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I’m fairly new to the work of straight talking naturopath Dr Pam Popper and her company Wellness Forum Health which offers educational programs to both consumers and providers that facilitate informed medical decision-making, diet and lifestyle intervention, and improved long-term health outcomes.

So heads up dear listeners, if you’re new to Pam too – you might well find some of what we cover today a little confronting.

I’d ask you to listen with an open mind, as I did when I did my show prep and listened to the audio version of the book Dr Popper coauthored with Glen Merzer,

Food Over Medicine: The Conversation That Could Save Your Life.

Let’s cover a little official bio first: Pam serves on the Physician’s Steering Committee and the President’s Board for the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C. Pam was one of the health care professionals involved in the famed Sacramento Food Bank Project, in which economically disadvantaged people were shown how to reverse their diseases and eliminate medications with diet.

Pam served as part of Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s teaching team at eCornell, teaching part of a certification course on plant-based nutrition. Side note: this is a highly respected course which I’m just completing! She has been featured in many widely distributed documentaries, including Processed People, Making a Killing, Food Choices, The Yoyo Effect and Forks Over Knives. She is one of the co-authors of the companion book to FOK which was on the New York Times bestseller list for 66 weeks.

As you will hear Pam is not afraid to criticise national health organisations, government agencies, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, agricultural organisations and manufacturing companies, many of whom have agendas and priorities that interfere with distributing truthful information and promoting public health.

The important thing to consider in this chat is that as confronting as some of the information Pam shares may sound, she’s not advising you against medical testing and treating. She’s simply revealing how important it is to do your due diligence. Get the facts. Then make your decision. 

Given the amount of effort we put into researching every other purchasing decision surely our medical decisions deserve the same amount of careful consideration?

In this chat we cover:

• Pams personal journey to veganism and to helping others take control of their health. She didn’t always prioritise exercise and whole plant foods!
• Pams work as a lobbyist working toward changing laws that interfere with patients’ rights to choose their health provider and method of care.
• Why / how with most things that are done in medicine the risks out weigh the benefits.
• Informed medical decision making. 
• How to manage your doctor(s).
• The problem with oils. 
• Why white meat is not better than red meat. 

And so much more!

I’m back on my own and I’d love to highlight something that perhaps we didn’t emphasis as much as we could have in this conversation.

It’s the diet and lifestyle intervention component of Dr Popper’s work. I guess I didn’t focus so much on that as it’s such a huge part of the conversation here on the Healthification podcast anyway.

As vitally important as informed medical decision making is, it’s not just about saying “No Thanks” to over testing and over treating. The message from Dr Popper and I and from so many of my previous show guests, most recently Dr Greger in show #664 and Dr Barnard in show #669 is to prioritise those lifestyle choices within your control that give you every chance of avoiding and even reversing our top killers such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many cancers and obesity.

Why wait for a test to tell you intervention – be it lifestyle or medical – is needed? 

When the side effects of a whole food plant based diet and regular exercise are ONLY positive, why wait?

In closing today, it very likely needs no clarification however just incase, our medical professionals are generally doing their very best with the skills and resources they have – as are any of us – and for that they have my huge respect and gratitude. That doesn’t negate the fact that we ALL can do better. I find it, gosh is “heartening” the word (?) that consumer demand will lead the change we need to see in our health systems.

Less demand for over testing and over treating.

More demand for open minded diet and lifestyle intervention trained medical professionals who are excited by continuing education that is not based on a huge conflict of interest. 

I’m going to date todays show, however it’d feel wrong not to mention the amazing health professionals at the front line of the health crisis we are currently fighting globally. I can’t even imagine the stress, fear, uncertainly, sadness and exhaustion these people are facing right now. So if you’re one of our health hero’s – or if someone you love is – I’m sending you and your loved ones HUGE thanks, appreciation and of course love and well wishes.

Check out Pam’s websites: https://drpampopper.com and https://wellnessforumhealth.com/

Connect with Pam via: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter.

More questions? Contact Pam via her personal email: pampopper@msn.com

That’s it for this week in Healthification. Big thanks to YOU for sharing this week with me. You rock and I appreciate your support!

The Healthification podcast is proudly bought to you by my FREE ‘Easy Vegan’ plan. It took me 25 years to transition from a meat eater to a happy, healthy Vegan! You can do it in just 3 days with my simplified ‘easy vegan’ plan!  Get the fit, strong, and healthy plant based body you deserve… while avoiding ALL the mistakes I made along the way!

Till next time, remember Creating a body and life you love is Freedom. (If this ex-carb queen, non genetically gifted, naturally uncoordinated vegan chick can do it – so can YOU!!!)

If you liked “Food Over Medicine and The Need For Informed Medical Decision Making with Dr Pam Popper” you’ll also like Dr Michael Greger and How Not To Diet, The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide.

If you liked “Food Over Medicine and The Need For Informed Medical Decision Making with Dr Pam Popper” you’ll also like E669: Dr Neal Barnard and Optimising Hormonal Health with Simple Diet.

If you liked “Food Over Medicine and The Need For Informed Medical Decision Making with Dr Pam Popper” you’ll also like E598: Reversing Rheumatoid Arthritis Using A Whole Foods Plant Based Diet with Clint Paddison.