Feb. 27, 2026

Life Lessons From a Surgeon That Will Change You

Life Lessons From a Surgeon That Will Change You
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconPodcast Addict podcast player iconDeezer podcast player icon
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconPodcast Addict podcast player iconDeezer podcast player icon
Season 1

A phone call from the White House, separating conjoined twins, and a mother working all hours so her kids could see grit in action, Dr. Ben Carson’s story goes beyond headlines.

We talk early awe in the OR, why steady role models matter, and what separates survival from real success. Dr. Ben shares lessons from medicine, faith, and parenting, plus practical wisdom for longevity: whole foods, daily movement, real sleep, and purposeful community.

If you want habits that stick and a fresh perspective on mentoring or health, this one’s for you. 

Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway.

00:00 - A Radio Spin-Off And Nerves

01:06 - Medal Of Freedom Moments

02:26 - Awe Of The Human Brain

04:08 - What Shapes Character

06:09 - Role Models And Parenting

09:05 - Conjoined Twins Breakthroughs

11:35 - Grief, GBM, And Cancer Hopes

13:31 - Longevity, Biohacking, And Meaning

15:03 - Food Systems And Processed Risks

17:22 - Blue Zones And Lifestyle

19:12 - Hyperbaric Hype And Wellness Resorts

20:44 - White House Calls And Honors

22:08 - Cameos, Fundraisers, And Films

24:39 - Sleep As Brain Fuel

26:03 - Faith, Proverbs, And Anger

28:25 - From Knife To Scalpel

29:35 - Marriage, Kids, And Money Lessons

31:40 - Daily Habits, Caffeine, And Exercise

33:36 - Screening Anxiety And AVMs

35:37 - ADHD Labels And Simple Prescriptions

38:17 - Closing Gratitude

WEBVTT

00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:06.879
Okay, so welcome to our podcast.

00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:12.800
This is a little bit different today because this podcast is a spin-off of our radio.

00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:28.559
I gotta say, I'm I'm really intimidated by this interview.

00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:32.399
Uh I say that because I've done I do a radio show.

00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:38.719
I've done a radio show for 30 years, and this podcast is kind of a part of that radio show.

00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:43.520
Um, but with the radio show, I talk to musicians and actors and actresses.

00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.200
You know, you're like a real person.

00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:47.359
I don't know.

00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.960
Actors are pretty real.

00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:55.039
Yeah, but if I make a mistake talking to an actor or something like that, it's just a human mistake.

00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:58.000
If I make a mistake talking to you, I didn't do my research.

00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.119
You know what I mean?

00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:02.960
Uh we'll forgive you if you make any mistakes.

00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:03.840
Okay, good.

00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:06.400
So I have so this so let me start off with this.

00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:11.680
I I I I know you're getting the presidential medal of freedom, or you did get that, or you are getting that.

00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:13.040
All above.

00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:14.079
All of the above.

00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.760
So you got it before and you're getting it again?

00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:16.480
Yes.

00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:18.400
So you can get it more than once.

00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:21.359
There have been two other people who've gotten it more than once.

00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:22.400
Who's that?

00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:28.879
Uh one was Colin Powell, and uh one was a diplomat from way back.

00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:34.319
Uh name it's me at this bunker.

00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:35.680
Bunker was his last name.

00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:37.920
Elsie Ellsworth.

00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:38.719
Oh.

00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.159
Are you getting yours tonight at the at the State of the Union thing?

00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:49.920
Or so somewhere when do they give it to you?

00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:51.840
No, they'll probably be in June.

00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:52.560
Late spring.

00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:53.120
Oh, later.

00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.239
You know, so I I'm curious.

00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:02.480
I mean, I know I know a I have this weird rule on my podcast where I don't like to do a lot of research.

00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:05.439
I just try to do it like whatever's in the top of my mind.

00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:13.919
I look at it like if we were sitting next to each other on an airplane and we had an hour of flight, and we're just kind of shooting the breeze, and we've learned a lot about each other in that flight.

00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:18.879
Um, but I do know lots of things about you because you're such in the huge in the public eye for so long.

00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:25.840
But I know you've held a human brain before, probably many, many human brains, correct?

00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:33.680
Yes, and I I was always awe-stricken when I opened the skull and looked at the brain.

00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:37.199
Because I said, this is what makes this person who they are.

00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:41.680
It's not his skin, it's not his hair, it's not his nose, it's not his eyes.

00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:43.280
It's this thing right here.

00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:43.599
Yeah.

00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:45.919
The same pounds of matter.

00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:47.120
It's incredible.

00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:52.879
Is there anything now that relates to that in normal life that makes you nervous?

00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.879
I mean, you know, because you haven't probably cracked open a skull in a while, have you?

00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:59.120
No, it's been several years.

00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.960
Uh I would not be willing to do it now after all these years.

00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:10.159
But a lot of times I look back on my operative notes and I say, What?

00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:11.680
Are you kidding me?

00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:14.879
But what about in everyday life today?

00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.919
Is there anything that we're that's that that's that nerve-wracking in your everyday life?

00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.479
Or do you go, I've held the human brain, I can do this?

00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:29.280
Well, you know, I I never cease to be amazed at all the different things that I see.

00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:35.680
I'm I'm amazed by the psychology of being a human being.

00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.800
What makes different people act in different ways?

00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:41.680
Why do they grow up in certain ways?

00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:48.080
Why do some people live in horrible environments and manage to come out and do spectacular things?

00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:54.159
Why do other people who live in the most luxurious environments end up being total slops?

00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:00.000
You know, what goes into that brain to bring those outcomes?

00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:01.599
I find that fascinating.

00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:03.360
Have you got any answers?

00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:04.639
Uh I do.

00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.439
I do have opinions, absolutely.

00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:08.800
Like everybody else.

00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:10.479
So then what are your opinions?

00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:21.519
Why does somebody in the slums come out to be uh a well-rounded person and successful or versus a wealthy person that grew up with everything they have turn out to be a serial killer?

00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:27.519
Because I think some people are able to see role models.

00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.920
You can see good role models and you can see bad role models.

00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:37.759
But it's very unusual for somebody who has good role models in their lives to turn out to be a slot.

00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:44.639
And it's unusual for somebody who has a bunch of bad role models to turn out to be a decent person.

00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:48.800
I I have that same theory uh uh I've been working on it a little bit.

00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:56.800
I feel like the opposite sex parent has to be a very, very important role model in someone's life, the opposite sex parent.

00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:00.399
Because I was thinking about this, I brought this up on my radio show many times.

00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:09.360
How if you think about every woman in your life that was, let's just use the word crazy, they always always had a bad relationship with their father.

00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:10.079
Always.

00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:12.160
It's never not happened.

00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:13.600
Would you agree?

00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:17.839
I don't like to say never, but I would say generally you're right.

00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:25.759
I mean, they can have it like a lot of women that that message me when I talk about this that say, Well, hey, my father died when I was young.

00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:33.199
I'm like, okay, but you you probably had another strong father figure that stepped in, like a good stepfather, an uncle, an older brother.

00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.920
And those anyway, that's just my own little my own little thing.

00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:40.560
Yeah, well, you know, my father exited early in my life.

00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:46.800
And my mother tried to play both roles, but she realized that she fully couldn't do that.

00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:53.279
So she would try to set us up with very good role models.

00:05:53.920 --> 00:06:08.319
Uh whenever she discovered somebody who was willing to uh let some boys hang out with them, who were solid figures, who believed in hard work, who believed in God, who had ethical foundation.

00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.279
She would try to make sure that we could spend some time with them.

00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.360
But you were very close with your mother?

00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:14.000
Yes.

00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:16.800
Yes, I was.

00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:25.360
In fact, um, you know, both my brother and I worked very hard to try to please her.

00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.040
Because we knew how hard she was working.

00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:45.279
And she would work two and three jobs at a time, leaving the house at five in the morning, getting back at midnight, going from job to job to job because she wanted to maintain control over her own house, and she didn't want to be dependent on the government.

00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:47.439
And a lot of people thought that was strange.

00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:51.759
They're always saying, Oh, come on, you government will give you this and that and that.

00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.480
She really wasn't interested.

00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:56.959
Do you have do you have any daughters?

00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:58.079
I do not.

00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.920
I never I never had sisters, I never had daughters.

00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:03.519
How many boys do you have?

00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:04.639
Three sons.

00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:05.839
So do I.

00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:07.920
So do I.

00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:10.079
And they all got married in 2011.

00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:11.120
Oh, they did?

00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:12.480
Oh my gosh.

00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:13.040
Oh.

00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.199
Mine are all in college right now.

00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.240
All three of them.

00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:16.959
Yeah.

00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:21.120
Um, you being a nurse, so side note, because I know you uh I what was it?

00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.720
You separated twins that had the same brain?

00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:26.560
Is that uh is there there's a word for that, right?

00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:34.240
Or is it they were occipital occipital craniopagus, which means they were joined at the back of the head.

00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:44.720
And uh that's a very precarious place to be joined because all the drainage systems for the brain come through that way, which is why it never worked before.

00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:46.399
And what year was that?

00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:48.160
Uh 1987.

00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:50.720
And are the are they it was successful?

00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:51.759
They're still around?

00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.439
Well, it was successful in that they survived for many years.

00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:56.079
Oh.

00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:10.079
Um, I don't consider it fully successful because uh because I have seen a fully successful case, case that we did in South Africa, uh, and they were what we call type II vertical craniopagus.

00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:13.600
They would join at the top of the head facing in opposite directions.

00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:19.120
There had been 13 attempts to separate twins like that before, none of which had been successful.

00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:29.279
But some of the things we learned from the other cases made it possible to separate twins, and they're adults now, and they're perfectly normal.

00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:30.480
That's fantastic.

00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:42.960
My when I tell you I had three sons, my wife and I actually also had twin girls, but they were they were joined by the they were sharing a placenta and they had what's called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, and uh it was terrible.

00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:47.039
It it didn't, it one they one was born stillborn, and the other one lived nine days.

00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:47.919
They couldn't.

00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:49.600
Yeah, it was a disaster.

00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.840
But when I hear about the successful separation of twins, that's fantastic.

00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:57.120
Well, it's it still hurts when you think about those babies.

00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:00.720
It does, especially because it was on Valentine's Day, right?

00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:06.080
Every Valentine's Day, uh my wife is uh it's an emotional roller coaster of a day.

00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:11.759
And I try to I try to focus on the three boys to let her know hey, look, we wouldn't have these if it wasn't for that.

00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.879
I and and it's just it's just a tough time.

00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:20.720
Another thing speaking to brains, my mother, my mother uh had a GBM.

00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.000
How terrible is that?

00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:24.639
Yeah, that's about the worst thing you can get.

00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:25.440
I know, right?

00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:26.879
It was a it was a level four.

00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:28.480
She lived 18 months.

00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.039
That's a long time for a grade four, clear blessing.

00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:32.000
That's what I hear, yeah.

00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:33.519
And that was in 2011.

00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.919
And then now you hear, I now hear all these things.

00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:44.639
I mean, they're still 18 months, it's still a long time, but there's all these trials, and there's all I saw this thing on TikTok that was like nicotine gets rid of GBMs.

00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:46.879
I mean, is that is that can't be true, right?

00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.320
No, that's not true.

00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.519
But uh, I mean, I think we will eventually have a solution.

00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.080
It probably will not be a surgical solution.

00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:57.759
It will probably depend on the immune system.

00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:04.799
I found I'm sorry, being able to detect and destroy uh at an early stage.

00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:07.919
I found this clinic in Cancun, Mexico.

00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:11.840
They're called it's called Immunoscene is the name of the clinic.

00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.720
And I guess they can do a lot of stuff there they can't do here.

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:32.960
And one and I interviewed one of the doctors um, and they tell me this makes sense if I'm saying it right, but they can come up with a vaccine specifically for that human being that has cancer for their for their tumor, and they inject the tumor with whatever, and there's like an 80% success rate.

00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:36.000
It's very expensive, but it it gets rid of the tumors.

00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:36.879
Familiar?

00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:39.039
Uh yes, I've heard about that.

00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:42.000
Um it could have some merit.

00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:48.240
It's obviously gonna have to be something that can be duplicated and shown to work widely.

00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:59.200
Uh so I'm always a little skeptical uh when people say they have these great cures for things, because if there was all that great, it would really get out there pretty quickly.

00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:00.799
Yeah, true.

00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:02.080
What's your take right now?

00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:13.840
I think one of the biggest things, I saw this thing about status symbols now in in life, or uh, you know, it used to be Ferraris and it used to be floor seats to a Lakers game, but now they're saying it's longevity.

00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.519
It's uh and there's all these biohackers that are out there now.

00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:19.200
What's your take on that stuff?

00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:27.679
Well, you know, I think uh it doesn't really matter how long you live, as long as you lead a successful life.

00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:36.480
And uh because it's quite frankly, against the backdrop of eternity, if you're here for one day or 100 years, it's about the same.

00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:37.840
I guess you're right.

00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:43.759
But while you're here on this planet, so you can live a healthier life, is there anything you recommend?

00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:45.120
I I saw this guy.

00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:46.799
What what what do you got?

00:11:47.120 --> 00:12:00.240
Uh well, as you know, uh the current administration's been working very hard on the food pyramid and uh on the dietary guidelines, and it makes a huge difference.

00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:21.120
Uh you know, we have all these things going on in our country, uh massive increase in uh autism, uh ADHD, uh a whole bunch of chronic illnesses, uh, diabetes, much more so than people have in other developed countries.

00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:32.080
And one thing that we're finding uh that we allow that they don't allow is a lot of highly processed foods.

00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:48.559
And uh we take a lot of the God-given natural uh nutrients out and replace them with artificial colors and artificial flavors and artificial what, that, this, that, and the other.

00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.879
That's not doing our people any good.

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:55.279
I have a very good friend who has a difficult case of diabetes.

00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:07.440
And uh so last year he went to Italy uh to a villa on the Amalfi coast, and he spent three months there.

00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.080
His diabetes completely disappeared.

00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:10.960
What?

00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:12.639
Completely.

00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:19.919
But he was eating fresh fruits and vegetables right out of the garden at the villa every day.

00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.840
Uh very little in the way of processed foods.

00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.639
Uh exercising, drinking plenty of water.

00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:48.639
If we did those things, in fact, I'm very fond of saying if if if everybody ate three well-balanced meals, drank six to eight glasses of water, exercised regularly, got regular sleep, and didn't put harmful substances in their bodies, most people in medicine would be out of a job.

00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:49.279
Wow.

00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:53.679
Having said that, medicine is a very good occupation because they're not going to do it.

00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:54.559
Right.

00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:59.039
Is there any kind of special foods that you eat that you treat yourself?

00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.600
Do you do you ever have a uh a soda?

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:04.799
Do you eat ice cream with chemicals in it, or you eat it a clean eater?

00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:13.200
I try to stick to a healthy diet, but I will occasionally submit to a donut or something.

00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.080
There you go.

00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:14.480
Okay.

00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:15.519
So you are human.

00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.919
I'd say you gotta die of something.

00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:31.919
The guy that went to Italy, I've heard about those stories before where you go there and like you they eat bread, they eat pasta, they eat all the stuff that we wouldn't eat here because it's like that's bad for you, but they eat it there and it works because there's no chemicals in the food.

00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.039
Exactly.

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.639
Uh they're tasty.

00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:36.879
I mean, have you been to Italy?

00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:38.000
A long time ago.

00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:40.879
Oh my goodness, some of the food is unbelievable.

00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.720
I know that's actually why every every year uh my family takes a trip somewhere.

00:14:44.879 --> 00:15:01.759
We were in London and Amsterdam over the summer, and I tried to make it an active trip so that we're out, we're walking, we're hiking, we're doing something, and they all want to go to Italy, and I'm afraid because of the food, because I love to eat and I just don't want to be, you know, get that carb tiredness, you know.

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.559
I've lost a hundred pounds in my time and I don't want to gain it back.

00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.440
I see very, very few fat people over there.

00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:08.000
Right?

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.279
It's pretty wild.

00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.799
But you know, they walk up and down the stairs.

00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:21.840
You see 80, 80-year-old women carrying heavy packages, 100, 200 steps, and it doesn't even win them.

00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:22.639
I know.

00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:26.559
I saw I saw that documentary on Netflix, everyone's eating the purple potatoes.

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:31.200
But you know, there are you you've probably heard of the blue zones.

00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.600
Yes, that's why I was watching the documentary on that.

00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:33.840
Yeah.

00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.639
Yeah, I mean, there are seven of them in the world.

00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.840
One of them happens to be in the United States of America.

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:40.799
Where?

00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.559
Uh Loma Linda, California, San Bernardino County.

00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:45.440
Really?

00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.320
Yeah.

00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:51.360
You have a lot of people there who live to be a hundred years old or more.

00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:55.120
Because that's a stronghold for Seventh-day Adventists.

00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:56.240
Oh.

00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:01.919
Who have a tremendous emphasis on diet and healthy living.

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:05.120
So you actually learned that in medical school.

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:16.559
All first-year medical students learned that there are certain communities in our country that live for a very long time and it's related to lifestyle.

00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:22.799
And it helps doctors to realize that that's a major part of health as lifestyle.

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.000
And community, like having friends and eating right.

00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:26.960
Absolutely.

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.600
There's this guy, uh, Brian Johnson.

00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:30.240
Have you heard of him?

00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:32.480
He's trying to live to be like 400 years old.

00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:35.120
Have you heard of this guy yet?

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.679
No.

00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:36.720
400 years old.

00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.960
Well, he's trying to live, he's trying to live like hundreds of years old for real.

00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:48.720
And he he um he does blood transfusions, he does the TPE, he takes all the blood out of his body and uh for all the chemicals.

00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.159
He does hyperbaric chambers, he does all these different things.

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.080
He's all he's all over the news trying to live for it.

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.679
He took he took his son's blood, his 19-year-old son's blood, and put it in his body.

00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:59.279
And he did all these different things.

00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:03.279
I I think he's the guy that invented Venmo, so he sold it for like two billion.

00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:09.119
So I think he spends about two million a year on his life to try to elongate it and he's like 40 something.

00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:18.240
And he says there's two things that he he all these studies he said, if he could do one thing, he recommends olive oil, like a tablespoon of olive oil every day.

00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.640
Like if he says everybody can do that.

00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:21.680
Do you agree with that?

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:22.559
Is that healthy?

00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:29.920
Well, I agree that olive oil is a very good substitute for some of the fats that we use to cook with.

00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.559
And you know, for salad dressings and a whole bunch of things.

00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:38.240
Uh, I don't know about all this other stuff.

00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:44.160
Um well, but but if it makes him happy and he can afford it, I'll tell it to him.

00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.000
Well, that and then he said the hyperbaric chamber, which is very expensive.

00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:53.359
He does he does uh 90 minutes a day, and it he saw all kinds of benefits from a hyperbaric chamber.

00:17:53.599 --> 00:18:14.240
Yeah, there's a there's a place here in Florida uh that's very much like uh it was built as a resort, and it has the hyperbaric chambers, it has all kinds of heat and massage things, various types of diets, exercise, and uh people seem to love it.

00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.480
They do very well, but it's very expensive.

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.480
Yeah, I've done it a few times.

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:26.240
Um so you're getting when you get the presidential medal, freedom of honor medal, is that is that a phone call?

00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:27.599
Is that a text message?

00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:30.400
Like how how how do you get that information?

00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.920
How do you find out when it is going to be or what?

00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:40.079
Yeah, like when you when you find out you were getting it, who did somebody someone say, hey, make sure you're by the phone, say, and is it the president that calls you?

00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:40.799
Who calls you?

00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:46.480
The first time I got it, uh, I found out I was in Indianapolis.

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:53.599
We were we were doing something with our scholarship program, the Carson Scholars Fund with the Indianapolis Colts.

00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:03.759
And uh I get this phone call, and they said, This is the White House, and we want to speak to Dr.

00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:04.880
Ben Carson.

00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:10.799
And they said, You're going to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.640
I I said, Excuse me?

00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:17.200
I said, no, this is Ben Carson, the the neurosurgeon.

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:24.720
I said, You sure you got the right person?

00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:27.200
Um, but they were sure.

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:32.880
Well, uh a very good friend of mine who is a physician had gotten it the year before.

00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.960
That was Francis Collins.

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.279
I said, but I can see him getting it.

00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:40.000
I mean, he unraveled the human genome.

00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:41.680
Why would they want to give it to me?

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.319
But that happened uh back in uh 2008.

00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:59.279
And then for this one, uh I found out along with everybody else, uh President Trump was giving a speech.

00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:03.839
And he said, you know you're getting the presidential level of freedom.

00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:08.079
Wow.

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:11.119
Do you just do with the president do you guys text?

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:15.440
Uh we talk uh from time to time and text also.

00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:21.279
But like if you had to call him, you just call him from your cell phone and he picks up, or is it do people intercept it?

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:23.680
No, he's he's very responsive.

00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:30.799
But a lot of times he would he'll call you back at 11 30 or 12 at night and say, Are you awake?

00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:37.599
Well, and and do you have like is he in your phone as President Donald Trump or just Donald Trump?

00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.640
No, I have it coded in case somebody finds my phone.

00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:41.440
Do you really?

00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:42.480
That's wild.

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:46.000
Is it is it you give him like a name like Bernie or something?

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.839
So or something, yeah.

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.640
Well, you don't have to tell me the name, but you can see it's is it is it a person's name that's not him?

00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:53.839
Yes.

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.279
That's wild.

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.599
See that that that's a good story.

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.279
Wow.

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:04.400
So you're also, I saw you're playing yourself in a movie.

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.799
Uh I made a cameo appearance.

00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:10.240
Are you talking about stuck on you or are you talking about gifted hands?

00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:15.119
No, I'm talking about um the the 250-year anniversary.

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.839
It's like I think it's a oh that's coming up.

00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:21.680
Yeah, Star Spangled Adventures to that's it, that's it.

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:26.480
Star Spangled Adventures the 250th uh anniversary of our founding.

00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.279
Wait a second.

00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:28.400
You're on Stuck in You?

00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:29.920
Stuck on You, that movie?

00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.880
Yeah, with Greg Kneer and Matt Damon?

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.839
Yeah, yeah.

00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.960
They were conjoined twins.

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.400
They were conjoined twins.

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:41.599
And I I I was kind of taken aback when I got the call.

00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:49.759
Uh would you appear in a movie about Siamese twins and being a doctor who separates them?

00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.680
I said, wait a minute.

00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:56.079
Uh I said I usually don't do things like that.

00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:58.240
I said, where are they joined?

00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.759
And they said, at the liver.

00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:03.680
I said, but I'm a neurosurgeon.

00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:05.519
We deal with the brain.

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.279
They said, that's okay.

00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:11.039
And I said, uh, well, what's the storyline?

00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:14.240
I said, two brothers uh stuck together.

00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.079
I said, are they identical twins?

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:17.039
I said, no.

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:21.039
I said, Sami's twins can only be identical twins.

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:24.559
And I'm a pediatric neurosurgeon.

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:27.119
They said, that's okay.

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:29.680
I said, let me read the script.

00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:31.839
I read the script, it was pretty funny.

00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:42.960
And I said, I will do it if you will have the premiere in Baltimore, and we can use it as a fundraiser for our charities.

00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:43.920
Wow.

00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:51.519
And uh Matt Damon and Greg here and some of the others came to the fundraiser and we raised uh over$500,000.

00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:53.440
That's fantastic.

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.960
Yeah, it was cool.

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.960
Yeah, you don't really do that kind of stuff.

00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.440
That's great.

00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:58.640
That's a great story.

00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:03.359
You know, when I I was telling you, I don't really like to do a lot of research, right?

00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:16.720
And would and I'm very nervous about talking to you, but I guess you're the people that helped schedule this texted the people on my side versus your side, and they and they they they said they called you DBC, right?

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.680
Have you ever heard that before?

00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:18.480
DBC?

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.279
Yes, yes.

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:24.000
And when I I was DBC, I was like, oh, and I said to myself, I go, Dr.

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:24.880
Ben Carson.

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:30.640
But wait, but then but then I go, you ever remember the fugitive with Harrison Ford?

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.680
Did you ever see that movie?

00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:32.319
Yes.

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:38.640
I remember that when when uh Tommy Lee Jones is like, all right, we're looking for a fugitive, and his name is this, this, and this.

00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.839
His name is Dr.

00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:41.039
Richard Kimball.

00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:42.400
And I just heard Dr.

00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:43.839
Ben Carson in my head.

00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:47.359
And I was like, Come in here, I'm shaving, come in here, and I'm going, Dr.

00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:48.400
Ben Carson.

00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:50.480
And then I went, DBC.

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:53.519
It reminded me of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:56.319
Obi-Wan, Ben Carson.

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:57.200
Dr.

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.920
Ben Carson.

00:23:58.319 --> 00:23:58.799
Obi-Wan.

00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:02.319
Anyway, so my wife has a great sense of humor.

00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:06.319
And sometimes she's calling me or somebody's calling me, and I don't hear them.

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:08.160
And she says, Dr.

00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.039
Carson.

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.880
Oh, oh, he heard that.

00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:21.440
But she always, always used to teach me about the babies because I could never hear the babies crying at nighttime.

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:23.119
It would never wake me up.

00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:26.079
But the beeper, boom, instant wake up.

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:29.440
The dad can sleep through the babies.

00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:31.200
I remember those times.

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:34.799
Well, I'm grateful that you took the time to sit down and talk to me, Dr.

00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:35.440
Carson.

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:36.640
I'm very nervous still.

00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:38.480
But a couple quick quick more questions.

00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:44.640
Is there something that we do every day that Americans do every day without knowing it that is something that's really bad for the brain?

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.559
Outside of like smoking or something?

00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:48.640
Is there something simple that we do every day?

00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.599
Yeah.

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:51.599
Not get enough sleep.

00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:55.359
The brain needs sleep.

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:57.279
It needs those times.

00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:08.640
Even dreaming is revitalizing and allowing a lot of conflicts to work themselves out without you even knowing it.

00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:11.519
Is there a minimum amount of hours you think we need?

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:14.559
Well, you know, there are people like Trump who never sleep.

00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.039
Right.

00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:18.319
And other people who, as soon as they sit down, they're asleep.

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:23.200
Um like I wear I wear the uh the a whoop to monitor everything.

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.720
I wear an O ring at night.

00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.400
I got that sleep eight mattress.

00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:27.920
So I do a radio morning show.

00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.359
So for 30 years, I've been getting about four and a half hours sleep.

00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:37.279
And in the last two years, I've been really focusing on my sleep, and I've gotten myself up to seven hours now.

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.240
That's good.

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:40.079
Is is do you think seven is good?

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:40.880
Six is good?

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:44.160
Seven, eight, or nine is good.

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.160
Do you monitor your sleep?

00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:53.680
Um I try to keep, I try to go to bed early enough so that I can get the requisite amount of sleep.

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.279
Do you go to bed at 10?

00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.319
Do you go to bed before that?

00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.880
It depends on when I have to get up the next morning.

00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.680
Are there any TV shows that you must watch?

00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:09.440
No TV shows that I must watch, but my wife and I sometimes look at uh Family Feud.

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.960
Family Feud?

00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:12.160
It's so funny.

00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:20.000
I mean, you tell me there's not, you don't get on Netflix and watch a serial killer documentary or watch one of those shows that are just popular on Amazon Prime or something?

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:23.039
It's pretty hard to keep me awake with a movie.

00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:24.079
What about books?

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:26.160
Are you reading any non-medical books?

00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:29.440
Well, we always uh end the day reading from the Bible.

00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:31.680
Oh, I start the day reading from the Bible.

00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:45.119
I start today with it, uh it gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of strength, particularly the book of Proverbs.

00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:53.039
You know, I I started reading that when I was a teenager, uh, after I had almost stabbed someone.

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:59.519
And uh I locked myself in the bathroom and I started thinking about my life.

00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:01.359
I had turned things around academically.

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:11.279
I'd gone from a horrible student to a straight A student, but I realized I would never realize my dream of becoming a doctor with the temper that I had.

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:17.279
And I just prayed that God would take it from me and there was a Bible there.

00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:26.240
I picked it up, opened to the book of Proverbs, and there are all these verses about anger and the trouble that it gets you into.

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:37.279
But there are also verses about people who can control themselves, how a man who can control his temper is greater than a man who can conquer a city.

00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:53.039
And I stayed in there for three hours reading and contemplating and praying, and I came to an understanding during that three hours that the reason I got angry so often is because I was selfish.

00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:56.799
Because it was always about me, myself, and I.

00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:01.200
Somebody did this to me, somebody's in my space, I want this.

00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:08.720
And if you could just take yourself out of the middle of the equation and put someone else there, it would solve the problem.

00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:09.440
And it did.

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:12.079
That was my last angry outburst.

00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:16.480
And people who know me now can't believe I ever was like that.

00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.880
But it it changed me.

00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:29.920
And what's really cool about that story, uh, I think God has a sense of humor because who wrote the book of Proverbs?

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:31.359
Solomon.

00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.079
My middle name is Solomon.

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.519
Wow.

00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:42.000
And when Solomon became the king of Israel, remember the first thing he did that brought him great acclaim?

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:45.119
Two women claimed to be the mother of the same baby.

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.960
And what did he advocate?

00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:48.880
He said, divide the baby.

00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:52.559
Give one half to one and one half to the other.

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:56.079
Well, when did I become very well known?

00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:58.319
When I divided babies.

00:28:58.640 --> 00:29:00.400
I think he has a sense of humor.

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.200
Yeah.

00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:04.240
Um, who is the person you were almost going to stab?

00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:06.079
Uh, just a schoolmate.

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.200
Well, what's his name?

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.480
Maybe he's in the Bible too.

00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:10.079
Uh I I don't.

00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:11.200
Goliath?

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.440
That's you wouldn't call him that.

00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:17.440
What how close did you get to stabbing him?

00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:21.200
He had on a large metal belt buckle under his clothing.

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:23.759
And a knife blade struck that and broke.

00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:24.640
Oh, wow.

00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:26.799
Oh, so you did stab him, but it broke.

00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:31.839
If it hadn't been for that belt buckle, my life would have gone in a very different direction.

00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:33.039
Wow.

00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:34.720
Wow.

00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:38.720
So but but here's here's what's also cool.

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:42.160
I'd I'd say there are all these little god winks in your life.

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.599
I bel I believe it.

00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:55.200
Because uh he took the knife from an angry teenager meant to take lives and replaced it with a scalpel meant to save lives.

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:58.319
Man, you are hitting me with some big stuff today, Dr.

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:58.960
Carson.

00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:00.160
That's amazing.

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.119
That's beautiful.

00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:03.440
Is this you have this all in your books?

00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:06.640
Uh it's in various of my books, yes.

00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:13.920
So for you now, whenever you you you don't have any other outlet for anger, it's not boxing, it's not running, it's not lifting weights.

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:16.240
Like, is that also an outlet for anger?

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:18.640
It's very hard to make me angry.

00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.319
I just I just let it roll off my back.

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:26.799
Having three boys, there was never a point where they took you to a level of anger?

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.240
Very, very few situations where that happened.

00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:36.240
Tell me the one who could get under my skin the mouth if she wanted to is my wife.

00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.279
Your wife?

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:39.359
What was the last time you guys got into a fight?

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.000
What was it about?

00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:47.759
We've been married for 50 years, and it's been a very long time, many, many years.

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:58.559
I've been married 30, and we just got into a fight the other day because she made a she made a calendar appointment on her phone and she got the date wrong and the time wrong and got mad at me.

00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:02.400
That sounds like fun.

00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:03.279
That's a fun app.

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:09.440
So wait, being a dad of three boys, you gotta have a story about your boys and something, something that had they snug.

00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:13.920
I had my youngest, we found out at 16 he was going out the doggy door and going to a girl's house.

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:15.119
We had to track him down.

00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:16.720
Gotta have a story like that.

00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:30.000
Well, we got a lot of stories, but uh my middle son actually uh in elementary school was a loan shark, and we didn't know that.

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:40.799
He would make friends with all the big bad guys, and then he would uh loan people money, and they would have to pay it back.

00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:59.440
That's crazy, but you know, he he has always been uh very facile with with money, and once he was doing an interview in a magazine, they said, uh, how did you get so good with money?

00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.720
And he said, Because my parents would never give me any.

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:08.319
Now it's not true that we didn't give them an allowance, but they had to earn it.

00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:15.039
We didn't just give them stuff because I was very afraid that they would be spoiled.

00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:29.839
And both my wife and I grew up poor and our kids grew up just the opposite, and we didn't want to take the chance of them becoming spoiled little rotten kids.

00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:30.559
Right.

00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:34.960
So we did everything we could to avoid that.

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:45.119
But uh but that son has become extremely successful uh financially, and he has three kids of his own now.

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:47.279
What line of work is he in?

00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:49.839
Uh mergers and acquisitions.

00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:50.799
Wow.

00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:53.920
What a story, what a success story.

00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.039
How about the oldest?

00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.519
I I I I worry about all three of my boys because they're all in college right now, and I don't know what they're gonna do.

00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:01.119
You know, it kind of freaks me out a little bit.

00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:03.599
Did all three of your boys go down a good path?

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.799
They all did.

00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:14.480
Uh the oldest uh became an engineer and then more recently switched to IT, and the youngest one is an accountant.

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:15.279
Wow.

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:18.079
Does he do they all do they work with you at all ever?

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.839
Like does he do your books?

00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:22.880
Uh no, my books are very complex.

00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:30.079
And you know, my accountant has been with me for 30 plus years.

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:31.680
Well, what's your day like?

00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:33.440
Do you get up in the morning and go for a walk?

00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:34.319
Do you have breakfast?

00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:35.119
Do you fast?

00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:36.240
Do you drink coffee?

00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:38.240
No, I don't drink coffee.

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:46.640
Um because, you know, as a neurosurgeon, I did a lot of work under the microscope.

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:53.839
And the little tremors that caffeine causes are magnified significantly under the microscope.

00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:56.480
And I just got used to not drinking it.

00:33:56.640 --> 00:34:00.480
So I after I stopped operating, I still don't drink.

00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:04.960
But I can't say but I do get up and exercise every morning.

00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:10.639
I can't tell you how terrible that is for me because my doc I just started drinking coffee like two years ago.

00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.039
Because my doctor was like, this will help you fast and curb your appetite.

00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:17.840
So I drink two cups of coffee in the morning at 6 a.m.

00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:18.719
and I don't eat till one.

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.920
I fast all day.

00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:22.880
So now I would thought for sure you're gonna go, coffee's great for your brain.

00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:24.000
Now you're just totally thrown up.

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.519
Now I'm gonna gain 100 pounds again.

00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:30.320
I'm sure you can you can exercise the weight off.

00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:37.679
You know, people are always saying, well, I don't eat that much, but I just keep gaining weight.

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:40.159
And they say, I got a gland problem.

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:42.800
I say, Yeah, you got a gland problem.

00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:44.639
That's a salivary gland.

00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:49.920
Because you cannot gain weight if you burn more calories than you take in.

00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:51.119
You're right.

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:52.000
Right.

00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:56.639
There's a you know, there's this getting back to the quick um the longevity thing.

00:34:56.800 --> 00:35:00.320
I had the opportunity a couple years ago to do one of those full body MRIs.

00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:03.360
Have you heard about those things that would check yourself?

00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:09.360
And and and I always my sister would be like, if you go to these things, they're gonna find something, right?

00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:15.039
But I was my dad died of a heart attack at 66 years old, so I wanted to make sure that I was around for my three kids.

00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:17.119
So I wanted to do everything, and he was in great shape.

00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:19.039
So I got this full body MRI.

00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:24.000
Everything was fine, except they find out I have this thing of these veins right here.

00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:25.440
What's it you know it's called something?

00:35:27.920 --> 00:35:31.920
Yes, yes, and they say I could have had it my whole life or I could have just got it.

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:34.079
But it it could just make you go like that, right?

00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:34.880
Like it's bad.

00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:38.000
Yeah, and then now you're gonna worry yourself to death about it.

00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:39.519
Exactly, right?

00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:43.519
So this is since we're like zooming, it's like telemed.

00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:44.400
You can give me some advice.

00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:46.239
How serious is that is that on my head?

00:35:46.320 --> 00:35:46.960
Is it bad?

00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:53.199
Well, usually what they will do is do serial scans to make sure it's not changing, make sure it's not growing.

00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:55.199
Yeah, every year I have to go get a scan.

00:35:55.440 --> 00:36:00.960
Yeah, if it's changing, then you have to start talking about maybe doing something about it.

00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:06.719
But if it's staying exactly the same or even shrinking, you don't have to worry too much about it.

00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:10.639
But there are certain activities that you would want to stay away from.

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:11.599
Like?

00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:16.000
Like raising your blood pressure, things that raise your blood pressure.

00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:16.800
Okay.

00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:23.280
If there is something you have to do about it, uh maybe I come see you in Florida, you go in, take a little off the top.

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:24.559
Where are you now?

00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:25.760
In Phoenix.

00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:28.239
Oh, you've got the Barrel Institute there.

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.280
Yeah, that's true.

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:34.800
They they they are excellent when it comes to arterial venous malformations.

00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:35.920
Okay, good.

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:38.239
Well, I'm gonna save this tape.

00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:40.480
Uh Dr.

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:43.360
Carson, thank you so much for jumping on this podcast with me.

00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:44.079
It was a pleasure, Ty.

00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:49.440
I was so how how do you think I did, okay, so for not ever doing an interview in a real person, famous person?

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:54.000
I found interviewing with you to be most enjoyable.

00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.039
For real?

00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:55.519
That's awesome.

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:55.840
Excellent.

00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:56.719
That's awesome.

00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.239
It was very good.

00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.360
I like it.

00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:03.840
Uh the spot the spontaneous the spontaneity is a very nice feature.

00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:08.159
Would you say if you could you would I be diagnosed with an ADHD or no?

00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:10.159
Uh I haven't seen enough of it yet.

00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:12.960
I was I haven't seen any evidence of it.

00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:13.679
Good.

00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:16.000
Because I went to go see a psychiatrist with Tom.

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:17.840
He told me I had it, and he put me on the, he put me on.

00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:18.719
Check this out.

00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:20.480
He gave me this Adderall, right?

00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:22.400
So I get on an airplane, I take an Adderall.

00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:24.000
I've never taken drugs in my life.

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:28.239
I take an Adderall, I get on the plane, I was finding it at LA for something, and I couldn't move.

00:37:28.320 --> 00:37:31.119
I couldn't, and I was in the emergency role, and they're like, we need you to verbally.

00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:36.159
And I was like, uh, so they put me off Adderall and they gave me something called Vivance.

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:38.880
So I take this Vivance stuff.

00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:44.639
And I mean, I was like really focused, but then the ratings on my radio show started to dip.

00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:46.480
And I was like, I'm getting off this stuff.

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:48.000
I just let my brain do whatever it does.

00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:51.440
So I'm I'm this is only about six months' worth of stuff about 10 years ago.

00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:52.880
So now I've been totally clean.

00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:53.599
Yeah.

00:37:53.840 --> 00:38:03.760
Fresh fruits and vegetables, not a lot of highly processed foods, six to eight glasses of water, good sleep, and good nutrition.

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:05.280
You'll be fine.

00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:06.800
That's it.

00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:09.039
That's my prescription.

00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:09.920
Thank you, Dr.

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:10.559
Carson.

00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:11.599
Thanks for your time, sir.

00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:12.159
Thank you.

00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:13.199
Take care now.

00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:20.320
Okay, so welcome to our podcast.

00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:26.079
This is a little bit different today because this podcast is a spin off of our radio.