#18 - Regenerative Farming and Food as Medicine with Dr. Ron Weiss
#18 - Regenerative Farming and Food as Medicine with Dr. Ron Weiss
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.
Specifically, I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered intriguing professionals and people from all walks of life. Each episode also offers a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us in different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.
I dive into regenerative organic farming with Dr. Ron Weiss in today's episode. He is dual board-certified in internal medicine and lifestyle medicine. As a primary care physician in New Jersey, Dr. Weiss serves as Ethos Primary Care's executive director and Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is a physician, botanist, and farmer, offering an evidence-based, food-as-medicine approach to healing chronic illness and optimizing wellness. Dr. Weiss has been featured in top media, including The New York Times, The New York Post, The Today Show, New Jersey Monthly, and the feature-length documentary, "Eating You Alive."
A vegan-friendly plant-based doctor in New Jersey, Dr. Weiss prescribes the Ethos Diet—an all-organic, ecologically sustainable, and Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet—as the cornerstone of his work with patients. He is not your typical doctor. His primary care practice resides on 342 acres of farm in Long Valley, New Jersey, where he grows "beyond organic" produce for his patients.
Otherwise known as the farm doctor, Dr. Weiss believes that food-is-medicine and in a Farm-Based Health Care System. He additionally holds a dual baccalaureate degree in botany and music from Rutgers University….which we explore in great depths.
Here’s what we discussed:
-How Dr. Weiss’ passions have intersected.
-Dr. Weiss’ lifelong connection to botany and agriculture.
-The evolution of his medical practice to a regenerative organic farm.
-The effects of chemicals and current farming practices on the soil and the environment.
-The distinction between "beyond organic" and typical organic certifications.
-The foundation of regenerative organic farming and the Farm Ethos Project.
-The debate about the best regenerative practices.
-The recommendations for those farmers with the same connection to the history and cultivation of the land but who haven't pivoted to sustainable, environmentally-mindful practices.
-How we can connect our kids to agriculture in urban settings with a new sustainable organic perspective and the guidance they need to become stewards of the environment.
-The Rockefeller Food System Vision 2050 and Young Farmers Incubator Program.
To learn more about Dr. Ron Weiss, visit https://www.myethoshealth.com or his Facebook and Instagram pages.
