Gemma Newman, MD Is The Plant Power Doctor

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“Stay positive. Make a change for yourself. Tell others about your change. Feel good and hopefully, the message will spread.”

Gemma Newman

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Recorded live during our recent Plantpower Italia retreat in Tuscany, I’m delighted to share a fun and highly informative conversation and audience Q&A with the delightful, whip-smart “Plant Power Doctor” herself.

Gemma’s journey to plant-based advocacy isn’t rooted in ideology or moral compunction, but rather on hard science matched with self-experimentation.

As a young doctor in a high-pressure environment, like many newly minted physicians she began neglecting her own health. Struggling with her weight, and having bought into the background hum of ‘cut the carbs’, she adopted a low carb diet. Calorie counting ensued, combined with a modest daily exercise routine.

It worked. Sort of. Dropping from a size 18 to a size 8, she was feeling pretty good about herself. Then she checked her blood profile to discover an elevated lipid profile, markers suggesting a tendency to heart disease. She shrugged off to genetics. Both her father and grandfather died relatively young of atherosclerosis. It’s just something I was born with. Something I just have to live with.

Nonetheless, she couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps there was something she could do to alter this seemingly immutable fate.

Meanwhile, Gemma’s husband Richard picked up a little book called Finding Ultra while training for the London Marathon. He decided to give this plant-based diet thing a whirl. Being the skeptical doctor she is, Gemma was less than enthusiastic.

Where would he get his protein? Won’t there be nutritional deficiencies? We will never be invited to friend’s houses for dinner ever again! How would I feed my family? 

Undeterred, Richard completed that marathon, slicing an incredible one hour and ten minutes off his personal best.

This got Gemma’s attention.

She had already been passionate about researching lifestyle medicine. How changes in stress, sleep, exercise and diet could improve health for a long time. But nothing was to prepare her for the powerful transformations that were possible when people embraced a whole-food plant-based diet.

Hence ensued a deep dive into medical literature, scientific research, and self-experimentation.

Today we explore the result of Gemma’s journey. How it transformed her life and medical practice wholesale. And the simple changes you can make and sustain to improve your well-being for the long-term.

Note: this podcast is available in audio only. Apologies to all you video/YouTube fans, but we didn’t bring a film crew to Italy.

I’m honored to share Gemma’s wisdom, charm and experience with you today. May you be equal parts entertained and enlightened by her welcoming presence.

Peace + Plants,

Images by Leia Marasovich.