Regenerative farming replenishes soil nutrients, which in turn, boosts the nutrient content of produce and animal products. It also focuses on animal and land stewardship. However, most farming today employs industrialized practices that deplete the soil, discount animal welfare, and harm humans. Will Harris and Dr. Casey Means discuss regenerative farming practices, the symbiotic relationships in the farming ecosystem, and the need for change at the consumer level. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ulti...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast Erectile dysfunction can be an early indicator of future cardiovascular disease, endothelial dysfunction, and early death. Learn more in this conversation between urologist and male reproductive specialist and surgeon Dr. Merrill Matschke and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up...
Nov 16, 2023•2 hr 34 min•Ep 237•Transcript available on Metacast The ketogenic diet fuels the brain and makes the body more metabolically flexible. The keto diet drives ketone production, which serves as fuel for energy as well as an antioxidant to combat oxidative stress. Switching from burning glucose to burning ketones has numerous benefits, including for cognitive decline and ADHD. Dr. Annette Bosworth and Dr. Casey Means discuss the intricacies of the keto diet, why it boosts brain health, how to make behavioral changes, and how to encourage kids to eat ...
Nov 02, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Sara Gottfried a pioneer in health, research, and education has seen more than 25,000 patients over the past two decades. She's a physician scientist, who graduated from Harvard Medical School and MIT, and completed her Residency at the University of California, San Francisco. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl Dr. Gottfried is the Director of Precision Medicine at The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, at Thomas Jefferson University, where s...
Oct 19, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Diet and exercise culture tends to prioritize calorie restriction and calorie burning via cardio workouts. While fat loss is beneficial, building and maintaining healthy muscle mass is also crucial for metabolic health and longevity. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Casey Means discuss Lyons book Forever Strong, why strength-training should be a priority for workout routines, how muscle is the bodys metabolic currency, and why boosting protein intake aids in adding and preserving muscle mass. Sign Up ...
Oct 12, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast The history of the Big Food and Big Sugar industries still affect our metabolic health today. Learn more in this conversation between Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl Levels helps you ...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast Our environment and culture directly affect the food choices we make. Ultra-processed foods are convenient and cheap, and theyre the main source of foods in food deserts, typically located in underserved communities. Yet ultra-processed foods lead to worsening metabolic health. How do you afford and access nutritious food? Shawn Stevenson and Dr. Casey means discuss how Stevenson, author of Eat Smarter Family Cookbook grew up without easy access to whole foods, how he transformed how he eats des...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast Obesity and chronic disease are fallouts from the lack of real human connection. Underneath biomarkers like glucose and physical aspects like mitochondrial dysfunctions are the root causes of disease: hijacked reward pathways, chronic stress due to constant threat mode, and the global human disconnect. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl In this discussion between Levels advisor Dr. Molly Maloof and our co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Casey Means...
Sep 21, 2023•2 hr 57 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast The ketogenic diet is often used as a tool for weight loss and to improve metabolic health. However, it is increasingly being considered, studied, and used as a medical therapy for chronic physical and mental health conditions, and it can be tailored to patients specific needs. Beth Zupec-Kania, Denise Potter, and Dr. Dominic DAgostino discuss the benefits of the ketogenic diet, how they customize keto for patients with dietary preferences like veganism, how to ease into the change with a pre-ke...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Casey Means, Chief Medical Officer of Levels speaks with Dr. Richard Johnson about his book, "Nature Wants Us to Be Fat," as well as his insights on the "survival switch" that drives our body to store fat in response to certain conditions like high fructose, dehydration, umami flavors, and more, and how this all relates to our current metabolic disease epidemic. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl Levels helps you see how food affec...
Sep 07, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has proven benefits for brain health. Research shows that the keto diet helps ease symptoms of some mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder. But no diet, even keto, is one-size-fits all. Dr. Georgia Ede and Dr. Dominic DAgostino discuss how diet and brain health are connected, how diet and gut health affect brain health, and how a ketogenic or other low-carbohydrate diets can be tailored to peoples specific ...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast From gallbladder issues to tinnitus to fatty liver disease and more, many chronic conditions have links to high blood sugar and insulin resistance. Dr. Ben Bikman and Dr. Casey Means discuss the connections between insulin resistance and ear-nose-and-throat conditions, how insulin resistance increases the risk for gallbladder stones, what non-alcoholic fatty liver disease does to the body, and how you can mitigate these chronic health conditions for improved quality of life. Sign Up to Get Your ...
Aug 24, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast Medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and more, have become increasingly popular for weight loss. These drugs are glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and they mimic a hormone that, among other things, tells the brain a person is full so they eat less. But are they safe, and do they help improve metabolic health? Dr. Rob Lustig and Dr. Casey Means discuss these weight-loss drugs and their effects on the body, and why such medications likely wont solve the obesity crisis, for which ...
Aug 17, 2023•51 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast We know sugar is bad for kids, so why do parents continue giving it to them? Sugar damage kids health and drives behavioral issues. Infants get introduced to sugar early through commercial baby food, and the problem continues with school and birthday treats, soda, and the ultra-processed foods that have taken over the family pantry. Austin McGuffie & Dr. Robert Lustig discuss the rising rates of Type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children, sugar addiction in kids, the p...
Aug 10, 2023•1 hr•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast The ketogenic diet may help reduce depression and other symptoms in bipolar disorder. The ketogenic diet also helps metabolic health and reduces the risk for cardiometabolic diseases. The risk for cardiometabolic diseases is elevated in people with bipolar disorder when compared to the general population. Dr. Iain Campbell, Dr. Bret Scher, and Dr. Dominic DAgostino discuss how the state of ketosis has beneficial effects on brain neurotransmitters and how those benefits have been life-changing ph...
Aug 03, 2023•57 min•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast What you think you know about keto and ketones might be wrong. Keto can be great for weight loss, but theres a better way to do it by focusing on more diverse plant food, protecting your mitochondria through mitochondrial uncoupling, and focusing on fiber. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl What Dr. Steven Gundry, author of Unlocking The Keto Code, and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means discuss: (07:55) - A career change (11:57) -...
Jul 27, 2023•56 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast The United States government subsidizes ultra-processed foods and sugar, and the healthcare system focuses on treating diseases rather than preventing them. These issues are harming kids health and leading to crisis-level rates of prediabetes and diabetes in both adults and children. Siblings Calley Means and Casey Means discuss problems with the food industry, government funding, and healthcare, and they propose possible solutions, while also offering suggestions for parents wanting to set thei...
Jul 20, 2023•2 hr 30 min•Ep 222•Transcript available on Metacast How might a keto diet transform not only your metabolic health but may also manage symptoms of mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, and more? Dr. Chris Palmer outlines the principles from his book Brain Energy with Ben Grynol in this episode and discusses his journey toward the revolutionary idea that might change how we view mental health care moving forward. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl What Dr. Chris Palmer &...
Jul 13, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast Continuous glucose monitoring can be a powerful tool for gaining real-time insights into how diet, lifestyle habits, and the many decisions we make daily affect our health. Retired astronaut Scott Kelly tried a CGM for a month and shares his personal insights. Scott Kelly and Josh Clemente discuss how CGM can be used to effect habit change, what Kellys participation in the unique NASA Twins study was like and what was learned, and insights Kelly gleaned about society and the environment while vi...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast Why do women have a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease than men, and how do women move forward as empowered patients with their clinicians? Listen to this episode between Levels Advisor, physician, and author 4 New York Times bestsellers Dr. Sara Gottfried and Levels Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey Means. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: https://levels.link/wnl What Dr. Sara Gottfried & Dr. Casey Means discuss: (04:00) - Why wome...
Jun 29, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast Ultra-processed foods harm peoples health and have ramifications for the overall health of the planet. While some food processing is necessary for recipes and feeding the globe, the food industry needs to make changes to ensure that processing doesnt turn foods into harmful substances. Dr. Tim Harlan and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss the harmful ingredients in ultra-processed foods and how they impact metabolic healthas well as why the food industry has a moral obligation to make drastic changes. Sign ...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast Why are we craving food more than ever, and how do we overcome it? Mark Schatzker, journalist and author of The End of Craving: Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well, chats with Dr. Casey Means about the dangers of food cravings. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the ground up in the health and wellness tech industry. Sign Up to Get Your Free Ul...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep 217•Transcript available on Metacast Biosensing offers people real-time insight into their health status. Regular insight, rather than one-time results at an annual checkup, helps people assess how lifestyle factors are impacting their health, whether they need to make adjustments, and which adjustments might have the most impact. Michael Dubrovsky and Josh Clemente discuss the value of biosensing and how it has the potential to disrupt the healthcare industry, shifting from a diagnose-and-treat approach to a preventive and actiona...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 216•Transcript available on Metacast We often think that arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, and degenerative joint issues are an inevitable result of agingbut this is far from the truth. Good metabolic health can have significant positive effects on bones, muscles, and joints, and can improve longevity. Conversely, poor metabolic health accelerates the degeneration of joints and tissues for many reasons, like the impact of high uric acid levels, lipid or cholesterol deposits, chronic inflammation, and poor blood flow to tissues. Surg...
Jun 02, 2023•2 hr 42 min•Ep 215•Transcript available on Metacast Fructose and its byproduct uric acid may play a role in the development of Alzheimers, thanks to an evolutionary adaptation hijacked by the modern diet. Fructose can be directly consumed, or the body can convert high-glycemic carbohydrates and other foods to fructose. Fructose suppresses some cognitive functions. Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss a new study, of which Johnson was an author, on how fructose may be a potential driver in Alzheimers, and they hypothesize about fructoses...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep 214•Transcript available on Metacast The elevation of uric acid in the body is a causative mechanism in the development of metabolic diseases and contributes to weight gain and fat production. Uric acid is one of the key links between obesity, diabetes, heart disease, neurologic diseases like dementia, ADHD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and more. Dr. David Perlmutter talks with Dr. Casey Means about why we have excess uric acid, what foods cause uric acid production, and what simple steps we can take to lower our uric acid le...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep 213•Transcript available on Metacast Receiving a diagnosis of a chronic condition, such as Type 1 diabetes, can be life-changing. A diagnosis is helpful for understanding the cause of symptoms and how to treat, but managing a chronic condition can take a toll on mental health. Tools like a continuous glucose monitor can help empower people and ease the burden of constant care. Jesse Lavine and Ben Grynol discuss the challenges of managing Type 1 diabetes, how Lavines diagnosis with Type 1 impacted him, how CGM helped Lavine not onl...
May 11, 2023•54 min•Ep 212•Transcript available on Metacast A metabolic blood test and cholesterol panel can be confusing, so in this ultimate guide, our Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder Dr. Casey Means talks with Levels advisor and author of Metabolical to give you advice on how to interpret your panels to better understand the status of your metabolic health. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the groun...
May 04, 2023•59 min•Ep 211•Transcript available on Metacast How does pregnancy affect your metabolic health at each trimester, from conception to postpartum lactation? Levels Research Design Lead Dr. Azure Grant talks with Ben Grynol about the different phases of pregnancy and how it affects hormones and things you can do to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. Look for multiple new shows per week on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations about metabolic health and how the Levels startup team builds a wellness movement from the groun...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 210•Transcript available on Metacast Insulin resistance is when cells stop responding to insulins signal to uptake glucose. Its a hallmark of prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and other forms of metabolic dysfunction, and it manifests as several chronic disease, ranging from Alzheimers to polycystic ovarian syndrome. Dr. Rob Lustig and Dr. Dominic DAgostino discuss the importance of monitoring insulin levels, why a high or increasing insulin level is a problem, and how insulin resistance hinders weight management. Sign Up to Get Your F...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep 209•Transcript available on Metacast 
