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Copyright: © Richard Jacobs
Epigenetics is the science of how DNA is controlled and how it's affected by the environment and the lifestyles we choose; sleep hygiene, chronic stress, and diet are just a few examples of lifestyle factors that can directly affect the expression of our genes. This may sound scary at first, but the silver lining is that epigenetics is dynamic, which means that unlike the genetic information that is fixed from birth, epigenetic changes can be identified and changed before causing health problems. This means your epigenetic profile, when understood properly, can be used as an immensely powerful tool in redirecting the course of your genetic fate. Tom Stubbs is the CEO of Chronomics, a company that's not only giving people access to their epigenetic information, but providing them with an analysis of what it all means for their health and future, and connecting them with a team of coaches who will help them to meet their desired goals—or rather, to redirect the course of their genetic fate. Stubbs joins the podcast to discuss exactly how the product works, as well as the science behind epigenetics and various forms of DNA modification.
Tune in, and learn more by visiting https://www.chronomics.com/.
Heart failure is a disease that currently affects nearly five million people in the U.S., and it's also a disease that's defined by cellular deficiency. What does this mean? According to Dr. Charles E. Murray, professor of cardiovascular pathology at the University of Washington, this means that there's actually a pretty simple solution to the problem: all we need to do is figure out a way to replenish the deficiency and promote heart tissue regeneration, and this is exactly what he's working on in his lab. By differentiating stem cells into human cardiac muscle cells, Dr. Murray has discovered a way to create an endless supply of heart cells. When injected into injured or dead portions of the heart, the cells begin doing exactly what they should—dividing, connecting with existing heart cells, and eventually beating right along with them. Re-muscularization of the heart in this way provides great promise for those who have heart attacks or deal with any variety of heart disease. Dr. Murray explains in detail the physiology of the heart, how differentiated stem cells are assimilated into existing heart tissue, the tools that are allowing for unprecedented research and new findings in the field, the relationship between the microbiome and heart function, and so much more.
Tune in for all the details, and find a recent TED Talk on the topic at https://www.ted.com/talks/chuck_murry_can_we_regenerate_heart_muscle_with_stem_cells?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare.
In this podcast, Dr. Paul Anderson of Anderson Medical Group discusses cancer treatment and the changing views toward integrative therapies.
Dr. Anderson is an experienced naturopathic medical doctor who has devoted his life to helping patients via integrative therapies. As the founder of Anderson Medical Group, Dr. Anderson works with patients to help them on their journey to fight cancer and stay in remission.
Dr. Anderson discusses the many options for cancer patients, in addition to the standard options of chemo, radiation, and surgery. He explains how diet, nutrition, clean eating, intermittent fasting, herbal extracts, intravenous therapies with natural substances, and exercise can all be considered as part of a comprehensive solution to help patients find their way back to good health.
The naturopathic MD explains the approach they take with their patients. Dr. Anderson talks about the restrictive policies of the past in regard to how the oncology community was once quite unaccepting of different approaches to cancer treatment. Today, however, and fortunately for patients, oncology doctors are seeing the vast array of benefits that alternative type therapies can offer to their patients.
Dr. Anderson talks about ways to help patients stay in remission, outlining the importance of diet, discussing other therapies, explaining why toxins need to be strictly avoided, and how cells are impacted.
After receiving a PhD in biomedical engineering, Jacob Koffler wanted to take what he'd learned into a new field where there was a big need for biomedical solutions and research. This desire led him into the field of spinal cord injury repair in 2010, when there wasn't much being done to advance treatments using the interdisciplinary approach of biomedical engineering. With a strong belief that tissue engineering could contribute to the development of a successful treatment for spinal cord injuries, Dr. Koffler has been working at UC San Diego with this goal in mind. On today's episode, he discusses the unique technique they're using to tackle this problem, which involves 3D printing, tissue engineering of scaffolds and longitudinal linear channels, implementation of stem cells to elicit nerve regeneration, and perhaps most importantly, a study of gene expression after regeneration has been elicited, in order to better understand it and promote additional regeneration. He describes the ins and out of the science behind this approach, and also touches on the difference between the peripheral and central nervous system when it comes to nerve regeneration, nerve growth and development in juveniles, the role of stem cells in spinal cord repair, the nature of ongoing studies in the field, and so much more.
Kim West, better known as The Sleep Lady, has been a family therapist for over 25 years and specializes in helping babies and children achieve healthy sleep, while ensuring that parents remain healthy and rested at the same time. She joins the podcast to discuss her book, Good Night, Sleep Tight, the path that led her to become a well-regarded resource in the area of sleep, and what she's learned along the way. She explains several methods for achieving healthy sleep patterns in babies under six months of age, including the controlled crying or graduated extinction, and full extension methods. But she also explains why neither method sits well with her, elucidating the benefits of her own method, which she refers to as parental fading or The Sleep Lady Shuffle. Kim West details why she doesn't recommend attempting any sleep coaching for children over the age of six, as it's critically important to first rule out generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the need for psychotherapy.
Interested in learning more? Tune in, and check out sleeplady.com.
"We're not primarily about HRV [heart rate variability]; HRV is just a way of measuring the state that we help people get into. We are a transformation business…we help people learn how to increase their self-awareness, regulate their thoughts, their feelings, their emotions, their behaviors, and the state that we help people create or access can actually be measured with HRV," explains Gavin Andrews, managing director of HeartMath.
While we go about our day, we encounter and respond to countless stimuli, some which slow our heart rate, some which speed it up, and some which seem to have no effect at all. And while most of us are acutely aware of what it feels like to have a pounding heart, few of us are aware of the constant fluctuation of our heart rate throughout the day. But according to Gavin Andrews, this variability in heart rate can reveal a tremendous amount of information about our physical, mental, and emotional states of health.
HeartMath is a system of tools and strategies for improving our ability to respond healthfully to the world around us, which will in turn be evidenced and measured by our heart rate variability (HRV). The technology being offered by HeartMath teaches us different ways to relieve stress, practice balanced breathing, and increase our ability to identify and control our own moods. Andrews joins the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of what HeartMath has to offer, as well as insight into his experience using HeartMath techniques for over 10 years. Check out heartmath.co.uk to find out more.
Tony Altar, PhD, Senior Scientific Fellow and Advisor of Verge Genomics, delivers a thorough overview of new mechanisms and treatments for brain illnesses.
Altar is helping to guide Verge forward with his 35+ years of experience helming CNS drug discovery and development teams, from initial concept to commercial productivity and success. Altar is the former Global Head of Neuroscience at Otsuka. During Altar's tenure he led his team in the discovery and FDA approval of aripiprazole (Abilify™) for multiple uses in bipolar disease, depression, as well as schizophrenia. Altar was also the Chief Scientific Officer at Assurex Health, CSO of Psychiatric Genomics, and he co-founded the Regeneron vision program, and led teams at Genentech.
Altar discusses his background and how he became interested in the brain and the potential problems that can develop. He talks about his time as a high school student when there was a lot of use of psychedelic drugs in the community. As a curious high school scientist in the making, Altar's scientific mind wondered… if a single molecule could create temporary psychosis and states of euphoria, etc. then could the mechanism of psychiatric illnesses perhaps share the same features? Completing his high school studies in advance, Altar began a volunteer position at the Neurobiochemistry Lab at the Brentwood Veteran's Administration, which accelerated his interest in disease and brain issues.
As Altar explains there are 20,000 genes, approximately, in the human body and the brain expresses almost half of those. And fortunately, it is now possible to study all 20,000 of them to understand the coding of proteins and measure mRNA in diseased tissue. The mRNA is 'messenger RNA,' a subtype of RNA. The mRNA are molecules that carry a portion of the DNA code to other parts of a cell for processing.
Altar discusses cell types and neurons and how various brain diseases impact them. He explains how some neurons are more vulnerable and thereby more susceptible to succumb to disease. He talks about the various methods and companies that are working toward solutions to treat schizophrenia and other mental health issues. Altar explains the mechanisms of Parkinson's Disease and how changes can be very subtle. He explains the loss of dopamine neurons and the impact that has, and he details some of the protective mechanisms and explains why cells die.
Altar talks extensively about enzymes, and brain injection therapies that are utilized for better results due to the fact that the brain is not easy to access, and intravenous solutions may or may not get to the brain.
Verge was founded by some of the industry's best machine learning experts and neuroscience drug developers. And Altar and his fellow Verge contemporaries are excited about the amazing advances in computational genomics and new insights into neuroscience that are creating great progress in drug discoveries, that can help combat neurodegenerative diseases.
Peter Sullivan, founder of Clear Light Ventures, discusses his extensive work in the environmental health community.
Sullivan has been an important voice in the environmental health community for many years. His work has been heavily focused in many important areas, such as toxic metals screening, electromagnetic field safety and awareness, as well as the environmental factors that play a role in autism. His company, Clear Light Ventures, seeks to improve overall human health and functioning via the removal of environmental health threats.
Sullivan talks about the journey toward his current career in environmental health, discussing his own health issues as well as his children's. He states that with chronic disease, by the time you notice symptoms, it's usually many things not just one thing, that is impacting your health and how you feel. Sullivan talks about all the gadgets, wearables, and other electronic devices that we take for granted and utilize, but what could they be emitting, and how could they be impacting our health? Sullivan discusses mercury poisoning and its effects, as well as the health symptoms and effects of various environmental toxins.
Sullivan introduces the ways we can all reduce our exposure to environmental toxins. He explains that there are many things we can do, such as either turning off our smartphones at night, or making sure that they are not sitting right by our beds when we sleep. Something as simple as moving the device away from your bed area could help a great deal. As he explains, dropping exposure can be achieved by distance, the further away we move the device from our bodies, the more we decrease our exposure. Sullivan goes on to discuss sperm damage and potential DNA damage, and how wireless radiation could be one of the big suspects.
Sullivan talks about other ways we can keep ourselves safer. We can turn off phone chargers, routers, and anything that is receiving or emitting, that could be causing potential health issues. The environmental toxins expert goes into detail on some of the kinds of meters that are available on the market such as EMF meters and meters that measure wireless radiation, magnetic fields and electric fields, and other factors. All of these, along with dirty electricity, are to be avoided if at all possible. You can also seek out the help of an expert who specializes in the area and can make assessments for you in your home.
Sullivan's work on detoxification and EMF has been featured in many current books and periodicals and he is a celebrated authority and expert in the field of environmental toxin exposure.
Prior to becoming an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Columbia Basin College, Dr. Zana Carver immersed herself in the world of biological research, where she learned a lot about the way chemicals move through and interact with the human body. But perhaps more than anything, her drive to become the author of The End of Chronic Fatigue sprang from her experience with the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, and the consequent surgery to remove her entire thyroid.
On today's podcast, she discusses her experience as a patient on thyroid suppression hormone (TSH) for over ten years and what it was like to be taken off of TSH in the direction of her doctor. She also talks about the differences between T4 and T3 levels, recent research on and the relationship between chronic fatigue syndrome and low thyroid hormones, what happens to reverse T3 in our bodies when we're under stress, misdiagnoses associated with thyroid problems, and a load of insight into the biochemistry of thyroid disorders.
Learn more by visiting thyroidcode.org, and find her book on Amazon.
In this podcast, Cecelia Doucette, Technology Safety Educator, Education Services Director at Wireless Education, talks in-depth about the many potential toxins in our environment.
Doucette is a technical writer and public health safety advocate. Her extensive background in the understanding of, and writing about, technology has motivated her to now educate the public and work for important policy change.
Doucette provides an overview of electromagnetic fields, commonly referred to as EMFs, and the ways they are impacting our general health. She discusses wireless technology and how the now ubiquitous digital technology introduced significantly more electromagnetic fields into our environment that we come in contact with daily. Doucette says that these EMFs are affecting our bodies on a cellular level.
Doucette is a leader in the fight to change public policy. She helped push Ashland Public Schools in Massachusetts to become the nation's first to implement, Best Practices for Mobile Devices. Doucette delves into other work she has been involved with in terms of public health, and she outlines how EMFs can affect our health. She delivers information on how we all can do more to avoid potential threats, such as home-based solutions—hardwiring cellphones to access the internet, and so much more. And she explains the steps she took to hardwire her own home. Doucette talks about the satellites and antennas in our environment and how they too could impact our health.
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