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Dr. Don Colbert, MD

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Dr. Colbert's Podcasts Heart Health

#4 & #5 of 12: Know Your Number – Lower Cholesterol & Triglycerides Naturally | Dr. Colbert, MD Ep. 4

🎥 Watch Episode 4: Cholesterol & Triglycerides

How to Naturally #4 Lower Your Cholesterol & #5 Triglycerides

Episode 4 of 12 | Do You Know Your Number? with Dr. Don Colbert, MD

“If your cholesterol and triglycerides are high, you’re on a fast track toward disease… but the good news is, it’s fixable.” – Dr. Don Colbert, MD

In Episode 4 of Do You Know Your Number?, Dr. Don Colbert tackles two of the most critical – and misunderstood – numbers tied to your longevity: cholesterol and triglycerides.

Knowing these numbers — and how to lower them naturally — could be the difference between a life of vibrant health or one filled with preventable disease.


🩺 What Should Your Cholesterol Numbers Be?

According to Dr. Colbert, these are the optimal numbers you should aim for:

Lipid Panel Healthy Target
Total Cholesterol Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL (Bad Cholesterol) Less than 100 mg/dL
HDL (Good Cholesterol) More than 40 mg/dL (men)

| More than **50 mg/dL (women)** |

| Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL |

“Many doctors say you’re ‘fine’ if you’re just a little high… but you’re not. You’re on the path to disease if you don’t correct it.” – Dr. Colbert


⚠️ The Hidden Danger of Multiple Elevated Numbers

Dr. Colbert explains that if several of your health markers — like blood pressure, blood sugar, waistline, cholesterol, and inflammation — are elevated at once, the risk isn’t just additive, it’s exponential.

“It’s a recipe for early death. You are signing up for disease.”


🥓 What Raises Cholesterol?

Dr. Colbert is direct:

“Most doctors don’t even know this… but the #1 cause of high cholesterol is saturated fat.”

Foods that raise cholesterol include:

  • Butter 🧈

  • Cheese 🧀

  • Bacon & sausage

  • Cream, ice cream, sour cream

  • Fatty red meats

  • Coconut oil (yes, even this)

  • Pizza, processed meats

“People are eating saturated fats and thinking they’re healthy because it’s ‘keto.’ But not all fats are created equal.”


🍬 What Raises Triglycerides?

While saturated fat spikes cholesterol, sugar and refined carbs are the main culprit behind high triglycerides.

Watch out for:

  • Sodas and sweet drinks

  • White bread, pasta, rice, potatoes

  • Honey, agave, maple syrup

  • Dried fruits (raisins, prunes, dates)

  • Sweet tropical fruits (mango, ripe bananas, grapes)

  • Processed snacks and baked goods

“Soft belly? Too much sugar. Hard belly? Too much saturated fat.”


✅ How to Lower Cholesterol & Triglycerides Naturally

Dr. Colbert recommends a layered, proven approach:

1. Follow the Beyond Keto Diet

A modified, heart-healthy ketogenic plan low in saturated fats and rich in fiber and plant-based fats.

📘 Get the Beyond Keto Book →


2. Avoid These Fats

Reduce:

  • Butter, cheese, coconut oil, and bacon

  • Processed meats and fatty cuts of beef

Replace with:

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • Avocado oil

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Avocados and fatty fish


3. Increase Fiber Intake

Fiber binds to cholesterol and sweeps it from the body. Great sources include:

  • Berries 🍓

  • Broccoli, peas, hummus, beans

  • Walnuts, pumpkin seeds

  • Chickpeas and salads

💪 Use a daily fiber supplement like:
👉 Fiber Zone →

“Every night, I take a scoop of Fiber Zone — especially if I’ve had any red meat. It helps bind and remove cholesterol naturally.”


4. Use Natural Cholesterol Helpers

🟢 Plant Sterols (like Divine Health’s Ferstrol) bind saturated fat and escort it out.
🟣 Red Yeast Rice: A proven natural supplement that supports healthy cholesterol levels.


5. Watch Out for Wheat & Gluten

Dr. Colbert emphasizes:

“Wheat and gluten are highly inflammatory… they raise insulin and cause weight gain.”

Avoid:

  • White breads, crackers, pastries

  • Baked goods with gluten

  • “Healthy” whole wheat products — many still spike blood sugar and increase inflammation


💊 What About Prescription Statins?

Statins work — but they come with potential side effects:

  • Muscle pain

  • Joint issues

  • Fatigue

  • Elevated blood sugar

  • Lowered CoQ10 levels (so supplement with at least 100mg/day)

“Statins help reduce heart disease — but they’re not your only option. Many people lower cholesterol naturally when they follow the Beyond Keto protocol with the right supplements.”


🧪 How to Track Progress

  • Test cholesterol and triglycerides before you begin

  • Retest after 3 months of following Dr. Colbert’s plan

  • Continue testing every 6 months to track success


💡 Recap: Natural Steps to Lower Cholesterol

✅ Follow the Beyond Keto Diet
✅ Cut out saturated fat & sugar
✅ Add Fiber Zone, plant sterols, and red yeast rice
✅ Exercise and move daily
✅ Use healthy fats like olive and avocado oil
✅ Stay accountable (Join the Keto Zone Facebook Group)


🎥 Watch the Full Episode

👉 Episode 1 – Know Your Number

Related: Heart Health

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Don Colbert, MD, has been board-certified in family practice and in anti-aging and integrative medicine for more than 25 years. He is the medical director of the Divine Health Wellness Center, where he has treated more than 50,000 patients, and a New York Times bestselling author of books including The Seven Pillars of Health, What Would Jesus Eat?, Deadly Emotions and Keto Zone Diet, with more than ten million books sold. He hosts Dr. Colbert's Broadcast with his wife Mary and son Kyle, where faith meets functional medicine. He and Mary live in Orlando, Florida and Dallas, Texas.