Heart Doc VIP with Dr. Joel Kahn

Is it possible that 2 or 3 bursts of high-level exertion, often known as high-intensity interval training or HIIT, can result in measures of fitness and metabolism comparable to moderate, continuous exercise for 30-45 minutes? This week Dr. Kahn discusses the Tabata, Gibala, and Carol Bike protocols. All of which he uses in his own exercise routine. The Carol Bike features ReHIT or Reduced Exertio...

The American Heart Association (AHA) has taught Life's Simple 7 to estimate cardiovascular health but now there is an upgrade to Essential 8. What was added? Optimal sleep! A study called MESA demonstrated the profound impact of sleeping 7-8 hours without sleep apnea and the data was so strong it is now part of the risk estimator. (Want a home sleep apnea study? Call 248-731-7412) A second study f...

Every heartbeat is an electromagnetic event that is a marvel of efficiency until illness sets in. For decades, pulsed electromagnetic frequency (PEMF) therapy devices have been used to support a variety of health issues and are FDA approved for bone healing. This week Dr. Kahn discusses PEMF therapy devices and heart conditions like hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure....

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid and vitamin B3, is essential for health. At higher levels, it can cause important improvements in cholesterol particles like raising HDL-C, lowering LDL-C, and lowering Lipoprotein(a). This week Dr. Kahn discusses what niacin does, how it has been shown to reverse atherosclerosis, and how it has fallen out of favor unfairly. He shares his favorite brand of niac...

Can you really have "3 Doors" to choose from if you have advanced heart disease? Optimal Medical Therapy (OMT), stent placement, or bypass surgery? This week, Dr. Kahn discusses a recent patient visiting the Kahn Center and the process of informed consent, research, and advice regarding this crucial decision. Are there too many stents and bypass operations performed? You listen and decide.

For over 100 years, heart disease has killed more persons than any other medical issue. Have you heard about the war against heart disease? Operation Warpspeed Heart? This week, Dr. Kahn shares a just-published article calling for an urgent need for earlier, more intense, and more precise heart disease therapies focused on ultra-low cholesterol levels. After that, brief updates on prior topics of...

This week, Dr. Kahn is excited about 3 brand new nutrition research papers. One is vegan and explores what some call vegan keto diets. One paper is "non-vegan" and explores a fish oil mixture called memoryhealth.com on cognitive function. There is a discount code Kahn15 on your first order. Finally, the last paper is an amazing science paper exploring the low-calorie fasting-mimicking diet Prolon...

No diet can make you "bulletproof" but there is ample data to conclude that vegetarian and vegan (whole food plant-based WFPB) diets do reduce the risks of disease. This week, Dr. Kahn reviews 2 new research papers, one focused on heart disease and one on brain health. Both argue for WFPB diet choices. Then he provides common myths and solutions to succeeding at eating a healthy WFPB diet. More ti...

The relationship between elevated cholesterol and heart disease is in the news a lot. A high level of LDL-cholesterol is a cause of clogged arteries and can be treated. This week, Dr. Kahn reviews the GG pathway and suggests using GG-Pure from xtend-life.com to promote the normal levels of several key metabolic products that can be blocked by cholesterol-lowering medications (use the discount code...

Are you or someone you love struggling to maintain a normal blood pressure (

The largest cardiology meeting of the year worldwide is the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting that was held in Barcelona, Spain. This week, Dr. Kahn discussed many large and important research studies of interest that were presented. Many were published online the same day of presentation, representing the newest information on heart disease diagnosis and care. Dr. Kahn recorded his p-c...

Would you like to know the details of the diet of a world-leading nutrition scientist, celebrated worldwide for his research contributions? And the science behind the diet?   This week, Dr. Kahn discusses a recent paper by Valter Longo, Ph. D. on nutrition for longevity and the pillars of research that have built his recommendations. As a bonus, Dr. Kahn shares what Dr. Longo eats in a week, and y...

Dozens, if not hundreds, of research studies, connect meat consumption and increased heart disease risk (and cancer risk). The pathways have included the saturated fat and cholesterol content, a rise in inflammation, a rise in insulin resistance, lack of fiber, and nitrosamines.   This week, Dr. Kahn reviews new research that confirms the Meat-Heart Risk findings and adds new knowledge about a met...

What is the longest nerve in the body? Of course, it is cranial nerve X called the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve carries impulses from the parasympathetic nervous system or the "rest and digest" part of our nerve pathways.   Can you increase the activity of the vagus nerve to get better "rest and digest" activity? YES!   This week, Dr. Kahn discusses over 20 ways to activate your vagus nerve and en...

Cholesterol is necessary in the body for healthy functions but in some individuals, it leads to clogged arteries. Lowering cholesterol by lifestyle is usually the first step but Rx medications play a role. This week Dr. Kahn discussed the RACING study of one or 2 Rx medications for cholesterol lowering. Can you keep the doses low and get better results with two medications? Find out on this editio...

How many times has Dr. Kahn heard in his clinic "I work out most days so give me some slack on my diet". Can you really count on your gym time to act as an antidote to fried foods, fast foods, and sweets?   This week, Dr. Kahn discussed two studies, one of which reports that the optimal health plan is a great diet with great exercise commitments. The second study sets a new bar of how much exercis...

Many decisions in medical care are made with incomplete or imprecise information. A new series of testing and analysis called Precision Medicine is available at the Kahn Center and other advanced clinics. A focus on a blood test for 50 cancers called Galleri is presented for consideration. Dr. Kahn discusses his experience having most of these tests in the last few years. A brief discussion of the...

When you hear of copper you might think of a bracelet or a penny, but copper is a trace mineral needed in the body for optimal health. Too much or too little copper can be dangerous.   This week, Dr. Kahn tells us why knowing about copper is more important than ever. He will review the foods that supply copper and discuss the recommended intake of copper in the diet and supplements.   The interact...

The rates of obesity are growing rapidly and the diseases caused by obesity like diabetes Type 2 and atherosclerosis are also skyrocketing. This week, Dr. Kahn discusses diets and medication for weight loss. The research of Neal Barnard, MD of pcrm.org is featured followed by a review of older and newer medications for weight loss that are repurposed diabetes drugs. The two newest Rx approaches, W...

Happy July 4 th  weekend. Happy 6 th Year of Heart Doc VIP!   Can you judge your fitness and even your survival at home? This week, Dr. Kahn kicks off year 6 talking about the predictive power of pushups, squats, handgrip strength, treadmill time, and a one-leg stand for over 10 seconds. You will want to try all of these carefully at home and at work. This podcast is from the treadmill desk of the...

Would you drastically change your diet and sleep cycle if you had a serious disorder like ulcerative colitis or lupus to see if you could heal your illness naturally? It is a trade-off of extreme diets for extreme diseases versus extreme treatments.   This week, Dr. Kahn features two examples of extreme but successful diet programs, one for autoimmune diseases like SLE (lupus) and one specifically...

It is said that 50% of what is taught in medical school is wrong, but no one knows which 50%! For 50 years it has been taught that a low HDL cholesterol is a danger while a high HDL-C is protective.   This week, Dr. Kahn discussed new data that completely changes that simple formula and turns it on its head. Before that, Dr. Kahn discussed how vitamin K plays a role in certain proteins, including...

Can you strive for over 50 heart tips in 25 minutes? You can if you are a listener to this "peacast"!   This week, Dr. Kahn reviews ten classes of risk factors for the #1 killer in the world, heart disease, and shares up to 10 points of education on each class. That is a lot of information to consider.   A healthy lifestyle is the best defense against premature aging and illness. The dozens of tip...

"My memory is an issue, is there anything I can do?"   This is a common question at the Kahn Center and a thorough evaluation with extensive labs and imaging studies follows. The MIND diet, the fasting-mimicking diet, weight management, and regular exercise are recommended.   This week, Dr. Kahn reviews several supplements that have randomized clinical trials varying in duration from 8 weeks to 2...

Long-haulers used to refer to truckers on a long drive but now it is one of the terms used to describe a prolonged period of illness after a Covid-19 infection or a Covid-19 vaccine. Post-acute sequelae of Covid (PASC) is another term used in the medical literature.   As a referral center, Dr. Kahn has been asked to consult on several patients suspected to have this syndrome. What is it? How is it...