Ep. 249: Tim Kaufman - From Booze, Food, and Fentanyl to a Life of Lasting Freedom - How to Escape Self-Made Prisons of Pain

Ep. 249: Tim Kaufman - From Booze, Food, and Fentanyl to a Life of Lasting Freedom - How to Escape Self-Made Prisons of Pain

Imagine a life where you are trapped…imprisoned…in a cycle of addiction to alcohol, fentanyl, and food. Now imagine escaping that prison for a life that is far better than you can ever imagine. This is the story of today’s guest, Tim Kaufman.

At just 38 years old, Kaufman’s doctor essentially left him for dead. His weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides were through the roof, and his self-esteem and self-worth were…well…practically six feet under.

He was ready to give up on himself, his family, and his life. That is, until one day, he started making the smallest of changes. For him, it was getting out of his chair two times. That was it. One small change at a time.

This eventually led to a little research and he found Forks Over Knives, The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead… documentaries he credits with changing his life and his diet to a whole foods plant-based diet. Today, he is an accomplished athlete training for an IRONMAN triathlon and he just released his memoir, Escape-Breaking Free From A Self-Made Prison.

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Learn More About our 2026 Live PLANTSTRONG Events: https://plantstrong.com/pages/events

Apply for a Scholarship to our April 2026 Retreat in Black Mountain, NC: https://forms.gle/wt4rPyKMEDht6HKG7

Let Us Help Your PLANTSTRONG Journey

Learn More About Our Corporate Wellness Program: https://liveplantstrong.com/corporate-wellness/

COMPLEMENT: Use code PLANTSTRONG for 30% off at https://lovecomplement.com/pages/plantstrong-special-offer


Follow PLANTSTRONG and Rip Esselstyn

https://plantstrong.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GoPlantstrong

https://www.instagram.com/goplantstrong/

https://www.instagram.com/ripesselstyn/


Follow the PLANTSTRONG Podcast and Give the Show a 5-star Rating

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Episoder(361)

Ep. 347: What It Really Takes to Be Forever Fit with Maxime Sigouin

Ep. 347: What It Really Takes to Be Forever Fit with Maxime Sigouin

What does it really mean to be “forever fit”?Rip sits down with fitness coach and author Maxime Sigouin to explore sustainable strength, whole-food plant-based nutrition, and the mindset required to s...

2 Apr 1h 26min

Ep. 346: Erasing Diabetes - Peggy Kraus’s Fiber-First Rescue Plan

Ep. 346: Erasing Diabetes - Peggy Kraus’s Fiber-First Rescue Plan

Rip sits down with Peggy Kraus, a clinical exercise physiologist and diabetes care specialist with over 30 years of experience in cardiac rehab.Peggy shares how she moved beyond conventional nutrition...

26 Mar 58min

Ep. 345: The Health Wake-Up That Led Javant Benton to Lose 80 Pounds and Reverse Lifestyle Disease

Ep. 345: The Health Wake-Up That Led Javant Benton to Lose 80 Pounds and Reverse Lifestyle Disease

What if the foods you love most—the ones tied to family, culture, and comfort—could also help you heal?In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Rip sits down with Javant Benton, creator of H...

19 Mar 52min

Ep. 344: The 15-Plant Breakfast Bowl That Keeps You Full All Morning with Molly Patrick

Ep. 344: The 15-Plant Breakfast Bowl That Keeps You Full All Morning with Molly Patrick

What if your breakfast could power you through the entire morning—without cravings, crashes, or hunger an hour later?In this episode, Rip sits down with Molly Patrick, founder of Clean Food Dirty Girl...

12 Mar 55min

Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life

Ep. 343: Charles Gassenheimer - From Multiple Meds to Marathons: How a Plant-Based Diet Changed His Life

At just 43 years old, Charles Gassenheimer was 75 pounds overweight, pre-diabetic, struggling with joint pain and memory loss, and taking high-dose cholesterol medications. His doctors were managing h...

5 Mar 1h 4min

Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?

Ep. 342: Dr. Sachin Shah - A Tick Bite that Makes You Allergic to Meat? And, What's Hiding in Your Medications?

What if your health wasn’t just shaped by what you eat—but by what’s hidden in your medications?In this episode, Rip sits down with pharmacist-scientist Dr. Sachin Shah, a leading voice in medication ...

26 Feb 1h 12min

Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health

Ep. 341: Rachel Atcheson - Playing the Long Game for America’s Health

What does it look like when plant-based living moves beyond personal choice and into real systems change? This episode answers that question in a big way.Rip sits down with longtime friend and food po...

19 Feb 49min

Ep. 340: Jan Liband - The Masculinity Myth That’s Wrecking Men’s Health

Ep. 340: Jan Liband - The Masculinity Myth That’s Wrecking Men’s Health

In this deeply grounded conversation, Rip sits down with Jan Liband — a former college athlete, longtime plant-based advocate, and expert in food and environmental sustainability. What began for Jan a...

12 Feb 1h 3min

Populært innen Helse

fastlegen
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-gukild-johaug
hvordan-har-du-det-mann
psykodrama
leger-om-livet
rss-garne-damer
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
rss-lopedrommen
morten-ramm-lar-kakla-ga-til-du-sovner
hjernesterk
bak-fasaden-en-reise-i-livet-med-sykepleier-ine
klimaks
rss-lev-vel
sinnsyn
hormonelle-frida
g-punktet
rss-kunsten-a-leve
treningsprat