Heart Health BEYOND Cholesterol

❤️ Episode 4: Heart Health Beyond Cholesterol

The Natural Doctors Rethink Cardiovascular Disease

For decades, heart health has been reduced to a single number. Cholesterol.

In Episode 4 of The Natural Doctors, Dr. Jen Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello challenge the outdated LDL only model of cardiovascular disease and explore what truly drives heart health and heart disease.

This episode goes far beyond cholesterol labs to uncover the deeper root causes of cardiovascular risk including inflammation, gut health, vascular integrity, nervous system balance, emotional connection, and our relationship with nature.

🫀 Why Cholesterol Is Only Part of the Story

Lowering LDL cholesterol can be helpful, but it is not the whole picture.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Why more than half of people hospitalized for heart attacks have normal LDL levels
• The cholesterol paradox and what it tells us about outdated screening models
• Why statins work beyond cholesterol lowering through inflammation reduction and plaque stabilization
• Why an integrative approach looks at inflammation, gut health, blood sugar, stress, and lifestyle together

Heart disease is not just a plumbing problem. It is a systems problem.

🦠 Segment 1: The Gut Heart Connection

Your gut microbiome plays a critical role in cardiovascular health.

We explore:
• How beneficial gut bacteria produce short chain fatty acids that protect blood vessels
• What TMAO is and why elevated levels increase cardiovascular risk
• The oral gut heart axis and why gum disease raises heart disease risk
• How SIBO and gut dysbiosis are more common in patients with cardiovascular disease
• Functional testing options including advanced cardiac labs and microbiome testing

A healthy microbiome helps calm inflammation and protect the heart.

🩸 Segment 2: Inflammation, the Endothelium, and the Glycocalyx

Inflammation is the true bridge between gut dysfunction and heart disease.

We break down:
• Why hsCRP is often a stronger predictor of heart disease than LDL
• How leaky gut allows inflammatory molecules into circulation
• What the glycocalyx is and why it acts as a protective forest lining your blood vessels
• How damage to the glycocalyx is an early event in atherosclerosis
• What harms it including blood sugar spikes, oxidative stress, smoking, and chronic inflammation
• How to protect and rebuild it with food, nutrients, and lifestyle

If cholesterol is the spark, inflammation is the fuel.

🧠 Segment 3: Stress, the Nervous System, and Heart Coherence

The heart is deeply connected to the nervous system and emotional state.

In this segment, we discuss:
• How chronic stress increases cardiovascular risk
• Broken heart syndrome and the impact of emotional trauma on the heart
• Heart rate variability and what it tells us about resilience
• Heart coherence and the harmony between heart, brain, and nervous system
• How gratitude, compassion, and rhythmic breathing support heart health
• Simple breathing practices that restore nervous system balance

A regulated nervous system is medicine for the heart.

🌿 Segment 4: Connection, Spirituality, and Nature as Heart Medicine

Some of the most powerful heart protective therapies are not prescriptions.

We explore:
• Why loneliness is a bigger risk factor than smoking or obesity
• How purpose and strong relationships reduce mortality risk
• Lessons from Blue Zones around the world
• How spending time in nature lowers cortisol, blood pressure, and improves HRV
• Why optimism is linked to lower heart disease risk
• Why turning off the news may be one of the most heart healthy choices you make

Connection and meaning are measurable medicine.

🧾 Segment 5: Practical Everyday Steps for Heart Health

We close with simple, actionable strategies you can start today:
• Eat 30 or more plant foods per week
• Prioritize fermented foods and fiber
• Include polyphenol rich and omega 3 rich foods daily
• Support nitric oxide production with leafy greens and beets
• Practice daily breathing and nervous system regulation
• Protect oral health without overusing antiseptic mouthwash
• Take inventory of your relationships, time, energy, and intentions

Heart health happens at the intersection of body, mind, and spirit.

🌱 Final Takeaway

The heart is not just a pump. It is a communicator, a responder, and a reflection of how we live, connect, and care for ourselves.

True cardiovascular health requires looking beyond cholesterol and supporting the whole system.

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Stay curious. Stay rooted. Awaken the wisdom within.