Functional Medicine and Nutrition Virtual Classroom 304 - Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health

Course overview

Describe how metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease interconnect and why standard diagnostic criteria identify the disease too late for optimal intervention. Explain how adiponectin, uric acid, and ferritin function as early biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction beyond traditional diagnostic criteria. Identify the role of fasting C-peptide, folate, and visible physical signs in detecting cardiometabolic disease progression. Analyze how HDL becomes pro-inflammatory during acute phase inflammation and evaluate lifestyle modification programs against pharmaceutical interventions. Compare Mediterranean, elimination, low-glycemic, paleo, keto, and vegan dietary patterns for their effects on insulin regulation and cardiometabolic health. Differentiate refined table salt from sea, Himalayan, kosher, and Celtic salts and evaluate sodium intake guidelines relative to hypertension reclassification. Apply knowledge of magnesium, quercetin, myricetin, and melatonin as natural interventions for hypertension, non-dippers, and sleep-related cardiometabolic risk. Evaluate the use of CoQ10, curcumin, omega-3s, vitamin D, and inositol in supporting cardiometabolic health and mitigating statin-induced complications.