Category

Preventing Chronic Disease

One of the foundational lessons we can take away from studying centenarians — those who have lived to the age of 100+ — is that if you want to live longer, you have to live longer without chronic disease, not live longer with chronic disease. Unfortunately, our current healthcare system is primarily geared toward helping you live longer once you develop chronic disease. This, of course, is the opposite of the approach I take with my patients. 

Over 80% of deaths in people over 50 who do not smoke can be grouped into 4 main categories, what I like to call the four horsemen of chronic disease. These are: (1) atherosclerotic disease (comprised of cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease), (2) cancer, (3) neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s disease being the most common), and (4) metabolic disease (a spectrum of everything from hyperinsulinemia to insulin resistance to fatty liver disease to type 2 diabetes).

We have five main longevity tactics at our disposal to affect our longevity: (1) exercise, (2) sleep, (3) nutrition, (4) medications & supplements, and (5) distress tolerance. Below is a collection of podcasts and articles discussing how we can use these tactics to mitigate, prevent, and reverse chronic disease.

statins and Lp(a)

Reassuring new data on statin-induced Lp(a) elevation

Statin therapy is known to raise Lp(a) particle concentration in some patients, but how does this impact the overall effect of these medications on ASCVD risk?

#229 ‒ Understanding cardiovascular disease risk, cholesterol, and apoB

Not everybody dies from atherosclerosis, but… everybody dies with it.”  —Peter Attia

Muscle Mass and Cognitive Function

A recent narrative review hypothesizes a key role for myokine disruption caused by physical inactivity.

colonoscopy research

Confusion over results of a recent colonoscopy trial

A recently published NEJM paper appears to show that colonoscopy screenings do not reduce risk of colorectal cancer death. As is often the case, the results have been taken out of context and their implications grossly overestimated.

PCSK9 inhibitors

The genetics of PCSK9i nonresponders

A recent case study shines light on why some individuals are resistant to PCSK9 inhibitors. 

Adding context to the Alzheimer’s disease research fraud charges

This past July, a news article published in Science sent shockwaves through the scientific community when it reported that one of the most influential and frequently-cited publications in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research was evidently based on fraud.

 

Heart Disease: Labs & Diagnostic Tests

This video clip is from episode #203 — AMA #34: What causes heart disease? — originally released on April 18,…

The five main tools for managing blood glucose numbers

This clip is from AMA #26: Continuous glucose monitors, zone 2 training, and a framework for interventions, originally released on…

First Case of Human PCSK9 Gene-Editing

Ultimately, the long-term benefits of lowering apoB through a one-time treatment may make this not only a viable future option, but potentially an intervention that could change preventive cardiovascular medicine.

#216 – Metabolomics, NAD+, and cancer metabolism | Josh Rabinowitz, M.D., Ph.D.

“My big hope is that we’re going to be able to have some combination of directed, metabolic immune supplements and diet that really work with therapy to treat cancer.” —Josh Rabinowitz

Facebook icon Twitter icon Instagram icon Pinterest icon Google+ icon YouTube icon LinkedIn icon Contact icon