LEVELS – A Whole New Level

Aging science has gotten much better at describing who appears to be aging faster or slower. What medicine still lacks is a reliable feedback loop: a way to tell whether something we do is actually changing the biology that drives age-related disease.

Dr. Nir Barzilai argues that solving that measurement problem could turn geroscience from an interesting field of research into something doctors can actually use: measure where you are, intervene, measure again, and learn what works.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

What We Cover:

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Nir Barzilai is the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair in Aging Research and a professor of medicine and genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he directs the Institute for Geroscience.

📍What Dr. Nil Barzilai & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation:https://youtu.be/HbeGjwCw6vk

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Nil Barzilai on X: https://x.com/NirBarzilaiMD

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Medical AI is already getting good at doing things doctors do. Dr. Ziad Obermeyer thinks the bigger opportunity is using AI to discover things medicine doesn’t yet know.

His work shows both sides of that future: algorithms can amplify bad assumptions when trained on the wrong targets, but they can also uncover signals in medical data that humans miss. Obermeyer argues that as more health data is collected outside the hospital, AI could turn it into a continuous picture of health rather than a series of isolated snapshots.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

What We Cover:

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Ziad Obermeyer is an emergency medicine physician and an Associate Professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He also co-founded Dandelion Health and the non-profit Nightingale Open Science.

📍What Dr. Ziad Obermeyer & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation:https://youtu.be/WDo-iL6O5nU

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Ziad Obermeyer on https://ziadobermeyer.com/

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Why do we crave some foods the more often we eat them? Are we addicted?

Dr. Dana Small’s research suggests that food craving reaches far beyond taste or willpower, and that “addiction” isn’t a helpful descriptor. Every time we eat, unconscious signals from the body teach the brain which foods deliver useful nutrients, and train us to want more of those. In other words, we don’t eat crave foods because they taste good; foods taste good because our body craves them.

Understanding that means we can rethink overeating. It’s not a matter of addiction or self-control; it’s our body behaving the way nature intended it to, but in the setting of foods not found in the wild, like those high in both fat and carbohydrates. But we may also be able to train our brain away from these cravings.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

What We Cover

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Dana Small is the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Metabolism and the Brain and a professor at McGill University, with appointments in Neurology and Neurosurgery and Medicine. She directs the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center, and her research examines how sensory, metabolic, and neural signals interact to shape food reward, eating behavior, and metabolic health.

📍What Dr. Dana Small & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/lXlCqNqjgHY

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Twenty-five years ago, sequencing the human genome seemed poised to usher in an era of personalized medicine. Dr. Euan Ashley helped turn that promise into an actual clinical experiment, leading one of the first efforts to interpret an entire human genome in the context of a real patient’s health. The challenge quickly became apparent: medicine could suddenly generate billions of data points about one person, but making sense of them was painfully slow.

That history feels newly relevant. Ashley recently gave an AI system his own 15-year-old genome data and watched it reproduce most of an analysis that had originally required months of work by a team, in about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, genomics is being joined by wearables, multi-omics, and other technologies capable of tracking far more of our biology over time.

In this episode of NextLevel, we use the genome revolution as a case study for what happens when our ability to measure the body advances faster than our ability to interpret and use the information. The next leap in personalized medicine may depend less on collecting another mountain of data than on building the tools, reference datasets, and healthcare systems capable of turning that information into decisions.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Euan Ashley is Chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University and the Roger and Joelle Burnell Professor of Genomics and Precision Health, with appointments in medicine, genetics, and biomedical data science. He’s also the author of The Genome Odyssey: Medical Mysteries and the Incredible Quest to Solve Them.

📍What Dr. Euan Ashley & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/bD2YVGdwviE

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Is intermittent fasting biohacker wellness hype or legit health intervention? Some studies show real benefits, others find nothing, and the occasional headline calls it bad for your heart.

Dr. Courtney Peterson has spent nearly two decades running some of the field's most tightly controlled feeding trials, and her data points to a clear pattern: there is a real effect to a restricted eating window, but when you eat may matter as much as how long you fast. Her studies found that eating in a short window early in the day lowers blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity, even without weight loss. A physicist by training, she brings that same rigor to a field built mostly on people's own food diaries.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Courtney Peterson is an Associate Professor of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She holds a PhD in physics from Harvard and leads clinical trials on intermittent fasting, meal timing, and circadian rhythms.

📍What Dr. Courtney Peterson & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/dKauIgX3IH4

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

What if we could measure the human body the way engineers monitor a jet engine?

For nearly two decades, Stanford geneticist Dr. Michael Snyder has been trying exactly that. By continuously tracking everything he could possibly track in his body—genome sequencing, metabolites, wearable data, whole-body imaging—he has turned himself (and ~100 study subjects) into one of the world's largest experiments in continuous health measurement.

The point wasn’t mindless biohacking. It was to answer a question: Are there clinically useful signals in all that data?

This conversation suggests the answer is yes. Snyder’s experience and that of dozens of his study subjects offer some of the first real evidence that continuous measurement intelligently analyzed can reveal that you’re getting sick before you have symptoms, help find solutions to medical conditions that work for your unique biology, and help you refocus on prevention of disease rather than management.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Michael Snyder is the Stanford W. Ascherman Professor of Genetics and director of the Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, where he previously chaired the Department of Genetics for 15 years.

📍What Dr. Michael Snyder & Mike Haney discussed:

1:15:34 What continuous measurement could mean for preventive medicine

1:23:10 The next decade of personalized health and what's still missing

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/eUEYmLC1CcE

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

For decades, we've been told that eating less fat is one of the healthiest things we can do. That advice reshaped the foods we buy, the way we think about weight loss, and even how parents feed their children.

But what if we misunderstood fat in the first place?

In this episode, nutrition researcher Dr. Arne Astrup traces how the war on fat began, why many of its core assumptions haven't held up under decades of research, and what we've learned instead. Rather than asking whether fat is "good" or "bad," he argues that the more useful questions are: What foods actually keep us healthy? Why do some people gain weight more easily than others? And what happens when we reduce nutrition to single nutrients instead of whole foods?

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Arne Astrup is a physician, nutrition researcher, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Copenhagen whose research focuses on obesity, appetite regulation, dietary fats, and cardiometabolic health. He previously chaired the Danish Nutrition Council and helped lead Denmark's landmark ban on industrial trans fats.

📍What Dr. Arne Astrup & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/ajqg7LdM0PM

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Almost everything your doctor knows about you comes from a snapshot: a blood pressure reading, an annual lab, a handful of numbers meant to represent a constantly changing human body.

That's beginning to change. New sensors promise far more continuous health data, and AI may finally give us the ability to interpret it. But medicine has been through a data revolution before, and almost none of what people initially promised actually happened.

In the first episode of NextLevel, Mike Haney sits down with Dr. Robert Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF and one of medicine's leading thinkers on technological change, to ask what healthcare's messy transition from paper to electronic records can teach us about the AI era.

Wachter explains why digitizing medicine didn't transform care on its own, why your doctor is already overwhelmed by data, and why simply sending them continuous feeds from your watch, ring, or future sensors would make the problem worse.

The missing piece is an intelligence layer: a system capable of deciding what matters, helping patients act when they can, and pulling clinicians in when they're actually needed.

They also explore how AI is changing the balance of knowledge between doctors and patients, the danger of trusting systems that are usually right, what healthcare can learn from airplane cockpits, and why collecting more health data may be much easier than figuring out what any of it means.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Robert M. Wachter is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He’s also the author of six books, including the 2015 bestseller The Digital Doctor, which examined medicine's transition from paper to electronic health records, and 2026’s A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future, his examination of generative AI's arrival in medicine.

📍What Dr.Robert Watcher & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/762DTOa7uTY

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Healthcare is entering a new era.

AI is improving faster than our ability to measure the human body, while a new generation of sensors promises to change that. Together, they’ll reshape how we understand health, disease, and medicine itself.

NextLevel is our new series inside the podcast where we try to make sense of that future through conversations with the people building it.

Our first episode, featuring Dr. Bob Wachter, arrives this week.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

You probably spend more time thinking about protein than friendships.

According to today's guest, you’ve got it backward.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Mike Haney sits down with Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, one of the world's leading researchers on social connection and health. She explains how data now unequivocally show that social isolation drives early mortality. And why simply not feeling lonely doesn't necessarily mean you're getting enough social connection, as well as why even weak connections matter a lot to a healthy social life.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University and one of the world's leading researchers on social connection and health. Her landmark meta-analyses involving millions of participants established social isolation and loneliness as independent risk factors for chronic disease and early mortality.

📍What Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Key Research

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/g6D2CIpB2n4
Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

High cholesterol. Elevated ApoB. A positive CAC score. Now what?

Most people quickly find themselves trapped between two extremes: simplistic advice to “cut saturated fat” and online influencers insisting cholesterol doesn’t matter at all.
In this episode of A Whole New Level, Mike Haney sits down with clinical research scientist Dr. Kevin Maki to cut through the confusion.

Drawing on more than 35 years of cardiovascular research, Maki explains why heart disease risk is about much more than LDL cholesterol alone. He breaks down the roles of inflammation, blood sugar, family history, kidney function, and lipoproteins, while also making a clear case for something many people resist: LDL and ApoB still matter. A lot.

The evidence increasingly suggests that when it comes to atherosclerosis, lower for longer is better. That has important implications for diet, statins, and how early we should intervene.

Mike and Dr. Maki also tackle saturated fat, seed oils, red meat, industry-funded research, and how to separate evidence from online nutrition debates.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Kevin Maki is founder and Chief Science Officer of Midwest Biomedical Research and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health at Indiana University. A former president of the National Lipid Association, he has spent more than three decades designing and leading clinical trials focused on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, nutrition, and lipid management.

His research has included studies on cholesterol-lowering therapies, dietary patterns, red meat, seed oils, inflammation, and cardiometabolic risk reduction.

📍What Dr. Kevin Maki & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:

✅ Subscribe here on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

What are GLP-1 drugs actually doing in the body, who are they for, and why might some people want to think twice before treating them like a six-month shortcut?

For years, obesity treatment focused largely on behavior: eat less, move more, stay motivated. Yet many people lost weight only to regain it. According to obesity medicine pioneer Dr. Robert Kushner, that wasn’t a failure of willpower. It was a failure to fully understand the biology driving weight regulation.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Mike Haney sits down with Kushner, one of the leading figures in obesity medicine and a lead investigator on the landmark STEP trials, to discuss how GLP-1 medications are changing the field. He explains why these drugs may be the first treatments capable of helping patients “fight biology with biology,” why appetite regulation appears to work differently in different people, and why many patients describe a dramatic reduction in food noise after starting treatment.

But this conversation goes beyond how the drugs work. Kushner also addresses one of the biggest questions facing obesity medicine today: who should actually take these medications? He explains why obesity specialists evaluate far more than a number on the scale, why someone hoping to lose a modest amount of weight may want to think carefully before pursuing treatment, and why successful long-term health still requires changes that no medication can provide.

They also discuss obesity as a disease, the promise and limitations of telehealth prescribing, and why maintaining weight loss often requires something deeper than motivation: a shift in identity.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Robert Kushner is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Medical Education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and one of the pioneers of modern obesity medicine. He is a past president of The Obesity Society, founder and former chair of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and a lead investigator on the landmark STEP clinical trials that helped establish semaglutide as a treatment for obesity.

📍What Dr. Robert Kushner & Mike Haney discussed:

2:06 — Why obesity is more than willpower

4:34 — The benefits and drawbacks of calling obesity a disease6:27 — Clinical vs. preclinical obesity

17:36 — What obesity medicine misunderstood about weight regain

18:44 — “Fight biology with biology”

25:07 — Why weight maintenance is a different challenge than weight loss

26:49 — The identity shift that helps people keep weight off

27:52 — How GLP-1 drugs actually work

31:09 — Why some people experience constant food noise

34:09 — Why GLP-1s treat obesity but don’t cure it

42:17 — The STEP and SELECT trials

44:15 — Who should consider GLP-1 medications?

45:44 — Why obesity treatment is more than an online prescription

50:44 — What happens after you stop taking GLP-1s?

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/qdssFUAWVck

Dr. Robert Kushner: https://drrobertkushner.com/about/

Northwestern Faculty Profile: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=11686

STEP Trial: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183

SELECT Trial: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Most athletes are told the same basic rule: the harder you train, the more carbs you need. But Dr. Andrew Koutnik argues the science is more complicated.

In this episode, Mike Haney talks with Dr. Koutnik about how the body fuels exercise, why muscle glycogen may not explain “hitting the wall” as neatly as many people think, and why blood glucose, brain energy, insulin, and metabolic flexibility may matter more than conventional sports nutrition advice suggests.

They discuss whether athletes really need 60, 90, or even 120 grams of carbs per hour, why some athletes may perform well on far less, and how to think about fueling as an individual experiment rather than a universal rule. Because apparently even “eat sugar while running” was too simple for human physiology to leave alone.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙️ About the Guest:

Dr. Andrew Koutnik is a Visiting Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, studying nutrition, metabolism, Type 1 diabetes, and human performance. He earned his PhD in medical sciences from the University of South Florida and has worked with groups including NASA and the Department of Defense.

📍What Dr. Andrew Koutnik & Mike Haney discussed:

🔗 Helpful Links:Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/FfomxfyCchw

Study discussed: Carbohydrate Ingestion on Exercise Metabolism and Physical Performancehttps://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/47/2/191/8432248Related paper: Substrate Oxidation Does Not Influence Middle Distance Running Performancehttps://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/17/2771

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:Connect with Dr. Andrew Koutnik: https://andrewkoutnik.com/X: https://x.com/AKoutnikInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewkoutnikphd/Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=2BzUjqkAAAAJ

👋 Who we are:

Levels helps you understand your metabolic health with personalized data, expert guidance, and tools that connect your daily choices to measurable changes in your body. Our goal is to help you make better decisions about food, exercise, sleep, and long-term health.

We can measure more about our health than ever before. Wearables track everything from heart rhythms to glucose trends, and AI can now identify patterns clinicians might miss. But more data does not automatically mean better health outcomes.

In this episode, cardiologist and digital health expert Dr. Ami Bhatt joins Mike Haney to explore why medicine still struggles with prevention, how continuous health data can help patients take more agency, and where AI may actually improve care—not by replacing doctors, but by helping clinicians navigate the right information at the right time.

They discuss the promise and pitfalls of wearables, the challenge of turning constant streams of health information into useful action, and why the future of medicine may depend on what Dr. Bhatt calls “collaborative intelligence”: humans and AI working together to make better decisions earlier.

Free course: Improve your metabolic health

Get our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

About the guest: Dr. Ami Bhatt is the chief innovation officer (CIO) at the American College of Cardiology and the Chair of the FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee. She received her undergraduate degree at Harvard University and her Doctor of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, and was the Director of Outpatient Cardiology, TeleCardiology, and Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎙 What Dr. Ami Bhatt & Mike Haney discuss:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/d0LJvL1uB4k

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Ami Bhatt on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramibhatt/

Metabolic health is often simplified to a matter of blood sugar, but at its root, it is a complex system of energy substrate signaling. While many view chronic disease as an inevitable part of aging, a systems-thinking approach reveals that maintaining high "flux"—the capacity to efficiently move and clear energy through the body—is the primary lever for longevity. Without the stimulus of regular movement, even the most optimized diet can fail to prevent the accumulation of metabolic waste that leads to insulin resistance and heart disease.

In this episode, we sit down with Greg Mushen, a technologist who turned his engineering mind toward his own biology after conventional medicine failed to address his chronic health issues. Mushen breaks down his "Theory of Flux" and why he believes the key to disease resistance lies in meeting our body's "clearance burden". From studying the activity levels of hunter-gatherer populations to debunking myths about walking and V2 max, Mushen provides a data-driven framework for optimizing health through the lens of evolutionary biology and systems engineering.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we cover:

🎙 What Greg Mushen & Josh Clemente discuss:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/A1KSG2qyVww⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Greg Mushen on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmushen

Protein is often hailed as the ultimate nutrient for health and longevity, but the science suggests it is only half of the equation. While social media influencers debate the minutiae of protein grams, researchers have found that the vast majority of protein's benefits are "baked in" only when combined with physical activity. Without the stimulus of exercise, even the most optimized protein intake fails to move the needle on muscle growth or chronic disease prevention.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Mike Haney sits down with Dr. Stuart Phillips, a researcher who has spent over 25 years at McMaster University studying the intersection of protein, exercise, and human health. Dr. Phillips breaks down why the current RDA for protein is likely too low for optimal health and why the methodology used to set those standards is decades out of date.

Dr. Phillips explains the "brick wall" analogy of muscle turnover—where synthesis and breakdown are in a constant tug-of-war—and how lifting weights acts as the primary driver for "the bricklayers". From the impact of anabolic resistance in aging to the truth about protein timing and kidney health, he provides a grounded, data-driven perspective on how to maintain a functional reserve of muscle as we age.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we cover

🎙 What Dr. Stuart Phillips & Mike Haney discuss:

[00:00] — Why exercise is the "big driver" of protein's health benefits.

[09:00] — Transitioning from the RDA (0.8 g/kg) to an optimized range of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg.

[30:31] — The limitations of "nitrogen balance" as a methodology for protein needs.

[44:45] — Muscle as a structural substrate vs. carbs and fats as fuel.

[01:10:05] — Anabolic resistance: Why we lose building efficiency as we age.

[01:18:15] — The "Compound Interest" of muscle: Why starting early prevents a late-life mobility spiral.

[01:28:10] — Hormones and muscle: The differing impacts of testosterone and estrogen during aging.

[01:39:15] — Addressing the concerns regarding high protein intake and kidney function.

[01:52:10] — Whole foods vs. supplements: Why the "bricklayers" care about amino acids, but the body cares about nutrients.

[01:60:12] — Debunking the immediate post-workout protein shake myth.

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/twVUPk-B-vg⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Stuart Phillips on LinkedIn & X:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartmphillips/

https://x.com/mackinprof

Preconception health is one of the most powerful—yet overlooked—windows for influencing a child’s lifelong wellness. While fertility is often discussed in the context of age or medical intervention, emerging research suggests that the months leading up to conception are a critical "time capsule" for epigenetic health.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Levels Founder and CEO Josh Clemente sits down with Dr. Anne Shippy, a board-certified internal medicine physician and author of The Preconception Revolution. Dr. Shippy brings a unique, systems-based approach to fertility, moving beyond basic labs to uncover the root causes of infertility and chronic disease.

Dr. Shippy explains why the "check engine light" of infertility is often a signal of deeper metabolic or environmental imbalances—and why age isn't always the primary driver of reproductive success. Drawing on her engineering background and years of clinical practice, she walks through how toxins, mitochondrial function, and the microbiome interact to shape the health of both parents and their future children.

Along the way, the conversation explores the practical "mini-experiments" couples can run to optimize their biology—from tightening blood sugar control with CGMs to auditing the "chemical soup" of modern life. The result is an empowering framework for generational health: shifting the focus from reactive treatments to proactive, data-driven preparation.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we cover

• The Preconception Window: Why the 3–12 months before pregnancy are a critical window for epigenetic influence

• The Engineering Approach: Applying systems-based, data-driven models to the biochemistry of the body

• Environmental Toxins: How PFAS, phthalates, and microplastics in packaging disrupt hormone health

• Sperm Health Trends: Understanding the 50% decline in sperm counts and the role of lifestyle in reversing damage

• Mitochondrial Function: Why cellular energy production is the foundation of egg and sperm quality

• IVF as a Last Resort: Why tuning up the body’s "hospitable environment" should come before invasive procedures

• The Role of Glucose: How stable blood sugar improves fertility and passes on better epigenetics to the baby

🎙 What Dr. Anne Shippy & Josh discuss

[03:35] — Making the career shift from IBM chemical engineer to functional medicine

[05:54] — Using CGMs as a series of experiments to optimize preconception health

[10:04] — Success stories: Reversing "failed" IVF and infertility in the early 40s

[14:48] — Why the children’s health crisis and the fertility crisis share the same root causes

[17:22] — The "Time Capsule": How the egg and sperm pass on epigenetic snapshots

[20:02] — The minimum timeline: Why three months is the baseline for biological change

[22:22] — The impact of processed food packaging on hormone and sperm health in just 21 days

[24:50] — Advanced testing: Moving beyond Quest labs to microbiome and toxin panels

[29:57] — The "Big Three" environmental shifts: Clean air, clean water, and clean food

[42:22] — The "Lightning Round": Prioritizing changes from synthetic fragrances to alcohol and exercise

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/QG4Jxxu_gyE

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Ann Shippy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annshippymd/

https://annshippymd.com/

High cholesterol is one of the most widely discussed—and established—risk factors in medicine. But reams of research now show that while it is key to cardiovascular risk, it is not the whole story.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, editorial director Mike Haney sits down with Dr. Ronald Krauss, one of the world’s leading lipid researchers and a pioneer in understanding how different forms of LDL—and the physiological factors around them—affect cardiovascular risk.

Dr. Krauss explains why the basic link between cholesterol and heart disease is well established among experts—but also why the standard cholesterol panel often misses the deeper metabolic story. Drawing on decades of research, he walks through how lipoproteins, particle size, triglycerides, and metabolic health interact to determine whether cholesterol actually becomes dangerous.

Along the way, the conversation explores why cardiovascular disease remains the leading killer despite statins and decades of research—and how factors like obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation reshape the lipid landscape in ways that traditional tests may not capture.

The result is a clearer framework for understanding cardiovascular risk: not just how much cholesterol is in the blood, but how it’s being transported, how long those particles circulate, and what metabolic conditions are driving them.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

In this episode, we cover

🎙 What Dr. Ronald Krauss & Mike Haney discuss:

[01:09] — Why the cholesterol–heart disease link is largely settled science

[02:27] — Why cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading killer

[04:42] — Inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in vascular disease

[06:12] — The discovery of small dense LDL and why particle size matters

[07:14] — Lipoprotein(a) as a major inherited cardiovascular risk factor

[09:18] — “Residence time”: why particles that circulate longer cause more damage

[11:24] — ApoB vs LDL-C: measuring particles instead of cholesterol mass

[13:31] — The HDL paradox: why raising HDL hasn’t improved outcomes

[15:28] — Metabolic syndrome and the five markers that amplify risk

[17:16] — Why the saturated fat debate misses the bigger metabolic picture

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/sS0orvd2TFs

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Ronald Krauss on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-krauss-81a38021/

You can’t outrun a bad diet—but it turns out you might not even be able to outrun a good one. In this episode of A Whole New Level, evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Herman Pontzer joins Mike Haney to dismantle the "armchair view" of metabolism and explain why more exercise doesn't necessarily mean more calories burned.

Drawing on his groundbreaking research with the Hadza hunter-gatherer community and global meta-analyses, Dr. Pontzer explains the Constrained Energy Model: the phenomenon where our bodies hit a metabolic ceiling and begin "trading off" energy from vital systems like immunity and reproduction to account for physical activity. This conversation reframes weight loss not as a simple math problem of "calories in vs. calories out," but as a dynamic, evolutionary balancing act.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

In this episode, we cover:

🎙 What Dr. Herman Pontzer & Mike Haney discuss:

[0:01-0:52] The Additive Model vs. The Constrained Energy Model

[1:24-2:48] Dr. Pontzer's Book Burn

[3:33-4:21] Defining Energy Balance

[5:15-6:50] Where the "Armchair View of Metabolism" Breaks Down

[7:07-8:50] Comparing the Additive Model to the Constrained Energy Model

[16:14-18:12] Energy Accounting: Where Daily Calories Go

[18:13-20:57] The Body as a Business Metaphor

[22:13-23:47] Specific Ways the Body Compensates for Increased Exercise

[24:19-25:27] Modifying the Constrained Energy Limit (Diet and Weightlifting)

[47:54-51:23] Diet is Key for Weight Management

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/6GUWQuT-vRc⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Herman Pontzer on X: https://x.com/HermanPontzer

Heart disease risk isn’t just about cholesterol. In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Matthew Budoffexplains why coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring may be the most important test most people aren’t getting—and why imaging your arteries directly can reveal risk that blood tests alone can miss.

Drawing on decades of research and data from the landmark MESA study, Dr. Budoff explains how calcium scoring predicts real cardiovascular events, how plaque actually forms and progresses, and why some people with high cholesterol never develop plaque—while others with “normal” labs do.

This episode focuses on how to measure your actual cardiovascular risk, not just estimate it.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl

In this episode, we cover:

This conversation reframes heart risk around what’s actually happening inside your arteries—not just what shows up in bloodwork.

🎙 What Dr. Matthew Budoff & Mike Haney discuss:

[01:35] — Coronary calcium is the strongest predictor of heart events

[02:38] — What a high calcium score actually means for risk

[04:00] — Why rising calcium is not “healing.”

[11:07] — The role of fat tissue and inflammation in plaque formation

[16:37] — Why do many people with high cholesterol have no plaque

[17:55] — Why imaging is the only way to truly know your risk

[37:07] — Calcium as the “tip of the iceberg” of total plaque burden

[~52:00] — Why CAC is the practical first step before advanced imaging

[~1:02:00] — When CT angiography adds critical information

[~1:14:00] — How plaque regression actually happens in the real world

[~1:22:00] — The next frontier: Lp(a) and inflammation as treatment targets

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/os-RNhIS3jQ

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Matthew Budoff on X: https://x.com/BudoffMd

https://www.calciumscan.com/

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Christopher Gardner, PhD, joins Mike to discuss his decades in nutrition research, the challenges of conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on diet, and how to communicate complex science to the public. Gardner has led some of the most rigorous research ever comparing dietary approaches in real-world conditions, so his insights about what works (cutting processed food and sugar) and what doesn’t (obsessing about macronutrients) are worth a listen.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

In this episode, we cover:

🎙 What Dr. Christopher Gardner & Mike Haney discuss:

[00:33] Nutritional Interventionist Role

[02:17] Shortcomings of Nutrition RCTs

[03:59] Garlic Study Example

[16:48] Concept of Equipoise in Study Design

[21:54] Value of Communicating Single Study Results

[28:02] Industry Funding and Transparency

[33:11] Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Methodology

[38:48] Ultra-Processed Foods and the Evidence

[48:27] Simplicity vs. Complexity in Nutrition

[50:24] Consensus on Foundational Diet Components

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/ZQ0G_jfwKoM

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect

Connect with Christopher Gardner,PhD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cgardnerphd/?hl=en

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Eric Ravussin, PhD, explains the physiology of energy expenditure, metabolic adaptation, and why the body strongly defends its prior weight. Drawing on decades of research, including the Biggest Loser study, CALERIE, and work with metabolic chambers, Ravussin walks through what actually happens when we lose weight—and why willpower alone isn’t enough.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

In this episode, we cover:

🎙 What Dr. Eric Ravussin & Mike Haney discuss:

[04:40] — Rethinking obesity diagnosis

[07:00] — Clinical vs. preclinical obesity

[11:38] — What ‘energy expenditure’ actually means

[15:42] — What metabolic adaptation really is

[17:56] — Why bigger bodies burn more calories

[26:16] — Lessons from the Biggest Loser study

[31:19] — What CALERIE taught us about calorie restriction

[40:02] — Why slow, modest weight loss matters

[45:10] — Weight loss vs. weight maintenance physiology

[53:08] — GLP-1 drugs: promise and limitations

[57:49] — Why you can’t exercise your way to weight loss

[1:01:33] — The biggest myth about obesity

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/UaE0C_l7GMw

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 More about Dr. Eric Ravussin: https://www.pbrc.edu/research-and-faculty/faculty/Ravussin-Eric-PhD.aspx

According to investigative science journalist Gary Taubes, much of what we “know” about nutrition is built on weak evidence, bad assumptions, and decades of groupthink. In this episode of A Whole New Level, Taubes joins Mike Haney to examine how nutrition science went off the rails—and why he remains convinced the carbohydrate–insulin model still offers the most coherent explanation for obesity.

Taubes explains how observational studies became policy, why randomized trials are often ignored, and why questioning the calorie-balance model remains controversial despite mounting contradictions. The conversation is less about winning an argument and more about how science should actually work—especially when public health is at stake.

⁠Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

🎙 What Gary Taubes & Mike Haney discuss:

[4:10] — How Gary Taubes became interested in “bad science.”

[9:45] — Why nutrition science relies too heavily on epidemiology

[15:30] — Correlation vs. causation in diet research

[22:10] — The problem with the calorie-balance model

[29:40] — Introducing the carbohydrate–insulin model

[36:55] — Why insulin resistance changes everything

[44:20] — Why low-fat advice dominated for decades

[52:10] — What randomized trials actually show

[1:00:05] — Why dissent is treated as heresy in nutrition

[1:08:30] — How bad science survives criticism

[1:16:45] — What good nutrition science would require

[1:23:20] — Why this debate still matters

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/74WAhHgEk_0⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect with Gary Taubes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-taubes-942a6459/

https://garytaubes.com/

Hormones influence far more than reproduction—they shape energy, mood, metabolism, sleep, and long-term health. In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Anjali D’Souza joins Mike Haney to explain how women’s hormones actually work, why so many symptoms are dismissed as “normal,” and how to interpret labs in a way that reflects real physiology.

They discuss why standard hormone panels often miss functional problems, how nutrient status and lifestyle affect hormone signaling, and how symptoms like PMS, fatigue, and brain fog provide meaningful data—not noise.

They discuss:

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

🎙 What Dr. Anjali Dsouza & Mike Haney discuss:

[3:45] — Why hormones influence energy, mood, and vitality

[7:30] — “Normal” labs vs. how you actually feel

[11:40] — Why hormone symptoms are often dismissed

[15:05] — Hormones as a lever to move from “fine” to “amazing.”

[18:20] — Progesterone, estrogen, and the menstrual cycle

[22:10] — Why PMS isn’t random—it’s data

[27:35] — Cortisol, stress, and hormone disruption

[33:10] — Nutrient status and hormone effectiveness

[38:45] — Why labs don’t show tissue-level hormone function

[44:30] — Lifestyle changes that support hormone balance

[50:15] — Rethinking how we assess women’s hormone health

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/MweLkjvNimo

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

⁠https://dcimedicine.com/dr-anjali-dsouza/⁠

⁠https://www.levels.com/blog/dr-anjali-dsouza-wants-to-help-women-level-up-their-health⁠

📲 Connect with Dr. Anjali Dsouza: https://www.instagram.com/anjalidsouzamd

In this episode, Dr. Jesse Mills, Director of the UCLA Men’s Clinic, joins Mike Haney to explain what’s driving that shift and what today’s data-driven approach to men’s health looks like.

He breaks down the testosterone “revolution,” what’s really happening in low-T diagnoses, and how lifestyle, sleep, and stress management can influence hormones as much as prescriptions can.

They discuss:

- How men’s health became its own medical discipline

- What testosterone really does—and how to know if it’s low

- Primary vs. secondary hypogonadism and how to tell the difference

- When testosterone replacement is appropriate (and when it’s not)

- Why younger men are now embracing prevention and optimization

And listen to Dr. Mills’ new podcast, The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills, wherever you get your podcasts.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙 What Dr. Jesse Mills & Mike Haney discuss:

[2:10] — How men’s health became its own field

[8:05] — The generational shift in openness

[10:40] — The difference between real medicine and ‘men’s clinics’

[12:00] — Testosterone 101

[18:45] — When low testosterone is reversible

[26:50] — Why we need ‘forensic endocrinology’

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation:https://youtu.be/Zs2CZC2GueA

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

📲 Connect with Dr. Jesse Mills: https://x.com/grurology?lang=en

Your annual labs can reveal far more than most people realize—if you know how to interpret them. In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Rich Joseph walks through how to read basic blood work like the CBC, electrolytes, and urinalysis, and how to use those numbers as feedback loops, not pass/fail judgments.

He explains which values matter most, what trends reveal over time, and how to connect lab data to sleep, training, nutrition, and stress.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Dr. Rich Joesph & Mike Haney discuss:

[03:12] — Why basic labs still matter

[07:58] — How to read the CBC: Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets

[18:45] — MCV and what it tells us about iron vs. B-vitamin deficiency

[24:40] — White blood cells as a window into stress and recovery

[44:10] — Electrolytes and cellular energy

[1:01:22] — Urinalysis: the overlooked lab with real value

[1:09:55] — Using labs as feedback over time

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/cpwB4-_7o-w

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect with Dr. Rich Joseph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-joseph-md-mba-61448b33a/

Your immune system isn’t just about fighting infections—it’s a mirror of your overall metabolic health.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Sharon Bergquist, physician and Director of Emory’s Healthy Aging and Resilient Aging Center, joins Mike Haney to unpack the science of immune resilience—how chronic inflammation, white blood cell patterns, and metabolism intertwine to shape long-term health.

Dr. Bergquist explains why inflammation isn’t always bad, how the immune system ages, and what you can do daily to build resilience.

They discuss:

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Dr. Sharon Bergquist & Mike Haney discuss:

[3:24] — How inflammation protects—and harms—your body

[10:11] — Why immune health depends on metabolism

[17:42] — White blood cells as a window into immune function

[24:38] — How the gut and liver shape immunity

[32:27] — Why modern lifestyles fuel inflammation

[40:55] — How to measure your own inflammation

[48:33] — The science of immune aging (inflammaging)

[56:22] — Building immune resilience through daily habits

[1:03:44] — Why immune balance is better than immune ‘boosting’

[1:11:08] — The hopeful message: immunity is adaptable

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/k1XpdFGVx1o

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect with Dr. Sharon Bergquist on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist 

Dr. Sharon Bergquist: https://drsharonbergquist.com/

If you want to improve your energy and long-term health, start by understanding how your body uses glucose.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Dr. Benjamin Bikman, scientist and author of Why We Get Sick, joins Mike Haney to unpack the science of glucose metabolism and insulin resistance—and why blood sugar isn’t the whole story.

Dr. Bikman explains how insulin regulates energy balance, why HbA1c is only part of the picture, and how chronic high insulin can silently drive weight gain, fatigue, and metabolic disease. He also shares practical ways to lower insulin naturally through diet, exercise, and daily habits.

They discuss:

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Ben Bikman, PhD, & Mike Haney discuss:

[3:42] — Why glucose isn’t the full story in metabolic health

[7:58] — Insulin’s central role in energy and fat storage

[13:10] — What HbA1c actually tells you—and what it misses

[19:23] — The first signs of insulin resistance most people overlook

[25:46] — Why muscle is a “glucose sink” that protects your metabolism

[32:15] — How modern diets overload insulin, not just glucose

[39:52] — The difference between being lean and being metabolically healthy

[46:08] — Simple daily habits that lower insulin naturally

[54:41] — Why “normal” lab ranges for insulin are misleading

[1:02:17] — Practical steps to build metabolic flexibility and better energy

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/2PROANAQkwA

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Bikman on X: @BenBikmanPhD

Dr. Benjamin Bikman: https://benbikman.com/

Alzheimer’s and dementia aren’t just a matter of age or genetics. Increasing evidence shows that metabolic health—particularly insulin resistance—plays a key role in cognitive decline.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, neurologist and bestselling author Dr. David Perlmutter joins Mike Haney to explore the links between brain health and metabolism. They discuss the role of insulin resistance and inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease, the biomarkers that can reveal risk decades before symptoms, and how lifestyle interventions can dramatically change your trajectory.

Topics include:

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 WhatDr. David Perlmutter & Mike Haney discuss:

4:12 — Why Alzheimer’s is now called “Type 3 diabetes”

9:45 — The role of inflammation in brain health

15:22 — Biomarkers that predict dementia risk decades early

22:31 — Why mainstream Alzheimer’s drugs fall short

29:17 — GLP-1s and brain health

36:44 — Lifestyle changes vs. pharmaceuticals

44:19 — Why homocysteine matters

53:02 — Sleep, circadian rhythm, and brain resilience

1:02:38 — Early warning signs you shouldn’t ignore

1:15:07 — The hopeful message

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/MV_9nyAN1Vk

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Dr. David Perlmutter on X: @DavidPerlmutter

David Perlmutter, MD: ⁠https://drperlmutter.com/⁠

Longevity is a hot health topic, but what factors move the needle on not only how long you live but how long you experience relatively good health? Some lab and other tests can help assess how healthy you’re aging and provide context for what lifestyle and other changes to make. Dr. Matt Kaeberlein and Mike Haney discuss the tests that help assess healthy aging, how mental health and physical health are intricately connected, which lifestyle factors might expand your health span, and where the research stands on various longevity topics.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, & Mike Haney discuss:

6:57 — Lifespan vs. health span vs. sick span

19:38 — Understanding sick span

27:44 — Biomarkers and other tests to assess health span

30:58 — The importance of emotional health for longevity

35:49 — Cellular tests may not have value for the consumer yet

42:24 — On mitochondrial function and telomere length

50:34 — Investing in your health

1:01:18 — Lifestyle changes can help make a big difference

1:09:50 — High vs. low protein

1:16:39 — When considering exercise, building muscle is crucial for longevity

1:27:37 — The prescription drug rapamycin is not FDA-approved for longevity

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/OPH5Nb2a69o

Subscribe here on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Matt Kaeberlein, PhD: https://www.optispan.life/matt-kaeberlein

Connect with Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, on X: https://x.com/mkaeberlein

Your thyroid test results explained: The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that affects many facets of health. When it doesn’t function optimally, symptoms can ensue. That’s where testing comes in, but the results can be tricky to interpret (and treat if necessary) without a knowledgeable clinician. Dr. Angela Mazza and Mike Haney discuss thyroid function, thyroid hormone and related tests and what they mean, treatment for thyroid conditions, the benefits of an integrative approach to thyroid care, and more.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Angela Mazza, DO, & Mike Haney discuss:

2:44 — What is endocrinology?

4:31 — What does the thyroid do?

6:33 — Understanding hyperthyroidism

10:08 — The “triangle” of autoimmune disease

13:56 — Understanding hypothyroidism

16:29 — Thyroid-stimulating hormone

21:43 — Considering reverse T3

27:11 — Thyroid ultrasound

37:32 – The importance of individualized thyroid replacement therapy

40:53 — The thyroid gland and perimenopause

42:49 — Misinformation about the thyroid

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/HRNKRniVALk

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Angela Mazza, DO: https://www.metaboliccenterforwellness.com/

Metabolic Center for Wellness: https://www.metaboliccenterforwellness.com/

“Thyroid Talk: An Integrative Guide to Optimal Thyroid Health”: https://www.amazon.com/Thyroid-Talk-Integrative-Optimal-Health/

Thyroid Talk community and training: https://www.thrivethyroid.com/

Thyroid Talk podcast: https://www.metaboliccenterforwellness.com/copy-of-protocols-1

Connect with Angela Mazza, DO, on Instagram: https:// https://www.instagram.com/metaboliccenterforwellness/

Greater accessibility to glucose biosensors has led to their use to improve metabolic health, prevent disease, and feel better. Historically, these biosensors for monitoring glucose were only available with a prescription, often reserved for people with diabetes, but now with brands like Stelo, they are available over the counter. Dom D’Agostino, PhD, and Ben Grynol discuss how biosensors can be a tool for anyone to improve overall health, reduce risk for chronic diseases, manage women’s health including menstrual cycles and the menopause transition, help with fueling strategies for workouts and performance, prevent energy crashes, and more.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 WhatDom D’Agostino, PhD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

11:49 — Using technology to reduce your risk for health issues

14:13 — Metabolic health is a spectrum, and many people don’t know where they stand

25:25 — The importance of focusing on trends in your metabolic health

30:05 — Glucose spikes from workouts are normal and a good sign

34:13 — Glucose is one of the key biomarkers to track for longevity

41:34 — Understanding what a glucose biosensor is

56:17 — All calories are not created equal

1:01:25 — Using a glucose biosensor for exercise fueling strategies

1:04:00 — Using a glucose biosensor to monitor women’s health changes

1:23:11 — The rate of glucose absorption matters for metabolic health and how you feel

1:31:06 — Making healthy food the default, rather than ultra-processed foods

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/mrlnNhxKNgY

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Dominic D’Agostino, PhD: https://drdominicdagostino.com/

Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, on X: https://x.com/DominicDAgosti2

Our kidneys filter out waste while retaining substances the body needs, such as electrolytes. Kidney health, which can be assessed with blood and urine biomarker tests, is paramount to overall health. Yet lifestyle, such as the Western diet and other factors, can damage the kidneys, leading to either a slow progression of issues or acute injury. Dr. Rick Johnson and Mike Haney discuss the role of the kidneys, what lifestyle factors affect kidney health, ways to support the kidneys, and what your biomarker results tell you about the function of these crucial organs.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Rick Johnson, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

4:26 — Your kidneys are great regulators

8:43 — Heat stress affects the kidneys

12:04 — The most common causes of kidney disease include diabetes and high blood pressure

19:46 — The Western diet is associated with age-related kidney decline

32:25 — The concerns of a high-protein diet in the presence of chronic kidney disease

41:15 — Changes in urinary habits or color could indicate chronic kidney disease

46:23 — Biomarkers can help assess kidney function

53:18 — Serum creatinine as a biomarker of kidney health

1:08:13 — Assessing patterns over time is crucial

1:10:52 — High albumin in the urine is a sign of kidney disease

1:21:26 — Lifestyle changes that support kidney health

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/8_QSuYwo5wg

Subscribe here on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Richard Johnson, MD: https://drrichardjohnson.com

Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology: https://drrichardjohnson.com/books/

Connect with Richard Johnson, MD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrichardjjohnson/

Your gut microbiome affects everything from your mental health and cognitive function to your immune system and metabolic health. Gut health symptoms, such as bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea, could be a sign that you have low species diversity. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and Mike Haney discuss how the gut and brain communicate, how the gut microbiome affects the gut barrier and therefore your immune system, what to eat to improve the gut microbiome, and what microbiome testing can tell you.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Will Bulsiewicz, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

9:14 — Gut health takes time to improve

14:49 — Your gut microbiome informs your gut and overall health

18:42 — Lifestyle choices help shape an individual’s gut microbiome

24:20 — A compromised gut barrier affects the immune system

30:51 — Nutritional strategies can improve the gut microbiome and reduce disease flares

32:46 — The gut and the brain communicate

52:27 — A diverse gut microbiome is a sign of good health

56:45 — Your gut microbiome informs your bowel movements

1:01:46 — When to see a doctor for gastrointestinal symptoms

1:05:32 — Increasing fiber helps the gut microbiome

1:11:41 — The beneficial byproducts of gut microbes are postbiotics

1:14:59 — Eat a wide variety of plant foods to get optimal fiber

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/iAHOycufGn8

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Will Bulsieweicz, MD, https://theplantfedgut.com/about/

Fiber Fueled: https://www.amazon.com/Fiber-Fueled-Plant-Based-Optimizing-Microbiome/dp/059308456X

The Plant Fed Gut: https://theplantfedgut.com/

Connect with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theguthealthmd/?hl=en

The pancreas is a complex organ, but some key biomarkers can assess its health. The pancreas is both an exocrine organ (meaning it produces enzymes) and an exocrine organ (meaning it secretes hormones). It’s a key component of your metabolic health and therefore your overall health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Mike Haney discuss key pancreatic blood work to get checked, the differences between diabetes types and what causes them, what insulin resistance is, how to restore mitochondrial function through diet and lifestyle changes, and more.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(01:33) — The pancreas is a complex organ

(13:20) — Three emergency mechanisms to prevent low blood sugar

(18:28) — Why insulin is a crucial biomarker

(19:57) — Understanding type 1 diabetes

(27:11) — Understanding type 2 diabetes

(30:03) — What mitochondrial dysfunction does to the pancreas

(31:45) — The links between Alzheimer’s disease and type diabetes

(33:07) — Obesity is about mitochondrial dysfunction

(36:14) — Testing proinsulin and C-peptide

(40:24) — Reversing mitochondrial dysfunction and type 2 diabetes

(44:03) — Testing key pancreatic enzymes

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show Notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/5RnEdiTRYfI?si=GXeqvaXtyDLaXjUH

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Lab testing for female reproductive hormones offers insight into menstrual cycle irregularities, fertility concerns, and understanding where you are on the perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause trajectory. Dr. Natalie Crawford and Mike Haney discuss how the brain and ovaries communicate during the different phases of the menstrual cycle, when to test female hormones, how oral contraception affects hormone levels, and how to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatNatalie Crawford, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(08:03) — Women’s reproductive health concerns sometimes get dismissed

(09:08) — The intersection of fertility and functional medicine

(14:17) — The reason to check anti-Mullerian hormone

(24:19) — The brain communicates with the ovaries

(26:17) — Inflammation can disrupt the menstrual cycle

(30:44) — Data from biomarker testing can be motivating

(32:05) — When to do baseline testing for female hormones

(37:47) — Menstrual cycle history and the big picture are important

(40:12) — Menstrual cycle irregularities should be investigated

(42:55) — The role of hormonal birth control and how it affects hormone levels

(55:14) — The importance of fiber for hormonal support

(59:44) — The importance of eating whole foods and avoiding toxins

⁠Transcripts & Show Notes⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/Xeq4TxRJ5Yk

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Proper nutrition supports healthy aging and longevity—that much is clear. But nutritional advice online can be confusing, so what does the science say about healthy eating? It’s less about your macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbohydrates—and more about your micronutrients, which are vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Mike Haney discuss micronutrient testing, supplements, plant-based diets, and what to eat to stave of disease, reverse disease processes, and live a longer, healthier life.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: https://levels.link/wnl

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatJoel Fuhrman, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(06:59) — Using food as medicine

(15:00) —Gaining a better understanding of how to use nutrition for longevity

(18:45) — Why we must look at nutrition science comprehensively

(23:26) — The benefits of a plant-based diet

(25:56) — The importance of micronutrients

(32:31) — The role of healthy fats

(37:44) — Micronutrient testing can help guide decisions about diet and any needed supplements

(40:33) — Vitamin D from sunshine takes time to penetrate

(43:18) — Focus on the GBOMBS to up your micronutrient intake and support longevity

(57:41) — Finding a doctor who is certified in lifestyle medicine

(59:06) — Changing your health through diet takes time

⁠⁠

Transcripts & Show Notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/jWk55UxvX34⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Levels offers biomarker testing to give you more insight into your health status so you can understand the root causes of your symptoms, take a preventive approach to disease, and see if your lifestyle changes or other interventions are reducing your risk factors and improving your health. Dr. Anjali Dsouza and Mike Haney discuss why biomarker testing can be beneficial, how to understand your levels, factors that affect your levels, and which biomarkers are no-brainers to get tested.

Get a Free Guide to Understanding Your Lab Results: https://levels.link/wnl

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatAnjali Dsouza, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(02:21) — Conventional medicine does not allow for enough time with patients

(09:05) — Why test biomarkers beyond the basics?

(12:10) — Lifestyle factors are about consistency, not perfection

(16:48) — Biomarkers should be analyzed with additional context

(24:24) — A normal biomarker range isn’t always optimal

(28:06) — AI tools and internet searches generally don’t provide nuanced health information

(32:01) — Potential reasons people get biomarker testing beyond the basics

(33:45) — When is repeat testing important?

(36:52) — Biomarker testing and understanding is complex, especially in preventive health

(37:53) — Some biomarkers respond swiftly to lifestyle changes

(38:47) — The importance of fasted insulin as a biomarker

⁠⁠

Transcripts & Show Notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/lN6TNn6jpTg⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Not all calories are equal. Tracking your macronutrient intake, using AI capabilities, can help you improve your body composition, facilitate weight loss, and boost exercise performance. The three macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohydrates, with fiber a subset of carbs. Josh Clemente & Dr. Dominic D'Agostino discuss the new macros-tracking feature in the Levels app, the purpose and importance of each macronutrient, how to use macros-tracking in conjunction with biomarker data to improve health and fitness, and how easy the app’s AI functionality is to use.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatJosh Clemente & Dominic D'Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(04:28) — The importance of prioritizing protein intake

(11:59) — Why is tracking macros beneficial?

(15:53) — Each macronutrient has a different role in the body

(33:22) — The different functions of macros

(41:48) — Is excess protein a concern?

(47:20) — The problem with excess carbohydrates

(52:49) — Tracking macros can help you improve metabolic flexibility

(54:50) — The issue with overconsumption of carbohydrates

(1:09:04) — Is fiber a macronutrient?

(1:37:25) — Macros tracking in the Levels app

(1:41:18) — Tracking macros can help improve body composition and performance

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/wg76Q25Ngd4⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

What diet should you follow? Metabolic health experts say it doesn’t matter whether you’re keto, vegan, or otherwise if you focus on three simple principles, which will help reduce your risk for cancer and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Swaranjit Bhasin and Dr. Casey Means discuss the biomarkers to ask your doctor about, why they matter, how to improve those biomarkers with accessible tips, and why liver health is a big key to overall health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

🎙 WhatSwaranjit Bhasin, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(03:45) — A radiologist raises a red flag about increased diagnoses in younger patients

(11:03) — Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a silent but serious problem

(15:01) — The importance of the liver

(18:38) — What are your most important biomarkers?

(32:30) — Casey Means, MD, summarizes Dr. Bhasin’s three rules for diet

(34:18) — Processed vegetable and seed oils are toxic to the body

(42:20) — Insulin resistance can drive cancer

(52:26) — The importance of autophagy in helping to prevent cancer

(55:14) — Who should not engage in intermittent fasting?

⁠⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/1pkhDOPsXb4⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Stable glucose levels are a foundation of feeling and looking your best at any age. When glucose levels are more erratic—with spikes and crashes—cravings, weight gain, low energy, health issues, and more can ensue. Jessie Inchauspé and Dr. Casey Means, thought leaders on the topic of blood sugar, discuss simple hacks for keeping glucose levels more stable without resorting to restrictive diets, and they share why stable levels inform health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Jessie Inchauspé & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(05:52) — Are type 2 diabetes and obesity genetic, dictated by lifestyle factors, or both?

(10:21) — Hacks for keeping blood sugar more stable

(18:42) — People want to be healthy, but the food industry complicates matters

(22:46) — Nutritional choices can impact mental health

(28:42) — The premise behind Inchauspé’s ‘Glucose Goddess Method’

(31:21) — Tracking biomarkers provides insight to your metabolic health

(33:29) — A siloed approach to healthcare misses the big picture

(36:21) — Can supplements really help with metabolic health?

(48:38) — We need systemic change in the food industry

(56:41) — The science behind food cravings

⁠⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfmRORU1HIA?si=PecFHUL6ZTC8bu1N

Diet and exercise culture tends to prioritize calorie restriction and calorie burning via cardio workouts. While fat loss is beneficial, building and maintaining healthy muscle mass is also crucial for metabolic health and longevity. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Casey Means discuss Lyon’s book “Forever Strong,” why strength-training should be a priority for workout routines, how muscle is the body’s metabolic currency, and why boosting protein intake aids in adding and preserving muscle mass.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Gabrielle Lyon, DO, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(03:09) — Dr. Casey Means shares her enthusiasm for Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s book

(08:53) — Muscle is our metabolic currency

(19:56) — According to Dr. Lyon, gaining muscle is more important than losing fat

(24:09) — Muscle mass is protective against sarcopenia

(31:47) — Dr. Means raises the question about menopause

(32:58) — The benefits of focusing on metabolic health in the menopause transition

(37:49) — Dr. Lyon encourages people to reevaluate the type of exercise they are doing

(40:32) — Dr. Lyon discusses the importance of getting enough protein

(44:34) — Dr. Lyon discusses the timing of protein intake

(52:25) — Dr. Lyon discusses supplementation with creatine

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LAF2o2zv7Q4?si=vXoV1hxQVCpfYOpQ

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Levels, aiming to fix the metabolic health crisis with the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) paired with an intuitive and educational app, was founded in 2019 by Josh Clemente, who eventually brought on several co-founders to help steer the startup’s ship. Josh Clemente and Ben Grynol discuss Clemente’s lightbulb moment for the concept, the networking process for gaining investor buy-in and taking the company to the next level, and the hiccups and triumphs along the way.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Josh Clemente & Ben Grynol discuss:

(01:51) — The Levels origin story

(30:05) — The catalyst for moving on from SpaceX

(41:27) — Clemente realizes that altering nutrition can provide a “superpower”

(46:46) — The mainstream medical system doesn’t treat type 2 diabetes until it’s advanced

(50:30) — Even seemingly healthy foods can spike glucose and lead to an energy crash

(59:40) — The next step in the Levels story was creating the product

(01:25:27) — Clemente uses pressed juice to illustrate a glucose rise

(01:41:30) — How the Levels name was born

(02:03:35) — Levels needed representation in the medical field

(02:43:33) — Levels co-founders get the opportunity to try CGM

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The obesity epidemic isn’t about calories-in-calories-out. Instead, chronic stress and high insulin levels from refined carbs and sugar are drivers of fat storage. And the type of fat stored matters, since visceral fat accumulation leads to worsening metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Mike Haney discuss the different types of fat and how they are stored and burned; what thin on the outside, fat on the inside means; whether people can be healthy at any size; environmental factors that contribute to obesity; and what people can do to manage weight.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Robert Lustig, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(09:40) — Three things are required for fat storage to occur

(21:54) — The key to fat loss is reducing insulin

(23:39) — Refined carbohydrates lead to fat storage

(32:41) — What is metabolically healthy obesity?

(42:05) — Visceral fat causes “metabolic mayhem”

(45:40) — What is thin on the outside fat on the inside?

(50:27) — Stress causes the accumulation of visceral fat

(58:06) — Exercise helps burn visceral fat

(01:00:58) — The key to being healthy

(1:06:12) — Endocrine-disrupting chemicals also play a role in obesity

(1:26:46) — Is there such a thing as “health at any size”?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/sxJvfqTFttY

Trauma causes physiological changes to the nervous system. Over time, these impacts may place someone on a trajectory from health to a pre-disease state to a disease state, leading to autoimmunity or autoimmune disorders. Dr. Sara (Gottfried) Szal and Mike Haney discuss Szal’s new book “The Autoimmune Cure,” trauma and how it can contribute to autoimmunity, how personalized precision medicine may help individuals reverse autoimmunity and return to a state of health, and how psychedelic therapies can help with addressing trauma.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatSara (Gottfried) Szal, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(07:36) — What is precision medicine?

(13:17) — How tools that give you a “window” into your physiology can help

(17:24) — Why catching autoimmunity in a pre-disease state is important

(34:22) — A person’s life history, especially their trauma, matters for their overall health

(38:17) — The three components that lead to autoimmunity

(42:42) — More people are living in fight-or-flight mode all the time

(49:53) — A food-based approach is a great place to start for reversing autoimmunity

(51:34) — How do you find someone who practices precision medicine?

(1:02:56) — How psychedelic therapies may help with trauma

(1:06:05) — The difference between recreational and therapeutic use of psychedelics

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/R0BbP4_xEfo

Inflammation is an essential process in the body to help with healing and illness recovery. However, many people have chronic inflammation, which accelerates aging and drives disease processes. We can help control inflammation through diet. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss environmental and dietary sources of chronic inflammation as well as the foods that are anti-inflammatory.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:04) — Inflammation is essential

(05:04) — What causes chronic inflammation?

(08:14) — Processed seed oils drive inflammation

(09:40) — Sugar drives inflammation

(11:00) — Fiber is an anti-inflammatory food

(12:18) — Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory

(13:27) — Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory

(14:52) — Controlling inflammation helps combat aging processes

(15:37) — The Western diet causes inflammation

⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_J9-Sfer-lwssEdcuNTm3mmKhKqgd-z

Although not one single test can tell you whether you are healthy, some biomarkers and lab results can provide you a picture of your metabolic health, which can then inform you about your overall health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Mike Haney discuss why fasting insulin is one of the best metabolic health biomarkers, how you can use continuous glucose monitoring as a proxy for insulin sensitivity, how fast your metabolic health can change, and why your uric acid level and the cholesterol marker ApoB are also important labs to receive.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD,& Mike Haney discuss:

(03:51) — Multiple factors help determine if you’re getting sicker or healthier

(07:52) — Fasting glucose is not a good gauge of your metabolic health

(10:13) — The concern with a rising insulin level

(19:22) — A good goal is to keep glucose levels more stable, but you’re going to have rises

(30:12) — What a glucose excursion can tell you

(31:24) — Why doctors don’t check fasting insulin, even though it’s a better marker than glucose?

(46:12) — How often should you get your fasting insulin checked?

(50:08) — A continuous glucose monitor can show you your glucose excursions

(58:42) — Why uric acid is an important biomarker

(1:08:37) — Why you should get ApoB checked

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/6P8HVIbdDc0?si=DIhrV0vlkQdYLskg

Both aging and menopause affect metabolism. Unless people build and preserve muscle mass, aging drives muscle loss and fat gain. While these changes affect everyone, the menopause transition can also worsen metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss aging’s effects on body composition, how menopause exacerbates these and other effects, and what you can do to protect your health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:05) — Aging and muscle loss

(04:30) — Aging and fat gain

(05:06) — Why insulin resistance can increase as we age

(08:13) — Loss of estrogen drives menopause symptoms

(09:28) — Menopause can also impact cholesterol

(10:11) — Lifestyle changes can help lessen the impact of menopause on metabolism

⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_J9-Sfer-lwssEdcuNTm3mmKhKqgd-z

Macronutrients include fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. All four nutrients have different effects on glucose and metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss the metabolic health effects of each macronutrient, how to prevent age-related muscle loss, how to improve gut health, and more.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:36) — Protein helps prevent age-related muscle loss

(04:25) — What if you just consume protein and do not exercise?

(05:21) — Leucine is a stimulator of insulin release

(08:55) — Which fats are good and bad for you?

(13:22) — How dietary fat affects your glucose response

(14:59) — The importance of fiber

(15:52) —What does fiber do?

⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_J9-Sfer-lwssEdcuNTm3mmKhKqgd-z

Exercising and changing your diet are both beneficial for metabolic health. But you may be wondering which one has more benefits for fat loss, increasing insulin sensitivity, and more. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss the answer to this burning question and more, including how exercise, saunas, stress, and sleep affect glucose levels.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(02:30) — Why do you get a glucose spike when you exercise?

(04:22) — The sport drink industry puts fructose in its products

(05:27) — What happens to your glucose when you enter a sauna?

(06:26) — Is it better to exercise or change your diet?

(08:16) — How cortisol, the stress hormone, impacts blood sugar and health

(10:36) — How does sleep affect your metabolic health?

(12:22) — How do you fix sleep deprivation?

⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=TesKp1WkgmgdrEay

High uric acid can cause gout, but it’s also a marker for worsened metabolic health and gut health and a contributor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. Consumption of purines can lead to high uric acid levels, but other ingredients in our food system are also culprits. Dr. David Perlmutter and Dr. Casey Means discuss the problems with high uric acid, the foods and drinks that can lead to higher levels, why uric acid can be a driver of worsened brain health, and concerns regarding leaky gut and the immune system.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatDavid Perlmutter, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(04:36) — Why your uric acid level matters for metabolic health

(08:51) — Fructose is a driver of high uric acid levels

(13:55) — High-fructose corn syrup contributes to the obesity epidemic

(15:57) — The key difference between fruit and fruit juice

(25:42) — What is an optimal uric acid level?

(28:57) — Alcohol consumption contributes to higher uric acid levels

(32:32) — Ultra-processed foods contribute to higher uric acid levels

(41:13) — Gut permeability can challenge the immune system

(52:43) — Immunometabolism is the link between our metabolism and immune system

(59:26) — What causes immune cells in the brain to become dysfunctional?

⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/IZhi4JXxy6Y

High insulin levels drive the growth of fat cells. In turn, fat gain can exacerbate insulin resistance, leading to a vicious cycle. Insulin is a hormone the pancreas releases in response to glucose rising in the bloodstream. A lower insulin level is required to lose fat, and dietary habits and lifestyle changes can help. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss insulin’s dual functions in the body, why high insulin leads to fat storage, and how to lower insulin levels.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:05) — What drives fat growth?

(04:17) — Why insulin is both good and bad

(08:25) — Why insulin resistance creates a vicious cycle of fat gain

(10:36) — Changing diet is the easiest way to lower insulin levels to drive fat loss

⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=TesKp1WkgmgdrEay

Before someone develops type 2 diabetes, they go through a prediabetic stage. But if someone is reversing their diabetes and is trending toward better glucose levels or even optimal levels, they are postdiabetic. Eric Edmeades and Ben Grynol discuss Edmeades’s new book “Postdiabetic,” his company Wildfit, and how the program helps people reverse type 2 diabetes, change their relationship with food, and overhaul their health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatEric Edmeades & Ben Grynol discuss:

(04:42) — The makings of the obesity epidemic

(13:46) — Switching between fuel sources

(20:09) — The high cost and consequences of type 2 diabetes

(24:19) — Eric Edmeades explains the health experiment that changed his life

(27:29) — Doctors aren’t taught much about nutrition in medical school

(33:35) — Why doctors may be more likely to prescribe medicine than preventions

(34:58) — Wildfit helps people change their relationship with food and reverse type 2 diabetes

(40:49) — Why Edmeades titled his book “Postdiabetic”

(59:44) — The culpability of the food industry and the government

(55:38) — Diets are not the answer

(58:54) — Fat as a nutrient is not the enemy

⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/QO4X6ePQZi8?si=LulpiRMkuWVV4dLj

Excess glucose from food gets stored as fat. And our insulin response drives that fat storage. The goal is for the pancreas to release less insulin but for the body to have a healthy response to it. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss the interplay between glucose and insulin, healthy glucose numbers, and the problems with insulin resistance.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:10) — The functions of glucose

(04:24) — Glucose levels change throughout the day

(05:30) — The implications of reactive hypoglycemia

(08:51) — Understanding glycemic index and glycemic load

(11:12) — How many glucose spikes per day are okay?

(14:34) — Insulin drives fat storage

(17:41) — How glucose spikes do their damage

(19:03) — How eating late before bed can cause insulin resistance

(22:12) — A look at healthy glucose levels

(27:06)  — Insulin resistance is the first sign of issues

Transcript & Show notes

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=TesKp1WkgmgdrEay

Why are we spending more on health care every year, yet people are getting sicker? “Good Energy,” a book by Casey Means, MD, details how you can take your health into your own hands with the power of food as medicine. Dr. Casey Means and Dr. Robert Lustig discuss the overarching themes of “Good Energy,” why we need changes in government and health care, and how people can overhaul their own health with actionable tips, such as eliminating ultra-processed foods from their diet. Plus, Means answers readers’ burning questions.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatCasey Means, MD, & Robert Lustig, MD, discuss:

(3:05) — Why Casey Means, MD, left her surgical residency program

(7:47) — The book “Good Energy” in a nutshell

(9:50) — The problem with our mitochondria

(16:20) — We’re getting too much of our food from ultra-processed items

(19:04) — How to reduce cravings

(22:06) — Different types of exercise send different signals to our mitochondria

(29:42) — Modern medicine is designed to address disease when it’s already present

(36:03) — Nutrition guidelines are fraught with conflicts of interest

(45:16) — The need for addressing school lunches and SNAP

(54:48)  — Trends in glucose matter

(57:49) — Dr. Lustig shares his thoughts on “Good Energy”

Transcript & Show Notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/t52Fmvh-5Ww?si=dHdOWrRGMTutSfcb

About 93% of people in the United States are not metabolically healthy. But metabolic health can be improved quickly and over time with lifestyle changes. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss what metabolism is, how to determine metabolic health status, and how and why maintaining metabolic health is crucial.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(1:30) — The two parts of metabolism

(2:50) — Insulin determines fat growth

(3:30) — Most people in the United States are metabolically ill

(4:12) — Determining what’s wrong with our mitochondria

(5:51) — Using glucose as a proxy for fasting insulin

(6:47) — How quickly can you fix your metabolism?

(7:47) — Lifestyle habits must be consistent to maintain metabolic health

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=o8cyq46QA1j4Hhwd

A lean mass hyper-responder is someone with high LDL and HDL cholesterol and low triglycerides. They are often lean and healthy people who present with strange and alarming lipid numbers after going on the ketogenic diet. Dave Feldman, Dr. Nick Norwitz & Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss the LMHR phenotype, whether it’s a concern, whether it’s rare, the Oreo vs statin study, how exercise levels might play a role, and why more research is needed.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatDave Feldman, Nick Norwitz, PhD, & Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(4:29) — What is the lean mass hyper-responder phenotype?

(8:32) — Often the LMHR phenotype gets noticed when someone goes low carb

(19:02) — The Oreo cookie study garnered attention for the LMHR phenotype

(25:32) — Understanding the mechanisms of the LMHR

(40:04) — Exercise levels likely play a role in LMHR

(51:26) — The alarming LDL levels in LMHR prompted research

(59:25) — The “gym hypothesis” will be important for further research

(1:10:48) — An open and respectful dialogue is needed on the topic

(1:33:47) — The importance of additional research

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/ItNGrGNvESY

Writing an evidence-based nonfiction book requires time, dedication, and a true passion for the content. Dr. Casey Means and her brother Calley Means joined forces to create their book “Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.” Casey Means, MD, and Mike Haney discuss the book-writing process, insights into creativity and inspiration, the steps to seeking an agent and selling a book to a publisher, and the trials and tribulations along the way.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatCasey Means, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(05:47) — Bringing joy and empowerment to conversations about health

(10:20) — Landing an agent

(13:56) — The book proposal

(21:41) — The challenges of keeping content clear and accessible

(29:01) — On collaboration

(30:06) — The writing process has a lot of moving parts

(35:59) — On determining your voice

(43:21) — Carving out dedicated time to write

(55:11) — A health coach can help you stay accountable

(1:07:45) — The magic of putting a book into the world

(1:13:03) — On facing feedback

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/3dveHuhZld4?si=ke_MDmjTcUPB5YqQ⁠⁠

Insulin resistance is when cells stop responding to insulin’s signal to uptake glucose. It’s a hallmark of prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and other forms of metabolic dysfunction, and it manifests as several chronic disease, ranging from Alzheimer’s to polycystic ovarian syndrome. Dr. Rob Lustig and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss the importance of monitoring insulin levels, why a high or increasing insulin level is a problem, and how insulin resistance hinders weight management.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Rob Lustig, MD, & Dr. Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(01:44) — What is insulin?

(04:43) — What is insulin resistance?

(15:50) — There are three types of insulin resistance

(36:03) — Weight management is not about calories in and calories out

(44:00) — Adding more insulin to the equation of Type 2 diabetes isn’t necessarily the answer

(49:31) — Insulin is a crucial biomarker to measure for metabolic health

(52:11) — Insulin resistance is a hindrance to weight management

(54:42) — The intake of too much leucine can lead to insulin resistance

(1:00:22) — Fiber feeds the gut microbiome and is crucial for metabolic health

(1:11:27) — Is intermittent fasting necessary?

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/dFOaBrujDHo⁠

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has proven benefits for brain health. Research shows that the keto diet helps ease symptoms of some mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder. But no diet, even keto, is one-size-fits all. Dr. Georgia Ede and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss how diet and brain health are connected, how diet and gut health affect brain health, and how a ketogenic or other low-carbohydrate diets can be tailored to people’s specific needs.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatGeorgia Ede, MD& Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(03:56) — Dr. Georgia Ede describes her interest in nutritional science for mental health

(13:50) — Metabolic health is tied to brain health

(21:57) — A ketogenic diet vs medications for mental health

(25:55) — A ketogenic diet can be tailored to prevent side effects

(32:13) — Gut health and mental health are connected

(37:37) — Diet is highly individual

(40:41) — CGM can teach people how foods and diet strategies affect their health

(43:36) — Following a low-carbohydrate diet will generally reduce insulin levels and triglycerides

(46:16) — Some psychiatric symptoms have links to higher C-reactive protein levels

(47:21) — Dr. D’Agostino summarizes one of Dr. Ede’s studies on the ketogenic diet and mental health

(55:30) — A ketogenic diet may also help ease some menopause symptoms

Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/kBjBEjV0vqU⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Not all calories are equal. Tracking your macronutrient intake, using AI capabilities, can help you improve your body composition, facilitate weight loss, and boost exercise performance. The three macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohydrates, with fiber a subset of carbs. Josh Clemente & Dr. Dominic D'Agostino discuss the new macros-tracking feature in the Levels app, the purpose and importance of each macronutrient, how to use macros-tracking in conjunction with biomarker data to improve health and fitness, and how easy the app’s AI functionality is to use.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatJosh Clemente & Dominic D'Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(09:03) — The importance of prioritizing protein intake

(17:03) — Why is tracking macros beneficial?

(21:11) — Each macronutrient has a different role in the body

(39:36) — The different functions of macros

(48:32) — Is excess protein a concern?

(54:55) — The problem with excess carbohydrates

(1:00:37) — Tracking macros can help you improve metabolic flexibility

(1:02:41) — The issue with overconsumption of carbohydrates

(1:17:18) — Is fiber a macronutrient?

(1:46:21) — Macros tracking in the Levels app

(1:49:50) — Tracking macros can help improve body composition and performance

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/wg76Q25Ngd4

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Fructose and its byproduct uric acid may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s, thanks to an evolutionary adaptation hijacked by the modern diet. Fructose can be directly consumed, or the body can convert high-glycemic carbohydrates and other foods to fructose. Fructose suppresses some cognitive functions. Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss a new study, of which Johnson was an author, on how fructose may be a potential driver in Alzheimer’s, and they hypothesize about fructose’s potential connection to the development of other conditions.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙 What Richard Johnson, MD, & Rob Lustig, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(10:17) — Fructose is the driver of some diseases that are on the rise in kids

(12:16) — Fructose is a driver of obesity and metabolic syndrome

(15:56) — Pharmaceutical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease aren’t as effective as researchers had hoped

(17:40)— The research focus of Alzheimer’s is slowly shifting to understanding insulin resistance in the brain

(21:45) — Is fructose a root cause of Alzheimer’s?

(26:27) — New research suggests fructose induces a foraging response

(28:20) — Fructose inhibits areas of the brain to encourage successful foraging

(46:36) — We need more research on fructose

(1:02:51) —Is fructose a factor in violence?

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health. With real-time, personalized data gathered through biosensors like continuous glucose monitors (CGM), you learn which diet and lifestyle choices improve your metabolic health so you can live a longer, fuller, healthier life.

🔗 LINKS:

Could Alzheimer’s disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism?: ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523000047?dgcid=author⁠

Subscribe here on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Gastrointestinal health, metabolic health, and fertility are all linked. The gut microbiome impacts other microbiomes in the body, which can then impact the ability to conceive. Our gut microbiomes are becoming less diverse through modern farming practices and the consumption of processed foods. Dr. Robin Rose and Ben Grynol discuss how gut microbiome testing can determine underlying factors of gastrointestinal distress and the lifestyle changes that can help address symptoms and even aid fertility.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙 WhatRobin Rose, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(05:30) — Gastrointestinal issues are associated with metabolic health issues

(06:25) — Many people lack gut microbiome diversity

(12:45) — Infertility in some people has links to the gut microbiome

(27:55) — PCOS and gut dysbiosis share a connection that’s still being researched

(29:25) — Restoring gut and metabolic health may help alleviate PCOS symptoms

(31:37) — Metagenomic testing assesses gut health

(41:33) — Gut health often requires balanced macronutrient intake

(45:42) — Regenerative farming practices could help us get more quality nutrients

(51:07) — Eliminating dairy and gluten may ease gastrointestinal symptoms

(52:35) — Sleep quality and quantity also inform gut health

⁠Transcript & Show Notes⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/SpW9znY3fkI⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

High-carbohydrate diets and carbohydrate loading have been long-standing tenets of athletic training and competition, but newer research indicates a low-carbohydrate diet may be more beneficial for performance and overall health. Professor Tim Noakes and Josh Clemente discuss how a fat-adapted body can rely on fat as a fuel source at all exercise intensity levels, rather than burning mostly carbohydrates, and how such adaptation and dietary focus may reduce one’s risk of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Tim Noakes, MD, PhD, & Josh Clemente discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(02:50) — Dr. Tim Noakes explains his career trajectory

(17:36) — An adapted body can rely on fat for all exercise intensities

(21:04) — The body will never get to a state of no glucose circulation

(22:03) — A delicate balance of macronutrients is likely necessary

(27:49) — Before the high-carbohydrate craze, elite athletes were fat adapted

(32:32) — Fat oxidation in muscle may have a protective effect against Type 2 diabetes

(35:51) — Exercise does not cancel out the risk for metabolic disease if diet isn’t accounted for

(46:21) — The body can cope with fasting

(53:41) — The high-carb training trend has been perpetuated by the carbohydrate industry

Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Your sleep routine is one of the most important aspects of your metabolic health. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Ben Grynol and Mike Haney discuss:

(02:36) - A study about sleep and metabolic health

(03:26) - The benefits of sleep for metabolic health

(05:24) - Sleeping at home

(05:24) - Standardized meals

(07:20) - How glucose levels affect sleep quality and duration

(12:50) - What you eat matters

(14:37) - Sleep quality and glucose

(18:06) - Sleep is the most important thing you control

(18:55) - Don’t sacrifice sleep

(20:08) - The importance of consistency

(25:29) - Compounding effects work both ways

⁠Transcripts and Show Notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

How does sleep affect blood sugar?: ⁠https://levelshealth.com/blog/how-sleep-impacts-metabolic-health-glucose-levels-cgm⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Stable glucose levels are a foundation of feeling and looking your best at any age. When glucose levels are more erratic—with spikes and crashes—cravings, weight gain, low energy, health issues, and more can ensue. Jessie Inchauspé and Dr. Casey Means, thought leaders on the topic of blood sugar, discuss simple hacks for keeping glucose levels more stable without resorting to restrictive diets, and they share why stable levels inform health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Jessie Inchauspé & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(12:59) — Are type 2 diabetes and obesity genetic, dictated by lifestyle factors, or both?

(15:53) — Hacks for keeping blood sugar more stable

(24:22) — People want to be healthy, but the food industry complicates matters

(28:29) — Nutritional choices can impact mental health

(35:56) — The premise behind Inchauspé’s ‘Glucose Goddess Method’

(39:59) — Tracking biomarkers provides insight to your metabolic health

(42:08) — A siloed approach to healthcare misses the big picture

(45:06) — Can supplements really help with metabolic health?

(57:37) — We need systemic change in the food industry

(1:05:52) — The science behind food cravings

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Jessie Inchauspé on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glucosegoddess/

Jessie Inchauspé: https://www.antispike.com

Casey Means, MD: https://www.caseymeans.com/goodenergy

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health: https://www.caseymeans.com/goodenergy

Can a holistic protocol address the root cause of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS)? We explore how metabolic health is tightly linked to autoimmune diseases and how understanding blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity is key. Dr. Terry Wahls developed The Wahls Protocol, which helped Dr. Wahls reverse her disease process and helped her get back on her feet. The Wahls Protocol is one of the most influential lifestyle programs that helps people address their autoimmune diseases.Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Terry Wahls and Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(03:16) - A new framework for thinking about autoimmune disease

(07:14) - A supplement cocktail

(15:17) - The creation of health

(18:26) - Humans are metabolically complex

(27:52) - What is mitochondrial dysfunction?

(41:19) - The connection between type-1 diabetes and mitochondrial dysfunction

(53:03) - Addressing the root cause of autoimmune issues

(01:01:31) - How to support mitochondrial health

(01:03:21) - Improving metabolic health can improve autoimmune disease

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

What are the unique metabolic health experiences of South Asian and Black communities? In this candid conversation between serial entrepreneur and health and wellness investor Dhru Purohit and content creator and metabolism mentor Austin McGuffie, they discuss how metabolic health affects their respective communities.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatDhru Purohit & Austin McGuffie discuss:

(00:00) – Intro

(17:24) – Live by example

(21:56) – Focus on education first

(23:29) – The benefits of targeted fasting

(24:47) – Dying from excess

(28:43) – It all comes back to lifestyle

(33:34) – Talk to people who are on the fence

(34:50) – The societal split

(35:44) – Why we need targeted solutions

(37:40) – The add-in method

(51:27) – Health happens in community

Transcripts & Show Notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Traditional soft drinks, juice boxes, and energy and sports drinks are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient also found in many processed foods. The body processes fructose differently than other sugars, and fructose can lead to weight gain by encouraging the body to store energy. Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss the issues with fructose, sucralose (found in PRIME energy drinks), and other artificial sweeteners. They explore how fructose can drive food cravings and overeating, its potential role as an Alzheimer’s contributor, and the benefits of a different sugar that might promote the release of GLP-1, the hormone that Ozempic and Wegovy help increase.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRichard Johnson, MD, & Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(1:59) — Richard Johnson, MD, is a prolific researcher regarding sugar’s effects

(6:38) — Soft drinks are a major source of added sugar, which has negative effects on metabolic health

(8:31) — Fructose lowers energy in the body, driving hunger

(14:16) — Fructose can drive insulin resistance and increase fat

(21:44) — A small amount of fructose can be beneficial to the body

(29:11) — Fructose consumption may be a culprit of Alzheimer’s disease

(48:21) — Low-calorie sugars can still make you crave more sugar

(53:59) — A low-calorie sugar called allulose has potential health benefits

(55:59) — Allulose may stimulate GLP-1

(59:39) — A low-carb diet helps reduce sugar cravings

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

Watch the full conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/AMgBxyJvtx0

Highly processed food is hard to avoid. It’s especially harder when you’re a parent. For Austin McGuffie and Ben Grynol, they both have 4 kids, and they talk about the challenges of parenting, feeding kids nutritious food, and educating them along the way.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatAustin McGuffie & Ben Grynol discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:11) - Help kids make better food choices and lead by example

(06:07) - Know when to give in to a kid’s wants and when to firmly say no

(12:02) - Allow your kids to experience the consequences of their food choices

(18:53) - Make exercise enjoyable by leaning into your kid’s interests

(25:26) - Understand that your kid is an individual with their own tastes and preferences

(27:09) - Strike a balance between a nutritious diet and a healthy relationship with food

(30:13) - Encourage kids to take ownership of their food

(35:45) - Make food taste palatable and enjoyable

(39:20) - Keep trying every day

Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/Ukk07x2oVDQ?si=MUheltnf451VjP47

Landmark new research published by Dr. Rob Lustig and dozens of other scientists shows us for the first time the intricate mechanisms of how environmental chemicals directly cause obesity, uncovering the latest research on this class of chemicals called obesogens. In this conversation between Dr. Rob Lustig and Dr. Casey Means, they discuss what products and environmental toxins we need to be aware of, how they are impacting our cells and causing metabolic dysfunction, and what we can do to protect ourselves.  Dr. Lustig speaks to how these environmental toxins affect our sex cells (sperm and eggs) and can impact our offspring and many generations to come. He also discusses how 15% of obesity may be directly caused by these chemicals. 

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health

🎙 WhatDr. Casey Means & Dr. Robert Lustig discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(06:31) - It’s not just correlative, it’s causative

(09:22) - Obesogens bind to our cell proteins

(10:08) - Everyday products contain obesogens

(13:11) - Babies and children are the most vulnerable

(23:11) - Obesogens stick around even after being banned

(30:51) - Food is more than calories

(41:45) - Obesogens are unregulated

(49:46) - Cell alterations last for generations

(59:26) - We need to get the EPA on board

(01:00:45) - Buy organic

⁠Transcripts and Show Notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Watch the Video – ⁠https://youtu.be/GQrnEx8MNKk

What diet should you follow? Metabolic health experts say it doesn’t matter whether you’re keto, vegan, or otherwise if you focus on three simple principles, which will help reduce your risk for cancer and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Swaranjit Bhasin and Dr. Casey Means discuss the biomarkers to ask your doctor about, why they matter, how to improve those biomarkers with accessible tips, and why liver health is a big key to overall health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

🎙 WhatSwaranjit Bhasin, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(2:45) — A radiologist raises a red flag about increased diagnoses in younger patients

(8:47) — Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a silent but serious problem

(12:59) — The importance of the liver

(16:59) — What are your most important biomarkers?

(31:50) — Casey Means, MD, summarizes Dr. Bhasin’s three rules for diet

(33:48) — Processed vegetable and seed oils are toxic to the body

(41:21) — Insulin resistance can drive cancer

(51:56) — The importance of autophagy in helping to prevent cancer

(54:40) — Who should not engage in intermittent fasting?

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/1pkhDOPsXb4

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Since metabolic health is downstream of food production, we need regenerative farming, balanced ecosystems, and to lift the veil of Big Food’s marketing schemes in order to optimize the entire system. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Levels’ Advisor Dr. Rob Lustig and Head of Growth Ben Grynol discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:12) - The growers and the helpers

(05:34) - How DDT changed America

(11:01) - The next big thing

(15:02) - Soil vs. dirt

(27:51) - Farming in the 1960s

(30:44) - Turning America’s Heartland into big ag

(33:32) - Agriculture and healthcare are inseparable

(37:50) - An immoral hazard

(42:54) - The consumer is in the dark

(50:36) - Shop around the edge of the supermarket

⁠Transcripts & Show Notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/HiBOobZ_8ss⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Regenerative farming replenishes soil nutrients, which in turn, boosts the nutrient content of produce and animal products. It also focuses on animal and land stewardship. However, most farming today employs industrialized practices that deplete the soil, discount animal welfare, and harm humans. Will Harris and Dr. Casey Means discuss regenerative farming practices, the symbiotic relationships in the farming ecosystem, and the need for change at the consumer level.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

🎙 WhatWill Harris & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(1:21) — Soil depletion in the United States affects overall health

(15:27) — The birth of industrialized farming

(30:04) — Regenerative farming can raise quality of life for communities

(33:23) —Modern farming practices and antibiotic resistance

(35:11) — Change must come at the consumer level

(40:38) — The consequences of modern farming practices were not immediate

(50:10) — Organic farming is not the same thing as regenerative farming

(53:29) — The importance of animals being allowed to express instinctive behavior

(56:14) — Regenerative practices in your backyard

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/pkwZ3_MPxO4

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Erectile dysfunction can be an early indicator of future cardiovascular disease, endothelial dysfunction, and early death. Learn more in this conversation betweenurologist and male reproductive specialist and surgeonDr. Merrill Matschke and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Merrill Matschke & Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) – Intro

(13:24) – The connection between metabolic dysfunction and erectile dysfunction

(21:44) – How ED develops

(33:42) – Let’s talk about oxidative stress

(39:40) – The importance of testosterone levels in insulin sensitivity

(46:21) – The importance of diet, exercise, and sleep

(48:16) – Why is testosterone dropping?

(59:28) – Our healthcare system needs to do better

(01:07:06) – Don’t put treatment off

(01:11:07) – Sleep is crucial

(01:18:59) – Nobody’s perfect

⁠Transcripts & Show Notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/mum4AfB0K_Y⁠ 

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠ 

The ketogenic diet fuels the brain and makes the body more metabolically flexible. The keto diet drives ketone production, which serves as fuel for energy as well as an antioxidant to combat oxidative stress. Switching from burning glucose to burning ketones has numerous benefits, including for cognitive decline and ADHD. Dr. Annette Bosworth and Dr. Casey Means discuss the intricacies of the keto diet, why it boosts brain health, how to make behavioral changes, and how to encourage kids to eat keto for improved health and well-being.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 WhatAnnette Bosworth, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(14:31) — What we put into our body matters

(16:37) — The value of ketones as fuel

(28:32) — Dr. Annette Bosworth explains her ‘Dr. Boz’ ratio

(34:47) — Your body will adapt to ketosis

(44:49) — Dr. Bosworth shares info from a study on cognitive impairment

(50:41) — Dr. Bosworth shares her experience with getting patients on a ketogenic diet

(53:07) — Dr. Bosworth shares her wisdom about behavior change

(1:13:31) — Dr. Casey Means describes her experience with metabolic dysfunction

(1:18:05) — Dr. Bosworth shares her techniques for getting her kids to eat healthfully

(1:21:00)  — In general, the food industry’s aim is for profit

Transcripts & Show notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/sY1ZeCDp-xw?si=rD4ZyBF2GsK--xlW

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Dr. Sara Gottfried – a pioneer in health, research, and education – has seen more than 25,000 patients over the past two decades. She's a physician scientist, who graduated from Harvard Medical School and MIT, and completed her Residency at the University of California, San Francisco.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Dr. Gottfried is the Director of Precision Medicine at The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, at Thomas Jefferson University, where she specializes in identifying the underlying causes of her patient's conditions to achieve lasting health transformation, not just symptom management.

Dr. Gottfried has published five books, including multiple New York Times bestsellers, such as The Hormone Cure, The Hormone Reset Diet, and Younger. Her latest book has just been published, Women Food and Hormones.

In this episode, Dr. Casey Means, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Levels, and Dr. Gottfried covered a number of topics from her new book.

LINKS

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Sara Gottfried & Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:40) - The vital role of metabolism

(04:42) - Metabolic data should be democratized

(07:58) - Women and the keto diet

(09:37) - Women are considered "too complicated"

(15:44) - Every person needs a unique diet

(20:00) - Diet shouldn't be like politics

(24:20) - The ideal fasting length

(31:10) - The role of testosterone

(37:58) - Physicians should not be gatekeepers to health

(01:01:37) - The relationship between genes and our environment

⁠Transcripts & Show Notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/QZUpJCNOpfY⁠

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Diet and exercise culture tends to prioritize calorie restriction and calorie burning via cardio workouts. While fat loss is beneficial, building and maintaining healthy muscle mass is also crucial for metabolic health and longevity. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Casey Means discuss Lyon’s book “Forever Strong,” why strength-training should be a priority for workout routines, how muscle is the body’s metabolic currency, and why boosting protein intake aids in adding and preserving muscle mass.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatGabrielle Lyon, DO,& Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(03:43) — Dr. Casey Means shares her enthusiasm for Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s book

(09:03) — Muscle is our metabolic currency

(19:38) — According to Dr. Lyon, gaining muscle is more important than losing fat

(23:56) — Muscle mass is protective against sarcopenia

(31:08) — Dr. Means raises the question about menopause

(31:59) — The benefits of focusing on metabolic health in the menopause transition

(36:39) — Dr. Lyon encourages people to reevaluate the type of exercise they are doing

(39:14) — Dr. Lyon discusses the importance of getting enough protein

(43:15) — Dr. Lyon discusses the timing of protein intake

(51:13) — Dr. Lyon discusses supplementation with creatine

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LAF2o2zv7Q4?si=vXoV1hxQVCpfYOpQ

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

The history of the Big Food and Big Sugar industries still affect our metabolic health today. Learn more in this conversation between Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Robert Lustig & Ben Grynol discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(08:49) - Create the consensus

(17:45) - Exonerate sugar as the cause of heart disease

(23:37) - Use shoddy science

(24:47) - Buy off scientists and critics

(26:17) - Weakening government oversight

(28:38) - Fight back against regulated advertising

(38:35) - Go all in on corn

(44:47) - Sugar should be a condiment

(47:33) - Increase food industry profits

(53:59) - The public needs to demand better

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/2-qq2Tzl5nM?si=MXk0xX-70n4d_OJ7

📲 CONNECT:

Subscribe here on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Our environment and culture directly affect the food choices we make. Ultra-processed foods are convenient and cheap, and they’re the main source of foods in food deserts, typically located in underserved communities. Yet ultra-processed foods lead to worsening metabolic health. How do you afford and access nutritious food? Shawn Stevenson and Dr. Casey means discuss how Stevenson, author of “Eat Smarter Family Cookbook” grew up without easy access to whole foods, how he transformed how he eats despite his environment, and how those changes led to a reversal of poor health and chronic pain to an improved quality of life and even earning potential.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Shawn Stevenson & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(10:00) — Ultra-processed foods are convenient and cheap

(20:03) — Stevenson describes the moment when he changed his mindset

(27:20) — The foods we put into our bodies affect us at the cellular level

(32:17) — Focus on controlling the “controllables.”

(35:30) — The family that eats together boosts their health together

(41:23) — Schedule social meals

(44:19) — The most common factor across Blue Zones is strong social bonds

(49:19) — Cooking is an essential skill for health

(1:03:16) — Investing in better health generates improved energy capacity

(1:08:58) — Stevenson shares his tips for affording nutritious foods

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rKptwQrvzuk?si=P9gfeK952dWjMrYA

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Obesity and chronic disease are fallouts from the lack of real human connection. Underneath biomarkers like glucose and physical aspects like mitochondrial dysfunctions are the root causes of disease: hijacked reward pathways, chronic stress due to constant threat mode, and the global human disconnect.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

In this discussion between Levels’ advisor Dr. Molly Maloof and our co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Casey Means, they talk about:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatLevels’ advisor Dr. Molly Maloof and our co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means, discuss:

00:00 - Intro

(11:16) - Adapting and self-managing in the face of adversity

(15:08) - The most important biomarker

(22:14) - Moving your body to create energy

(23:19) - Adapting beyond genetics

(25:31) - Hijacking reward pathways

(35:42) - Building metabolic flexibility

(42:32) - Taking care of your mitochondria

(45:00) - The holy grail of chronic disease

(50:37) - Felt connection

(57:26) - How deprivation is a pathway to happiness

(1:04:28) - The power of the pause

(1:21:10) - Letting go of control

(01:40:40) - “Cook” your body less for better skin

Transcripts & Show Notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XVSYGx9Fkns

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

The ketogenic diet is often used as a tool for weight loss and to improve metabolic health. However, it is increasingly being considered, studied, and used as a medical therapy for chronic physical and mental health conditions, and it can be tailored to patients’ specific needs. Beth Zupec-Kania, Denise Potter, and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss the benefits of the ketogenic diet, how they customize keto for patients with dietary preferences like veganism, how to ease into the change with a pre-keto diet, and how the keto diet may be able to help people reduce or eliminate medications under the supervision of medical professionals.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatBeth Zupec-Kania, RDN, CD; Denise Potter, RDN, CDCES; and Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(14:50) — Using the ketogenic diet as therapy for various conditions

(27:49) — Eating a ketogenic diet often helps people improve their nutrient intake

(29:39) — The ketogenic diet can be customized to fit a person’s needs

(33:42) — Medium-chain triglycerides can help increase fat intake

(35:32) — Gluten is inflammatory

(38:18) — Beth encourages patients to do a pre-keto program

(46:12) — Looking at macros on keto

(48:24) — A ketogenic diet can drive metabolic health changes

(57:49) — The benefits of the ketogenic diet that go beyond weight loss

(1:22:00) — Can keto help people reduce their medications?

Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Dr. Casey Means, Chief Medical Officer of Levels speaks with Dr. Richard Johnson about his book, "Nature Wants Us to Be Fat," as well as his insights on the "survival switch" that drives our body to store fat in response to certain conditions like high fructose, dehydration, umami flavors, and more, and how this all relates to our current metabolic disease epidemic.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatDr. Casey Means & Dr. Richard Johnson discuss:

(04:25) - The fat switch

(11:39) - Metabolic syndrome is linked to survival

(13:36) - The switch is good for short term survival, bad for long term

(17:40) - Sugar triggers the switch

(19:39) - Sugar leads to metabolic syndrome, not extra calories

(23:40) - Fructose depletes energy

(31:28) - Vitamin C is protective against obesity

(35:12) - High glycemic foods help our bodies make fructose

(44:29) - Whole fruit is healthy because of the fiber

(53:48) - Salt can trigger fructose production

Transcripts & Show Notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has proven benefits for brain health. Research shows that the keto diet helps ease symptoms of some mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder. But no diet, even keto, is one-size-fits all. Dr. Georgia Ede and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss how diet and brain health are connected, how diet and gut health affect brain health, and how a ketogenic or other low-carbohydrate diets can be tailored to people’s specific needs.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatGeorgia Ede, MD& Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(06:51) — Dr. Georgia Ede describes her interest in nutritional science for mental health

(16:45) — Metabolic health is tied to brain health

(23:16) — A ketogenic diet vs medications for mental health

(27:19) — A ketogenic diet can be tailored to prevent side effects

(32:51) — Gut health and mental health are connected

(39:00) — Diet is highly individual

(42:02) —CGM can teach people how foods and diet strategies affect their health

(44:57) — Following a low-carbohydrate diet will generally reduce insulin levels and triglycerides

(47:40) — Some psychiatric symptoms have links to higher C-reactive protein levels

(48:42) — Dr. D’Agostino summarizes one of Dr. Ede’s studies on the ketogenic diet and mental health

(56:59) — A ketogenic diet may also help ease some menopause symptoms

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/kBjBEjV0vqU

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

From gallbladder issues to tinnitus to fatty liver disease and more, many chronic conditions have links to high blood sugar and insulin resistance. Dr. Ben Bikman and Dr. Casey Means discuss the connections between insulin resistance and ear-nose-and-throat conditions, how insulin resistance increases the risk for gallbladder stones, what non-alcoholic fatty liver disease does to the body, and how you can mitigate these chronic health conditions for improved quality of life.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Ben Bikman & Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) – Intro

(07:16) – A ray of hope in declining health

(09:25) – Metabolic connections for tinnitus, vertigo, and hearing loss

(11:57) – Undiagnosed metabolic disorders later surface in disease

(13:13) – Insulin resistance and GERD

(20:37) – How insulin resistance contributes to gallblader stones

(27:39) – NAFLD and clearing the liver of fat buildup

(33:47) – Two types of fat cell disorders: hypertropy and hyperplasia

(40:42) – Two foods to avoid for optimized health

(46:16) – When a low carb diet spikes blood glucose

(48:12) – The data power that a CGM gives you

(50:32) – A unique perspective on healthy glucose levels

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/szGl8F1zl6I

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

How hearing loss relates to metabolic health | Blog post: https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/how-hearing-loss-relates-to-metabolic-health

Why too many focus on glucose, but not insulin | Blog post: https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/why-too-many-focus-on-glucose-but-not-insulin

Medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and more, have become increasingly popular for weight loss. These drugs are glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and they mimic a hormone that, among other things, tells the brain a person is full so they eat less. But are they safe, and do they help improve metabolic health? Dr. Rob Lustig and Dr. Casey Means discuss these weight-loss drugs and their effects on the body, and why such medications likely won’t solve the obesity crisis, for which the food industry is culpable.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 WhatRob Lustig, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(06:10) — The mechanisms of action for weight-loss medications

(09:01) — Dr. Casey Means shares her perception of the popularity of GLP-1 medications

(13:12) — GLP-1 RAs lead to fat loss but also muscle loss

(18:05) — Do GLP-1 RAs improve metabolic health?

(20:43) — Dr. Lustig discusses the high cost of GLP-1 RAs

(27:47) — Dr. Lustig makes the case for fixing the food problem

(35:46) — How can patients use GLP-1 RAs as a jumpstart?

(44:20) — Dr. Lustig shares his concerns about the use of GLP-1 RAs in children

Transcripts & Show Notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/AKNnxKAaONc

📲 Connect:

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

We know sugar is bad for kids, so why do parents continue giving it to them? Sugar damage kids’ health and drives behavioral issues. Infants get introduced to sugar early through commercial baby food, and the problem continues with school and birthday treats, soda, and the ultra-processed foods that have taken over the family pantry. Austin McGuffie & Dr. Robert Lustig discuss the rising rates of Type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children, sugar addiction in kids, the problems with the food industry, and what parents can do to revamp their kids’ diets and promote a lifelong healthy relationship with nutritious food.

Sign Up to Get Your Ultimate Guide to Glucose – https://levels.link/wnl

(00:00) – Intro

(07:18) - Sugar is damaging kids’ mitochondria

(16:48) - The more dangerous fat

(21:50) - Kids need better nutrition education

(25:36) - Infants get introduced to sugar early

(27:48) - Fat was removed, but sugar was added

(32:51) - Sugar causes behavioral issues

(36:08) - Kids can have sugar addiction

(38:34) - Diet soda is bad too

(44:48) - Educate the child and the parents

(48:47) - Get rid of sugary drinks

Transcripts & Show Notes

Watch the Video – https://youtu.be/I3d7zCHFW2c

The ketogenic diet may help reduce depression and other symptoms in bipolar disorder. The ketogenic diet also helps metabolic health and reduces the risk for cardiometabolic diseases. The risk for cardiometabolic diseases is elevated in people with bipolar disorder when compared to the general population. Dr. Iain Campbell, Dr. Bret Scher, and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss how the state of ketosis has beneficial effects on brain neurotransmitters and how those benefits have been life-changing physically and mentally for Dr. Campbell, who has bipolar disorder.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 WhatIain Campbell, MD, PhD, Bret Scher, MD & Dominic D’Agostino, PhD discuss:

(05:40) — Dr. Iain Campbell explains how a ketogenic diet improved his mental health

(09:02) — Dr. Campbell explains his pilot trial on the ketogenic diet and bipolar disorder

(16:20) — The ketogenic diet is often misunderstood

(18:10) — Elevated lactate is a biomarker in bipolar disorder

(24: 37) — Circadian rhythm disruption affects bipolar disorder

(30:33) — Morning exercise can help blunt the dawn glucose rise

(38:48) — The ketogenic diet has effects on brain neurotransmitters

(43:34) — Dr. Campbell explains ketosis helps him combat depression

(46:42) — Dr. Campbell describes why he went on the ketogenic diet

Transcripts & Show notes

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health. With real-time, personalized data gathered through biosensors like continuous glucose monitors (CGM), you learn which diet and lifestyle choices improve your metabolic health so you can live a longer, fuller, healthier life.

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/SAI6qeBMJFo

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Iain Campbell, MD, PhD, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IainCampbellPhD

Connect with Bret Scher, MD, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bschermd/

Connect with Bret Scher, MD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbretscher/

Connect with Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicDAgosti2

Connect with Dominic D’Agostino, PhD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominic.dagostino.kt/

The United States government subsidizes ultra-processed foods and sugar, and the healthcare system focuses on treating diseases rather than preventing them. These issues are harming kids’ health and leading to crisis-level rates of prediabetes and diabetes in both adults and children. Siblings Calley Means and Casey Means discuss problems with the food industry, government funding, and healthcare, and they propose possible solutions, while also offering suggestions for parents wanting to set their kids up for better metabolic health right now.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Calley Means & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(4:01) — Kids are developing prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes at alarming rates

(5:33) — The government subsidizes ultra-processed foods

(13:05) — Ultra-processed food companies incentivize trusted institutions

(21:48) — We only get one life to live

(25:42) — The metabolic health crisis is problematic for the economy

(27:09) — Giving kids ultra-processed foods sets them up for metabolic health issues

(36:48) — Three ingredients make up the problematic foundation of ultra-processed foods

(42:49) — Parents have a lot of control over what their kids eat—especially when they’re young

(46:49) —You can’t control other adults in your family

(1:02:59) — The healthcare industry isn’t incentivized in the correct ways

(1:07:54) — Calley Means describes, TruMed, his tech startup

Transcripts & Show notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/pIUwZb2jfco

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Calley Means on Instagram: https://instagram.com/calleymeans

Connect with Calley Means on Twitter: https://twitter.com/calleymeans

Connect with Calley Means on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calley-means-a29b5512/

How might a keto diet transform not only your metabolic health but may also manage symptoms of mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, and more? Dr. Chris Palmer outlines the principles from his book “Brain Energy” with Ben Grynol in this episode and discusses his journey toward the revolutionary idea that might change how we view mental health care moving forward.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Dr. Chris Palmer & Ben Grynol discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(07:57) — How Chris Palmer started his research for Brain Energy

(10:49) — Painting a picture of the mental health crisis through numbers

(20:17) — Discussing the biopsychosocial model and existing research on the roots of mental disorders

(30:38) — The bidirectional relationship between metabolic and mental health

(34:37) — The real power of the mitochondria and the role it plays in fostering mental and metabolic health

(46:08) — Medication for mental disorders and their long-term effect on patients’ metabolic health

(01:07:10) — Insulin resistance and its impact on mental disorders

(1:11:39) — Food addiction, stress-eating, and why Chris doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of the ketogenic diet

(1:28:38) — It’s not too late to start taking charge of your metabolic health now

(1:38:45) — Chris touches on the factors that hinder better mental healthcare today and what we can do to advocate for the mentally ill

Transcripts & Show notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Order Brain Energy: ⁠https://amazon.com/Brain-Energy-Revolutionary-Understanding-Health/dp/1637741588/⁠

📲 Connect:

Connect with Chris on Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/chrispalmermd⁠

Connect with Chris on Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/ChrisPalmerMD⁠

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: ⁠https://linkedin.com/in/christopher-palmer-01713032

Continuous glucose monitoring can be a powerful tool for gaining real-time insights into how diet, lifestyle habits, and the many decisions we make daily affect our health. Retired astronaut Scott Kelly tried a CGM for a month and shares his personal insights. Scott Kelly and Josh Clemente discuss how CGM can be used to effect habit change, what Kelly’s participation in the unique NASA Twins study was like and what was learned, and insights Kelly gleaned about society and the environment while viewing Earth from space.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Scott Kelly & Josh Clemente discuss:

(03:55) — CGM provides insight into eating and lifestyle habits

(06:06) — Our hundreds of daily actions have an impact on our health

(13:28) — The “normal” range for various biomarkers isn’t necessarily the optimal range

(17:07) — How CGM can help change eating habits

(18:12) — Menu items labeled “healthy” aren’t always healthy

(23:56) — The epidemic of Type 2 diabetes and obesity

(30:49) — NASA’s Twins Study

(34:30) — Being in space can lead to muscle and bone atrophy

(40:17) — Gravity plays a role in our physiology

(48:20) — Looking at Earth from space can provide an interesting perspective

Transcripts & Show Notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/5i2T-s61yLw

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Scott Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stationcdrkelly/

Connect with Scott Kelly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StationCDRKelly

Why do women have a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease than men, and how do women move forward as empowered patients with their clinicians? Listen to this episode between Levels Advisor, physician, and author 4 New York Times bestsellers Dr. Sara Gottfried and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Dr. Sara Gottfried & Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(03:35) - Why women should care about metabolic health?

(10:29) - Metabolism

(11:28) - A holistic take on metabolism

(22:14) - Blood pressure control

(25:50) - Effects of trauma

(36:24) - Becoming more metabolically unhealthy

(45:30) - Seven clinical imbalances

(53:08) - What you measure improves

(01:02:40) - Dealing with trauma

(01:12:08) - Food until the end

Transcripts and Show Notes⁠

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/MhqWvvFO1q8⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/DrCaseysKitchen⁠

Connect with Casey on Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/DrCaseysKitchen⁠

Connect with Dr. Sara Gottfried on Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/SaraGottfriedMD⁠

Connect with Sara on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrGottfried

Ultra-processed foods harm people’s health and have ramifications for the overall health of the planet. While some food processing is necessary for recipes and feeding the globe, the food industry needs to make changes to ensure that processing doesn’t turn foods into harmful substances. Dr. Tim Harlan and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss the harmful ingredients in ultra-processed foods and how they impact metabolic health—as well as why the food industry has a moral obligation to make drastic changes.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Tim Harlan, MD, & Rob Lustig, MD, discuss:

(06:17) — Nutrition science over the last decade has made strides, but the food industry lags behind

(08:57) — Food can be medicine, but it can also be poison

(14:03) — The NOVA system classifies foods by their level of processing

(23:16) — DATEM is an example of processing

(24:03) — Emulsifiers potentially harm the gastrointestinal tract

(28:17) — Sugar harms the liver, which can lead to metabolic disease

(37:01) — In the United States, people tend to consume too much omega-6 fatty acids

(43:48) — The food industry can find ways to make ultra-processed foods safer

(46:26) — Supply-chain changes are another piece of the equation

(47:43) — Multinational companies have a moral obligation

Transcripts & Show notes

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/I259F6VsHqU

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Robert Lustig, MD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertlustigmd/

Connect with Robert Lustig, MD, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertLustigMD

Why are we craving food more than ever, and how do we overcome it? Mark Schatzker, journalist and author of The End of Craving: Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well, chats with Dr. Casey Means about the dangers of food cravings. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Mark Schatzker & Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(04:08) - How our brain defines cravings

(08:55) - Our brain controls our body weight

(20:28) - How evolution taught us to respond to uncertainty

(27:11) - An experiment with gerbils

(36:11) - The difference between American and Italian diet

(56:35) - Eat food that tastes what it really is

(57:03) - The hedonic therapy

(1:14:33) - Cooking is an essential skill

(1:15:00) - Get vitamins from food

(1:20:11) - Fixing a relationship with sweet food

Transcript & Show notes

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health. With real-time, personalized data gathered through biosensors like continuous glucose monitors (CGM), you learn which diet and lifestyle choices improve your metabolic health so you can live a longer, fuller, healthier life.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/tJGFYL289q0

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on Instagram: https://instagram.com/drcaseyskitchen

Connect with Casey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drcaseyskitchen

Connect with Mark Schatzker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkSchatzker

Biosensing offers people real-time insight into their health status. Regular insight, rather than one-time results at an annual checkup, helps people assess how lifestyle factors are impacting their health, whether they need to make adjustments, and which adjustments might have the most impact. Michael Dubrovsky and Josh Clemente discuss the value of biosensing and how it has the potential to disrupt the healthcare industry, shifting from a diagnose-and-treat approach to a preventive and actionable approach.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Michael Dubrovsky & Josh Clemente discuss:

(5:27) — Why biosensing is important

(9:03) — Biosensing is beneficial for turning info into action

(14:39) — Annual blood tests are levels from one snapshot in time

(24:05) — Measuring a few biomarkers can provide a high amount of data

(38:40)— Focusing on prevention is helping to disrupt the US healthcare industry

(41:47) — Biosensing can empower people to take control of their health

(43:03) — Successfully addressing a health issue involves more than the annual blood draw

(46:00) — Biosensing can help elucidate valuable associations

(49:58) — Why the future of medicine will focus on the individual

(52:14) — Biosensing data from individuals may lead to better solutions for the public

(1:07:06) — Biosensing can increase the value of healthcare

Transcripts & Show notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/zTbxXGisj9M

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Michael Dubrovsky on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeDubrovsky

We often think that arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, and degenerative joint issues are an inevitable result of aging—but this is far from the truth. Good metabolic health can have significant positive effects on bones, muscles, and joints, and can improve longevity. Conversely, poor metabolic health accelerates the degeneration of joints and tissues for many reasons, like the impact of high uric acid levels, lipid or cholesterol deposits, chronic inflammation, and poor blood flow to tissues. Surgeon Dr. Howard Luks and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means discuss musculoskeletal health, how it is related to longevity, how it’s linked to metabolic health, and how to decrease your risks for musculoskeletal pain, degenerative joint issues, and surgery.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Dr. Howard Luks & Dr. Casey Means discuss: 

(00:00) - Intro

(07:59) - Dr. Casey Means’ personal experience with an orthopedic injury

(11:45) - The link between joint and metabolic health

(18:08) - Maintaining activity may help improve musculoskeletal health despite osteoarthritic pain

(27:31) - Cartilage cells, tendinopathy, and how metabolic health is linked to our tendon health, like with tennis elbow or shoulder pain

(38:42) - The importance of blood flow and cellular repair

(44:59) - The importance of being your best medical advocate in modern medicine

(51:44) - How Dr. Luks started learning about metabolic health and wrote his book, Longevity Simplified

(1:04:43) - The simple pillars of longevity

(1:21:43) - Why you don't need to be concerned about osteoarthritis

(1:33:43) - Trust your body by boosting its regenerative capabilities

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Order "Longevity…Simplified" by Dr. Howard Luks: ⁠https://www.howardluksmd.com/book/

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/XbjORE6D8UA⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 CONNECT:

Connect with Dr. Howard Luks on Instagram:⁠https://instagram.com/hjluks1⁠ 

Connect with Dr. Howard Luks on Twitter:⁠https://twitter.com/hjluks⁠ 

Connect with Dr. Howard Luks on LinkedIn:⁠https://linkedin.com/in/howardluksmd⁠ 

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on Instagram:⁠https://instagram.com/DrCaseysKitchen⁠ 

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on Twitter:⁠https://twitter.com/DrCaseysKitchen⁠ 

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on LinkedIn:⁠https://linkedin.com/in/casey-means-md⁠

Fructose and its byproduct uric acid may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s, thanks to an evolutionary adaptation hijacked by the modern diet. Fructose can be directly consumed, or the body can convert high-glycemic carbohydrates and other foods to fructose. Fructose suppresses some cognitive functions. Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss a new study, of which Johnson was an author, on how fructose may be a potential driver in Alzheimer’s, and they hypothesize about fructose’s potential connection to the development of other conditions.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

🎙 What Richard Johnson, MD, & Rob Lustig, MD, discuss:

(09:50) — Fructose is the driver of some diseases that are on the rise in kids

(11:53) — Fructose is a driver of obesity and metabolic syndrome

(15:36) — Pharmaceutical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease aren’t as effective as researchers had hoped

(17:32)— The research focus of Alzheimer’s is slowly shifting to understanding insulin resistance in the brain

(20:41) — Is fructose a root cause of Alzheimer’s?

(26:26) — New research suggests fructose induces a foraging response

(28:20) — Fructose inhibits areas of the brain to encourage successful foraging

(46:48) — We need more research on fructose

(1:03:10) —Is fructose a factor in violence?

Transcripts & Show notes

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health. With real-time, personalized data gathered through biosensors like continuous glucose monitors (CGM), you learn which diet and lifestyle choices improve your metabolic health so you can live a longer, fuller, healthier life.

🔗 LINKS:

Could Alzheimer’s disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism?: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523000047?dgcid=author

Subscribe here on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 CONNECT:

Connect with Richard Johnson, MD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrichardjjohnson/

Connect with Robert Lustig, MD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertlustigmd/

The elevation of uric acid in the body is a causative mechanism in the development of metabolic diseases and contributes to weight gain and fat production. Uric acid is one of the key links between obesity, diabetes, heart disease, neurologic diseases like dementia, ADHD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and more. Dr. David Perlmutter talks with Dr. Casey Means about why we have excess uric acid, what foods cause uric acid production, and what simple steps we can take to lower our uric acid levels to be optimal. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠

They also cover:

🎙 What Dr. David Perlmutter & Dr. Casey Means discuss:

(00:00) - Intro

(03:12) - More than just gout

(05:06) - A causative role

(07:44) - The number one cause of death

(15:24) - Evolutionary environmental mismatch

(16:58) - High fructose corn syrup

(22:27) - The dangers of uric acid

(23:38) - Uric acid and dementia

(30:33) - Too much fructose

(41:32) - Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular risk

(01:03:17) - No need to eat sugar

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtube.com/watch?v=QZ6jPCcFNa8

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Dr. Casey Means on Instagram: https://instagram.com/DrCaseysKitchen

Connect with Casey on Twitter: https://instagram.com/DrCaseysKitchen

Connect with David Perlmutter, MD on Instagram: https://instagram.com/davidperlmutter

Connect with David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidPerlmutter

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-perlmutter-md-6a38b930

Receiving a diagnosis of a chronic condition, such as Type 1 diabetes, can be life-changing. A diagnosis is helpful for understanding the cause of symptoms and how to treat, but managing a chronic condition can take a toll on mental health. Tools like a continuous glucose monitor can help empower people and ease the burden of constant care. Jesse Lavine and Ben Grynol discuss the challenges of managing Type 1 diabetes, how Lavine’s diagnosis with Type 1 impacted him, how CGM helped Lavine not only manage the condition but also thrive with it, and how the medical system needs to change to help patients dial in optimal instead of just adequate health.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl

⁠

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Jesse Lavine & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:39) — A diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes

(06:28) — Getting diagnosed with a chronic condition can life-changing

(14:18) — Wearing a CGM helped Lavine reduce his insulin intake

(26:04) — Having real-time insight into how foods affect your condition and your body

(29:47) — Type 1 diabetes does not have to hold you back

(35:18) — The current medical system isn’t necessarily set up to empower patients

(37:08) — A CGM offers constant feedback that can be used to manage Type 1 diabetes

(38:13) — The benefits of having stable blood sugar

(41:25)— Managing a chronic condition can lead to medical system burnout

(44:59) — Considering the mental health aspects of managing a condition

Transcripts & Show notes

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1