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The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

Physicians Committee 770 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee explores the science of nutrition and its impact on health. Hosted by Chuck Carroll, the show features Dr. Neal Barnard and other experts discussing how diet can prevent and fight diseases. Episodes cover topics like the health benefits of blueberries and the eating habits of the world's longest-living people. The podcast aims to boost listeners' health IQ with evidence-based information.

Episodes

Kidney Disease: Silent Signals and Best Foods | Dr. Sean Hashmi
Kidney Disease: Silent Signals and Best Foods | Dr. Sean Hashmi Oct 13, 2026 47:15 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 pati
Health Benefits of Pink Foods: The Science Behind Their Color | Dr. Neal Barnard
Health Benefits of Pink Foods: The Science Behind Their Color | Dr. Neal Barnard Oct 8, 2026 40:43 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
Breast Cancer Beyond Genetics: Better Outcomes | Dr. Kristi Funk
Breast Cancer Beyond Genetics: Better Outcomes | Dr. Kristi Funk Oct 5, 2026 49:47 An abnormal mammogram. No ride to the next appointment. No one to watch the kids. And a paycheck that won't stretch far enough to cover both groceries and medical care. Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk explains how those everyday challenges can become barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment—and why helping women overcome them can change lives. She joins Chuck Carroll to examine a troubling
Dairy vs. Plant-Based Yogurt: What Matters for Gut Health? | Dr. Alan Desmond
Dairy vs. Plant-Based Yogurt: What Matters for Gut Health? | Dr. Alan Desmond Oct 1, 2026 45:25 Is yogurt really good for your gut? What about dairy kefir—and are plant-based yogurts a better choice? Gastroenterologist Dr. Alan Desmond joins Chuck Carroll to examine the human research behind some of the biggest claims in the yogurt aisle. They discuss why live cultures do not automatically mean lasting health benefits, where fermented dairy can help people with lactose intolerance, what to l
Healthy Ideas For Busy People: Quickies with PlantYou's Carleigh Bodrug
Healthy Ideas For Busy People: Quickies with PlantYou's Carleigh Bodrug Sep 28, 2026 45:01 Too tired to cook, but still want a meal you feel good about? PlantYou creator and bestselling cookbook author Carleigh Bodrug joins Chuck Carroll live on The Exam Room to talk about quick, easy plant-based meals for busy people.   Carleigh's new cookbook, PlantYou Quickies, is packed with approachable recipes and ideas for the nights when your time and energy are limited. Chuck and Carleigh explo
Best Iron Sources for a Plant-Based Diet: What to Eat, What to Avoid | Dr. Neal Barnard
Best Iron Sources for a Plant-Based Diet: What to Eat, What to Avoid | Dr. Neal Barnard Sep 24, 2026 53:17 Nearly one-third of American adults may have some form of iron deficiency. Does that mean we should be eating more meat—or could that advice create an entirely different set of health problems?   Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll to examine a Washington Post article recommending meat, poultry, and seafood as sources of highly absorbable heme iron. They also explore the counterargument from Dr.
Food Companies Control Your Cravings. How To Fight Back | David Fenton
Food Companies Control Your Cravings. How To Fight Back | David Fenton Sep 21, 2026 45:29 Why can a fast-food commercial still trigger a craving 16 years after someone stopped eating it? And how can a health movement compete with the enormous marketing power of Big Food? Communications pioneer David Fenton joins Chuck Carroll, who lost nearly 300 pounds, to reveal how advertising, repetition, emotion, and social media shape what people believe—and ultimately what they eat. David has sp
The Science of Willpower: How to Make Healthy Habits Stick | Dr. Gemma Newman
The Science of Willpower: How to Make Healthy Habits Stick | Dr. Gemma Newman Sep 17, 2026 41:22 Why do some healthy habits become part of your life while others disappear after a few days or weeks? Dr. Gemma Newman joins Chuck Carroll to explore the psychology behind lasting lifestyle change — and why willpower alone may not be enough. They discuss research suggesting that sustainable change is often connected to identity, purpose, personal values, and finding a deeper "why." Dr. Newman also
Can Chocolate Protect Your Heart? A 21,000-Person Study Found Out | Dr. Howard Sesso
Can Chocolate Protect Your Heart? A 21,000-Person Study Found Out | Dr. Howard Sesso Sep 14, 2026 54:31 Can chocolate actually protect your heart or are we giving candy a health halo it doesn't deserve? Dr. Howard Sesso from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School joins Chuck Carroll to reveal what the landmark COSMOS trial discovered about cocoa extract, cardiovascular disease and cognition. The randomized clinical trial included more than 21,000 participants. One secondary outcome
Diet Power: Olympian Gets Stronger, No Longer Eats Meat | Kendrick Farris
Diet Power: Olympian Gets Stronger, No Longer Eats Meat | Kendrick Farris Sep 9, 2026 45:44 Can an athlete become stronger, recover faster, and clean and jerk more than 440 pounds without eating meat? Three-time Olympian Kendrick Farris says the answer is yes. Kendrick represented the United States at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games and was featured in the hit documentary The Game Changers. He ate a standard American diet during his first two Olympic appearances. By his third, he
Fiber May Matter More Than Protein for Muscle and Longevity
Fiber May Matter More Than Protein for Muscle and Longevity Sep 7, 2026 01:08:23 Can fiber be even more important than protein for athletic performance, muscle health, and healthy aging? Dr. Regan A. Stiegmann and Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen join "The Exam Room Podcast" to challenge some of the biggest assumptions in fitness and sports nutrition. Dr. McDowell-Larsen is an exercise physiologist, nine-time Ironman finisher, and age-group world champion who remains an elite compet
The Pleasure Trap Is Getting Worse. Here's How to Escape It. | Dr. Doug Lisle
The Pleasure Trap Is Getting Worse. Here's How to Escape It. | Dr. Doug Lisle Sep 2, 2026 01:20:05 Why does healthy eating feel so hard—even when we know exactly what to do? Dr. Doug Lisle joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room to explain the psychology behind The Pleasure Trap and why today's food environment may be even more difficult to navigate than it was two decades ago. Dr. Lisle is the co-author of The Pleasure Trap and a longtime voice in evolutionary psychology. In this conversation, he

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