Low Carb MD Podcast

Low Carb MD is a patient-centered podcast focusing on weight loss, wellness and preventative medicine. The co-hosts, Dr. Brian Lenzkes & Dr. Tro interview a new guest on each episode and walk the listeners through how they approach weight loss, wellness and disease reversal with their patients.

A Weight-Loss Story | Amy Faith Folger - E409 08/25/2025

Solving Addiction with Nutrition | Julia Ross - E408 08/18/2025

Solving Addiction with Nutrition | Julia Ross - E408 Julia Ross is a pioneering psychotherapist and bestselling author who has spent over 30 years revolutionizing the treatment of mood disorders, food addiction, and binge eating. A leader in nutritional psychiatry, she’s helped thousands break free from cravings and compulsive eating by addressing the brain’s biochemical imbalances with targeted amino acids and real food. Her groundbreaking work has empowered people worldwide to restore their natural appetite control, emotional balance, and lasting freedom from unhealthy eating habits—without relying solely on willpower or medication. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Julia talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:52) What drew Julia Ross to psychotherapy and how she began to recognize that food addiction and binge-eating were real disorders (11:37) The amino acid Tyrosine and how it impacts addiction centers in the brain (16:13) Research on the effectiveness of Tyrosine and why the amino acid Dopamine is over-rated (19:57) What causes people to crave a substance like sugar (21:12) Why food addicted individuals need to focus on eating more protein (26:03) Why fat alone is not sufficient to break food addiction in the brain (29:29) How amino acids can neutralize stress and help with addiction recovery (34:30) SSRIs, tryptophan, and addiction (45:08) Micronutrients, amino acid deficiency, and veganism (49:31) Whether supplementation is essential for adequate amino acid intake (54:11) How the industry has warped our thinking about food and eating (58:37) Whether GLP-1s help with food addiction and cravings For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Julia Ross: Website and Books: X: FB: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37858135

Un-Complicating Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease | Josh Wageman - E407 08/11/2025

The TOWARD Intervention: Beating Food Addiction | Dr. Shebani Sethi - E406 08/04/2025

The TOWARD Intervention: Beating Food Addiction | Dr. Shebani Sethi - E406 Dr. Shebani Sethi is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and founder of the first academic Metabolic Psychiatry program. Board-certified in both Psychiatry and Obesity Medicine, she bridges the gap between mental health and metabolic health—an approach she calls Metabolic Psychiatry. Dr. Sethi trained at Stanford, Duke, and Johns Hopkins, with expertise in eating disorders, nutrition, and obesity. Her groundbreaking research explores ketogenic and metabolic interventions for serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A recipient of multiple national awards, Dr. Sethi is a leading voice in rethinking how we treat the mind and body—together. In this episode, Drs. Tro, Laura, and Shebani talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:01) What Metabolic Psychiatry is (03:50) Recent research studying the links between diet and mental health (07:01) The state of food addiction research (12:57) How we can help others understand and accept the reality of food addiction (19:23) The modern processed food epidemic (23:42) The data from recent studies on how the keto diet reduces binge eating and food addiction symptoms (24:53) The latest paper worked on by Dr. Tro, Dr. Laura, and Dr. Shebani looking at the impact of various dietary approaches on binge eating and food addiction symptoms (29:40) How important social support is in reducing food addiction symptoms (33:18) In what sense food can be considered an addictive substance (36:02) Dr. Shebani’s personal diet (37:22) Parting words of wisdom for anyones struggling with food addiction or obesity (39:07) Which interventions Dr. Shebani has found most effective for For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Our new peer-reviewed study on food addiction and binge eating was just published! CHECK IT OUT: Dr. Shebani Sethi: X: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37657340

Feeding the Brain: Nutrition and Mental Health | Dr. Georgia Ede - E405 07/28/2025

Feeding the Brain: Nutrition and Mental Health | Dr. Georgia Ede - E405 Dr. Georgia Ede is an internationally recognized expert in nutritional and metabolic psychiatry. Her twenty-five years of clinical experience include twelve years as a college mental health specialist at Smith College and Harvard University, where she was the first psychiatrist to offer students nutrition-based approaches to mental health conditions. Dr. Ede co-authored the first inpatient study of the ketogenic diet for serious mental illness, developed the first medically accredited course in ketogenic diets for mental health, and is a recipient of the Baszucki Brain Research Fund’s Metabolic Mind Award. Her bestselling new book Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind was recommended by the New York Times Book Review and is being translated into more than a dozen languages. In this episode, Drs. Tro, Brian, and Georgia talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:31) Why food addiction acceptance is growing (11:58) Why diet and proper nutrition are simple (14:25) The harms and benefits of medications like statins (22:11) The lack of critical thinking going in the medical profession (28:49) Supplementing (31:23) Plant-based diets and metabolic health (34:57) Plant-based diet and brain health (39:53) How quickly mental health symptoms improve for people on ketogenic and whole food diets (44:37) Gut health and metabolic health (47:40) The upcoming International Food Addiction and Comorbidities Conference (54:02) Hyper-palatable foods and binge eating (55:57) Dr. Georgia’s book, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind (01:01:50) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: International Food Addiction and Comorbidities Conference, IFACC 2025: Jen Unwin’s recent study on food addiction: Dr. Georgia Ede X: IG: Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind (book): Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37573940

Shaping the Future of Metabolic Health: The 2025 San Diego Symposium | Doug Reynolds - E404 07/21/2025

Shaping the Future of Metabolic Health: The 2025 San Diego Symposium | Doug Reynolds - E404 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. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian and Doug talk about… (00:00) Intro (4:41) Metabolic psychiatry and ketogenic therapies for mental health conditions (13:58) Why it is ketosis and metabolic health that matters, not counting calories (20:17) GLP-1 drugs (22:25) The speaker line-up for the upcoming 2025 Symposium for Metabolic Health in San Diego, CA (42:42) Why you should come to the Symposium! (49:11) PROMO CODE FOR EVENT (20% off): Low Carb MD For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Doug Reynolds: 2025 Symposium for Metabolic Health: LowCarbUSA: X: PROMO CODE FOR EVENT (20% off): Low Carb MD Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37477330

Critical Thinking in a Post-Truth World | Dr. Zoë Harcombe - E403 07/14/2025

Critical Thinking in a Post-Truth World | Dr. Zoë Harcombe - E403 Dr. Zoë Harcombe is an intellectual powerhouse—a Cambridge graduate with degrees in economics and mathematics, a long-standing member of Mensa, and a fearless truth-seeker. In this episode, she brings her sharp insight and deep curiosity to a wide-ranging conversation that spans nutrition, public health, and the increasingly complex issue of free speech. Before dedicating herself to the world of diet and health in 2008, Zoë built a high-flying career in the corporate world. She held international roles in management consulting, manufacturing, and marketing across major global industries—from FMCG to telecoms—before focusing on Human Resources. She’s worked on the inside of both Big Food (Mars Inc.) and Big Pharma (GSK), giving her a rare, insider’s perspective on how these powerful sectors operate. At the height of her corporate journey, she served as Vice President of HR for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Zoë talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:04) Dr. Zoë’s career shift from working for Big Food to becoming a diet, health, and nutrition researcher (08:04) Dr. Zoë’s first book (see links below) (09:57) Calorie Counting versus eating a whole food diet featuring meat, fish, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, and yogurt (15:55) Vested interests and the possibility of change to the dietary guidelines (23:12) The war against free-thought and why you should keep your mind open to new ideas that contradict the majority opinion (36:33) The insane level of censorship of free speech in the UK (42:58) Assisted suicide, abortion, and climate change in the UK (53:31) Why the facts of nutrition contradict the guidelines (55:35) Dietary carbohydrates now versus in your grandparent’s generation (01:05:37) What Dr. Zoë eats in a day (01:08:01) Dr. Zoë’s hobbies and favorite activities (01:11:00) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Dr. Zoe Harcombe: Website: Books: X: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37395035

Homelessness, CrossFit, and the Search for Truth | Sevan Matossian - E402 06/30/2025

Homelessness, CrossFit, and the Search for Truth | Sevan Matossian - E402 Sevan Matossian is the son of Armenian immigrants. After spending two years homeless, he filmed movies in one hundred countries, seven continents, and forty-nine American states. As the Executive Director of CrossFit Media, he was a vital part of growing CrossFit from a movement with three-hundred gyms to an organization with fifteen-thousand gyms and an international footprint. During that time, he became educated on health in the United States and now believes that added sugar and refined carbohydrates are at the center of today’s health crisis. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Sevan talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:41) Getting de-platformed and shadow-banned (07:27) How Sevan’s beliefs and values were shaped as a kid and how they changed over time (13:53) The fundamental differences between Liberalism and Conservatism (22:00) Capitalism (24:54) Tolerance (27:15) The founding of Crossfit (30:05) Sevan’s homelessness experience and search for truth (35:43) God, prayer, and miracles (39:00) Rules for being homeless (43:36) How Sevan began working for Crossfit (51:45) Reaching people through media (55:34) Truth and integrity (01:01:26) Regulatory capture, authoritarianism, and free-markets (01:12:23) Sevan’s kids and how to raise good kids (01:17:14) Sevan’s podcast For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: MetFix: Joel Salatin: Sevan Matossian: The Sevan Podcast: IG: YouTube: X: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37214055

Hypothyroidism, Rheumatism, and the Carnivore Diet | Beatriz E Valenzuela - E401 06/23/2025

Ketogenic Diets and Psychiatric Disorders | Dr. Erin Bellamy - E400 06/16/2025

Ketogenic Diets and Psychiatric Disorders | Dr. Erin Bellamy - E400 Dr Erin Louise Bellamy founded Integrative Ketogenic Research and Therapies which uses principles of Metabolic Psychiatry to provide remote, highly personalized 1:1 Metabolic Therapy for both psychiatric conditions and overall metabolic health. Dr. Erin Bellamy has a PhD in Psychology, specializing in Ketogenic Diets & Depression from the University of East London. She also has an MSc in Psychiatric Research from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London. She is a , an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and an accredited member of the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners. In this episode, Drs. Brian and Erin talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:36) How Dr. Erin became interested in Metabolic Psychiatry (05:38) Ketogenic diets and psychiatric conditions (15:39) Fasting and mental clarity (18:12) The areas in which clinical psychology is deficient in helping patients (23:46) Adverse childhood events, PTSD, and metabolic health (28:24) Binge eating, stress, and support groups (40:00) Food addiction and ketosis (43:59) Schizophrenia, autism, and ketosis (01:00:46) Outro/plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Erin Bellamy on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: Dr. Erin Bellamy: Instagram: X: Integrative Ketogenic Research & Therapies: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/37021190

Defeating Anorexia and Schizophrenia with the CARNIVORE Diet | Valerie Smith - E399 06/09/2025

Defeating Anorexia and Schizophrenia with the CARNIVORE Diet | Valerie Smith - E399 Valerie Anne Smith’s journey is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the power of dietary change in overcoming severe health challenges. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 14, Valerie endured a harrowing 40-year battle with multiple mental health diagnoses, including schizoaffective disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, OCD, and body dysmorphia, compounded by extreme physical health issues. Despite numerous interventions, including inpatient treatment, psychiatric medications, and dietetic guidance that focused on high-carb, low-fat diets, her mental and physical health continued to deteriorate, reaching a critical point with a BMI of 11 and a weight under 80 lbs for most of her adult life. In 2018, at the brink of despair and after decades of suffering, Valerie’s relentless pursuit of knowledge led her to explore the healing potential of a carnivore diet, focusing on nutrient-dense foods like beef, salt, and water. This radical dietary shift, initially met with personal resistance due to years of conditioned fear and restrictive eating habits, gradually quieted the debilitating mental turmoil and reversed her numerous physical ailments. Six years into her carnivore journey, Valerie has not only achieved complete remission from her mental and physical disorders but has also embraced a fulfilling life as a wife, mother, and health advocate. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro and Valerie talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:14) Valerie’s history of struggling with mental illness, anorexia, and metabolic dysfunction (08:26) The horrible nutrition standards in eating disorder clinics and the nutrition lies plaguing our society in general (10:19) Valerie’s upbringing and medical history (11:52) Valerie’s frustrating experience with doctors trying to treat her many issues with meds (16:01) Body dysmorphia and the differences between fasting and starving (20:06) The horrible nutrition prescribed by hospitals and served to their patients (23:36) The incredible and heartbreaking story of how Valerie finally discovered the link between diet and mental health (37:36) The evolution of Valerie’s diet as she began transitioning to carnivore and how her doctors reacted (45:45) Valerie’s blood markers when she ate no meat and how she started to rebuild her body (51:03) How Valerie’s family reacted to her new diet and lifestyle (53:08) The many health benefits that Valerie has experienced since becoming carnivore (57:05) Advice for those struggling with anorexia and mental disorders (01:01:31) Factors other than diet that have been HUGE for Valerie For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Anorexia Case Study that Valerie Participated In: Valerie Smith: Instagram: X: Links: FB: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36876340

An Employee Wellness Program that WORKS | John Roop - E398 06/02/2025

An Employee Wellness Program that WORKS | John Roop - E398 Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. John Roop is the CEO of Capitol City Fence Co. After a lifelong struggle with food addiction, obesity, and poor metabolic health, John was introduced to the keto diet at the Low Carb Boca 2022 conference. Since beginning his low carb journey, John has lost 72 pounds and has improved his health in countless ways. Now 2 years into his wellness journey, he is a wealth of invaluable knowledge and tips for those trying to take control of their health. In this episode, Dr. Tro and John talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:34) John’s personal health journey (11:46) The SMHP’s Low Carb Boca conference (20:31) The lifestyle changes John implemented following Low Carb Boca (27:00) The gradual process employed by John to become sustainably healthier and healthier over time (31:06) Increased energy levels on the keto diet (33:14) How John’s lifestyle changes have impacted those around him (38:12) The devastating health effects of processed foods and the Standard American Diet (43:57) How John weened himself off of certain unhealthy foods and deals with cravings when they come up (52:56) Dieting versus Lifestyle Change (58:58) Tips for eating out without cheating (01:01:01) How EASY the keto diet is (01:02:24) The ill health effects of seed oils (01:04:20) The 3 kinds of people vis á vis health (01:08:56) Dr. Tro’s Employee Wellness Program and the measure of true success in life as well as in business (01:21:56) Why making your employees happy and healthy is also good for YOU, the employer For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Low Carb Boca Conference: Low Carb Cruise: Dr. Tro’s Employee Wellness Program: John Roop: Linkedin: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: SMHP Position Statement: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36810550

Should We Be Eating Fiber? | Anu Simh - E397 05/26/2025

From Architect to Keto-Activist | Josephine Barbarino - E396 05/19/2025

From Architect to Keto-Activist | Josephine Barbarino - E396 After putting her Type 2 Diabetes into remission within 3 months and getting off medications after 6 months following the Keto diet, Josephine Barbarino became an activist for Ketogenic Metabolic Therapies. She is the founder and CEO of the Keto Live Project—an organization on a mission to inform and educate about the power of food and the connection between our diet, insulin resistance, our metabolic health, and our immune system. She is also a highly successful architect. In this episode, Dr. Brian and Josephine talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:21) Josephine’s career as an architect and how her architectural experience has assisted her in her new venture as a Keto-Activist (08:32) Josephine’s health journey and why she pivoted in her career to became a Keto-Activist (24:06) Mood and cognitive improvement on the keto diet (29:05) Why metabolic health is worsening in Europe (33:27) Tailoring your low carb diet to your individual physiology (37:12) Why everyone should AT LEAST be eating real, Whole Foods (40:09) Tips for using CGMs effectively while on the keto diet (43:28) Informed consent and why medical professionals are massively deficient in nutritional knowledge (46:21) The upcoming Keto Live Conference (6/9 - 6/13) (59:30) The speaker line-up at the Keto Live Conference For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Josephine Barbarino: European Keto Live Centre: Keto Live Project IG: Keto Live Conference IG: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36618460

Fighting for Type 1 Diabetics' Insulin Choice | Alison Smart - E395 05/12/2025

Fighting for Type 1 Diabetics' Insulin Choice | Alison Smart - E395 Alison Smart is the Founder and Director of the Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to continuing access to Levemir (detemir) insulin or a biosimilar. She is actively involved in raising public awareness, engaging in media outreach, and communicating with insulin manufacturers and lawmakers to highlight the critical need for this unique insulin. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Alison talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:44) The multitude of difficulties faced by Type 1 diabetics every day (10:53) Treatment protocols for Type 1 patients—pumps and lifestyle changes—and why the low carb/keto diet is such an important therapy (20:44) The Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice and why Levemir is so important (27:50) Why pharmaceutical companies are not interested in producing and providing Levemir in the United States (37:00) How YOU can help support Alison and the mission of The Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice (40:48) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Ian Lake on the LCMD Podcast: Beth McNally on the LCMD Podcast: Dr. Andrew Koutnik on the LCMD Podcast: TYPEONEGRIT (FB Group): Dr. Bernstein’s Resources: SMHP Guidlines: Alison Smart: Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice: Instagram: X: Facebook: Petition: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36528940

The Power of the Mind to Heal the Body | Ben Azadi - E394 05/05/2025

The Power of the Mind to Heal the Body | Ben Azadi - E394 Ben Azadi is the author of four best-selling books, Keto Flex, The Perfect Health Booklet, The Intermittent Fasting Cheat Sheet, and The Power of Sleep. He has a brand new book out now called Metabolic Freedom in which he presents a 30 day guide to restore your metabolism, heal hormones, and burn fat. Ben has been the go-to source for intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. He is known as ‘The Health Detective’ because he investigates dysfunction, and he educates, not medicates, to bring the body back to normal function. Ben is the founder of Keto Kamp; a global brand bringing awareness to ancient healing strategies such as the keto diet and fasting. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Ben talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:55) What inspired Ben to write his new book, Metabolic Freedom (05:48) What inspires Ben to keep working and working to help people improve their metabolic health (08:35) The interplay of nutrition, exercise, spiritual practice, and mindset (16:02) Getting back to ancient healing/nutrition wisdom and away from modern paradigms that do not focus on root causes (19:05) The power of purpose and setting goals (23:54) How Ben has built his Keto Kamp community and why gratitude and community are so effective (29:40) How to set goals effectively (32:35) Ben, Brian, and Tro’s faith journeys and how their faith guides/informs their goals and missions (41:22) How our thoughts can impact our health and the origins of the placebo effect and the no-cebo effect (51:12) Foods that enhance metabolic rate and why ketosis is AWESOME (57:37) How to make metabolic health and real human nutrition the norm in our society For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Ben’s recent appearance on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: Ben Azadi: Instagram: Metabolic Freedom (book): Website: Podcast: Seed Oil Allergy Card: Links: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36433090

E393 - Building Muscle for Longevity | Stefan Hartmann 04/28/2025

E392 - The Food Relationship Fix (Beat Food Addiction!) | Toward Health 04/21/2025

E392 - The Food Relationship Fix (Beat Food Addiction!) | Toward Health The Food Relationship Fix is a transformative one-day virtual webinar designed to help outsmart your drive to eat and break free from food addiction patterns and take back control of your eating habits. Join leading experts in medicine, nutrition, psychology, and behavior change for a day of learning, self-discovery, and actionable strategies. Among the line-up of lecturers for this course are Dr. Jen Unwin, Dr. Rob Cywes, Dr. Tro Kalayjian and many other highly experienced coaches and medical practitioners. For details about the course and how to register, see the links below. In this episode, Dr. Tro and the Toward Health team talk about… (00:00) Intro (00:01) The upcoming Food Relationship Fix webinar (01:47) New developments and breaking news in the food addiction research world (02:59) Kevin Hall’s research and why his recent findings on food addiction are not accurate (08:15) Lack of good, up to date nutrition information in medical education and how this issues perpetuates food addiction in the general population (13:10) The brain and food addiction (15:09) Recovery strategies for those struggling with food addiction (16:32) How to balance harm reduction strategies and abstinence during the recovery process (23:18) Shame, negative self-talk, and addiction (30:04) The confluence of circumstances and influences that make people primed and ready for addiction (35:21) The absolute NECESSITY of having a supportive community if you are in addiction recovery (42:47) How addiction keeps you trapped and how to counter its tricks (52:39) WHY community is essential for beating addiction (59:07) How to join Toward Health’s Food Relationship Fix webinar (see links below) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Food Relationship Fix (Food Addiction Course): Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36240485

E391 - Food Addiction and Fertility | Dr. Robert Kiltz 04/17/2025

E391 - Food Addiction and Fertility | Dr. Robert Kiltz Dr. Robert Kiltz is the Founder and Director of CNY Fertility, one of the largest and most innovative fertility practices in the country. Over more than two decades of helping families grow, Dr. Kiltz has developed cutting-edge approaches to fertility grounded in Western medicine and supported by practices of holistic medicine. To treat the whole person—mind, body, and spirit, Dr. Kiltz revolutionized the Fertility industry by providing full-service healing arts centers where patients receive massage, acupuncture, and yoga instruction. This patient-centered approach extends to Dr. Kiltz’s commitment to democratizing access to fertility treatments by pricing most fertility treatments at only 1/3 the cost of the national average. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Dr. Kiltz talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:25) Reaching corporate America with good nutrition information (08:18) What people struggling with fertility have to face in the current medical insurance model (13:35) How the dynamics of power and money are working against us to keep us domesticated and unhealthy (22:20) Why fasting is such an important tool for achieving metabolic health (25:53) Food addiction and fertility issues (34:59) Why you need to work on your mindset (40:09) Final thoughts on food addiction (46:20) Mold exposure, heavy metals, and fertility (48:06) Final words of wisdom on fertility For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: The Food Relationship Fix (Food Addiction Course): Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Dr. Robert Kiltz: Website: Blog: YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: TIkTok: Books: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36206685

E390 - How Hypnosis Could Change Your LIFE | Mike Mandel & Chris Thompson 04/14/2025

E390 - How Hypnosis Could Change Your LIFE | Mike Mandel & Chris Thompson Mike Mandel and Chris Thompson are the Founders of Mike Mandel Hypnosis—known worldwide as the leading edge in hypnosis training—where they teach smart, motivated people to become amazing hypnotists. Mike Mandel is a 6-time award winning hypnotist, immensely popular keynote speaker, stage performer, psychotherapist and NLP trainer. He has been doing hypnosis since he was 12 years old. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, Mike, and Chris talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:10) How Chris first became interested in hypnosis and why he and Mike started Mike Mandel Hypnosis (05:31) Understanding the power of the mind to heal the body (10:46) How Mike first became interested in hypnosis/NLP and why he pivoted from doing hypnosis as entertainment to teaching hypnosis (14:44) Resources for those who are skeptical of hypnosis (16:33) Why a hypnotist can’t make you do something that violates your core beliefs and moral foundations (18:15) NLP—it’s creation and history (19:02) Hypnosis and weight loss (22:50) Why stress management and family support are essential for good health (23:44) Aligning the conscious and subconscious minds to produce powerful lifestyle change (28:34) Accessing the ability to heal the body by releasing negative emotions (35:23) How hypnosis can address stress (37:45) How hypnosis can address the self-defeating mindset and lead people to empowered action and self-improvement (44:34) Why people who want a ‘magic pill’ solution will not be able to make the changes they need to make in their life; they need to hit the threshold first (49:08) Motivational interviewing (50:53) One quick mental trick for helping overcome food cravings (57:18) Outro and plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 101 Things I Wish I'd Known When I Started Using Hypnosis (book): The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis (book): The Collected Papers of Milton H. Erickson on Hypnosis (book): Instant Influence (book): Mike Mandel and Chris Thompson: Mike Mandel Hypnosis: YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: X: The Brain Software Podcast: Journey to the Castle: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36121310

E389 - The Fight For TRUE Nutrition | Mike Sweeney, RD 04/07/2025

E389 - The Fight For TRUE Nutrition | Mike Sweeney, RD Mike Sweeney (@thelowcarb_rd) is passionate about helping people with chronic disease avoid the chronic struggles that he himself faced. He reversed his own pre diabetes and keeps his IBS under control by living a low carb lifestyle. In 2024 he helped over 40 patients achieve diabetes remission and 15 patients become symptom free from IBS. Mike’s passion isn't just about food, it's about empowering people to take control of their health. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Mike talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:39) Mike’s educational background and nutritional journey (07:35) Mike’s first experience with the keto diet (16:30) The connection between carnivore/keto, mental health, and other positive health outcomes (19:42) The good health outcomes associated with higher protein intake (25:40) Why people generally do not like dietitians and nutritionists (30:29) Why it is so important in medicine and nutrition to keep an open mind and review the actual evidence for any position or recommendation before making a judgment (35:05) Why zebras don’t get ulcers (37:23) How industry and research is captured and made to serve corporate interests rather than public health (42:24) Educating versus legislating to achieve public health (01:04:45) Outro and plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers (book): Mike Sweeney: X: Instagram: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/36031340

E388 - Keys to Cardiometabolic Health | Dr. Ryan L. Cooley 03/31/2025

E388 - Keys to Cardiometabolic Health | Dr. Ryan L. Cooley Dr. Ryan L. Cooley is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist with over 20 years of experience treating heart rhythm disorders. After adopting a low-carb lifestyle himself, he reversed his pre-diabetes—an experience that reshaped his approach to patient care. Now, he’s a dedicated advocate for low-carb and ketogenic diets, often pairing them with intermittent fasting to help patients take control of their cardiometabolic health. Driven by both science and personal success, Dr. Cooley empowers others to make lasting, life-changing dietary choices. In this episode, Drs. Tro, Brian, and Ryan talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:39) Dr. Ryan’s recent experience of being diagnosed with and fighting prostate cancer with natural metabolic therapies (11:34) Dr. Ryan’s heart attack experience and what he learned from this experience (16:48) Gene mutations that make people more susceptible to obesity (23:19) Dr. Ryan’s revelations about the medical system and nutrition following his heart attack (30:00) Vitamin C and cancer (31:50) Molecular Hydrogen Treatment (35:15) How exercise may have contributed to Dr. Ryan’s cardiovascular troubles (37:05) LDL and cardiac events (39:29) Atrial fibrillation and insulin resistance (42:57) Treating atrial fibrillation (48:05) How Dr. Ryan’s colleagues have responded to his holistic approach to chronic disease (50:10) Increased AF diagnoses in younger people in recent years (53:39) How Dr. Ryan changed his diet following his cancer diagnosis (57:43) Thermogenic stress (59:13) Stress and metabolic health (01:03:02) Hydrogenated water and why hydrogen is the best antioxidant (01:06:45) Protein and mTOR (01:08:40) All of the supplements Dr. Ryan takes for their cancer fighting benefits and/or their cardiovascular benefits (01:12:24) How Dr. Ryan’s near death experiences have changed his outlook on life For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Dr. Ryan L. Cooley: Podcast: Inter Mountain Health: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35929185

E387 - Economic Perspectives on Healthcare Systems | Gregory Rehmke 03/24/2025

E387 - Economic Perspectives on Healthcare Systems | Gregory Rehmke Gregory Rehmke is Program Director for Economic Thinking—a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching economic principles and the key role of economic freedom, property rights, and the rule of law to progress and prosperity in America and around the world. He has directed educational programs at the Center for the American Idea, The Reason Foundation, and the Foundation for Economic Education. Gregory Rehmke has a degree in Economics from the University of Washington and did graduate work at the University of St. Thomas and San Jose State University. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Gregory talk about… (00:00) Intro (06:31) Finding and working toward bipartisan agreement on very important issues related to health (09:28) Health savings accounts and why Singapore’s health care system is the best in the world (13:41) The economic incentive model and health care (24:50) Why minorities and those in lower economic groups are at a much higher risk for health issues (34:36) Employee and student wellness (40:48) Reaching people with the message of metabolic health (46:20) Perverse incentive structures in healthcare and how they can be effectively reformed (57:10) The power of anecdotes for promoting good health information (01:03:18) Some potential issues with deregulating HSAs (01:06:08) The advancement of good metabolic health information over the past decade or so (01:08:50) Outro and Plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Medicine and Culture (book by Lynn Payer): For Richer, for Poorer: Low-Carb Diets Work for All Incomes: Gregory Rehmke: Economic Thinking: State Policy Network: STOA Debate League: Normal Nutrition (substack): Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35832620

Episode 386: Dr. Laura Buchanan 03/17/2025

Episode 386: Dr. Laura Buchanan Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Dr. Laura Buchanan is board certified in Family Medicine and is on the board of the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida and was a valedictorian of her class at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She is on staff at Dr. Tro’s Medical Weight Loss & Direct Primary Care. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Dr. Laura talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:19) When and how Dr. Laura knew she wanted to go into some form of medical practice and become a doctor (07:25) Dr. Laura’s experience working at a small rural hospital in Peru (09:15) The story of how Dr. Laura met her husband, Dr. Matt Calkins (10:31) Some of the most prominent issues with Western medical education and standard nutritional information (14:39) Issues with the medical insurance system in the United States (21:50) Dr. Tro’s Employee Wellness Program (26:15) The initial 6 month data results of Dr. Tro and Dr. Laura’s employee wellness program study (see links below) (28:59) The incredible effectiveness of DPC and remote monitoring and remote patient care (33:51) The most important findings presented in the Toward Health paper (36:30) The GLP-1 medications’ benefits and downsides for weight loss and metabolic health (43:35) The highlight findings of the Toward Health study (49:52) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Toward Health Study: Dr. Laura Buchanan: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35719110

Episode 384: Dr. Austin Dudzinski 03/10/2025

Episode 384: Dr. Austin Dudzinski Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Dr. Austin Dudzinski is Board Certified clinical pharmacist with special interest in nutrition and lifestyle modification to address the root cause of chronic, cardiometabolic disease. He is a Board Certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist at Think Whole Person Healthcare - an integrated medical home - where he works primarily with patients with chronic cardiometabolic disease with the main focus of de-prescribing and getting to the root cause of illness. In this episode, Drs. Tro, Brian, and Austin talk about… (00:00) Intro (05:02) De-prescribing and addressing the root cause of disease with diet/lifestyle (16:38) How Austin first became interested in nutrition and lifestyle interventions (19:16) Pushback from other medical professionals against Austin’s new low carb ideas (21:28) GLP-1 drugs (25:30) Bringing the perspective of food addiction into the conversation with obese, metabolically unwell patients (28:19) How the average person should view GLP-1 use and compounding pharmacies (35:29) LDL Cholesterol and A1C (40:16) Cardiovascular risk assessment (44:42) What we know and what we suspect is true of cardiovascular disease (48:52) Rheumatological disease and cardiovascular risk (52:20) The gut microbiome and ketosis (59:12) Plaque reduction and coronary calcium reduction (01:07:34) An overview of drugs and supplements that reduce plaque and, in some cases, all cause mortality (01:11:19) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health: The role of diet and nutrition on mental health and wellbeing: Bottle of Lies (book by Katherine Eban): MESA Study: Dr. Austin Dudzinski: Think Health Care: Linkedin: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35601735

Episode 385: The Arizona Low Carb Collaborative 03/07/2025

Episode 385: The Arizona Low Carb Collaborative Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. The Arizona Low Carb Collaborative is coming soon (March 22-23)! Join us for a day filled with delicious low-carb food, informative talks, and a chance to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether you're a seasoned low-carb pro or just starting your journey, this event is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about the low-carb lifestyle. Coach Bronson Dant is an exercise scientist, sports performance coach, and ketogenic athlete dedicated to helping athletes optimize their performance without sacrificing health. Since 2006, he has coached athletes at all levels—from weekend warriors to competitive professionals—focusing on strength, conditioning, and metabolic efficiency. Coach Natalie Grasso is a Certified Health & Life Coach, Personal Trainer, and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner specializing in low-carb & ketogenic nutrition for body transformation — with a focus on emotional eating & behavior change. She is also a WBFF Diva Bikini PRO! In this episode, Dr. Brian, Bronson, and Natalie talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:31) The upcoming Arizona Low Carb Collaborative (see links below) (02:07) Natalie and Bronson’s backgrounds and expertise (06:09) The topics that Bronson and Natalie will be speaking on at the Arizona Low Carb Collaborative (09:19) Dr. Brian’s speaking topic at the Arizona Low Carb Collaborative (10:15) The prevalence of stressors in life and how to deal with a life that is characterized by stress (12:39) The great food and great speakers that will be at the Arizona Low Carb Collaborative (17:33) Why you should come to the Arizona Low Carb Collaborative For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Arizona Low Carb Collaborative: Arizona Low Carb Collaborative PROMO CODE: METHEALTH Coach Bronson on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: Coach Bronson on the Low Carb MD Podcast: Coach Bronson Dant: Website: Instagram: YouTube: Coach Natalie Grasso: Website: Instagram: YouTube: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35578375

Episode 383: Hal Cranmer 03/03/2025

Episode 383: Hal Cranmer Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Hal Cranmer is the owner of A Paradise for Parents Senior Living—an assisted living home with experts who have had a great deal of success improving the physical and cognitive health of its residents. After serving in the Air Force and working in real estate, Hal began opening assisted living facilities in Arizona. Since he began offering low-carb/carnivore food and other lifestyle therapies—exercise, red light therapy, etc—at his facilities, he has witnessed an amazing increase in his residents’ health and quality of life. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Hal talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:45) Hal’s career history from the Air Force to manufacturing to real estate to assisted living (03:18) The culture shock many experience from visiting an assisted living facility for the first time and why assisted living is such a hard line of work to be in (11:13) How Hal is improving the health of the people in his assisted living homes by providing low carb and even carnivore meals (13:55) Pushback to Hal’s recommendation of low carb nutrition and how he accommodates his residents who have sweet cravings or are not interested in following a low carb diet (16:44) Some of the amazing health recoveries that Hal has seen since he started helping patients improve their nutrition and start exercising (23:10) What type of person ends up in the various types of elderly care—hospice, memory care, assisted living, independent living, etc. (29:35) Stories of cognitive recovery in residents who suffered from cognitive decline (37:49) Improvements that are being made to Hal’s facilities and how he is seeking to implement new and innovative ways to improve his residents’ quality of life (44:01) The favorite low carb meals, snacks, and treats among Hal’s residents (46:39) One more incredible, recent success story! (48:57) How Hal’s approach to caring for his residents is spreading and starting to catch on among other assisted living facility owners (51:36) How to avoid a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis in your old age For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Hal Cranmer on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast (Ep 166): Hal Cranmer on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast (Ep 188): Hal Cranmer: Instagram: A Paradise for Parents: Twitter: Facebook: • Fight Memory Loss: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35504645

Episode 382: Andy Schoonover 02/24/2025

Episode 382: Andy Schoonover Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Andy Schoonover is the CEO and founder of CrowdHealth, a company that deploys a crowdfunding model to pay its users’ medical bills. CrowdHealth, which is currently operating in all 50 states, can even help people when they’re overseas. The idea for CrowdHealth was born shortly after Andy moved to Austin, TX. His insurance refused to cover a 15 minute, $8,000 procedure for his daughter who had to get tubes in her ears because she had a hole in her eardrum. The insurance company claimed the procedure was ’not essential’ for her. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Andy talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:01) Andy’s career in remote healthcare and patient monitoring and how his experiences working in this field led him to starting CrowdHealth (05:34) How the perverse incentive structures of the health insurance system lead to a lack of interest in cutting costs and, often, a lack of interest in addressing the root cause of disease in patients (13:37) Why a new philosophy of health insurance is needed and the kind of system such a new philosophy would entail (18:59) Andy’s crowdfunded medical bill sharing company and how it steps in to fulfill the need for a new solution to our broken medical insurance system (27:58) How CrowdHealth is set up specifically to avoid falling into the same perverse incentive structures of big insurance companies (35:08) Which pre-existing conditions and unhealthy habits disqualify people from joining CrowdHealth and what kinds of healthcare costs are not covered by CrowdHealth (42:04) How generosity and reciprocity safeguard the economics of CrowdHealth’s system (46:34) Why CrowdHealth is only direct-to-consumer (48:19) How CrowdHealth handles routine examinations (49:46) How CrowdHealth stacks up against other popular ‘health share’ programs, why these programs have been steadily going up in cost, and how CrowdHealth plans on avoiding the same rapid increase in cost to their customers (54:44) How quickly CrowdHealth pays doctors and hospitals (58:17) How CrowdHealth incentivizes its community to improve their metabolic health and dietary habits (01:01:34) How both DPC practices and CrowdHealth avoid system overload by making the same probability bet (01:05:15) How clinics like Tro’s, which cares for some of the most obese and metabolically sick people, can partner with a company like CrowdHealth, which admits people who are already metabolically well and relatively fit (01:10:06) Whether age is a factor in what CrowdHealth members pay (01:12:58) How CrowdHealth handles families with obese or otherwise unhealthy children or other family members (01:16:38) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Andy Schooner’s recent appearance on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: Andy Schoonover: CrowdHealth: Promo Code to pay $99 for first 3 months of CrowdHealth: TRO Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35402260

Episode 381: Christine Trimpe 02/17/2025

Episode 381: Christine Trimpe Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Christine Trimpe is an author, speaker, and weight loss coach. 48 years old and 100+ pounds overweight, Christine’s health was in a precarious position. She had also been battling fatty liver disease, pre-diabetes, sleep apnea, and painful ovarian cysts. Today, her body has been set free from decades of obesity and a plethora of related health issues. How did she do it? How did she reclaim her health? It was part spiritual transformation, part mental renewal, and part nutritional understanding. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Christine talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:20) The ‘Take Ownership Experience’ that changed Christine’s life (05:43) The emotional and spiritual strongholds that were holding Christine back from making healthy choices (11:34) The process of Christine’s breaking emotional/spiritual strongholds and beginning to pursue health (13:17) How Christine’s diet has changed and evolved from before she discovered keto to the present day (16:31) How the gradual move away from a more communal society in the United States has enabled addictions/ddisorders of various kinds and why community protects individuals (24:08) The pros and cons of the philosophy of the body positivity movement and why sugar/food addiction differs from other addictions (28:51) The many difficulties facing people struggling with addictions of various kinds and what is needed to truly turn your life around (36:54) Healing through community involvement at church (42:06) What Christine eats in a day today versus six years ago (43:14) Christine’s #1 tips for people trying to get started on a keto diet For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Christine Trimpe’s recent appearance on the Life’s Best Medicine podcast: The Obesity Code (book by Dr. Jason Fung): Christine Trimpe: X: Website: Books: Crush Your Cravings: Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35309025

Episode 380: Tristan Justice 02/10/2025

Episode 380: Tristan Justice Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Tristan Justice is a 27-year-old certified yoga instructor and reporter at The Federalist and co-author of Fat And Unhappy: How “Body Positivity” Is Killing Us (and How to Save Yourself). He is also the author and editor of the Substack, Social Justice Redux which covers issues related to his personal questions surrounding fitness, the integrity of our modern diet, the implications of our lifestyles, and the culture’s wide-range approach to these topics. In this episode, Dr. Brian and Tristan talk about… (00:00) Intro (00:51) Tristan’s career and why he wrote his book, Fat and Unhappy (06:35) Fat shaming and how to address obesity and poor metabolic effectively and compassionately (09:15) Tips for those who have become frustrated with their inability to lose weight and feel healthy (12:39) Why the message of ‘you’re fine the way you are’ is NOT necessarily a positive, empowering message (14:32) The Philly FatCon (18:06) Food addiction and how big food companies deliberately contribute to it (20:22) The Make America Healthy Again movement (23:00) Stigmas, addiction, and GLP-1s (26:26) Pharmaceutical sponsorship of organizations and influencers promoting the body positivity message and exacerbating the metabolic health epidemic (33:48) Dietary propaganda and the obscuring of nutritional reality by big companies with a lot to gain from such misinformation (36:54) The warped incentive structure in healthcare in the United States and how it can be corrected (47:52) The main takeaways of Tristan’s book and how to apply the principles of health it contains to your life (48:48) Tristan’s Covid lockdown experience and his struggle with addiction to marijuana (52:44) Plugs and Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Follow the Science (book): Chris Palmer’s research in the area of Metabolic Psychiatry: Tristan Justice: Fat and Unhappy (book): X: Social Justice Redux (Substack): Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: Twitter: Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: Twitter: Instagram: Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: Google: Learn more: /episode/index/show/lowcarbmd/id/35217080

Low Carb MD Podcast

TOPICS