In this episode of the Be Well podcast, Dr. Frank Lipman sits down with cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a leading expert on heart disease who’s leading the campaign against excess sugar consumption. Dr. Malhotra talks about what’s really at the root of heart disease — and that the best ways to prevent it are all about living a healthy lifestyle.

 When it comes to heart disease, Dr. Malhotra says, there has been too much focus on saturated fat and cholesterol. What’s really at the root of heart disease, he says, is insulin resistance combined with chronic inflammatory processes. The best way to tackle the problem and prevent heart disease is to eat real food: a diet low in processed foods, low in sugar, low in processed carbohydrates, and high in healthy fats.

In addition to eating a healthy diet, Dr. Malhotra believes living a holistically healthy life is crucial. That means getting enough sleep, moving your body, maintaining social relationships, and relaxing and recharging.

Finally, Dr. Malhotra talks about the dire need to reduce sugar consumption. It has no nutritional value, he says, and is directly linked to health problems like heart disease and diabetes. He thinks we should be regulating it just like we do with tobacco.

You can learn more about him at DoctorAseem.com