Metabolic health is the most important wellness conversation of our time. Every single chronic disease has its roots in poor metabolic health. The growing mental health challenges are exacerbated by an overloaded metabolic system. Even the world’s immune system has been compromised by a metabolic system gone awry. As a culture we are in one metabolic mess.
Unfortunately for most people, poor metabolic health has now become the norm, not the exception. As of 2022, 93 percent of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and approximately 2.5 billion adults worldwide have been classified as overweight, with over 890 million of them living with obesity. This means that 43 percent of adults aged 18 years and over are overweight, and 16 percent are obese. And this isn’t just an American challenge; it’s affecting millions across the globe. According to the World Health Organization; the worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, and if current trends continue, it’s predicted that more than half of the global population—over 4 billion people—will be living with overweight or obesity by 2035. The financial impact of this alone is staggering. It is estimated that the global economic impact of overweight and obesity is estimated to reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, accounting for nearly 3 percent of the global GDP. This madness needs to stop!
Here’s the challenge: changing the direction of your metabolic health is not as easy as it used to be. Our food system has intentionally added harmful ingredients to our foods that have hijacked our taste buds, making us more addicted to toxic ingredients than ever before. Chemicals that are classified as obesogens—ingredients that disrupt the body’s hormonal systems, promoting weight gain and fat storage. Chemicals that interfere with our metabolism, appetite regulation, and fat cell development, contributing to this global rise in obesity rates. Perhaps the most harmful part of these chemicals is that you practically need a Ph.D. in biochemistry to interpret them on a nutrition label. Mix a high dose of obesogens with the increasing stress loads, lack of movement, and growing number of toxins that are pouring into our environment, and we have a serious health crisis on our hands.
It’s time for a metabolic hero to emerge. Someone who can help us make sense of all of this. Someone who is courageous and patient enough to give us a map that guides us back to metabolic freedom. Enter Ben Azadi, a fierce leader in the health space, whose commitment to helping the world turn its metabolic health around is unwavering. I have known Ben for over ten years now. We have sat together in endless wellness conferences, debated health concepts with other practitioners in brilliant masterminds, and spent endless hours discussing how to motivate people back to health. I know his heart. I have witnessed his unrelenting commitment to serving humanity. I have seen him in action as he has tirelessly helped his community. He is a gift to the metabolic conversation!
Metabolic Freedom is more than a guide—it’s a lifeline. In this book, Ben masterfully combines decades of research, personal experience, and practical tools to tackle a problem we all face: a broken relationship with food, hormones, and metabolic health. This book doesn’t just promise quick fixes. Instead, it’s a deep dive into restoring the innate intelligence of the body—a philosophy I deeply resonate with. Just as I teach my community about the power of fasting, metabolic flexibility, and hormone balance, Ben emphasizes the importance of resetting the metabolism from the ground up.
Perhaps what struck me most about Metabolic Freedom is its ability to balance cutting-edge science with actionable steps. Ben simplifies complex topics like autophagy, mitochondrial health, and cellular inflammation into digestible (and inspiring) lessons, helping you take back control of your health. His journey from metabolic dysfunction to vibrant health is a testament to the body’s ability to heal itself when given the right tools and environment.
For women, particularly those navigating hormonal shifts like menopause, this book is a treasure trove. Ben’s insights on liver health, hormonal regulation, and the role of key nutrients align beautifully with the principles I teach about fasting and resetting hormones. Whether you’re dealing with insulin resistance, inflammation, or simply feeling stuck in a cycle of low energy, the solutions offered here—like the 30-Day Metabolic Freedom Reset—are designed to work in harmony with your biology, not against it.
To all readers, I encourage you to approach this book not just as a manual but as a movement. Embrace the ancient healing strategies, biohacks, and nutritional wisdom Ben outlines. Your body is designed to thrive, and with the knowledge in these pages, you can unlock a level of health you may have thought was out of reach.
This isn’t just about losing weight or fixing symptoms—it’s about reclaiming your life. I’m honored to write this foreword for Metabolic Freedom and to champion a book that will undoubtedly empower millions to heal their bodies, restore their vitality, and achieve true metabolic health.
Here’s to your journey of transformation and freedom. I know Ben and I are both cheering you on!
— Dr. Mindy Pelz
New York Times best-selling author of Eat Like a Girl, Fast Like a Girl, and The Menopause Reset