Dr. Columbus D. Batiste is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and Regional Chief of Cardiology for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.
In 2010, Dr. Batiste sought to break the cycle of prescriptions and procedures as the sole management of chronic disease and began promoting a long-term solution for his patients through nutrition, stress reduction, and exercise. In 2016, Dr. Batiste led a group that collaborated with Samsung Technologies and developed a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program utilizing a Samsung wearable. Since its launch, the program, which applies the principles of lifestyle, has treated over 15,000 patients.
Understanding that the health of an individual is uniquely tied to their community, Dr. Batiste collaborated with the formation of a non-profit organization called the Healthy Heart Nation. The mission of Healthy Heart Nation is to improve the health of the community by narrowing disparities in education, business, justice, and ultimately, health otherwise described as social determinants of health.
Dr. Batiste is a passionate advocate for lifestyle, lecturing across the nation and internationally regarding the power of plant-based nutrition. His anticipated first book entitled Selfish: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Healing a Broken Heart was released in 2024
ALASKA CRUISE
Alaskan Adventure of Wellness
Experience the breathtaking beauty of Alaska while embracing a holistic lifestyle aboard our vegan cruise.
KEYNOTE: The SELFISH Principle – A Lifestyle Prescription for Heart Health
What if the real prescription for healing your heart isn’t a medication — but a new way of living? In this inspiring session, Dr. Columbus Batiste challenges you to “Get SELFISH” and take control of your health from the inside out. Blending science with lived experience, he reveals how intentional lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and reignite joy. This isn’t about restriction — it’s about restoration. Whether you’re looking to prevent disease or recover from it, this empowering approach offers a path to lasting wellness. Stop surviving. Start thriving.
Get SELFISH — and take your heart back.
Eat to Heal, Live SELFISH
Coronary artery disease may be the world’s #1 killer, but this doesn’t have to be your story. In this transformative lecture, Dr. Batiste shares the clinical realities behind heart attacks and bypasses — and the life-saving power of lifestyle change. Discover how plant-based nutrition is rewriting the narrative of heart disease, helping patients avoid the operating room and reverse their risk. The secret to beating the odds may be on your plate. Fuel your resilience, and take back your health.
Selfish Interventions for Hypertension Beyond Medications
Hypertension is often called the “silent killer,” but what if the answer to lowering blood pressure wasn’t found only in a pill bottle — but in how you live each day? In this engaging lecture, Dr. Columbus Batiste explores how the SELFISH framework — a seven pillar lifestyle approach — can transform blood pressure control. Through powerful stories, evidence-based insights, and practical tools, you’ll learn how simple shifts in food, movement, mindset, and connection can make a measurable difference. It’s time to go beyond medication—and start healing from the inside out.
Panel Q&A: Cruisin’ for Knowledge – Doctors’ Panel
Hosted by Sandy Pukel with Drs. Columbus Batiste, Michael Greger, James Loomis & Jenn Simmons
Don’t miss this motivational, inspiring, and informative Q&A with plant-based diet luminaires, Drs. Columbus Batiste, Michael Greger, James Loomis and Jenn Simmons. Your host is Sandy Pukel, founder of Holistic Holiday at Sea. This is your chance to get all your questions answered. Whether you have been practicing a plant-based lifestyle for years or are just getting your feet wet, these experts can take you to the next level. Get the real scoop on living well, eating well, and taking control of your health.
August 31 - September 7, 2025
