Life's Best Medicine Podcast

Total health encompasses more than just physical wellbeing; it includes factors like family life, the health of our relationships, spirituality, and the way we see our relationship to the rest of the world and to others. In this show, Dr. Lenzkes and his guests discuss these factors and share stories of heroism, compassion, and healing along the way. Being a medical doctor, Dr. Lenzkes has made a commitment to helping people, and he firmly believes that this commitment extends into every aspect of life.

Episode 276: Navigating the Holidays! 11/28/2025

Episode 275: Lora Cheadle 11/12/2025

Episode 274: Dr. David Cavan 11/05/2025

Episode 273: Martha Carlin 10/29/2025

Episode 272: Theresa Lyons, MS, MS, PhD 10/22/2025

Episode 271: The Fight to End Human Trafficking with Lisa Mitts 10/15/2025

Episode 270: Josh Wageman 10/08/2025

Episode 269: Michelle Hurn 10/01/2025

Episode 269: Michelle Hurn Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Life’s Best Medicine. Michelle Hurn is a registered and licensed dietitian with sixteen years of experience as a clinical, acute care dietitian, lead dietitian in psychiatric care, and outpatient dietitian. Michelle is an avid endurance athlete, she has qualified for the Boston Marathon 12 times, and on November 7th 2020, she won her first ultra marathon covering 44.63 miles in a 6 hour timed race. While practicing inpatient and outpatient care in the hospital setting, Michelle discovered a disheartening connection between the high carbohydrate, low fat, “sugar in moderation,” nutrition guidelines she was required to teach, and the rapidly declining health of her patients. In 2019, Michelle’s health started to fall apart. She was experiencing severe muscle pain, spasms, and crippling anxiety. She decided to follow a low carbohydrate, high animal protein diet simply to see if it might alleviate the severe muscle pain she was experiencing. Not only was her muscle pain gone in a matter of weeks, her decades of anxiety began to fade. In this episode, Dr. Brian and Michelle talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:04) How Michelle came to realize that standard dietary advice was wrong (06:19) Diabetes reversal (07:14) Mental health improvements on ketogenic diets (10:34) The work of the American Diabetes Society (13:44) Yerba Mate and inflammation (16:22) Fiber and overall health (20:11) Why calories are NOT a sufficient model for understanding what a healthy diet is (25:03) High fat versus high protein (31:44) Stress and high blood sugar levels (35:13) Keto, eating disorders, and athletic performance (43:43) How to stay in a mindset of consistency with your diet (50:10) Changs in public and establishment perception of keto diets (56:04) The coming GLP-1 crisis (01:02:35) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Michelle Hurn: The American Diabetes Society: Unimate: The DIetician’s Dilemma: IG: X: FB: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Arizona Metabolic Health: Low Carb MD Podcast: Brain Bootcamp: HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: /episode/index/show/lifesbestmedicine/id/38409780

Episode 268: Mike (@GuyNAustin) 09/24/2025

Episode 267: Dr. Ken Berry 09/17/2025

Episode 266: Dr. William Davis 09/10/2025

Episode 265: Jason Fung, MD and The Hunger Code 09/03/2025

Episode 264: Fighting Past Trauma with an Integrated Approach | Jill Ongle 08/27/2025

Episode 263: Stephanie MoDavis 08/20/2025

Episode 262: Jen Beyst | The Cognitive Function Development Institute 08/13/2025

Episode 262: Jen Beyst | The Cognitive Function Development Institute Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Life’s Best Medicine. Jen Beyst is co-founder of the Cognitive Function Development Institute, an operative division of Transformational Opportunities, Inc. which is a 501(c)3 charity she and her husband, Brian, started. She’s a Master Cognitive Function Development Therapist, educational therapist, licensed educator, innovator, author, and certified parenting coach. Her past positions include director of Cognitive Function Development at Polara Health, president of SJ Brain Training and master teacher for a dyslexia institute. She’s an ardent speaker who has taught and developed therapists, educators, employees, and students of all ages. In this episode, Dr. Brian and Jen talk about… (00:00) Intro (05:20) Jen’s career background and why she started the Cognitive Function Development Institute with her husband (7:29) Neurodivergence (8:18) How the CFDI works with individuals with impulse control and memory issues (15:48) Holistic health and brain function (19:19) People who get overwhelmed easily and dissociation (23:35) Stress, early childhood trauma, and brain health (31:20) Neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, and how to keep your brain moving (35:04) Changing dysfunctional coping mechanisms (44:15) Negativity bias and why your body isn’t trying to kill you! (48:11) How Jen tests for cognitive function issues (52:44) Stories of cognitive development success (58:40) Prescription drugs and the CGFI approach (01:02:15) Hydration, sleep deprivation, and brain function (01:04:40) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Nature Wants us to be Fat (book): Jen Beyst: Cognitive Function Development Institute: Linkedin: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Arizona Metabolic Health: Low Carb MD Podcast: Brain Bootcamp: HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: /episode/index/show/lifesbestmedicine/id/37793070

Episode 261: Peter Ballerstedt, PhD (aka “The Sodfather” of the Ruminati) 08/06/2025

Episode 261: Peter Ballerstedt, PhD (aka “The Sodfather” of the Ruminati) Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Life’s Best Medicine. Peter Ballerstedt, PhD (aka “The Sodfather” of the Ruminati) is a renowned forage agronomist and passionate advocate for the vital role of ruminant agriculture in both human health and sustainable ecosystems. With a B.S. (1981) and M.S. (1983) from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. (1986) in forage management with a minor in ruminant nutrition from the University of Kentucky, Peter served as the forage extension specialist at Oregon State University from 1986 to 1992. He later joined Barenbrug USA, leading forage product initiatives from 2011 through 2023, and has received major recognition such as the Allen Award of Illumination from the American Forage and Grasslands Council for elevating the value of grasslands worldwide . Peter’s work bridges two worlds: agronomy and metabolic health. He challenges conventional food narratives by emphasizing how ruminant animal-source foods play an essential role in addressing metabolic dysfunction and broader ecological sustainability . In this episode, Dr. Brian and Peter talk about… (00:00) Intro (08:30) The harmonizing of proper human nutrition, metabolic health, and environmental sustainability (11:48) Why focusing on eating nourishing foods makes more sense than focusing on calories (15:48) Why animal based food is brain food and fosters increased prosperity for a developing world (22:40) How the population can best be educated about the principles of nutrition (29:48) Why beef is so expensive and how it can be raised at lower cost, more humanely, and more sustainably (38:05) The global emissions of the pharmaceutical industry (39:57) Bad nutritional and medical info that just won’t die (48:28) Operation Grassroots (53:45) The gut microbiome and how color speaks to the nutritional value of food (57:26) Cow die-offs and how they happen (58:44) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Peter Ballerstedt, PhD: IG: X: Substack: “Foods of Animal Origin: A Prescription for Global Health,” Animal Frontiers, Oct 2019. Vol 9, No. 4 “The Societal Role of Meat,” Apr 2023, Animal Frontiers, Vol 13, Issue 2 “Animal source foods in ethical, sustainable & healthy diets” (a dynamic white paper) AgNext CSU (Sustainable Solutions for Animal Agriculture) CLEAR (Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research) Center at UC Davis - The Dublin Declaration of Scientists on the Societal Role of Livestock The Denver Call for Action “Regenerating Public Health.” 9 th National Grazing Lands Conference, 2024 “Ruminating on Protein: Plants & Animals.” Low Carb Sydney, 2023. Promoting Grasslands’ Role in the World of 2050. Opening Address, XXV International Grasslands Congress, 2023. “There IS an Existential Crisis.” Keto Salt Lake, 2022. “Why We Need a Ruminant Revolution.” Joint International Grassland Congress & International Rangeland Congress, Kenya, 2021 “Ruminant Reality: Diet, Human Health and the Environment.” Low Carb Breckenridge, 2017. Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Arizona Metabolic Health: Low Carb MD Podcast: Brain Bootcamp: HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: /episode/index/show/lifesbestmedicine/id/37698275

Episode 260: From the Inner City to Inner Peace | Josh Pepin 07/30/2025

Episode 259: Doug Reynolds | The Symposium for Metabolic Health – San Diego 2025 07/23/2025

Episode 259: Doug Reynolds | The Symposium for Metabolic Health – San Diego 2025 Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Life’s Best Medicine. Doug Reynolds is the founder of LowCarbUSA®, a leading organization dedicated to promoting low-carb, ketogenic, and metabolic health through science-based education. A former endurance athlete and self-proclaimed “carb skeptic,” Doug turned his personal health journey into a mission to help others reclaim their lives through nutrition. One of his most impactful contributions to the fight for metabolic health is The LowCarbUSA® conference. Officially known as the Symposium for Metabolic Health, it is a premier scientific and clinical event hosted by LowCarbUSA® in collaboration with the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners (SMHP). Founded by Doug in 2016, it brings together world‑renowned researchers, healthcare professionals, and passionate individuals to explore the therapeutic benefits of carbohydrate restriction—and its role in combating insulin resistance, inflammation, hyperinsulinemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. The Symposium for Metabolic Health – San Diego 2025, hosted by LowCarbUSA® and the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners (SMHP), takes place August 14–17 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. This premier event brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, and health enthusiasts to explore cutting-edge science and clinical strategies focused on therapeutic carbohydrate reduction and metabolic health. Highlights include a full day dedicated to brain and neurological health, 28 CME credits, practical tools for improving patient outcomes, and unique networking opportunities—all set against the scenic backdrop of Coronado Bay, with both in-person and livestream options available. For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Doug Reynolds: 2025 Symposium for Metabolic Health: LowCarbUSA: X: PROMO CODE FOR EVENT (20% off): Low Carb MD Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Arizona Metabolic Health: Low Carb MD Podcast: HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: /episode/index/show/lifesbestmedicine/id/37515510