167: Are Humans Herbivores By Design? With Dr. Douglas Graham (Creator of the 80-10-10 Diet)

Human beings are designed for the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

That single sentence is what inspired today's guest, Dr. Douglas Graham, to experiment with his diet for decades, which led to his creation of the counterintuitive 80-10-10 Diet. He's sustained this dieting approach for 40 years even though it defies the most common advice from "health experts."

And it's also why Dr. Graham doesn't cook his food.

This is an eye-opening episode that will challenge your beliefs about health, diet, and longevity. It certainly challenged my beliefs.

It is NOT about biohacking (because Dr. Graham doesn't believe in it).

It is also NOT about prioritizing protein consumption.

Instead, it's about controlling the parameters (substances, forces, influences, and conditions) that create health in the human body.

Listen now.

Here's what Dr. Graham and I discuss:

• Are humans herbivores by design? All the evidence suggests that's the case…

• The truth about eating a raw food diet (and why a cooked food cannot be considered a "whole food")

• Why you might be eating too much fat and too much protein

And more, including…

• How modern society approaches health in the complete opposite way (instead of focusing on the causes of disease, it's often more helpful to focus on the causes of health) (8:09)

• Here are 2 reasons why you don't feel better after seeing a chiropractor straight from a retired chiropractor himself (12:34)

• Why your body responds to all types of trauma -- physical, chemical, or emotional -- in the same exact way (and what this insight means for recovering from trauma) (13:45)

• Why most of trauma the average person has today comes from chemical trauma (NOT emotional or physical though those types can happen) (15:43)

• A scientific reality that explains why cooked food can lead to disease (18:09)

• How Dr. Graham's strict raw fruit and veggie diet made his endurance go through the roof, gave him pristine mental clarity, significantly increased his recall, allowed him to cut his sleep by 25% without any negative effects, and even made him more compassionate (25:02)

• The "80-10-10 Diet" popularized by Dr. Graham after experimenting with all sorts of diets (many of which you've probably never even heard of) for a decade (26:57)

• How reducing the fat intake of type 2 diabetics caused 100% of Dr. Graham's patients to get 100% off insulin in under 72 hours (31:10)

• The "20-80" rule for figuring out which fats your body finds healthy and useful and which ones it finds unhealthy and unuseful (32:42)

• Are high-fat and high-protein diets actually bad for human health? Dr. Graham weighs in with his surprising answer at (40:45)

• Why cooked foods cannot be considered "whole foods" according to Dr. Graham (and backed by science) (52:02)

Guest Bio:

Dr. Douglas Graham is a lifelong athlete, raw-food pioneer, and the creator of The 80/10/10 Diet—the nutritional gold standard for those seeking peak biological performance. A true "living blueprint" for his own teachings, Dr. Graham is the current two-time British Powerlifting Champion and World Champion in Squat, proving that elite strength and fruit-based nutrition go hand in hand.

For over 40 years, he has served as a high-level advisor to world-class performers, including tennis legend Martina Navratilova, NBA pros, and Olympic sprinters. He is the author of numerous definitive works on health, including Nutrition and Athletic Performance and his latest, Perpetual Health 365.

Dr. Graham believes that health is the birthright of every individual. He teaches men how to achieve total vitality and "energy to spare" without supplements, meal replacements, or restrictive "starvation" diets. By aligning with our true frugivore biology, Dr. Graham helps individuals protect their bodies from chronic disease, maintain their natural weight, and develop the functional strength required to live life to the fullest.

A retired chiropractor and organizer of world-renowned water fasting and fruit-feasting retreats, he integrates heavy lifting and resistance training as vital pillars of a long, capable life. Whether leading FUNctional Fitness workshops at his retreats in Costa Rica, Spain, and Bali, or delivering keynote lectures worldwide, Dr. Graham provides the definitive roadmap for those aspiring to excellence in fitness, physique, and longevity.

Please let me know if you need anything further.

Links:

Website: https://foodnsport.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdouglasgraham/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdouglasgraham

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodnSport

Retreats:

Hygiene Heaven Fasting Retreat Costa Rica: https://www.hygiene-heaven.com/crfast-info

RAW Nature Retreat Spain: https://rawnaturetreat.com/

Vitality in Paradise in Bali: https://www.hygiene-heaven.com/vitality-in-paradise

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

1. Man Flow Yoga Events: We just announced new locations for 2026 in-person events. Find the full list of cities we're coming to here: https://manflowyoga.com/man-flow-yoga-events/

2. Man Flow Yoga: Haven't signed up yet? Start your 7-day free trial and see how yoga can eliminate aches and pains better than other types of exercise here: https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7