Ben Greenfield Changes His Mind on Keto, Carnivore, Statins, and More

Ben Greenfield has experienced massive changes in his life from switching to a keto diet, to exploring the carnivore diet, to minimizing his exercise routine, and much more. Greenfield, a lifelong athlete and fitness enthusiast, has experimented with numerous diets and fitness routines to optimize his health and wellness. In his recent podcast, Ben Greenfield Life, he discusses some of the biggest things he's changed his mind on recently and how it can help you optimize your health as well.

Ketosis, Ketogenic Diet, and Carb Restriction

Ben became interested in the state of ketosis after meeting researcher Dominic D'Agostino at a conference. He began experimenting with a low-carb, high-fat diet and using ketosis in his racing, but he became disillusioned with the idea of strict ketosis long-term. While the ketogenic diet has been used since the 1920s to treat chronic diseases like epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer, Ben points out that many people, including those in the medical community, speak poorly of ketosis due to keto acidosis. Keto acidosis is a dangerous state of ketosis that occurs in insulin-insufficient diabetic patients with dangerously high blood glucose levels and a high amount of ketone bodies in the blood. Ben notes that long-term ketosis can also result in dysregulation of thyroid function or endocrine function and markers of fertility like kisspeptin, FSH, and LH. However, Ben has since adopted a carb-cycling approach, eating minimal carbohydrates until the evening and 200 to 300 grams of carbohydrates then, which is the precursor to serotonin and melatonin, allowing him to sleep better.

Exercise and Longevity

Ben used to believe that exercise was critical for longevity. However, he now believes that too much exercise can accelerate the appearance of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. This is due to the buildup of amyloid-beta plaque, which can be dissolved by fasting, ketosis, and exercise but comes at the cost of increasing the production of tau proteins, which is a marker of Alzheimer's.

Aspirin and Ginger

Ben used to recommend that everyone take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks and strokes. However, he now believes that a better method is to eat a ginger daily. Ginger affects the vagus nerve and can enhance circulation and blood flow.

Viagra and Heart Health

Ben used to believe that Viagra was harmful to the heart, but he now believes that it can be beneficial to heart health and is often underprescribed for cardiac patients.

Statins

Ben used to believe that statins were greatly overprescribed, but he now believes that they are lifesaving drugs and are not prescribed nearly enough.

Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet

Ben used to follow a strict high-fat, low-carb diet, but he now believes that a more Mediterranean approach, like avocados, avocado oil, olives, fish, and extra virgin olive oil, is better for those who are predisposed to having an inflammatory response to saturated fats.

Cold Exposure

Ben used to believe that cold exposure was critical for longevity, but he now believes that too much cold exposure can wreck your hormones.

THC

Ben used to believe that THC was toxic to the heart, but he now believes that it is not as toxic as many people think and is safer than alcohol.

Sleep Hygiene

Ben used to believe that it was critical to get eight hours of sleep a night, but he now believes that there are no universal sleep requirements and that some people do well on less sleep.

Importance of Being Moderate

Ben used to believe that you had to be strict with many health protocols, but he now believes that moderation and listening to your body is key.