Life's Best Medicine Podcast

Dr. Ben Bikman is a scientist, professor at Brigham Young University, and leading voice in metabolic health research. With a PhD in bioenergetics, his work focuses on insulin resistance and the underlying mechanisms of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. He is also the bestselling author of Why We Get Sick. In his upcoming book, The Carb Crisis, Dr. Bikman challenges conventional dietary advice, exploring how excess carbohydrates may contribute to chronic disease and offering science-based strategies to improve metabolic health and rethink our relationship with carbs. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:58) Insulin resistance, glucose, and the modern human diet (08:26) Carb myths (15:15) Brain atrophy and glycemic variability (17:47) Mental health and glycemic variability (26:44) Why dietary carbohydrates are non-essential (34:51) The gut microbiome, fructose consumption, and gluten sensitivity (43:00) Why Dr. Bikman wrote The Carb Crisis (49:16) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Dr. Ben Bikman: X: https://x.com/BenBikmanPhD Website: https://benbikman.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/benbikmanphd The Carb Crisis (new book!): https://www.amazon.com/Carb-Crisis-Balanced-Worldwide-Epidemic-ebook   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Arizona Metabolic Health: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Low Carb MD Podcast: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: https://gethlth.com

Dave Feldman is a software engineer, independent researcher, and leading voice in the debate over cholesterol and cardiovascular health. Best known for his work exploring the relationship between dietary changes and LDL cholesterol, Feldman developed the Lipid Energy Model, a hypothesis examining how lipid transport may relate to energy metabolism, particularly in people following ketogenic diets. Through his research and citizen-science initiatives, he challenges conventional assumptions about cholesterol and advocates for deeper investigation into the relationship between lipid markers and cardiovascular risk. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:03) How Dave arrived at his hypothesis about lean mass hyper responders (07:15) The white bread and processed meat experiment (10:00) High LDL and other factors (13:53) Diet religiosity (19:34) Carnivore, LDL, wheat, and stress (26:32) Lean mass hyper responders, triglycerides, and small dense LDL (34:02) Insulin insufficiency and lean mass hyper responders (40:12) Lipopolysaccharides and A1c (45:57) GLP-1s and dietary/lifestyle changes (52:06) The value of health coaches, Own Your Labs, and DPC healthcare (01:01:10) The process of real science and how business interests get in the way of ideas that challenge the norm (01:07:19) Food tracking (01:11:23) Movies and AI videos (01:15:39) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Dave Feldman: YT: https://www.youtube.com/@realDaveFeldman The Cholesterol Code: https://cholesterolcodemovie.com/the-film/ X: https://x.com/realDaveFeldman Citizen Science Foundation: https://citizensciencefoundation.org Own Your Labs: https://ownyourlabs.com   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Arizona Metabolic Health: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Low Carb MD Podcast: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: https://gethlth.com

Dr. Holly Huffman is an accomplished biochemist, educator, and former professor at Arizona State University, where she helped establish the Chemistry Program at the Polytechnic campus. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Riverside and completed postdoctoral research at the Mayo Clinic and ASU. A dedicated educator and academic leader, Dr. Huffman served as President of the ASU Faculty Senate from 2008 to 2010. Her research interests span enzyme kinetics, nutrition, the microbiome, and fermentation, with a particular passion for exploring the connections between gut health, food, and human well-being.   Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:21) How Dr. Huffman became interested in the gut microbiome (12:57) Chronic stress and the gut microbiome (14:49) The essence of the microbiome (20:18) Diet, fecal transplants, and the gut microbiome (25:40) The gut microbiome and food addiction (29:27) Behavior and microbiome (31:55) Akkermansia, Bifidobacteria, and fasting (36:32) Fermentation and fermented foods (48:37) Healing the gut by addressing food sensitivities, stress, and other factors (01:03:30) Microbiome and diseases (01:09:33) Gut health tests (01:21:27) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Dr. Holly Huffman: The Merry Monk: https://asantewellness.com/merry-monk-ferments/ A Santé Wellness: https://asantewellness.com   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Arizona Metabolic Health: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Low Carb MD Podcast: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: https://gethlth.com

Jen Beyst is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Cognitive Function Development Institute and a Master Neuroplastician. With a background in education and cognitive skills training, she has spent more than two decades helping people develop skills related to attention, memory, emotional regulation, and learning. Through Cognitive Function Development Therapy, Jen works to translate neuroscience and neuroplasticity into practical tools for improving brain function and everyday performance. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:34) The Yavapai Health and Wellness Expo (09:42) Improving memory function for people in cognitive decline (10:58) The speaker lineup for the Yavapai Health and Wellness Expo (27:30) Demos offered at the wellness expo (34:28) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links: Jen Beyst: The Yavapai Health and Wellness Expo: https://bridgeaz.co/category/yavapai-health-wellness-expo/ TransformED Training: https://transformedtraining.org Cognitive Function Development Institute: https://cfdinstitute.com • • Brain Builders: https://brainbuilders.health   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Arizona Metabolic Health: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ • • Low Carb MD Podcast: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Dr. Ana Rosa, MD, PhD, is a U.S.- and Brazilian board-certified radiologist, physician educator, speaker, and metabolic health advocate who brings together medical imaging, metabolic health, and the human experience of healing and change. With decades of experience in clinical and academic radiology in Brazil and the United States, Dr. Ana Rosa uses imaging to help people understand what may be happening inside the body long before disease reaches its final stages. Her work focuses particularly on visceral fat, fatty liver and pancreas, insulin resistance, inflammation, muscle health, vascular disease, and brain changes associated with metabolic dysfunction. But her work extends beyond what can be seen on an image. After experiencing profound grief and major personal health changes in her own life, Dr. Ana Rosa became deeply interested in the connections between stress, grief, behavior, gratitude, metabolic health, and the brain. Today, she combines the precision of a physician and radiologist with education about lifestyle, mindset, and sustainable behavior change. She is the founder of The Unhindered Life, where her message is simple: see earlier, understand earlier, and act earlier—because changing the trajectory of health is often possible before reaching the end of the line of disease. Her work lives at the intersection of science and soul, helping people understand their bodies, recognize what they can change, and build a life of greater health, purpose, gratitude, and hope.   Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:39) Gratitude and well being (17:47) The anxiety and pain that comes from social isolation (20:26) Practical guidance for practicing gratitude (22:36) Getting to know Dr. Ana Rosa (35:27) Death and God (44:20) Gratitude and perspective (51:49) Beginning the journey of positive change (01:13:46) The science of prayer and the power of faith (01:21:43) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Dr. Ana Rosa: IG: https://www.instagram.com/anarosagratitude/?hl=en Website: https://anarosagratitude.com   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Arizona Metabolic Health: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Low Carb MD Podcast: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   HLTH Code: HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH • • HLTH Code Website: https://gethlth.com