Show notes
Today, I am lucky to have here with me a profound and highly-driven keto advocate from the medical field, Dr. Ken Berry. Although his practice is not yet warmly accepted in our society today, he is firm on his stand when it comes to the ketogenic diet.
Dr. Berry is the first physician in the family. It was always his childhood dream. At the age of 13, he started having severe migraines and thought he would not be fit for a medical doctor’s lifestyle. However, his condition got better during his college days and hoped that he could finally fulfill his dream.
He was determined to change his way of eating when he was obese and became prediabetec at the age of 35. He knew his stressful lifestyle coupled with unhealthy eating habits contributed to his condition. Dr. Berry was further challenged to make a change in order to help his critically ill patients.
His goal is to spread the truth about the ketogenic diet. Dr. Berry had already published a book entitled, “Lies My Doctor Told Me” and is increasing his reach with the help of social media channels.
In this episode, Dr. Berry and I talked about ketogenic diet, type 2 diabetes, the 3 pillars of health and nutrition, exercise and more. He shared his journey with living his best life starting with the paleo diet then transitioning to low-carb diet and finally the ketogenic diet. He also shed some light as to why ketogenic diet doesn’t work for other people. Moreover, tips and strategies were shared on how to get the most out of the keto diet. Tune in!
[07:56] The 3 Pillars of Health and Nutrition
He want back to dig up his medical books and lecture notes to refresh his knowledge on his nutrition training.
After reading up on the materials that he was able to retrieve, he was reminded that the foundation of health is knowledge and understanding of human nutrition.
The 3 Pillars of Health and Nutrition:
1. Eat lots of whole grain
2. Don’t eat any saturated fat.
3. Jog.
[09:32] The Unexpected Weight Gain
He has an exceptional training background when it comes to parenteral nutrition. However, he admits that, when it comes to feeding a healthy human being in a disease-preventive way, he was clueless.
Dr. Berry guided himself with the 3 pillars and applied it in his daily life.
Despite his consistent hard work for 2 months, he still gained 5-10 pounds.
[10:25] Thinking Outside The Medical Doctor Box
Read different works on nutrition:
Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Robert Atkins
The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
He tried this new knowledge on himself starting with paleo and transitioned to a low-carb diet which got him better but still far from his health goal.
Immediately felt better, lost weight, decreased inflammation.
He then finally tried ketogenic diet and after 2 months he thought to offer it to his morbidly obese patients, many of which are scheduled for a gastric bypass which is a risky procedure.
His patients started noticing his transformation and were curious about what he was doing.
He finally recommended the ketogenic diet to his patients with the worst case of morbid obesity and they all started getting better.
[12:43] Dr. Berry’s Patients on Keto Diet
He monitors his patients closely since the diet was presumed to be dangerous.
After 1 month, his patients would come back asking if they could do it for a longer period of time. They loved the diet and was very happy with the results
Many patients, who cancelled their bariatric surgery, were coming to him because they wanted to lose fat naturally.
He was very glad he found a tool that could help many others when the only option most of them had before was a bariatric surgery.
He only recommended it to his sickest patients
[16:28] Type 2 Diabetes and the Ketogenic Diet
Type 2 Diabetes is not a disease. It is one of the many ways how poison in your diet can manifest itself.
Poisons:
Sugar
Grains
Industrial seed oils
Removing these poisons from the diet results to type 2 diabetes going away.
[18:42] Truth about EBM: Evidence-Based Medicine or Eminence-Based Diet
American Diabetes Association (ADA) claims their diet recommendation is based on zero research and it’s based on expert consensus.
Dr. Berry, on the other hand, believes in true evidence based medicine (EBM) but oftentimes, no meaningful research is done on a topic which makes EBM mean something else, “Eminence Based Diet”
Leading authorities in the medical field decide what is considered EBM as standard of care and there are many instances in history wherein these EBM, such as lobotomy and provision of Valium to premenopausal women, have been further proven to be dangerous and ineffective.
[22:10] What Led Him to His Life Mission
Dr. Berry knew he was called to reverse type 2 diabetes and obesity.
His wife, Neisha, an active social media user, asked him, “How many patients do you help a day in the clinic?” and “How many patients can you help on social media?”.
He had no social media presence back then other than Facebook. His wife’s question made him realize he had a big goal social media can give him a bigger platform.
Dr. Berry started with creating a YouTube channel and other social media accounts
[26:28] Elevated A1C VS. Elevated LDL
“An elevated A1C is a shotgun pointed at your heart and an elevated LDL might be a BB gun pointed at your arm”.
After reading more research on LDL, Dr. Berry says it is not a risk factor.
Elevated cholesterol and elevated LDL does not increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
This elevation may be caused by an inflammation in your body and it is it’s attempt of filling in the damage done in your arteries.
Your body naturally makes cholesterol. Even the brain has its own cholesterol manufacturing process.
An elevated A1C, elevated triglyceride level, and a low HDL level are more important markers than an elevated LDL.
Doctors who are concerned with elevated cholesterol are already 10 years behind on their readings while doctors who are alarmed by elevated LDL are 3-5 years behind.
American Heart Association’s (AHA/ACC) cardiac risk calculator does not factor in the LDL level but uses triglyceride and HDL levels.
[32:33] Recommendation for the Use of Statins
Recommendation for the use of statins will lower LDL level but will not positively influence your 10-year cardiac risk.
The medical community continues to promote the use of statins because their paradigm has not yet shifted.
Some medical practitioners are gaining awareness when it comes to this issue
Many doctors are still relying on recommendations given by the AHA. However, big companies and corporations heavily influence the information distributed by the association
We are slowly killing ourselves by taking harmful medication
[36:05] Social Media is the Key
Dr. Berry intends to use of social media to help spread the word and tell people to stop poisoning themselves.
People are dying everyday because of belief on a false paradigm.
Social media helps him educate and tell people to stop comiting suicide and stop letting your doctors commit homicide.
Being loud and obnoxious about the information will help prevent unnecessary deaths.
[37:59] The Story of Dr. Simon Weiss
The quote: “The way you judge someone’s stature in the medical community is the length of their white coat” and a story on Dr. Simon Weiss which illustrates Dr. Ken Berry’s advocacy
Back then doctors were seen as gentlemen and it was a common assumption that gentlemen are never dirty.
Mortality rate of women and children were high because of the childbirth fever caused by unsanitary practices of doctors.
Dr. Weiss observed that in poorer areas where midwives facilitated child birth instead of doctors and women and children were not affected by childbirth fever because midwives do not handle dissections in the morgue.
Dr. Weiss published his research but because of his short coat, he was not taken seriously by other doctors.
The unsanitary practice went on for 70-80 years before another doctor discovered Dr. Weiss’ research and shed light unto it. It took another decade before more doctors caught on to the proper practice of handwashing.
With this, Dr. Ken Berry stands firm with his belief on the ketogenic diet and is willing to take the risk that comes with it so that people can know the truth.
[43:20] Overcoming the Powdered Butt Syndrome
Powdered Butt Syndrome is when people, for example your senior, don’t take you seriously no matter what you say or evidence you show.
A third party source may be helpful with conveying the information to your family and friends which is what many people do.
As with Dr. Berry, his videos takes a big part in encouraging people to listen and understand the truth about the ketogenic diet.
[45:42] Why Ketogenic is Not Working for Other People?
After enthusiastically getting in to keto, some people slack off and allow gradually themselves more and more carb loaded food items.
This reduces fat loss and increases inflammation.
People should have a friend, coach, that can re-check their diet
Document what you’re eating and consult someone with knowledgeable on keto to figure out what you’re doing or eating wrong.
Don’t easily trust and simply rely on what big food names claim when it comes to being healthy because there are loopholes they go through to make their products seem healthy enough.
Big food corporations only care about making a profit and will do all things just to cut down on cost.
[49:22] Dining in Restaurants
Don’t be afraid to let restaurants know of the ingredients and food items that you’re avoiding in a keto diet.
Tip: Have a laminated small laminated information card stating that “I’m allergic to sugar in all forms, all grains, and the following oils. Please do not include it in my meals”.
As more people do this, big chain restaurants can go bankrupt or they can evolve to meet people’s need for real and safe human food.
Be willing to go the extra penny for quality food.
Accepting bad food because it’s cheap is as good as voting for it.
[51:53] PEO (Parent Essential Oils) Solution by Dr. Brian Peskin
PEO Solution: Conquering Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease with Parent Essential Oils is the collaborative effort of Dr. Brian S. Peskin and Dr. Robert Jay Rowen.
Their combined insights will give you state-of-the-art science with new tools to easily become and remain lean-for-life, energized, and disease-free.
[52:19] Fat in a Cellular Level
Every cell has a membrane and this membrane uses fat as integral part.
Eating high fat food gives your body sufficient building blocks for building healthy cell membranes.
[52:50] Restaurants and Their Oil Use
Study shows a plate of french fries cooked in canola oil resulted to 132 days of membrane inflammation.
Restaurants use cooking oils, such as canola and soybean oil, that easily oxidize and they don’t always change their cooking oils to cut down cost.
These oils become deadlier as they get reused and get absorbed by the food you eat.
[53:44] Consuming Healthy Oils
As people develop healthier cell membranes, they can stay longer in the sun because they are now more able to form melanin.
This prevents them from easily getting sun burnt and help them develop a tan instead.
Even cells of other organs have cell membranes and they also need fat to form and function well.
Food habit of consuming industrial seed and vegetable oil will contribute to the activation of bad genes.
[55:16] Shopping for the Right Food Products
Always read labels and check the ingredients of what you’re buying.
If you’re not familiar with a word, search online what it is.
“Generally Regarded As Safe” only means it won’t kill you quickly.
[56:42] Exercise and Weight Loss
“Exercise is a terrible approach to weight loss. If you’re goal is to lose weight, joining the gym is a waste of time and money.”
Meaningful research show that exercising and moving more is a terrible strategy to lose fat.
If you want to lose excess fat, change your diet.
[58:00] Experts (PhDs, Scientists, Dietitians, Nutritionists, and Doctors) on Keto as a Fad Diet
Most of today’s experts have the same thinking with doctors back in Dr. Weiss’ time who did not believe that handwashing was essential.
They have a hard time accepting the truth or admitting that they are wrong. One of the many reasons may be losing part of their (online) following. Some may be afraid of losing they research support and funding.
It is ignorance to think it’s possible to calculate one’s specific caloric needs through weight, height, and gender.
Big corporations pay experts like them to convince the consumer that it’s alright to consume bad food items because they packed in small containers.
Beware of people who promote “Eat more, move less”.
[01:02:55] Patients Who Found Success in Keto
The healthiest patients with the least chronic diseases are the ones who consume food products with the least amount of prohibited ingredients on the label.
Eldest patient who passed away at 102 was in very good health, with an alert mind and a strong body. Majority of diet was made of vegetables and meat.
Babies or kids who are fed by their parents with real whole foods did not develop eczema, allergies, and even acne. They consume one-ingredient food.
[01:05:33] What Dr. Berry Is Most Excited About
We’re close to the tipping point of having the low-carb keto carnivore diet as a norm now more than how where we were back in the 70s or 80s.
Nurse Jackie Eberstein, who worked closely with Dr. Robert Atkins, is continuing to raise awareness about the Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet.
Know more here.
Perfect health, for him, is being strong enough to enjoy and play together with his great grand kids.
AND MUCH MORE!
Resources from this episode:
Visit Dr. Berry’s Website
Connect with Dr. Ken Berry:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Lies My Doctor Told Me by Ken Berry
Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Robert Atkins
The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
PEO Solution: Conquering Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease with Parent Essential Oils by Dr. Brian S. Peskin and Dr. Robert Jay Rowen
Know more about Jacqueline A. Eberstein, R.N
Some relevant articles/videos:
Type 2 Diabetes? (10 Things You Need to Know)
Cholesterol Abnormalities and Diabetes
KETO 101: A Video Playlist by Dr. Ken Berry
Eminence-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine