Send a text

CRP, ApoB & What Your Labs Might Be Missing

In Part 1, I talked about the uncomfortable truth: strong women still have heart attacks. We talked about stress, nervous system overload, overtraining, inflammation, and the identity trap of being the woman who “handles it all.”

Now in Part 2, we get tactical.

Because awareness without action doesn’t protect your heart.

As a heart attack survivor, I can tell you this — heart disease is not just about cholesterol. It is deeply connected to inflammation and metabolic health. And there are lab markers many women are never told to ask for.

Let’s start with CRP.

CRP stands for C-Reactive Protein. It’s essentially a smoke detector for inflammation in the body. If your CRP is elevated, something is irritating your system. It doesn’t tell you exactly where the problem is — but it tells you there is one.

And inflamed arteries are not resilient arteries.

Heart disease is largely an inflammatory process. You can look lean. You can be lifting weights. You can have “normal cholesterol.” But if your CRP is elevated, your cardiovascular system may still be under strain.

Then we move into ApoB.

ApoB measures the number of artery-damaging particles in your bloodstream. Not just how much cholesterol is inside them — but how many particles are circulating.

That matters.

Because plaque risk is more closely tied to particle number than cholesterol content alone.

You can have LDL that looks “fine” on a standard panel, but if ApoB is elevated, your risk profile changes.

We also touch on fasting insulin — one of the most overlooked markers in women’s heart health. You can have normal glucose and A1C and still have elevated insulin, which signals early metabolic dysfunction and increased inflammatory signaling.

Heart disease often starts metabolically long before it becomes structural.

This episode is not about fear. It’s about ownership.

It’s about asking better questions.

It’s about understanding that strength is not just how much you can lift — it’s how well you protect your heart.

If you are the strong one, the capable one, the woman who pushes through exhaustion — this conversation is especially for you.

Your body whispers before it screams.

Listen closely.

Send a text

You can lift heavy. You can eat clean. You can run businesses, households, and entire teams — and still be at risk for heart disease.

In this episode of Everything’s Messy Podcast, I dives into a hard but necessary truth: strength does not equal immunity. As a heart attack survivor, I unpack the hidden risks facing high-functioning women — from chronic stress and nervous system overload to silent inflammation and blood sugar instability.

This conversation builds on last week’s HRV episode and explores what’s happening beneath the surface when your body looks strong but your system is under strain.

I breaks down:
• Why lean, active women can still carry cardiovascular risk
• The impact of cortisol and chronic stress on arteries
• How overtraining and under-recovering affect heart health
• Tactical steps to protect your heart without burning out

If you consider yourself driven, resilient, and capable — this episode is especially for you.

Your body whispers before it screams.

Listen in, share with a strong woman in your life, and let’s protect our hearts — physically and emotionally.

As promised below is the episode where we learn about nasal breathwork.

***Episode 93 How To Use Breathwork To Reclaim Your Energy w/Guest Tim Thomas

Send a text

💖 We are officially in February, heart month, birthday season for me 🎉, and somehow Southern California forgot it’s supposed to be cold… but I’ll allow it (for now). This episode is a mix of real life updates, heart health truth bombs, and some very doable tools you can actually use—no perfection required 🙌

I’m officially four years post–heart attack and wow… typing that still hits. I’m beyond grateful to still be here, still spreading this message, still riding this messy wave 🌊 Another trip around the sun is coming up and I’m soaking in every bit of gratitude. Life is wild, fragile, and beautiful all at once.

Since it’s heart month ❤️, we’re going deeper—starting a likely two-part series—into something most people aren’t talking about enough: HRV (heart rate variability) and how it reflects your nervous system. This is especially important for women, because yes… heart disease is still the number one killer of women, and chronic stress is wrecking our recovery.

Here’s the truth bomb: if your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, your heart can’t recover properly. Low HRV means your body is stuck in stress mode, energy debt, poor sleep, slow recovery, mood swings, blood sugar chaos, inflammation… sound familiar? 😬 Been there. Lived it.

I break down why you can’t “out-sleep” a broken recovery system 😴 Why waking up tired, sore, foggy, and wired isn’t laziness—it’s your nervous system begging for help. And why working out harder isn’t the answer when your HRV is low (trust me, I learned this the hard way).

The good news? 🎉 HRV is trainable. You are NOT stuck. And no, this doesn’t require fancy supplements or extreme routines.

I walk you through three simple, powerful resets you can start immediately:
☀️ Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking (no sunglasses, no phone)
💧 Proper hydration with electrolytes or warm liquids (bone broth lovers, you’re winning)
🚫 Removing ONE hidden HRV drain—late-night screens, food, alcohol, or overstimulating conversations

This episode is about listening to your body, reducing pressure, and giving your heart and nervous system the tools they need to heal and thrive 💓 If all you take away is permission to be gentler with yourself and still make progress… that’s a win.

Try one thing. Let me know what you’re working on. DM me, message me, find me at @everythingsmessywellness—I want to hear from you 💬

Remember, messy warriors: perfection burns us out, but grace keeps us going ✨

*****As promised the episode mentioned with Dr. Huberman: Episode 112, "How to Breathe Correctly for Optimal Health, Mood, Learning & Performance"*******