There is a lot of noise online right now around cholesterol, keto, carnivore, and what actually counts as “healthy” and in this episode, Susan cuts straight through it. She unpacks some of the biggest myths being repeated in the wellness space, explains why high cholesterol should never be brushed off without deeper testing, and shares why a one-size-fits-all approach can do more harm than good.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your body is not a trend. Susan breaks down the connection between lipids, inflammation, insulin resistance, genetics, and cardiovascular risk in a way that actually makes sense. If you’ve ever been told your labs are “fine,” wondered whether high-fat diets are really safe for everyone, or wanted to better understand what testing actually matters, this episode will leave you thinking differently about your health and how to advocate for it.

In this episode:

• Why high cholesterol on keto or carnivore should not automatically be ignored
  
  
• The biggest myths Susan sees around LDL, HDL, and heart health
  
  
• Why standard cholesterol panels often miss the full picture
  
  
• The difference between LDL particle size, particle number, ApoB, and Lp(a)
  
  
• How inflammation and insulin resistance quietly raise cardiovascular risk
  
  
• Why genetics can dramatically change how someone responds to high-fat diets
  
  
• The key labs and advanced testing Susan recommends asking for
  
  
• Why personalized health matters more than following the latest diet trend

RESOURCES:

Stello Glucose Monitor

https://www.stelo.com/

Find all of Susan’s Resources and links in the show notes:

Shop the products: http://healthygut.com/healthyawakenings (this link will provide you a special discount!)

https://healthyawakening.co/2026/03/12/episode115/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

P.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast

In Part 2, Susan and Dr. Bill Rawls unpack the microbial side of chronic illness, why certain pathogens don’t “hit fast,” but instead persist, seed the body, and reactivate when cellular stress is high.

They discuss why antibiotics often fall short for slow-growing, stealth microbes (and why overuse can create bigger problems), then shift into what makes herbs different: broad-spectrum antimicrobial support + cellular protection that can be used long-term when appropriate.

You’ll also hear about medicinal mushrooms, why quality matters with supplements, and why restoring the body’s “terrain” is just as important as targeting microbes.

In This Episode:

• Why persistent microbes can stay dormant, then reactivate
• Antibiotics vs slow-growing infections + resistance concerns
• Why herbs work differently (and why quality and form matter)
• Medicinal mushrooms + adaptogenic support
• Restoring the terrain to support immune + cellular health

Learn more about our guest Dr. Bill Rawls, MD:

Vital Plan Co-Founder and Medical Director

For over 30 years, Dr. Bill Rawls has dedicated his life to medicine. When a health crisis with chronic Lyme disease abruptly changed his quality of life, he came face to face with the limitations of modern medicine and began to explore the vast possibilities of alternative treatments. Restoring his health through holistic and herbal therapies inspired him to share his revelations on the importance of cellular wellness for defending against microbes and other root causes of illness. Today, he works to bring life and vitality to others as he helps them establish their own paths to wellness through modern herbology.

Through his bestselling books, Unlocking Lyme and The Cellular Wellness Solution, Dr. Rawls demonstrates why crucial herbal phytochemicals are key to protecting cellular health and strengthening the body's defense against illness. Dr. Rawls is also the founder of Vital Plan, a holistic health company, where he developed the signature RESTORE180 program, an advanced herbal protocol that has helped thousands to reclaim vibrant health.

Dr. Rawls is a #1 bestselling author and seasoned speaker and interviewee. With a compassionate approach and an incredible depth of knowledge, Dr. Rawls has a distinct ability to make scientific concepts accessible and enriching for everyone.

RESOURCES:

Website: https://rawlsmd.com/resources/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawlsmd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rawlsmd/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RawlsMD%20

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-rawls-md/

https://healthyawakening.co/2026/03/09/episode114/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

P.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast

What if the root of most chronic symptoms isn’t “one diagnosis”… but cellular stress?

In Part 1, Susan sits down with Dr. Bill Rawls, MD to explore what happens when we live outside the margins set by our genes, and how modern life (processed foods, toxins, blue light, chronic stress, poor sleep, sedentary days) shifts cells into a constant survival state. Dr. Rawls breaks down his Five Elements of Wellness and why supporting the cell is the most practical place to start.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:

• Why inflammation and chronic symptoms often trace back to cellular stress
  
  
• What it means to live “outside the margins” of our genetic programming
  
  
• The 5 Elements of Wellness: food, environment, recovery, movement, and microbes
  
  
• Why sleep + downtime matter for cellular repair (autophagy)
  
  
• How simple daily movement helps circulation, lymph flow, and inflammation
  
  
• The power of nose breathing to shift the nervous system and exercise stress

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we go deeper into microbes + herbs.

Learn more about our guest Dr. Bill Rawls, MD:

Vital Plan Co-Founder and Medical Director

For over 30 years, Dr. Bill Rawls has dedicated his life to medicine. When a health crisis with chronic Lyme disease abruptly changed his quality of life, he came face to face with the limitations of modern medicine and began to explore the vast possibilities of alternative treatments. Restoring his health through holistic and herbal therapies inspired him to share his revelations on the importance of cellular wellness for defending against microbes and other root causes of illness. Today, he works to bring life and vitality to others as he helps them establish their own paths to wellness through modern herbology.

Through his bestselling books, Unlocking Lyme and The Cellular Wellness Solution, Dr. Rawls demonstrates why crucial herbal phytochemicals are key to protecting cellular health and strengthening the body's defense against illness. Dr. Rawls is also the founder of Vital Plan, a holistic health company, where he developed the signature RESTORE180 program, an advanced herbal protocol that has helped thousands to reclaim vibrant health.

Dr. Rawls is a #1 bestselling author and seasoned speaker and interviewee. With a compassionate approach and an incredible depth of knowledge, Dr. Rawls has a distinct ability to make scientific concepts accessible and enriching for everyone.

RESOURCES:

Website: https://rawlsmd.com/resources/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawlsmd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rawlsmd/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RawlsMD%20

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-rawls-md/

https://healthyawakening.co/2026/03/02/episode113/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

P.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast