The Healthy Planet Radio Show.
The Healthy Planet Radio Show, a consistent award-winner, airs on WUSB, 90.1 FM every second Friday from 6–7 PM (following “Democracy Now!”). We’re honored to have received 3rd Place for Environment Radio at the 2025 Press Club of Long Island (PCLI) Media Awards, building on our 2nd Place achievement in 2023.
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Decoding the New Dietary Guidelines: Science, Politics, and Practical Habits
With: Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN
8-26: Decoding the New Dietary Guidelines: Science, Politics, and Practical Habits
SHOW DESCRIPTION:
In this episode of The Healthy Planet, host Bob DiBenedetto dives deep into the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While the guidelines rightly declare a national health emergency over preventable chronic disease, their proposed solutions depart sharply from mainstream nutrition science—largely ignoring decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed evidence in favor of popular dietary fads.
Joined by expert Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nichole Dandrea-Russert, we unpack the gap between public health rhetoric and political reality—exploring everything from the carnivore diet and seed oil crusade to corporate conflicts of interest on RFK Jr’s hand-picked drafting panel. You’ll also be treated to Nichole’s actionable, evidence-based strategies for building daily habits that create lasting health.
Key Discussion Points:
- The Diagnosis vs. The Solution: Why acknowledging our national chronic disease emergency was right on target, but promoting saturated fats, red meat, and tallow misses the mark.
- The Carnivore Diet & Fiber Gap: What happens to human gut health and cardiovascular markers when plant foods are eliminated, and why fiber remains our most overlooked nutrient.
- Seed Oils vs. Animal Fats: Unpacking the evidence behind the war on seed oils and the push for beef tallow.
- Protein, Aging & Full-Fat Dairy: Examining what the research actually says about protein needs for aging adults, perimenopause, and cardiovascular risk.
- Follow the Money: Investigative reporting from The New York Times shows how corporate special interests shaped the final guidelines panel—despite RFK Jr. ‘s accusations that past panels had industry conflicts.
- Habits That Last: Practical tips on habit stacking, building balanced meals, and taking small, sustainable steps toward optimal health.
About Our Guest:
Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, author, yoga instructor, wellness guide, and Founder of Purely Planted. She is the author of The Fiber Effect: Stop Counting Calories and Start Counting Fiber for Better Health and The Vegan Athlete’s Nutrition Handbook, and co-author of The Real Superfoods Cookbook and Powered by Plants. Her work has been featured in People, Forbes Health, EatingWell, and U.S. News & World Report.
Learn more at purelyplanted.com.
(SEE BELOW FOR USEFUL “RELATED LINKS AND RESOURCE
On The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
“Dietary recommendations should be grounded in the best available long-term human outcome data, not short-term trends or commercial interests that compromise cardiovascular and metabolic health.”
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Related Links and Resources:
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Understanding the new Dietary Guidelines for AmericansOpens in a new tab
- About Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDNOpens in a new tab
- What a nutrition expert says to take (and skip) from the new dietary guidelinesOpens in a new tab
- American Heart Assoc: Plant-Based Sources of Protein Infographic— The American Heart AssociationOpens in a new tab
- The Great Oil Debate: Are Seed Oils the Enemy, Or is There More to the Story?Opens in a new tab
- The Atlantic: America Stopped Cooking With Tallow for a ReasonOpens in a new tab
- CSPI: The Uncompromised Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030Opens in a new tab
- USA Today: RFK Jr. only eats meat, fermented foods. The carnivore diet, explained.Opens in a new tab
- CSPI: Peter's Memo: The good, the bad, & the beef tallowOpens in a new tab
- The Washington Post: What a plant-based food expert eats for protein, calcium and moreOpens in a new tab
- Medpage - Former CDC Leaders: From Nutrition to Vaccines, Here's What MAHA Policies Fail to DeliverOpens in a new tab
- Center For American Progress: Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Access to Free School MealsOpens in a new tab
- Support HealthyPlanet's Work with a Tax Deductible ContributionOpens in a new tab
5 CALLS: The easiest and most effective way for U.S. constituents to make a political impact:
- CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH 5 CALLS!Opens in a new tab
SOME PAST GUESTS ON THE HEALTHY PLANET RADIO SHOW
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- Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN, Author, Founder of PurelyPlanted.com
Winner of 2nd Place in 2023 and 3rd Place in 2024 at the Press Club of Long Island Media Awards for Environment Radio
Hear The Healthy Planet Radio Show with Bob DiBenedetto at 6PM on the second Friday of each month on WUSB, 90.1FM, or Live Stream at: http://wusb.fm/
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The Healthy Planet Radio show focuses on topics that will help to educate you about the deep connection among all life on Earth, and the powerful effects your everyday choices can have on creating a clean, healthy and compassionate world.
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