In this episode, Dr. James Thompson, MD — a board-certified allergist, immunologist, author, and health educator — shares how a 21-day Daniel Fast sparked a life-changing shift toward plant-forward living. After 34 years in medicine, he realized that despite following what he believed was a “healthy” diet, he still required multiple long-term medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, and chronic inflammation. A plant-based lifestyle helped him eliminate medications, improve sleep and joint pain, and even restore vision.

Today, Dr. Thompson leads the Healthy Living With a Vision Foundation, delivering accessible nutrition and lifestyle medicine education to underserved communities. His FEARLESS Method (Food, Exercise, Avoid Toxins, Restorative Sleep, Less Stress, Engage Mind, Social Energy, Spirituality) is a practical roadmap for chronic disease prevention and sustainable health.

What You’ll Learn

• How fasting and plant-forward eating triggered Dr. Thompson’s health transformation

• Why medical education still provides minimal nutrition training

• How plants impact inflammation, cholesterol, metabolic health, and cognitive resilience

• The truth about protein needs and nutrient considerations (B12, omega-3s)

• How to start a plant-forward lifestyle without going “all or nothing”

• Health disparities in Black communities and why trust in healthcare remains fractured

• The FEARLESS Wellness pillars and how to apply them

Key TopicsPlant-forward nutrition · fasting · inflammation · lifestyle medicine · sleep · stress · chronic disease prevention · community health · spirituality · affordability

Time Stamps:

00:00 — Intro: Why nutrition conversations are polarized
01:30 — Meet Dr. James Thompson
03:11 — How the 21-day Daniel Fast changed everything
04:00 — Running, meds, and early health struggles
05:23 — The nutrition gap in medical training
07:20 — Diving into nutrition education
08:00 — Fasting & time-restricted eating
10:00 — How plant-forward living improved his health
11:20 — Greens, beans, berries & whole foods
12:21 — Unexpected vision improvements
14:29 — Defining plant-based vs. plant-forward
15:20 — Protein myths & amino acid basics
18:43 — How much protein you really need
20:44 — Key nutrients: B12 & omega-3s
24:26 — Getting omegas from plant foods
26:04 — Why patients trusted his holistic approach
29:51 — Introducing lifestyle medicine in practice
32:32 — Reversing chronic conditions through diet
34:29 — Planting seeds for long-term change
37:13 — Asthma, acne & inflammation stories
40:01 — Creating the FEARLESS Method
42:45 — The 8 FEARLESS pillars
45:16 — Starting small without overwhelm
48:25 — Working with the Black community
51:34 — Why medical mistrust persists
54:00 — COVID-19 & vulnerable populations
56:13 — The limits of access without education
57:03 — His current work & foundation
59:15 — What to buy with $5 for a healthy meal
1:00:50 — Spiritual frameworks for hard times
1:02:08 — Closing reflections

Notable Quotes“Within six months of going plant-based, I no longer needed blood pressure or cholesterol medication.”
“Doctors learn to diagnose and prescribe, not prevent.”

About Dr. James Thompson, MDDr. Thompson spent over three decades in allergy/immunology and internal medicine before shifting to lifestyle health education. His work focuses on plant-forward nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and equitable community wellness. His book FEARLESS Wellness outlines eight pillars for long-term vitality.

Website: FearlessMD21.com
Foundation: HealthyLivingWithAVision.org