GEORGE FARAH OPENS UP || Cheating Death (Twice), DANGERS For Bodybuilders, Guru Stories!

We were, you know, he started playing dice. I went there, I'm like, dude, what are you doing? And, you know, with me being a big bodybuilder and stuff, they thought I was his bodyguard. They figured he's showing them the money. You know, he's a jeweler, right?

Right.

He's showing them the money and he was in the worst neighborhood. I'm like, Junior, what are you doing? All of a sudden, you know, they came surrounding us and the next thing I feel, man, somebody just shot me in the back and first bullet hit the kidney. They shot me 2, 3 times.

You know, I created Species Nutrition with one mission in mind: to provide bodybuilders and serious athletes with no-nonsense supplements that work. I put my name and reputation on every bottle of Species Nutrition products. If you want to be your absolute best, join the evolution. Welcome back to another installment of RX Muscle Spotlight. I'm Dave Palumbo. Today, we're going to have a very special guest here. I've known this person for over probably 30 years now, and he's got one of the most incredible stories of overcoming adversity, not only once, twice, 3 times, maybe, maybe the most of anyone I know on this planet. And he's still here, and he's still as good as he ever is and as healthy as he ever is. And that's what we're gonna be talking about today because he's got a new documentary coming out called The Guru, and he is the guru. George Farah, welcome.

What's up, brother? How's everyone?

You're the original guru, aren't you?

Yeah, I'm the one who started it.

I think you gave yourself the first name, The Guru.

Yeah, you know, it's— it was actually years ago because, uh, I don't know if you remember, Dave, but I used to work for Optimum Nutrition when they were really actually from the back of their own garage, the Castello brothers. And they signed me in year 2000 when I turned pro. I was their first athlete with, may God bless his soul, Art Atwood.

Yeah.

So they signed me and they start sending me to, you know, all over the world because I was part of their like everything they're doing. And I— the first place I went was India, and they knew that I was helping people and stuff and how I turned pro. And, you know, throughout everything, they start calling me Guru. And then just like a stock, you know, the name stuck.

Then everyone stole it from you after that. Everyone tried to become a guru too, but, uh, you were the original Guru. So is that why you picked the title for your documentary, The Guru?

Yeah, you know what I mean? It's it's actually part of respect too, because, uh, you remember when we used to go to India in the year 2011, '12? Yeah, you were there, Dave, a couple times with me.

I tore my quad there. I remember very well.

Yeah, yes, yes. I mean, I remember that day. Oh my God, you know, I held everybody's hand, we were praying, I tried to help you. It was bad. Yeah, but what I'm trying to tell you is like, I don't know, man, I felt some type of like, like type of respect is like when you're like one of the best in what you do and, you know, like you from all people know me how I really give it my heart, you know what I'm saying? Because that's the sport we all love, man, and, and we really need to be like, uh, kind of like protective, like, you know how as a parent we protect our children? It's just kind of the same thing, man. I just want to do whatever it takes to protect the sport we all love, you know? Right.

You bring up a good point, and I want to hit this right on the head because I know people are probably watching this and they're like, oh, these guys don't get along. What are they interviewing? Let me tell you something, and we talked about this before the show. What we talk about on bodybuilding channels and debate who's better, who's this, who's that, what athlete looks the best, what's wrong with this person, who knows the most about nutrition, that's all an act. At the end of the day, we're all friends. Every single one. I don't think there's one person in this industry that I don't like, that I wouldn't sit down and have dinner with. Okay, at the end of the day, I'm friends with Shaun Ray, I'm friends with Bob Ciccarillo, I'm friends with you in a friendship manner. And if your family is hurting or something's going on in your life, you have a chronic disease, you know, we've talked about that, we're going to talk about that a little bit, I'm there for you just like you're there for me. And I think that people don't understand that. They think that what goes on in the bodybuilding debate world is the same as the personal, and that's just not the case, you know.

No, no, no, no. People, people didn't need to understand. Excuse me, but everybody know that Dave Palumbo talk about everybody. So if he doesn't talk about me, I'm gonna, I'm gonna feel left out. So that's why I never, I never got mad. But in all reality, like you said, Dave, we're all family, man. And you know, I was just telling Dave before we start, you guys, I was at the hotel the other day. And I woke up and I'm like, oh my God, everything is white. I thought I was back in the hospital. You guys all know I spent like a year and a half in the hospital. So just being alive, man, waking up every day, getting off the bed, going washing your face, it's a blessing. It's a blessing. So don't, don't hold, you know, grudges and have all the hate. It's honestly, life is too short, you guys. And you're taking it from a man who died a couple times.

Yeah, yeah, we're gonna get—

we're gonna get—

and we're gonna get to that. Before I do get to that, who Who does a better impression of you, me or King Kamali?

Honestly, I haven't heard neither of you.

Oh, you haven't?

I heard people keep telling me, oh, these guys making fun of you.

No, we're not making fun of you. We're honoring you. King Kamali, actually— King Kamali, my dude, I think he might have me beat because he knows you for a long time, King.

Yeah, yeah. Well, you know me for a long time too.

That's true. All right, let's get your story out there because for people— Unfortunately, in our industry today, I call it the era of TikTok. People don't know the history of our sport or the history of the people who have helped build the sport. You're one of those people, obviously.

Thank you.

Thank you. And you were shot at some point in your life, okay? Yes. Walk us through that, because that was the first near-death experience you experienced. And you've had several. We're going to get through all of them.

Yes, yes. I mean, we were going to an auction, me and a couple of friends. And it happened, I wanted a bottle of water. I was getting ready for a show, whatever, you know. And, uh, that my— one of my friends, may God bless his soul, he's gone now, uh, we were, you know, he started playing dice. I went there, I'm like, dude, what are you doing? And, you know, with me being a big bodybuilder and stuff, they thought I was his bodyguard. They figured he's showing them the money, you know, he's a jeweler, right?

Right.

He's showing them the money, and he was in the worst neighborhood. I'm like, Julio, what are you doing? All of a sudden, you know, they came surrounding us, and the next thing I feel, man, somebody just shot me in the back. And first bullet hit the kidney. They shot me 2, 3 times, you know. Make the story short, you know, I was basically forced into a sedative coma, 7 cardiac arrests. I was actually pronounced—

Where did the bullet hit? Tell us where it hit, because I mean, you got a hole in your stomach.

One of them went right through my kidney, Dave.

Right.

And the other guy shot me in the front. One of them grazed my chest, but the other one went right through my bladder, you know, and my intestines.

Is that the one we see, like the bullet hole in the middle?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, I had— I have some— so I had 2 bullets in the back. One of them, you know, missed my spine by a little bit. They're telling me I'm lucky, you know, to be walking. And the other one in the front. And it's so funny, I said it in a documentary. Because people, you know, they were asking me and I'm like, you guys don't understand. I didn't know how severe until I looked down because, you know, the adrenaline's rushing. You don't know what the hell's going on, you know? I didn't know I was shot that bad. But then I looked. It happened that I had lunch, you know, some steak and onion on it. And I looked from my stomach, freaking onion coming out. I'm like, what the hell is going on? So it was, you know, it was pretty bad, man. You know.

They had to put your abs back together, didn't they? Didn't you tell me that?

Like, Oh yeah, I mean, you know, I'm a mess, bro. I'm missing—

You can see the scar. I mean, I, I'm zooming it right here so you can see.

133 stitches.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I mean, like I said, man, it's not, it's not, you know, just becoming a bodybuilding. But I want to tell people why I really, like, you know, followed bodybuilding more. Because, you know, as soon as I opened my eyes, you know, the doctor, the surgeon, Dr. Lee, the one who did my surgery Right. He said, George, I just want to let you know, you're lucky that you're muscular because the first 2, 3 weeks, he said, your body shut down. Nothing. You weren't— so you basically, your brain and heart and everything was feeding off your, your wherever you have muscles, you know. And I don't— you remember I tell him, I told you, Dave, like, I went to the hospital, I was that day, I was deadlifting whatever, 500 pounds. I was like 200 pounds, and I left the hospital, I was like 130-some pounds.

Wow. So how long were you in there from the gunshot wound?

I want to say it was 26, 27.

No, I mean, how many, how many weeks were you in the hospital for that?

Oh my God, Dave, I was like— I spent like a good 5 months in there.

Oh wow.

Because I was forced in a state of coma, you know, because my heart— what happened is the reason why I had sudden cardiac arrest, because 'Cause my heart won't stop. I don't know if I was like, you know, from the shock, the fear. I mean, you don't know what was going on, but my heart will not stop. And I tell you, man, I saw some stuff. It's like, you're gonna see it. You know, I was talking about it in the documentary. It was very like, I really saw that.

Did you see the light? Did you go to the light and, you know, get— did you have a near-death experience?

Yes, yes. As a matter of fact, you're gonna see it in the documentary. But all what I can tell you, Dave, it's so crazy that when I really thought I couldn't breathe anymore. That— and, you know, you know, and I opened my eyes, you know, like I was telling my deceased friend that, oh my God, I want to get out. And I opened my eyes and they were just actually bringing me back to life.

So it was— Oh, really? Wow.

Yeah, it's intense, man. It's intense, you know.

Now, the documentary is being made by— it was made by Anthony Lolly.

Yeah, yeah. Anthony Lolly and his wife Teresa.

Yeah, they did—

honestly, they did an amazing job. You interviewed him before.

Yeah, he had a tremendous transformation himself.

Yes.

Right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's amazing.

Now, he approached you to do this? How did that work?

Yeah, you know, a mutual friend of ours is like a brother. He always kept telling Lolly, and I said, I know Lolly, like, we're gonna talk. We met at the show, and then finally he came. You know, he was doing— he was doing a business upstate here, and he came, him and his wife. They spend You know, a couple days with me. We went on the boat and stuff. We hit it off. We became really good friends. And he said, George, man, we need— we need— you know, you're very brilliant. You know, the stuff that went with you. And this was all after, you know, me surviving the cancer.

Yeah.

And getting my doctorate. And he was like, holy crap.

Yeah, we'll get to that in a minute. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know what I'm saying? So he was very impressed with everything I was. We need to tell your story, man. Your story is amazing.

So right now it is— it is a pretty incredible story. Yeah.

He pitched it to Amazon and they just loved it, you know.

Oh, they— oh, they They picked it right up. That's great.

Yeah.

Yeah. Amazon's big because so many people have Amazon Prime and everyone will see that. I know his— wasn't his number one, his documentary, for a while on Amazon Prime?

Yeah, it was pretty— I mean, Lolly's, man. I mean, the transformation he did, you know, I'm like his coach right now too. So he's an amazing human being, man. That guy—

Well, he made a ton of money, but he was fat and unhealthy. And then he lost all that weight. It was amazing.

Yes, yes, yes. It was amazing. It was amazing. And, you know, I don't know if I told you, but, you know, my documentary already up to like 13 award-winning. It was amazing. I was like, holy crap.

Where is it? Where is people seeing this thing? Is it out?

Well, you know, it's going to be because the first thing we have in a sunscreen, you know, film festival in St. Petersburg in Florida.

Yeah.

So, you know, they're going to do the view there, you know, so it's going to be cool. And then after that, it's going to be on Prime. But I mean, from India to Dubai Festival.

Oh, you've been sending it over there. I got you.

It's overseas. Yeah, I mean, it won so many awards. I was like, oh my God, I can't believe it. It's just a humbling experience.

Yeah, no, no. Well, it's nice to see people appreciate what you went through. Now, I think it's gonna be in St. Petersburg, that showing. I think I got a text message about it. I think it's gonna be on the 26th, 27th?

The 25th to the 28th, that weekend.

Okay, so it'll be in a movie theater there? What is— where are they showing it?

Well, it's, you know, it's like, you know, the red carpet event, you know. Yeah, walk on the red carpet, movie interviews.

You're gonna be there? Are you gonna talk when you're there?

Yes, I'm definitely gonna be talking there. And, uh, you know, like, we have all the crew from, you know, like, most of the people in, in it, you know, they're gonna be there. So it's gonna be good, man. It's like, you know, bodybuilding but outside the bodybuilding show, you know.

Sure.

It would be good to show our case.

Oh, that's great. All right, so now I remember right after you had had the gunshot, when you recovered and you started competing, I remember meeting you for the first time, I think it was at the Junior Nationals. You had just won your class, I think it was the middleweight class.

Yes.

I didn't even know you, but I know I went up to you and I told you, you look— you should have won the whole show. I mean, you looked really great.

I know. You know, actually what's so funny, Dave, you remind me, I took second and you were so upset. I remember—

Oh, you were second, that's right. You didn't even win. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And you're like, dude, your condition, you should have won the whole show. Yeah, you look great. Yeah, then I found out that, you know, that's a long story, but that lady, may God rest her soul too, she committed suicide, that poor thing. The guy that beat me, I guess he was her boyfriend or whatever.

Oh, is that what it was? I didn't even know that.

You know what I mean? But, you know, the good thing is— the funny thing is the guy that beat me, he's still not pro. He's still competing?

He's still competing, that guy? Yes, I just saw him in the Masters.

I'm like, Oh my God, I can't believe it. It's crazy. It's crazy.

So that was your rise. You, you, you, you know, made a statement there. Then obviously you got your pro card at Nationals and, um, you competed as a pro. And obviously then you started working with a lot of athletes from Kai to Dexter. We know all, you know, we know the, the litany of people that you've worked with over the years.

What was more—

Dave Palumbo too. Yeah, you helped me for one show. That's true.

The best placing you ever did.

That's right. You know, I— but I wanted to ask you a question because people ask me this question all the time. Was it more gratifying for you to help other people or to get on stage yourself?

I think me, honestly, Dave, because remember, I'm missing a kidney, I'm missing 13 feet of my intestines. I couldn't get as big. So helping others, man, and seeing them progress and getting better, it's like I was living through them. You know what I'm saying?

Right, right.

So it's really good feeling, man. And that's why Like a lot of people, they say, "My God, why is he screaming and stuff?" But they don't understand. Yeah, it's like me competing.

No, I do the same thing. I know exactly how you feel.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was so you know clarifying, man, to see somebody you help and like people doubt on them. Like you know, for an example, when when Branch everybody, I don't know if you remember, they have a sit down and you know Chad. Um, I was, uh, not Milos, Chris Aceto. All these guys were saying, and when I told them Branch is gonna be in the first gala, everybody made fun of me. I don't know if you remember this.

Yeah.

But then, you know, when, when, you know, with 2009, Branch walked on the stage, the first one, Chris Aceto came to me because I love Chris, he's like my brother. He said, holy shit, what'd you do? He goes, he looked like an ambulance with the lights and stuff.

Yeah.

So I said, that's what I'm trying to tell you guys. I'm seeing something very— so yeah, yeah, it was— it's really beautiful, man, to, to see you helping other people. And those people back then, they used to appreciate it a lot more than the new champs, if you know what I'm talking about.

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's, it's, it's different. It's a different world now. Now, you obviously helped a lot of people and you were at the top of your game, and then all of a sudden— I, I know, I, I don't remember who told me, but someone told me, hey, did you hear what happened to George? I said, no. And they said, he has cancer. And I'm like, what? And I think that's when I reached out to you and texted you, but— and you told me what happened. How did you find out about the colon cancer?

You know what, Dave, it's very sad. Until today, a lot of my friends, they tell me, dude, why don't you sue that guy? But you know, I'm not that type of guy. I don't like suing people and stuff. So I went— well, what happened is I was seeing a colorectal surgeon, right? Because you figure I'm having some bleeding problems. I gotta go see the right person. So, right, with my wife being a doctor, you know, so I figured, okay, you know, she said, honey, this guy, he's young, he's smart, blah, blah, blah. We went and saw him. The guy treated me for 8 months, Dave. 8 months.

What was he telling you was wrong with you?

He kept telling me it's hemorrhoids.

Oh, sh—

wow. He kept clipping them. And, you know, and then the worst thing I found out later on was literally an inch away from my rectum, so he could have looked with his own eyes. Wow.

Didn't they do a colonoscopy on you, George?

You don't understand, Dave. You know, when you're in your 40s, you gotta beg them. And I kept telling them, I said, dude, you gotta do— there's something's wrong. I can— I kept pointing to my stomach. I'm like, there's something wrong inside. And then, you know, it's the weirdest thing. I went and saw him, and I'm going to do seminar in Italy, right? On my way there, I'm over, you know, Ireland. I'm texting my wife. I said, honey, I can't sleep. She goes, oh my God, what's wrong? I said— so I told her, you know, we still have, I don't know, like an hour to get to land. I said, but I don't know, I'm in so much pain. I can't go to bathroom. I've been eating since yesterday.

Right.

And, you know, I haven't told that story to too many people. She said, honey, just, you know, he gave you a Vicodin, take some. I said, honey, Because she know when I take Vicodin, at that time I was like, dude, because I never drink alcohol, never—

Right, right, right. You gotta be in a lot of pain, right?

Yeah, I was like, so I, I said, honey, I took 2 of them and I'm still in pain and I can't go to the bathroom. She goes, honey, just try to like— Dave, I don't know how I get to Italy. I have no idea. You know, they, they send me, they send me a limo. I got in there, I got to the hotel. You know that lady that, that she's doing the seminar? She was at that time with John Arrico. You know, he told her to contact me. I said, I'm in so much pain. She goes, you know what, my husband is a doctor. I said, okay. She said, he wants to talk to me. And sure enough, it happens that he's also a colorectal surgeon.

Oh wow, what a coincidence.

Yeah, he said, what's the problem? So I told him what's the problem. I said, I can't go to bathroom. I have like, like I'm constipated or whatever. So he came down, I went down. I don't know if you were in, you know, in the restaurant because I kind of remember you were there.

Yeah, I was there with John Enrico.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I saw him, he gave me something, I mixed it, drink it. He said, this is going to make you tired, go to sleep. Sure enough, when I took it, I went to sleep. I get up, I had like diarrhea. I was like, oh my God, this is like vicious.

Right.

So I call him, he goes, yeah, it's okay, this is gonna clean you out and stuff. And I felt great, the pain is gone because, you know, you don't have all that stuff. But he said, he said, George, listen, I don't need to test you, but it's not hemorrhoid. Hemorrhoid is not gonna do this to you. Like, you're blocked. Because I was telling him, I'm spraying, man, it's crazy. So by the time I came back, that guy tells me, oh, I think— Dave, I'm not kidding you, I'm not making this up. The guy's telling me, oh, we need to do a Botox on your— I'm like, dude, you're not watching anymore.

Oh my God, where are you?

He said, we need to do Botox on your hemorrhoids and stuff. That's why I'm like, listen to me, you gotta scope me, right? I said, I'm telling you. So then, you know, then he finally scoped me. Now this is the 3rd time I'm telling him within 8 months I need to get scoped, you know, because, you know, we're, we're in tune with our bodies.

Sure, absolutely.

So anyway, he scoped me and his face is freaking white as a ghost and I'm out of it, you know, I'm gassed up. And then as soon as I woke up, I told my wife, how bad of a cancer? She goes, don't say that. I said, honey, I'm telling you, I'm not stupid. I know something's not right.

Right.

So make the story short, you know, my wife, she got mad because she's in the system, right? And she already talked to my primary, you know, a couple of days later. And my primary told her, I'm so sorry, I just heard. And she goes, you heard what? She goes, you know, He had massive cancer. She goes, you know, I just talked to the guy. I called— she called the doctor, right? And he pretended that the result is not out. He's afraid, you know. I swear, Dave, dude, I'm telling you, it was like a really big lawsuit. But the thing is, I don't want people that checked me in the system, you know, from like a guy who was like my father, for an example, my urologist. Yeah, he's the one should have caught it. But I don't want to drag everybody, right?

So I let it go.

I let it go. I said I told him, listen, and then my primary, she, she called him. She said, because we're all like friends, you know, we came and break bread with us, you know, my wife being medical director. And then, you know, my wife, she told him, listen, George is not going to sue you, but I suggest you give him a call and apologize because I know my husband, if he sees you, he's going to punch you. And that's seriously because she knows how angry I am.

Yeah.

And he called me and apologized. I said, listen, just do me a favor. Next time when when one of your clients tell you there's something is not right, just do it. Scope it. What's the big deal?

What's the big deal? Right.

Well, you know, I've you know he goes George because you were scoped five years ago and you're healthier in your forties. I never really. I said that's okay. I said but you're young. You need to understand when somebody's a little older than you is telling you something is not right. You shouldn't believe me. So never, never saw the guy anymore, you know what I mean? He's the head of freaking the Colon, you know, in Rochester now. I can't believe I see him on TV.

Are you serious? Oh my God.

I swear to you, Dave.

Who did the surgery on you, George?

Somebody else. That's why I went to somebody else, you know. And I went and saw— I saw people at Sloan Catering.

Oh good.

They really like— we, we went through But, and even like the surgery, because remember, I've been shot before, you know what I'm saying? And they're all really like, all the, the brain, you know, that I talked to the people, they all think it's actually from the lead left behind, you know what I'm saying?

I was gonna ask you if that, if you thought they had anything to do with it.

Yeah, it's definitely, you know, because you know how I am, Dave, because—

You're such a healthy guy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. But, but, you know, the thing is I'm saying, listen, I did the gene. So we, you know, you have to do gene testing to see. Yeah, nothing. You know, my, my freaking both my parents, right? Well, and they're, you know, my dad just passed away at 93, you know. Yeah, so my grandparents the same. So I'm like, oh my God, where did this come from?

You know, cancer in your family at all, huh?

No, no, no. So, but, but then now come to find out, because right now I'm a member of Harvard, you know, studying a book You know, come to find out, 95% of cancer is environmental, only 5% genes.

Really?

Wow. You know what I'm saying? Something we never knew before. So really, it's, it's what's going on, man. It's the way we're eating, the way we're doing stuff. It's, it's nuts. It's nuts, Dave, you know.

Well, you know what, also, you always had a lot of pro— you had to like jam food down because you, you had trouble digesting food. So I wonder if just even, you know, that was like—

I mean, it could be, remember, because As much as everybody that worked with me, especially bodybuilder, I tell them, listen, fiber, fiber, fiber, always looking at this. But, because I couldn't have any fiber, it could be that one of the parts.

You know what I'm saying? Fiberlyze is my number one selling product. And, you know what, George, when I went for a colonoscopy a couple years ago, the guy who did it said, you've got the cleanest colon I've ever seen. He said, what do you do? And, I told him that I have a product I sell called Fiberlyze. He's like, bring me a case of it. He goes, because I've never seen— people don't know how important fiber is.

Dude, listen to me. I'm gonna tell you right now, Dave, honestly, not because, you know, like, oh, I'm a doctor. No, no, no. It's because I almost died. I really want to know what's going on. So when you sit down and, you know, have a dish in front of you, that food is some type of respect. You either respect yourself or you don't, right? Because when we eat, we're not just eating for us.

Right.

We're eating for that 100 trillion cell that they're waiting for us to feed on. And, if you don't feed them, guess what? So, if my mentality like how I was a bodybuilder, rice and chicken, rice and chicken, potato and steak, guess what? Those, they go in your stomach, your stomach release some acid, you digest that food. Well, by the jejunum, your small intestines absorb fat, protein, and sugar. So, you have nothing left for the good bacteria, the 100 trillion waiting for you. You know what I'm saying? So, that's when you start having diseases and stuff. So, you really need to always think about that bacteria if you really want to live longer and being healthy, especially for bodybuilders.

Tremendous message you're delivering. And, I say it all the time, fiber feeds the bacteria in your gut.

Yes, yes.

People don't know that.

Oh my God, I love it when people tell me, yeah, but I'm taking you know, probiotic is 200 billion. Dude, you have 100 trillion.

You gotta feed those things so they don't, they don't grow. It's like having— it's like buying fish for a fishbowl and not giving them any food.

If you think about it, Dave, why would you need probiotic if you're eating the prebiotic? All the fiber, you don't need it. You know what I'm saying? So people, they need to, you know, forget about the everything supplement, man. You know, we have a tremendous amount of medicine in food. that people don't know about. And that's what I'm trying— this is my message, you know what I mean?

Right. No, I know. Now, George, all right, so you find a surgeon. What was the game plan at this point? Because had it spread? What was the prognosis?

It went from my colorectal to my colon to my bladder, prostate, kidney.

So it was everywhere. Wow.

Oh yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, honestly, in reality, you know, one guy gave me 17%. You know, all the rest of them, they give me way under. So I'm like, you know, that will tell me, you know, you don't have a chance. Like the first one that was supposed to do my surgery, I left and my wife, she goes, what's wrong? I said, honey, how dare him tell me you don't really have a good chance in front of you? And I told him, why would you say that in front of my wife? He goes, well, your wife, she's a doctor. She under— I said, dude, it doesn't matter. She's my wife. It's different. You don't talk to me.

Yeah.

So anyway, I left him, went to somebody who's seasoned, who have been doing them for a long time. He's a little older. He did it. He said, George, I'm going to do my best for you not to end up with the bag. You know what I'm saying? Because that was like my main concern. Oh my God, I don't want to have poop bag because when I got shot, I have that, you know.

Oh, so you were traumatized by that? Yeah. Yeah.

So I'm traumatized to carry a bag of shit, you know, around.

Yeah. Yeah.

You know, I mean, sometimes you got to do what you got to do to live.

Most people would have been worried about living. You were worried about the shit bag. But you know what I mean? I know, I know.

But because honestly, Dave, I'm gonna tell you something, man. People, they need to know something, you know. I said it before and I'm gonna say it again, you know. Each one of us was born between 32 and 50 trillion cells, and these cells, you know, in our body, each one of them have 0.4 volts. You might think that's not a lot, but take that times 50 trillion, you're talking 200 trillion volts, man. Each one of us have And it's all controlled by your brain. So you really— we were born with healing mechanism. Like when my daughter said, Dad, it's stage 4, you know, you're gonna die, you know, I said— I looked at them both and I'm telling you, Dave, honest to God, I said, listen, I said, you guys are not, you know, get off that easy. I'm gonna be there. I said, I'm gonna walk you down the aisle. I'm gonna be the one who marry you. I'm gonna tell you it's your boyfriend.

Yeah, yeah.

So, and you're right now, they always like remind me, they said, holy crap, Dad, you did it. So, you know, it's honestly—

Before you finish the story, I told people there's no way George is going to die. And they said, but it's so terrible. I said, I'm telling you, George will be here till the end of time torturing us with his messages of positivity. And I said, there's no way he's going. I'm telling you, he's not. He's going to be here for the long haul, I said.

You know, Dave, I'm going to tell you something. you know, uh, dissertation for my last doctorate I did was actually on the power of prayers and the power of nutrition. And they loved it, man. I went— I got 97 on it. It was really good because it really— I really felt it, man. Like, people from all over, from the Vatican to Saudi Arabia, I mean, everybody was praying and I felt it. It's crazy. It's crazy, you know, that power of energy, you know what I mean?

Oh yeah, no, you know what, I— when I was going through the heart thing last year, I, um, I had a lot of people praying for me and texting me.

I'm one of them.

Yeah, no, you did too. And, and you know what, I did feel it. It felt like there was like a, like a, like I knew I was gonna be okay type of thing, you know?

Yes, yes, yes.

All right, so they— so what was the game plan? What'd they remove when they went in there for surgery?

Oh, Dave, let me tell you something. Well, the plan was, you know, we're gonna do chemo, but they're not sure how good the chemo is gonna work. And surprisingly because the way I switch my food, you know, I was— I started doing like so many researches because I was studying, you know.

Did you do a ketogenic diet? No, no carbs and stuff like that for the camp?

You know what I did actually? It's, it's different, you know. If so, if that was different than my intestines, then I would have done the keto. But because it's my intestines, I went high alkaline, get rid of all acidity, you know what I'm saying? Because you remember, I was— Dave, By the time they caught it, I was 90% blocked.

Wow.

So I couldn't go. That's why I said I was spraying the stuff.

Oh, so they, so they wanted to shrink it first before they did the surgery?

Yes, yes. So what I did, I went really like on lentils and some potatoes. And even the potato, I want to make sure it's alkaline. I'll put like, you know, green onions, avocados, stuff like this. So I made sure all my foods alkaline, alkaline. And I'm gonna tell you, in 5 months, they were flabbergasted. They couldn't believe how good You know, there is a CEA marker, right? Was off the roof and all of a sudden became zero, you know?

Wow, that's a cancer marker.

Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy.

So how many months of chemo did you get?

About 4 and a half, 5 months total.

And what would— what did you have bad side effects from it?

You know what's so funny? They give me 2 bottles of stuff like, you know, because you're gonna vomit and all that, you know, anti-this and anti-that. And you know what? I didn't lose my hair, never vomited once.

Wow.

And I'm saying, Dave, and I'm saying in the cancer center, you know, because they put a port in your shoulder, right? Sure, you receive it for 3 hours. But the sad part, Dave, the first time I was there, and I'm kidding you not, you know, you're talking one of the biggest, you know, cancer centers, and they're bringing me bologna sandwich and cheese or pizza. Dude, I'm not kidding you. I'm like, oh my God. I said, you guys, this stuff give me cancer.

Yeah, exactly right.

And like, well, we just want you to be— to gain weight. I'm like, no, no, I'm all set. So what I did, I started— no, I let my assistant— she was cooking me all my food, right? And Dave, I'm not kidding you, man, that chemo was so nasty, and people throwing up left and right. Yeah, I mean, it was bad. Never vomited. Well, never use those pills, never lost hair. I mean, it was amazing how much the food can really help. Oh yeah, chemo did the part, remember, man?

Right.

You know, like, you, you can't, you can't go like people, oh man, these doctors don't do chemo. I mean, look at what happened to poor, uh, what's his name, the Apple guy, you know?

Yeah, uh, Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs, billions of dollars, but he's gone because he wants to try it the natural way. You don't want to do this. What you do, you eat the right food, you let them do whatever advance we have. And that's how double combo, like I said, I was working out, I was 197 pounds, lifting heavy, squatting. I don't know if you saw some of the messages when I was sick.

Yeah. You make a very good point because what people don't realize is that they just think that, well, chemo does this to you. But when the people are taking chemo, they're not eating right, they're not exercising, they're using it as an excuse to do nothing.

Yeah, yes, exactly. And you know, the problem is, Dave, you know, you can't blame them because if somebody comes and tells you, hey man, you have about 10%, you know, 10% chances, that means I have 90% chances of dying. Let me eat the Burger King and McDonald's, you know what I'm saying?

Right, right.

This is the thing, you know, not me. I said, listen, whatever percentage I have, I'm gonna be one of those percentage that I'm gonna beat it, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

And I— nothing, nothing went in my mouth except Except clean, organic, you know, whatever, wash it, doing the right thing. So I was blessed, man. I was blessed that I have all those experiences too, you know what I'm saying?

Did they ever have to do any surgery or did you shrink it all with chemo?

Oh my God, listen to me. Now it shrunk, right?

Yeah.

And, and my wife and, you know, the, the people that doing the chemo, George, you got to do surgery. I said, but you guys, I don't have any cancer, so why I want to do— oh, you know, we don't want it to come back. You know, you're still young, you're only in the 40s, you don't want it when you're 60 years of age. So you know what I did? Everybody's like, you got to do it, you got to do it. And I'm going to tell you right now, oh, what a big mistake. But I followed everybody, and 13 freaking surgeries later—

13?

13 days. Why?

Then why they need to do 13 surgeries on you?

Because the first surgery was 12 hours plus. Right? Supposedly, oh, I'm gonna do this. Well, I walk out and I have 2 bags. I'm like, holy shit, not only 1 bag, I have 2 bags. So I have to urinate and this, and I was intubated. I didn't know I flattened out during surgery, you know.

Oh shit.

Yeah, so I flattened out. So it was really bad. Like I said, you know.

So you actually died on the table?

Yes, yes. You know, I went sepsis and my heart stopped. So And that was, you know, the second time in my life I died. I don't know.

Wow.

God, like, keeps showing me death.

He keeps throwing you back. Yeah, exactly.

It's not your time. But, you know, honestly, Dave, I mean, we laugh about it, but man, everybody was sad, was devastated.

So, so let me get this straight, because you said you had no cancer left. There obviously was still some tumors left that they had to remove, right?

Well, you know what they think? They, they gotta go and clean it. So now the marker, the blood work and everything looks amazing, right? But they're thinking, okay, whatever residue It can come back because so far until today, the only people that really survive is like when they just take the cancer out. You know what I'm saying?

I got you. So they took the initial tumors out. Is that what they removed?

Yes. So when they went in there, the problem is from me being shot before, I have so much scar tissue all over. It was all over. So they kept trying to do this, try to do this. So, you know, supposedly 4 or 5-hour surgery took 12 and a half hours, almost 13 hours.

Did they at least get the freaking bullet out?

Oh, they— I mean, dude, let me tell you something. They, they took everything out.

So what do you—

and I mean it.

Maybe a better question is, what do you got left in there now?

It's exactly— dude, I mean, from my spleen to my gallbladder, my prostate is gone, my bladder is gone.

Oh really? They took it all out?

Oh, Dave, I'm a mess, bro.

So hold on, so what do you do for— if you don't have a bladder, how do you, how do you I have a—

they, they, they made me a plastic bladder, you know what I mean? That I actually— the only good thing about it, yeah, that at night I don't have to keep going to the bathroom like the bodybuilder days.

Oh, so you have to empty that bladder?

So, you know, so what I do, I connect it to a hose, you know, in my skin, and I go to sleep. And I wake up, there's a big bag, you know, full of urine. So I go and empty it in the morning.

I got you.

Now I go on with my life and I pee You know, I go use the, that plastic bladder, you know, to—

Gotcha. But what about the colon? Is the colon reconnected?

Yeah, the colon got reconnected, thank God, because that's the one I was like so worried about.

Yeah, that's what you were worried about.

Yeah, yes, yes. But you know, I'm— I still, Dave, it's not an easy thing. And that's why, man, I really— you know, like how sometimes you're like, I don't want my enemy to go through what I went through, you know what I'm saying? Because I love bodybuilding so much. And believe me, I'm gonna tell you right now, and I'm gonna be on the record, it's not the steroid. Because a lot of people, oh well, the steroid— because, you know, a lot of, you know, people that love us so much, yeah, they're sending me, oh yeah, the steroid. Dude, I have 15-year-old poor little girl, she had the same exact thing as me, right? And she barely survived, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

So, you know, cancer is in everybody. It's environmental, it's the food we're eating, and And so we don't know what—

I'm convinced my thyroid cancer was environmental, probably. I'm sure.

Exactly.

All the junk goes right to your thyroid gland, all the radiation, all that crap.

I mean, yeah. I mean, my uncle died, you know, he never did steroids. He died at a young age, you know what I'm saying, from something they said not in his genes neither. So you never know. You never know. So I like it. I like when people right away point fingers. Dude, don't point fingers. It could happen to you. And then you're going to say, oh my God, I never done anything.

Isn't it amazing? When you go through something like you went through and you come out of it and then someone says something stupid about you or, or someone like— nothing bothers you after that because you're like, fuck it, I beat fucking death, you know, 2 times already, you know?

Dave, I'm gonna— dude, there's so many stories I'll tell you later on. I don't want to say on the show, but there's so many things that doesn't bother me anymore. It's, it's so different, man.

You seem like you're at peace. You have— you're very peaceful.

Yes, yes. First of all, I'm at peace. Second of all, I'm not afraid of death. So when you're at peace and you're not afraid of death, yeah, nothing, nothing, you know, like life goes on, you know what I'm saying? Right. No matter what you do, life goes on. So I'm not gonna let people bother me, all that negative. No, you know what I mean? If, if there's any door, there's a lot of wind coming out of it, just close it. There's no more wind, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah. So George, you beat, you beat cancer. Okay, okay. And now you say to yourself, you know what, rather than kind of like just kind of enjoy life, you say, I'm gonna go get my PhD. How did that come about? I'm gonna work—

You know what, Dave, I have already— PhD.

You're a doctor.

Well, you know, I have already started. I don't know if you remember a long time ago I was telling you, you know, I started doing some medical stuff and whatever, you know, because I love it, you know, it's in my blood. I really like to know how a human body works and stuff, right? And I have already, you know, like, got things started. But then, you know, the cancer kind of took everything away. And the weirdest thing is that Corona started. And I'm like, oh my God, what am I going to do? I'm going to have to study.

Right.

So what I did, dude, my wife, she's like, what is wrong with you? She'll wake up to use the bathroom. Dave, this is true story. She'll wake up to use the bathroom at 2, 3 in the morning. She's seen me studying, she goes, what are you, mental? What is wrong with you? I said, I'm gonna finish this thing. I'm gonna go 120 hours, 100 hours a week.

Yeah.

Studying and studying, you know, and it's crazy, you know, like I almost got 4.0 GPA, man. It's crazy after all these years being away and you go at your, you know, late 40s to become a doctor in your 50s. It's nuts. But you know, it's something, it's something kind of like I showed my kids too, man, like nothing is impossible. You know what I mean?

Like I said, what's your PhD in? What was your dissertation?

Integrative medicine. So, anything I have to do, yes. So, you know, and that's why, Dave, I'm so in tune right now with people and tell them, listen, man, you know, use your food as medicine today or you're going to be using medicine as food later on.

Right. Did you find though, George, did you find that when you were studying this that there was a lot of like stuff that you didn't agree with? Because, you know, The medical, the, the establishment, the educational system is, is very far behind on a lot of stuff.

Oh my God, Dave, Dave, definitely. Listen, when I was—

You might have been rolling your eyes.

Let's go back when I was, when I was actually at the university here and trying to get, you know, my nutrition degree. And I'm like, oh my God, you know how many times I walked out? I'm like, dude, I don't know what are you guys talking about, but I'm not eating that much cheese and dairy and stuff, you know what I mean? So it's just, yeah, I know what you're saying because it's like a program. Whatever they tell them to teach, that's what they're going to teach. And we're very different. But at the same time, if you really want to get your degree, you want to get your degree, you know what I'm saying? So a lot of those things were dictation, you know what I'm saying? You got to study them.

Right.

Mainly is what you do later on. Like, for an example, my wife, because she's a, you know, she's an internist, she's a medical doctor, and she's also a psychiatrist. And with me, with my nutritional background and integrative medicine, so what we did now, our office, we opened it for preventative medicine. You know what I'm saying? So before people get sick, let me explain to you what we need to do. So if somebody came to us and you have a blood pressure, I don't just, okay, here, take this pill, it's gonna do you great. Oh man, what a great doc. No, no, no. Let me see what's the cause, why you have blood pressure, what are you eating, why you have diabetes, right? You see what I'm saying? So preventative medicine, what we're— what it's all about right now.

Yeah, of course. Absolutely. 100%.

Yes.

So what— what I guess, you know, when, when you look at your life in a whole— as a whole, and you look through all the things you went through, you know, because I, I do this sometimes, I'll sit back and I'll be like, I wonder why I went through all these, these crazy things in my life.

What, what's the— what's your—

what's your solution? Like, what do you— why do you think you're here? What do you think is your, your reason for being here? Because I believe that everything you go through in life has some sort of a meaning to what your reason for being here is and what your messages you have to deliver, you know?

You know, it's so weird, Dave, that you asked me this because I always try to find the reason, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

Like, as you see, I, you know, when I went back to bodybuilding, you know, and help people, you saw like what I did with Blessing and Andrew Jacked, brought them from nowhere, boom, and all of a sudden, holy crap, man, you never lost it. Yeah, I just want to show it to myself that I know what I'm doing, you know what I'm saying?

Right.

But then I want to back off of it. The reason why, first of all, I don't want to lose my license. Second of all, you know, I just want to focus on more important things. Don't get me wrong, I still have some good bodybuilders, you know what I mean, behind the scenes. I'm helping. I wanna— because I love this. Bodybuilding is my everything, man. Like, you know, this is, this is what made me who I am today, you know.

Hold on, but don't you find it interesting that now that you're actually have a degree, you got to be worried about getting sued because now you're— you actually, if you don't quote policy that you learned in school and you go outside of that, you're actually liable. Whereas before, you had no degree, so you could tell people whatever they want.

Dave, and that's why I'm trying to tell you. That's why I don't want to take these people anymore. You know what I mean? I don't want— but you know what I do? I still have the knowledge to advise them. Listen, you want to do this? Please do it, but make sure you, you look, you know, for— right? Because, you know, you know, Dave, listen, man, you were 285 pounds, shredded to the bone, right? Do you remember? Do you remember how much I gave you stuff? It was nothing compared to what these guys doing now for the local show, right? It's crazy. They're nuts. So that's why I don't want really, you know what I mean? You know, I love it. I want to help these guys, but not if they want to— if they want to do a lot, hey, I'm the wrong person. Don't—

Do you think we're going to be seeing a lot more health ramifications in the future from these guys?

We're gonna have to, Dave. Listen, these people are not giving up. They're nuts, man. And I always— what I always say, there's life after bodybuilding.

Yeah.

And like I said, right now my calling— it— I wish, I wish I was there so I can show you the messages I get. Hey man, thank you for helping my mom, she beat cancer. Hey man, thank you, my dad's alive. Even my own client, I have, you know, like I have people like they were bodybuilders and they came to me Years after, man, look at my kidney, it's gone. This— don't worry, let's fix it. I, I have a guy, I don't want to tell you his name, but he competed, Dave. I'm not kidding you, his hemoglobin A1c was 11.7. Wow.

Oh my God. Yeah.

So, and he don't want to go on insulin. I said, okay, let's do something, you know. So I started him, you know, on some fruit, some stuff, you know, and I got rid of a lot of stuff you know, like you used to eat, you know what I mean? Because, you know, a lot of people think honestly, like, you know, fat is the key, you know. Listen, fat is not bad for you, but if you mix it with carb, now you're, you're talking bad. You see what I'm saying? So if you want to do keto, fine, do keto. It's great, it will help you. But if you cannot— so think about it, what's the worst food, Dave, you can eat? French fries, donuts.

French fries.

Pizza. The reason why is saturated fat and sugar.

Yeah, with sugar.

And God is brilliant, man. He never made anything that has sugar and fat. We're, as a human, we combine it and put it together, and we wonder why we're freaking sick. You understand what I'm saying? So you're not gonna have a piece of, you know, steak that have sugar in it. No, let's glaze it and let's put some stuff on it.

No, you're right.

Yeah, you understand what I'm saying? So, you know, I always think I'm logical.

We destroy our own food supply.

Yes.

Not only do we destroy our own food supply, but we feed the animals the wrong shit and then it ruins their food.

100%.

We feed the cows corn, they should be eating grass. We feed the fish corn, they should be eating other fish and algae.

It's crazy.

Yeah.

And, and that, you know, back in the days, I'm gonna be honest with you, what, what my research and stuff taught me. Back in the days when I used to see somebody who was overweight, I used to like, oh man, look at this, F this and that, you know. Right now I'm like, I feel bad because, yeah, they're so addicted, they don't know any better. You understand what I'm saying?

They don't teach you this stuff in school, George. Instead of teaching you the calculus, which you'll never use again, they should be teaching you how to eat properly.

Exactly.

But they don't do that.

Thank you. I mean, my God. And And they're all—

look at the school lunches. Have you seen the school lunches, what they are? They're horrendous.

You're telling me. I'm telling you, Dave, that's all what I'm after.

I'm like, I see what my kids eat. It's horrible.

Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. I mean, if you just think about it just right now, almost every, every food, like fast food from Kentucky Fried Chicken to McDonald's, test all their chicken. Even like, oh, let's go to a chicken. It's all cancerous causing. So you got to be very careful. You know, on the cigarette, when you take it, it tells you, you know, the, you know, the, the cigarette is Group 1 carcinogenic, right? The cigarette. So is all the freaking processed meat, but they don't put on it, you know, be careful, this might kill you. You understand what I'm saying? Exactly, Dave. I mean, we laugh, we're talking the same language, man. They don't care.

Yep.

Corporate America, they want to just sell and make money, and it's very sad. Yeah, we need to be careful, and that's why I said Listen, bodybuilders, when you sit down, make sure, man, you have fibers, then you have your carbs, and you have your protein. You know what I'm saying? Make sure everything is colorful, and I don't mean M&M by color.

Right, right. Isn't it funny though? You know what you're saying is interesting because I, I don't know if you ever listened to RFK Jr. talk, and RFK Jr. says, you know, why are we making vaccines that we don't even know if they work? Why aren't— why isn't NIH trying to figure out why we're the unhealthiest nation in the world with the most chronic degenerative disease in the history of humanity. It shouldn't be so hard to figure out what the causes of this stuff are.

It's the food.

It's the food, of course.

I know. Exactly.

But we can study that and figure it out and get rid of the problems, you know. But no way.

Dave, listen to me.

The cow, you know, the cow—

when I go like to Sicily or to Lebanon, you know, to visit my family, food is amazing there.

Yeah.

So you got, you got the cow, right? The cow, so she give a birth And then about 18 months to 2 years, you know, that, that, that bull is, is, you know, like it's ready to, you know, be slaughtered.

Right.

Not here, bro. Every 6 months, boom, boom, right? Growing. So what do you think that's gonna do to you? You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, yeah.

It's just, it's nonsense. Everything is like, come on, come on, make money, make money. And from 1970 till now, our protein intake is 100 and some percent More, so that means it's really not just because you having a lot of protein is bad; it's because the type of protein you having a lot is bad for you too. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, we could do a whole show on nutrition for sure.

Oh my God! Yes, yes, yes, for sure.

I want to thank you, number one, for coming on and sharing your story. And if you really want to see the the whole complete story, you're gonna you have to watch The Guru. It's gonna be on Amazon Prime. The yes, the grand finale, or I guess the The red carpet event will take place in St. Petersburg, uh, Florida, which I was gonna try to get to. I think I'm gone that weekend. I gotta look and see. I'm gonna check myself.

You better, you better make it, man. Everybody— Mr. Weinberger's gonna be there, him and his wife. A lot of people, Kai, you know, these guys, they're all coming. So I'm happy, I'm happy.

St. Pete is a nice place.

Before I go, I want you to know something. I'm actually doing an app. It's a really good app. It's gonna be like customized program, you know.

Okay.

You know how the food— not just junk, like—

What's it called?

Pardon?

What's it called?

Oh, it's gonna be, you know, you can go on gurugeorgefarah.com.

Okay.

And you can register, you know, pre, because we haven't launched it yet. But I want to be— it's, it's really cool. It's for everything, for keto, you know, vegan, whatever, pescatarian. I mean, I'm doing all the food. It's gonna be really, really good.

All right, well, George, uh, thank you, number one, for coming on, but also for all the contributions you've given over the years to the the entire sport of bodybuilding, to all the people out there. I know you have a lot of fans, a lot of people are praying for you. I'm so personally happy that, you know, that you've gotten past this. Thank you, brother.

Thank you.

I prayed for you every night because, you know, I don't wish any bad will on anyone out there. And, you know, it's—

No one.

I know that it was probably a very, very difficult battle you went through, but, you know, you have a strong mind, and that's really what it all amounts to at the end of the day.

Yes, yes, a very strong mind that will overcome so many things. But I'm gonna tell you, Dave, I almost lost it a couple times, and not because I don't have the right mind, but because after the surgeries I went through—

Sure.

So many opioids and so many things, you don't know, it's not you anymore. Now you lost your mind. So honestly, I almost like ended it a couple times, but luckily I got off everything, you know what I mean? Nice and slow. And it's so funny now, I'm sick, you know, 6 years cancer-free. I don't even take except Tylenol when I have, you know, maybe a little fever or something, right? No medicine, nothing. So I'm very blessed.

That's awesome. Awesome. Yes, the movie is The Guru. Check it out at Amazon Prime when it hits. George, love you, man. Thank you for joining us.

Love you, and thanks whoever is watching us, man. I appreciate you. If you guys can give us a little boost, thank you so much, you guys.

Dave Palumbo with George Farah for another installment of Rx Muscle Spotlight.