Is Butter Really Back? Heart to Heart with Cardiologist Joel Kahn

About this episode

America's #1 killer, heart disease currently kills 1 out of every 3 Americans; 70% of Americans are obese and getting fatter; and Studies forecast that by 2030, 50% of Americans will be diabetic or pre-diabetic. The great irony in all of this is that, as Dr. Kahn so astutely points out, 80-90% of all chronic health problems can be resolved via pretty simple diet and lifestyle alternations. The tricky part is translating these lifestyle alterations from theory to practice. I understand that it can be difficult for many, particularly when there is so much confusing information out there concerning about heath, nutrition and diet. So confusing in fact, that it becomes incredibly challenging for even the most savvy consumer to separate fact from fiction and truth from hyperbole. Just because good news about bad habits makes for tempting clickbait doesn't mean the information is reliable — its usually not. To help sift through all of this, I once again sit down for a heart to heart (pun intended) with cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD — you can listen to our first conversation (RRP #44) here. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Michigan's prestigious Inteflex program (a 6-year undergraduate / graduate program that developed doctors fresh out of high school), Joel has served as Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Wayne State University School of Medicine since 1993. He's authored over 130 articles on heart disease, is a frequent lecturer on heart disease and its prevention, has performed thousands of cardiac procedures, and has been advising patients on heart healthy programs for over 20 years. Not only does Dr. Kahn know what he is talking about, his basic message is elementary: if you want to experience true long-term wellness, then you must focus on implementing sustainable long-term preventive protocols into your lifestyle. This starts and ends with diet and active lifestyle. The specific thrust of this conversation focuses on separating truth from marketing with respect to certain zeitgeist trends in nutrition science. To wit: Is butter really back? What are the health impacts of a low carb / high fat diet? What are the risks (and benefits, if any) of trendy practices like putting butter and oil in your morning coffee? Is everything we thought we knew about saturated fat truly wrong? Who was Ancel Keys and what is the import of his nutritional studies? What is the true impact of dietary cholesterol on arterial and heart health? Finally, and most importantly, what specific dietary and lifestyle protocols does this veteran cardiologist recommend to maintain optimal heart health in a culture in which heart disease has become a wildly out of control pandemic? You'll want to tune in to find out. Amazingly informative, this is straight talk from a solid guy. An awesome and trusted and educated and experienced and entertaining guy I am proud to call my friend. I sincerely hope you heed the call and enjoy the conversation. Peace + Plants, Rich