The Healthspan Podcast

Even the most disciplined high performers can have blind spots when it comes to their heart. In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, sits down with world-renowned strength coach Ted O'Neill, who shares the surprising discovery he made about his own cardiovascular risk despite a lifetime dedicated to physical performance. Together they unpack why looking and feeling healthy doesn't always tell the full story, what markers like calcium score, LDL, and ApoB really reveal, and why a healthcare system designed to react to symptoms leaves so many people unaware of the disease quietly building in their arteries. Listeners will also learn why lasting change is so difficult and how to make it stick, the real value of coaching, and why emotional sobriety, purpose, and relationships matter just as much as training and nutrition for a long, high-quality life.

Ted O'Neill is a world-renowned strength coach, human performance expert, executive leadership advisor, and co-founder of Lifted Academy™. He has developed more than 65 elite-certified powerlifters, the most of any living coach and second historically only to his mentor, Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. Today, Ted applies that same problem-solving discipline to leadership development, working with CEOs, founders, executives, and military and law enforcement leaders to build clarity, capacity, and self-command under pressure. Through Sequential Human Development™ and the Lifted Ascent™, his work focuses on closing the Human Development Gap™, the distance between what a person has achieved and who they have actually become.

Connect with Ted O’Neill here :

Key Timestamps

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

Connect with HealthspanMD :

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com.

If you've ever been told your cholesterol is "fine" and left wondering whether that's actually true for you, this episode is for you. Members and listeners bring their toughest heart health questions directly to Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, and get real answers, not a one-size-fits-all script. In this episode, you'll learn when a cholesterol medication is actually necessary (and when it isn't), what inflammation reveals about your risk that a standard cholesterol panel never will, and why lipoprotein(a) may be the missing piece in your heart health picture. Dr. Hurst also pulls back the curtain on why so many stents and bypass procedures happen even when the outcome data doesn't support them, what CT angiogram radiation exposure really means for your risk, and how fast artery disease can progress once it takes hold. Whether you're managing a new diagnosis or trying to stay ahead of one, this conversation gives you the questions to ask and the context to finally make sense of your own results.

Meet the Guest

Key Timestamps

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

*Connect* *with* *HealthspanMD* :

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life 

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. 

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com. 

📅 Or schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

For too long, patients have been told they have to pick a side: conventional medicine or natural medicine, as if healing has to be an either/or proposition. In this episode of the HealthspanMD podcast, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE sits down with naturopathic physician Dr. Lise Alschuler to tear down that false choice. Together they dig into why cancer patients often need both tumor-destroying conventional treatment and immune-supporting natural therapies, why a rushed insurance-driven visit can never get to the real root cause of high blood pressure, and how members of a corporate, profit-driven healthcare system are left choosing between camps instead of getting care built around them. Dr. Hurst and Dr. Alschuler also share a practical framework listeners can use to cut through influencer-driven supplement hype and evaluate what is actually worth taking.

Dr. Lise Alschuler is President and CEO of Sonoran University of Health Sciences and a board-certified naturopathic oncologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience. A leader in integrative medicine, educator, researcher, and author, she has spent her career finding common ground between conventional and naturopathic medicine so patients are not forced to choose between the two. Her own experience as a breast cancer survivor informs the patient-centered, evidence-informed approach she brings to this conversation.

Key Timestamps

Connect with Lise Alschuler, ND, MBA here : 

Connect with HealthspanMD: 

About Dr. Robert Todd Hurst

Heart Disease Doesn’t Have to Decide Your Future.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

In this HealthspanMD AMA episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, answers practical questions about preventive cardiology and personalized health. The conversation covers how different cardiovascular imaging tests are used, when statins and alternative cholesterol medications may make sense, plant sterol absorption, hormone replacement therapy, the role of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence in healthcare, and how GLP 1 medications may affect cardiovascular and metabolic health. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Hurst explains why the right strategy depends on understanding an individual’s specific risks rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

00:00 Preventive care questions covered in this AMA

02:18 What a coronary calcium score can and cannot tell you

04:38 Stress tests, CT angiograms, and identifying heart disease

06:56 Statins, cholesterol treatment, and personalized prevention

09:12 Combining statins with PCSK9 medications

11:32 Plant sterol absorption and unexpected artery disease

13:52 Hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular health

16:07 Using ChatGPT and AI for preventive healthcare

18:29 GLP-1 medications for heart and metabolic health

20:52 Who may benefit from GLP-1 medications and closing thoughts

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

*Connect* *with* *HealthspanMD* :

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life 

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. 

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com. 

📅 Or schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

In this episode, you'll hear:

Dr. Dani Cabral, an Ivy League-trained neurologist and psychiatrist, joins Dr. Robert Todd Hurst to share proactive strategies for maintaining sharp cognition for life. Discover why hope is warranted, how lifestyle changes can dramatically alter your risk, and the importance of social connection on both brain and heart health.

Connect with Dr. Dani Cabral here : 

Connect with HealthspanMD:

About Dr. Robert Todd Hurst

**Heart Disease Doesn’t Have to Decide Your Future.

Learn how patients reverse heart disease and avoid Heart Attacks by going to 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com.

Or Schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

What would you do if you discovered your coronary calcium score was over 1500?

In this powerful patient story, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, sits down with a HealthspanMD member who thought he was doing many of the right things, only to discover he had significant hidden heart disease. Together, they discuss the shock of receiving a very high coronary calcium score, the confusion that followed, and the critical lessons he learned about heart disease risk, prevention, and the difference between reactive healthcare and proactive cardiovascular care. You'll also hear Dr. Hurst's expert guidance on what a high calcium score really means, common misconceptions about plaque and blockages, and the most important steps people can take to reduce their risk of a future heart attack.

About the Guest

Today's guest is a HealthspanMD member who discovered silent coronary artery disease after an incidental finding on a CT scan and later learned his coronary calcium score was over 1500. After extensive research and frustration with traditional answers, he found Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, and HealthspanMD. In this conversation, he shares his personal journey, the fears and uncertainties he faced, and how a personalized prevention strategy gave him clarity, confidence, and a path forward.

Key Timestamps

00:00 – A shocking discovery: silent coronary artery disease and a calcium score over 1500

03:05 – How a YouTube video from Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE changed everything

04:20 – Why coronary calcium scores matter and how they personalize heart disease risk

07:20 – The opportunity hidden inside a high calcium score diagnosis

09:00 – Myth #1: Why coronary calcium scores should not be used to track progress

11:20 – Myth #2: High calcium scores do not automatically mean severe blockages

13:00 – The single most important thing to do after a high calcium score

13:40 – The Healthspan 10 and the lifestyle factors that reduce heart disease risk

15:30 – Why prevention beats waiting for symptoms or a heart attack

17:00 – The guest's experience of becoming a HealthspanMD member

18:10 – The difference between personalized prevention and traditional healthcare

19:15 – Lessons learned about calcium scores, plaque, and future risk

20:30 – Advice for anyone who has recently received a high coronary calcium score

Topics Discussed

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

*Connect* *with* *HealthspanMD* :

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life 

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. 

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com. 

📅 Or Schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

Can you spend over $100,000 a year on your health and still get worse? That's exactly what happened to a patient of Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, board-certified preventive cardiologist and founder of HealthspanMD.

In his 60s, elite fitness, 16% body fat, 100th percentile muscle mass, an A1C of 5.0 by every visible measure, this man was doing everything right. But a repeat CT angiogram with plaque composition analysis told a different story: his soft plaque volume increased from 259 to 290 cubic millimeters in a single year. The dangerous, reversible kind of plaque was growing.

In this mini Healthspan Podcast episode, Dr. Hurst breaks down why even the most expensive, cutting-edge care can fail… no genetic testing to uncover root causes, no adjustments based on feedback, and a regimen built on the latest treatments instead of the proven foundations that actually stop and reverse artery disease.

Heart disease reversal isn't about spending more. It's about knowing your root causes, personalizing your plan, and adjusting based on real data.

About the Guest

Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, is a board-certified preventive cardiologist, former Mayo Clinic physician, and founder of HealthspanMD. His mission is simple: no one should die of a heart attack, ever. Through a proactive, precision-medicine approach, he helps patients identify hidden risks, address root causes, and prevent or reverse heart disease while extending healthspan and quality of life.

Learn more: Join.HealthspanMD.com

Key Timestamps

00:03 – The patient spends over $100,000 per year on health optimization

00:45 – Elite fitness, low body fat, and excellent metabolic markers

01:20 – Understanding CT angiograms and plaque composition analysis

02:05 – Why soft plaque matters more than calcified plaque

03:00 – The shocking discovery that artery disease was getting worse

03:55 – Why increasing soft plaque volume is unacceptable

04:45 – The missing pieces: genetics, cholesterol, insulin resistance, and inflammation

05:40 – Why expensive treatments failed to address the root causes

06:20 – The difference between leading-edge care and effective care

07:05 – Why healthcare is failing despite more spending

07:40 – The three biggest problems with modern healthcare

08:05 – Why HealthspanMD focuses on proactive, personalized, healthspan-focused care

08:50 – The mission to transform healthcare and add healthy years to life

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

*Connect* *with* *HealthspanMD* :

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life 

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. 

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com. 

📅 Or schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

Can you really reverse heart artery disease?

In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, shares the remarkable story of a HealthspanMD member who thought he was doing everything right. Despite taking a statin, maintaining healthy blood pressure, staying active, and keeping his blood sugar under control, advanced imaging revealed he was still accumulating dangerous soft plaque in his coronary arteries. Dr. Hurst explains how plaque composition analysis works, why traditional cholesterol targets may not be enough for some people, and what happened when they implemented a more personalized strategy focused on achieving exceptional cardiovascular results.

Today's guest is a HealthspanMD member with a strong family history of heart disease who was committed to protecting his heart health. After advanced CT angiography revealed significant soft plaque progression despite years of following conventional recommendations, he partnered with Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, and the HealthspanMD team to take a more proactive, personalized approach. One year later, his results demonstrated what may be possible when root causes are identified and risk factors are optimized.

00:03 – The patient's frustration despite doing everything "right."

00:45 – Understanding CT angiography and plaque composition analysis

01:32 – The concerning findings revealed by advanced imaging

02:15 – Why LDL goals below traditional guidelines may matter

03:00 – The strategy used to aggressively lower ApoB and LDL cholesterol

03:25 – One year later: the repeat CT angiogram results

03:45 – Soft plaque volume cut by more than half

04:00 – Low attenuation plaque reduced to zero

04:25 – What Dr. Hurst is seeing in patients with repeat plaque analysis testing

05:00 – Why guideline cholesterol targets may not be enough for everyone

05:35 – The seven root causes of coronary artery disease

06:05 – Lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and dementia

06:45 – Can soft plaque disappear completely over time?

07:15 – Why proactive, personalized healthcare produces better outcomes

08:00 – The HealthspanMD philosophy for preventing and reversing heart disease

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

*Connect* *with* *HealthspanMD* :

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life 

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia. 

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com. 

📅 Or schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call

What if heart disease wasn't bad luck, but bad planning?

In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE joins Carrie Camp and Hal Kramer of the Thrive at Home community for an honest conversation about what it really takes to prevent heart disease, stay independent as you age, and add healthy, vibrant years to your life.

A Mayo Clinic–trained preventive cardiologist, Dr. Hurst shares why he left a system he describes as built to react to disease rather than prevent it, including the leadership meeting where, after he showed how prevention could stop heart attacks, stents, and bypass surgeries, a colleague asked, "But isn't that how we make money?"

Together they dig into the questions people are quietly wondering about themselves: the truth about statins (who genuinely benefits and who may not), why insulin resistance may be the single biggest problem in healthcare, what "normal" cholesterol numbers can hide, and how high blood pressure quietly drives stroke and dementia. Dr. Hurst also explains the seven root causes of artery disease, why care that treats everyone the same so often misses the real driver, and how the right plan can stabilize and even reverse disease that's already present.

If you've been told your labs "look fine," you're caring for an aging loved one, or you simply refuse to leave your heart health to chance, this conversation offers a clearer, more proactive path forward.

Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE is a board-certified preventive cardiologist and founder of HealthspanMD. With nearly 30 years in medicine, including two decades at Mayo Clinic, he's dedicated his career to preventing and reversing heart disease through a personalized, root-cause approach helping people avoid preventable disease, stay strong, and remain mentally sharp for life.

Learn more: HealthspanMD.com

A severe blockage in the "widowmaker" artery sounds like an automatic trip to the cath lab but is it always? In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE shares a remarkable real-world case that challenges conventional thinking about stents and heart disease treatment. He explains the difference between stable and unstable coronary artery disease, reviews the research behind stents versus aggressive medical therapy, and reveals how one patient with a severe LAD blockage improved his artery health without undergoing an invasive procedure. You'll also learn why understanding root causes, optimizing risk factors, and taking a personalized approach to prevention may be more important than many people realize.

About Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE

Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE is a board-certified preventive cardiologist, former Mayo Clinic physician, and founder of HealthspanMD. His mission is simple: that no one dies of a heart attack, ever. Through a proactive, precision-medicine approach, he helps patients identify hidden cardiovascular risk, reverse heart disease, and add strong, vital, mentally sharp years to life. In this podcast, he shares practical insights from more than two decades of experience helping people prevent and overcome cardiovascular disease.

Key Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: Do severe blockages always require a stent?

00:27 – Case study: A patient with a severe LAD ("widowmaker") blockage and no symptoms

01:14 – Why stress testing, echocardiograms, and symptoms matter when evaluating blockages

01:39 – What research shows about stents versus aggressive medical therapy for stable coronary artery disease

02:46 – The real risks of angiograms, stents, and invasive procedures

03:36 – Why the patient's condition did not automatically justify a stent

04:15 – Optimizing cholesterol, insulin resistance, and other root causes

04:42 – One year later: Severe blockage improves to moderate stenosis

05:04 – Evidence of plaque regression and why the results matter

05:35 – How cardiology thinking has evolved since the COURAGE trial

06:07 – When stents and bypass surgery may still be the right choice

06:41 – Questions every patient should ask before agreeing to a stent

07:02 – Long-term considerations and risks of living with a stent

07:20 – Why healthcare remains reactive instead of preventive

07:47 – HealthspanMD's mission: Moving from disease treatment to health optimization

08:08 – Final thoughts and invitation to learn more about HealthspanMD

08:34 – Medical disclaimer

This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always discuss treatment decisions with your healthcare provider.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Don't make any decisions about your medical treatment without first talking to your doctor.

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthspanmd/

👉 https://www.facebook.com/healthspanmd

👉 https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KQuoWqKP2vTBu05ci6EQB?si=fdb033a52b674909

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-healthspan-podcast/id1680270608

🏆 Become a Member / 🤝 Partner With Dr. Hurst and His Expert Team To Add a Decade or More Of Healthy Life

At HealthspanMD, we combine cutting-edge medicine, advanced technology, and concierge care to help high-achievers avoid heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.

🔍 Learn how patients add years to their lives by going to 👉 https://www.healthspanmd.com.

📅 Or Schedule a Call Directly with a HealthspanMD Dedicated Patient Advisor by clicking 👉 https://join.healthspanmd.com/call