Stay Off My Operating Table Podcast By Dr. Philip Ovadia cover art

Stay Off My Operating Table

Stay Off My Operating Table

By: Dr. Philip Ovadia
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About this listen

I was a morbidly obese heart surgeon.


All through high school, college, med school and surgical training, I followed the U.S. dietary guidelines for both diet and exercise. Yet nothing I did kept the weight off.


I just kept getting fatter and fatter.

Each day in surgery, I would split open the chests of people just like me. I knew I was heading for the operating table myself if I didn't find solutions that worked.

In 2016, I finally found a way to lose 100 pounds and keep it off.

Now - in addition to doing heart surgery - I work to help people just like me get healthy, lose the weight and keep it off.


I'm Dr. Philip Ovadia, the rebel M.D. and cardiac surgeon who is working to keep people off my operating table.


http://ovadiahearthealth.com/whitepaper/

Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

© 2025 Stay Off My Operating Table
Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • From Suicidal to Optimal Health: Ben Azadi's Metabolic Revolution
    May 14 2025

    The primary idea is that changing your nutrition can heal both physical and mental health issues by removing interferences that block the body's natural ability to heal itself.


    KISMET

    While many people associate obesity with visible weight gain, Ben shares that although he was clinically obese at 34% body fat, most people wouldn't have recognized him as such due to his height and body type—suggesting that "hidden obesity" may be more common than we realize.


    EPISODE SUMMARY

    Ben Azadi shares his journey from being obese, depressed, and suicidal to achieving optimal health by changing his nutrition and mindset. He explains how his severe depression lifted as a side effect of improving his physical health. Ben discusses the concept that our bodies have an innate ability to heal if we remove interferences like high insulin levels, seed oils, and environmental toxins. He emphasizes that changing your self-image is crucial for sustainable health improvements, as "you will never outperform your self-image." Ben reveals how insulin resistance develops 6-14 years before blood sugar problems appear, making fasting insulin testing critical for early detection. He also discusses how restaurants are beginning to return to cooking with natural fats instead of seed oils. The conversation highlights how symptoms are simply the body's "check engine light" signaling something needs attention, rather than problems requiring medication to suppress.


    NOTABLE QUOTE

    "God built my body and all of our bodies to heal itself. And as long as we remove the interference, the body will heal itself."



    Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia can not respond here. To contact his team please email team@ifixhearts.com

    If you like what you hear, I wanna make it easier for you to take action on your health.

    Head over to i fix hearts.com/book to grab a copy of my book, Stay Off My Operating Table, and if you're ready to go deeper or talk to someone from my team, just go to i fix hearts.com/talk.

    Stay Off My Operating Table on X:

    • Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts
    • Jack Heald: @JackHeald5

    Learn more:

    • Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon
    • Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts
    • Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health
    • Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com

    Theme Song : Rage Against
    Written & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey
    (c) 2016 Mercury Retro Recordings

    Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

    Show more Show less
    58 mins
  • Healthcare Transitions: A Nurse's Guide to Helping Seniors Navigate the System - Cheryl Field
    May 13 2025

    The healthcare system is complex and challenging to navigate, especially for seniors and their caregivers, but preparation and knowledge can help you maintain control, advocate effectively, and achieve better outcomes during healthcare transitions.


    KISMET

    While most assume senior care facilities and nursing homes operate based on modern nutritional science, many still follow outdated dietary guidelines based on the food pyramid, which may negatively impact metabolic health when seniors need more protein and healthy fats for optimal recovery and function.


    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode, master's prepared nurse Cheryl Field shares insights from her 36 years of experience in senior care. She discusses how understanding the healthcare system can help aging adults maintain control during transitions like emergency room visits and hospital stays. Field explains the critical differences between traditional Medicare and managed care options that seniors must navigate when turning 65. She offers practical advice on preparing for healthcare events, including what to bring to the emergency room and how to approach rehabilitation stays positively. Field emphasizes the importance of advance directives, creating a supportive home environment, and embracing a mindset that accepts assistance when needed. The conversation also explores how improved nutrition and metabolic health can benefit both seniors and their caregivers, potentially reducing medication dependence and improving quality of life.


    NOTABLE QUOTE

    "A hundred percent of us will experience a sudden change in health. That's just for certain, whether it's one or the last one, but a hundred percent of us will have some kind of sudden change in health."

    Cheryl Field Contact Info
    website: https://www.cherylfield.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylfield1621/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cheryl-Field-Senior-Care-Consultant/61564158076135/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cefield50/


    Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia can not respond here. To contact his team please email team@ifixhearts.com

    If you like what you hear, I wanna make it easier for you to take action on your health.

    Head over to i fix hearts.com/book to grab a copy of my book, Stay Off My Operating Table, and if you're ready to go deeper or talk to someone from my team, just go to i fix hearts.com/talk.

    Stay Off My Operating Table on X:

    • Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts
    • Jack Heald: @JackHeald5

    Learn more:

    • Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon
    • Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts
    • Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health
    • Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com

    Theme Song : Rage Against
    Written & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey
    (c) 2016 Mercury Retro Recordings

    Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Carnivore Diet Success: How Courtney Luna Lost 55 Pounds and Improved Mental Health
    May 6 2025

    Courtney Luna's personal transformation from a lifelong yo-yo dieter to a healthier person through a carnivore diet has not only helped her lose 55 pounds but also significantly improved her mental health, allowing her to discontinue anxiety medication.


    KISMET

    Despite facing intense criticism online only after removing vegetables from her diet (not when sharing her previous diets), Courtney's carnivore cookbook has found unexpected success among non-carnivore households, where picky eaters are enjoying her meat-centric recipes.


    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode, Dr. Philip Ovadia and Jack Heald talk with Courtney Luna, author of "Carnivore in the Kitchen." Courtney shares her journey from being a yo-yo dieter since age 13 to finding success with a carnivore diet. After trying numerous diets including paleo and keto, she gained 40 pounds in four months when attempting to eat "everything in moderation." Her switch to a carnivore diet led to a 55-pound weight loss, improved mental health, and freedom from anxiety medication. Courtney discusses how she manages this way of eating with her family, teaching her children about nutrition while giving them some freedom with food choices. She explains how her cooking background as a yacht chef helped her create her cookbook, which includes creative recipes using ingredients like pork panko (ground pork rinds) to make everything from chicken nuggets to cinnamon rolls. Courtney also addresses the surprising online backlash she received only after removing vegetables from her diet.


    NOTABLE QUOTE

    "For me, food freedom is not mentally obsessing about these foods. Now that I don't eat that stuff, there's no all that loud food noise. I don't feel like food has this huge control over me, like it did in the past."


    Courtney Luna Contact Info
    Book: Carnivore in the Kitchen
    Invitee Email: hello@courtneyluna.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItsCourtneyLuna
    Insta

    Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia can not respond here. To contact his team please email team@ifixhearts.com

    Joburg Meats
    Keto/Carnivore-friendly meat snacks. Tasty+Clean. 4 ingredients. Use code “iFixHearts” to save 15%.

    Chances are, you wouldn't be listening to this podcast if you didn't need to change your life and get healthier.

    So take action right now. Book a call with Dr. Ovadia's team.

    One small step in the right direction is all it takes to get started.

    Stay Off My Operating Table on X:

    • Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts
    • Jack Heald: @JackHeald5

    Learn more:

    • Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon
    • Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts
    • Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health
    • Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com

    Theme Song : Rage Against
    Written & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey
    (c) 2016 Mercury Retro Recordings

    Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

    Show more Show less
    49 mins
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All stars
Most relevant  
Pretty good and very knowledgeable advice. Excellent podcast. Eat healthy = IMPROVE LIFE. QUALITY.

This Doctor tells it like it is

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book as Dr. Ovadia tackles the plus and minus of the major diets available to help people make their best decision. The opening of the book was very powerful. He lays out how to take control of your health to live a better life. Highly recommend this for the family.

Great introduction into becoming healthy

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I looked forward to listening those podcasts, cause of the content. Content great. Book is clear. But these podcasts, oh my.. Next to proper facts about sugar, obesity and metabolic health, they also didn't teach eloquence in med school. An average of 4 'you knows' (not exaggerating) per sentence made me ditching the podcasts after one and a half episode , and grabbing the book.

Content great, Performance horrible 'youknow'

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not much info here. eat whole foods. don't eat processed food. exercise. sleep. don't stress. all provides at excruciatingly slow pace. if you are a total newbie its fine. probably get all this in less time glancing at a website

2x the speed. not much meat

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