As a dietitian on the internet, it’s not lost on me that there is a MAJOR difference in what people want to see versus what will actually make the biggest difference in their health. Case in point: the enormous amount of content debating the “dangers” of oats or the “benefits” of colostrum and how so very few people actually talk about nutrition for heart health. So, since it’s February and it’s Heart Month…let’s go there.

dr adrian chavez phd on the allsorts podcast
Digging into all the juicy internet myths around heart health with Dr Adrian Chavez PhD

Because heart disease is still the number one killer of adults in the USA and the number two leading cause of death in Canada. And this conversation is fraught with WAY more trendy controversies than you might expect. Like all the carnivore/blood sugar bros who try and tell you that saturated fat isn’t a problem. Or not to worry about your LDL cholesterol levels.

I wanted to bring in a master myth-buster, Dr Adrian Chavez PhD to break down the science of heart health, what the risk factors are, as well as what research says about how to eat for a healthier heart. It was important to me that I talk to an omnivore for this one as I feel like a lot of the plant-based discourse around nutrition for heart health makes it sound like anyone who eats animal foods is going to have an instant heart attack…which just isn’t true.

We cover different diets for heart health, whether you need omega 3 fatty acids and other supplements and just a ton of BS-free, practical advice on how to eat to keep your body strong and healthy.

About Dr Adrian Chavez

Dr. Adrian Chavez PhD has a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science and PhD in Nutrition and Health Promotion. Dr Chavez is host of The Science of Nutrition Podcast and runs a virtual nutrition course called the Nutrition Mastery Blueprint.

On this episode we chat about:

  • Dr Adrian’s journey from athletics to a PhD in nutrition
  • What does it actually mean to have a healthy heart?
  • Why are people saying LDL cholesterol isn’t a problem?
  • How dietary cholesterol and saturated fat impacts blood cholesterol
  • What does HDL cholesterol do?
  • The role of fibre in regulating blood fats
  • What to eat and what to minimize for better cholesterol
  • An easy hack to increase fiber + decrease saturated fat
  • Omega 3: diet vs supplements
  • Salt and blood pressure
  • What dietary pattern is best for heart health

Clinical Note: US lab values are different than Canadian labs. Optimal LDL cholesterol target in healthy adults is less than 100 mg/dL in the US and 2.6 mmol/L in Canada

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Connect with Dr Adrian Chavez

Website: https://www.dradrianchavez.com 

Episode Links + Recommendations:

Science of Nutrition Podcast on Omega 3 fats

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