Dr. Jami Dulaney: Heart Health, Metabolic Health & Ultrarunning

What happens when a cardiologist who has spent decades treating heart disease begins questioning the traditional approach to nutrition and health? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jami Dulaney, a cardiologist, endurance athlete, and ultrarunner who has spent her career exploring the connection between nutrition, metabolic health, cardiovascular health, and longevity.

Dr. Dulaney shares the personal family history that led her to cardiology and explains how running eventually grew from a way to stay fit into marathons, Ironman triathlons, swimrun, trail running, and ultimately ultramarathons. She recently completed a 100-mile race, giving her a unique perspective as both a physician and endurance athlete.

We dive deep into nutrition and endurance fueling, including her evolution from a whole-food, plant-based approach to her current low-carbohydrate, high-fat approach. She explains her experiences with traditional high-carbohydrate race fueling, the highs and lows she experienced with gels, and why she began experimenting with lower carbohydrate intake during training and racing.

We also discuss metabolic health, insulin resistance, inflammation, cholesterol, LDL, ApoB, Lp(a), triglycerides and HDL, and why Dr. Dulaney believes athletes shouldn't assume that being lean and extremely fit automatically means they are metabolically healthy.

For runners, one of the most important parts of our conversation is knowing when to push through normal fatigue and when to stop. Dr. Dulaney talks about warning signs such as chest pain, jaw or shoulder pain, unusual shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, and cold or clammy sweating—and why athletes should never ignore those symptoms simply because they're accustomed to discomfort.

We also talk about family history, cardiovascular screening, calcium scores, training with a known cardiac condition, hydration, recovery, and the long game of staying healthy enough to continue running for decades.

And her advice to an ultrarunner who wants to still be running at 70 is simple: take care of yourself, pay attention to your metabolic health, prioritize recovery, and don't take your health for granted.

Website & Medical Practice:
Dr. Jami Dulaney, MD

Jami Dulaney MD Wellness Podcast:
Listen to the Jami Dulaney MD Wellness Podcast

Apple Podcasts:
Jami Dulaney MD Wellness Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Email: jami@doctordulaney.com

Social Media:
Facebook, Instagram & X: @jaimeladulaney

Practice: Dr. Dulaney's practice combines internal medicine, cardiology, nutrition education, wellness, and lifestyle-focused care.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual health and exercise decisions.

Connect with Dr. Jami Dulaney