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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 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

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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 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

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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Sara (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

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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert 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

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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert 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

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.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert 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

Macronutrients include fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. All four nutrients have different effects on glucose and metabolic health. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss the metabolic health effects of each macronutrient, how to prevent age-related muscle loss, how to improve gut health, and more.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:36) — Protein helps prevent age-related muscle loss

(04:25) — What if you just consume protein and do not exercise?

(05:21) — Leucine is a stimulator of insulin release

(08:55) — Which fats are good and bad for you?

(13:22) — How dietary fat affects your glucose response

(14:59) — The importance of fiber

(15:52) —What does fiber do?

⁠⁠⁠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

Exercising and changing your diet are both beneficial for metabolic health. But you may be wondering which one has more benefits for fat loss, increasing insulin sensitivity, and more. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss the answer to this burning question and more, including how exercise, saunas, stress, and sleep affect glucose levels.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(02:30) — Why do you get a glucose spike when you exercise?

(04:22) — The sport drink industry puts fructose in its products

(05:27) — What happens to your glucose when you enter a sauna?

(06:26) — Is it better to exercise or change your diet?

(08:16) — How cortisol, the stress hormone, impacts blood sugar and health

(10:36) — How does sleep affect your metabolic health?

(12:22) — How do you fix sleep deprivation?

⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=TesKp1WkgmgdrEay

High uric acid can cause gout, but it’s also a marker for worsened metabolic health and gut health and a contributor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. Consumption of purines can lead to high uric acid levels, but other ingredients in our food system are also culprits. Dr. David Perlmutter and Dr. Casey Means discuss the problems with high uric acid, the foods and drinks that can lead to higher levels, why uric acid can be a driver of worsened brain health, and concerns regarding leaky gut and the immune system.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What David Perlmutter, MD, & Casey Means, MD, discuss:

(04:36) — Why your uric acid level matters for metabolic health

(08:51) — Fructose is a driver of high uric acid levels

(13:55) — High-fructose corn syrup contributes to the obesity epidemic

(15:57) — The key difference between fruit and fruit juice

(25:42) — What is an optimal uric acid level?

(28:57) — Alcohol consumption contributes to higher uric acid levels

(32:32) — Ultra-processed foods contribute to higher uric acid levels

(41:13) — Gut permeability can challenge the immune system

(52:43) — Immunometabolism is the link between our metabolism and immune system

(59:26) — What causes immune cells in the brain to become dysfunctional?

⁠⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/IZhi4JXxy6Y

High insulin levels drive the growth of fat cells. In turn, fat gain can exacerbate insulin resistance, leading to a vicious cycle. Insulin is a hormone the pancreas releases in response to glucose rising in the bloodstream. A lower insulin level is required to lose fat, and dietary habits and lifestyle changes can help. Dr. Robert Lustig and Ben Grynol discuss insulin’s dual functions in the body, why high insulin leads to fat storage, and how to lower insulin levels.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

🎙 What Robert Lustig, MD, & Ben Grynol discuss:

(03:05) — What drives fat growth?

(04:17) — Why insulin is both good and bad

(08:25) — Why insulin resistance creates a vicious cycle of fat gain

(10:36) — Changing diet is the easiest way to lower insulin levels to drive fat loss

⁠Transcript & Show notes⁠

🔗 LINKS:

Watch the full library for Rob’s Ultimate Health Guide: ⁠https://youtu.be/zG4XD116uy8?si=TesKp1WkgmgdrEay