Welcome to The Dr. Pompa Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Pompa welcomes his close friend and health leader Ben Azadi, bestselling author and founder of Keto Kamp, for an inspiring and deeply personal conversation.Ben shares his journey from rock-bottom struggling with addiction, obesity, and depression to vibrant health, purpose, and global impact. Together, they unpack the real roots of metabolic disease, why so many Americans are sick despite massive healthcare spending, and how most chronic illness is not just genetic fate, but driven by lifestyle and hidden toxins.You’ll learn why mindset and taking ownership are foundational for healing, and get practical insights about diet variation, burning fat for fuel, reversing type 2 diabetes, and the power of “hormesis” using strategic stress for better health. With heartfelt stories, relatable science, and steps from Ben’s new book “Metabolic Freedom,” this episode will empower you to take control of your health and turn your pain into purpose.
Tune in for hope, proven strategies, and the motivation to transform your life starting today!
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Topics:
Introduction & Background
- Dr. Pompa introduces Ben Azadi and sets the stage.
- Ben’s initial encounter with Dr. Pompa at a health seminar in 2018.
- The impact Dr. Pompa’s lecture had on Ben’s understanding of health.
Ben Azadi’s Personal Health Journey
- Childhood and upbringing:
- Standard American diet, family dynamics, environment of processed foods.
- Exposure to drugs and unhealthy habits as a teen.
- Hitting rock bottom at age 23:
- Physical symptoms: obesity, high body fat, inflammation, pre-diabetes.
- Emotional struggles, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
- The influence of his mother and faith as protective factors.
- Realization and responsibility:
- Connection between lifestyle/habits and health.
- Shifting mindset from victimhood to ownership.
- Introduction to self-development, influence of authors and speakers.
- First steps: personal development before diet and exercise.
Transformational Mindset & Recovery
- The role of repeated exposure to positive, educational material.
- Key mindset shifts:
- The meaning of “responsibility” and ownership.
- Moving from reactive living to responsive living.
- Insights from Bob Proctor and Dr. Wayne Dyer.
- Applying Viktor Frankl’s concepts of stimulus and response.
- Physical transformation:
- Losing 80 pounds in 9 months.
- Achieving both mental and physical “six pack.”
Setbacks & the Deeper Layers of Health Issues
- Recurring symptoms despite healthier habits (bloating, fatigue).
- Early attempts to resolve health issues with veganism (and struggles).
- Discovery of the limits of diet alone.
- Exposure to environmental toxins:
- Mold, heavy metals, mercury fillings, and their role in persistent symptoms.
- Connecting toxicity with metabolic issues.
- Ben’s journey with detox protocols learned from Dr. Pompa.
Broader Health Context: Metabolic Disease in America
- The cost and prevalence of metabolic disease:
- U.S. healthcare spending, diabetes as a major expense.
- Recognition of the preventability and reversibility of type 2 diabetes.
- Misconceptions:
- The myth of genetic determinism in obesity and diabetes.
- Medication as a lifelong sentence vs. root-cause solutions.
The Power of Ownership in Healing
- Taking charge of one’s health.
- Shifting away from blaming genetics, environment, or circumstances.
- The importance of purpose in overcoming addictions.
The Toxicity-Obesity-Diabetes Connection
- Introduction to “diabetogens” and “obesogens.”
- Mechanisms:
- How toxins disrupt metabolic health.
- Body’s survival mechanisms: shuttling toxins into fat cells.
- Cellular inflammation as the root cause.
- Clinical signs:
- Why medication addresses symptoms, not root causes.
Case Study: Ben’s Father & Medical System Shortcomings
- Story of Ben’s father’s journey through diabetes.
- Standard medical advice (and its failures).
- Personal reflection on pain, loss, and inspiration to change systems.
Understanding Insulin Resistance and Testing
- Explanation of insulin resistance and its long development process.
- Best tests to assess metabolic health:
- Fasting insulin (with target ranges).
- Fasting glucose.
- A1c (and optimal values).
- Continuous glucose monitoring.
- Interpreting test results beyond “normal” lab values.
Dietary Tools for Metabolic Freedom
- Pathways to metabolic flexibility:
- Shifting from sugar burning to fat burning.
- Overview of “Keto”:
- What keto is (not a diet, but a metabolic state).
- How to enter, and adapt to, ketosis (the process and symptoms).
- Keto adaptation and the importance of patience.
- Diet variation and the concept of “keto flex.”
- The role of healthy fats, proteins, and reduction of snacking.
Extremes and Tools: Keto, Carnivore, and Plant-Based Diets
- Carnivore as an elimination diet:
- Levels of carnivore, applications for autoimmune issues.
- Ben’s 90-day carnivore experiment and lab results.
- Microbiome diversity and the surprising results of dietary variation.
- The problem with long-term restriction (plant or animal foods).
- Plant toxins:
- What they are (lectins, oxalates, phytates).
- Why people react, and the hormesis concept.
- Adapting stress (hormesis) rather than full avoidance.
- Challenges and considerations for plant-based periods post-detox.
The Principle of Hormesis
- Defining hormesis: positive adaptation to stress.
- Application to food (plant toxins, diet shifts) and biohacks (cold plunging, exercise).
- Ben’s personal hormesis story: overcoming Raynaud’s through cold adaptation.
- Exercise, overtraining, and proper stress dosing.
Other Lifestyle Variables & Social Factors
- Alcohol:
- Is it a hormetic stressor? Benefits and risks.
- Balance, cultural context, and addiction risk.
- The importance of community and social connections.
- “Vitamin G” – Gratitude:
- The science of gratitude’s effects on health and the brain.
- How to practice and “dose” gratitude.
- Harnessing neuroplasticity and the reticular activating system.
Legacy, Mission, and Closing Inspiration
- Pain turned to purpose: the power of personal story in health transformation.
- The mission to reverse diabetes for 1 million people in 10 years.
- Faith, God, and living a mission-driven life.
- Resources: where to find the book, programs, and more content.
