Prof Tim Noakes put his career and his reputation on the line by saying three simple words that we infrequently hear: I Was Wrong. In the 80s and 90s, he was the preeminent authority on sports performance, and he wrote the defining book explaining the importance of a high carbohydrate diet. Fast forward 20 years, and Prof Noakes’ own personal struggle with diabetes opened his eyes to the unforeseen dangers of the high carbohydrates diet. That is when he realized “I Was Wrong.” But he had no idea what was coming next. Given his position as a highly respected scientist, he was seen as a threat by the status quo in South Africa, and what ensued was a 3-year long trial intent on silencing him. Now he has committed his life to teaching the science behind low carb nutrition, how that can help athletic performance, and more importantly, how it can help improve our health. Nobody has risked more personally to proclaim this message, and that makes Prof one of the most remarkable proponents of healthy nutrition I have ever met. We have a lot to learn from Prof Noakes, and it all starts with the ability to say those simple three words: I Was Wrong.

Key Takeaways:

[4:44] A court attempted to use Prof Noakes as an example to take away free speech from doctors in South Africa.

[10:22] Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease of nutrition.

[16:29] The concept of hunger.

[19:12] Athletes should self-experiment with a high-fat diet.

[28:34] How do we break the cycle of industry-funded influence?

[36:41] Social media helps to substantiate a healthy, high-fat diet.

[41:17] Converting doctors is critical to promoting the low-carb diet.

[47:12] Goals of the Noakes Foundation and the Eat Better South Africa campaign.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Dr. Bret Scher

Dr. Scher on Twitter

Dr. Scher on Facebook

Your Best Health Ever! The Cardiologist’s Surprisingly Simple Guide to What Really Works,

by Bret Scher, M.D., FACC

The Noakes Foundation

Books by Professor Noakes