Beyond Cholesterol Numbers: Heart & Blood Sugar Health Ep 93

Do our cholesterol numbers tell the full story? Cardiometabolic, or heart health encompasses more than just heart function—it includes metabolic processes, blood sugar control, lipid levels, and inflammation markers that affect your entire body's health. Fewer than 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy, making it crucial to look beyond standard cholesterol numbers to understand your complete cardiovascular risk profile.

In today's episode, functional nutritionist Chris Newport explores hidden factors that could be quietly impacting your heart and metabolic health.

You’ll discover:
 • Why traditional cholesterol tests might miss critical warning signs
 • What the size of your LDL particles can reveal about your risk
 • The simple blood test that offers a clearer picture of heart disease risk
 • A genetic marker that could influence your heart health—whether your labs are "normal" or not
 • How your body's ability to shift between fuel sources impacts your long-term health
 • The surprising link between blood sugar, carbs, and cholesterol problems
 • A fresh look at heart health through the American Heart Association’s updated roadmap
 • How your environment and lifestyle could silently shape your risk
 • Why tiny daily habits can lead to massive improvements over time

👉 Want to go deeper?
In our Longevity Nutrition Coaching Program, we help you track the right biomarkers, explore your genetics, and build a plan that's customized to your body and goals.
Learn more at theenduranceedge.com/longevity.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical

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Transcript

Introduction to Cardiometabolic Health

Speaker 1 1:31

Hey y'all and welcome back to the Find your Edge podcast. My name is Coach Chris Newport and I am excited you are here. So today's podcast topic, which is uncovering cardiometabolic health what many people may be missing is inspired by one of our athletes who recently reached out to me and said hey, my cholesterol numbers are high, what should I do about it? And that inspired one of our calls. In our longevity nutrition coaching program, we have regular weekly accountability calls, a discussion about our metrics, but, more importantly, not only cardiometabolic health, but trends and nutrition factors, lifestyle factors and genetics. How do all those pieces come together and what are the things that we need to be concerned about, rather than dialing in on very specific numbers, but taking into account the bigger picture? So I'm going to talk through some of those things today. So let's dig in a little bit, starting off with a bit of a startling fact. Did you know that fewer than 12% of Americans are quote unquote metabolically healthy, even people who are considered normal weight? So what is cardiometabolic health? It's more than just heart health. It's your metabolic function, blood sugar control, your lipid levels, inflammation and more so, conditions like hypertension or high blood pressure, insulin resistance or something like PCOS and that visceral belly fat often cluster together and this is referred to as metabolic syndrome, and this is referred to as metabolic syndrome. So some of these risk factors exist on a spectrum and aren't necessarily like a check the box or a yes or no diagnosis. So first of all, I want to talk about the role of lipids or fats and how LDL, as many of you may think of it, is not the whole story. So cholesterol what y'all may think of as getting your cholesterol checked, which is great not encouraging you to stop doing that but consider that you're looking at part of the story. So oftentimes, if you go in for your regular checkup which is awesome, continue doing that, please You're going to get your total cholesterol, your LDL, or low density lipoprotein, your HDL, or high density lipoprotein and, more than likely, your triglycerides. So triglycerides are one of the things that typically rise after you've had a meal, which is why it's important for you to do them fasting.

Speaker 1 4:16

So what we want to be thinking about because oftentimes HDL we coin those as good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol. I really don't like that characterization. What we want to be more concerned about are those small, dense LDL particles. They're more dangerous than the big sort of like fluffy ones. I think of them as like big dopey cotton balls, just sort of floating around your arteries. What we want to be thinking more about are the VLDLs, or very low density lipoproteins, so dividing them up into shapes and sizes, and one way that you can do that is with what's called an NMR lipid panel, which includes those different particle sizes, especially those VLDLs that can sort of pick off plaques. That's what we want to be considering.

ApoB and LP(a): The Missing Markers

Speaker 1 5:09

But also consider that there's a test called APOB, which gives a clearer picture of your heart disease risk, more than just LDL or total cholesterol alone. So APO-B measures the number of cholesterol carrying particles in your blood that can contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries. This includes LDL, vldl like I just mentioned IDL and LP, little a, all of which are linked to increased risk of heart disease. Apob provides a more accurate picture of cardiovascular risk than LDL or what you might see as LDL slash C alone. Even if your LDL C appears normal, a high ApoB level may still indicate a higher risk for heart disease. So this is particularly important for people with high triglycerides, potentially with diabetes, obesity or metabolic syndrome. So most people can benefit from IPOB testing. But it's certainly a valuable addition to anyone with a routine cholesterol panel or has a family history of any sort of heart disease. Or, as we look at it in the longevity nutrition coaching program what are your cholesterol genetics? Do we need to be concerned about it? Because ApoB gives us a clear understanding of your heart disease risk rather than just honing in on oh, my total cholesterol is high or my LDLs are high. Apob is going to be more effective in determining what a potential treatment plan is, or nutrition and lifestyle factors.

Speaker 1 6:42

Another thing that I had mentioned in there was LP little a. So LP little a is a type of LDL with an extra protein called apolipoprotein A attached. It can build up in arteries and is a strong risk factor for heart disease, independent of other cholesterol markers. So since LpA is similar in size to other fats in the blood, it needs a special test to measure it accurately. So again, like we talked about with the traditional cholesterol tests your total cholesterol, your LDL, your HDL, your triglycerides again, totally fine, but it doesn't explain all the heart disease risk. Lp little a is one of the lesser known risk factors that can better predict who's at risk for those problems. So LP little a not only contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries so, as you may know, arthrosclerosis but it can interfere with your body's ability to break down blood clots. Its structure mimics a natural clot, dissolving protein, blocking its action and potentially increasing clot risk even if plaque isn't present.

Blood Sugar Control and Metabolic Flexibility

Speaker 1 7:46

So high LP little a levels are again mostly genetic, which is why it's nice to see we have a specific cholesterol module in our longevityongevity Nutrition Coaching Program that lists all this out and lists out all of the different genetic SNPs and alleles that you might have. That way you can take yours, compare it to what's in the module and then sift out what you don't need and focus on the things that you do need. So high LPL levels are again one of those things that is genetic. So we may be able to see that and you can get it tested. And some treatments like Naya sandwiches, vitamin B3, may help lower LPL in certain people, and the benefit of that is it's often cheap, although there are pharmaceuticals that do that too. So anyway, that's at least part of the picture.

Speaker 1 8:35

Other things that we often encourage people again depends on your genetics, depends on your family history, but things that might be important to potentially measure are your HSCRP or high sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine again, that's got a massive genetic component and again we see that in the genetic testing that we do. B12, same thing massive genetic component. And folate as well. A little pro tip there If you are on B vitamins or, like I just mentioned, b12 and folate, and you get your blood drawn and you've had your supplements two or three days before you get your draw, it may throw you a higher number. So it may behoove you to be off of those for a few days so that you get quote, unquote a clean number that's not offset by any additional supplements.

Speaker 1 9:29

Anyhow, other things that you may want to consider again big picture, vitamin D and, like we had talked about, in terms of metabolic syndrome, looking at what's your fasting insulin, what's your hemoglobin A1C, because high sugar and carb diets can also contribute to high cholesterol. Again, a lot of this is genetic, so staying on top of your blood glucose is really important. So let me give you an example of a client who came to us normal weight, she is menopausal and her fasting blood sugar is consistently in the 80s. So very well controlled on paper with her fasting blood sugar, but then goes and gets her A1c and it's getting close to six, which tells me A1c is almost like an average of what your blood sugar has been for roughly the last three months. So that tells me what's going on with the rest of the day.

Speaker 1 10:23

What's going on with what is the glycemic potential load of some of those meals? Where is she incorporating exercise or movement? Where is the issue with her blood sugar going a little higher? And how can we mitigate that? With better carbohydrate timing, with better meal timing, with better movement timing. So all of these things are really important when it comes to cardiometabolic health. So consider that it's not just the heart that these things are impacting, but it can potentially impact whole body systems.

Speaker 1 11:01

Cardiometabolic disorders increase the risk for dementia, especially if you have an APOE for SNP. So that's one of the things that we look at in our genetic testing and then give you an entire plan including a meal plan on. What do we do about that from a dietary perspective so that we can help prevent that? Similarly, depression and anxiety there's an increased risk for that, pcos, infertility and any pregnancy complications. So we definitely want to stay on top of those things. So these are potential system-wide imbalances and it's not fully about diet and exercise. But again, what's going on in terms of stress? What's going on in terms of toxic exposure, potential infections, etc.

Life's Essential Eight Health Markers

Speaker 1 11:47

So another thing to consider is something called metabolic flexibility. So our ancestors adapted to periods of fasting and feasting and today we're kind of always on, always having the opportunity for food, being right around the corner or in the kitchen or a door dash or whatever, and rarely allowing ourselves to recover, if you will. So metabolism is a bit like a spring and then, once it gets stretched, it's hard for it to come back, but still definitely possible. So insulin resistance is related to this metabolic flexibility, or lack thereof, and it can start years before your blood sugar starts to rise. So again, one of those things to keep an eye on your insulin, to keep an eye on your a1c and certainly your fasting blood sugar. This is where oftentimes I'm having patients use continuous glucose monitors or cs. If they are in a position with which they're able to come into it with a lens of curiosity and be able to understand and be curious about what their body is doing and what foods they're eating, they might find that quote unquote healthy foods will raise their blood sugar and there's bigger context in terms of stress in terms of exercise that we want to look at. So I feel like it's a really good fit for certain patients, but also may not be the quite right fit for someone, depending on where they are in their life. Anyhow, early signs of that insulin resistance or that metabolic inflexibility are things like increasing belly fat weight, increasing levels of fatigue and, again, higher fasting insulin, even with a normal blood sugar. All right, so things to keep an eye on there.

Speaker 1 13:27

So quick little reality check. The American Heart Association created something called Life's Essential Eight, which I think is a beautiful little picture of the eight things that we need to do in terms of managing cardiomellabic health. To do in terms of managing cardiomellabic health, less than 1% of Americans meet all eight markers of optimal heart health. I hope that's some of you guys out there, but if it's not, this is our special announcement it's time to start taking care of your body. So I will link to it, but I want to make sure that you guys are aware of these because I just think they made this lovely wheel called Life's Essential Eight. So those eight include eating better and of course, we dig in in our longevity nutrition coaching program into what exactly does that mean and what does that mean for you specifically and your genes? And also digging into some psychological aspects as well.

Speaker 1 14:22

Number two being more active. I'm going to assume that most of you are active out there, because we've got a lot of triathletes and runners and people who are fitness enthusiasts, so do not stop that right. So definitely be more active. It's really essential, and not just exercise, but also something called ADLs or activities of daily living. So right now I happen to be sitting at my desk. I definitely need to finish this podcast and get up and move around, because I know I've been sedentary for certainly the last hour or so. So being more active, not just in your exercise, but also in those activities of daily living. Quit tobacco, any type, any form.

Social Factors and Next Steps

Speaker 1 15:01

Get healthy sleep I feel like that's a bit of a bad word or maybe something that feels a little bit uncomfortable, especially to you out there who are listening, who are likely high performers or likely really getting at it and have a lot of things to do, a lot on your plate. So getting healthy sleep is really key and critical there. Managing your weight so that's a piece of the puzzle. Controlling your weight so that's a piece of the puzzle. Controlling your cholesterol, as we were discussing, it's not just about your total cholesterol, your VLDL, hdl and triglycerides, although that is important, but what's the bigger picture? What's the ApoB, what's the LpA and what are those different particle sizes? Managing your blood sugar, and again, not just your fasting blood sugar, but what's going on throughout the rest of the day. What does your A1C look like? What does your insulin look like too? And then managing blood pressure, and some of those are genetic as well.

Speaker 1 15:50

So I wanted to make sure that you guys knew those life's essential eight from the American Heart Association. And, lastly, I want to make sure to touch on it, because there are certainly social and environmental factors that go into cardio metabolic health too. Things like access to healthy food, being in a safe neighborhood and having access to healthcare all impact your metabolic health, and certainly the pandemic amplified those issues and showed us how our social connections are certainly implicated in our cardiometabolic health too, especially with our immunity, with inflammation, et cetera. So, while we can't always control our genetics, we can control our nutrition, our lifestyle and environment. We can also assess what our body is doing, what's happening on the inside, so that we can better pivot or better adjust those nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors to take care of ourselves as best as we possibly can. So small changes remember those are also massive changes.

Speaker 1 16:56

So if you're thinking, oh my gosh, how do I eat better or how do I get more sleep when I have small children and I've got a really demanding job, it's okay. There are small things that you can do that lead to better health outcomes. Are there things like maybe going to bed five minutes earlier? Are there things like I can definitely get my supplements every single day, I can get my water in, I can make sure I have protein at every meal. There are little things that matter that are going to help you in whatever stage of life you are in.

Speaker 1 17:31

If you want to know where you fall on the spectrum of cardiometabolic health, you can dig more into this with your genetics, with science, with psychology and our longevity nutrition coaching program, where we help you to track key biomarkers, explore your genetics so that you can make proactive choices in your lifestyle, health and environment and create that tailored plan for your metabolism, for your goals, for your lifestyle. So let us help you build a stronger, more resilient metabolism for life. And in fact, a little side note, there you do get 20% off of metabolic testing as part of being our longevity nutrition coaching. So if you want to get your RMR tested, if you want to get your VO2 max tested and actually see what type of substrate you're using carbs, fat, et cetera both at rest and during exercise that's a great opportunity to do it. So you can find more information about that at theenduranceedgecom forward slash longevity.

Speaker 1 18:32

So again, that's theenduranceedgecom forward slash longevity. So hopefully this was helpful to give you a bigger picture of what cardiometabolic health is and how. It's important to not just hone in on one or two particular markers but taking into account the whole picture. Also, what's going on with your nutrition, what's going on with your sleep, what's going on with the social aspect of your life, so that we can best help you live a more vibrant, active life. So thank you again for listening and I will catch you next time.