Unraveling the Upstream Drivers of ASCVD: A Functional and Evolutionary Lens on Cardiometabolic Risk
Join Dr. Jeffrey Bland, PhD, Erik Lundquist, MD and Chris Magryta, MD for an illuminating two-hour exploration into the pathophysiological and anthropological roots of the growing epidemic of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and hyperlipidemia in the United States.
The session opens with a 30-minute keynote by Dr. Bland, who sets the stage with a systems biology framework for understanding chronic disease progression. He introduces the functional medicine context that ties together ancestral health, modern metabolic dysfunction, and clinical insight.
Dr. Lundquist and Dr. Magryta follow with a deep dive into the historical and genetic backdrop of ASCVD—highlighting how once-beneficial genetic traits may now predispose modern humans to lipid dysregulation and vascular disease. They then guide the audience through a detailed interpretation of critical laboratory markers—including lipids, high-sensitivity CRP, oxidized lipids, myeloperoxidase, Lp(a), fasting insulin, uric acid, and homocysteine—offering practical clinical insights into early detection and disease prevention.
The session concludes with a dynamic panel discussion featuring all speakers, synthesizing key insights. This course is designed for clinicians, health professionals, and researchers seeking to deepen their understanding of cardiovascular risk from both evolutionary and functional perspectives.
Speakers
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Jeff Bland, PhDJeffrey Bland, PhD, is a pioneering figure in the food-is-medicine movement and a leading expert in nutritional biochemistry. As founder of Big Bold Health, he now focuses on longevity through immune health, championing the concept of immune rejuvenation as a pathway to healthy aging. Dr. Bland’s work highlights the powerful role of plant polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids in supporting immune resilience. Widely known as the “father of Functional Medicine,” he has spent more than 40 years advancing nutrition science, regenerative agriculture, and personalized approaches to lifelong vitality.
Dr. Bland began his career in academia as a university professor. In the early 1980s, he became a protégé of two-time Nobel Laureate, Dr. Linus Pauling. Dr. Bland then spent decades as a natural products industry insider and entrepreneur, while also serving as a scientific advisor and mentor to dynamic founders and leading brands.
A lifelong educator, Dr. Bland has traveled the world many times over as a renowned speaker. In 1991, he and his wife, Susan, founded The Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, they established another educational nonprofit called The Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute, which brings together researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to focus on new models of healthcare delivery, advancements in medical nutrition therapy, and exciting emerging science.
Dr. Bland is the author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life, as well as additional books and many research papers. His next book will be published by HarperCollins in March 2027. The Nourished Gene: Rejuvenate Your Immunity, Reverse Chronic Symptoms, and Activate Your Longevity is now available for pre-order from all major booksellers.
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Chris Magryta, MDChris Magryta, MD, “Dr. M”, is a pediatrician with over 25 years of experience, practicing and managing Salisbury Pediatric Associates (18 provider independent group) in North Carolina since 1999. He is a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine, The University of Virginia Pediatric Residency and The Arizona Center for Integrative medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona. He is as self styled onion peeler looking for the roots of pediatric allergoimmunometabolic disease. He specializes in atopic diseases, immunology, nutrition with a special interest in maternal child health. As Chairman of Children First of North Carolina, a clinically integrated network caring for 52000 children, Dr. M, is tasked with bringing a new delivery model to the medicaid ecosystem. Using a data heavy predictive model CFNC is testing new boundaries in healthcare for a child’s benefit. He is also the host of the Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast, where he bridges cutting-edge science with practical health strategies, emphasizing maternal and child wellness through an upstream, root-cause lens. Finally, he is currently working on a book about the root causes of childhood disease from the maternal lens.
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Erik Lundquist, MDErik Lundquist, MD is the founder and medical director of the Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Lundquist is the Medical Director of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Center and a paid consultant for Metagenics, Inc. He is a member of the American Holistic Medical Association as well as the Institute for Functional Medicine. He specializes in thyroid disorders, chronic and adrenal fatigue, women’s health, digestive disorders, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Lundquist attended Occidental College in LA, where he graduated with a BA in Kinesiology and Biology. He received his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his Family Medicine residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Lundquist spent eight years in active military duty in Iraq as a battalion surgeon with the Marine Corps, as well as at the Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy. Dr. Lundquist is board-certified with the American Board of Family Medicine, as well as with the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.
