Food Heals

Thirteen surgeries. A hysterectomy at 29. And a health crisis that led her to get her affairs in order. How did Kim Rogers go from preparing to die to becoming “The Worm Queen”?

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with Kim Rogers, founder of RogersHood Apothecary and host of What’s Eating U?, for a candid conversation about her search for answers, the parasite cleanse that she says changed everything, and the viral videos that made her story impossible to ignore.

With a background in healthcare education, Kim never expected to become known...

What if you woke up one day and couldn’t read the words on your phone screen?

That’s what happened to Food Heals host Allison Melody recently when her vision suddenly became blurry and garbled. Although her vision returned to normal, the experience sparked a question: What can we do now to protect our eyesight for the future?

An estimated 19.8 million Americans age 40 and older were living with age-related macular degeneration in 2019. But one scientist says a key to protecting our vision lies in nature.

Professor John Nolan has spent more than 25 year...

What do you do when your labs look “normal,” but you feel anything but?

Amanda Soukoulis was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader finalist with a thriving career in private equity. From the outside, she looked like the picture of health. But in her mid-20s, her energy crashed, brain fog stole her focus, and she gained 35 pounds despite no changes to her diet or workouts.

After spending $70,000 searching for answers, Amanda discovered gut dysfunction, mold exposure, and postmenopausal estrogen levels. Being dismissed by doctors became the turning point that led her into functional medicine and nutrition, firs...

At 22, Miguel Bautista was so sick that his 75-year-old grandmother had to feed him and help him bathe. He experienced debilitating fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. After seeing dozens of specialists, his tests kept coming back normal. He was a medical mystery, and no one seemed to have answers. Eventually, he landed in the ICU and was ready to give up.

Then a psychiatrist reviewing his records identified something the tests hadn’t revealed: his nervous system was stuck in survival mode. Learning to regulate it became the turning point. Wi...

Could we see the end of factory farming within our lifetime?

What if the answer is not convincing everyone to stop eating meat, but completely changing how meat is made?

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with Bruce Friedrich, president of the Good Food Institute and author of Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity’s Favorite Food and Our Future.

Bruce is vegan. Allison is vegan. And they both support cultivated meat, which is real meat grown directly from animal cells instead of raising and slaughtering ani...

You’ve been lied to about menopause. Hot flashes, brain fog, weight gain, low libido, mood swings, and exhaustion are not symptoms you simply have to accept. Dr. Anna Cabeca is here to bust the biggest myths about women’s hormones, reveal what may really be driving your symptoms, and explain why healing is possible. Your body is not broken, and suffering is not inevitable.

The triple-board-certified OB-GYN, bestselling author, hormone expert, and woman known as The Girlfriend Doctor has lived this transformation herself. After being diagnosed with early menopause and infertility at 39, she traveled the world sear...

Today’s episode is a full-circle moment.

After months of covering the fight to save the beagles from Ridglan Farms, Allison is sharing the behind-the-scenes story of what happened in Wisconsin, what it was like to be tear-gassed during the attempted rescue, how the media narrative unfolded, and why this mission has become one of the most meaningful animal rights stories she has ever been part of.

And now, the story has become even more personal.

Allison has officially adopted one of the Ridglan rescue beagles.

Meet Dolly.

Dolly sp...

Mansi Goel and Allison Melody had just met.

They were on their way to what they thought was a beagle rescue training session when the call came in:

“It’s happening now.”

In a shocking turn, they were suddenly headed straight into the historic Ridglan Farms rescue, where more than a thousand people showed up to stand for beagles who had spent their lives inside a breeding facility.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with animal rescuer, executive coach, and fellow Ridglan Farms rescuer Mansi Goel to talk abou...

Most people will never see what really happens behind closed doors inside a place like Ridglan Farms.

Scotty Gilbertson did.

Scotty is an undercover whistleblower who went inside the beagle breeding facility and witnessed cruelty most people could not imagine. He saw the cages. He saw the suffering. He bonded with the dogs. And instead of walking away, he exposed the truth.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by co-host Ella Magers for an emotional conversation with Scotty Gilbertson, whose undercover footage and testimony helped ignite the movement to f...

What happens when people stop looking away and start showing up?

In this emotional episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with Trey, co-founder of Animal Activism Collective, right as breaking news comes in that the beagles at Ridglan Farms may finally be released after months of public pressure, rescue efforts, and relentless campaigning.

Trey shares what it was like being part of the first Ridglan rescue effort, how 22 beagles were brought to safety, and why the movement to free animals from labs, farms, cages, and cruelty is bigger than one rescue.

Together, A...

We came prepared to carry beagles to safety.

Instead, we walked into tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, manure trenches, chaos, fear, and what felt like a war zone.

In this raw episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with fellow beagle rescuers Hannah, Ella, and Alex to talk about what really happened at Ridglan Farms, where thousands of beagles are still trapped inside a facility breeding dogs for research.

We trained to carry 15 to 30 pound dogs. We prepared for possible arrest. We knew there could be resistance.

But we did...

They were born into cages, raised for experiments, and when brave people tried to get them out, those were the people placed in handcuffs.

In this episode, Allison is joined by Ella Magers and Jennifer Tourkin for an emotional conversation about the beagles at Ridglan Farms and the growing movement to rescue them.

Jennifer shares the story of carrying a beagle to safety during the March 15th rescue. Allison, Ella, and Jennifer also share why all three of them are going back on April 19 to help save the nearly 2,000 beagles still inside.

Jennifer...

He went from mocking vegan videos to being arrested for carrying a rescued beagle to safety.

In this episode, I sit down with vegan animal activist Pete Reimann to talk about the unexpected path that led him here, from a single video that changed his mind forever to the rescue effort that put him on the front lines at Ridglan Farms. Pete shares how he went vegan in an instant after watching one video, why he devoted his life to animal activism, and what it was like getting arrested for saving beagles from a life of testing...

Dogs like my beagle Lily are being bred for experiments in the U.S.

Kept in cages.
Used. Abused.

Denied sunlight, freedom, play, safety, and love.

But there are a brave group of people fighting back.

In this episode of Food Heals, I share what happened when Wayne Hsiung and fellow rescuers entered Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin and carried 31 beagles out of a breeding facility tied to animal testing. Some made it to safety. 8 beagles were taken back. 

As a beagle mom, this story hit me hard.

Eight out of nine people writing the U.S. dietary guidelines had ties to Big Meat and Big Dairy.

Hmm.

So what does that mean for the nutrition advice we’re all supposed to trust?

I asked a doctor to break it down.

And why is cheese so hard to quit?

Spoiler alert: it might not be your willpower. There’s actual biology behind it.

You know how much I love talking to doctors who are plant-based, and today’s guest is bringing the receipts.

Dr. Jo...

Why do people get so angry about vegan food?

Why do the same illogical arguments about meat keep showing up over and over again?

And what happens when someone finally starts dismantling them… one by one?

Today on Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by plant-powered content creator Danny Ishay, Instagram’s favorite vegan.

If you’ve ever heard someone say:

“Humans need meat for protein.”

“It’s the food chain.”

“Plants feel pain.”

…and you’ve wanted to stick a carrot in their face and ask who a...

Today's episode is a deeply personal one.

I was devastated to hear of the passing of James Van Der Beek. Like so many of you, I grew up watching Dawson's Creek. But for me, it was even more than a show. My very first job was working on Dawson's Creek in Wilmington, North Carolina. My parents got to see their little girl step onto a set they watched in our living room every week... and that memory means everything to me.

Years later, I had dinner with James and his wife Kimberly (who was one...

In this episode, Allison Melody opens with a no filter Q&A that goes everywhere the mainstream won't.

From the hidden reality of the dairy industry and why cows only produce milk when they're pregnant, to what really happens when creators are censored, reinstated, and quietly invited back after years of being silenced.

She shares her personal experience with peptides, what she's learned so far, and why she believes they should be approached thoughtfully and with the right medical support.

Then things get a little spicy.

Allison spills the tea on...

2026 is not a continuation of the old story. It's a clean slate.

In this raw, unfiltered episode, Allison Melody shares 11 powerful shifts that can change your health, mindset, money, relationships, and overall direction in life. These aren't "steps" or a rigid formula. They're real-life upgrades, mindset resets, and non-negotiables for anyone who is done repeating the same patterns and ready for something better.

From updating your algorithm and rewiring your brain, to healing your body, forgiving for real, building wealth, and being intentional about who you let into your life, this episode is a wake-up...

Get ready to fall in love with vegan Italian food. In this delicious episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with Chef Tara Punzone, founder of LA's award-winning vegan restaurant Pura Vita, and renowned author Gene Stone (Forks Over Knives, How Not to Die) to talk about their brand new cookbook, Vegana Italiana.

From mouthwatering pastas and creamy vegan ricotta to tiramisu you'll dream about, this episode explores how simple, clean ingredients and a little love can create unforgettable meals that are as good for you as they are for the planet.

You'll discover:

We've all heard the promises of The Secret. If you think positive thoughts and raise your frequency, you can have, be, and do anything you want. But what happens when your nervous system is stuck in trauma and doesn't feel safe enough to receive? That's when manifestation stops working and survival mode takes over.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody chats with Empowerment Strategist JJ Flizanes to explore the 4 survival states, how they block our manifestation, and how to move from trauma to transformation.

Fight is when your body gears up to defend...

We’ve all heard the promises of The Secret. If you think positive thoughts and raise your frequency, you can have, be, and do anything you want. But what happens when your nervous system is stuck in trauma and doesn’t feel safe enough to receive? That’s when manifestation stops working and survival mode takes over.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody chats with Empowerment Strategist JJ Flizanes to explore the 4 survival states, how they block our manifestation, and how to move from trauma to transformation.

Fight is when your body gears up to...

Ten years into Food Heals, Allison Melody broadens the lens: from food as medicine to the health of our culture. In this deeply personal episode, Allison processes the news of a public assasination, her visceral grief as a daughter who lost her father, and the chilling implications for public figures, creators, podcasters, and anyone who speaks publicly. She traces how social media outrage, algorithmic incentives, and political extremism erode empathy and makes the case that love (not hate, not fear) is the only path to individual and collective healing. Along the way, she shares her family's story, why she...

What if the most powerful medicine isn't in your medicine cabinet but already in your fridge?

In this episode of Food Heals, we're revealing the unexpected healing powers of four everyday foods. One balances hormones and reduces hot flashes by 92 percent. Another helps eliminate chronic skin conditions. One supports cancer recovery. And the last? It's over 1,000 times more nutrient-dense than your favorite leafy green.

Think you know what's on your plate? Think again.

You'll hear from healing heroes who ditched prescriptions and tapped into the potent power of plants with jaw-dropping results. (And...

This started out as a totally normal interview about the future of health and wellness, and then something crazy happened that you will not see coming.

Let's just say… there's a twist. A moment you'll have to hear for yourself. So buckle up, Food Heals Nation. Because in today's episode, we're going way beyond green juice and into the tech-powered future of healing.

I sat down with Marcus Spruce, a public health expert, to talk about how artificial intelligence is transforming everything from how we manage chronic disease to how we get reminded to go to...

In Part 2 of my powerful conversation with Dane Johnson, we dive deep into the healing power of food for reversing Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis — especially for those following a plant-based or vegan lifestyle.

Dane breaks down the specific foods, nutrients, and strategies that have helped hundreds of his clients heal naturally using his S.H.I.E.L.D. Protocol. If you've been told diet doesn't matter, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about IBD.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Healing foods for calming inflammation and restoring gut health

Have you been told that there's no cure for Crohn's or Colitis? That your only option is a life full of medications, surgeries, or giving up the foods you love?

Think again.

In Part 1 of this powerful two-part series, host Allison Melody sits down with Dane Johnson, CEO of Crohn's Colitis Lifestyle and creator of the groundbreaking S.H.I.E.L.D. Program, a holistic healing method that has helped over 500 people around the world reverse the symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

After nearly losing his life to Crohn's in 2014, Dane committed...

In this fiery follow-up to Part 1, Allison Melody is back with more truth bombs about the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar and the real-world consequences of media narratives that equate wellness fraudsters with wellness itself. Belle Gibson lied about curing cancer with Gerson Therapy, but that doesn't mean Gerson Therapy is a lie.

Allison breaks down what Apple Cider Vinegar got so wrong about alternative medicine, shares her personal censorship story (yes, YouTube is at it again), and reads some of the shocking and heartbreaking responses she received after posting her thoughts online.

From personal...

In today's episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody dives into the recent media portrayals of alternative healing practices and their connection to scam artists. Inspired by HBO's Breath of Fire and Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar, Allison shares her personal experiences with Kundalini Yoga, alternative medicine, and the dangers of blindly following self-proclaimed "gurus."

What You'll Learn: 🔹 The fine line between healing modalities and the people who exploit them 🔹 How Breath of Fire exposed the dark side of Kundalini Yoga and its leaders 🔹 The truth behind Apple Cider Vinegar and its misleading portrayal of natural healing 🔹 Why alternative healing meth...

What if the secret to better health was rooted in ancient wisdom?

On today's episode of Food Heals, we're diving into the world of acupuncture and cupping with Dr. Tom Ingegno, a leading expert in integrative medicine with over 23 years of experience. As a doctor of acupuncture and East Asian medicine, Dr. Tom has dedicated his career to helping people heal naturally by combining modern research with time-tested traditional practices.

Dr. Tom is the author of The Cupping Book: Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Healing, where he demystifies cupping therapy and explains how this ancient...

If you've ever felt powerless in the face of cravings, you're not alone. But what if you could break the cycle of emotional eating, self-sabotage, and guilt—for good?

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody and Sexy Fit Vegan founder Ella Magers dive deep into The Peace Process—a 5-step framework designed to help you pause, reflect, and make empowered choices around food.

Ella walks Alli through the process in real-time, leading to a massive aha moment that could change the way you think about food forever. Plus, Allison and Ella share personal stor...

Are you ready to finally heal your relationship with food and your body? In this powerful episode of Food Heals, host Allison Melody sits down with Ella Magers, founder of Sexy Fit Vegan, to dive deep into food freedom, body confidence, and breaking the cycle of restriction, cravings, and guilt.

Ella, a dedicated vegan since the age of 15, has spent her life helping people transform their health from the inside out. Having overcome her own struggles with disordered eating and body image, she now empowers others to break free from diet culture and build a healthy, sustainable...

On this episode of Food Heals, we're diving into two powerful ways to elevate your health—sprouts and CBD coffee! First, I've got updates from Tulum, Mexico. Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to step away, even if just temporarily, to gain a fresh perspective. Travel is healing for me, and being here in Tulum, surrounded by nature, vegan food, and a holistic community, has been exactly what I needed. I've been indulging in delicious plant-based meals, including the best whipped coffee at Liefs, working out with friends, and soaking in the healing energy of this pa...

Have you ever wondered how trauma impacts your mind and body? Or how you can truly heal from life's most challenging moments—whether you've faced a wildfire, a loss, or another form of pain?

In this episode of The Food Heals Podcast, host Allison Melody and guest JJ Flizanes come together to share their experiences with the devastating California wildfires and explore the healing tools that can help us overcome trauma—whether we've been directly affected by fires or not.

First, Allison and JJ reflect on their own wildfire stories, discussing the emotional and neurological toll...

What would you do if you stumbled upon an act of arson in progress? How do you process the devastation of wildfires destroying communities, homes, and lives? On this episode of The Food Heals Podcast, we ponder these questions and more as we dive into the devastation of the recent California wildfires.

Host Allison Melody is joined by two powerhouse guests: Jen Briney, host of Congressional Dish and We're Not Wrong, and Jeremy Ryan Slate, CEO of Command Your Brand and host of the Jeremy Ryan Slate Show. Together, they share personal stories and insightful perspectives on...

Thank you to everyone who reached out to check on me—I'm safe. For those who don't know, I was just a few miles away from the Palisades fires in Los Angeles and had to evacuate twice with three dogs. Thankfully, we all made it out safely. My heart breaks for this city and those who've lost so much.

When the fires began, I was at my co-working space. My friend texted me that the Pacific Palisades were on fire. I raced back to Santa Monica, where I was staying, to get my dog Lily and the tw...

In this episode of Food Heals, we're diving into a mix of health, hope, and holiday cheer! First, hear the inspiring story of a Michigan mom fighting to remove harmful chemicals from kids' cereals. Then, I'll share a few election thoughts, including RFK's bold plans to spark change. Stay tuned for tips on staying positive during the holiday season, mouthwatering recipe ideas, and amazing Black Friday deals on top health and wellness products. Finally, we'll wrap up with a heartwarming dog rescue story that's sure to brighten your day.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

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In this Halloween episode of Food Heals, host Allison Melody sits down with Michelle Miller, a powerhouse in the Aerospace Supply Chain industry with an equally strong passion for women's health—especially when it comes to hormones and menopause.

We kick things off by getting into the Halloween spirit, sharing some spooky stories and diving into a taste test of festive seasonal treats! Michelle shares homemade recipes like a spiced and spiked apple cider and a cozy Organifi hot chocolate pumpkin spice chai latte that's sure to add some magic to your celebrations.

But behind th...

In this episode of Food Heals, I welcome David Jones, co-founder of Herbalogic, to explore the fascinating world of Chinese herbal medicine. David, also known as the "Chief Herb Nerd," shares insights on how plant-based remedies can tackle common issues like menstrual cramps, hiccups, allergies, and even overthinking. Together, they dive into Herbalogic's mission to bring natural relief through traditional remedies crafted with precision and modern science.

Discover how Herbalogic's products, rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, offer a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals by addressing health holistically and with minimal processing. David explains how their herbs are crafted...

At 37 years old, Paul Dr. Savage was a successful ER/trauma physician, but his own health was in serious trouble. He weighed 270 pounds, smoked cigarettes, was tired, anxious, and unwell, and had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and stress. Instead of turning to more medication, he decided to take his health into his own hands.

A born investigator with a keen curiosity and determination to improve his health, he researched and explored every method and treatment that promised positive results — lifestyle changes, nutrition, supplements, hormones, IV Therapy, Stem Cell Therapy, and more.

Fast forward 25 ye...