Knife Down
"Knife Down" is what a surgeon says in the OR when she puts her scalpel down so no one gets hurt — and it’s the mission here: put the knife down, long before anyone needs to use it.
Knife Down is a podcast about how to actually invest in your health so you can live longer, stronger, and with less time in doctors’ offices. The core focus is the world’s leading cause of death—cardiovascular disease—and what to do about it before it shows up as a catastrophe.
Hosted by a vascular surgeon on a mission to put herself out of business, the show translates cutting-edge science on prevention, metabolic health, and longevity into real-world strategies you can use in clinic or at your kitchen table. Expect evidence, nuance, and zero wellness hype—plus the occasional dark joke about the state of modern medicine.
Knife Down
5 MORE Tests That Reveal What's Really Happening Inside Your Body
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Most standard lab panels miss the early warning signs of heart disease, metabolic dysfunction, thyroid trouble, and chronic inflammation. In Part 2 of this series, I break down 5 more essential tests every patient should understand before symptoms show up.
In this video, we cover:
✅ Ferritin — why low or high iron can signal hidden disease
✅ ApoB — the most important cholesterol number (and why your doctor may not order it)
✅ Thyroid function tests — TSH, Free T4, and Free T3 (critical for energy, metabolism, and mood)
✅ STOP-BANG screening — the simplest way to detect sleep apnea, a massive and overlooked risk factor
✅ Vascular imaging — CAC, CIMT, and CCTA (the tests that predict heart attack and stroke before they happen)
I’ll explain what each test measures, when it’s useful, and how it fits into a bigger strategy for preventing heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and other chronic illness.
⚠️ Vascular imaging gets its own deep-dive video next — stay tuned.
If you want to stay ahead of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and premature aging, these labs are worth knowing!
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🧬 About Dr. Lily Johnston
Dr. Johnston is a double board-certified vascular and general surgeon in San Diego, specializing in metabolic and cardiovascular prevention. She’s the founder of CorSight Health and a passionate advocate for reimagining how medicine approaches chronic disease.
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