Speakers
Healthy for a Lifetime
September 23, 2023
Milton Mills, MD
Milton Mills practices critical care medicine in the Washington DC area, and has served previously as Associate Director of Preventive Medicine and as a member of the National Advisory Board for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He has been a major contributor to position papers presented by PCRM to the United States Department of Agriculture regarding Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and has been the lead plaintiff in PCRM’s class action lawsuit that asks for warning labels on milk.
Dr. Mills earned his medical degree at Stanford University School of Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown University Hospital. He has published several research journal articles dealing with racial bias in federal nutrition policy. He frequently donates his time via practicing at free medical clinics, and travels widely, speaking at hospitals, churches and community centers throughout the country. He was featured in the popular film What the Health.
Dr. Mills earned his medical degree at Stanford University School of Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown University Hospital. He has published several research journal articles dealing with racial bias in federal nutrition policy. He frequently donates his time via practicing at free medical clinics, and travels widely, speaking at hospitals, churches and community centers throughout the country. He was featured in the popular film What the Health.
Koushik Reddy, MD
Koushik Reddy is the director of interventional cardiology and the coronary care unit at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, Florida. He graduated from Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad, India and completed his residency from Jamaica Hospital Medical center in Queens, New York and then fellowships in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology at Winthrop University Hospital in Long Island, New York.
After practicing interventional cardiology for many years, Dr. Reddy changed his focus towards cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention, using lifestyle and nutrition-based strategies. He has been a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine since 2017. He is among the very first group of interventional cardiologists in the world to be board certified in Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, he was recognized by the American Board of Lifestyle medicine as a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Specialist – only the 9th physician to date to have this distinction. He also serves as a board of director and the treasurer for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He is the founding Co-Chair of Veterans Health Administration/Department of Defense member interest group and the Cardiology member interest group under the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, he is closely involved with the American College of Cardiology’s Working Group on Nutrition and Lifestyle.
Dr. Reddy is closely involved with the department of Whole Health at the Tampa VA Hospital. Working in partnership with the local Whole Health leadership, he established two preventive cardiology clinics. HEAL (Healthy Eating and Living– Introductory Program) and CALM (Comprehensive Approach to Lifestyle Medicine–6 week multidisciplinary program).
Dr. Reddy is passionate and deeply committed to the idea of health promotion and disease prevention, using lifestyle and nutrition related tools. It is with this passion and commitment, he boldly challenges his patients and colleagues with – “I have a carrot and a stent, you pick!”
After practicing interventional cardiology for many years, Dr. Reddy changed his focus towards cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention, using lifestyle and nutrition-based strategies. He has been a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine since 2017. He is among the very first group of interventional cardiologists in the world to be board certified in Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, he was recognized by the American Board of Lifestyle medicine as a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Specialist – only the 9th physician to date to have this distinction. He also serves as a board of director and the treasurer for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He is the founding Co-Chair of Veterans Health Administration/Department of Defense member interest group and the Cardiology member interest group under the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, he is closely involved with the American College of Cardiology’s Working Group on Nutrition and Lifestyle.
Dr. Reddy is closely involved with the department of Whole Health at the Tampa VA Hospital. Working in partnership with the local Whole Health leadership, he established two preventive cardiology clinics. HEAL (Healthy Eating and Living– Introductory Program) and CALM (Comprehensive Approach to Lifestyle Medicine–6 week multidisciplinary program).
Dr. Reddy is passionate and deeply committed to the idea of health promotion and disease prevention, using lifestyle and nutrition related tools. It is with this passion and commitment, he boldly challenges his patients and colleagues with – “I have a carrot and a stent, you pick!”
Ella Magers, MSW
Ella Magers, having embraced a whole food, plant-exclusive lifestyle for the last 28 years, is a leading voice for revolutionary transformation in the fitness and wellness industries. She connects people with the information, tools, support, and guidance they need to develop holistically healthy habits, claim mental and emotional well-being, and live more fulfilling and fiercely compassionate lives.
Ella is a plant-based athlete and bodybuilding champion, recognized as one of the world's top personal trainers by bodybuilding.com and Shape Magazine. She is a coach, published author, podcast host, speaker, founder of Sexy Fit Vegan®, and creator of the 22Reboot Transformation Challenge.
Having healed from her own struggles with disordered eating as a young adult, Ella Magers shows people how to develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies so they can ditch dieting and build a plant-strong body and mind for life.
Ella is on the founding board of Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of creating the best possible life for farm animals while inspiring compassion for all living beings. Ella is based in Miami Beach with her beloved 16 year-old vegan rescue chihuahua, Shye.
Ella is a plant-based athlete and bodybuilding champion, recognized as one of the world's top personal trainers by bodybuilding.com and Shape Magazine. She is a coach, published author, podcast host, speaker, founder of Sexy Fit Vegan®, and creator of the 22Reboot Transformation Challenge.
Having healed from her own struggles with disordered eating as a young adult, Ella Magers shows people how to develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies so they can ditch dieting and build a plant-strong body and mind for life.
Ella is on the founding board of Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of creating the best possible life for farm animals while inspiring compassion for all living beings. Ella is based in Miami Beach with her beloved 16 year-old vegan rescue chihuahua, Shye.
Elizabeth Swenor, DO
M. Elizabeth Swenor has 20 years of clinical practice and is the Medical Director of the Lifestyle, Integrative, and Functional Medicine Department at Henry Ford Health in Detroit. Dr. Swenor is board certified in Family Medicine and board certified in Functional, Regenerative and Metabolic Medicine, Aesthetic Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Swenor has achieved certifications in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, The Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP now Pivio Health), and Culinary Health Coaching.
Dr. Swenor’s medical practice focuses on evidence-based lifestyle and functional medicine approaches to promote and optimize wellness while preventing, treating, or reversing chronic disease. Her clinical focus areas include all chronic diseases, gut and microbiome health, and plant-based nutrition. With her skills she gleaned from teaching, she emphasizes patient education and empowerment to transform patient health and longevity.
Dr. Swenor completed her medical education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania and residency in Family Medicine in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Swenor has a master’s degree from Michigan State University in education, and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College, Michigan. Dr. Swenor has lectured nationally on Lifestyle and Functional Medicine, and microbiome health.
Dr. Swenor’s medical practice focuses on evidence-based lifestyle and functional medicine approaches to promote and optimize wellness while preventing, treating, or reversing chronic disease. Her clinical focus areas include all chronic diseases, gut and microbiome health, and plant-based nutrition. With her skills she gleaned from teaching, she emphasizes patient education and empowerment to transform patient health and longevity.
Dr. Swenor completed her medical education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania and residency in Family Medicine in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Swenor has a master’s degree from Michigan State University in education, and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College, Michigan. Dr. Swenor has lectured nationally on Lifestyle and Functional Medicine, and microbiome health.
Micah Yu, MD
Micah Yu is a board-certified rheumatologist specializing in rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. He is triple board-certified in Rheumatology, Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, obtaining his MD from Chicago Medical School and holds a masters degree in Healthcare Administration and Biomedical sciences. He completed his internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at Loma Linda University in Southern California. In addition, he is certified in functional medicine and completed his integrative medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona. Dr. Yu uses integrative medicine to treat his patients holistically for the best foundation for health. Not only is Dr. Yu a doctor, but he is also a patient himself having both gout and spondyloarthritis. He has been featured in multiple articles and webinars including Forbes magazine, Spondyloarthritis Association of America, Lupus LA, and CreakyJoints. He has given presentations on integrative and lifestyle medicine at multiple universities. He and his wife Dr. Melissa Mondala have a private practice in southern California called Dr. Lifestyle Clinic, where they use integrative medicine to treat patients throughout the nation.
Angelina Stovall-Amos, RD, LMNT
Angelina Stovall-Amos is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and native of Lincoln, Nebraska. She chose diabetes as the focus for her dietetic internship and thesis on type 2 diabetes prevention in Native American children. Five years after becoming a dietitian, she was diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood (type 1.5 diabetes). Understanding that diabetes can be a progressive disease, she wanted to maintain her quality of life for the sake of her family. Adopting a whole food, plant-based diet quickly improved her blood sugar management, lowering her insulin needs. Through her private practice, Nebraska Nutrition Services, Angelina helps her clients advocate for their health through a lifestyle nutrition approach that moves more whole plant foods onto their plates.
She received her Bachelor’s in Dietetics from the University of Nebraska and Master’s in Nutritional Sciences from Oklahoma State University. She holds certification in Vegetarian Nutrition (VN) and has served as the State Coordinator for the VN Dietetics Practice Group for both Nebraska and Kansas.
She received her Bachelor’s in Dietetics from the University of Nebraska and Master’s in Nutritional Sciences from Oklahoma State University. She holds certification in Vegetarian Nutrition (VN) and has served as the State Coordinator for the VN Dietetics Practice Group for both Nebraska and Kansas.
Shane Martin
Shane Martin calls himself an "average, ordinary guy" who was born in Mississippi, growing up eating Southern deep-fried, gravy-covered food. His dietary lifestyle in adulthood led him to reach 300 pounds. After finding Forks Over Knives, Shane switched to a plant-based diet and transformed his life and those of his family. He went all in, figuring out how to make dishes that improved his health and still tasted delicious. He reversed extremely high blood pressure and high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes. After stints as a musician and minister, he now shares his passion through a very popular recipe blog and social media accounts, public speaking events and food demonstrations. He likes to say that he doesn't make vegan food, he makes food vegan. The dishes must also be easy, healthy and accessible for all of us! Find him on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram or explore his website, shaneandsimple.com.
Melissa Sherlock
Melissa Sherlock is certified in plant-based nutrition by the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies through eCornell, has a graduate certificate in Lifestyle Medicine from Creighton University in Omaha, and is a certified Food for Life instructor by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington, D.C. Melissa is also certified in Forks Over Knives Whole Food Plant-Based Cooking by Rouxbe Online Culinary School.
Having lost both her parents too young to sudden cardiovascular events, Melissa began seeking heart health for herself, and learned that eating for heart health is eating for the health of all systems in the body. She has enjoyed a whole food plant-based diet for ten years. She is a self-professed plant-based foodie, and enjoys cooking, sharing food, poring through cookbooks, exploring the exploding number of fabulous plant-based recipes online, and seeking healthy plant-based options while traveling. She especially enjoys showing people how easy, inexpensive, health-promoting, and delicious plant-based meals can be.
Having lost both her parents too young to sudden cardiovascular events, Melissa began seeking heart health for herself, and learned that eating for heart health is eating for the health of all systems in the body. She has enjoyed a whole food plant-based diet for ten years. She is a self-professed plant-based foodie, and enjoys cooking, sharing food, poring through cookbooks, exploring the exploding number of fabulous plant-based recipes online, and seeking healthy plant-based options while traveling. She especially enjoys showing people how easy, inexpensive, health-promoting, and delicious plant-based meals can be.
Featured at Evening Program
Esther and Ben Loveridge
Esther Lebeck Loveridge is extremely warm and down to earth, and a popular follower of John McDougall's Program for Maximum Weight Loss, a whole food plant-based way of eating which she began at the age of 72 to deal with her food addiction, obesity and damaged knees so she could be approved for knee surgery and continue traveling. She has stayed with that program to this day, relying on lots of starchy vegetables and simple whole plant foods. By age 75 she had lost 130 pounds and was able to get off her five medications and reverse her prediabetes. She also experienced no more diverticulitis, GERD or constipation. And perhaps most amazingly, she no longer needed the knee replacement surgery.
Esther is now 79 years young, and is married to Ben, whom she met by frequenting his donut shop in the late 1980's! Many years after they were married, when Esther decided to make dramatic changes, Ben was doubtful he could follow, but he eventually embraced the lifestyle too and reaped the benefits himself. They are now one happy, healthy, young-at-heart senior couple living life to the fullest with the message that it is never too late to improve your health! Esther is the author of the book, From Donuts to Potatoes: My 366 Day Journey on a Plant-Based Diet, released in 2020. She has been in Women's World magazine, oversees Esther's Nutritional Journey support group and is extremely generous with wisdom and encouragement to others.
Esther is now 79 years young, and is married to Ben, whom she met by frequenting his donut shop in the late 1980's! Many years after they were married, when Esther decided to make dramatic changes, Ben was doubtful he could follow, but he eventually embraced the lifestyle too and reaped the benefits himself. They are now one happy, healthy, young-at-heart senior couple living life to the fullest with the message that it is never too late to improve your health! Esther is the author of the book, From Donuts to Potatoes: My 366 Day Journey on a Plant-Based Diet, released in 2020. She has been in Women's World magazine, oversees Esther's Nutritional Journey support group and is extremely generous with wisdom and encouragement to others.
Chuck Carroll
Chuck Carroll is host of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s popular “The Exam Room” podcast and is known widely as The Weight Loss Champion, a name given to him by an NFL player for losing an incredible 275 pounds. At just 5 feet 6 inches tall, Chuck weighed 420 pounds and had a 66-inch waist before radically changing his life. Before that he tried and failed countless times to lose weight. Any success he achieved was short-lived as the weight came pouring back on and then some. At his heaviest, he was eating 10,000 calories every day. Some critical steps led Chuck to adopt a plant-based diet, and he is no longer afraid of regaining the weight as he had so many times before. The confidence he gained from the weight loss enabled him to pursue his dream of becoming a reporter where he covered sports and news for CBS and later NBC News Radio. He is also a certified Food for Life instructor in the Washington, D.C. area. Chuck will be moderating the evening Q&A session at Healthy for a Lifetime.