Podcast
Thrive on Plants
Hosted by Dr. Daphne Bascom · EN
The Thrive on Plants podcast, hosted by Dr. Daphne, empowers women to navigate menopause and midlife with confidence through expert insights on plant-based nutrition, weight loss, hormones, and mindset. Each episode blends education, inspiration, and real-life success stories to help listeners thrive on a plant-based lifestyle.
https://www.youtube.com/@drdaphnebascom
35episodes
Episodes
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#60 - The Adaptive Fuel: How Exogenous Ketones Support Healthspan
1w ago01:04:55Tap to summarizeBeta-hydroxybutyrate, the primary ketone your body produces, is turning out to be one of the most compelling molecules in longevity and healthspan science. It fuels your brain when glucose falls short. It influences gene expression. It signals your cells to burn fat more efficiently. And a single dose has been shown to improve cardiac output, ejection fraction, and stroke volume in patients with heart failure.Dr. Latt Mansor grew up in Malaysia surrounded by chronic disease. His father died of a stroke when he was 17. His half-brother died of a heart attack at 43. His mother's side of the family carries decades of obesity and diabetes. That personal history took him from Oxford, where he studied the diabetic heart under low-oxygen conditions, to leading a $6 million Department of Defense contract on exogenous ketones and elite military performance. Now he has come full circle, using what peak-performance science has revealed to help build the case for prevention.Dr. Mansor holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and serves as Research Director at H.V.M.N., the company behind Ketone IQ. In this conversation, we cover:What exogenous ketones actually are and how they differ from the endogenous ketones your body already makesHow beta-hydroxybutyrate acts as a signaling molecule that binds directly to DNA and why a recent transcriptomics analysis showed it affected up to 300 genesThe brain energy implications for women navigating perimenopause and menopauseExogenous ketones and GLP-1 receptor agonists: can they work together to protect lean mass and reduce brain fog during weight lossNew unpublished appetite suppression data showing Ketone IQ's direct effects on GLP-1, ghrelin, and leptinWhy Dr. Mansor calls it "the adaptive fuel" and what that means for how you use itThe research on exogenous ketones is still catching up to the biology. The long-term human data is incomplete. But the mechanistic rationale is compelling, the early clinical signals are hard to ignore, and this conversation will give you the scientific foundation to decide whether any of it belongs in your longevity supplement stack.Connect with Dr. Latt Mansor:Social media: @lattmansorWebsite: ketoneiq.comThrive on Plants:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thrive-on-plants/id1793550910YouTube: youtube.com/@drdaphnebascomInstagram: @WingmanDaphneLinktree: https://linktr.ee/DaphneBascom This episode is not sponsored.Additional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#59 - Why Your Mitochondria Hold the Key to Healthy Aging
3w ago01:26:42Tap to summarizeMost women are told menopause is a hormone story. The science suggests it is also an energy story, one that starts inside your cells decades before your last period.Dr. Siobhan Mitchell is a neuroscientist with a PhD, 80+ peer-reviewed publications, and 25 years of research on how nutrition shapes brain aging. She started this work after watching her grandmother die of Alzheimer's and she has spent her career trying to make sure that never has to happen to anyone else. She currently serves as Chief Science and Technology Officer at MitoQ. This episode is not sponsored.In this conversation, we go deep into the science that most physicians are still not talking about: how estrogen loss during perimenopause and menopause triggers a cascade of mitochondrial changes that affect your brain, your metabolism, your muscles, and your cardiovascular system, all at once.What you will learn in this episode:Why your mitochondria, not the calendar, determine how fast you ageHow estrogen acts as a master regulator of cellular energy, and what happens when it disappearsWhy women's brains start to struggle with glucose during perimenopause and what the research shows about preserving cognitive functionWhat S-Equol is, why only 25% of Western women can produce it from soy, and how to change thatThe biomarker GDF-15 that most doctors are not ordering, and why it should be on your radarHow plant-based fats, MCTs, fiber, B vitamins, and polyphenols feed your mitochondria in ways no supplement can replicateDr. Mitchell also addresses the honest evidence base for MitoQ, including where the data is strong and where more research is still needed.If you are navigating perimenopause, postmenopause, or want to understand how to protect your healthspan, you will enjoy learning from Dr. Mitchell in this episode.Connect with Dr. Siobhan Mitchell:MitoQ: https://www.mitoq.comResearch: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=s6LruaUAAAAJ&hl=enAdditional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#58 - Could Yeast Replace Whey? The Science and the Story Behind Spacemilk
Jul 101:22:23Tap to summarizeWhat if the cleanest, most complete protein you could eat wasn't made from animals, plants, or soil at all?In this episode, Dr. Daphne sits down with Walter Ross, founder and CEO of Spacemilk, to explore a category of protein most people have never heard of: single-cell yeast protein, grown in a closed-loop tank of water, free of heavy metals, pesticides, allergens, and the resource footprint of conventional agriculture.Walter is not a food scientist. He studied economics, went to law school, and grew up watching his father pioneer hydroponic heirloom tomatoes in South Florida. The through-line? A relentless drive to find a better way. That instinct led him to baker's yeast, one of the oldest organisms in human food history, and to building what he believes is the cleanest protein powder on the market today.We cover a lot of ground in this conversation:How yeast protein is actually made, from a molasses-fed fermentation tank to a finished isolate, and why that process naturally removes purines, histamines, and heavy metals that accumulate in soil-grown proteins.Why Walter named the company Spacemilk, and the moment at a space conference that reframed everything he was building.The randomized controlled trial data comparing yeast protein to whey for lean muscle mass, and what the research actually shows.The environmental math: 40% less water and land use than soy, 97% less than beef, and a certified upcycled supply chain where nothing goes to waste.Why he third-party tests every single batch for heavy metals, 77 pesticides, molds, mycotoxins, and allergens, and why he thinks most companies simply do not.The formulation decisions behind every ingredient, from monk fruit and thaumatin to acacia fiber and algae-based omegas, and what is changing in the next product version.What living with purpose means to him, and why he believes the root of all meaning is in giving back more than you take.This is one of those conversations that quietly shifts how you think about where your food comes from.Spacemilk: https://spacemilk.comSpacemilk third-party testing: https://spacemilk.com/pages/testing-1Try Spacemilk for yourself at spacemilk.com and use code SPACE50 for 50% off your first subscription from July 2 - July 5, 2026, only! Additional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#57 - What Every Cancer Patient Should Know About Exercise
Jun 1701:14:52Tap to summarizeWhat if the most powerful cancer-fighting tool isn't a drug, it's your muscle?Exercise oncologist Sami Mansfield spent 23 years building programs inside cancer centers and co-authoring ASCO guidelines before most oncologists were willing to have this conversation. In this episode, she joins Dr. Daphne Bascom to cover what your care team probably hasn't told you about movement, muscle, menopause, and what it actually takes to prevent cancer and thrive after it.Whether you have a diagnosis, are caring for someone who does, or are simply committed to protecting your health in midlife and beyond, this conversation will change how you think about your body.In this episode, you will learn:Why "rest and eat whatever you want" is one of the most harmful things an oncology team can sayThe minimum effective dose of movement Sami starts every patient with (it's 5 minutes and it works)Why muscle loss during treatment may occur and how to prevent itHow to track your muscle health at home for under $35The difference between cancer detection and cancer prevention (and why 364 days matter more than your annual screening)Sami's "bookend" method for protecting sleep during treatment and menopause….and more!Connect with Sami MansfieldMy Lifestyle Shift (her survivorship and lifestyle program): https://www.mylifestyleshift.comCancer Wellness for Life: https://www.cancerwellnessforlife.com#CancerPrevention #ExerciseOncology #WomensHealth #Menopause #PlantBased #Longevity #LifestyleMedicine #CancerSurvivor #MuscleHealth #ThriveOnPlants Additional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#56 - From Disease Care to Health Creation
Jun 301:01:01Tap to summarizeWhat if the healthcare system was never actually designed to make you healthy?Dr. Zeev Neuwirth spent decades inside major health systems as a physician, Chief Medical Officer, and Population Health Officer. What he found there shocked him, then frustrated him, then ultimately set him free.In this conversation, Dr. Neuwirth breaks down three phases of his career-long awakening: from realizing that even world-class hospitals were failing patients relationally, to discovering that improving healthcare delivery was not the same as improving health, to his most unsettling realization of all: that the entire system, including much of the wellness industry, is built around consumption rather than creation. This is one of the most riveting conversations we have had on Thrive on Plants. We ran out of time before we ran out of ideas. Part 2 is coming.What We CoverWhy the US ranks 40th in lifespan and 80th in healthy adjusted life years despite spending over $5 trillion on healthcare annuallyThe Groundhog Day moment that changed Dr. Neuwirth's career trajectoryWhy willpower is the least reliable health tool you have and what actually works insteadThe three reframes that shift you from self-blame to self-protectionHow your social environment is shaping your health behaviors, whether you realize it or notThe wellness industrial complex: when the solution becomes part of the problemAbout Dr. Zeev NeuwirthDr. Zeev Neuwirth is a physician, healthcare executive, and author of Reframing Healthcare. He is the host of the podcast Creating a New Healthcare and spent decades in senior leadership roles at major US health systems, including Atrium Health (now Advocate Health), one of the three largest health systems in the country. His work sits at the intersection of healthcare systems reform, behavior change science, and personal health agency.Connect with Dr. Zeev NeuwirthX: https://x.com/ZeevNeuwirthLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeevneuwirthApple Podcast: https://www.creatinganewhealthcare.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bU0A671AbKoeKIKLlaKSkAmazon (books): https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07NK5YP7H#HealthcareReform #Healthspan #LifestyleMedicine #ReframingHealthcare #BehaviorChange #ThriveOnPlants Additional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#55 - How to Live Longer Without Spending a Fortune
May 2001:23:46Tap to summarizeJulie Gibson Clark is not a billionaire with a team of longevity doctors. She is a full-time recruiter, a former structural engineer, a single mom from Phoenix -- and she has outperformed most of the world's highest-spending biohackers on the most rigorous biological aging leaderboard.Her DunedinPACE score of 0.665 indicates she was aging at a rate of 65 days per 100 days. She got there with a pound of vegetables a day, weights four times a week, a $20 gym membership, and a very clear reason why she refuses to age faster than she has to.In this episode of Thrive on Plants, Julie shares what she has learned over the years. She did not just tell me what works. She told me what went wrong, including the time she added one too many supplements, developed a fibroid, cut her HRT in half, stopped sleeping, and watched her pace of aging jump from 0.665 back up to 0.77. What we cover:What biological aging pace actually measures, and why it matters more than a static "biological age" numberHow she accidentally slowed her aging faster than Bryan Johnson, and why she is not surprised he has since surpassed herThe quercetin experiment gone wrong: a new fibroid, disrupted HRT, and a DunedinPACE score that climbed back up -- and what it taught her about adding supplements without understanding your own geneticsWhy she stopped eating 100 grams of protein every day and what she does instead This is not a story about biohacking. It is a story about what happens when you pursue healthspan with consistency and intention.Resources:Julie Gibson Clark's website: https://www.juliegibsonclark.comJulie's YouTube channel (Longevity Kitchen -- From Paper to Plate): youtube.com/@JulieGibsonClarkJulie's Instagram: @juliegibsonclarkAdditional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#54 - Why "Eat Less, Move More" Stops Working After 40 (And What Actually Does)
May 601:04:48Tap to summarizeForty percent of women are not being heard by their doctors when they report menopause symptoms. Andrea Donsky was one of them.She is a nutritionist with 26 years of experience. She had studied health and wellness her entire career. And she still spent 14 years in perimenopause without knowing it.When she finally understood what had been happening to her body, she did not keep it to herself. She spent two years researching, surveyed over 5,200 women, published her findings, and wrote the book she wished she had been handed at 35. That book is Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best. In this episode, we cover:Why perimenopause likely starts earlier than you think, and why most women miss itHow one night of poor sleep disrupts insulin, increases cravings, and contributes to weight gainThe REST Protocol for better sleep: Routine, Environment, Support, and TechnologyWhy "eat less, exercise more" stops working in perimenopause, and what to do insteadThe 17 reasons you may be gaining weight, and most of them are not your faultHow your gut microbiome and estrobolome affect hormone clearanceThe blood tests every woman in midlife should be asking her doctor forAndrea's simple protein formula, built directly from the researchWhy most electrolyte supplements are formulated for male athletes, not perimenopausal womenHow mindset shapes your menopause experience more than most people realizeAndrea's research found that 50 to 90 percent of the top 10 most common menopause symptoms are brain and mental health relatedGet Nourishing Menopause (available now): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668061546Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Nourishing-Menopause-Audiobook/B0FXHRZX63 Book website: nourishingmenopausebook.com (a great download is available on this site)Learn more about Andrea and her research: https://wearemorphus.comFollow Andrea Donsky: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearemorphus TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andreadonsky YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wearemorphusAdditional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#53 - Triple Negative Breast Cancer: How She Caught It Early and Came Back Stronger
Apr 1501:07:19Tap to summarizeLori Baum is a medical assistant who has spent over two decades working in oncology. She knows cancer. She knows screenings. She eats well, stays active, and has been proactive about her health for years.And still, in November 2022, she found the words "invasive carcinoma" on her phone screen at lunch.In this episode of Thrive on Plants, Lori shares her full story: a heavy family history of cancer, a negative BRCA test, a breast MRI that changed everything, and a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis that her mammogram earlier that same year had completely missed.What follows is one of the most honest conversations we have had on this podcast. Lori talks about what it actually feels like to go through 16 rounds of chemotherapy and 15 rounds of radiation, how she stayed active and kept eating well when treatment was taking everything from her, what the healthcare system gets right and gets wrong during survivorship, and how she found her way back to herself on the other side.Lori is now 58 years old, fully plant-based, strength training, running half marathons, and training for an Ironman relay. She says she is in the best shape of her life.Topics covered:Why family history and dense breasts may require more than a standard mammogramTriple negative breast cancer: what it is and what treatment involvesHow Lori stayed active and ate well through chemotherapy and radiationThe emotional weight of survivorship and what comes after treatment endsHow plant-based eating and strength training transformed her recoveryWhy self-advocacy is the most important tool you have in your healthcare journeyConnect with Lori: loriabaum@yahoo.comAdditional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#52 - Why Women Have to Fight for Their Hormones
Apr 101:10:24Tap to summarizeContent Warning: This episode includes an honest, courageous conversation about the mental health toll of hormone deficiency, including a moment of profound hopelessness. Sarah speaks to this with full self-awareness and strong support in place. If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.What happens when a nurse practitioner who specializes in women's hormonal health spends an entire year fighting to get her own hormones covered by insurance?That is exactly what happened to Sarah Katkhouda, FNP-C.Sarah is a women's health nurse practitioner and a provider at MIDI Health. In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on one of the most frustrating and overlooked realities in women's healthcare: the gap between what women need and what the system is actually willing to provide.After undergoing a hysterectomy and oophorectomy for pelvic congestion syndrome, Sarah was plunged into surgical menopause overnight. What followed was a year of insurance denials, medication shortages, dose trials, canceled appointments, and a slow but deliberate fight to reclaim her health, her strength, and her sense of self.In this episode, we cover:What pelvic congestion syndrome is, why it is underdiagnosed, and what women need to know before pursuing surgical interventionThe critical differences between surgical menopause and natural menopause, and why treating them identically is doing women a serious disserviceHow to optimize estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and why the sequence and method of delivery matterThe role of muscle in hormonal health, metabolic resilience, and longevity, and what happens to musculoskeletal integrity when hormones are out of rangeHow to self-advocate when you feel dismissed or worn down by a system that was not built with women in mindSarah does not sugarcoat what this year has cost her. She also does not stop there. She shares what she has learned, what she wishes she had known, and why she is committed to making sure other women do not have to fight as hard or as long as she did.Connect with Sarah Katkhouda, FNP-C:Sarah is a provider at MIDI Health, a telehealth organization focused on women's midlife health. MIDI accepts insurance and is available in all 50 states.MIDI Health: https://www.joinmidi.comDisclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for guidance specific to your individual health needs.#MenopauseHealth #HormoneReplacement #SurgicalMenopause #WomensHealth #HRTAwareness #TestosteroneForWomen #PelvicPain #PelvicCongestionSyndrome #MenopauseSupport #HormoneOptimization #MidlifeWomen #WomensHealthAdvocacy #ThriveonPlants #DrDaphneBascom #PerimenopausalHealth #MuscleAndHormones #MentalHealthAndMenopauseAdditional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
Transcribe →#51 - The Hidden Muscle Group Every Woman Should Train
Mar 1801:14:31Tap to summarizeMost of us were never taught about the pelvic floor. And yet it affects everything from bladder control and bowel health to sex, exercise, and how we age through menopause. In this episode, Dr. Daphne sits down with Dr. Sara Reardon, board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist and author of Floored, to have the conversation most of us never got from our doctors or our mothers.In this episode we discuss:What the pelvic floor actually is and why it affects everything from peeing and pooping to sex, exercise, and menopauseThe three reasons women have been kept in the dark about pelvic health (and why this is a medical system failure, not a personal one)Why Kegels are not the whole answer and why some women actually need to relax, not strengthenHow perimenopause and declining estrogen quietly change your pelvic floor, even if you've never had childrenTopical vaginal estrogen, prolapse, hysterectomy, orgasms, running incontinence, and moreResources:Book: Floored: A Woman's Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage by Dr. Sara Reardon: https://thevagwhisperer.com/floored/Dr. Sara Reardon's website and The V-Hive app (your pocket pelvic floor therapist): https://www.thevagwhisperer.com/Find a pelvic floor PT near you (Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy): https://pelvicrehab.comFollow Dr. Sara Reardon on Instagram: @the.vagina.whisperer | YouTube: @thevaginawhisperer | App: @the.vhiveIf this episode helped you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a woman in your life who needs to hear this. Your pelvic floor has to last you a lifetime. Start caring for it today.Additional resources to help you thrive on plants:🌱 Access the free Plant-Powered Body course: Access Here🌱 Take the free health assessment for women 40+: Start Here 🌱 Watch every episode on YouTube⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a review! ⭐️Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts:Go to the Thrive on Plants Podcast page: Click hereScroll down to the ‘Ratings & Reviews’ section. Tap ‘Write a Review’ (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you for your support!
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