LEVELS – A Whole New Level

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. 🎙 What Robert 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. 🎙 What Eric 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. 🎙 What Robert 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. 🎙 What Casey 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. 🎙 What Robert 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. 🎙 What Dave 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. 🎙 What Casey 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: (03:57) — What is insulin? (06:55) — What is insulin resistance? (18:00) — There are three types of insulin resistance (38:00) — Weight management is not about calories in and calories out (45:53) — Adding more insulin to the equation of Type 2 diabetes isn’t necessarily the answer (51:20) — Insulin is a crucial biomarker to measure for metabolic health (53:58) — Insulin resistance is a hinderance to weight management (57:07) — The intake of too much leucine can lead to insulin resistance (1:02:04) — Fiber feeds the gut microbiome and is crucial for metabolic health (1:13:11) — 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. 🎙 What Georgia 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

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. 🎙 What Josh 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