Diet Doctor Podcast

#21 - Nina Teicholz

Few people in this world have done more to unearth the fallacy and shoddy evidence behind our dietary guidelines than Nina Teicholz. Her book The Big Fat Surprise is one of the seminal books opening our eyes to the problems the dietary guidelines have caused and their complete lack of quality evidence. But Nina didn't stop there. As director of the Nutrition Coalition, Nina is spearheading the effort to make sure nutritional recommendations are based on quality science or aren't made at all. On the surface it makes sense that we would all agree on that. Yet there is no shortage of controversy and deception still happening and the 2020 guidelines committee may not help matters much. Hear Nina's perspective on this, plus some the advances we have made, and where we can find hope for the future.

#20 - Dr. Ryan Lowery

Dr. Ryan Lowery has firmly established himself as one of the leading researchers and thought leaders in the field of ketogenic lifestyles. He has clinical experience and research spanning from athletic performance to longevity to neurocognitive disorders. His goal is to bridge the gap between academia, research, and practical individual implementation, and he does an amazing job of that. In this interview we continuously cycle between research and practical tips that everyone is sure to get something out of this discussion. We discuss optimal amounts of protein on a ketogenic diet, ketones for longevity, role of exogenous ketones, how to read the labels of synthetic ketogenic products and so much more.

#19 - Dr. Robert Cywes

Dr Robert Cywes is an expert at weight loss surgeries. But if it were up to him, he might not do any of them. His first step is always to help his patients break their addiction to carbohydrates. He still uses surgery in the right situation, but he is the first to admit that surgery without addressing the underling carbohydrate problem is destined to fail. His focus on emotional attachment, finding alternative to meet our emotional needs, and whole lifestyle intervention is a refreshing break from the "just have this surgery and everything gets better" approach. If you or a loved one is thinking about bariatric surgery or struggling with weight loss, this episode is for you.

#18 - Lauren Weiss, PhD

Anyone who has tried to change a habit knows that it involves much more than knowing what to do. You also need to know how to do it - how to make the change and how to make it stick. Lauren Bartell Weiss has made it her job to help people understand this concept. With a PhD in Behavioral Nutrition, a background in nutritional research, and a clinical nutritional practice, Lauren has the knowledge, the passion and the experience to help people achieve their goals. In this interview she shares her experience in the research world, and more importantly, provides numerous take home points and strategies to help achieve meaningful lifestyle change.

#17 - Dan Scholnick

Dan Scholnick once said, "It seems like every VC I know in Silicon Valley is on some kind of a low carb diet." Dan is no exception. Despite having the diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia, he decided to try his hand at a low carb diet after hearing a talk by Gary Taubes. Since then, Dan has experimented with numerous diets to see which work best for him, but he also has "put his money where his mouth is" by being an early investor in BulletProof Coffee. In this discussion we discuss his personal journey, as well as the role silicon valley plays in the emerging health and nutrition scene. For instance, how do they evaluate a company that produces a product we could all make on our own? And what does he think of the emerging trends of lab grown meat or hydroponic vegetables versus making current agriculture and farming practices more efficient? Dan has a unique perspective as patient, investor, and self described biohacker.

#16 - John Limansky, MD

Dr. John Limansky is the Keto Hacking MD and a well known podcast host. He helps high performance clients use a ketogenic diet to improve their performance, their health and their lives. Plus, he helps them understand how to be an ultimate biohacker. What does biohacking really mean? Does it have to be a complicated intervention, or can it be a simple lifestyle change? Which of the numerous biohacking tools are really worth the investment? After listening to this episode, you will have clear answers to these questions and more.

#15 - Prof. Andrew Mente

The PURE study is one of the largest epidemiological studies in recent memory, and its findings seriously question the dietary guidelines around fat, carbohydrates and salt. In fact, the PURE study suggests that higher fat intake reduced mortality, that lower salt intake increases mortality, and it even shows us how LDL is a poor predictor of health outcomes. As an epidemiology study, how much faith can we place in the results, and how do these results fit into to our current knowledge base? Professor Mente helps us make sense of these questions and more.

#14 - Dr. Robert Lustig

The debate wages. Is a calorie just a calorie? Or is there something specifically dangerous about fructose and carbohydrate calories? To anyone who has experienced the benefits of a low carb lifestyle, the practical answer is obvious. But answering that question on a global scale and making meaningful changes to improve the health of millions of people is much more complex. That's where Dr. Robert Lustig comes in. As a pediatric endocrinologist who is now armed with a law degree, Dr. Lustig has made it his mission to fight our health crisis on the legal and policy front. It won't be easy, but after this interview, I for one am glad he the one leading the charge.

#13 - Peter Ballerstedt

Peter Ballerstedt has the background and personality to help us bridge the knowledge gap between how we feed and raise our animals, and how we feed and raise ourselves. His fascinating story begins with understanding animal nutrition and food systems, but quickly transitioned to human nutrition as well after a personal health discovery. Since then, he has become a leading voice to promote a rational and science based approach to ruminant agriculture and how ruminants can save our human health crisis.

#12 - Dr. David Ludwig

In the messy world of nutritional science, some researchers rise above the others in their attempt to produce high quality and useful data. Dr. Ludwig exemplifies that role. As a practicing pediatric endocrinologist, he has seen first hand the rise in obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and other previously rare complications in adolescents. As a result, he has made it his mission to help us better understand the role of calories, the importance of quality of calories, and the importance of the quality of the science we read. Is a calorie just a calorie? Why are so many scientific studies not helpful in answering this question, and what can we do about that? Dr. Ludwig answers these questions and more.