Low Carb MD Podcast

Valerie Anne Smith’s journey is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the power of dietary change in overcoming severe health challenges. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 14, Valerie endured a harrowing 40-year battle with multiple mental health diagnoses, including schizoaffective disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, OCD, and body dysmorphia, compounded by extreme physical health issues. Despite numerous interventions, including inpatient treatment, psychiatric medications, and dietetic guidance that focused on high-carb, low-fat diets, her mental and physical health continued to deteriorate, reaching a critical point with a BMI of 11 and a weight under 80 lbs for most of her adult life. In 2018, at the brink of despair and after decades of suffering, Valerie’s relentless pursuit of knowledge led her to explore the healing potential of a carnivore diet, focusing on nutrient-dense foods like beef, salt, and water. This radical dietary shift, initially met with personal resistance due to years of conditioned fear and restrictive eating habits, gradually quieted the debilitating mental turmoil and reversed her numerous physical ailments. Six years into her carnivore journey, Valerie has not only achieved complete remission from her mental and physical disorders but has also embraced a fulfilling life as a wife, mother, and health advocate.   In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro and Valerie talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:14) Valerie’s history of struggling with mental illness, anorexia, and metabolic dysfunction (08:26) The horrible nutrition standards in eating disorder clinics and the nutrition lies plaguing our society in general (10:19) Valerie’s upbringing and medical history (11:52) Valerie’s frustrating experience with doctors trying to treat her many issues with meds (16:01) Body dysmorphia and the differences between fasting and starving (20:06) The horrible nutrition prescribed by hospitals and served to their patients (23:36) The incredible and heartbreaking story of how Valerie finally discovered the link between diet and mental health (37:36) The evolution of Valerie’s diet as she began transitioning to carnivore and how her doctors reacted (45:45) Valerie’s blood markers when she ate no meat and how she started to rebuild her body (51:03) How Valerie’s family reacted to her new diet and lifestyle (53:08) The many health benefits that Valerie has experienced since becoming carnivore (57:05) Advice for those struggling with anorexia and mental disorders (01:01:31) Factors other than diet that have been HUGE for Valerie   For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Anorexia Case Study that Valerie Participated In: https://journalofmetabolichealth.org/index.php/jmh/article/view/84/254#:~:text=Contribution%3A%20This%20case%20series%20is,nature%20of%20the%20disease%20itself   Valerie Smith: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valerieanne1970/ X: https://x.com/valerieanne1970 Links: https://linktr.ee/valerieanne1970 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559029245657   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author   Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/   Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.    Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. John Roop is the CEO of Capitol City Fence Co. After a lifelong struggle with food addiction, obesity, and poor metabolic health, John was introduced to the keto diet at the Low Carb Boca 2022 conference. Since beginning his low carb journey, John has lost 72 pounds and has improved his health in countless ways. Now 2 years into his wellness journey, he is a wealth of invaluable knowledge and tips for those trying to take control of their health. In this episode, Dr. Tro and John talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:34) John’s personal health journey (11:46) The SMHP’s Low Carb Boca conference (20:31) The lifestyle changes John implemented following Low Carb Boca (27:00) The gradual process employed by John to become sustainably healthier and healthier over time (31:06) Increased energy levels on the keto diet (33:14) How John’s lifestyle changes have impacted those around him (38:12) The devastating health effects of processed foods and the Standard American Diet (43:57) How John weened himself off of certain unhealthy foods and deals with cravings when they come up (52:56) Dieting versus Lifestyle Change (58:58) Tips for eating out without cheating (01:01:01) How EASY the keto diet is (01:02:24) The ill health effects of seed oils (01:04:20) The 3 kinds of people vis á vis health (01:08:56) Dr. Tro’s Employee Wellness Program and the measure of true success in life as well as in business (01:21:56) Why making your employees happy and healthy is also good for YOU, the employer For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Low Carb Boca Conference: https://www.lowcarbusa.org/boca-2025/ Low Carb Cruise: https://lowcarbcruise.com Dr. Tro’s Employee Wellness Program: https://toward.health/employee-health-program/ John Roop: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roop-43a60610 Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ SMHP Position Statement: https://journalofmetabolichealth.org/index.php/jmh/article/view/100#:~:text=The%20SMHP%20recommends%20open%20access,research%20on%20TCR%20for%20T1DM Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/

Anu Simh is a Board Certified Functional Health Coach and the founder of 9 Arms of Wellness. She is also the author of Feed Your Microbiome to Flourish, and a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  Through the Nine Arms of Wellness program, she teaches the value of using food as medicine, practical lifestyle management techniques, and an interactive, integrative approach drawn from over 100 dietary theories, including Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, gluten-free, Paleo, raw, vegan, and macrobiotics. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Anu talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:37) What low carb is and how it effects the microbiome (05:47) Whether fiber, honey, and fruit are important for a healthy diet (39:00) Whether microbial diversity in the gut is necessarily beneficial (42:06) People who say, “you should not eat plants ever,” and whether they exist (53:58) What Anu and Brian’s ideal patient looks like and how they would treat them (01:00:25) The many factors that impact gut health (01:03:20) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Anu Simh on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: https://lifesbestmedicine.com/podcast/episode-249-anu-simh/ Super Gut (book): https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/product/super-gut Anu Simh: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9armsofwellness FB: https://www.facebook.com/9armsofwellness Links: https://linktr.ee/anusimh 9 Arms of Wellness: https://www.9armsofwellness.com/about Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

After putting her Type 2 Diabetes into remission within 3 months and getting off medications after 6 months following the Keto diet, Josephine Barbarino became an activist for Ketogenic Metabolic Therapies. She is the founder and CEO of the Keto Live Project—an organization on a mission to inform and educate about the power of food and the connection between our diet, insulin resistance, our metabolic health, and our immune system. She is also a highly successful architect. In this episode, Dr. Brian and Josephine talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:21) Josephine’s career as an architect and how her architectural experience has assisted her in her new venture as a Keto-Activist (08:32) Josephine’s health journey and why she pivoted in her career to became a Keto-Activist (24:06) Mood and cognitive improvement on the keto diet (29:05) Why metabolic health is worsening in Europe (33:27) Tailoring your low carb diet to your individual physiology (37:12) Why everyone should AT LEAST be eating real, Whole Foods (40:09) Tips for using CGMs effectively while on the keto diet (43:28) Informed consent and why medical professionals are massively deficient in nutritional knowledge (46:21) The upcoming Keto Live Conference (6/9 - 6/13) (59:30) The speaker line-up at the Keto Live Conference For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   Josephine Barbarino: European Keto Live Centre: https://www.european-keto-live-centre.com/ Keto Live Project IG: https://www.instagram.com/keto_live_project/ Keto Live Conference IG: https://www.instagram.com/ketoliveconference/   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author   Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/   Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.    Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Alison Smart is the Founder and Director of the Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to continuing access to Levemir (detemir) insulin or a biosimilar.  She is actively involved in raising public awareness, engaging in media outreach, and communicating with insulin manufacturers and lawmakers to highlight the critical need for this unique insulin. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Alison talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:44) The multitude of difficulties faced by Type 1 diabetics every day (10:53) Treatment protocols for Type 1 patients—pumps and lifestyle changes—and why the low carb/keto diet is such an important therapy (20:44) The Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice and why Levemir is so important (27:50) Why pharmaceutical companies are not interested in producing and providing Levemir in the United States (37:00) How YOU can help support Alison and the mission of The Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice (40:48) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Ian Lake on the LCMD Podcast: https://lowcarbmd.com/podcast/episode-368-dr-ian-lake/ Beth McNally on the LCMD Podcast: https://lowcarbmd.com/podcast/episode-370-beth-mcnally/ Dr. Andrew Koutnik on the LCMD Podcast: https://lowcarbmd.com/podcast/episode-371-dr-andrew-koutnik/ TYPEONEGRIT (FB Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/typeonegrit Dr. Bernstein’s Resources: https://www.diabetes-book.com SMHP Guidlines: https://thesmhp.org/clinical-guidelines/ Alison Smart: Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice: https://alliancetoprotectinsulinchoice.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliancetoprotectinsulinchoice/ X: https://x.com/InsulinChoice Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alliancetoprotectinsulinchoice Petition: https://alliancetoprotectinsulinchoice.org/sign-our-petition Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Ben Azadi is the author of four best-selling books, Keto Flex, The Perfect Health Booklet, The Intermittent Fasting Cheat Sheet, and The Power of Sleep. He has a brand new book out now called Metabolic Freedom in which he presents a 30 day guide to restore your metabolism, heal hormones, and burn fat. Ben has been the go-to source for intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. He is known as ‘The Health Detective’ because he investigates dysfunction, and he educates, not medicates, to bring the body back to normal function.  Ben is the founder of Keto Kamp; a global brand bringing awareness to ancient healing strategies such as the keto diet and fasting. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Ben talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:55) What inspired Ben to write his new book, Metabolic Freedom (05:48) What inspires Ben to keep working and working to help people improve their metabolic health (08:35) The interplay of nutrition, exercise, spiritual practice, and mindset (16:02) Getting back to ancient healing/nutrition wisdom and away from modern paradigms that do not focus on root causes (19:05) The power of purpose and setting goals (23:54) How Ben has built his Keto Kamp community and why gratitude and community are so effective (29:40) How to set goals effectively (32:35) Ben, Brian, and Tro’s faith journeys and how their faith guides/informs their goals and missions (41:22) How our thoughts can impact our health and the origins of the placebo effect and the no-cebo effect (51:12) Foods that enhance metabolic rate and why ketosis is AWESOME (57:37) How to make metabolic health and real human nutrition the norm in our society For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Ben’s recent appearance on the Life’s Best Medicine Podcast: https://lifesbestmedicine.com/podcast/episode-243-ben-azadi/ Ben Azadi: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebenazadi/?hl=en Metabolic Freedom (book): https://ketokamp.clickfunnels.com/metabolic-freedom Website: https://www.benazadi.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/metabolic-freedom-with-ben-azadi/id1470779784 Seed Oil Allergy Card: https://onlineoffer.lpages.co/vegetable-oil-allergy-card-download/ Links: https://linktr.ee/thebenazadi Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Stefan Hartmann, MPAS, PA-C is the Founder and CEO of Iron Direct Primary Care. Stefan is German/American national raised by holistic parents where things such as Chinese Medicine, Tai-Chi and holistic approaches to healing were the mainstay. His various medical specialty experiences, background in sports & exercise science and relentless desire to understand how to achieve maximum vitality through nutrition, anti-aging medicine, biohacking and more has given him a unique perspective into the human condition. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Stefan team talk about… (00:00) Intro (00:44) Some big news in the field of food addiction research (01:32) Stefan’s background and bio (13:30) The unique resources and approach used by Stefan and his team at Iron DPC to help patients (17:20) Why having lean muscle and building muscle is critical to longevity and metabolic health (22:22) How to get started with strength training (24:55) Assimilating holistic medicine and pharmaceutical knowledge (30:37) Veganism and human nutritional needs (40:43) ADHD and how we should ACTUALLY be treating it (48:26) Why building muscle is essential for seniors (57:52) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Stefan Hartmann: Iron DPC: https://www.irondpc.com/why-iron-dpc' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irondirectprimarycare/ X: https://x.com/ironDPC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSnykOzujrhtfeP9Hi3uL1w/videos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IronDPC Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.  Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

The Food Relationship Fix is a transformative one-day virtual webinar designed to help outsmart your drive to eat and break free from food addiction patterns and take back control of your eating habits. Join leading experts in medicine, nutrition, psychology, and behavior change for a day of learning, self-discovery, and actionable strategies. Among the line-up of lecturers for this course are Dr. Jen Unwin, Dr. Rob Cywes, Dr. Tro Kalayjian and many other highly experienced coaches and medical practitioners. For details about the course and how to register, see the links below. In this episode, Dr. Tro and the Toward Health team talk about… (00:00) Intro (00:01) The upcoming Food Relationship Fix webinar (01:47) New developments and breaking news in the food addiction research world (02:59) Kevin Hall’s research and why his recent findings on food addiction are not accurate (08:15) Lack of good, up to date nutrition information in medical education and how this issues perpetuates food addiction in the general population (13:10) The brain and food addiction (15:09) Recovery strategies for those struggling with food addiction (16:32) How to balance harm reduction strategies and abstinence during the recovery process (23:18) Shame, negative self-talk, and addiction (30:04) The confluence of circumstances and influences that make people primed and ready for addiction (35:21) The absolute NECESSITY of having a supportive community if you are in addiction recovery (42:47) How addiction keeps you trapped and how to counter its tricks (52:39) WHY community is essential for beating addiction (59:07) How to join Toward Health’s Food Relationship Fix webinar (see links below) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links:   Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   Resources Mentioned in this Episode:   The Food Relationship Fix (Food Addiction Course): https://toward.health/food-addiction-webinar/   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author   Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/   Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.    Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Dr. Robert Kiltz is the Founder and Director of CNY Fertility, one of the largest and most innovative fertility practices in the country. Over more than two decades of helping families grow, Dr. Kiltz has developed cutting-edge approaches to fertility grounded in Western medicine and supported by practices of holistic medicine. To treat the whole person—mind, body, and spirit, Dr. Kiltz revolutionized the Fertility industry by providing full-service healing arts centers where patients receive massage, acupuncture, and yoga instruction. This patient-centered approach extends to Dr. Kiltz’s commitment to democratizing access to fertility treatments by pricing most fertility treatments at only 1/3 the cost of the national average. In this episode, Dr. Tro and Dr. Kiltz talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:25) Reaching corporate America with good nutrition information (08:18) What people struggling with fertility have to face in the current medical insurance model (13:35) How the dynamics of power and money are working against us to keep us domesticated and unhealthy (22:20) Why fasting is such an important tool for achieving metabolic health (25:53) Food addiction and fertility issues (34:59) Why you need to work on your mindset (40:09) Final thoughts on food addiction (46:20) Mold exposure, heavy metals, and fertility (48:06) Final words of wisdom on fertility For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!   Links: The Food Relationship Fix (Food Addiction Course): https://toward.health/food-addiction-webinar/ Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/   Dr. Robert Kiltz: Website: https://www.doctorkiltz.com Blog: https://www.doctorkiltz.com/blog/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrRobLive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorkiltz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorkiltz/ TIkTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doctorkiltz Books: https://www.doctorkiltz.com/books-by-dr-kiltz/   Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author   Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/   Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.  Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.    Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888  Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://doctortro.com/community/ 

Mike Mandel, a 6-time award-winning hypnotist, and Chris Thompson, co-founder of Mike Mandel Hypnosis, discuss the revolutionary power of hypnosis. They delve into how the mind can heal the body, sharing personal anecdotes and the therapeutic applications of hypnosis in stress management and weight loss. The duo explains the need for alignment between conscious and subconscious minds for effective lifestyle change. They also address skepticism about hypnosis and highlight its potential in personal growth and overcoming negative emotions.