What Losing His Parents Taught Brian Sanders About Food, Health, and Purpose

Brian Sanders didn't stumble into the health world — he was pushed there by grief. After losing both of his parents to chronic disease, the UCLA-trained mechanical engineer turned filmmaker set out to answer a question that haunted him: what are we actually supposed to eat? The result was the Peak Human podcast, now one of the top-ranked nutrition shows in the world, and the upcoming documentary Food Lies.

In this conversation, Brian opens up about the personal losses that sparked his mission, what it was like to build an audience from scratch, and how his own dietary thinking has evolved — from animal-based keto to a deeper focus on nutrient density and ancestral eating principles. It's a candid and wide-ranging conversation about health, purpose, and what it really means to nourish yourself well.

Connect with Brian Sanders:

• 🌐 Website: peak-human.com

• 🎙️ Podcast (Apple): Peak Human on Apple Podcasts

• 🎧 Podcast (Spotify): Peak Human on Spotify

• 📸 Instagram: @food.lies

• 🎬 Documentary: foodlies.org

• ▶️ YouTube: Food Lies on YouTube

This week, we sit down with Dr. Eric Westman — Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University and one of the most respected names in low-carbohydrate and ketogenic medicine. As director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic and co-founder of the Adapt Your Life Academy, Dr. Westman has spent decades proving something the mainstream is only now catching up to: that conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome can often be reversed through nutrition alone, no medication required.

He's treated thousands of patients, authored bestselling books like The New Atkins for a New You and Keto Clarity, and helped shift the national conversation on carbs, fat, and cholesterol. In this episode, we dig into the science behind low-carb eating, what mainstream nutrition advice still gets wrong, and what it actually looks like to reclaim your metabolic health through food.

Dive into a riveting conversation with Peter Ballerstedt, a pioneer in forage agronomy and ruminant nutrition, as he challenges conventional wisdom on agriculture and nutrition. Discover how his journey from academia to industry has shaped his mission to bridge the gap between metabolic health and sustainable agriculture. Uncover the myths surrounding plant-based diets and the environmental impact of livestock, and explore why he believes animal-sourced foods are essential for human health and cultural heritage. This interview will make you question everything you thought you knew about food, health, and the environment.

About Peter: Peter Ballerstedt (also known as “Don Pedro, Sodfather of the Ruminati”) earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Georgia and his doctorate at the University of Kentucky. He was the forage extension specialist at Oregon State University from 1986 to 1992. He worked in the forage seed industry from 2011 until 2023. He is a member of several national and international scientific societies, participates in related global initiatives, and is a Past-President of the American Forage and Grassland Council.

Peter’s personal experience has led him to re-examine human diet and health. What he has learned doesn’t agree with the advice given for the past several decades. Peter is an advocate for ruminant animal agriculture and the essential role of animal source foods in the human diet. He strives to build bridges between producers, consumers, and researchers across a wide variety of scientific disciplines – increasing awareness of metabolic health and ruminant animal agriculture’s essential role in social, economic, and ecological sustainability. Peter has spoken at many different events in the US and internationally. Many of his presentations are available on YouTube. Peter and Nancy live in western Oregon (northwestern USA) with their three dogs, Noni, Iris, and Vincent.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/GrassBasedHealth

https://www.instagram.com/grassbased/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterballerstedt/

http://grassbasedhealth.blogspot.com/

https://ruminati.substack.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4c1YIbevsO_jfGQ4jIW3nw/videos

https://herdmates.podbean.com/

https://twitter.com/GrassBased

Dr. Shawn Baker is synonymous with the Carnivore Diet. Explore his background, why he ventured into a nutritional pattern without extensive longitudinal scientific research, and the results his nutrition-centric clinical practice achieves.

Dr. Shawn Baker

X: @SBakerMD

https://www.revero.com/

We dive deep into Dr. Koutnik's recent publication on the role of carbohydrates for performance, how many athletes are leaving results on the table, and how some athletes are even harming their health.

"We stay away from the word 'regenerative' because we feel that it's been co-opted by the corporations. I feel like it's a meaningless word now."

Integrated Farms specializes in pasture-raised chicken, turkey, grass-fed beef, pork, and eggs - Raised start to finish on their family farm in Ontario, Canada - Sold directly to the families who care how their food is grown. What truly makes Integrative Farms different is their unwavering commitment to pasture-raised practices - working with nature instead of around it.

Unlike animals raised in barns or feedlots on grain-heavy diets, theirs graze on lush, living pasture every day. The result? Meat that’s more nutritious. Plus, our approach helps rebuild soil, lock in carbon, conserve water, and support biodiversity. It's wins all around! In other words, they're the real deal when it comes to what consumers have in mind when they hear the term 'regenerative farming'.

Learn more about Integrated Farms at https://ifarmfresh.ca

Find a pasture-based farmer near you at www.getrealhicken.com

Life can be stressful and hectic, but with the help of nutritious food, healthy lifestyle habits, and kind words you can reach the other side.

Josh (31) says this about Hi Energy's coaching program:

"It gave me energy when I needed it most. I'm a company founder and a father. When I'm with my kids I have a lot going on, and it [Hi Energy's core principles] feels absolutely manageable. Hi Energy changed my life, and I highly recommend working with Alex and Karli!"