Mansi Goel and Allison Melody had just met.

They were on their way to what they thought was a beagle rescue training session when the call came in:

“It’s happening now.”

In a shocking turn, they were suddenly headed straight into the historic Ridglan Farms rescue, where more than a thousand people showed up to stand for beagles who had spent their lives inside a breeding facility.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody sits down with animal rescuer, executive coach, and fellow Ridglan Farms rescuer Mansi Goel to talk about what really happened that day, how quickly everything changed, and why neither of them will ever forget it.

What started as a trip to Wisconsin to help rescue beagles turned into hours of fear, heartbreak, courage, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and the kind of devotion that only comes from people who refuse to look away.

Mansi shares what it felt like to arrive at Ridglan Farms, see the first hay bale rolled into the trench, make the choice to stay, and realize she was capable of more than she ever imagined.

She also opens up about why she did not walk away feeling traumatized, but empowered. For Mansi, this was the moment she discovered what it meant to put her whole being on the line for animals.

This conversation goes beyond one rescue.

It’s about the moment ordinary people become rescuers.
The moment outrage becomes action.
The moment fear gives way to purpose.
And the question so many of us are asking now:

If we would never allow this to happen to beagles, why do we allow it to happen to any animal?

Allison and Mansi also talk about the emotional days after the rescue, when they learned the beagles were finally coming out, and the videos began showing them touching grass, receiving care, and being given names for the first time.

For Mansi, that moment was sacred. These beagles had been treated like products. Naming them was not just a formality. It was a recognition of who they had always been: living beings, individuals, fellow earthlings.

They also explore the connection between animal rescue, healing, compassion, and the systems that keep suffering hidden from public view.

This is an episode about rescue, resilience, and the day thousands of people refused to walk away.

Follow Mansi Goel:
Instagram: @manstermagic

Follow Allison Melody:
Instagram: @allisonmelodytv

Most people will never see what really happens behind closed doors inside a place like Ridglan Farms.

Scotty Gilbertson did.

Scotty is an undercover whistleblower who went inside the beagle breeding facility and witnessed cruelty most people could not imagine. He saw the cages. He saw the suffering. He bonded with the dogs. And instead of walking away, he exposed the truth.

In this episode of Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by co-host Ella Magers for an emotional conversation with Scotty Gilbertson, whose undercover footage and testimony helped ignite the movement to free the Ridglan Farms beagles.

And the timing could not be more unbelievable.

Minutes before this interview, the breaking news came in: the beagles are being released from Ridglan Farms.

This is a massive full circle moment for Scotty. He has been exposing Ridglan, fighting for these dogs, and helping lead this rescue mission for years. He is the reason so many people finally saw what was happening behind those walls.

For Allison and Ella, this news is also deeply personal. They were on the ground at Ridglan with Scotty. All three were tear-gassed. All three witnessed peaceful rescuers being met with violence. And all three refused to give up on the dogs still trapped inside.

This episode captures the shock, the tears, the celebration, and the reality of what it took to get here. Scotty shares what he saw undercover, why he could not stay silent, and what it means to finally hear that the dogs he fought for may get the chance to feel the sun, touch the grass, and know love.

This is a story about courage, whistleblowing, public pressure, animal rescue, and the power of people who refuse to look away.

Because these beagles were never just part of a case.

They were never just footage, headlines, or numbers.

They are living, breathing souls who deserve the sun on their faces, grass beneath their paws, and a family to finally call their own.

Follow:

⁠Scotty Gilberston: @scotty_gilby⁠

⁠Ella Magers: @sexyfitvegan⁠

⁠Allison Melody: @allisonmelodytv⁠

Links:

Save the Dogs:
https://www.savethedogs.io

Born on Death Row documentary:
https://www.bornondeathrow.com

What happens when people stop looking away and start showing up?

In this emotional episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with Trey, co-founder of Animal Activism Collective, right as breaking news comes in that the beagles at Ridglan Farms may finally be released after months of public pressure, rescue efforts, and relentless campaigning.

Trey shares what it was like being part of the first Ridglan rescue effort, how 22 beagles were brought to safety, and why the movement to free animals from labs, farms, cages, and cruelty is bigger than one rescue.

Together, Allison and Trey talk about the trauma, hope, heartbreak, and power of direct action, including Allison’s experience being tear-gassed at the second Ridglan Farms rescue. They also explore how everyday people can turn their love for animals into meaningful action, even if they’ve never considered themselves activists before.

Trey also shares the story behind Animal Activism Collective, their free mentorship program, their work in anti-fur and foie gras campaigns, and how grassroots pressure has helped push major brands and companies to end cruel practices.

This episode is for anyone who has ever seen animal suffering and thought, “There has to be something I can do.”

Because there is.

And every animal deserves love.

Learn more about Animal Activism Collective:
animalactivismcollective.com

Follow Animal Activism Collective on Instagram:
@animalactivismcollective

Save the beagles:
https://www.savethedogs.io

We came prepared to carry beagles to safety.

Instead, we walked into tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, manure trenches, chaos, fear, and what felt like a war zone.

In this raw episode of Food Heals, Allison sits down with fellow beagle rescuers Hannah, Ella, and Alex to talk about what really happened at Ridglan Farms, where thousands of beagles are still trapped inside a facility breeding dogs for research.

We trained to carry 15 to 30 pound dogs. We prepared for possible arrest. We knew there could be resistance.

But we did not expect to be tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed, and shot with rubber bullets. We did not expect to see people choking, crying, falling, getting injured, and helping each other breathe. We did not expect police and security to use force against people who were there for abused dogs.

Allison, Hannah, Ella, and Alex share the moments they cannot stop replaying: the tear gas canisters, rubber bullets, hay bales, manure trenches, panic, fear, strangers holding each other up, and the heartbreak of leaving without the beagles.

They also push back on the false media narrative that rescuers came to hurt anyone. They came to help dogs who have never known freedom, grass, sunlight, or loving human touch.

And the fight is not over.

Because the beagles are still inside.We wo’nt give up until every beagle is free to feel the sun on their face, the grass on their paws, and the love of their family.

Follow the rescuers on Insta:

Hannah Golanski: @hannahgol11

Alex Tello: @furthestfromthewild

Ella Magers: @sexyfitvegan

Allison Melody: @allisonmelodytv

Learn more: blog.simpleheart.org

Take action now: SaveTheDogs.io

They were born into cages, raised for experiments, and when brave people tried to get them out, those were the people placed in handcuffs.

In this episode, Allison is joined by Ella Magers and Jennifer Tourkin for an emotional conversation about the beagles at Ridglan Farms and the growing movement to rescue them.

Jennifer shares the story of carrying a beagle to safety during the March 15th rescue. Allison, Ella, and Jennifer also share why all three of them are going back on April 19 to help save the nearly 2,000 beagles still inside.

Jennifer also opens up about what she witnessed on the ground, what happened when police showed up, and why the arrests only strengthened the urgency of this movement.

If you love dogs, this episode will move you. If you care about justice, it will light a fire in you.

Join us April 19: SaveTheDogs.io.

Follow for updates:

Jennifer: @jetmissionbeagle

Ella: @sexyfitvegan

Allison: @allisonmelodytv

He went from mocking vegan videos to being arrested for carrying a rescued beagle to safety.

In this episode, I sit down with vegan animal activist Pete Reimann to talk about the unexpected path that led him here, from a single video that changed his mind forever to the rescue effort that put him on the front lines at Ridglan Farms. Pete shares how he went vegan in an instant after watching one video, why he devoted his life to animal activism, and what it was like getting arrested for saving beagles from a life of testing, torture, and abuse. 

He also tells the story that stayed with me most: carrying a terrified beagle to safety while the dog fought to get away, until Pete called him by the name of his childhood dog, Tracker. In that moment, the fear shifted, the dog calmed down, and what happened next is something I’ll never forget. 

We also talk about what really happened during the rescue, the dogs who made it out, the ones who were taken back, what activists are risking, and why people are returning on April 19. Pete also shares more about The True Cost Project, his new nonprofit aimed at exposing the financial incentives behind animal testing and pushing for real change. If this episode moves you, please share it, post it, and send it to someone who needs to hear it. 

Resources + Links
Save the dogs:
savethedogs.io

Pete on Instagram:
@for.petes.sake.official

The True Cost Project:
gofundme.com/f/help-launch-the-true-cost-project

Donate to Help Pete save the rest of the beagles on April 19th:
givesendgo.com/helppetesavethedogs

Take action by contacting Dane County authorities and urging them to rescue the remaining dogs:

(608) 266-4211

[email protected]

[email protected]

Dogs like my beagle Lily are being bred for experiments in the U.S.

Kept in cages.
Used. Abused.

Denied sunlight, freedom, play, safety, and love.

But there are a brave group of people fighting back.

In this episode of Food Heals, I share what happened when Wayne Hsiung and fellow rescuers entered Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin and carried 31 beagles out of a breeding facility tied to animal testing. Some made it to safety. 8 beagles were taken back. 

As a beagle mom, this story hit me hard.

What Wayne and these rescuers did took extraordinary courage. They refused to look away. They risked everything to expose the truth and bring these dogs into the light. 

This episode is about cruelty.
But it is also about heroes.
About hope.
And about how you can help.

Listen to hear what happened, why this rescue matters, and what you can do for the beagles still waiting to be saved. 

Accounts worth following:

@waynehhsiung
@kameronwaters
@animalactivismcollective
@thealexandrapaul
@for.petes.sake.official
@sexyfitvegan

Resources:
SaveTheDogs.io
blog.simpleheart.org 

Take action by contacting Dane County authorities and urging them to rescue the remaining dogs:

(608) 266-4211

[email protected]

[email protected]

Eight out of nine people writing the U.S. dietary guidelines had ties to Big Meat and Big Dairy.

Hmm.

So what does that mean for the nutrition advice we’re all supposed to trust?

I asked a doctor to break it down.

And why is cheese so hard to quit?

Spoiler alert: it might not be your willpower. There’s actual biology behind it.

You know how much I love talking to doctors who are plant-based, and today’s guest is bringing the receipts.

Dr. John Lewis is a plant-powered physician, former associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a researcher who has published more than 180 scientific papers.

His Alzheimer’s research has shown significant improvements in cognitive function using plant-derived nutrients that support the brain.

In this conversation, we connect the dots between diet, brain health, Big Food influence, and the chronic diseases affecting millions of Americans.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Alzheimer’s is inevitable… or whether what’s on your plate could actually help protect your brain… this episode will change the way you think about food.

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The real reason cheese is so addictive, and why quitting it feels impossible for many people

• The massive fiber crisis in America and why it’s wrecking gut health

• Why the carnivore, keto, and high-protein craze may be setting people up for long-term health problems

• The simple dietary shifts that can dramatically improve digestion and inflammation

• What actually happens inside your body during fasting and why it may activate powerful cellular repair

• The plant foods that may help support memory and brain health

Some of what you’ll hear may sound shocking.

But once you understand the science, it changes everything you thought you knew about nutrition.

And once you hear it… you can’t unhear it.

Support Your Brain Health:

If you want to support your brain health right now, check out Daily Brain Care by Dr Lewis Nutrition®, a daily formula designed to help protect and restore brain function.

Go to: ⁠https://drlewisnutrition.com/foodheals⁠

Use promo code ALLISON to save 10%.

Why do people get so angry about vegan food?

Why do the same illogical arguments about meat keep showing up over and over again?

And what happens when someone finally starts dismantling them… one by one?

Today on Food Heals, Allison Melody is joined by plant-powered content creator Danny Ishay, Instagram’s favorite vegan.

If you’ve ever heard someone say:

“Humans need meat for protein.”

“It’s the food chain.”

“Plants feel pain.”

…and you’ve wanted to stick a carrot in their face and ask who actually feels pain, Danny has probably already made a video about it.

Using logic, satire, and a little sass, Danny has built a massive following by calmly dismantling the myths people cling to about meat, dairy, and vegan diets.

In this episode we talk about how he got started, why humor works better than yelling, and what really happens when trolls flood his comment section.

You’ll hear:

• Why comedy disarms people faster than confrontation

• What actually happens when trolls show up in Danny's comments

• The psychology behind why people defend meat so passionately

• What made Allison say, “Follow the money.”

• Why misinformation about nutrition spreads so easily

• The surprising role community plays in sticking with a plant-based lifestyle

If you’ve ever had one of these debates at a dinner table, in a comment section, or with that one friend who swears they “need meat for protein”…

This episode might change the way you respond at next year's Thanksgiving. (You're welcome:)

Follow Danny on Instagram: @dannyishay

Get his book HERE.

Today's episode is a deeply personal one.

I was devastated to hear of the passing of James Van Der Beek. Like so many of you, I grew up watching Dawson's Creek. But for me, it was even more than a show. My very first job was working on Dawson's Creek in Wilmington, North Carolina. My parents got to see their little girl step onto a set they watched in our living room every week... and that memory means everything to me.

Years later, I had dinner with James and his wife Kimberly (who was one of the very first guests ever on Food Heals episode 6). That night, James sat with me, looked me in the eyes, and told me my parents were proud of me. He held space for me in a way most people never do. He didn't have to. But that's who he was.

In this episode, I'm joined by:

Reality TV producer Jessica Sirikulbut, who shares her heartfelt reflections on James' character, his spiritual depth, and the emotional impact this loss has had on our generation.

Ryan Bailey, host of So Bad It's Good, who brings his thoughtful pop culture lens to James' legacy and the profound way he shaped so many of our lives.

Together, we reflect on:

• The impact Dawson's Creek had on our generation

• James' powerful final interviews about love and worthiness

• What cancer teaches us about presence and perspective

• The emotional and spiritual layers of healing

• Why "I am worthy of love" might be the most important mantra of all

James wasn't just a talented actor. He was a light. A father of six. A devoted husband. A man who meditated, journaled, and led with love. And in a world that feels so divided, his passing feels like a wake-up call to return to what actually matters.

Love. Presence. Connection. Forgiveness. Sweetness in life.

If this episode moves you, and you feel called to support his family during this unimaginable time, you can contribute here:

💛 GoFundMe for James Van Der Beek's Family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-james-van-der-beeks-family

Thank you for being part of Food Heals Nation. Hold your loved ones close. Forgive quickly. Believe you are worthy of love.

Because you are. 💛

In this episode, Allison Melody opens with a no filter Q&A that goes everywhere the mainstream won't.

From the hidden reality of the dairy industry and why cows only produce milk when they're pregnant, to what really happens when creators are censored, reinstated, and quietly invited back after years of being silenced.

She shares her personal experience with peptides, what she's learned so far, and why she believes they should be approached thoughtfully and with the right medical support.

Then things get a little spicy.

Allison spills the tea on a former Food Heals guest who is now making waves on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the rise of manifestation gurus, and what happens when empowerment crosses the line into grifting.

After the Q&A, Allison welcomes award winning author and longtime vegan Ellen Kanner, author of Miami Vegan, for a vibrant conversation about food, culture, and sex.

They talk about:

• Tropical flavors and plant based living inspired by Miami

• Why vegetables should be the star of the plate

• How to make vegan food sexy, flavorful, and accessible

• Aphrodisiac foods you should be cooking for date night

• The surprising connection between watermelon, nutmeg, avocado, and sex

• How plants can support intimacy, circulation, and connection

Plus, practical tips for eating plant based on a budget, navigating restaurants as a vegan, and making the transition without feeling deprived.

If food is medicine, this episode proves it can also be pleasure.

Get Ellen's book Miami Vegan and learn more at soulfulvegan.com.