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For decades, cholesterol has been painted as the villain of heart disease. Doctors point to your LDL number, prescribe a statin, and send you home believing the problem is solved. It’s a clean, simple story, LDL is bad, HDL is good, but it’s also dangerously incomplete.
Because here’s the reality: half of all fatal heart attacks happen in people with normal cholesterol levels. Which means the very test we’ve built our prevention strategy around is missing the mark. Lowering LDL might put out the smoke, but it doesn’t stop the fire.
That’s where Dr. Yousef Elyaman comes in. A physician with nearly two decades of experience in cardiometabolic health and functional medicine, he’s seen firsthand how cholesterol misleads both patients and doctors.
So what’s fueling the fire? Often it’s not cholesterol itself, but the hidden drivers behind it: chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and even genetics that shape how particles behave in the blood. Cholesterol is just the alarm bell, a signal that something deeper is burning.
That’s why we need to reframe how we see cholesterol. Not as the cause, but as a clue.
In this episode, we unpack the overlooked markers that reveal the real risk, and when statins may help in some cases but completely miss the point in others.
Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-The hidden fires behind high cholesterol
Cholesterol isn’t the cause; it’s the smoke. How do inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress fuel the real fire of heart disease?
-The triglyceride trap
Most labs say 150 is “normal,” but the true target is under 80. What does that number expose about your metabolic health and fatty liver risk?
-The panels that reveal the truth
Standard cholesterol tests miss the real danger. Which simple, affordable labs give you a clear picture of heart risk most doctors overlook?
-Statins: help or harm?
They lower cholesterol, but also deplete key nutrients, and don’t work for everyone. When are statins lifesaving, and when are they just masking the real issue?
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Guest Bio
Dr. Yousef Elyaman is a highly accomplished and credentialed physician with an impressive academic background, including board certification in internal medicine and a cross-specialization in pediatrics. Additionally, he holds board certification in integrative medicine from the American Board of Physician Specialties. Moreover, Dr. Elyaman is one of the first graduates of The Institute for Functional Medicine, where he earned his certification in functional medicine. His expertise also extends to psychological trauma, and he holds certification from Spirit2Spirit Healing. As the founder and medical director of Absolute Health, located in Ocala, Florida, Dr. Elyaman has implemented a successful functional medicine approach to insurance-based primary care with a team that includes doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and lifestyle educators. He also serves as Integrative & Functional Medicine Director of The Guest House, an esteemed trauma and substance abuse center in Ocala, Florida. These accomplishments make Dr. Elyaman one of the most experienced voices in primary care functional and integrative medicine today; his knowledge is sought out for its ability to combine cutting-edge research with evidence-backed clinical applications that can be used effectively in real-world patient care scenarios. Follow @drelyaman and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
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About Your Host
Steve Hoffart is an award-winning pharmacist, entrepreneur, speaker, and podcaster. As the visionary founder of Magnolia Pharmacy, Steve saw a need for a more personal pharmacy that could make a bigger impact. Today, Steve and his team of experts deliver on that promise, working closely with patients and their physicians to address medication issues and provide personalized solutions that lead to improved health and wellness. As host of The Trusted Pharmacist podcast and through his combined reach of over 250,000 on social media, Steve shares actionable advice on nutrition, supplements, and wellness strategies while advocating for meaningful change in healthcare.
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
06:28 - Triglycerides and advanced lipid panels
14:30 - ApoB
20:06 - How inflammation drives cardiovascular disease
26:42 - Insulin resistance markers
29:21 - Methylation
31:09 - Statins
39:14 - Things that drive up cholesterol
47:14 - Wrap-up
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