In this episode, Dr. Rob Downey speaks with Angie Gallagher—an exercise physiologist and integrative health coach with over 25 years of experience in cardiac rehab—about why conventional heart care is missing the mark. Angie shares how her frustration with recurring cardiac events in patients led her to explore functional medicine approaches, integrating gut health, nervous system regulation, and metabolic markers into her practice. The conversation dives into overlooked lab tests, the gut–heart axis, HeartMath for nervous system balance, and why managing stress and blood sugar may be more important than cholesterol. Angie's holistic approach redefines what it means to truly protect the heart.

Timestamps: 01:15 – Angie's shift from conventional care 05:40 – Key labs doctors often miss 10:20 – Gut inflammation linked to heart disease 13:30 – HeartMath improves nervous system balance 18:45 – Blood sugar more critical than cholesterol

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Key Takeaways: Gut health directly impacts heart health Blood sugar drives endothelial damage HeartMath balances stress and HRV Standard tests miss root cause markers Nature and breathwork support heart healing