From Survival to Thrival: Connecting with Our Food, Our Planet, and Our True Selves

My name is Jose Rosa, and I am the founder of The Thrival Network and co-creator of Everest Eats, a plant-based culinary and wellness brand based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My journey into a whole-food plant-based lifestyle began in 2016 through my wife, Katy. While she was studying environmental science, one of her first classes opened … Continued

Success Stories

Persistence, Not Perfection, Is Key to Change

When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at thirty-five, one of the six urologists I saw urged a plant-forward diet. He told me to cut red meat and dairy and load up on cruciferous vegetables, berries, mushrooms, and wild salmon. I grew up in Texas on barbecue brisket, chicken-fried steak, Whataburger, and Mexican food like … Continued

Success Stories

From Pain to Purpose: How MaryEllen and John Are Improving Food Security and Reducing Food Waste

I (MaryEllen) found whole-food plant-based nutrition in 2020 while desperately searching for answers to the chronic Lyme disease I had been living with for more than ten years. My husband John and I decided to jump all in together—and it completely changed our lives. My body began to heal in ways I hadn’t thought possible, … Continued

Success Stories

Make It Tasty: How Food Descriptions Impact Our Choices

What sounds better—a healthy, low-fat vegan black bean burger or a 10-spice smoky black bean burger? What if I told you they were exactly the same? Research has shown that most people gravitate more toward foods described by flavor, not healthfulness. Buffet-style dining halls located at five different college campuses were assigned to use three … Continued

Nutrition Science

The Hidden Universe Within: Feeding and Nurturing the Microbiome

Imagine stepping into a vibrant zoo or, better yet, a bustling planetary system where trillions of creatures of staggering diversity roam, interact, and shape entire worlds. That might sound fantastical, but it’s the everyday reality tucked within us: our microbiome. A landmark study estimated that a typical adult has approximately 30 trillion human cells and … Continued

In The Kitchen

Seeds of Resilience: Why Dwindling Food Biodiversity Matters for Our Future

Our future food security depends as much on what we eat as on the seeds we choose to protect. A diverse diet generally promotes better human health, while crop diversity strengthens the resilience of farms and ecosystems. Yet, over the past century, we have lost the vast majority of our seed varieties, leaving the global … Continued

Food Sustainability

A Perennial Future: Agriculture’s Next Evolution

For much of modern history, agriculture has relied on annual crops like corn, soy, and wheat. These crops dominate farmland and anchor global markets, but their short lifespans come at a steep ecological cost. In the conventional agriculture systems that dominate today, annual fields must be plowed, seeded, fertilized, and sprayed every year, creating constant … Continued

Food Sustainability

American Medical Association Names Plant-Based Diet Part of Breast Cancer Prevention Strategy

This summer, the House of Delegates (HOD) of the American Medical Association (AMA) convened for its annual meeting in Chicago.[1] The HOD, which comprises 733 delegates, is the policy-making body of the AMA. As such, they have the potential to influence medical practice and reimbursement nationwide. Their annual meetings cover many topics, including, this year, … Continued

Disease

The Undercover Vegan: How Ramona Is Changing Herself to Help Others

Let’s go back to 1999. That’s when my life was turned upside down. I had so many chronic illnesses that it would take a week to list them all. My doctors stopped all my medications, and I stepped away from meat, though I didn’t yet know about the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) journey. I had … Continued

Success Stories