How Can Dr. Casey Means’ “4 & 4” Food Checklist Restore Your Cellular Energy?

What Are the 5 Key Metabolic Markers You Must Track to Prevent Chronic Disease?

Combat chronic inflammation and fatigue with insights from Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means. Learn to interpret the five critical health metrics, implement the “4 & 4” dietary strategy, and optimize your cellular function for a longer, healthier life.

Stop guessing about your metabolic health and start fixing it today. Continue reading to access the full breakdown of the “4 & 4 Food Checklist” and the specific lifestyle habits that eliminate energy-draining inflammation.

When your cells lack energy, chronic health issues like arthritis, migraines, depression, obesity, infertility, and more start to surface. Ignore an energy-deficiency too long, and you race toward serious illnesses like heart disease or Alzheimer’s. But if you get your cells the energy they need and get yourself in a state of cell energy abundance, then your body knows how to prevent chronic health conditions.

Why Most of Us Have Overworked and Energy-deficient Cells

It starts with how much sugar we consume. Today’s average American eats roughly 30 times more fructose than a century ago. Pair this excess sugar with refined grains (found in ultra-processed snacks) and inflammatory cooking oils, and it’s like we’re allowing an invading army into our bodies. These dietary invaders trigger our immune system to sound the ‘inflammation alarm,’ forcing cells into energy- rationing mode so our bodies can win the war. On top of that, over 80,000 synthetic chemicals, like microplastics in our air, water, and food, bombard our bodies and keep them inflamed.

We might stand a fighting chance against the invaders if we got immune-strengthening support from adequate sleep and frequent movement. Instead, we sleep 25 percent less than we have evolved to sleep—mostly due to artificial light at night and addiction to screens—and spend much of the day sitting despite having bodies designed for constant movement.

Dr. Casey Means has identified five key health metrics that indicate whether you’re losing the cellular energy war:

1. Waist size greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men (larger waist size means excess visceral fat, a dangerous type of fat that surrounds vital organs like your liver, intestines, and spleen, which generates chronic inflammation).
2. Triglycerides higher than 150 mg/dL (high triglycerides mean excess fat is trapped in your bloodstream, making you insulin resistant).
3. Fasting glucose higher than 100 mg/dL (elevated fasting glucose is an early warning signal of looming insulin resistance).
4. Blood pressure higher than 130/85 mmHg (high blood pressure indicates your body is chronically inflamed).
5. HDL cholesterol lower than 50 mg/dL (low HDL cholesterol means your body struggles to clear fat and cholesterol from your bloodstream).

If you commit to avoiding those five metabolic red flags, you’ll significantly extend your lifespan, improve your quality of life, and be around for the people you care about for longer.

The first step to improving your five numbers is changing what you eat and how you eat. As Dr. Casey Means says, “Food determines the structure of our cells.” Without the right foods, our cells simply can’t function optimally.

The 4 & 4 Food Checklist

Four foods I always keep stocked in the fridge (often prepped on Sundays):

1. Unsweetened probiotic food (like unsweetened yogurt, sauerkraut, or miso). Much of the inflammation in your body starts with poor gut health, so enhancing gut biodiversity with fermented foods helps dramatically reduce inflammation.
2. Cruciferous vegetable (like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, or arugula). Cruciferous veggies are packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, and micronutrients that your mitochondria (your cells’ energy generators) need for peak performance. Easy tip: Swap regular rice with cauliflower rice.
3. Quality protein (like grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish and seafood, or pasture-raised eggs). Protein preserves muscle mass, which acts as a critical glucose-absorbing sink protecting you from insulin resistance.
4. Fiber powerhouse (like chia seeds, black beans, or lentils). Fiber-rich foods feed your gut bacteria, which produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that lower inflammation and support healthy cell function.

Four essential eating-related habits for optimal daily energy:

1. Record everything. Even if it’s just a cracker, I open my pinned “Food Log” note in Apple Notes and quickly add it to the bottom of the note. This daily practice creates awareness, accountability, and opportunities for improvement. I review this log once a week and create a new rule around the “big three” inflammatory foods—added sugar, refined grains, and unhealthy fats (any fat that is not virgin avocado, olive, and coconut oil, or grass-fed butter and high-quality animal fat).
2. Eat dinner early. Late meals trigger larger insulin spikes and nudge me closer to insulin resistance, so push for early family dinners and skip evening snacks. Going to bed slightly hungry improves sleep quality.
3. Eat mindfully. I put away my phone and turn off the TV during meals so I can savor every bite. I eat slowly to notice the different flavors and textures. Mindful eating prevents overeating and improves digestion.
4. Walk after meals. According to Levels Health data, adults experience a 30% smaller glucose spike after meals when they take a gentle, 10-15 minute walk. Therefore, after big dinners, I suggest a family walk instead of immediately sitting on the couch and watching TV.