Episode Ep 475 November 7, 2026 53 min 35s

Devils Triad with Ivor Cummins ep 475

Sugar, Refined Carbohydrates/Grains, and Seed Oils, The Devil's Triad:

The "Devil's Triad", a term coined by health researcher Ivor Cummins to describe the three primary components of ultra-processed foods that he identifies as the root cause of modern chronic diseases like Obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Disease. The triad consists of Sugar, Refined Carbohydrates/Grains, and Seed Oils (also referred to as vegetable oils).

Cummins argues that these three ingredients drive insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction, creating a "tsunami of chronic disease" in populations that consume them heavily. His proposed solution involves eliminating these items from the diet in favor of whole, nutrient-dense foods, such as those found in low-carb or ketogenic diets.

Quote: "Five huge randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that total fat consumption does not affect rates of coronary heart disease or stroke." ~ Ivor Cummins

Your Co-Host Today:

Ivor Cummins BE(Chem) CEng MIEI PMP® completed a Chemical Engineering in 1990. He has since spent over 25 years in corporate technical leadership and management positions, and was shortlisted in 2015 as one of the top 6 of 500 applicants for “Irish Chartered Engineer of the Year”. Ivor’s focus and specialty is leading teams in complex problem-solving scenarios. He has often led worldwide teams with over 60-70 engineers working on major technical issues; the largest of these involved product issues where hundreds of millions of dollars were in the balance.

Several years ago, Ivor encountered a complex technical challenge in his personal life. Receiving poor blood test results, he was unable to get solutions via the doctors consulted. He thus embarked on an intense period of biochemical research into the science of human metabolism. Within eight weeks he had resolved and optimized all of his blood test metrics. Also, he had shed over 15Kg of bodyfat with relative ease. In the following years he continued his research on the many “root causes” of modern disease, from “cholesterol” through to insulin resistance. In order to help stem the tide of chronic disease in our modern population, he embarked on a personal mission to share the science and solutions. He began this process by giving corporate talks and releasing them on YouTube for the wider audience. He has since become a professional speaker of note, giving many public lectures and chairing interviews with worldwide health experts. Most notably he was invited by the President of the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR) to give a keynote talk on heart disease root causes, at their annual conference in London last October. All of Ivor’s public lectures and interviews are available on his YouTube channel, where well over a million views have been recorded to date: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPn4FsiQP15nudug9FDhluA.

His book on chronic disease root causes and resolution strategies (co-authored with Denver doctor Jeffry Gerber MD, FAAFP) was released in the US and Canada in March 2018. It has already received around 150 reviews on Amazon, of which ~97% are 5-star:

https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Rich-Live-Long-Mastering/dp/1628602732/

His blog and other content is available at www.thefatemperor.com

From early 2018 Ivor has been fully funded by the Irish Heart Disease Awareness charity (www.IHDA.ie). This fulfils their mission in enabling all middle-risk people access the power of the Coronary Artery Calcification scan (CAC). He has thus ramped up his passion to help the people help themselves – in a journey to health, weight-loss and longevity.

Ivor lives in Dublin, Ireland, with his wife and five children.

Today’s Top Takeaways:

Health Approach:

Ivor and Scott emphasized physical and mental strength, metabolic health, critical thinking, and resilience.
They discussed low-carbohydrate and carnivore-style eating, avoiding sugars, refined grains, and seed oils, and using detailed blood testing to evaluate individual outcomes.
They questioned incentives within conventional healthcare and discussed independent, membership-based medical practices and books such as Undoctored.

Psychology And Agency:

Ivor described the difference between fixed and growth mindsets and identified self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and social influence as a progression for communicating effectively.
They discussed how fear, anxiety, propaganda, and group narratives can shape public behavior, particularly during the COVID period.
The conversation repeatedly returned to focusing on personal health, local relationships, practical skills, and decisions within individual control.
How can people evaluate competing health claims without replacing one form of indoctrination with another?
How can difficult conversations encourage curiosity and growth rather than polarization?

Today’s Guest Co-Host Links:

Mentioned Influencers:

Dr. Jeffry Gerber, MDhttps://jgerbermd.com/
Book: UNDOCTORED by Dr. William Davis, MDhttps://a.co/d/01dGxRQY
Vinnie Tortorich #NSNGhttps://vinnietortorich.com/
Book: The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Professor Mattias Desmethttps://a.co/d/00smUO9o