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Health concern hub · curatedHeart health & cholesterol: where to start.
A cholesterol number you're not sure what to do with, blood pressure creeping, a family history. The markers that actually predict risk — ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, insulin — and the plate and habits that move them.
Where should I start?
Three steps, in order.
1Get the right markers
ApoB over LDL-C; Lp(a) once; hs-CRP and fasting insulin.
Read these first.
From The Dr. Axe Show.
Watch more episodes →The High Blood Pressure Protocol
Lab Interpreter
ApoB, hs-CRP, triglycerides — where they sit and what moves them.
Open the toolStraight answers.
My LDL is normal but triglycerides are high — should I test ApoB?
Yes. That's the discordant pattern where ApoB tells the truth and LDL-C doesn't.
Does diet move ApoB?
Fiber, weight loss, replacing saturated fat with unsaturated, and fixing insulin all move it — often 10–20%.
What is Lp(a)?
A largely genetic particle that raises risk independently; test it once.
Before a cardiology visit
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