Why High Cholesterol May Be a Repair Signal, Not the Enemy episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 3, 2026 · 38 MIN

Why High Cholesterol May Be a Repair Signal, Not the Enemy

from The Natural Heart Doctor Show · host Dr. Jack Wolfson

Cardiologists spend their careers talking about cholesterol. On this episode, I wanted to go one level deeper, down to the cell membrane, because that's where heart health is really decided. Justine Stenger has spent years studying phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine, the fats that build the membranes wrapping every one of your cells and your mitochondria.We talk about why the membrane, not the nucleus, acts as the brain of the cell, and how cholesterol fits into that picture as a helper rather than a villain. Justine walks through how a phospholipid shortage may push the liver to make more cholesterol to repair membrane damage, why our modern toxic load makes that shortage so common, and what food, oral, and clinical approaches she looks at to support cellular repair. We also cover the lab markers you can track over time, from cholesterol and triglycerides to homocysteine, so this stays practical, not just theoretical.- - - - -About the Guest:Justine Stenger is a cellular-health educator and the Lead Educator at BodyBio, where she teaches practitioners and patients about phospholipids, fatty acids, and mitochondrial health. She earned her degree from the University of Alberta, trained in holistic nutrition through Bauman College, and completed her Functional Medicine training through the Institute for Functional Medicine, where she is a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. She is also Bredesen (ReCODE) trained.With more than a decade supporting people with complex, chronic illness, Justine focuses on cell membrane medicine: giving cells the raw materials they need to repair, recharge, and do the work they were built to do.Website: justinestenger.comA special thank you to our presentation sponsor, BodyBio! Support your brain, gut, and cellular health with their science-backed, premium nutrients.Shop the cellular health lineup here: https://bodybio.com/- - - - -Jack Wolfson, DO, FACCWebsites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drjackwolfson.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://naturalheartdoctor.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackwolfson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ready to move past the confusion and fear of typical heart health approaches? Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠naturalheartdoctor.com/discovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to schedule your free discovery call and start your journey toward a 100-year heart with real, evidence-based answers.- - - - -PODCAST Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and share. This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/

Cardiologists spend their careers talking about cholesterol. On this episode, I wanted to go one level deeper, down to the cell membrane, because that's where heart health is really decided. Justine Stenger has spent years studying phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine, the fats that build the membranes wrapping every one of your cells and your mitochondria.We talk about why the membrane, not the nucleus, acts as the brain of the cell, and how cholesterol fits into that picture as a helper rather than a villain. Justine walks through how a phospholipid shortage may push the liver to make more cholesterol to repair membrane damage, why our modern toxic load makes that shortage so common, and what food, oral, and clinical approaches she looks at to support cellular repair. We also cover the lab markers you can track over time, from cholesterol and triglycerides to homocysteine, so this stays practical, not just theoretical.- - - - -About the Guest:Justine Stenger is a cellular-health educator and the Lead Educator at BodyBio, where she teaches practitioners and patients about phospholipids, fatty acids, and mitochondrial health. She earned her degree from the University of Alberta, trained in holistic nutrition through Bauman College, and completed her Functional Medicine training through the Institute for Functional Medicine, where she is a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. She is also Bredesen (ReCODE) trained.With more than a decade supporting people with complex, chronic illness, Justine focuses on cell membrane medicine: giving cells the raw materials they need to repair, recharge, and do the work they were built to do.Website: justinestenger.comA special thank you to our presentation sponsor, BodyBio! Support your brain, gut, and cellular health with their science-backed, premium nutrients.Shop the cellular health lineup here: https://bodybio.com/- - - - -Jack Wolfson, DO, FACCWebsites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drjackwolfson.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://naturalheartdoctor.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackwolfson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ready to move past the confusion and fear of typical heart health approaches? Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠naturalheartdoctor.com/discovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to schedule your free discovery call and start your journey toward a 100-year heart with real, evidence-based answers.- - - - -PODCAST Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and share. This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/

NOW PLAYING

Why High Cholesterol May Be a Repair Signal, Not the Enemy

0:00 38:59

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Natural Heart Doctor Show?

This episode is 38 minutes long.

When was this The Natural Heart Doctor Show episode published?

This episode was published on July 3, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Cardiologists spend their careers talking about cholesterol. On this episode, I wanted to go one level deeper, down to the cell membrane, because that's where heart health is really decided. Justine Stenger has spent years studying phospholipids...

Can I download this The Natural Heart Doctor Show episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!