The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

Are ultra-processed foods really as unhealthy as we've been told? New research suggests the answer may be more complicated than the headlines make it seem.
Dr. Neal Barnard joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to break down findings showing that much of the health risk linked to ultra-processed foods may be driven by two specific categories: processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages.
That means foods like bacon, sausage, ham, bologna, pepperoni, hot dogs, and soda may be doing much of the heavy lifting when it comes to increased disease risk.
But what about breakfast cereal? Plant-based burgers? Vegan snacks? Olive oil? Cheese? Steak? And what about studies linking ultra-processed foods to cognitive decline and dementia risk?
Dr. Barnard helps separate nutrition fact from fiction and explains what really matters when you're reading a food label.
🧠 In this episode, Dr. Barnard explains:
The two foods most strongly linked to processed food health risks
Why processed meat may be more concerning than other ultra-processed foods
Whether plant-based processed foods are healthier
Why sugar in soda is different from sugar in foods with fiber
How cheese can be higher in sodium than potato chips
Why steak and chicken don't get a free pass
What new research says about ultra-processed foods and cognition
How to choose healthier foods without overcomplicating nutrition
Exam Roomies of the Week
Dana Kennett from Saint Johns, FL
Lori Baum from Sandusky, OH
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
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🙏 Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund
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🎉 International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/icnm
📗 Dr. Neal Barnard Books
👉 https://amzn.to/4u6zQxm
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about cancer screening, treatment, and any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving and improving human and animal lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of nearly one million members and supporters worldwide.

Is 2,000 calories a day too much?
Dr. Joel Fuhrman joins The Exam Room to challenge one of the most familiar numbers in nutrition and explain why the "standard" 2,000-calorie diet may not be right for everyone — and for many people, it may be more food than the body actually needs.
According to Dr. Fuhrman, consistently eating more calories than your body requires may do more than cause weight gain. It may speed up metabolism in ways that contribute to faster aging. The key, he says, is finding your personal caloric window: enough food to meet your needs, but not so much that you are constantly overeating.
🧠 In this episode, Dr. Fuhrman explains:
Why 2,000 calories a day may be too much for many adults
How overeating calories may affect aging
What your personal "caloric window" means
Your body's response to the "caloric rush"
Why the Nutritarian diet is different from a vague "plant-based" diet
How G-BOMBS — greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds — support longevity
Why nuts and seeds may help with satiety and weight loss
How sugar, oil, and animal fat may drive cravings
Why salt may be a bigger concern than many people realize
How microplastics and toxins are affecting modern health
Dr. Fuhrman also shares remarkable stories from his medical career, including patients facing autoimmune disease, severe migraines, digestive illness, and cancer.
Exam Roomies of the Week
R. Nagtegaal from Washington Cross, PA
Suzanne Gergely from Württemberg, Germany
🌱 Dr. Fuhrman Events and Courses
👉 https://www.drfuhrman.com/events
📗 Dr. Fuhrman Books
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💪 NHA Conference in Cleveland
👉 https://bit.ly/NHAConf2026
🎉 Las Vegas Plant Powered Party
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
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This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about cancer screening, treatment, and any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving and improving human and animal lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of nearly one million members and supporters worldwide.

Inflammation is tied to some of the biggest health problems in the world — heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, gut disorders, brain health issues, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, mood changes, and more.
And one of the best ways to understand what is driving that inflammation may begin in your gut.
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, bestselling author of Fiber Fueled and Plant Powered Plus, joins Chuck Carroll to reveal how the gut microbiome can shape inflammation throughout the body — and what you can do to start reducing inflammation naturally.
Dr. B also shares practical steps for people with sensitive stomachs, bloating, IBS, or food intolerances who want to improve gut health without making symptoms worse.
This is your gut-first guide to understanding inflammation, identifying what may be driving your symptoms, and taking the first steps toward better health.
🧠 You'll learn:
What inflammation actually is
Why chronic inflammation is so dangerous
How gut bacteria influence the immune system
The best foods to start eating today
Exercises that can reduce inflammation 
How sleep, stress, and weight also affect inflammation
The biggest food drivers of inflammation
Why ultra-processed foods may raise inflammatory markers
How fiber helps produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids
Why eating 30 plants per week can support a healthier microbiome
 
Dr. B also shares details about his free live workshop, Discover the Inflammation Phenotype Driving Your Symptoms, happening Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET. The 90-minute webinar will explore how inflammation may express itself differently from person to person, why symptoms such as bloating, autoimmune flares, brain fog, joint pain, hormonal issues, fatigue, and mood changes can show up together, and what may connect them beneath the surface.
Exam Roomies of the Week
Doreen Kupau from Hawaii and Anita Kregielska from Edinburgh, UK.
You can become an Exam Roomie of the Week by supporting PCRM.
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
👨‍⚕️ Dr. Bulsiewicz's Free Inflammation Workshop
👉 https://bit.ly/DrBFreeWorkshop
📺 Dr. B's YouTube Channel
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@theguthealthmd
🎉 Las Vegas Plant Powered Party
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about cancer screening, treatment, and any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

A deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship is making headlines around the world. But how worried should you really be?
Dr. Roger Seheult joins Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Podcast to explain what is known about the outbreak, how diet and lifestyle may impact the risk of becoming sick, how Andes hantavirus spreads, why this situation is different from COVID-19, and why health officials are taking it seriously while still assessing the risk to the general public as low.
Dr. Seheult is the co-founder of MedCram, an Associate Clinical Professor at UC Riverside School of Medicine, an Assistant Clinical Professor at Loma Linda University, and is quadruple board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, critical care medicine, and sleep medicine.
🧠 In this episode, Dr. Seheult will teach:
What hantavirus is
What makes Andes hantavirus different
The possible role of diet in the body's ability to fight the virus
How concerned the average person should be
Why this does not appear to spread like COVID-19
How inflammation may affect infection risk
What sleep and circadian rhythm have to do with immunity
Why morning sunlight may support health
How light at night can interfere with melatonin
Why Dr. Seheult says "dark days and bright nights" are a major problem
 
The conversation begins with the breaking news about hantavirus and expands into a larger discussion about how food, sleep, sunlight, and everyday habits may help support the immune system.
This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about cancer screening, treatment, and any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
📺 Dr. Seheult YouTube Channel
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@Medcram
💡 Light Boxes 10,000 Lux
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🎉 Las Vegas Plant Powered Party
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
🎉 International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/icnm
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Every day there's a new headline about health.
Coffee is good. Coffee is bad.
Fat is the problem. No, sugar is.
Eat this. Avoid that.
So what does the science actually say?
Cardiologist Dr. Andrew Freeman breaks down the biggest health and nutrition studies of the past year and explains what they really mean for your life.
🧠 You'll learn:
- The difference between healthspan vs lifespan
- Why chronic disease rates aren't improving
- The shocking rise in childhood obesity worldwide
- How sugar-sweetened beverages impact heart health
- The truth about ultra-processed foods
- The benefits of flavonoids and antioxidant-rich diets
- What new research says about coffee and tea
- How fruits, vegetables, and legumes impact longevity
Despite thousands of studies and an increased focus on health, millions are still getting sicker. Why?
Dr. Freeman connects the dots and shows how to actually use science to live longer, healthier, and better.
🎉 Las Vegas Plant Powered Party
👉 https://bit.ly/ChefAJParty
🙏 Dr. Brooke Bussard (our wonderful sponsor)
👉 https://drbrookebussard.com
🎉 International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine
👉 https://www.pcrm.org/icnm
🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM
👉 https://bit.ly/SupportExamRoom
- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.