Plant Powered Metro New York

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Heart disease touches us all. It holds the long-standing title as the leading cause of death in the US despite the millions of statins, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, and aspirin prescribed every year. Fortunately, there’s another promising path we can take to protect our hearts. In this series, you’ll hear the powerful and evidence-based facts about the relationship between cardiovascular health and the food on your plate. We’ll explore the science and the health benefits of consuming a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet with our guest medical experts, including cardiologists and nutritionists.

This month on Heart to Healthy Heart, join Rani Banik, MD, PPMNY Healthcare Advisor, to explore the links between eye health and heart health — offering us a window into the interconnected nature of the body.

Dr. Rudrani (Rani) Banik is a board-certified neuro-ophthalmologist who focuses on the root cause of eye diseases. She completed her MD at Brown University, residency at UC Irvine, and fellowship at Wilmer Eye Institute. Dr. Banik runs a private practice, Envision Health NYC, and is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. She also serves as Co-Director of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Division, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.

The Heart to Healthy Heart series is created and hosted by PPMNY community members, Ben Martens, Judy Zerden, and Jim Spellos, who have each experienced heart conditions and found healing and hope through a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

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Join Plant Powered Metro New York and Livingston Healthy Community Healthy Youth for a community potluck in Livingston, NJ (Essex County) where we’ll relish the season’s best ingredients and celebrate a healthier and more sustainable community.

This event is designed to be flexible and welcoming: you’re invited to contribute a dish to the potluck or simply come and enjoy a taste of the shared offerings.

If you plan to bring a dish, please choose a plant-based recipe made with whole plant foods — whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Please, no animal-based foods, vegan processed foods, and we ask you to minimize added oil, sweeteners, and salt. It’s a good rule of thumb to double a recipe you would make at home — everyone wants to try it! Please bring a serving utensil for your dish and to help us make this a no-waste event, bring a plate, utensils, and water bottle from home.

Not sure what to bring? Reach out to info@ppmny.org for simple dish ideas or explore recipes via our website at ppmny.org/recipes.

Hosted by PPMNY’s Steve Barbag and Karina Pearse

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What does a fatty liver and a kidney stone look like through a radiologist’s lens? In this livestream event, Weill Cornell radiologist Natasha Wehrli, MD, takes you inside the body using striking real-world images and case studies to reveal how a typical Western diet contributes to liver, gallbladder, and kidney disease, PCOS, and diverticulosis -- and how whole plant foods can help prevent and even reverse disease. Drawing on medical imaging and peer-reviewed research, Dr. Wehrli will show how everyday food choices shape the health of our organs, and how diet and lifestyle can move us toward a clean bill of health.

Natasha Wehrli, MD, is a board-certified radiologist specializing in body imaging. She is an Assistant Professor of Radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Assistant Attending Radiologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She serves as the Director of the Body Imaging Fellowship and is a member of the Cornell Radiology Residency Education Committee.

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Join us for a fun, hands-on afternoon of plant-based cooking where you’ll team up with others to prepare, cook and enjoy a wholesome meal together—building community, learning new skills, and celebrating good food.

$25 is requested for grocery money, due by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, May 13.

Hosted by Rogier van Vlissingen, PPMNY Ambassador