Does LDL Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?

Today on the show we are going to discuss flexible eating and the 80/20 rule in nutrition. The 80/20 rule refers to eating healthy foods 80% of the time and then allowing 20% for flexibility. If you listen to the show, you know I am a big fan of flexibility, so you might be surprised to hear my take here. On the show we discuss: The 80/20 doesn't make sense for everyoneCircumstances where flexibility with nutrition can do more harm than goodHow to figure out what works best in your lifeTune into the episode to learn more. Want to support the show? Leave a review for the show if you haven't already here. You can also support the show by purchasing through our affiliate links which you can find here. Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Inflammation!! This has become a popular term recently and most people don't really know what it means or if its something that we should be worried about. So, on this episode of the podcast, we are going to discuss: What inflammation isWhy it's important The difference between acute and chronic inflammation How inflammation contributes to disease development How our diet can contribute to inflammation And more...Make sure you tune into the show to learn more.Want to submit a questions to be featured on our next Q and A podcast? Click here to submit your question.  Get 20% off of your first order of Legion supplements here (use the code "Chavez" at checkout)  Previous Episodes ReferencedSaturated Fat Episode Red Meat Episode Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

On this episode of the podcast we have a.Q and A episode covering three topics. 1) Are caffeine and coffee beneficial or harmful to our health? 2) What are the best oils to cook with? 3) Does dairy interfere with the absorption of nutrients from berries? We will be discussing some of the research looking at the health benefits (and negative effects) of coffee and caffeine, the differences between cooking with oilve oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, etc., and how dairy can block the absorption of nutrients from foods like berries and coffee and what to do to reduce this effect. Tune into the podcast to learn more. Here is the research discussed in the show: Coffee Health Benefits  Coffee/Caffeine Brain HealthMilk Reducing Nutrients in Berries Study Looking At Different Fat Content Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Did you know that all health improvements that people experience from following any new diet or nutrition plan can be distilled into 3 key changes? Today on the show we are going to discuss what those specific changes are and help you to understand How Diets Work and where you should place your focus if your goal is make nutrition changes that will benefit your health. Previous episode that may be helpful: Energy Balance Episode Food Sensitivity Episode Click here to take advantage of Legions BOGO 50% off Labor Day sale. Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Soy is one of the most widely misunderstood foods. There are a variety of claims regarding the health effects of soy. It disrupts female hormones, feminizes men, increases risk of cancer, is inflammatory, and more...But what does the actual science show? In this episode of the podcast we are going to discuss the evidence for the health effects of soy. We cover: The nutritional composition of soy foodsWhat studies show about soy consumption and risk of heart disease, cancer and other long term health outcomes.How soy affects male and female hormonesStrategies for adding soy to the dietAnd more...Tune in to listen to the full episode. Sources: Soy Umbrella Review Soy and Markers of Inflammation Soy Impact on Hormones in Men Soy and Thyroid Health Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

On this episode of the podcast we have a Q and A episode we are covering 3 popular topics. 1) The personalized nutrition company ZOE2) Nutrigenomics and whether we should use our genes to determine what to eat3) The science of cold plunging Research on cold exposure:Cold Water Immersion and RecoveryCold Exposure and Muscle Growth If you are interested in signing up for the discounted offer on the Nutrition Mastery Blueprint course you can sign up here. To search the podcast archive go here. Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

On the last episode of the show we discussed WHY LDL cholesterol matters and why we don't want to have a high number of LDL particles floating around in our blood. In this episode we discuss: - The two main dietary factors that contribute to LDL levels - A surprising fact about coffee and cholesterol levels- Simple swaps for lowering cholesterol levels and more. Tune into the episode to hear more. I also summarized all of this information in a FREE guide if you would like to download that you can do so here. Podcast for further listeningFiber podcast episode Saturated fat podcast episode Energy balance podcast episodeSources: This paper is a great summary of nutrition and LDL levels if you want to read it. Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Today is part 1 of a 2 part series on lowering LDL cholesterol. In this episode we are going to cover what LDL cholesterol is and how it might contribute to the development of heart disease. In the next episode we are going to discuss nutrition and lifestyle strategies for lowering LDL. In this episode we cover:What cholesterol is and how it functions in our bodyWhy cholesterol has been thought to cause heart diseaseThe truth about cholesterol and heart disease The right cholesterol test to measure to identify risk How cholesterol fits with other risk factors as well to contribute to the development of heart disease Tune in to the episode to learn more. I discussed measuring APO on the show and this a place where you can purchase the lab test online if you are not able to order it through your doctor.APO B Test Online  Sources and Additional Reading Apo B as a Rik Factor for Cardiovascular Disease A Review of How Lipoproteins Contribute to Cardiovascular DiseaseCheck out some of products/supplements that I personally use and recommend.  Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Today we have another Q and A episode and we are going to discuss: Is wild-caught fish more nutritious or safer than farmed fish?Is drinking raw milk a health hack or pointless wellness trend? What Functional Medicine is and whether or not I recommend itStudies discussed in this episode:Farmed Fish https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27670595/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24709486/Raw Milk Studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5443421/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9262997/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24615309/ Support the Show Purchase from Legion Athletics using my code Chavez at checkout for 20% off of your first order and double points after  Support the Show with a Donation Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.

Sometimes nutrition isn't going to be a top priority in your life. Maybe you just had a child, you are moving, you're traveling, you lost your job, etc. and you just need to place your focus elsewhere and put as little energy as possible into your nutrition. These times are going to happen and it can be helpful to have a strategy for what we are going to do when they do. So today on the podcast, I am going to discuss how to focus on the bare minimum with nutrition and still make progress and get results (or not slide backwards at least).   If you struggle with staying consistent with quality nutrition choices when life gets hectic, this episode is a must-listen. Here are the links that were discussed in the show. Energy Balance Episode Protein Episode Guide to Calculating Protein and Energy Needs Enjoying the show or have a questions about a particular topic? Send us a message here.