Harmony Hub Health
Functional Medicine, Hormone Health and Weight Loss with Michele Postol, CRNP
Harmony Hub Health
The Omega 3 Mic Drop: How we beat Cholesterol without a statin
A scary cholesterol panel can either trigger panic or spark a smarter plan. We chose the latter. After my husband’s labs lit up with sky-high triglycerides and lackluster HDL, we went all-in on a functional strategy—no statins, no guesswork. The result? A 237-point drop in triglycerides and better lipid ratios powered by high-quality omega-3s, the newly recognized essential fatty acid C15, and a commitment to testing what matters.
We break down the real story behind “healthy fats”: why omega-3 vs omega-6 balance drives inflammation, how fish oil quality and form change absorption, and what sets Orthomega apart on purity, dose, and sourcing. Then we introduce Fatty 15 (C15), the membrane-strengthening fatty acid turning heads for metabolic resilience, lower CRP, and healthier gene expression. Think of EPA/DHA as the inflammation tamers and C15 as the cell-armor—together they support brain performance, mood stability, skin barrier function, and cardiovascular health.
Data turns supplements into strategy, so we walk through the omega-3 index, the omega 6:3 ratio, and C15 status—simple markers that explain fatigue, brain fog, and stubborn lipids even when routine labs look “normal.” We also tackle the statin question: how blocking cholesterol synthesis can sap CoQ10 and energy, and why fixing gut health, hormones, and inflammation often shifts lipids more sustainably. You’ll leave with practical steps: how to choose clean omegas, why to take them with food, and when to retest to confirm progress.
If you’re ready to move from fear to function and build a plan that works with your biology, hit play. Subscribe for more root-cause strategies, share this with someone watching their cholesterol, and leave a review to tell us what you’ll try first.
Find me at www.harmonyhubhealth.com
Email me at michele@harmonyhubhealth.com
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is to provide comprehensive, affordable, integrative care that addresses the root cause of health issues. At the Hub, the focus is on individual patient journeys. I strive to optimize health, vitality, and longevity, fostering a community where each person can thrive in body, mind, and spirit. Okay, so today I want to talk about fat, but not the kind you're thinking of. This happened this week with my husband. Um, originally I ran his blood work back in December because I was gonna start him on some longevity peptides. You know, the, hey honey, let's check your baseline before we optimize your mitochondria, reverse some aging. Um, and then I opened his results. His cholesterol was terrible. I had this internal panic moment, like, wait, wait a minute, how can those be his labs? It was that bad. And I knew this man, he was not eating fast food every day, he was getting some activity. So I immediately thought, okay, this is probably familial hyperlipidemia, but still, it was a wake-up call. Fast forward to this month, he did go and do some biometric screening for insurance. So, of course, I'm thinking, here we go, let's see how all my functional medicine wizardry is paying off. And you guys, the results blew me away. His triglycerides dropped by 237 milligrams per deciliter. My triglycerides aren't even 237 to start with, right? His total cholesterol improved by 58, his LDL came down by 29, and his HDL went up by 12 points. Remember, that's your healthy, heart-protective cholesterol. No statins, no chemicals, just high-quality omegas, specifically orthomoleculars orthomega. And I also got him into the fatty 15 and a few key tweaks to support fatty acid balance. So all of this improvement has been since December, and it's such a powerful reminder that nutrition, testing, and targeted support work when you use the right tools. So today I want to dive into all things omega-3s, omega balance, orthomega, fatty 15, plus how to test your omega and um pentadecinoic acid levels. That's the Fatty 15, so you can stop guessing and actually measure progress. I want to talk about the fats that fix things, not the ones that freak you out on your husband's labs. So let's clear this fishy air. If you've ever been told to take your omegas, you probably imagine that one magical golden capsule could melt inflammation, smooth your skin, protect your heart, and maybe even make you nicer to be all around. But here's the truth: not all omegas are created equal. And that cheap fish oil from the grocery store that smells like a dock in July, yeah, that's not doing your mitochondria any flavors. So welcome to the functional medicine breakdown of fish oil versus omega versus what the heck is fatty 15? And why does everyone suddenly think it's the next big thing? So omega isn't just a Greek letter, it's shorthand for essential fatty acids, the healthy fats your body cannot make on its own, but desperately needs to keep your cells, your brain, and your hormones happy. There are three main players that I talk about. We have the omega-3s. This is the EPA and the DHA. They're anti-inflammatory, they're brain protective, they're mood balancing fats found in fish oil. Omega-6 is found in vegetable oil. It's important, but most of us have way too much. Um, omega-9s, your body can make these, so they're less of a dietary priority. The key takeaway is that inflammation is all about balance. You want more omega-3s to calm the internal fire that omega-6 overload keeps stoking. Think of the processed foods. So, fish oil is the classic go-to for omega-3s, but quality control matters. The average off-the-shelf supplement has very low EPA and DHA content. There's very poor absorption, questionable sourcing, and let's be honest, that burp factor could clear a room. Rancid fish oil can actually increase oxidative stress, which is basically the opposite of what you want. This is why I recommend orthomolecular orthomega. So if you want fish oil that's actually functional, this is your friend because it is pharmaceutical grade, pure. So no heavy metals, no rancidity, no mystery fish. There's a very high EPA to DHA concentration. So one soft gel is what most store brands cram into three. Um, it's sustainably source, so it's wild-caught anchovies from pristine waters. And, you know, because your cells can't use it if your gut can't absorb it, the triglyceride form for absorption is what they use. So ortho omega doesn't just cover your omega bases, it supports cardiovascular health, brain performance, mood stability, and even that glowing skin barrier that we're always chasing. And if you're doing functional medicine testing like the hair tissue mineral analysis or an inflammatory panel, optimizing omega-3 levels is one of the most measurable ways to reduce systemic inflammation and improve your lipid ratios. When I talk about Fatty 15, think of Fatty 15 as the Gen Z version of fish oil. It's clean, it's science-packed, and it's obsessed with cellular longevity. Instead of EPA and DHA, Fatty 15 focuses on the newly discovered essential fatty acid called C15. So this is pentadecinoic acid. It's the first essential fatty acid that they have identified in 90 years. And it's mind-blowing in the functional medicine world right now because it has cell membrane reinforcement. So C15 helps your cells stay strong and resilient. It's kind of like an armor for your mitochondria. Um, it does lower inflammation and improves metabolic markers. So studies show improved cholesterol, glucose, and CRP. Um, there is epigenetic protection, so it supports healthy gene expression and slows cellular aging. Um, it is vegan-friendly, so it's a purified version of a fatty acid naturally found in whole dairy fats. Think grass-fed butter, not your gas station cheese sticks. And where fish oil comps inflammation through the omega-3 pathway, fatty 15 helps cells stay structurally younger and more metabolically balanced. So if you really want to personalize your supplement plan, you want to test, you don't want to guess. And you won't find this type of testing covered by insurance or even offered by your doctor at your annual wellness. But what we like to test is your omega-3 index. This can measure the percentage of EPA and DHA in your red blood cell membranes. Optimal range is about 8 to 12%. Most Americans are under 4%. Low levels are linked to inflammation, mood imbalance, fatigue, and cardiovascular risk. Um, and then you want to test your omega-6 to 3 ratio. This shows whether your diet is tipping you towards inflammation. And spoiler alert, most are. And then the C15 or that pentecinoic acid, it indicates how well your cell membranes are holding up against aging, oxidative stress, and just the metabolic wear and tear. So low omega-3 and C15 levels can reveal why you're inflamed, why you feel foggy, why are you fatigued even when your labs are normal? So they give insight into lipid metabolism, mitochondrial integrity, and cellular aging. And it also helps guide dosing. So you're not just swallowing capsules and hoping for magic. And a lot of people ask, well, who actually needs essential fatty acids? And I'm gonna give you a hint: pretty much everyone, because fatty acids aren't just good fats, they're biochemical building blocks that impact every system in your body. You need them if you have chronic inflammation. If you're coming to me saying you have joint pain or skin flare-ups or autoimmune conditions, you need it. If you struggle with hormone imbalance or mood swings, yes. If you experience brain fog or fatigue, if you have high triglycerides or you have that low HDL, if you eat a low-fat diet, especially, I find a lot of people that are really low because they think it's healthier to eat low fat, not necessarily true. And then the opposite of the scale are those that come to me and they eat a very highly processed diet, they need this the most. If you have dry skin, brittle hair, or slow healing, um if you're in perimenopause or in a menopause transition, you need this. Or if you are athletic or you're under high stress, which burns through cellular nutrients faster. Basically, if you have cells, you need fatty acids. You can also think of ortho omega and fatty 15 as the ultimate anti-inflammatory dream team. So if the goal is inflammation, the ortho omega has the potent anti-inflammatory properties with the EPA DHA. Um, for inflammation, the Fatty A15 balances cell signaling and that C reactive protein. If you're looking at cellular aging, ortho omega does have good moderate effects, whereas Fatty 15 is excellent in that category. If you're looking for mood and brain, um, ortho omega is strong there. Uh, fatty 15 is subtle and stabilizing, but together they're very synergistic. If you're looking at your lipid health, ortho omega is very cardioprotective. Um, the fatty 15 does improve your HDL, your triglycerides, and metabolic balance as well a little bit more. Um, the burp potential, it is possible with ortho omega, but there is none in Fatty 15 because um ortho omega is fish-based and fatty 15 is plant-based and sustainable. So you can combine ortho omega for the high EPA DHA support with Fatty 15 for cellular resilience and mitochondrial youth. You always want to take omegas with food containing fat to enhance the absorption. Um, and then retest your omega-3 index and C15 after three months, and you can see how your cell membranes have transformed. One analogy that I like to use, because my husband is a car guy, you wouldn't put old oil in your car, right? So don't put rancid oil in your cells. Choose clean bioavailable sources that actually move the needle. Your future self, sharper, calmer, inflammation-free, is going to thank you. I also in this podcast don't want to forget about the elephant in the room, the statins, and I know they're prescribed like candy. I used to be forced in the hospital setting that I could not let people leave without a prescription. It was required. And while they can lower cholesterol numbers, they do very little to fix the root cause of why those numbers went up in the first place. Statins work by blocking an enzyme in your liver that's responsible for producing cholesterol. But that same enzyme is also needed to make CoQ10. That is a critical nutrient for mitochondrial energy and muscle function. So, what happens when you suppress that pathway? You tank your energy, you increase oxidative stress, and you mess with hormone synthesis because guess what? Cholesterol is a hormone building block. And if you are one of my hormone patients, you know I talk about that all the time about why you need cholesterol for your hormone health. I've seen so many patients develop fatigue, muscle aches, memory issues, even mood changes after starting a statin. Um, and while their numbers might look better on paper, their health span or their quality of life usually goes down. That's why I prefer a functional medicine approach. My goal is to not have any chemical prescriptions on your list. Um, I look at the pillars of health. So your inflammation, your gut health, your detox capacity, your hormones, your nutrition, and your stress response because those are the systems that control lipid metabolism in the first place. When we fix those, the cholesterol often fixes itself. So using targeted nutrients like the ortho omega and fatty 15, it helps restore cellular integrity. It reduces that inflammation and it supports your mitochondria without shutting down your body's natural pathways. These omega-based interventions work with your physiology, not against it. So if you want to learn more about how to naturally balance your cholesterol, improve your lipid ratios, and support longevity from the inside out, you can schedule a functional medicine consultation with me at Harmony Hub Health. You can find me online at harmonyhubhealth.com. You can email me at Michelle, that's M-I-C-H-E-L-E at harmonyhubhealth.com. You can come and see me in person at Monarch Beauty and Spa in Manchester, Maryland. I love to dig into omega testing, into genetic testing, um, looking at inflammation markers and creating a personalized plan for you. I am also a provider for both orthomolecular and fatty 15. And I do have a provider code that you can use for Fatty 15 if you would like to try it for yourself. Um, and of course, this episode is for educational purposes only. It's not meant to diagnose, treat, or replace any medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medication or supplement. Um, and come and see me because at Harmony Hub Health, I don't guess, I test.