Dr. Danielle Belardo is the Director of Cardiology, and Co-Director of Research and Education, at IOPBM in Newport Beach California. She is also a proud vegan, but that alone has not stopped vegan twitter from ridiculing her for various beliefs and practices she holds surrounding plant-based diets. I sat down with Dr. Belardo to discuss why she receives so much hate from vegans online, where she actually stands on being a vegan vs. what she recommends for her patients, and various ways you can improve the health of your heart. There are some really hot takes in here, particularly around being vegan and receiving vaccines that were tested on animals, cholesterol and saturated fats in eggs, and universal benefits of plant-based diets.