This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth and InsideTracker. The word “metabolism” gets tossed around quite a bit, usually in the context of weight loss.  It’s important to realize that our metabolic health is so much more than that—it’s the way our 37 trillion cells create energy, so that we can do all the things we want to do in life, big and small.  With that in mind, it’s pretty alarming to note that nine of the ten leading causes of death in the US are directly caused or worsened by poor blood sugar control and declines in other metabolic markers. Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and more are all linked in one way or another to various metabolic dysfunctions.  Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru talks to Dr. Casey Means about the best ways to dial-in our metabolic health and take back control of how we feel and how we age.  Dr. Casey Means is a Stanford-trained physician, Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of metabolic health company Levels, an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention, and a lecturer at Stanford University.    In this episode, we dive into:    -The top three lab tests to determine if your metabolic health is optimal (6:25) -The cholesterol panel and heart disease risk (22:52)  -Why triglycerides are so important to look at when it comes to metabolic health (25:53) -Optimal triglyceride levels and understanding the triglyceride/HDL ratio (32:57)  -Optimal fasting insulin levels (35:50)  -How long it takes to adjust numbers on lab tests (46:27)  -Optimal hemoglobin A1c levels (52:18) -Inflammation and C-reactive protein (1:04:36) -How exercise impacts glucose and insulin response (1:18:29) -Recommended yearly lab tests and optimal levels (1:33:00) For more on Dr. Casey Means, follow her on Instagram @drcaseyskitchen and @levels, Twitter @drcaseyskitchen and @levels, and through her website https://www.levelshealth.com. Sign up to Levels Metabolic Fitness Program (a yearly membership to Levels is required for access to the Metabolic Health Panel) at levels.link/dhru. This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth and InsideTracker. Cozy Earth are the most comfortable, temperature-regulating, and non-toxic sheets on the market. Right now, get 40% off your Cozy Earth sheets. Just head over to cozyearth.com and use code DHRU. InsideTracker provides detailed nutrition and lifestyle guidance based on your individual needs. Right now, they’re offering my podcast community 25% off. Just go to insidetracker.com/DHRU to get your discount and try it out for yourself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices