Ben Azadi, FDN-P, is on a mission to help 1 billion people live a healthier lifestyle. Ben is the author of three best-selling books and has become a trusted resource on intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. He is an advocate for investigating dysfunction and then educating, rather than medicating, to return the body to a state of health. Ben is also the host of the Keto Kamp Podcast and the creator of several online courses to help you build and achieve keto and intermittent fasting results that stick.

On this podcast, Ben and I discuss the current state of keto and steps to take for those who want to improve their metabolic health. We talk about the best oils and artificial sweeteners (and the ones to avoid), electrolytes, and liver support. We also discuss sleep as the foundation of health, and how inadequate sleep can sabotage your diet. Ben also describes some of the key points in his latest book, Keto Flex, which brings together the benefits of a low carb lifestyle, intermittent fasting, nutrient timing and carb cycling for optimal energy, fat burning and hormone balance.

Here’s the outline of this interview with Ben Azadi:

[00:00:17] Ben's Podcast: Keto Kamp.

[00:00:30] Ben's background and interest in keto.

[00:01:05] Inspirations: Paul Chek, Dave Asprey, Dr. Daniel Pompa.

[00:03:24] Lessons learned from Keto + Crossfit.

[00:07:05] Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes being reversed with keto + intermittent fasting.

[00:09:16] Problems with industrial seed oils.

[00:09:57] Ben's podcasts with Brian Peskin and Dr. Cate Shanahan.

[00:11:18] Books by Dr. Cate Shanahan: Food Rules: A Doctor's Guide to Healthy Eating (2010), Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food (2017), and The Fatburn Fix: Boost Energy, End Hunger, and Lose Weight by Using Body Fat for Fuel (2020).

[00:12:29] Oils: which to avoid, which to use.

[00:16:11] Book: The P:E Diet: Leverage Your Biology to Achieve Optimal Health, by Ted Naiman, MD; Ted on the NBT Podcast.

[00:18:06] Video: AHS18 Todd Becker - How Hormesis Works.

[00:18:46] Podcast: Dominic D'Agostino: Researcher and Athlete on the Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet.

[00:19:18] Podcast: Rethinking Diabetes: Inspiring UK-based Healthcare Professionals Achieving Remarkable Outcomes, with Ruth Tapsell.

[00:19:42] Dr. Eric Westman.

[00:22:35] Artificial Sweeteners and sugar alcohols.

[00:22:45] Gary Taubes on the Keto Kamp podcast.

[00:23:08] Artificial sweeteners increase insulin in the body; Study: Pepino, M. Yanina, et al. "Sucralose affects glycemic and hormonal responses to an oral glucose load." Diabetes care 36.9 (2013): 2530-2535.

[00:23:26] Pharmacokinetics of Splenda in the human body; Study: Roberts, A., et al. "Sucralose metabolism and pharmacokinetics in man." Food and chemical toxicology 38 (2000): 31-41.

[00:27:26] Video: UK doctor switches to 80% ULTRA-processed food diet for 30 days.

[00:28:17] Electrolytes; Stephen Phinney, MD, PhD.

[00:28:32] Bile and bitters to support the liver.

[00:30:23] Pomegranate husk powder.

[00:30:24] Jason Hawrelak, PhD; Podcast: How to Use Probiotics to Improve Your Health.

[00:32:01] Sleep: the foundation of health.

[00:32:35] Hormonal effects of inadequate sleep; Review: Leproult, Rachel, and Eve Van Cauter. "Role of sleep and sleep loss in hormonal release and metabolism." Pediatric Neuroendocrinology 17 (2010): 11-21.

[00:35:31] Tracking sleep: Oura Ring, Whoop Band.

[00:36:16] Mike T. Nelson, PhD; appearances on NBT podcast: 1, 2, 3, 4. 5.

[00:37:36] Early Time Restricted Eating (eTRE); Podcasts with Satchin Panda, PhD. and Bill Lagakos, PhD.

[00:39:57] Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM); Kara Collier from NutriSense on the Keto Kamp Podcast and on the NBT Podcast.

[00:41:20] Problems with long-term keto.

[00:42:18] Book: Keto Flex: The 4 Secrets to Reduce Inflammation, Burn Fat & Reboot Your Metabolism, by Ben Azadi.

[00:42:55] Book: Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat, by Paul Jaminet and Shou-Ching Jaminet, PhD.

[00:44:19] Book: The Case for Keto: Rethinking Weight Control and the Science and Practice of Low-Carb/High-Fat Eating, by Gary Taubes.

[00:44:49] Benjamin Bikman, PhD.

[00:45:50] Podcasts featuring Eric Helms, PhD: The Nutrition and Science of Natural Bodybuilding, and Diet and Lifting Q&A with Natural Bodybuilder, Eric Helms.

[00:47:30] Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

[00:48:40] Speaking at upcoming conferences.

[00:51:04] Keto Kamp podcast featuring NBT Scientific Director Megan Hall.