#488 Dr. Gary McGowan - Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, and Cardiovascular Disease

Dr. Gary McGowan drops in to share a masterclass on cardiovascular disease and its major risk factors, including:The relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular diseaseWhy LDL cholesterol is importantWhat causes LDL cholesterol to riseThe dietary factors that can increase LDL cholesterolNavigating misleading claims about LDL from the carnivore diet communityWhy elimination diets can appear to improve someone’s healthThe relationship between obesity and cardiovascular diseaseWhy not all fat storage in the body is associated with the same level of disease riskVisceral fat, BMI, and the personal fat thresholdWhy cardiovascular risk accumulates over timeThe role of genetics in cholesterol and blood pressureWhat causes high blood pressureThe role of dietary sodium in hypertensionThe most important lifestyle behaviours for lowering cardiovascular disease riskHow to screen for atherosclerotic plaque buildup in your arteriesCoronary artery calcium scans and CCTA imagingWhether caffeine and energy drinks increase the risk of heart problemsAnd much moreFollow Gary on Instagram:@drgarymcgowanCHAPTERS01:31 Cholesterol and Heart Risk04:50 Why LDL Rises06:23 Diet Drivers of LDL09:31 Coffee and Cholesterol10:32 Exercise and Lipids12:19 Carnivore LDL Debate18:32 Elimination Diet Reality21:48 Obesity and Heart Disease26:26 Visceral Fat and BMI31:15 BMI Reality Check32:24 Personal Fat Threshold32:46 Obesity Over Time33:58 Cumulative Risk Model34:58 Blood Pressure Drivers36:04 Salt and the Modern Diet38:21 Lifestyle Risk Pillars38:53 Heart Plaque Screening41:32 Calcium Scans Explained44:33 CCTA for Soft Plaque48:17 Caffeine and Heart Risk53:14 Energy Drink Extremes55:21 Where to Find Gary57:34 Final Wrap-UpSUPPORT THE SHOWIf this episode helped you better understand cholesterol, blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease risk, you can support the show by:Subscribing and checking out more episodesSharing it on social media — tag me and I’ll respondSending it to someone who is confused about cholesterol, blood pressure, or heart healthFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESRP STRENGTH APPUse code COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJUST BITE ME MEALSUse code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:https://justbitememeals.comMACROSFIRST – FREE PREMIUM TRIALDownload MacrosFirst and during setup you’ll be asked:“How did you hear about us?”Type in the code: ANDREWKNKG BAGS – 15% OFFhttps://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676VERSA GRIPPShttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC – FREE 90-DAY TRIALComplete these two steps:Go to:https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive — or email [email protected] — and let them know Andrew sent you.L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEUse code COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents