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Knife Down

Knife Down

Lily Johnston, MD MPH 56 Episodes Sep 11, 2026

Knife Down is a health podcast hosted by vascular surgeon Lily Johnston. The show focuses on preventing cardiovascular disease and improving longevity through evidence-based strategies. It translates scientific research on metabolic health and prevention into practical advice. The tone is informative and nuanced, avoiding wellness hype while acknowledging the realities of modern medicine.

Episodes

High LDL, Rapid Plaque Progression?! Dave @FeldmanProtocol & I Debate the Data
High LDL, Rapid Plaque Progression?! Dave @FeldmanProtocol & I Debate the Data Sep 11, 2026 5088 Dave Feldman came into my studio and we went through Simon Hill's critique of the KETO-CTA data one clip at a time — high LDL, "rapid plaque progression," the retracted paper, the new preprint. We disagree, and we do it honestly.At the center is the new KETO-CTA preprint: 100 lean mass hyper-responders, two coronary scans a year apart, and a real fight over what the numbers mean. Wh
What a Vascular Surgeon Eats—and the Artery Test I’m Repeating
What a Vascular Surgeon Eats—and the Artery Test I’m Repeating Sep 9, 2026 926 In this comment-response episode, I break down what I eat in a typical day as a vascular surgeon focused on cardiometabolic prevention. I also discuss the reliability of CIMT testing, why I plan to repeat my own scan, and what first drew me to preventive health.More on CIMT—and a conversation with the CardioRisk CEO—coming soon.For educational purposes only; this is not individualized medical advi
My Arteries Got Older?! A Vascular Surgeon Explains CIMT Results
My Arteries Got Older?! A Vascular Surgeon Explains CIMT Results Sep 7, 2026 1331 My CIMT results came back—and one number moved in the wrong direction. In this video, I walk through my own carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) scan, explain arterial age, plaque burden, IMT progression, and measurement variability, and talk about what a “worse” CIMT result actually means.If you’ve had a CIMT test or are considering one for cardiovascular risk assessment, this is a practical loo
What Really Causes Heart Disease: LDL or Inflammation?
What Really Causes Heart Disease: LDL or Inflammation? Aug 29, 2026 1172 In this video, Dr. Lily Johnston addresses viewer questions about lipid panels, heart disease risk, and diagnostic testing. Key topics include:Coronary Calcium Scans vs. CCTA/CIMT: Why calcium scores may not be sufficient for younger patients and the benefits of soft plaque detection.Exercise and Lipids: Clarifying that while exercise is vital for longevity, its impact on LDL-C numbers is often mi
This Changes How I Think About Creatine
This Changes How I Think About Creatine Aug 26, 2026 2048 Can a simple 5g scoop of creatine do more than just build muscle? In today’s video, I’m reacting to Thomas DeLauer’s insights on how creatine might “spare” your body’s methylation cycle—and then diving deep into the actual clinical data to see if it really lowers homocysteine.As a vascular surgeon, I’m always looking for ways to reduce cardiovascular risk. We know that high homocysteine is a major
High LDL. Normal ApoB. Now What??
High LDL. Normal ApoB. Now What?? Aug 24, 2026 1664 What do you do when your "bad cholesterol" (LDL) flags high, but your other metabolic markers look great? In this video, I’m sharing my personal lab results to explain why standard lipid panels only tell part of the story.We’ll dive deep into the world of lipoproteins, exploring why ApoB is a more precise measure of cardiovascular risk than LDL-C alone. Using a highway analogy, I’ll show
The 10 Blood Tests I Run to Catch Heart Disease DECADES Early
The 10 Blood Tests I Run to Catch Heart Disease DECADES Early Aug 22, 2026 827 After I walked through my own labs last week, you had sharp follow-ups — Vascepa versus a mixed omega-3, why my lab screenshots had no reference ranges, which lab company I actually use — so the first half is me answering them. Then I count down my real top 10 tests for catching cardiovascular disease early, from hemoglobin A1c at number 10 up to my number one, which isn't a blood test at all
I Checked My Own Labs: Here’s Exactly How I Read Them
I Checked My Own Labs: Here’s Exactly How I Read Them Aug 19, 2026 1797 How to read your blood test results — from a vascular surgeon using her own bloodwork. I go line by line through the complete blood count (CBC), fasting glucose and insulin, kidney and liver panels, thyroid, inflammation (hs-CRP), ferritin, and a lipid panel that's getting its own video. This is exactly how I read labs for my metabolic patients, with all my own numbers on screen: the good, th
Carnivore Bloodwork: Best Case, Not the Whole Case
Carnivore Bloodwork: Best Case, Not the Whole Case Aug 17, 2026 2340 Dr. Abs pulled bloodwork from 50 of his carnivore patients — cholesterol up, triglycerides down, A1C and CRP better across the board. It's a genuinely good data set. It's also the best-case scenario, not the average one.I'm reacting to walk through what those numbers actually mean, why cherry-picked wins don't tell you what happens to everyone on this diet, and what two Virta H
Cholesterol Balance & Keto Bias
Cholesterol Balance & Keto Bias Aug 15, 2026 1329 Chapters: 00:00 The Replication Crisis & Messy Science 02:11 Why the KETO-CTA Study Was Retracted 03:25 Mediterranean Keto vs. Standard Keto 06:14 Cholesterol Balance: Absorption vs. Production 10:50 The Million-Dollar Question: What Causes Plaque? 13:07 Small Studies & Statistical Manipulation 15:03 Addressing Bias, Personalities, and Grifters 16:56 My Position on ApoB and Personalized Ca
Surgeon Reacts to the KETO-CTA 'Scandal'
Surgeon Reacts to the KETO-CTA 'Scandal' Jul 23, 2026 1974 The KETO-CTA trial got retracted this year, and most of the internet treated it like a takedown. The authors pulled their own paper because they found real errors in the analysis. That took integrity. I react to how other creators have covered this retraction, walk through what the errors actually were, and make the case that watching scientists correct themselves in public is what good science lo
Carnivore Bloodwork: Best Case, Not the Whole Case
Carnivore Bloodwork: Best Case, Not the Whole Case Jul 22, 2026 2340 Dr. Abs pulled bloodwork from 50 of his carnivore patients — cholesterol up, triglycerides down, A1C and CRP better across the board. It's a genuinely good data set. It's also the best-case scenario, not the average one.I'm reacting to walk through what those numbers actually mean, why cherry-picked wins don't tell you what happens to everyone on this diet, and what two Virta H

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