LEVELS – A Whole New Level

Latest Episodes:

#273 - How to track carbs, fat, and protein with AI and why | Josh Clemente & Dominic D'Agostino - (Replay) Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Not all calories are equal. Tracking your macronutrient intake, using AI capabilities, can help you improve your body composition, facilitate weight loss, and boost exercise performance. The three macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohydrates, with fiber a subset of carbs. Josh Clemente & Dr. Dominic D'Agostino discuss the new macros-tracking feature in the Levels app, the purpose and importance of each macronutrient, how to use macros-tracking in conjunction with biomarker data to improve health and fitness, and how easy the app’s AI functionality is to use.

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatJosh Clemente & Dominic D'Agostino, PhD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(04:28) — The importance of prioritizing protein intake

(11:59) — Why is tracking macros beneficial?

(15:53) — Each macronutrient has a different role in the body

(33:22) — The different functions of macros

(41:48) — Is excess protein a concern?

(47:20) — The problem with excess carbohydrates

(52:49) — Tracking macros can help you improve metabolic flexibility

(54:50) — The issue with overconsumption of carbohydrates

(1:09:04) — Is fiber a macronutrient?

(1:37:25) — Macros tracking in the Levels app

(1:41:18) — Tracking macros can help improve body composition and performance

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/wg76Q25Ngd4⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠

#272 - Three diet rules for better liver health and fat loss | Dr. Swaranjit Bhasin & Dr. Casey Means - (Replay) Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

What diet should you follow? Metabolic health experts say it doesn’t matter whether you’re keto, vegan, or otherwise if you focus on three simple principles, which will help reduce your risk for cancer and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Swaranjit Bhasin and Dr. Casey Means discuss the biomarkers to ask your doctor about, why they matter, how to improve those biomarkers with accessible tips, and why liver health is a big key to overall health.

🎙 WhatSwaranjit Bhasin, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(03:45) — A radiologist raises a red flag about increased diagnoses in younger patients

(11:03) — Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a silent but serious problem

(15:01) — The importance of the liver

(18:38) — What are your most important biomarkers?

(32:30) — Casey Means, MD, summarizes Dr. Bhasin’s three rules for diet

(34:18) — Processed vegetable and seed oils are toxic to the body

(42:20) — Insulin resistance can drive cancer

(52:26) — The importance of autophagy in helping to prevent cancer

(55:14) — Who should not engage in intermittent fasting?

⁠⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/1pkhDOPsXb4⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

#271 - How to keep your blood sugar more stable and why it matters for weight loss and overall health – Tips from Glucose Goddess | Jessie Inchauspé & Dr. Casey Means - (Replay) Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Stable glucose levels are a foundation of feeling and looking your best at any age. When glucose levels are more erratic—with spikes and crashes—cravings, weight gain, low energy, health issues, and more can ensue. Jessie Inchauspé and Dr. Casey Means, thought leaders on the topic of blood sugar, discuss simple hacks for keeping glucose levels more stable without resorting to restrictive diets, and they share why stable levels inform health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Jessie Inchauspé & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(05:52) — Are type 2 diabetes and obesity genetic, dictated by lifestyle factors, or both?

(10:21) — Hacks for keeping blood sugar more stable

(18:42) — People want to be healthy, but the food industry complicates matters

(22:46) — Nutritional choices can impact mental health

(28:42) — The premise behind Inchauspé’s ‘Glucose Goddess Method’

(31:21) — Tracking biomarkers provides insight to your metabolic health

(33:29) — A siloed approach to healthcare misses the big picture

(36:21) — Can supplements really help with metabolic health?

(48:38) — We need systemic change in the food industry

(56:41) — The science behind food cravings

⁠⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfmRORU1HIA?si=PecFHUL6ZTC8bu1N

#270 - Why you need to build and maintain muscle to lose weight and live longer | Dr. Gabrielle Lyon & Dr. Casey Means - (Replay) Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

Diet and exercise culture tends to prioritize calorie restriction and calorie burning via cardio workouts. While fat loss is beneficial, building and maintaining healthy muscle mass is also crucial for metabolic health and longevity. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Casey Means discuss Lyon’s book “Forever Strong,” why strength-training should be a priority for workout routines, how muscle is the body’s metabolic currency, and why boosting protein intake aids in adding and preserving muscle mass.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Gabrielle Lyon, DO, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(03:09) — Dr. Casey Means shares her enthusiasm for Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s book

(08:53) — Muscle is our metabolic currency

(19:56) — According to Dr. Lyon, gaining muscle is more important than losing fat

(24:09) — Muscle mass is protective against sarcopenia

(31:47) — Dr. Means raises the question about menopause

(32:58) — The benefits of focusing on metabolic health in the menopause transition

(37:49) — Dr. Lyon encourages people to reevaluate the type of exercise they are doing

(40:32) — Dr. Lyon discusses the importance of getting enough protein

(44:34) — Dr. Lyon discusses the timing of protein intake

(52:25) — Dr. Lyon discusses supplementation with creatine

⁠⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LAF2o2zv7Q4?si=vXoV1hxQVCpfYOpQ

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

#269 - How Levels got its start as a company setting out to solve the metabolic health crisis via CGM access | Josh Clemente & Ben Grynol Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Levels, aiming to fix the metabolic health crisis with the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) paired with an intuitive and educational app, was founded in 2019 by Josh Clemente, who eventually brought on several co-founders to help steer the startup’s ship. Josh Clemente and Ben Grynol discuss Clemente’s lightbulb moment for the concept, the networking process for gaining investor buy-in and taking the company to the next level, and the hiccups and triumphs along the way.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Josh Clemente & Ben Grynol discuss:

(01:51) — The Levels origin story

(30:05) — The catalyst for moving on from SpaceX

(41:27) — Clemente realizes that altering nutrition can provide a “superpower”

(46:46) — The mainstream medical system doesn’t treat type 2 diabetes until it’s advanced

(50:30) — Even seemingly healthy foods can spike glucose and lead to an energy crash

(59:40) — The next step in the Levels story was creating the product

(01:25:27) — Clemente uses pressed juice to illustrate a glucose rise

(01:41:30) — How the Levels name was born

(02:03:35) — Levels needed representation in the medical field

(02:43:33) — Levels co-founders get the opportunity to try CGM

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#268 - The truths about obesity, skinny fat, TOFI & why thin people can be unhealthy | Dr. Robert Lustig & Mike Haney Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

The obesity epidemic isn’t about calories-in-calories-out. Instead, chronic stress and high insulin levels from refined carbs and sugar are drivers of fat storage. And the type of fat stored matters, since visceral fat accumulation leads to worsening metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Mike Haney discuss the different types of fat and how they are stored and burned; what thin on the outside, fat on the inside means; whether people can be healthy at any size; environmental factors that contribute to obesity; and what people can do to manage weight.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 What Robert Lustig, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(09:40) — Three things are required for fat storage to occur

(21:54) — The key to fat loss is reducing insulin

(23:39) — Refined carbohydrates lead to fat storage

(32:41) — What is metabolically healthy obesity?

(42:05) — Visceral fat causes “metabolic mayhem”

(45:40) — What is thin on the outside fat on the inside?

(50:27) — Stress causes the accumulation of visceral fat

(58:06) — Exercise helps burn visceral fat

(01:00:58) — The key to being healthy

(1:06:12) — Endocrine-disrupting chemicals also play a role in obesity

(1:26:46) — Is there such a thing as “health at any size”?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: ⁠https://youtu.be/sxJvfqTFttY

#267 - How trauma can contribute to autoimmune disorders, and what you can do | Dr. Sara (Gottfried) Szal and Mike Haney Oct 24, 2024

Show notes

Trauma causes physiological changes to the nervous system. Over time, these impacts may place someone on a trajectory from health to a pre-disease state to a disease state, leading to autoimmunity or autoimmune disorders. Dr. Sara (Gottfried) Szal and Mike Haney discuss Szal’s new book “The Autoimmune Cure,” trauma and how it can contribute to autoimmunity, how personalized precision medicine may help individuals reverse autoimmunity and return to a state of health, and how psychedelic therapies can help with addressing trauma.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatSara (Gottfried) Szal, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(07:36) — What is precision medicine?

(13:17) — How tools that give you a “window” into your physiology can help

(17:24) — Why catching autoimmunity in a pre-disease state is important

(34:22) — A person’s life history, especially their trauma, matters for their overall health

(38:17) — The three components that lead to autoimmunity

(42:42) — More people are living in fight-or-flight mode all the time

(49:53) — A food-based approach is a great place to start for reversing autoimmunity

(51:34) — How do you find someone who practices precision medicine?

(1:02:56) — How psychedelic therapies may help with trauma

(1:06:05) — The difference between recreational and therapeutic use of psychedelics

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/R0BbP4_xEfo

#266 - How and why to eat an anti-inflammatory diet | Dr. Robert Lustig & Ben Grynol Oct 10, 2024

Show notes

Inflammation is an essential process in the body to help with healing and illness recovery. However, many people have chronic inflammation, which accelerates aging and drives disease processes. We can help control inflammation through diet. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss environmental and dietary sources of chronic inflammation as well as the foods that are anti-inflammatory.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:04) — Inflammation is essential

(05:04) — What causes chronic inflammation?

(08:14) — Processed seed oils drive inflammation

(09:40) — Sugar drives inflammation

(11:00) — Fiber is an anti-inflammatory food

(12:18) — Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory

(13:27) — Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory

(14:52) — Controlling inflammation helps combat aging processes

(15:37) — The Western diet causes inflammation

⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_J9-Sfer-lwssEdcuNTm3mmKhKqgd-z

#265 - How do you know if you are healthy and what your labs tell you? | Dr. Robert Lustig & Mike Haney Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

Although not one single test can tell you whether you are healthy, some biomarkers and lab results can provide you a picture of your metabolic health, which can then inform you about your overall health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Mike Haney discuss why fasting insulin is one of the best metabolic health biomarkers, how you can use continuous glucose monitoring as a proxy for insulin sensitivity, how fast your metabolic health can change, and why your uric acid level and the cholesterol marker ApoB are also important labs to receive.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

(03:51) — Multiple factors help determine if you’re getting sicker or healthier

(07:52) — Fasting glucose is not a good gauge of your metabolic health

(10:13) — The concern with a rising insulin level

(19:22) — A good goal is to keep glucose levels more stable, but you’re going to have rises

(30:12) — What a glucose excursion can tell you

(31:24) — Why doctors don’t check fasting insulin, even though it’s a better marker than glucose?

(46:12) — How often should you get your fasting insulin checked?

(50:08) — A continuous glucose monitor can show you your glucose excursions

(58:42) — Why uric acid is an important biomarker

(1:08:37) — Why you should get ApoB checked

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/6P8HVIbdDc0?si=DIhrV0vlkQdYLskg

#264 - How aging and menopause drive muscle loss and fat gain | Dr. Robert Lustig & Ben Grynol Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

Both aging and menopause affect metabolism. Unless people build and preserve muscle mass, aging drives muscle loss and fat gain. While these changes affect everyone, the menopause transition can also worsen metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss aging’s effects on body composition, how menopause exacerbates these and other effects, and what you can do to protect your health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🎙 WhatRobert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:05) — Aging and muscle loss

(04:30) — Aging and fat gain

(05:06) — Why insulin resistance can increase as we age

(08:13) — Loss of estrogen drives menopause symptoms

(09:28) — Menopause can also impact cholesterol

(10:11) — Lifestyle changes can help lessen the impact of menopause on metabolism

⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_J9-Sfer-lwssEdcuNTm3mmKhKqgd-z