How Farmer Jawn Is Making Healthy Food Accessible in America's Food Deserts | NHA Today

What does it really take to create lasting health?In this episode of the NHA Today Podcast, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with longtime educator, researcher and lifestyle medicine pioneer Dr. Frank Sabatino for a thoughtful conversation about the principles that support lifelong health.Together, they explore why lasting wellness is about far more than calories or willpower. Dr. Sabatino shares his compassionate approach to weight management, the importance of whole food, plant-based nutrition and how factors like sleep, stress, purpose, community and self-compassion all work together to influence our health.Whether you're just beginning your health journey or looking to strengthen the habits you've already built, this conversation offers practical wisdom and timeless principles to help you create a healthier, more meaningful life.In This EpisodeWhy lasting health is about more than diet aloneThe difference between weight loss and true healthHow whole food, plant-based nutrition supports long-term wellnessThe role of stress, sleep and movement in healthy livingWhy community and purpose matter for lasting behavior changeHow self-compassion can transform your health journeyPractical advice for building sustainable lifestyle habitsResources Mentioned🌿 Balance for Life Florida Retreats with Dr. Frank Sabatinohttps://HealthfulLivingOceanRetreat.com🌿 Join the National Health Associationhttps://membership.healthscience.org/join-membership?🌿 National Health Associationhttps://healthscience.org🌿 Upcoming NHA Eventshttps://healthscience.org/events/If you enjoyed this episode, follow the NHA Today Podcast, leave a review and share it with someone who is looking to build a healthier life through evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

Type 2 diabetes has become one of the most common chronic diseases in the world, but research continues to show that lifestyle can play a powerful role in preventing and even reversing the disease.In this solo episode of the NHA Today Podcast, Dr. Stephan Esser explores the science behind insulin resistance and shares five evidence-based lifestyle strategies that have been shown to dramatically reduce diabetes risk and improve blood sugar control. You'll learn why excess body fat, inflammation, nutrition and physical activity all play critical roles in metabolic health, and how small daily changes can lead to meaningful long-term results.Resources🌿 Join the National Health Association: https://membership.healthscience.org/join-membership?🌿 Learn More: https://healthscience.org🌿 Upcoming Events: https://healthscience.org/events/If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the NHA Today Podcast, leave a review and share it with a friend or family member. Your support helps us continue bringing evidence-based education on nutrition, lifestyle medicine and true health to people around the world.

The Future of Heart Disease Prevention with Dr. Joel KahnHeart disease remains the leading cause of death, but what if we stopped waiting for symptoms and started preventing it decades earlier?In this episode of the NHA Today Podcast, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with renowned cardiologist Dr. Joel Kahn to explore how the future of heart disease prevention is shifting from reacting to illness to identifying risk early through advanced testing, lifestyle medicine and personalized care.Dr. Kahn shares why a normal cholesterol panel doesn't always tell the whole story, the role of genetics and inflammation in heart disease, and why prevention begins long before a heart attack. He also discusses how nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management work together to protect long-term heart health.Whether you're looking to reduce your risk, better understand your heart health or simply stay healthy for years to come, this conversation offers practical, science-based insights you can start applying today.In this episode, you'll learn:Why heart disease often develops silently for years before symptoms appearHow advanced testing can identify risk long before a heart attackWhy cholesterol is only one piece of the heart health puzzleThe importance of inflammation, genetics and lipoprotein(a)How sleep quality impacts cardiovascular healthThe role of a whole food, plant-based lifestyle in preventing heart diseaseWhy early prevention is one of the most powerful tools for lifelong heart healthHow modern medicine is helping personalize heart disease preventionGuest: Dr. Joel KahnHost: Dr. Stephan EsserIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the NHA Today Podcast and share it with someone who wants to take a proactive approach to protecting their heart.

What happens when the worst moment of your health journey becomes the foundation of your life's purpose?For Anthony Masiello, it started with a letter that told him his body was a bad bet. It ended with an organization helping thousands of people transform their health.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Anthony Masiello, founder of Lifestyle Telemedicine, former NIH and Novartis healthcare tech executive, and a man who lost 160 pounds over 20 months through lifestyle medicine alone, for one of the most inspiring personal transformation conversations the show has had.Anthony's story is remarkable not just for the weight he lost but for who he became on the other side. From introvert to extrovert. From fear-driven to purpose-driven. From a data scientist who helped build systems that managed disease to a founder whose organization is helping thousands of people escape it altogether.In this conversation you will learn:The moment a life insurance denial became the turning point that saved his lifeHow he switched from trying to lose weight to trying to get health and why that changed everythingHow he lost 35 pounds in his first 8 weeks and 160 pounds over 20 monthsWhat G-BOMBS are and how they became the foundation of his recoveryHow his doctor took him off blood pressure medication before he finished losing the weightWhat it feels like to break through limitations you had accepted as permanentHow health transformed his confidence, his identity, and his sense of purposeWhy he stopped comparing himself to others and only compares himself to his worstWhat Lifestyle Telemedicine does and how it is making lifestyle medicine accessibleWhy every time someone searches for how to get healthy they are casting a vote for change────────────────────────────────────────ABOUT ANTHONY MASIELLO────────────────────────────────────────Anthony Masiello is the founder of Lifestyle Telemedicine, a healthcare organization making lifestyle medicine accessible nationwide through telemedicine. A former NIH human genome project researcher and Novartis Pharmaceuticals technology executive, Anthony lost 160 pounds through lifestyle medicine in 2006 after being denied a life insurance policy at 33. He has since run marathons, hiked mountains, and built an organization dedicated to helping others do the same.────────────────────────────────────────LINKS AND RESOURCES────────────────────────────────────────Full episode and show notes: NHA Today on YouTubeSubscribeLifestyle Telemedicine: https://lifestyletelemedicine.comLifestyle Telemedicine on InstagramAnthony Masiello on LinkedInFollow Dr. Esser on Instagram

On January 2nd, 2018, Christa Barfield read an email from her boss, sent back a resignation reply, and gave three weeks notice. Three weeks later she was on a plane to Martinique, alone, for the first time out of the country - turning 30 and looking for what came next. What she found was a family of Black farmers running a CSA. She had never farmed before. She has not stopped since.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Christa Barfield, founder of Farmer Jawn, a 128-acre regenerative organic farm operation across three Pennsylvania counties, that has grown from 10 CSA families to a 100-person waitlist, two retail farm stores, and a new food-is-medicine corner store concept launching in the most medically underserved neighborhood in Philadelphia.Christa's work sits at the intersection of food access, food equity, health, and community. Her slogan: agriculture is the culture. Her mission: make the small farmer the center of the health system. Her next project: Corner Jawn.In this conversation you will learn:The moment Christa quit her healthcare job, booked a solo trip to Martinique, and found farmingWhat a CSA is and why the model works for urban food accessWhat sustainability actually means and why it cannot exist without profitabilityWhy Christa calls agriculture a communal sport and how community fills her back upThe Corner Jawn concept: a food-is-medicine corner store in a Philadelphia food desertWhy she charters a school bus every Saturday to bring city residents to her farmThe ancestral connection she feels putting her hands in soil as a Black farmerWhat the Farmer Jawn formula is and why she is bringing it to the NHA ConferenceHow to grow food even if all you have is a glass of water and some scallions────────────────────────────────────────LINKS AND RESOURCES────────────────────────────────────────Full episode and show notes: NHA Today on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgXfvjZj34HbsD3-47eEC2kjBWeIvNhHlSubscribe: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA Conference recordings (catch Christa's talk): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceFarmer Jawn website: https://www.farmerjawn.coFarmer Jawn on Instagram: @FarmerJawn_Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram: @EsserHealth

In their mid-fifties, Jason and Deborah DeSalvo left suburban life behind, bought a 43-acre farm in New Jersey, and started growing their own food. They also went completely WFPB SOS-free. Neither of them had ever farmed before.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Jason DeSalvo, co-owner of Cold Brook Farm - a regenerative certified organic farm in Western New Jersey whose grains have been selected by culinary luminary Dan Barber and served at Michelin-starred restaurants. Jason shares what six years of regenerative farming has taught him about soil, food, health, and the surprising truth about grains.Jason and Deborah will be presenting Whole Grains: Myths vs. Reality at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026 - a full hour deep dive into the science and the story behind the grain they grow.In this conversation you will learn:What regenerative farming actually means and how Jason took dead soil to 11% organic material in six yearsWhy healthy soil produces more nutritious food and why you can taste the differenceThe truth about grains: why ancient and heirloom varieties are nothing like modern wheatWhy hulless oats from a small farm taste completely different from what is in the storeHow grains at 13 to 14% protein challenge the where-do-you-get-your-protein questionHow Jason and Deb went WFPB SOS-free in their mid-fifties -- and what changed3 to 4 tips for growing your own food even if you only have an apartment balconyWhy nature is the seventh pillar of lifestyle medicine────────────────────────────────────────ABOUT JASON DESALVO────────────────────────────────────────Jason DeSalvo and his wife Deborah run Cold Brook Farm, a regenerative certified organic farm in Western New Jersey. Their grains have been selected by Dan Barber and served at Michelin starred restaurants. They converted to a WFPB SOS-free lifestyle in 2022 under the care of Dr. Ron Weiss of Ethos Primary Care and now manage nearly 120 acres of organically grown grains. They will be speaking on Whole Grains: Myths vs. Reality at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026.────────────────────────────────────────LINKS AND RESOURCES────────────────────────────────────────Full episode and show notes:NHA Today on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgXfvjZj34HbsD3-47eEC2kjBWeIvNhHlSubscribe: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceCold Brook Farm website: https://www.coldbrookfarmnj.comCold Brook Farm on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coldbrookfarm/Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

At 420 pounds, Chuck Carroll could barely walk across the street. Today he is one of the most recognized plant-based advocates in the country and host of one of the most popular health podcasts in the world. This is how he got there.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Chuck Carroll, host of The Exam Room podcast for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, weight loss champion, and NHA conference moderator, for an honest, warm, and practical conversation about plant-based weight loss, breaking through plateaus, the engineered addictiveness of fast food, and what it actually takes to never give up on yourself.Chuck's personal story is remarkable. He lost over 200 pounds through diet and lifestyle change, walked 5 miles every lunch break in any weather, and has not been through a fast food drive-through in 16 years. But this episode is less about the number on the scale and more about the mindset, the systems, and the community that make transformation stick.In this conversation you will learn:• The 3 tangible tips for getting unstuck on your weight loss journey• Why the scale not moving does not mean you are not getting healthier• How sugar, fat, and salt are engineered to be as addictive as crack cocaine• Why Chuck believes 95% of people can see results without any additional intervention• How to build movement into your workday so you do not have to drag yourself to the gym• What to pack for travel so you never have to compromise your eating on the road• Chuck's 4 reasons for staying plant-based -- and the one he never expected• Why people who give you a hard time about eating plants will eventually come around• What Chuck is bringing to the NHA Annual Conference as panel moderator this June────────────────────────────────────────ABOUT CHUCK CARROLL────────────────────────────────────────Chuck Carroll is the host of The Exam Room podcast for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and one of the most recognized plant-based advocates in the country. Known as the Weight Loss Champion, a name given to him by NFL players who witnessed his transformation, Chuck lost over 200 pounds through plant-based nutrition and has spent the years since helping others do the same. He will be moderating panels at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026.────────────────────────────────────────LINKS AND RESOURCES────────────────────────────────────────Full episode and show notes:NHA Today on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgXfvjZj34HbsD3-47eEC2kjBWeIvNhHlSubscribe: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceChuck's website: https://chuckcarroll.comFollow Dr. Esser on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

Most people use moderation as a reason to keep doing what they are doing. Dr. Columbus Batiste says that is exactly the mindset that can have lasting health implications. In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Dr. Columbus Batiste, board-certified interventional cardiologist, author, and co-founder of Healthy Heart Nation. Known as the Healthy Heart Doc, Dr. Batiste has spent his career doing what most cardiologists do not: asking patients not just what they eat, but what they eat for their health - and then building a plan around what they actually want. His personal story is the backbone of this conversation. His father was health-conscious, ran a health food store, and juiced long before it was fashionable - but also loved sodasand sweets in moderation. He died from the effects of diabetes. Reading Caldwell Esselstyn's chapter titled Moderation Kills changed the course of Dr. Batiste's career. In this conversation you will learn:• Why moderation is a justification we only apply to things we know we should not be doing• The three most heart-protective food groups and why they work at the cellular level• How to talk to patients (or yourself) about food in a way that actually creates change• The SELFISH acronym: seven pillars of heart health from spirituality to humor• Why 80% of health outcomes happen outside the doctor's office• The role of stress, presence, and relationships in cardiovascular disease• Dr. Batiste's take on AI in medicine and what an elderly patient said that stopped him cold• What he is bringing to the NHA Annual Conference this June ---ABOUT DR. COLUMBUS BATISTE---Columbus Batiste, MD is a board-certified interventional cardiologist, co-founder of Healthy Heart Nation, and author of Selfish: A Cardiologist's Guide to Curing a Stressed and Broken Heart. He is the Regional Chief of Cardiology for Southern California Permanente Medical Group and a celebrity media contributor featured in documentaries, articles, and podcasts worldwide. He will be speaking at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026. ---LINKS AND RESOURCES---Full episode and show notes:Subscribe: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceDr. Batiste's website: https://drbatiste.comFollow Dr. Batiste on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyheartdoc/Dr. Batiste on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbatiste/Book - Selfish: A Cardiologist's Guide: [add purchase link]Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

Can water fasting really reverse chronic disease? And is it safe to do?In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Esser sits down with the person best qualified to answer those questions: Dr. Alan Goldhamer, founder of TrueNorth Health Center and theworld's foremost expert on water-only fasting.Over 42 years and more than 25,000 fasting patients, Dr. Goldhamer has done more to document the safety and efficacy of medically supervised water fasting than anyone alive. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and his team is now preparing a landmark 3,000-person study to track health outcomes across a lifetime.In this conversation, Dr. Goldhamer explains:• What water fasting is and how it differs from other types of fasting• Which conditions respond best to medically supervised water fasting• The real risks of fasting - and how TrueNorth manages them safely• Why refeeding after a fast is just as important as the fast itself• Who is and is not a good candidate for water fasting• How to access TrueNorth health coaching remotely without traveling to the facility• Why salt, oil, and sugar hijack the brain's satiety system• The Navigator Study: a 3,000-person lifetime health tracking project• What Dr. Goldhamer is presenting at the NHA Conference this June---ABOUT DR. ALAN GOLDHAMER---Dr. Alan Goldhamer is a doctor of chiropractic and the founder of TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California. He has supervised more than 25,000 fasting patients over 42 years and has published 24 papers in peer-reviewed journals on fasting and lifestyle medicine. He is the author of The Pleasure Trap and co-author of Can Fasting Save Your Life?He will be presenting new research on health span at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026.---LINKS AND RESOURCES---Full episode and show notes:NHA Today on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgXfvjZj34HbsD3-47eEC2kjBWeIvNhHlSubscribe: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA True North Community (water fasting + plant-based living): https://membership.healthscience.org/join-membership?_ga=2.196155116.1397875101.1780330419-1283726110.1775770362NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceTrueNorth Health Center: https://www.truenorthhealth.comBooks:The Pleasure Trap: https://www.healthpromoting.com/store/book/pleasure-trap?v=9Can Fasting Save Your Life?: https://www.healthpromoting.com/store/book/can-fasting-save-your-lifeFollow Dr. Esser on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

Most health-conscious people are doing most things right. So why aren't the results matching the effort?Dr. Joel Fuhrman has spent more than 30 years answering that question and in this episode he brings his full perspective to the NHA Today audience.Dr. Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician, creator of the Nutritarian diet, and author of 12 books - seven of them New York Times bestsellers, including Eat to Live, the book that has introduced millions of people to the science of nutrient-dense eating.He is also a longtime friend, mentor, and advocate of the NHA, and a speaker at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026.In this conversation with Dr. Stephan Esser, Dr. Fuhrman covers his personal origin story, the science behind his H=N/C equation, why the last 10% of commitment makes all the difference, and what he is building at his Longevity RX clinic in San Diego.In this conversation you will learn:• The H=N/C equation - why health equals nutrients over calories and what that means day to day• Why diversity and nutrient density both matter, and why eating only kale will not cut it• How body fat produces inflammation and fuels cancer risk• Why Dr. Fuhrman went to medical school specifically to be an anti-medicine doctor• His elite figure skating career and how a fasting-based injury recovery changed his life• The three foods that naturally suppress appetite better than any GLP-1 drug• Why the last 10% of commitment produces disproportionate results• What is inside the Longevity RX clinic and the regenerative technology they are using• Which of his 12 books he recommends every viewer read right now---ABOUT DR. JOEL FUHRMAN---Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician, nutritional researcher, and creator of the Nutritarian diet. He is the author of 12 books - seven New York Times bestsellers -- including Eat to Live and Eat for Life. He has dedicated more than 30 years to preventing and reversing disease through nutrition and has been a central figure in the natural hygiene and plant-based medicine movement for decades. He will be speaking at the NHA AnnualConference, June 25 to 28, 2026.---LINKS AND RESOURCES---Full episode and show notes:NHA Today on YouTubeSubscribe on your favorite platform: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conferenceDr. Fuhrman's website: https://www.drfuhrman.comLongevity RX clinic: https://www.drlongevityrx.comDr. Fuhrman on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/drfuhrmanDr. Fuhrman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelfuhrmanmd/Dr. Fuhrman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drfuhrman/Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/