Episode 17: Dr David Unwin - Inspirational Moments On Training Runs That Change Our Lives, The Norwood Diet Plan, Blue Tongued-Skinks, And What Would You Do With Your Life If Money Was No Object?
I had the honour and privilege to be talking at length with a family doctor-cum-worldwide phenomenon and innovator - Dr David Unwin. Having worked as a GP for 35 years as a one-practice-man at Norwood NHS Surgery in Southport, just north of Liverpool, David was just about ready to hang up his stethoscope having called time on a steady and well-crafted career as a family doctor, with an extremely enviable reputation. On a long run in the hills one day with his clinical psychotherapist wife Jen, David was asked the one burning question which would go on to define his career, and lead him to become one of the world's leading experts in the (they say it can't be done..) reversal of Type 2 Diabetes. We recount exactly where, on that run, that small fragment of a synaptic spark, a mind seed perhaps, would go on to sprout into a lifelong obsession, calling and mission. David muses on the solutions that often emerge when we ask ourselves the toughest questions during acts of intensive physical activity. Jen simply asked him; What would you do with your life if money was no object? The idea was incepted, the birthing of a radical, innovative, but highly effective nutritional shift - and the Norwood Plan was spawned. To date, his practice has seen a nearly 50% remission rate of type 2 diabetes from utilization of a low carbohydrate diet, championed by David and Jen, through evidence-based medicine but also through the power of motivational coaching of patients. Further recognition of his impact and services to medicine were acknowledged with achievement of the RCGP (Royal College of General Practitioners) ‘National Champion in Obesity and Diabetes’ in 2015, also leading to the winning of the UK NHS ‘Innovator of the Year’ award in 2016. His work has been featured by the major networks including BBC and Channel Four in several documentaries, as well notably within the The Times and Daily Mail newspapers, and the British Medical Journal. With a twitter-handle @lowcarbGP he has over 55k followers. I learn a little more on the blue tongue skink and what it may be doing in his living room, as well as how to escape psychologically from the clutches of money, and the simple but ever-giving prize of doing something for nothing. During the later part of this first half of the interview, we go subterranean, and discuss the dark ethics of medicine, the tsunamis of ill health, the inequalities of global healthcare, and simply the.... shall we say….iatrogenic...tragedy that is type 2 diabetes. This was an honour, a privilege, and pleasure to be sharing a couple of hours with this inspirational and courageous individual. The episode was a milestone for both myself and the podcast, and an emotional one at that, but more of that later on in the second part if you can wait.