There’s an Ayurvedic proverb: When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need. It sums up the problems most doctors have with treating the symptoms of disease with unnecessary medicines and invasive procedures instead of addressing the root cause…

Many patients come to see me because they want to avoid medications or get off of statins. There’s a lot to consider, including guidelines, but that’s not all considering the risk calculator is, in many ways, flawed. Here’s what I tell them…

When I see a patient for the first time, I point out that my role is not to make a cholesterol or blood pressure number perfect. My role is to help them achieve a greater health goal: longevity. And the truth is, what I can do pales in comparison to what you can do yourself.

How successful was the last diet you tried? Based on our experience and research, the answer is probably, “not very!” We’ve all tried the newest trendy diet and guess what? We rarely last more than a few days and the results never stick! Before you try another, let’s talk about why and discuss effective options… Fad […]

You know the mantra for how to avoid getting sick this winter: Wash your hands and wear a mask. And when the days start getting shorter, the temperature drops and cold and flu season kicks in, we could all use an immunity boost, COVID or no COVID. That’s where my favorite secret weapon comes in… Yes, […]

While it’s normal and healthy for blood pressure to fluctuate throughout the day, when your blood pressure stays elevated, it can lead to many health problems. Many people require medications to control their blood pressure. However, there are several things you can do that will help to make it easier to manage your readings…

When you eat in a way that helps lower cholesterol and improve overall heart health, you’re also helping lower risks associated with cancer, dementia, arthritis and other diseases. Here’s why and how…

Triglycerides are not all that important for heart disease risk on their own. Rather they’re more significant depending upon the company they keep and whether they’re very high. The combination of low HDL and high triglycerides is a particularly worrisome profile. For that reason, let’s talk about how to get them lower…

LDL cholesterol is the cholesterol that’s parking in your arteries and causing blockages to build up. It is also the cholesterol that’s toxic to the lining of your arteries (the endothelium), increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Obviously it’s nasty stuff, so let’s talk about how to get less of it, and dispel some myths while we’re at it…

HDL, high-density lipoprotein, is the good cholesterol. This is the particle that’s moving cholesterol out of your body, so you want to keep it high. But it turns out there’s not much good news about it… Low baseline HDL numbers are a potent risk factor for developing early or more aggressive heart disease. So let’s talk about getting them up…

When you get a cholesterol test back, you’re typically given four numbers: The total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Your doctor is probably great about going over your results with you, but it can be confusing to remember all the details once you leave their office. Here’s what you need to know to interpret the results like a pro…

Does a normal weight protect you against adverse health outcomes even if you don’t eat particularly well? And what if you’re obese? Is your outcome equally poor regardless of what lands on your plate? A 17-year study may have finally helped us get the answer that most of us have been struggling with. And it may be the most freeing news you get all day…