Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
Is a plant-based diet the best for supporting metabolic health? Cardiologist Dr. Jaimela Dulaney spent years practicing plant-based nutrition before her own experience with insulin resistance, blood sugar swings, and endurance running led her to rethink what personalized nutrition can look like.
In this episode, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Dulaney about what changed her perspective, both personally and professionally.
They cover:
- How CGMs helped reveal unexpected blood sugar patterns
- Why insulin resistance can show up even in active, normal-weight individuals
- How Dr. Dulaney thinks about LDL cholesterol in the context of metabolic health
- Why low-carb and ketogenic diets may help some people improve energy, recovery, and blood sugar stability
- Why there may not be one “best diet” for every patient
This conversation highlights the importance of listening to patients, tracking meaningful lab trends, and staying open to new evidence when personal experience and clinical outcomes begin to tell a different story.
👉 Interested in learning more about metabolic health, cholesterol, and heart disease? Check out our article: metabolicmind.org/resources/library/videos/beyond-ldl-new-insights-into-metabolic-health-and-heart-disease
🥥 Interested in trying a vegan ketogenic diet? Check out the strategies used by THINK+SMART participant Dyane Harwood:
metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/dyane-harwood
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #HeartDisease
Expert Featured:*
Dr. Jaimela Dulaney
- doctordulaney.com
- youtube.com/@jjd862
*Expert Mentioned:*
Andrew Koutnik
- instagram.com/andrewkoutnikphd
- youtube.com/channel/UCuBoAR4gzVC5Y0e5raQLPkQ
- linkedin.com/in/andrewkoutnikphd111
Dr. Noakes
- register.cpso.on.ca/physician-info/?cpsonum=50902
- surgery.utoronto.ca/faculty/jeffrey-noakes
*Resources Mentioned:*
- Dr. Noakes book: _Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs_
- Dr. Esselstyn: dresselstyn.com/site
- Dean Ornish: Ornish program — ornish.com
- Nina Teicholz Book: _The Big Fat Surprise_
*Free CME Clinician Trainings:*
Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.
Our courses have been made *FREE* by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:
metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at metabolicmind.org
About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
*Timestamps:*
0:00 - Is plant-based really the best diet for heart health?
2:14 - Why one-size-fits-all medicine misses the patient
4:38 - Dr. Dulaney’s family history, running, and plant-based journey
9:29 - From plant-based to low-carb fueling: what changed?
12:28 - Adding animal foods back after years of plant-based eating
16:00 - Bringing low-carb into a plant-based cardiology practice
21:15 - Metabolic health in cardiology: diabetes, insulin resistance, LDL, and lab markers
28:03 - How Dr. Dulaney felt after changing her diet
31:15 - Why metabolic health matters for cardiovascular risk
34:15 - What ketone levels matter on a low-carb diet?
37:50 - Where to find Dr. Jaimela Dulaney
38:29 - Final thoughts
Is a plant-based diet the best for supporting metabolic health? Cardiologist Dr. Jaimela Dulaney spent years practicing plant-based nutrition before her own experience with insulin resistance, blood sugar swings, and endurance running led her to rethink what personalized nutrition can look like.
In this episode, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Dulaney about what changed her perspective, both personally and professionally.
They cover:
- How CGMs helped reveal unexpected blood sugar patterns
- Why insulin resistance can show up even in active, normal-weight individuals
- How Dr. Dulaney thinks about LDL cholesterol in the context of metabolic health
- Why low-carb and ketogenic diets may help some people improve energy, recovery, and blood sugar stability
- Why there may not be one “best diet” for every patient
This conversation highlights the importance of listening to patients, tracking meaningful lab trends, and staying open to new evidence when personal experience and clinical outcomes begin to tell a different story.
👉 Interested in learning more about metabolic health, cholesterol, and heart disease? Check out our article: metabolicmind.org/resources/library/videos/beyond-ldl-new-insights-into-metabolic-health-and-heart-disease
🥥 Interested in trying a vegan ketogenic diet? Check out the strategies used by THINK+SMART participant Dyane Harwood:
metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/dyane-harwood
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #HeartDisease
Expert Featured:*
Dr. Jaimela Dulaney
- doctordulaney.com
- youtube.com/@jjd862
*Expert Mentioned:*
Andrew Koutnik
- instagram.com/andrewkoutnikphd
- youtube.com/channel/UCuBoAR4gzVC5Y0e5raQLPkQ
- linkedin.com/in/andrewkoutnikphd111
Dr. Noakes
- register.cpso.on.ca/physician-info/?cpsonum=50902
- surgery.utoronto.ca/faculty/jeffrey-noakes
*Resources Mentioned:*
- Dr. Noakes book: _Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs_
- Dr. Esselstyn: dresselstyn.com/site
- Dean Ornish: Ornish program — ornish.com
- Nina Teicholz Book: _The Big Fat Surprise_
*Free CME Clinician Trainings:*
Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.
Our courses have been made *FREE* by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:
metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at metabolicmind.org
About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
*Timestamps:*
0:00 - Is plant-based really the best diet for heart health?
2:14 - Why one-size-fits-all medicine misses the patient
4:38 - Dr. Dulaney’s family history, running, and plant-based journey
9:29 - From plant-based to low-carb fueling: what changed?
12:28 - Adding animal foods back after years of plant-based eating
16:00 - Bringing low-carb into a plant-based cardiology practice
21:15 - Metabolic health in cardiology: diabetes, insulin resistance, LDL, and lab markers
28:03 - How Dr. Dulaney felt after changing her diet
31:15 - Why metabolic health matters for cardiovascular risk
34:15 - What ketone levels matter on a low-carb diet?
37:50 - Where to find Dr. Jaimela Dulaney
38:29 - Final thoughts
