Understanding Gut Health and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Heart disease doesn’t start when you’re older, it starts early, often without symptoms.

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Laurence Sperling, one of the world’s leading experts in preventive cardiology, to explore how to catch heart disease early and stop it in its tracks. We cover cholesterol, blood pressure, calcium scores, lifestyle, and more. This is one of the most practical, empowering episodes on heart health I’ve ever recorded.

What we cover:

• Early detection and the true origins of atherosclerosis
• How low your cholesterol and blood pressure should really be
• Understanding ApoB, Lp(a), and genetic risk
• When it’s worth getting a CT scan
• Lifestyle and medical interventions that actually work

Whether you’re 25 or 65, this conversation is packed with insights that can help you live longer and better by understanding and protecting your cardiovascular system.

• 0:00:00 – Intro
• 0:01:24 - Why Prevention Should Start Before Birth
• 0:10:11 – Is It Genetics or Lifestyle? Understanding Risk
• 0:16:17 – Public Health Strategy That Prevents Millions of Heart Attacks
• 0:21:55 - How Geography and Income Impact Heart Disease Risk
• 0:29:25 – Familial Hypercholesterolemia and Lifetime Cholesterol Exposure
• 0:34:00 – What Diet and Lifestyle Patterns Lower Risk Long-Term
• 0:45:49 – LDL, HDL, and the New Science of Non-HDL Cholesterol
• 0:53:39 - Does High Blood Pressure Still Harm Arteries if ApoB Is Low?
• 1:05:24 – Lipoprotein(a): The Triple Threat You Should Know About
• 1:08:22 – When Should You Start Cardiac Risk Assessments?
• 1:17:23 - Can a Calcium Score of Zero Be Misleading in Younger Adults?
• 1:23:58 – CT Calcium vs. CT Angiogram: Which Scan Is Right?
• 1:33:25 - Is Subclinical Atherosclerosis the Same as Heart Disease?
• 1:40:03 - What Are Optimal LDL and Blood Pressure Levels to Prevent Heart Disease?
• 1:48:07 – How GLP-1 Drugs Help With Weight and Heart Disease Prevention
• 1:57:10 – Public Health Policies That Could Save Millions
• 2:01:19 – Cardiologist-Approved Daily Habits for a Healthy Heart
• 2:05:20 – Outro

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code PROOF for 25% off at checkout.

LMNT

Stay hydrated with LMNT. Try their limited-time Lemonade Salt flavour - salty, tart, and super refreshing. Receive a free LMNT sample pack with any order when you purchase via drinklmnt.com/simon. And if you don’t like it? Full refund — no questions asked.

Pique Tea

Pique's Nandaka provides sustainable, all-day energy and makes you feel like you’re doing something good for your body! Try Pique and get 20% off plus a FREE starter kit when you shop exclusively at Piquelife.com/simon.

Eight Sleep

Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF for $350 off at eightsleep.com/theproof. Try it risk-free for 30 days, with worldwide shipping.

Function Health

Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health provides a practical solution to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. For the first 1,000 listeners, new members get a $100 credit when signing up. Head to functionhealth.com/simonhill to claim your credit. Only available to those living in the United States.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

• Creator of theproof.com
• Host of The Proof with Simon Hill
• Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

• YouTube
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Instagram: @simonhill
• Twitter: @theproof
• Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.