Nick Norwitz was diagnosed with osteoporosis in his late teens. Not long after, he developed gut problems and ulcerative colitis. At one point in his early 20's, he ended up in the ICU with a heart rate the same as his age.
Who would have thought that this young man used to be a healthy, active guy who ran three-hour marathons?
While lying in ICY, he realized he had 3 options:
- live a horrible life
- die
- figure things out for himself.
He chose to take responsibility for his own health. He experimented with lifestyle and dietary interventions. The Ketogenic diet improved his symptoms and his inflammatory markers dropped to their lowest level.
These effects sparked his interest in nutrition and metabolic health. He now pursues medical studies at Harvard Medical School and continues to advocate metabolic health.
In this episode, Nick talks about his journey to healing, being "metabolically woke," and how he wants science to be more accessible to people.
Quick Guide:
04:08 From running sub-marathons to getting diagnosed with osteoporosis
05:06 Developing ulcerative colitis
11:39 Choosing ketogenic diet
13:18 Plant the seeds of metabolic health in the next generation of doctors
15:49 First encounter with the ketogenic diet
20:21 It’s not his place to give nutritional advice
25:53 We continue with the narrative of the US Dietary Guidelines
27:28 The use of CGM excited people about nutrition and metabolic health
37:29 How ketogenic diet affects ulcerative colitis
43:51 Variations of the keto diet
45:35 The improvement in bone health
49:00 Collaboration with non-scientists
54:14 Future medical practice
Get to know our guest:
Nick Norwitz has a PhD from Oxford University and currently is a medical student at Harvard Medical School. He has published several scientific papers and co-authored a book on ketogenic diet called, “The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.”
“The most unique aspect of my story is that it's not unique at all. I see this motif now everywhere where someone's desperate. They're a little hopeless. They try this, and it works. And then they become really passionate about it. And that's how the community builds.” - Nick Norwitz
Connect with him:
Twitter: @nicknorwitz
YouTube: Nicholas Norwitz
The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook on Amazon
Episode snippets:
11:02 - 12:08 He could die tomorrow anyway so why not try the ketogenic diet
13:23 - 14:28 The most unique parts of my story are not unique at all
20:58 - 21:48 Respecting his superiors as a medical student
26:01 - 26:46 The majority of the population is the exception
28:38 - 30:03 How CGM allowed people to be more engaged in nutrition
32:34 - 33:09 They have become “metabolically woke”
40:24 -41:49 Following the dietary guidelines can still lead to a very westernized diet
50:25 - 51:13 The scientific process of being genuinely curious