Intro (0:00)
News and Views (1:18)
While Sarah is not 100% better, she has more energy than she has had in a long time
Build-a-Bear now has sloths
Sarah is getting ready for the Nutritional Therapy Association conference which is this upcoming weekend, and she will be in the Portland area when this show airs
She is giving a talk on Friday morning and is on a panel discussion on Friday afternoon
On Saturday she will just be hanging around the conference
She is very excited because this trip because it is such a great conference
Sarah will be talking about sleep this year, inspired by her passion for her Go to Bed program and the science behind the role that sleep plays on our overall health and wellness
Sarah shared more about the prioritization of sleep
Science with Sarah (11:33)
Genetics vs. epigenetics - the definitions
There are many mechanisms with genes that are influenced by diet and lifestyle
Epigentics are inheritable as well - we do inherit some signals from both our parents' and grandparents' environments that control which genes are turned off and turned on
We can override those on/off switches with our own diet and lifestyle choices, but the science helps us understand why there is a predisposition for certain diseases with epigenetics
We only understand the very tip of the iceberg on this topic, and in isolated specific conditions, but it is a field of science that is exploding right now
Sarah thinks that this scientific field will lead to tremendous advances in how we define an optimal human diet
Turning the tide of public health by educating our children on diet and lifestyle choices
Motivating healthier choices throughout the generations
Questions & Answers (27:27)
Emma - How exactly does gene expression work? Did my grandparents' diet and lifestyle really help shape who I am? What about my great-grandparents? Do genes really turn on and off? How is this possible? If I were to marry, say, a lifelong smoker, how much of an impact would this genetic "tag" have on our offspring?
There are both a genetic predisposition to inheriting a disease and an epigenetic predisposition to inheriting a disease
For example, there are a few variants of genes that have much higher risks of autoimmune diseases
Sarah shared more examples of gene variants that have a higher risk for various diseases
We have this whole separate set of genes that are turned on and turned off based on diet and lifestyle, exposure to toxins, hormone environment, stress, sleep, infection, gut micro biome - and all of the gene expressions impacted from these variables are inheritable
So yes, a lifelong smoker would create a genetic impact on their kids
The paternal link is just as strong as the maternal link
Sarah's appreciation for how her health journey has educated her choices and brought her to where she is today
Jessica - if family members have autoimmune conditions, should I adopt an AIP diet to prevent acquiring one?
Stacy suggests trying to be aware of what the autoimmune trigger foods are and either avoid or limit them
However, it may be hard to stay strict AIP based off of a genetic disposition
If you start having symptoms it may motivate you to make those changes, but taking the approach to first build awareness around what the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods are, and consuming as much of those healing foods as possible
Understand the key concepts behind the autoimmune protocol and why they work
Learning about adequate nutrient levels
Taking it from the nutrient density focus as opposed to the elimination focus with be hugely beneficial
Don't ignore the lifestyle factors and work on those
There is a whole class of autoimmune diseases that occur with hormonal changes - partner with a healthcare provider who can help you monitor these changes
Monitor how you feel, and look into health challenges if and when they arise
Thanks everyone for listening! We will be back again next week!
Outro (57:25)
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