I am delighted to have the opportunity to connect with Dr. Rick Johnson today! Dr. Johnson is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado and is a clinician and researcher. He is an international expert on sugar and fructose and has made many discoveries on how sugar and fructose play a role in obesity and diabetes.  Dr. Johnson is a gracious, humble, and brilliant man! He is also extremely curious and loves diving into things! As well as running a clinical practice, he has been doing medical research throughout his career.  In this episode, we talk about his new book, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat. We get into how his curiosity has fueled his entire medical career, and talk about the intricate connection between fructose, weight gain, and re-gaining weight. We discuss the impact of obesity and hormonal regulation and how fructose lowers the ATP and impacts the mitochondria. We talk about artificial sweeteners, the polyol pathway, and uric acid. We dive into dehydration and explain how it can create fructose in the body. We also talk about the impact of alcohol and the Switch Diet. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I did while recording it! Stay tuned to find out all you need to know about the biological switch that drives obesity! IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: What led Dr. Johnson to write the book Nature Wants Us to Be Fat? The role hibernation plays in the metabolic health of wild animals. How being mildly overweight can sometimes be associated with living longer. Dr. Johnson shares his thoughts on the CICO (Calories In Calories Out) model and explains how weight gain and obesity are driven by more than just calories.  The role fructose plays in weight gain and metabolic disease. The association between sugar and obesity can be traced a long way back in human history. How do some foods make us hungrier and less active? Dr. Johnson talks about the breakthrough that occurred after the hormone leptin was discovered. How fructose impacts the ATP (the energy sparked in a cell) and triggers weight gain.  Why fasting and low carb diets can help to cure obesity and maintain weight loss and overall health. What is dehydration, and why is it so significant? How salt- specifically sodium chloride, impacts weight gain. What happens in the body when we consume alcohol? There is a link between the craving for alcohol and the sugar craving. Dr. Johnson talks about the Switch Diet. He explains what it is and what it incorporates. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website  Connect with Dr. Rick Johnson On his website  On Instagram and Twitter