Here's a quick story from the early days of Covid — a time when it was scary to be in a hospital.
Our cardiac rehab doors had just closed.
No patients in the unit.
No treadmills humming.
No monitors beeping.
But we didn’t sit still. We spun around and created a version of remote cardiac rehab we’d never done before.
Our very first patient was a man named Tom — 45, normal weight, a runner, a busy NYC husband and father.
Nothing about him suggested heart attack. But he had one while visiting his second home here.
We worked together remotely until rehab reopened, and then briefly in person before his life became too busy for the 90‑mile trip. And unlike most people who come through cardiac rehab, Tom didn’t fit the usual picture. His weight and lifestyle looked solid. His cholesterol wasn’t alarming. Nothing in his chart explained it.
So I told him about something most people have never been told to check:
Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a).
It’s not new — but it is becoming more mainstream.
And for someone like Tom, it could have been a missing piece of the puzzle.
And for someone like Tom, it could have been a missing piece of the puzzle.
If his Lp(a) was high, it would help explain why a seemingly healthy 45‑year‑old runner ended up with a stent in the middle of a pandemic.
Cardiologists didn’t routinely check Lp(a) the way they checked total cholesterol or LDL, so it often wasn’t part of the standard work‑up — especially in the middle of Covid, when the priority was simply keeping people safe.
And here’s the good news:
If you know your Lp(a) is elevated, you can protect yourself.
Lp(a) creates inflammation in the arteries — so anything you do to lower inflammation puts you ahead of the game. More plants. More movement. Better sleep. Less stress. All the things that support your heart anyway.
If you know your Lp(a) is elevated, you can protect yourself.
Lp(a) creates inflammation in the arteries — so anything you do to lower inflammation puts you ahead of the game. More plants. More movement. Better sleep. Less stress. All the things that support your heart anyway.
And even though I’m not usually an advocate for jumping straight to medicine, there are treatments available — and more coming down the pike — that can lower Lp(a). Knowing your number helps you and your doctor decide whether those options make sense for you.
Why knowing your Lp(a) matters
- It’s genetic — you only need to check it once.
- It can raise risk even when everything else looks normal.
- It helps explain family patterns that never made sense.
- It gives you and your doctor a clearer picture of your heart.
- And it helps you make choices that support your long‑term health.
Tom didn’t know his number.
Most people don’t.
But you can. It’s a simple blood test that can be added to your usual cholesterol panel — you may just need to ask for it.
And that one piece of information can change the way you care for your heart, not with fear, but with confidence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tired of feeling stuck with your weight or your health?
Most people aren’t given the simple daily habits that actually move the numbers — weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, energy, and more.
You can change your health by changing your habits.
Small, consistent shifts in what you eat and how you live can lower inflammation, support heart health, balance blood sugar, and help you feel better in your body.
Start with 5 simple diet habits that make a real difference.
These easy, practical tips will help you start losing weight, lower inflammation, and feel more in control — beginning today.
These easy, practical tips will help you start losing weight, lower inflammation, and feel more in control — beginning today.
0 Comments