By Emma Stessman
Will Cole, IFMCP, DC, is on a mission to change the way people think about treating chronic illness.
As an advocate for functional medicine and a prominent voice in the cultural conversation happening around overlooked hormones and thyroid health (evidence: he was a speaker at The Nutritious Life Studio’s Masterclass last year!), he aims to not just treat common health issues, but to get to the root of what’s causing them.
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“People are waking up to the fact that oftentimes it’s not enough to just to run basic labs, take a pill, and see a doctor every six months to feel amazing,” Dr. Cole says. “We are waking up to the fact that we have to do something different to see different results.”
It’s a mentality that he brings to his healthcare practice and to his dinner plate.
For instance, while Dr. Cole sees benefits to both ketogenic and plant-based diets, he thought each fell short in certain ways, so he created his own approach that borrowed from both: the ketotarian diet. “Ketotarian is the alchemy of the best of both the plant-based and keto diets,” Dr. Cole says, and he wrote a book explaining how it works. “There is something for anyone who wants to be plant-centric but still get the benefits of being keto or fat-adapted, like lowered inflammation, increased energy, boosted brain function, and being a fat burner instead of a sugar burner.”
So what’s a day for a busy healthcare disrupter on a ketotarian diet like? Dr. Cole shares his go-to meals and habits, below.
How Does Dr. Will Cole Live a Nutritious Life?
What’s your go-to breakfast? Intermittent fasting with earl grey tea…or chia seed pudding.
RELATED: 9 Simple and Surprising Ketogenic Diet Breakfast Recipes
What’s your go-to workday lunch? The pesto zoodle bowl from Ketotarian.
Your go-to workday dinner? Cauliflower fried rice bowl and avocado fries from Ketotarian.
What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? Avocados.
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The snack you always have with you when traveling? Grain-free granola.
What do you eat before and after a workout? I typically do a fasted workout with an amino acid supplement and ketones for extra energy.
Other than water, what do you sip regularly? Tea in all it’s amazing incarnations: green, black, and white.
How do you stay active outside the gym? My standing desk, Peloton, and hiking.
What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? Mindfulness meditation.
Do you have a favorite health gadget? What is it and why? My LoRox foam roller is amazing to work out tight muscles and relax.
How do you express and spread love? Give people my full attention when I am with them.
Which healthy habit do you wish you had more time for? Massages!
Lightning Round
Meditation or massage? Meditation during a massage!
A hot shower or a soothing bath? Soothing bath with Epsom salt for sure!
Almond butter or peanut butter? Almond butter should be my answer but it’s definitely not.
Coffee or tea? Tea.
A long run outside or a dark spin class? Depends on my mood and the weather.