Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD 88. Ben Azadi: The $4.6 Trillion Healthcare Crisis and How to Reverse Metabolic Disease in 30 Days
Aug 21, 2025
Ben Azadi, a metabolic health expert and New York Times bestselling author, shares his incredible journey from obesity and depression to wellness advocate. He reveals that 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and highlights the overlooked fasting insulin test as a key biomarker. Listeners learn about the devastating financial impact of diabetes in healthcare and discover actionable strategies to shift from sugar-burning to fat-burning. Ben emphasizes the importance of dietary variability and introduces a transformative 30-day program for better metabolic health.
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Turning Point: From Suicidal To Metabolic Coach
- Ben Azadi was suicidal, obese, and prediabetic at 23 and felt dismissed by his doctor who prescribed meds instead of discussing diet.
- He lost 80 pounds in nine months by switching to real food, movement, and self-development, which started his career in metabolic health.
Diabetes Consumes A Quarter Of U.S. Healthcare Spend
- One out of every four US healthcare dollars is spent on diabetes, mostly type 2, highlighting a preventable epidemic.
- Ben frames metabolic disease as largely avoidable and wrote Metabolic Freedom to explain causes and solutions with practical steps.
Test Fasting Insulin, Not Just Glucose
- Get a fasting insulin test because insulin rises years before blood sugar changes and predicts metabolic dysfunction.
- Aim for fasting insulin between about 3 and 6 µIU/mL and retest every 90 days if high, otherwise every 6–12 months.
