Cholesterol May Not Be the Real Cause of Heart Disease: What We Need to Know

In this episode of Women’s Healthspan Voices, I speak with Diamond Fernandes about a different way of understanding heart disease prevention. We explore why cholesterol may not be the primary driver of cardiovascular disease, how inflammation and artery health play a larger role, and why many standard heart screenings may miss underlying risk. Diamond also shares practical lifestyle strategies that may help women protect long-term cardiovascular health and vitality.- - - - - Diamond Fernandes is an integrative cardiac health specialist and the founder of Heart Fit Clinic. A deeply personal story drives his work: his father suffered a heart attack at 38 and bypass surgery at 42, sparking his mission to understand how to truly prevent and reverse heart disease.With clinics across major cities in Canada, Diamond focuses on going beyond the traditional ‘plumbing’ model of cholesterol and blocked pipes. He uses extensive testing, advanced cardiac rehab programs, and therapies like external counterpulsation to improve artery health, grow new vessels, and reduce the risk of plaque rupture. His books, Beating Heart Disease and the upcoming Death of the Stress Test, challenge outdated approaches and highlight the roles of lifestyle, infections, autoimmunity, mindset, and emotional health in protecting the ‘love muscle’ at the center of our lives.- - - - - Dr. Pat McShane, MDLinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-mcshane-0535ba3/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.womenshealthspan.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@mcshanepmcshane9303⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Produced by DrTalks: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drtalks.com/podcast/