Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for over a century—despite massive healthcare spending and widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs. So why aren’t we seeing better outcomes? In this episode, we’re breaking down the true drivers of heart disease and why cholesterol alone doesn’t tell the whole story. We’ll explore the key cardiovascular markers that actually matter, from inflammation and metabolic dysfunction to oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Tune in as we dive into what your doctor might be missing, how to assess your real heart disease risk, and the diet, lifestyle, and supplement strategies that can help protect your heart. Learn why inflammation—not just cholesterol—is at the root of cardiovascular disease, and how food-as-medicine can be a powerful tool for prevention. Whether you have a family history of heart disease or just want to optimize your health, this episode is packed with essential insights! Also in this episode:  Sign up for a FREE Heart Health Webinar 2/28 Get $100 off the Cardiometabolic Panel with code CARDIO100 Episode 40 Heart Health and Cholesterol Episode 157 Cholesterol as Medicine Episode 128 Keto Cardiologist with Guest Episode 283: Heart Health Updates Episode 284: Navigating the Cardiometabolic Panel  Episode 365: Lipoprotein a Episode 331: Homocysteine  Episode 333: Understanding the Heart with Dr Stephen Hussey Trends of Cardiovascular Disease Statin Prescription Trends What markers are included in standard heart disease screening?  Why are these markers not enough? What inflammation and metabolic health are the real risk factors The impact of perimenopause on lipids Lab markers that matter LDL Particle Count & Distribution Northwest Wild Foods use code ALIMILLERRD for savings Mediterranean Tuna Salad EPA DHA Extra 2 twice daily Or EPA DHA Liquid 2-3 tsp daily How to Eat More Fish PhytoFiber Low HDL Multidefense B Complex Lipoprotein a Berberine Boost Phytofiber COQ10 Complex (essential if you are on a statin!) Inflammazyme Hs-CRP Super Turmeric Inflammazyme EPA DHA Extra MRT Inflammatory Food Panel Homocysteine MethylComplete Fasting Insulin Berberine Boost Apo A Apo B Heart Health Bundle    Sponsors for this episode:  This episode is sponsored by Wild Foods, a company that puts quality, sustainability, and health first in all of their products. They have everything from coffee to turmeric to medicinal mushrooms, and every single product is painstakingly sourced from small farms around the globe. They take their mission seriously to fix the broken food system, and believe real food is medicine. They've partnered with us to give you guys an exclusive discount, so use the code ALIMILLERRD for 12% off your order at WildFoods.co!