In this episode Dr Lucy and Dr Max discuss sugar addiction, chronic disease, vegetarianism, preparing for pregnancy, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome and much more.

Dr Lucy Burns is GP from Melbourne, Australia. She runs Real Life Medicine, remote care diet and lifestyle program that uses low carbohydrate approach to help people lose and maintain weight loss. 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:32 Dr Lucy’s backstory

00:02:11 Failure of the low fat diet paradigm

00:05:21 Chronic disease and vested interests

00:08:48 Why people are addicted to refined foods 

00:19:18 Differences in health approach between men and women 

00:23:45 Malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiency in women

00:29:45 Vegetarianism and pregnancy

00:31:31 Epigenetics and preparing for pregnancy

00:34:25 Gestational diabetes and epigentic imprinting

00:41:03 Blood tests for insulin resistance

00:45:18 Polycystic ovary syndrome

00:49:03 Heavy and irregular periods

00:52:13 Optimising health prior to pregnancy

00:53:55 Dr Lucy’s approach to diet

DR BURNS

Real Life Medicine - https://www.rlmedicine.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/real_life_medicine/

DR MAX

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/maxgulhaneMD

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Jenna Poole is a certified Nutritional Medicine practitioner from Albury, NSW Australia. She specializes in the treatment of hormonal and gut issues in women, with a particular interest in pregnancy and pre-pregnancy preparation. 

In this conversation Jenna & Dr Max discuss optimal pre-pregnancy strategies including eating for nutrient density,  building your nutrient ‘powerbank’, the importance of regular menstrual cycling, knowing ones’s body, preventing stretch marks and much more.

TIMESTAMPS

00:01:00 Podcast begins
00:01:08 Jenna’s backstory and dietary journey
00:05:04 Surviving vs thriving
00:06:10 Jenna’s female patients present with gut and hormonal issues
00:08:58 Menstrual cycle as a sign of fertility
00:12:14 Diet and nutrition for a healthy cycle
00:15:25 Stress and HPA axis dysfunction contributing to irregular cycles
00:19:00 Minimum preparation time prior to conception and knowing your body
00:23:15 Building your micro-nutrient powerbank
00:27:40 Cultivating nutrient surplus prior to pregnancy
00:29:00 The importance of food quality and sourcing
00:33:40 Offal, seafood and animal foods for a healthy pregnancy
00:36:30 Liver is the most valuable food
00:38:20 Fat soluble vitamins
00:40:50 Stretch marks and how to prevent them
00:43:30 Like supports like
00:45:20 Advice to vegetarians and vegans
00:51:20 Protein, carbs, fat
00:55:00 The essential role of dietary fat and cholesterol
00:56:50 Making space in your life for pregnancy

JENNA

Website - https://www.jennapoole.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jennasnourishinglife
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennas_nourishing_life/

DR MAX

https://www.twitter.com/maxgulhaneMD

#pregnancy #nutrition #lowcarb

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In this conversation Dr Doron and Dr Max discuss weight loss, preventing surgery with low carb eating, insulin, the hormonal model of obesity, risks of bariatric surgery, ethical sourcing of meat, eating the animal nose-to-tail, and much more.

Dr. Doron Sher is an Orthopaedic Surgeon from Sydney, Australia. He was an early pioneer in using low carbohydrate and ketogenic diets in patients with osteoarthritis needing knee replacement surgery. He currently practices in Sydney at Randwick and Concord.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:18 Dr Sher’s journey to surgery
00:01:03 The process of knee replacement
00:03:01 Obesity and overweight greatly exacerbates knee osteoarthritis and surgical risk
00:05:20 Diabetics have increased peri-operative risk
00:05:54 Traditional (ineffective) approaches to weight loss prior to surgery
00:07:52 Dr Sher’s encounters with low carb diets
00:09:18 Low carb benefits the Sher family
00:11:07 Patients are being let down by incorrect dietary advice
00:13:30 MMPs and AGEs exacerbate arthritis in insulin resistant patients irrespective of weight
00:15:03 On the harms of fruit and fructose consumption
00:17:39 Using continuous glucose monitoring to see which foods spike blood glucose
00:19:15 On the benefits fasting and time restricted eating
00:21:56 Diverting patients from knee replacement surgery with diet
00:24:19 Dr Sher’s recommended approach to low carb
00:25:19 Keep insulin low and eat more protein
00:29:20 On omega-6 polyunsaturated seed oils
00:32:44 The challenges of feeding patients a high protein, low carb diet in hospital
00:36:05 Thoughts on the benefits and harms of bariatric surgery
00:39:44 On ethically sourcing meat and animal foods
00:42:21 The challenges of low carb as vegetarian
00:44:04 On the purported links between red meat and cancer
00:45:00 Changing the healthcare system towards lifestyle-first care
00:47:48 Empowering patients with knowledge
00:48:15 Closing thoughts

DR DORON

Dr. Doron Sher - 'Carbs, Insulin and Fat' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E16hfXmPGcA

Dr Sher's personal website – https://www.doron.com.au

DR MAX

https://www.twitter.com/maxgulhaneMD

LINKS
 
Dr Paul Mason – https://www.youtube.com/c/DrPaulMason/videos

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In this conversation Bryant and Dr Max discuss Bryant’s journey from conventional chemical farmer, the benefits of rotational grazing, toxicity of herbicide glyphosate, health benefits of regenerative meat, the incredible Nguni cattle breed, selling direct-to-consumer and much more.

Bryant Ussher is a regenerative farmer and owner of Eastwell Farms in Kin Kin, QLD, Australia. He operates a holistic grazing operation that uses regenerative principles in raising beef cattle and growing gourmet mushrooms. 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:30 Bryant’s backstory
00:02:10 Chemical farmer to regenerative farmer
00:05:05 Finding the right cattle for the region – Nguni
00:07:10  The failings of the conventional agriculture approach
00:09:15 Importance of green growing plants to soil health
00:11:29 Bryant’s previous use of RoundUp/glyphosate 
00:13:00 Infiltration of RoundUp into the food supply
00:15:20 The ubiquitous use of chemical herbicides in conventional agriculture
00:17:08 Profitability is key to expanding regenerative agriculture
00:17:40 Holistic agriculture paradigm shift
00:22:20 Bryant’s personal health issues and healthy eating
00:25:50 The inertia of conventional chemical agriculture
00:29:25 Nguni cattle are evolved highly parasite resistant
00:30:25 Nguni can thrive on low protein grasses
00:31:25 Nguni are highly fertile 
00:32:30 Nguni produce high quality meat
00:37:20 Nguni calve very easily
00:39:40 Benefits of rotational grazing to prevent disease in cattle
00:41:40 Eastwell Farm’s paddock setup
00:46:35 Analogies to human health
00:48:00 Bryant’s direct-to-consumer online sale model
00:49:50 Supplying beef to local gourmet restaurants
00:51:00 Listening and responding to consumer feedback
00:53:45 How Eastwell cattle are processed and butchered
00:55:10 Eating the cow from nose-to-tail
00:57:34 Bryant’s parting advice for conventional farmers

BRYANT

Eastwell Farms – https://eastwellfarms.com.au/
Eastwell Farms Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Eastwell-Farms/100068591891394/
Eastwell Farms Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/eastwellfarms/
 
DR MAX

https://www.twitter.com/maxgulhaneMD

LINKS
Resource Consulting Services Grazing for Profit –https://www.rcsaustralia.com.au/

Impact of Glyphosate on Our Health - with Dr. Stefanie Seneff – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6j0wIhUr1M

Jake Wolki: Regenerative grazing, healing foods and Wolki Farm | RHP #2
 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktzejS0r4s8&t=60s

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Dr Penny Figtree is General Practitioner from Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia. She has been employing ketogenic and low carbohydrate diets for the past several years in her suburban medical practice to reverse a range of chronic diseases, often de-prescribing large numbers of medications. 

In this conversation she and Dr Max discuss the her transition from conventional GP to metabolic practitioner, the role of refined carbs in driving chronic disease, how mainstream guidelines are failing patients, and much more.

TIMESTAMPS
 
00:00:35 Starches and refined sugar drives insulin resistance and obesity
00:04:10 Conventional GP’s prescribing pills for problems caused by lifestyle
00:07:23 Conventional ‘lifestyle’ advice is ineffective 
00:10:15 Dr Figtree’s transition from conventional to metabolic GP 
00:16:25 Fragmentation of care for each broken organ system
00:18:52 Insulin therapy for Type II diabetics is only necessary on a high carb diet
00:21:13 Insulin drives insulin resistance 
00:23:55 Low carb diets for gestational diabetes
00:27:48 Contribution of seed oils to insulin resistance
00:30:08 Metabolic health theory vs practice
00:35:02 Failing to inform patients of effective dietary strategies is harming them
00:38:25 Chronic disease reversal with low carb will be a GP led revolution
00:40:00 Dr Figtree’s advice for patients embarking on low carb
00:42:40 Dr Figtree’s advice for medical colleagues 

DR FIGTREE

https://www.twitter.com/PenelopeFigtree
https://www.lowcarbpmq.com 

DR MAX

https://www.twitter.com/maxgulhaneMD

LINKS

Dr. Penny Figtree - 'The Life of a Low Carb GP'- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11x9PhlZuK0

Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14

Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines | Sarah Hallberg | TEDxPurdueU -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1vvigy5tQ

Dr. Jason Fung YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/drjasonfung1

Dr Eric Westman YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/AdaptYourLife/videos

Lily Nichols Real Food For Pregnancy -  https://lilynicholsrdn.com/real-food-for-pregnancy/

Always Hungry by Dr David Ludwig - https://www.drdavidludwig.com/books/

Diversa Health - https://diversahealth.com.au/

Defeat Diabetes - https://www.defeatdiabetes.com.au/ 

Diet Doctor - https://www.dietdoctor.com/

Send us a text

🌴CIRCADIAN LIVING RETREAT. My flagship circadian health retreat Nov 27-30 in the Byron Bay Hinterland, NSW. Enjoy gourmet chef-prepared meals, relaxing movement practices and likeminded community. https://regenerativehealthretreats.com/products/byron-hinterland-retreat-nov-2025

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Dr. Andrew McIntyre is a Gastroenterologist from QLD, Australia. He began treating his patients with low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets over six years ago, seeing marked improvements in conditions as wide irritable bowel syndrome, fatty liver disease, PCOS, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. 

In this conversation they discuss metabolic health and the causes of metabolic dysfunction, the importance of waist measurement, the link between insulin resistance and pancreatic and biliary cancers, nutritional guidelines, vested interests and much more.

TIMESTAMPS

00:03:05 Pancreatic cancer patients almost always have markers of metabolic dysfunction
00:03:54 Fatty liver responds spectacularly to low carb diets
00:04:51 What is metabolic health?
00:07:00 Vegetable oils as a cause of type II diabetes
00:07:52 Obesity as an adaptive mechanism to metabolic dysfunction
00:09:21 Insulin resistance manifesting as PCOS and IBS in people with normal BMI
00:09:51 Body fat is a buffer for excess energy
00:11:57 Cutting out seed oils improves markers of metabolic dysfunction 
00:14:48 The dangers of visceral vs peripheral fat
00:17:01 Rising incidence of bowel and pancreatic cancers  
00:18:56 Persistent and outdated narratives about the harms of animal foods are harming people
00:23:00 Seed oil consumption and macular degeneration 
00:24:01 Vested interests are headwinds to people eating healthy diet
00:30:52 Dr McIntyre's advice to a patient with metabolic dysfunction 
00:32:25 Metabolic dysfunction and effects on fertility
00:35:47 Vegan and vegetarian eating causes irritable bowel syndrome
00:39:50 Nutrient deficiencies on vegetarian diets
00:42:59 Dr McIntyre on carnivore dieting
00:46:54 Closing thoughts

DR MCINTYRE
https://www.twitter.com/akmcintyre

DR MAX
https://twitter.com/MaxGulhaneMD

LINKS
Dr. Andrew McIntyre - 'Implementing Low Carb In Gastroenterology Practice' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhRTAWxoJPc

Ditch The Carbs - https://www.ditchthecarbs.com/

Dr David Unwin's Sugar infographics - https://phcuk.org/sugar/

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🌴CIRCADIAN LIVING RETREAT. My flagship circadian health retreat Nov 27-30 in the Byron Bay Hinterland, NSW. Enjoy gourmet chef-prepared meals, relaxing movement practices and likeminded community. https://regenerativehealthretreats.com/products/byron-hinterland-retreat-nov-2025

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Jake Wolki is a regenerative farmer from Albury, NSW, Australia. He raises beef cattle, pastured pork, laying hens and meat chickens using holistic and regenerative techniques. He sells direct to his community via a self-owned butchery.

In this podcast he and Dr Max discuss conventional vs regenerative grazing approaches, the challenges of operating small scale agriculture, the parallels between human and animal health and many other topics.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:36 Jake’s backstory
00:03:58 Wolki’s multi-faceted farming operation
00:10:15 Rationale for intensive rotational grazing
00:11:34 Food quality and digestibility of Wolki produce
00:13:09 Similarities in human and animal health 
00:15:20 Regulatory obstacles to expanding holistic/regenerative meat production
00:17:56 Inherent lack of sustainability of factory farming
00:21:05 The disconnect of people from their food
00:22:54 Nutrient quality of supermarket vs pastured eggs
00:26:04 One customer cures her food intolerance with Wolki beef
00:31:04 Additive harm of conventional agricultural practices 
00:32:14 Respecting natural processes = healthy animals
00:32:20 Analogy of conventional agriculture to human development of insulin resistance 
00:34:56 Humans are inseparable from Nature
00:36:37 Simple rules for healthy eating 
00:46:26 Jake’s early success with a carnivore diet
00:49:37 Customer preferences influence for food sourcing
00:53:50 How to increase the number of farmers selling direct to consumer
00:58:30 Five pillars of Wolki Farm
01:00:00 Jake's idea of hard work and environmental ‘backbone’
01:01:04 The need for profit and economic viability in regenerative farming
01:04:39 Jake’s five year vision for Wolki Farm

LINKS

Wolki Farm - https://www.wolkifarm.com.au/
Jake Wolki Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wolkifarm

SHOW NOTES

Justin Rhodes Blog - https://youtube.com/c/JustinRhodesVlog
Polyface Farm - https://www.polyfacefarms.com/our-story/
Joel Salatin on folate level of Polyface eggs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXXMvxvFN_I
Allan Savory TED Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI
Will Harris One Thousand Beating Hearts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpvegapd1T4

DR MAX
https://www.twitter.com/MaxGulhaneMD

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Dr Rob Szabo is General Practitioner and Metabolic Health Physician in Albury, NSW, Australia. He is the director of Diversa Health, a diabetes reversal telemedicine service that uses health coaching and close medical follow up to safely guide people through low carb eating and safely de-prescribe lifelong medications.

Dr Rob Szabo outlines his personal experience of diabetes, his journey from conventional to lifestyle GP with a focus on ancestral health, how patients are being let down by current dietary recommendations, the power of low carbohydrate and carnivore diets, and much more.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:34 Introduction
00:03:45 Dr Rob's initial diagnosis of diabetes at age 37
00:09:54 Lifestyle practice is more demanding than conventional prescription approach
00:13:20 Dr Rob's criteria for metabolic health 
00:16:45 Triglyceride HDL ratio as marker of insulin resistance
00:18:00 Low urea as a marker of inadequate protein consumption
00:21:50 Failing to make a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is failing patients
00:29:40 Carb induced brain fog is the norm
00:32:55 Holistic health improvements on low carb
00:35:20 Failings of conventional high carb dietary recommendations 
00:37:30 The power of relationship building with patients
00:39:20 Being sick is a normal outcome
00:42:00 Dr Rob's recommendations for patients with metabolic syndrome
00:43: 39 The challenges of low carb for vegans and vegetarians
00:48:20 Dr Rob’s take on plant consumption
00:50:45 Humans have evolved to digest meat
00:57:27 Plant toxins and anti-nutrients
1:01:40 Dr Rob’s clinical experience with the carnivore diet
1:05:00 The poor digestibility of dietary fibre
1:08:16 The importance of self-experimentation
1:12:15 Dr Rob’s advice for those looking to adopt dietary change

DR ROB

Gardens Medical Group, Albury NSW (for local patients) 
https://thegardensmedical.com.au/

DR MAX
Twitter - https://twitter.com/MaxGulhaneMD

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