The Low Carb Cardiologist Podcast

Dr. Carrie Diulus Website

Dr. Carrie Diulus on Facebook

@CarrieDiulusMD on Instagram

LCCP039: Lierre Keith — The Dark Truths Behind Veganism & Vegetarianism Aug 27, 2018

This week, the Author of The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability, Lierre Keith, joins me to dispel the three pillars vegetarians lean on to justify their dietary and lifestyle choices. Her book, published in 2009, is still widely discussed and referenced today. In this stirring discussion, Lierre reveals that just six corporations (who she calls grain cartels) own the world’s food supply and how they deceitfully market industrial by-products in the form of soy-based products, how global warming is NOT caused primarily by ruminants but rather by large-scale agricultural practices, and how modern agriculture is destroying our topsoil and our land in general. But she doesn’t stop there! She goes on to explain how proper use of grazing ruminants could actually be a solution to or environmental problems. That’s a message we all need to hear!.

What makes her story even more amazing is that Lierre was a practicing vegan for years. Luckily she realized she was slowly destroying her body by not consuming the vital nutrients necessary for good health. So, will going Vegan save your life and save the planet as is so widely believed? Listen to this podcast before you answer that question.

Key Takeaways:

[4:27] Why Lierre chose to go vegan.

[6:44] How the grain cartel used deceptive marketing to sell the industrial by-product of soy.

[12:01] The cult-like elements of Veganism.

[17:00] Will Veganism save the environment?

[26:21] Moving away from government subsidies and towards grass-based farms.

[32:13] Lierre describes the carbon sequestering process of soil and how global warming started.

[42:44] Lierre shares the moral dilemma brought about by her personal gardening experience.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability

Lierre Keith

The Savory Institute

Eat Wild

LCCP038: Dr. Nasha Winters, ND — Treating the Whole Person, Not Just the Tumor Jul 24, 2018

This week, Dr. Nasha Winters ND, FABNO, L.Ac, Dipl.OM and CEO of Optimal Terrain Consulting joins me to share her incredible, real-life journey of healing through lifestyle and emphasis on whole health. After beating a diagnosis of terminal cancer at the age of 19, she transformed her life into an ongoing resource for thousands of people who are navigating their way through cancer and standard of care treatments.

Her refreshing multi-view approach focuses on the whole person, focusing less on the cancer and more on making the host stronger. She combines conventional therapy with whole-body, nutritional lifestyle therapy to optimize her patients’ terrain. Her book, TheMetabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, the Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies is available now.

Key Takeaways:

[3:36] How a cancer diagnosis at 19 led Dr. Nasha to Naturopathic medicine.

[14:15] The process of Test, Assess and Address for cancer patients.

[17:02] Can cancer be cured through a single therapy or a ketogenic diet?

[24:05] Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer's are in the same metabolic hiccup.

[29:51] Analyzing the results of genetic testing and industry created fear.

[35:34] Can the ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting assist patients during Cachexia?

[51:30] The health benefits of mistletoe.

[59:07] Other beneficial ‘fringe’ interventions for cancer treatment.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Optimal Terrain Consulting

Terrain 10

Optimal Terrain on Facebook

The Metabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, the Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies, by Dr. Nasha Winters and Jess Higgins Kelley

LCCP037: Tucker Goodrich — Omega 6 Seed Oils and Our Health- Another Medical Paradox Jul 17, 2018

This week, History Buff, Citizen Scientist and Wall Street Tech Guru Tucker Goodrich shares how he healed himself of diverticulitis, irritable bowel Syndrome, and stroke-like symptoms all by changing his diet. Getting little help from contemporary medicine, Tucker decided to focus his professional problem-solving skills towards his personal health issues. This ultimately lead to eliminating wheat and omega 6 seed oils from his diet and resulted in immediate resolution of his symptoms.

During our conversation, Tucker reveals how he identified the disease creating culprits in his diet, how his health has improved since he eliminated wheat and processed seed oils, and more importantly, what this may mean for you and your risk of exposure to omega 6 seed oils and other nutritional toxins.

Key Takeaways:

[5:25] The interconnected worlds of computer science and medical science.

[10:25] Tucker started at the source using his family's medical history as square one.

[19:42] Omega 6 seed oils come from whole foods.

[30:23] Cholesterol and Heart Disease — are they related?

[38:38] American food drastically altered the diet in the ‘Blue Zone’ of Okinawa, Japan.

[43:45] What happened when Tucker removed processed seed oils from his diet?

[50:50] Unpacking the studies and discoveries that led to this conversation about Omega 6.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Yelling-Stop Blog

LCCP036: Dave Feldman Challenges Everything We Think We Know About LDL Cholesterol. Jul 02, 2018

Dave Feldman brought down the house yet again with a rousing presentation at Keto Con 2018. In his presentation, he postulated that a subset of LCHF individuals, which he terms Lean Mass Hyper Responders (LMHRs), are unknowingly changing the world of cholesterol.

Traditionally we are taught that any elevation of LDL cholesterol leads to heart disease. Not so fast, says Dave. In this episode, we discuss why this does not apply to LMHRs and what that means for LCHF individuals and what it means for the medical world as a whole. We also discuss how recent PCSK9i drug trials prove his point, even though contemporary medicine promotes them with an opposite conclusion. Sound confusing? Well, it isn’t once you hear Dave explain his case.

Once again, Dave brings his passion, his engineering mindset, and his intellectual honesty to the table for a rousing interview that is sure to cause a stir among old-school doctors and lipidologists. You don’t want to miss this one!

LCCP035: Dr. Jeff Stanley — How Ketogenics is Changing the Game of Treating Type 2 Diabetes Jun 20, 2018

This week, I welcome Dr. Jeff Stanley of Virta Health back to the podcast to discuss the results from their one-year Cardiovascular Risk Factor Assessment clinical trial. The results, which are published in the peer-reviewed publication Cardiovascular Diabetology, include some very impressive findings. Findings that may just shake up conventional wisdom about a high fat diet. During our conversation, we discuss the details of the trial, and also explore practical implications of a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, macro calculations, and beta-hydroxybutyrate measurements. Dr Stanley and Virta health have already revolutionized the way we treat diabetes, and this latest trial only furthers that mission.

Key Takeaways:

[4:31] Virta Health's method is to safely and sustainably reverse type 2 diabetes.

[9:08] New data will soon be published by Virta.

[13:42] The guidelines and macro data Virta uses with patients.

[19:25] Advice for people seeking information on a ketogenic diet from their doctor.

[22:15] Obstacles patients face with staying compliant to treatment and lifestyle changes.

[26:12] Virta’s priority when discussing intermittent fasting is safety, safety, safety.

[30:26] What does the cardiovascular intervention trial data show after one year?

[51:55] What pushback is Virta experiencing after publishing their results?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Low Carb Cardiologist Podcast with Dr. Jeff Stanley Episode #11

Virta Health

Low Carb Cardiologist Podcast with Dr. Victor Montori Episode #30

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Oura Ring Sleep Tracking Technology helps improve your understanding of the depth, quality, and length of your sleep. Visit OuraRing.com and at checkout use the code ‘LOWCARBCARDIOLOGIST’ to get $50 off your order.

LCCP034: Dr. Shawn Baker — Creating a Community of Carnivores Jun 05, 2018

This week, Orthopedic surgeon, World Record Holder and Master athlete Dr. Shawn Baker shares his solution for thriving as a human being. He eats meat. Lots of meat, and only meat. He is the leader of the carnivore movement and has created a community of carnivores through his social media efforts. This may have been considered “fringe” or “crazy” a few years ago, but now, thanks to Dr Baker’s efforts, the carnivore diet is becoming an accepted diet for health and human performance. During our conversation, Dr Baker addresses common misconceptions about the diet, his blood work results and how he believes the carnivore diet fits into a healthy lifestyle. It may not be for everyone, but there is so much we can learn from Dr Baker’s approach. Plus, we get to hear about his online battles with popular vegan doctors!

Key Takeaways:

[3:54] Dr. Baker describes how moving his patients to a ketogenic diet helped heal them without surgery.

[9:33] The medical system is designed to make money, not prevent illness.

[16:37] Social media is a powerful educational tool for communities.

[19:13] Who is a good candidate for the carnivore diet?

[35:05] How Dr. Baker reacts to the medical community’s critique of the carnivore diet.

[41:18] Understanding blood glucose levels.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Human Performance Outliers Podcast

Dr. Shawn Baker

Meat Heals

This Episode is Sponsored by LowCarbCardiologist.com and Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

LCCP033: Siobhan Huggins — Reverse Engineering Cholesterol Misconceptions May 21, 2018

This week’s guest, Siobhan Huggins, is a stellar citizen scientist who has a passion for dissecting complex topics, and understanding how misbeliefs lead us astray. She has a remarkable gift of analyzing complex topics and reframing them from a systems and engineering point of view. Plus, her own personal journey through the low-carb keto lifestyle prompted her deeper dive into lipids, inflammation, insulin resistance and more. She understands that cholesterol is not inherently evil. Rather, it actually serves a purpose to help us. It’s our lifestyle that alters it into something potentially harmful.

Most exciting of all, she has recently joined forces full-time with Dave Feldman at CholesterolCode.com, so we will be hearing much more exciting research and perspective shifts from Siobhan in the near future.

Key Takeaways:

[6:03] A keto diet has given Chivon improved health and changed her personality.

[8:58] Research and reading has qualified Chivon to write for Cloresteralcode.com

[12:07] Understanding inflammation and the chronic oxidation of LDL.

[17:07] Scavenger receptors and small, dense LDL.

[28:42] The human body wasn’t designed to take on a constant barrage of insulin damage.

[35:32] What causes vascular calcification?

[43:32] The differentiator in familial hypercholesterolemia is the level of insulin resistance.

[47:13] Lipoprotein(a): What is it used for?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Cholesterol Code

This Episode is Sponsored by LowCarbCardiologist.com and Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

LCCP032: Nina Teicholz — The Nutrition Coalition May 08, 2018

Nina Teicholz joins me for a second time (listen to our first interview in episode 8), this time to discuss her groundbreaking work reforming our dietary guidelines. Nina is the bestselling author of The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet, and she is the Executive Director of the Nutrition Coalition, a non-profit organization that promotes evidence-based nutrition policy. During our discussion, Nina shares the origin of the nutritional guidelines, and the unbelieveable story of how they came to be. She also shares the frightening reality of how deeply the guidelines influence society and how they are based on flimsy data in desperate need of an update. Despite the simplicity of her mission, to base the guidelines on science, she has been consistently criticized and thwarted by the Medical Industrial Complex, disinvited from nutritional conferences, and targeted for unwarranted journal retraction. It’s hard to believe, but it’s all true! Listen to our interview to find out more!

Key Takeaways:

[3:12] The mission of the Nutrition Coalition.

[5:48] The nutritional guidelines have a far-reaching influence over many different sectors.

[11:05] Are nutritional guidelines evidence-based and who creates them?

[17:44] Nina was disinvited to be on a food policy panel from the National Food Policy Conference.

[26:05] In the 1950’s, why was saving middle-aged men from heart disease all the rage?

[28:55] Does the government belong in the position of giving dietary advice?

[35:35] The Nutrition Coalition has been critical of the non-science-based guidelines and the US media for generalizing what is good for an entire population.

[44:42] What you can do to help make the necessary changes.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Nutrition Coalition Website

Nina Teicholz Part #1, Low Carb Cardiologist Podcast Episode #8

The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat, and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet, by Nina Teicholz

The Magic Pill on Netflix

This Episode is Sponsored by LowCarbCardiologist.com and Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

LCCP031: Dustin Schaffer — The Power of Exogenous Ketones Apr 12, 2018

My good friend Dustin Schaffer of the SchafferMethod.com is a master at helping people live their lives better. In this interview he shares his personal health journey that eventually led him to ketosis. Since then, he has helped his clients find their own path to health, and has been very successful at it. But now he has his most powerful and favorite tool- the combination of exogenous ketones and strong community support. Hear his story of how he uses these tools, and determine for yourself if it may be right for you.

Key Takeaways:

[4:34] Dustin pushed his body so hard he needed 13 reparative surgeries.

[13:10] As his health started to degrade, Dustin continued eating a high-carb diet.

[19:46] The four things Dustin focused on to get healthy.

[25:19] How Dustin introduced ketosis to his clients.

[29:59] Drinking therapeutic ketones is a fast way to get into ketosis.

[40:14] What happens when you have ketones and carbohydrates available in the body?

[45:15] The anti-inflammatory effect of ketones assist with athletic performance and recovery.

[51:43] Integrating ketones with intermittent fasting at a community level.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Schaffer Method on Facebook

The Schaffer Method

This Episode is Sponsored by LowCarbCardiologist.com and Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

BH030: Dr. Victor Montori — Revolutionizing Health Care Apr 10, 2018

During this episode, Dr. Victor Montori and I discuss the industrialization

of healthcare, how healthcare has corrupted its mission, how it has stopped caring, and what this means for you as a patient. It is clear something has to change. Healthcare has lost its way, and the patient is the one who suffers most.

As a Professor of Medicine and Endocrinologist specializing in diabetes care at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Montori is an expert in patient care experiences.. He also runs the Knowledge and Evolution Research Unit (KER) unit, which focuses on medical evidence, wishes, patient wishes and minimally disruptive care. He is the co-founder of Patient Revolution.org and his book, Why We Revolt: A Patient Revolution for Careful and Kind Care is a testament to his passion towards transforming the current healthcare industry. With Dr. Montori leading the way, I have great hope for the future of medicine!

BH029: Dr. Ben Bikman — Raise Your Protein Intake and Your Insulin IQ Mar 26, 2018

Ben Bikman believes wholeheartedly in a low carb diet. He lives it, he studies it and he educates physicians about it through his Insulin IQ organization. As an Assistant Professor and Scientist at BYU, he focuses on modern day diseases that are influenced by metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. He actively spreads the word about the benefits of a low carb diet whenever, and wherever he can, including Lowcarb Breckenridge which is where we met. During our conversation, we walk through the role of protein in the metabolic system, the fuel requirements of athletes, and why it’s important to separate emotion from science when we talk about food.

Professor Bikman earned his Ph.D. in Bioenergetics and a post-doc fellowship at Duke University, Singapore in metabolic disorders.

Key Takeaways:

[3:01] What is the role of protein in a low-carb lifestyle?

[15:07] The symphony of the endocrine system and fasting thresholds.

[17:42] The risk of the standard American diet.

[23:30] The Keto Carnivore.

[28:50] The protein leverage hypothesis.

[35:21] What is the best fuel for athletic performance?

[43:09] Why is the science in the low carb community better than other sciences?

[51:21] Real world examples of how Professor Bickman’s integrates low carb into his life.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Insulin IQ

Insulin IQ on Facebook

BH028: Vinnie Tortorich - Exercise and Nutrition in a Fat-Adapted Diet Mar 20, 2018

Vinnie Tortorich is America’s favorite celebrity trainer, podcaster and author of Fitness Confidential. Vinnie shares how he got started in his career as a trainer to the stars, and he highlights the key differences between training celebrities for shoots and films, exercising to be health or training for competitions. As a long-time competitor in ultra-endurance races, Vinnie shares how he has used nutrition to help him achieve spectacular results in these grueling competitions. As much as he loves exercise, Vinnie firmly believes that the key to health and looking good is adopting a No Sugar, No Grains (#nsng) way of living. This has not only contributed to his success as an athlete and a model, but also helped in his battle against cancer. He is known as “America’s Angriest Trainer,” but he may also be America’s most outspoken and entertaining trainer as well.

Key Takeaways:

[2:28] How did Vinnie get started in his career?

[7:47] The role of exercise and nutrition in Hollywood vs. in health.

[18:51] How does Vinnie balance between being healthy and doing ultra races?

[22:42] The concept of being fat-adapted.

[29:05] How does Vinnie keep people motivated?

[30:37] Vinnie’s health scare - leukemia.

[36:10] In his recovery period, Vinnie adopted a ketogenic diet.

[46:33] Representing the life of a cancer survivor.

[50:06] Vinnie has a free PDF on the NSNG diet.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Vinnie Tortorich

Fitness Confidential Podcast

Fitness Confidential, by Vinnie Tortorich

Born to Run, by Christopher McDougal

Cereal Killers 2, film by Donal O’Neil

Free PDF Download

BH027: Dr. Jason Fung of the IDM Program: The Benefits of Fasting Mar 06, 2018

My guest, Dr. Jason Fung is a passionate advocate for reclaiming our health through low-carb nutrition and intermittent fasting. As a Nephrologist, he recognized his diabetic patients on dialysis uniformly declined into worsening health. He knew something had to change. That is when he went against the prevailing paradigm and starting using low-carb nutrition and intermittent fasting as primary therapy for his patients. And he hasn’t looked back. Now known as “The King of Fasting” he maintains a prolific blog at IDMProgram.com, and he has published The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, and The Complete Guide to Fasting, and we eagerly await his new book, The Diabetes Code: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally. Although the benefits of fasting to treat diabetes are immense, they do not stop there. Fasting also impacts our nutrient sensors, and by doing so, may help us prevent or treat cancer, and improve our longevity. The science behind this is fascinating and continues to grow every day.

Key Takeaways:

[6:06] Dr. Fung recognized the failure in treating Type 2 Diabetes with insulin.

[15:38] Intermittent Fasting is balancing your feeding times with your fasting times.

[31:14] The science of how fasting affects nutrient sensors in the body.

[41:06] Turning down the growth factors of cancer.

[49:43] Calling out the connection between Big Pharma and the policymakers in the medical community.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

IDM Program

Books by Dr. Jason Fung

Diet Doctor

BH026: Professor Tim Noakes of the Noakes Foundation Helps People Take Control of Their Medical Futures Feb 26, 2018

Prof Tim Noakes put his career and his reputation on the line by saying three simple words that we infrequently hear: I Was Wrong. In the 80s and 90s, he was the preeminent authority on sports performance, and he wrote the defining book explaining the importance of a high carbohydrate diet. Fast forward 20 years, and Prof Noakes’ own personal struggle with diabetes opened his eyes to the unforeseen dangers of the high carbohydrates diet. That is when he realized “I Was Wrong.” But he had no idea what was coming next. Given his position as a highly respected scientist, he was seen as a threat by the status quo in South Africa, and what ensued was a 3-year long trial intent on silencing him. Now he has committed his life to teaching the science behind low carb nutrition, how that can help athletic performance, and more importantly, how it can help improve our health. Nobody has risked more personally to proclaim this message, and that makes Prof one of the most remarkable proponents of healthy nutrition I have ever met. We have a lot to learn from Prof Noakes, and it all starts with the ability to say those simple three words: I Was Wrong.

Key Takeaways:

[4:44] A court attempted to use Prof Noakes as an example to take away free speech from doctors in South Africa.

[10:22] Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease of nutrition.

[16:29] The concept of hunger.

[19:12] Athletes should self-experiment with a high-fat diet.

[28:34] How do we break the cycle of industry-funded influence?

[36:41] Social media helps to substantiate a healthy, high-fat diet.

[41:17] Converting doctors is critical to promoting the low-carb diet.

[47:12] Goals of the Noakes Foundation and the Eat Better South Africa campaign.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

The Noakes Foundation

Books by Professor Noakes

BH025: HD of Hormones Demystified — Part 3: It’s Time to Revolutionize Health Care Feb 19, 2018

HD of HormonesDemystified.com is back on the Boundless Health Podcast. Once again, this well trained and highly respected endocrinologist brings his entertaining, thoughtful and witty no-nonsense perspective to help us dissect some big topics. In this episode, we explore HD"s own personal journey with Time Restricted Feeding, and of course we tackle insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia and how that relates to low-carb diets possibly being the cure for IR and even diabetes. We delve into the brave new world we are in with an army of engineers and critical thinkers forcing us to reframe how we see certain paradigms in medicine, and how the new venture with Amazon, Berkshire and JP Morgan will change medicine as we know it. Lastly, we explore his latest blockbuster blog post on Why Smart People Make Stupid Decisions regarding their health care. You do not want to miss this episode!

Key Takeaways:

[2:41] What drew HD toward time-restricted feeding and intermittent fasting?

[10:16] The benefits of having obsessed engineers in the medicinal realm.

[14:47] HD’s thoughts on glucose tolerance testing.

[23:12] How do we define normal ranges?

[25:52] Should a ketogenic diet be a standard of care for a patient with Type 2 Diabetes?

[32:19] The Unconventional Medicine model may not be financially viable.

[38:17] Top 10 Reasons Why Smart People Are Stupid About Their Health.

[52:21] Defending Big Pharma.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Unconventional Medicine: Join the Revolution to Reinvent Healthcare, Reverse Chronic Disease, and Create a Practice You Love, by Chris Kresser

“Top 10 Reasons Why Smart People Are Stupid About Their Health” from Hormones Demystified

BH024: Dave Feldman of CholesterolCode.com- Part 2 To Help Us All #RethinkLDL Feb 06, 2018

During Dave Feldman’s second appearance on the podcast we delve deeper into the results of his Ketofest experiment and how his research is revolutionizing the way we look at cholesterol. According to Dave's 'energy status' theory, the body as a system anticipates its energy needs and regulates how it mobilizes long term and short term energy storage. This makes cholesterol a passenger in an energy delivery system, not an inherently harmful doer of evil. Dave also shares the secrets of his future experiments, and explains why Lipidology is an engineer's "Holy Grail." This is not your every day conversation!

Key Takeaways:

[1:08] Dave shares the results of his experiment from Ketofest.

[5:25] Can higher dietary fats really lower cholesterol?

[9:10] Does the body anticipate the use of energy?

[15:33] The energy delivery theory.

[28:00] Why a low fat-high carb diet is better than a high carb-high fat diet.

[42:44] Have an alternative theory to Dave's theory? He wants to hear it.

[45:51] Dave will self-experiment with cookies to put his theory to a test.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Cholesterol Code

Remnant Cholesterol: What Every Low Carber Should Know

BH023: Insulin Resistance: A True Measure of What Ails Us? With Ivor Cummins Jan 29, 2018

After a blood test left him with more questions than answers, my guest, Ivor Cummins, began applying his problem-solving, tactical engineering point of view to explain why his blood tests were abnormal, an answer his physicians were unable to provide. From there, he turned his attention to explaining the root cause and pathophysiology of the most common diseases of our time- obesity, diabetes, heart disease just to name a few. He has spent countless late nights scouring decades-old research and has come up with a clear common thread- insulin resistance. To combat IR, he advocates a low-carb, high-fat lifestyle, and his book (due out the end of Feb 2018), written with Dr. Jeffry Gerber, Eat Rich, Live Long, makes the case, in a rational and reasonable manner, that a low-carb diet along with lifestyle changes is the key to improving health.

During our conversation, we discuss insulin resistance and insulin tests, the importance of adipose and which food products to eliminate from a diet.

Key Takeaways:

[4:41] How Iver came to be a proponent of a low carb diet.

[11:25] Why is insulin resistance not being tested properly?

[16:08] What is the mechanism linking cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammation?

[21:30] The Kraft test works, but do you need it?

[27:48] Adipose is an important endocrine organ.

[34:43] Linking LDL to cardiovascular disease.

[43:20] Eat Rich, Live Long focuses overall good health.

[48:02] PUFAs are bad, period.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Fat Emperor

Fat Emperor/twitter

#LDLBS on Twitter

Making Sense of LDL with Prof. Ken Sikaris

BH022: Finding The Sleep Solution With Dr. Chris Winter Jan 16, 2018

How to get a better night’s sleep is on the front of just about every magazine cover these days. New methods, products, and books promise a sleep experience like no other. But, few of these practices or gadgets get to the root cause of why people aren’t sleeping. My guest, Dr. Chris Winter, is an expert on sleep with over 25 years of sleep medicine and research experience. His book, The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It is a no-nonsense, practical guide to getting the sleep your mind is craving.

During our conversation, we discuss how insomnia is really a fear and overcoming the fear can be a cure, how so much of sleep hygiene and proper sleep starts in your mindset, the role of high-tech gadgets in sleep and how getting to the root cause is the key to sleep disorder treatment.

Key Takeaways:

[3:24] Dr. Winter investigates the different conditions that create issues for sleeping.

[6:21] Important aspects of sleep hygiene often misconstrued.

[22:35] How to nap correctly.

[27:25] The problems and benefits of sleep aids, pills and high-tech gadgets.

[51:21] Dr. Winter likes to illustrate points by sleeping in extreme places.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Dr. Chris Winter

The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It, by W. Chris Winter

BH021: Moving Past the High Cholesterol Myth and On to Preventing Metabolic Disease with a Low-Carb Lifestyle With Dr. Jeffry Gerber Jan 02, 2018

This week I welcome Denver’s Diet Doctor, Jeffry Gerber, to discuss how we look at cardiovascular risk and health in general. It’s about going beyond traditional risk factors that have been perpetuated for decades and decades. And, it’s about looking at metabolic health through a different lens. As you will hear, it’s not all about LDL cholesterol, it’s more about insulin resistance — looking at your insulin levels and how your body responds to them. How higher insulin levels over time can be destructive for our bodies and our health — possibly more so than the “bad” cholesterol.

We also discuss the importance of daily nutrition, having an open mind, focusing on prevention, low-carb and/or keto diets, and how statins can backfire. The bottom line is that if you are focusing on whole foods, from the earth and from animals, and you are avoiding grains and sugars, you are well on your way to a healthy low-carb lifestyle.

Key Takeaways:

[4:01] The ‘bad’ cholesterol issue has been a distraction from researching the true metabolic markers of overall health.

[12:22] How to present a low-carb, high-fat diet to health care professionals.

[16:47] Dealing with controversy in the low carb community.

[21:55] Common themes of vegetarian diets and low carb diets.

[26:47] Is high LDL a good predictor of cardiovascular risk?

[31:51] Remembering Dr. Joe Kraft and his insulin assay.

[42:31] The LDL hypothesis and the use of statins.

[50:35] A human’s quest for protein.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Denver’s Diet Doctor

Low Carb Breckenridge 2018 Conference

Eat Rich, Live Long, by Dr. Jeffry Gerber and Ivor Cummins

The Nutrition Coalition

The Public Health Collaboration

BH020: Cholesterol — Understanding How the Body Uses It and Are High LDL Levels Really Dangerous? With  Dave Feldman Dec 12, 2017

My guest on this episode has a fresh, mechanistic approach to understanding the way our bodies use cholesterol. Dave Feldman is an engineer who has used self-experimentation to unpack the dynamic changes of LDL in his body. His findings have been revolutionary. On his blog, CholesterolCode.com he shares his personal journey of how a low-carb, high-fat diet and almost 100 blood tests have given him pause about the way the medical community currently diagnoses and treats patients with high LDL levels.

Dave is not a doctor. He is an engineer with a curious mind and his experiments are helping people re-frame how we see cholesterol and the impact on our health.

Key Takeaways:

[4:32] Dave was confident that his cholesterol increase wasn’t justified by the amount of weight he lost.

[10:31] The Feldman Protocol began as the Extreme Drop experiment.

[16:15] Identifying the purpose of cholesterol in the body.

[26:10] Is there a sweet spot for the body to make itself fast, available energy?

[31:24] A diet three days before a cholesterol test can make a significant impact on the results.

[37:15] The frustrating side of science in the field of medicine.

[1:00:19] Are there long-term dangers to being in ketosis for a long period of time?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

Cholesterol Code

BH019: Meditation and Mindfulness:  A Practical Approach with  Dr. Danny Penman Dec 05, 2017

My guest, Dr. Danny Penman, had used a breathing meditation throughout his youth to get through the extremely difficult periods of his life but he didn’t practice mindfulness daily. It wasn’t until a tragic paragliding accident left him in severe pain that he turned back to the breathing exercise to calm his mind and to minimize his suffering. Danny used his long period of rehabilitation to research mindfulness and meditation to relieve pain and depression.

After realizing there was a profound benefit to adding mindfulness into our daily lives, Dr. Penman partnered with Professor Mark Williams to write the international bestseller, Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World. Dr. Penman’s latest work, The Art of Breathing, simply explains the concept of mindfulness through art.

Dr. Penman has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and is an award-winning journalistic.

Key Takeaways:

[2:38] Danny describes the tragic accident that led him into the field of mindfulness.

[11:30] Mindfulness is…

[14:18] Science has proven Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy is beneficial.

[21:51] Using mindfulness to enhance everyday experiences and spur creativity.

[27:37] There is no wrong way to practice mindfulness.

[30:52] The Art of Breathing conveys the concept of mindfulness through art.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works, by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

FranticWorld.com

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World: by Mark Williams and Dr. Danny Penman

The Art of Breathing, by Dr. Danny Penman

BH018: Go Against the ‘Grain’ of Prescription-Driven Health Care by Adopting Prevention with  Dr. William Davis Nov 20, 2017

Cardiologist Dr. William Davis wants us to take charge of our own health, and make prevention our top priority. But he warns that you won't get any help from you regular doctor. In his book, Undoctored, Dr Davis explains how the medical system has failed us, and how prevention has disappeared from most doctor's priorities. The first step we can all take toward promoting health is eliminating wheat from our diets. As explained in his book Wheat Belly, wheat comes from grass that we humans were never meant to digest. During the conversation, Dr Davis and I discuss the unnatural rise of grains in our diet though farming and agribusiness, the profit-driven and process-laden conventional health care system, and how we can alter our healthcare expectations and take charge of our health. After listening you will be inspired to take charge of your own health!

Key Takeaways:

[2:27] What motivated Dr. Davis to write his latest work, Undoctored?

[11:27] What happens when we remove grains from our diets?

[19:13] People can take care of their health on their own.

[20:23] How wheat changed with agribusiness and genetic research.

[28:54] Dr. Davis hasn’t found a grain that isn’t harmful.

[35:45] Dr. Davis recommends high-fat, low-carb diets but balanced with fibrous foods.

[44:39] Raising patients’ expectations to no longer be content with prescription-only care.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Alzheimer’s Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline, by Amy Berger

Wheat Belly

Wheat Belly on Facebook

BH017: Is a Low-Carb Diet the Key to Treating Alzheimer’s? with Amy Berger Nov 14, 2017

Everywhere you go, it seems people can’t stop talking about the ketogenic diet but what is it, how does it work, and isn’t it just the Atkin’s diet revamped? Nutritionist and Author Amy Berger joins the program to share what she learned when researching the topic for her Master’s thesis and book, Alzheimer’s Antidote. Amy says there is proof the ketogenic or low-carb diet can be used to treat Alzheimer’s and other illnesses plaguing us today. Amy’s book, Alzheimer’s Antidote is one of the first books to delve deep into the subject of using ketones to feed neurons in the brain which would otherwise starve when they lose their ability to process glucose.

Key Takeaways:

[2:06] How Amy transitioned from nutritionist to author to write Alzheimer’s Antidote.

[7:18] Ketones give the brain an alternative fuel to stave off dementia.

[18:00] Using a low-carb diet to maintain proper insulin and blood sugar levels.

[29:47] Overcoming doubt about treating Alzheimer’s with a ketogenic diet.

[35:12] Cholesterol is essential for healthy brain function.

[40:09] Are there downsides to a low carb diet?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Tuit Nutrition

The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline, by Dale E. Bredesen, MD

BH016: Alzheimer's: A Unique Approach to Treatment and Prevention of Cognitive Decline with Dr. Dale E. Bredesen Oct 31, 2017

It is estimated that by 2050, 13 million people will be affected by Alzheimer’s disease or Alzheimer’s dementia. It is on track to become the second leading cause of death in the U.S. My guest today, Dale E. Bredesen, MD, is working toward reversing and preventing cognitive decline. Dr. Bredesen’s book, The End of Alzheimer’s, provides a programmatic approach to staving off neurodegenerative disease by identifying and eliminating the why behind the affliction.

During our discussion, Dr. Bredesen discusses possible causes of the disease, preventative lifestyle changes and the future of diagnosis and treatment of cognitive decline.

Key Takeaways:

[3:53] Understanding why neurodegeneration occurs.

[9:35] How can insulin resistance add to the inflammation which causes Alzheimer’s?

[13:30] Is ApoE4 the Alzheimer’s gene?

[25:25] How might intermittent fasting and Ketogenics help stave off Alzheimer’s disease?

[27:40] Mercury and other toxins that burden our bodies.

[36:44] Positives and negatives of proton-pump inhibitors, statins, and other drugs.

[42:03] The Bredesen Protocol

Mentioned in This Episode:

Dr. Bredesen

ApoE4 Information

BH015: How to Set Up Your Medical Team: Including Your Doctor and an Alternative Medicine Practitioner with H.D. Oct 17, 2017

This week, Host Dr. Bret Scher welcomes returning guest H.D. to the program. H.D. is a well-respected Endocrinologist and Creator of the Hormones Demystified website. H.D. shares his thoughts on the copious amounts of testing performed by alternative medicine providers, how a person should address their primary care physician with questions about their naturopathic test results, the confounding variables in the diagnosis of gut microbiomes and how overworked physicians should look outside their job for fulfillment.

Key Takeaways:

[2:00] Testing by alternative medicine practitioners may not have an impact on a patient’s health.

[7:30] Many people believe their personal health journey should include naturopathic and traditional medicine.

[16:22] Filtering out the noise and delivering only evidence-based information isn't always easy.

[26:37] How do I talk to my doctor about something I heard from an alternative medicine practitioner?

[32:23] Not all Certifications are the same.

[37:08] Working with microbiomes is like the Wild West of healthcare right now.

[47:14] H.D.’s burnout post really hit home with a lot of over-worked physicians.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Hormones Demystified