Dr. Berg’s Journey: From Burnout to Breakthrough

Sugar and shortcuts

Dr. Eric Berg grew up in the Midwest on a typical American diet—meat, potatoes, sugary cereals, and processed snacks. Vegetables were rarely on the plate, and sugar was a daily staple. 

By age 11, he began experiencing signs of blood sugar dysregulation—lightheadedness after meals, which would subside only after eating something sweet. Though these signs were easy to ignore at the time, they foreshadowed the deeper issues that would emerge later.

Overtraining and undernourished

In high school, Eric was a competitive athlete—wrestling, running track, and playing football. At the time, his training focused entirely on performance, with little awareness of how essential recovery was to long-term health. He pushed his body to extremes, often starving himself before matches and binging afterward. By the time he reached college and joined the Army Reserve, chronic fatigue, injuries, and unexplained weakness had taken a toll.

Living on instant noodles, bread, and coffee, he experienced declining energy, poor sleep, gallbladder issues, and chronic indigestion. He chalked it up to stress and bad luck, but the truth was clearer in hindsight: years of nutrient-poor foods, overtraining, and chronic stress were catching up.

Early professional life—and a personal health crash

After chiropractic school, Dr. Berg launched his practice—but his own health was deteriorating. In an effort to get healthy, he became vegan—but ended up more of a “grain-a-tarian,” living on soy products, pasta, bread, and prunes. The results were disastrous: persistent fatigue, insomnia, restless legs, digestive distress, and mental fog.

Even small tasks felt overwhelming. He vividly remembers having to leave a restaurant mid-meal to nap in the car. His body was in burnout—but the wake-up call was coming.

A turning point: food as fuel

Everything changed after reading a book that emphasized balancing fat-storing hormones with the right foods. Out of curiosity, he tried a buffalo burger for breakfast instead of his usual low-fat muffin. Within hours, he felt sharper, more focused—like a weight had lifted from his mind.

This was the beginning of a complete shift in thinking. He dove headfirst into nutrition science, realizing that much of what he had been taught was wrong or incomplete.

Rebuilding health, rebuilding purpose

Over time, Dr. Berg replaced refined grains and sugar with nutrient-rich vegetables, healthy fats, and quality proteins. His energy returned. His digestion normalized. His mental clarity improved. And most importantly, he could finally show up for his family again—with focus and vitality.

This transformation ignited a deep curiosity that would become his life’s mission. He began studying nutrition obsessively—through textbooks, lectures, and clinical trial data—and applying what he learned in his practice.

Sharing what works

As his clinical knowledge grew, so did his results. Patients improved. Protocols evolved. And his passion for teaching led him to begin training other doctors. He even served as an associate professor at Howard University, helping future practitioners understand the power of nutritional therapy.

In time, Dr. Berg distilled his findings into his first book, The 7 Principles of Fat Burning, which introduced many to the concept of getting healthy to lose weight—not the other way around.

Years later, after refining his approach with updated science, he released The Healthy Keto Plan, introducing a broader audience to the synergistic benefits of nutrient-dense keto and intermittent fasting.

Today, Dr. Berg continues to share what he learns through daily videos, helping millions cut through confusion and take control of their health—just as he did.

Start your journey

Dr. Berg’s mission is to empower people with simple, practical health knowledge. Whether you’re just beginning or fine-tuning your wellness approach, there’s a path forward.

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