From the CEO: December 2025
Lowering stress, cutting afternoon carbs, and Heart Health program results.
Four things on my mind this month
1. DIET
I'm working on controlling carbs after 4 pm. My CGM patterns show a substantial dawn effect (glucose rise) in the mornings, which stays elevated through mid-afternoon. My goal is to keep evening net carbs around 20g. It's tough after a long day, but worth it when the glucose numbers improve that much.
On the topic of carb restriction, this meta-analysis shows significant systemic health benefits even when controlling for calorie intake (many studies like this don't). I'm not dogmatic about dietary philosophy when it comes to whole, real-food sources, but I like carb restriction for its satiety and insulin-load benefits, along with the clear improvement in my fasting glucose when I'm consistent with it.
2. STRESS
I've been experimenting with vitamin C to manage cortisol. My cortisol has been near the top of the normal range on every test for several years. Given that my fasting insulin is under 2, whereas my sleep is badly disrupted as a new parent, my impaired fasting glucose is likely driven by systemic stress and poor recovery. There aren't many shortcuts to managing cortisol, and I don't expect to supplement away stress, but as part of my strategy, I've added 1g of vitamin C to my daily supplementation. This study is only in women, but the impressive effect of C on cortisol has been shown in other contexts like extreme exertion, and my goal is to find any edge I can while my sleep is compromised.
Red light therapy experiment: I've been so skeptical of red light therapy because there's been a ton of hype, and I just didn't believe it could be very effective. However, this small study on the effects of specific red light wavelengths on glucose kind of blew my mind. After reading, I tried out Oval.bio and was really intrigued to see a ~20% reduction in my circulating glucose over the course of the session. It's certainly inconclusive whether that was from the red light or other stress mitigation, but it's something I'm going to be digging deeper into.
3. EXERCISE
My wife got me this Guava Roam running stroller, and since then, my 8-month-old and I have been tackling my Zone 2 together. It's great! Exercise is the best way to manage glucose, full stop. Beyond the benefits for heart and lung health, it is incredibly powerful for mood and emotional regulation. And during exercise, the muscles pull in and dispose of glucose without insulin. Everyone needs to use this metabolic health lever daily (reminder: walking counts as exercise!)
Why this model is my product rec: There are much more affordable options, but this one has really strong online reviews, and it is a fantastic product. What I love: incredibly smooth ride, front wheel lock can be toggled from the handlebar (keeps the stroller from drifting all over when running one-handed), super comfortable seat and straps with a simple adjustable recline for the little one, and—most importantly—an effortless one-handed folding system makes it one of the most compact options.
4. MARKERS
I'm really excited about my—and others'—continued cholesterol improvements. As a reminder, I completed our Levels Heart Health program in July and dropped my ApoB by 30% in 6 weeks. I've continued to follow the program, and my quarterly labs last week showed my ApoB is down another 5 points to 68 mg/dL—still with zero medications. This means it wasn't just a blip; I'm sustaining the reduction through the daily actions the program reinforces.
Turns out I'm not the only one who has improved. In our most recent Heart Health Program cohort, 80% of members improved their ApoB—some by more than 30%—with lifestyle alone and in just 4 weeks. These are amazing results, and I'm really motivated to open more opportunities for our members to participate. Right now, Levels Core and Levels Complete are the optimal way to access these programs. If you're hesitant to join because you already have recent (under 6 months) lab results from somewhere else, we will make it work so that you can start our health-improvement experience using those results as your baseline. If you want to be in the next cohort, just reply to this email and let me know.
Follow me on X here. Other than Levels, I have no affiliation with any of the products mentioned or linked above—I'm just a satisfied customer.
—Josh
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