries. Why tomato sauce can provide more absorbable lycopene than a raw tomato. What breast cancer survivor research found about fruit and vegetable intake combined with physical activity. How the pigments in plant foods differ from the pink color in meat. Why breast cancer fundraising tied to alcohol deserves scrutiny. Whether cooking and freezing change the benefits of these foods. How Dr. Barnard went from avoiding berries to eating them every morning. The research discussion includes both a randomized dietary trial and an observational analysis of diet plus activity. 🙏 Become and Exam Room VIP and get early access to the interview with Dr. Michael Greger before anyone else! 👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom 💪 Let's Beat Breast Cancer 👉 https://letsbeatbreastcancer.org ▶️ Venus Williams and Dr. Funk Ad 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH4djQ0OATg This episode of The Exam Room Podcast is sponsored by the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund. Our sincere thanks to Alysoun Mahoney and everyone at the fund for their generous support of the Physicians Committee and The Exam Room Podcast. 🙂 Gregory Reiter Fund 👉 https://gregoryreiterfund.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 actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.