Your Brain Doesn't Get Sick Overnight: Genetics, Alzheimer's & the Business of Chronic Illness ၏ စာသားမှတ်တမ်းအပြည့်အစုံ

00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:35.759 He started misplacing money, he started driving down the wrong side of the road. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:39.759 Um, and again, my mom is the one dealing with most of that. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.399 Um, but little by little she started losing pieces of him, memories. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:54.319 He lost his independence, he was unable to recognize familiar things or people, and there's this level of hopelessness that comes with it, right? 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:59.040 You want to fix it, you want to bring them back, you want to stop whatever's happening in their brain, right? 00:04:59.120 --> 00:04:59.839 But you can't. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.040 And eventually my grandfather passed away, right? 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:12.319 Years later, I get my own genetics because my journey has led me to this point, and I discovered that I have the APOE4 slash E4. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:23.920 So suddenly the experience of all of that took a completely different meaning in my life because now I had information about my own risk and I started asking a lot of questions. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.199 What does this mean? 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.319 What's happening inside the brain when Alzheimer's develops? 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:30.079 What role does cholesterol play? 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.120 What about insulin? 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:32.480 What about inflammation? 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:39.680 Most importantly, what can I learn about my own health today that might help me make better decisions for the future? 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:46.560 Not because I think it's a guarantee, but I do believe we create our own reality. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:06:00.000 So if I know things that directly protect my brain and my body from combining and working against me that can lead me to that disease, I want to catch it while it's just dis-ease, right? 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:12.639 Now, recently I listened to an episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast with Stephen Bartlett, and he had a guest on his episode, um, and her name was Louisa Nicola, and she studies brain health. 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:26.399 The conversation that they had focused on something that I think everyone needs to understand, and it's that the changes involved in Alzheimer's disease can actually begin long before someone starts having memory problems, sometimes even decades. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:42.000 Now, that doesn't mean that everyone in their 30s is gonna develop Alzheimer's, but it does mean that by the time someone is forgetting names, getting confused, or having trouble with everyday tasks, changes inside the brain may have already been happening for years. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:47.680 And it really bothered me because think about how we usually approach brain health, right? 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:56.879 Someone starts forgetting things, they begin having trouble finding words, they get confused, their family notices, and that's when they start investigating

it, right? 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.959 But what if the problems were actually developing 20 years earlier? 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:03.759 What if their blood sugar had been running too high? 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:07.040 What if their body had been struggling to use insulin properly? 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:09.759 What if their blood vessels were becoming damaged? 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:14.000 What if poor sleep or other health problems had been adding to their risk? 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:15.920 Okay, wouldn't we want to know? 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:17.600 I would want to know. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:24.240 Now, not everyone with high blood sugar develops Alzheimer's, and not everyone with high cholesterol develops dementia. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:31.199 But we do know that the health of your heart, blood vessels, and metabolism matters for the health of your brain. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:42.480 And I think we need to start having that conversation much earlier because your brain doesn't suddenly become connected to the rest of your body when you turn 70, it's been connected the entire time. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.319 So let's talk about my genetics. 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:50.720 Okay, APOE is a gene that helps your body manage and move fats, including cholesterol. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:08:00.160 Now, most people hear cholesterol and immediately think heart disease, but your brain actually needs cholesterol and it helps build and maintain brain cells. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:05.680 It helps protect nerve fibers and it plays a role in how the brain cells communicate. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:14.000 Now, there are three common versions of the APOE gene: APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:18.079 You inherit one copy from each biological parent. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:21.600 I inherited two copies of APOE4. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.800 So on my genetic SNPs, it shows up as APOE4 slash E4. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:37.200 Having two copies of the E4 means I am associated with much higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:40.159 Okay, APOE3, E3 is the most common type. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:43.039 That is the one where your body is actually protecting you from it. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:45.279 Here's what I want you to understand. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:53.279 Having those two um genetic variants of E4 does not mean that I am going to develop Alzheimer's Alzheimer's, right? 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:55.440 It means my risk is higher. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:56.720 That's the difference. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:01.039 In my world, you do create your own reality. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:04.960 So why I look at genetics the way that I do is because it's not a death sentence. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:06.879 And a lot of times people think that it is. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:11.279 I have people come into my office all the time and they're like, oh, my mom had this, her mom had it. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:12.480 It runs in our family. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:12.960 Okay. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.559 That is not how it works. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:18.799 It can run in your family for sure, but it does not mean you are destined to get it. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.799 The more information we have, the better we can make informed decisions. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:26.240 Now, why does APOE4 matter? 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:36.559 Because researchers have found that this version of the gene can affect how the brain handles fats, responds to inflammation, and clears away certain proteins. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.960 One of those proteins is called amyloid beta, and I want you to picture this. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:44.080 Your brain is constantly doing maintenance, right? 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:52.559 Your cells are working, they're communicating, they're producing waste, and your body has systems that help manage and clear away that waste. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:57.759 Amyloid beta is one of the substances involved in Alzheimer's disease. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:02.559 When it builds up abnormally, it can form clumps called plaques. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:11.440 Researchers are studying how APOE4 affects that process along with other changes involved in Alzheimer's. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:18.799 So when I found out I had APOE4E4, I wanted to understand what else was happening in my body. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:24.799 And when I looked at the rest of my genetic report, I started noticing some interesting things. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:29.440 My inflammation pathway was also rated a very high impact. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:32.720 My oxidative stress pathway was high impact. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.480 My memory and brain health pathway was very high impact. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.000 My blood vessel health pathway was high impact. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.759 My blood sugar and insulin pathway was a medium impact. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:47.679 My pro-inflammatory fat pathway was a very high impact. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:52.159 Now, another one too, my choline pathway was a really high impact. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:53.600 These are all genetic findings. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:55.120 We're gonna kind of dig into them. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.799 They don't mean that I currently have these problems, right? 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:02.799 They're not a what is happening in your body right now. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:07.600 They are what you are genetically hardwired to have a predisposition to. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:14.399 Okay, so they do tell me that there are areas of my health that I should start paying attention to now. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:16.639 And here's where things start connecting. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:22.799 Okay, so let's start with blood sugar because I think this is one of the most important things that people need to understand. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:28.639 When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks many of them down into sugar.

00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:34.639 That sugar enters your bloodstream and your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.279 Think of insulin as a key, right? 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:43.279 Its job is to help your cells take in sugar so they can use it for energy or store it for later. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:49.600 Now, imagine over time the locks on those cells stop responding as well to the key. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:55.759 Your body keeps making insulin, but your cells aren't responding the way that they should. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:57.600 That's called insulin resistance. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:04.399 And here's what happens: your body may start producing more and more insulin to get the same job done. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:10.879 So for a while, your blood sugar may still look normal because your body is working harder to keep it there. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:15.519 But eventually the system can struggle and blood sugar can start rising. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:19.039 Now, what does any of that have to do with dementia? 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:20.240 Actually, a lot. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:25.919 Because when blood sugar stays too high for too long, it can damage your blood vessels. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:32.399 And your brain is filled with tiny blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:35.519 Think of those blood vessels like little roads. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:40.000 They're constantly delivering everything your brain needs to function. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.879 Now imagine those roads becoming damaged. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:49.759 Traffic slows down, deliveries become less reliable, and the cells depending on those deliveries can suffer. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:53.440 That's one way that poor blood sugar control can affect the brain. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:54.720 But there's another piece. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:59.200 Insulin also helps with communication inside the brain. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:08.000 Researchers are studying how problems with insulin signaling may be connected to the buildup of proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:11.679 So you may have heard Alzheimer's called type 3 diabetes. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:21.840 Now, that is not an official medical diagnosis, but the term comes from research exploring the relationship between insulin problems and Alzheimer's. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:23.360 Here's my question. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:31.679 If insulin resistance can develop years before someone has diabetes, why aren't we paying attention to it earlier? 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:42.720 Why are we waiting for blood sugar to become a major problem before acting, especially when we know that metabolic health and the brain health are connected? 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:52.159 Because for someone like me who already has APOE4E4, this is information I want to understand now, not 20 years from now. 00:13:52.639 --> 00:14:02.480 Now let's talk about cholesterol, because I think cholesterol is one of the most misunderstood things in healthcare, and we've been taught to think of cholesterol as something bad. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:05.200 But cholesterol itself isn't bad. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.120 Your body actually needs it. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:12.639 It helps build your cells, it's used to make certain hormones, and it's essential for your brain. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.799 Here's where things get complicated, though. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:22.639 There's a difference between the cholesterol your body needs and having too much LDL cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:32.320 LDL is often called bad cholesterol, and when LDL levels are too high, it can contribute to plaque building up inside your arteries. 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:34.559 Think of your arteries like pipes. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:42.320 Over time, plaque can build up along the inside, and that can make it harder for blood to flow properly. 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:44.559 Now, why does that matter for dementia? 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:48.240 Because your brain needs a constant supply of blood. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.360 Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:57.840 And when the blood vessels supplying your brain become damaged, it can affect how well your brain works. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:02.320 This is one reason heart health and brain health are so closely connected. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:08.320 But there's another piece that's particularly important for me or for people like me with APOE4. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:16.720 Because APOE helps manage fat and cholesterol, and APOE4 version can affect how those fats are handled. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:23.440 Now, the cholesterol inside your brain isn't exactly the same as the cholesterol inside your blood. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:33.679 Your brain makes most of its own cholesterol, but APOE4 can affect how cholesterol and other fats are moved and managed inside the brain. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:39.600 Researchers are studying how those effects and those differences may influence Alzheimer's risk. 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:44.799 So when I look at my APOE4E4 result, I don't just think about memory. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.159 I think about cholesterol. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:54.480 I think about blood vessel health, I think about inflammation, and I think about how all of those things can affect the brain over time. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:56.879 Now there's something else I want to explain. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:00.799 Your brain has something called the blood brain barrier. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:03.759 And I want you to picture it like a security team. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:14.080 Its job is to help control what gets into your brain from your bloodstream, and it helps keep harmful substances out while allowing the brain to receive what it needs. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:20.399 Researchers are studying how APOE4 may affect

this protective barrier. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:26.320 And if that barrier isn't working properly, it may contribute to problems inside the brain. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:33.120 So now we're talking about cholesterol, blood flow, inflammation, and the brain's own protective system. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:35.120 And they're all connected, right? 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.919 So that brings me to inflammation. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:42.960 Let's talk about it because I want you to understand what inflammation actually means. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:46.240 It is part of your body's defense system, right? 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.440 If you cut your finger, your body sends help to that area. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:54.000 It brings in immune cells, it starts healing the whole healing process. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:56.159 Okay, that is inflammation doing its job. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:01.440 But what happens when your body stays in a state of ongoing inflammation? 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:05.839 Well, that defense system gets overactivated. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:07.759 And that's where problems can develop. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:16.160 Because instead of helping the body recover from something temporary, ongoing inflammation can start contributing to damage. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:19.519 And your brain has its own immune cells. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.680 Okay, they're called microglia. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:25.680 Think of them as the brain's cleanup and security crew. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.200 They help protect brain cells and respond when something is wrong. 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:36.319 But when inflammatory activity becomes poorly controlled, those same systems can contribute to damage. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.000 Researchers are studying how that happens in Alzheimer's disease. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:46.319 Now remember, my genetic report showed a very high impact inflammation pathway. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:55.440 That doesn't mean that I'm walking around with high inflammation, but it makes me interested in how my body responds to inflammatory stress, right? 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:56.960 This is why we do your blood work. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.759 I want to see what your inflammation markers are, especially mine. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.680 Then there's oxidative stress. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:02.160 Okay? 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:07.200 Now, I know that sounds like a complicated term, but there is an easy way to understand it. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:10.240 Your cells are constantly producing energy. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:17.039 And just like a car produces exhaust when it runs, your cells produce certain byproducts when they make energy. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:20.319 Some of those byproducts are called free radicals. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:24.160 And your body has systems that help keep them under control. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:30.720 But when too many build up and your body can't manage them properly, they start damaging your

cells. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.720 Okay, that's oxidative stress. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:38.960 And your brain is particularly sensitive to that kind of damage because it uses so much energy. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.440 Now, here's where everything comes together. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:46.240 Poor blood sugar can contribute to damage in blood vessels. 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:50.079 Damaged blood vessels can affect the brain's blood supply. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:53.680 Ongoing inflammation can affect brain cells. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.880 Oxidative stress can damage those cells. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:07.279 And problems with the little energy-producing structures inside our cells called mitochondria can make it harder for those cells to function properly. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.240 Here's what I want you to hear out of all of that. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:13.359 These problems can feed into one another. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:15.200 One can make another one worse. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.680 They're like the hype people in a rap song, right? 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:24.240 Over time, they can contribute to the conditions that increase someone's risk of cognitive decline. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:27.599 Now, dementia isn't one single disease. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:35.599 Alzheimer's is the most common cause, but there are other forms, including dementia caused by blood vessel damage. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:40.960 Sometimes people have more than one type of brain damage happening at the same time. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:53.200 So this isn't as simple as saying high blood sugar causes Alzheimer's, but it does help explain why we need to stop treating the brain like it's separate from the rest of the body because it's not. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:59.200 And once you understand that, the conversation about prevention becomes a lot more interesting. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:05.839 Now, I want to specifically talk about women because women are more likely to be affected by dementia. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:16.240 And I think we need to talk about what happens to the brain during perimenopause and menopause because estrogen doesn't just affect your menstrual cycle, it actually affects your brain. 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:24.799 It plays a role in how brain cells communicate, it influences blood vessel health, and it helps regulate how the brain uses energy. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.519 During perimenopause, estrogen levels can go up and down dramatically, right? 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:32.640 And eventually during menopause, they decline. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:37.680 Think about how many women start experiencing brain fog during this time. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:48.000 They forget words, they struggle to concentrate, they walk into a room and forget why they're there, their sleep changes, their anxiety changes, they're exhausted, and what are they told? 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.039 It's stress, it's aging, it's menopause. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:52.640 Welcome to menopause, right? 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:56.880 I think we need to take those changes more seriously than we do. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:00.480 Because hormones affect so much more than reproduction. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:08.000 And when you add genetics, blood sugar, sleep, and inflammation into the conversation, things become more interesting. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:18.000 Researchers are studying how APOE4 may interact with hormonal changes and brain health, and that's why I believe women's health needs to be approached individually. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:29.200 Because two women can be the same age, going through the same stage of life, and have completely different experiences, and their needs may be completely different as well. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:36.720 Fun fact that usually pisses me off is the first study that included women was in 1993. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:46.240 Because prior to that, the people conducting and paying for the studies didn't understand hor women's hormones and how to account for them in the studies, so they just kicked us out. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:51.759 Especially around um anxiety and depression meds. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:59.440 But also, fun fact 70% of the people who are prescribed anxiety and depression meds are women, so we're getting prescribed these things. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:03.039 I don't Much higher rate without them being studied on our bodies. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.279 Do with that information what you will. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:11.839 Okay, so let's let's get a little unhinged, as if that quick little rabbit hole wasn't unhinged enough. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:20.720 Let's let's do it some more because we just spent a lot of time talking about how blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, hormones, and cellular health can affect your brain. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.960 And I want to I want you to think about something. 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:33.359 If we know that problems in these areas can contribute to disease over time, why does our healthcare system spend so much money treating disease after it develops? 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:35.200 Some of these are rhetorical, I know. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:42.000 But why aren't we putting just as much attention into understanding and addressing these problems earlier? 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:45.440 And here's where I'm gonna say something that usually makes people uncomfortable. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:49.200 But again, if you've watched my TikToks or whatever, you know I'm not for everyone. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:55.119 Truth is, we live in a country that makes an extraordinary amount of money off of sick people, and that is the truth. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:55.599 Okay? 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:58.880 Chronic illness is an enormous business. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:10.079 We have an entire system built around medications, procedures, specialist appointments, hospitalizations, and managing conditions that people may live with

for decades. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:19.680 And somehow we're supposed to believe that the financial structure of this system has absolutely no influence on what gets researched, funded, marketed, or prioritized. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:21.039 Come on. 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:31.759 Now, I'm not saying every physician is part of some conspiracy, but I am saying you don't need a conspiracy when the financial incentives are already right in front of you. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:40.079 And I believe that until those incentives change, we're going to have to be willing to look beyond the traditional American medical model. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:43.359 That means reading research from other countries. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:45.680 That means studying emerging therapies. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:24:09.119 And yes, that means paying attention to anecdotal experiences because I'm tired of people acting like someone's lived experience becomes completely irrelevant the moment they say the words there isn't a clinical trial, or it's not FDA approved, or that's not a symptom that people experience as a result of that medication or treatment. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.640 It happens all the time. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:20.319 People come into my office every single week telling me that their MD prescribed something, they had a different side effect, they asked their doctor about it, the doctor said that's not a cause of that. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.279 What do you mean? 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:24.720 Because they didn't have that symptom until they did that treatment and now they have it. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:26.720 What do you mean? 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.640 I understand anecdotal evidence is not the same as proof. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.559 I get it, but it is information. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:36.160 And sometimes information is where discovery begins. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:39.039 So before anybody comes for me, let me make this clear. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:43.119 These are my personal beliefs, informed by my own studies and research. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:44.720 This is not medical advice. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:49.680 I am sharing what interests me, what I'm investigating, and why. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:56.000 So now that I've given you my little disclaimer, let's talk about peptides, because in my opinion, this is where things get really interesting. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:01.440 We've spent decades telling people struggling with their weight that they need to be more disciplined. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:04.960 Eat less, move more, calories in, calories out, stop making excuses. 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:06.400 You're just lacking motivation. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:18.799 And then along come these medications that work with the body's hunger and blood sugar signals, and suddenly people are describing changes in hunger and cravings that they struggled to achieve for years. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:19.759 Imagine that. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:23.359 Maybe metabolism is more complicated than willpower. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:24.079 Mm-hmm. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:29.599 Okay, so we have semiglutide, which works on a hormone pathway called GLP1. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:35.279 We have trusepatide, which works on two hormone pathways, GLP1 and GIP. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:41.440 And then there's retitrutide, which works on three pathways, GLP1, GIP, glucagon. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:50.640 Now, I've also seen, and I haven't been able to confirm it or not, but I've also seen that there are new GLP4s coming out, which is wild. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:53.039 I'm super intrigued to see what that looks like. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:26:09.200 Um, but what's fascinating to me about these compounds is they aren't just about eating less, they're affecting how the body handles blood sugar, how it responds to insulin, how it manages energy, and how different systems communicate with each other. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.839 People describe food noise quieting down. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:18.160 They talk about feeling less controlled by cravings, they describe improvements in their relationship with food. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:25.200 And beyond those experiences, we've seen meaningful weight-related and metabolic changes in human studies. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.880 But here's where my mind goes. 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:40.000 If poor metabolic health is connected to cognitive decline and we have compounds that can influence metabolic health, why wouldn't we be asking bigger questions about their potential role in long-term brain health? 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:44.000 Especially for someone like me because of the APOE4. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.759 APOE4. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:51.200 Okay, I have genetic findings involved in blood sugar and insulin regulation. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.240 I have genetic findings involving inflammation. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:57.920 Okay, I watched my grandfather deteriorate from dementia. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:04.079 So when I look at metabolic medicine, I'm not just thinking about somebody losing 20 pounds. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:07.920 I'm thinking about what's happening inside that person's cells. 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:10.559 So this brings me to a peptide called MOT-C. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.440 MOTC is a peptide connected to the mitochondria. 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:14.960 It is one of my faves. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:21.119 And so the mitochondria are like little batteries inside all of our cells and they help produce energy. 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:25.759 Think of them as like tiny little power plants and they help keep your cells running. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:36.400 In um experimental use communities, people describe MOTC in connection with better stamina, improved workout performance, more energy, and better recovery. 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:44.240 Researchers are also studying its relationship with insulin sensitivity and how the body responds to exercise.

00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:56.559 And that tickles my brain because now we're talking about how our cells are managing energy and how they respond when the body is under stress and how these processes may influence overall metabolic health. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:00.079 That's the kind of cellular medicine that gets me so excited. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.440 Let's talk about another one. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:03.119 Five amino 1MQ. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:18.720 And technically, it's not a peptide, it is a small molecule, but it comes up in a lot of the same conversations because it works on an enzyme called NNMT, which is involved in how the body handles certain nutrients and energy-related processes. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:26.799 And in experimental use communities, people are reporting changes in body composition, stubborn fat, and energy levels. 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:33.519 Researchers are interested in how that pathway may influence fat storage and metabolism. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:35.039 Here's why I care. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:39.440 Because body fat isn't just something we look at in the mirror. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:47.279 Fat tissue is active, it sends signals throughout the body, it influences hormones, it can affect inflammation. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:54.640 So we're talking about metabolic health, but we're also talking about a lot more than just appearance. 00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:56.400 Now let's talk nervous system. 00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:06.160 Um, specifically one called Celank, and this one is interesting to me because of my own experience with anxiety medications and memory issues. 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:12.240 So Celank was developed in Russia and it's been studied for its possible effects on anxiety. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:18.319 Another one is CMAX, and that one is to help with cognitive ability and things like that. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:32.960 Um, but essentially, people who share their experiences with Csank are experiencing calmer, less mental chatter, handling stress better, and feeling mentally clearer without feeling heavy heavily sedated. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:44.079 Okay, and that catches my attention because why wouldn't we want to investigate different ways to support the nervous system before jumping straight into anxiety or depression meds? 00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:48.000 Why wouldn't we want to understand how those compounds work? 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:53.279 Why would we dismiss research simply because it wasn't conducted in the United States? 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:56.319 Science doesn't stop at the American border. 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:58.319 And that's really my point, right? 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:00.799 I'm not saying that everyone needs peptides. 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:04.480 I'm not saying every compound discussed online works. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:11.119 And I'm certainly not saying that we can inject our way out of poor nutrition, chronic stress, and never exercising. 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:27.680 I'm saying that I believe we're still learning an enormous amount about how the body works, how our cells communicate, how mitochondria produce energy, how hormones affect the brain, how inflammation affects our health, and how genetics may influence all of those things. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:33.759 And when I look at my own genetic report, I don't see a reason to sit back and wait for something to go wrong. 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:46.160 I see a reason to keep learning, to ask questions, to understand my blood sugar, to pay attention to cholesterol, to prioritize muscle, to protect my sleep, and to stay informed about emerging areas of medicine. 00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:48.400 Because here's the part that really bothers me. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:57.359 We're often much more comfortable talking about managing disease once someone has it than we are talking about everything that may have happened prior to that diagnosis. 00:30:57.440 --> 00:30:58.799 And I think it's backwards. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:06.480 I want to know what's happening before someone develops diabetes, before somebody has a heart attack, before someone starts losing their memory. 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:12.400 I want prevention to be more than a five-minute conversation about eating vegetables and exercising. 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:20.319 I want it to involve understanding the individual, their genetics, their blood work, their family history, their lifestyle, and their overall health. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:23.839 Because the body isn't a collection of separate problems. 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:28.240 Everything is connected, and I believe healthcare should start to reflect that. 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:31.359 So don't come for me because I'm willing to question the way things are done. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:38.640 Don't come for me because I read research from outside the United States, and don't come for me because I think people's experiences need to be heard. 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:41.519 I'm not asking you to agree with everything I believe. 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:47.279 I'm asking you to assume that everything worth knowing has already been discovered because it hasn't. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:32:00.640 And if questioning a system that makes an enormous amount of money off of chronic illness makes me a conspiracy theorist, then I guess we're gonna have to get comfortable with me asking really uncomfortable questions because I have no intention of stopping. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:10.160 My own journey here does include a little mini exposure experience, whatever, to what it looks like to lose your memories. 00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:21.359 And in my lowest point of my healing journey, rock bottom, if you want to call it, I was on five different meds all at the same time, and I literally had zero short-term memory at all. 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:24.400 I would say the same thing over and over. 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:31.920 I would forget what I told people, I was having

a hard time knowing the difference between reality and like my dreams. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:34.240 It was just a very confusing state. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:47.599 And now obviously that's different because it was due to the side effects of medications, but I also have a couple different genetic mutations that put me at a higher risk to not metabolize my medications as quickly or as appropriately. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:52.799 Those things need to be taken into consideration before prescribing someone with something. 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:56.400 Think about how this type of information can change people's lives. 00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:05.519 And I'm not gonna turn this podcast into something that it wasn't intended for, but I do want to take a minute because mental health is something that is so near and dear to me because it is my journey. 00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:20.720 And I look at and became obsessed with the Lindsay Clancy trial and what that poor woman went through trying to get help with her postpartum depression and how many meds were introduced to her system, how quickly they were changed. 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:26.079 And do you know that not a single time did any one of those doctors check her blood work? 00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:27.279 Not a single time. 00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:37.759 They didn't look at her hormones, even though she was postpartum, they didn't check her thyroid, like she was trying to exercise, she was trying to eat well, like she was asking for help, she was doing all these things. 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:45.440 What if she had a genetic mutation that caused her to slowly metabolize medicine or be a fast metabolizer? 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:47.039 Those things matter, right? 00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:53.279 If you are a slow metabolizer of your medicine, it means it stays in your body for a hell of a lot longer. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:58.079 So when you take that new dose, you could still have some of that dose in your bloodstream. 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:05.119 You could be a fast metabolizer so that your body is burning through it way quicker and then the rest of your day you're unmedicated. 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:07.920 It can create some of these ups and downs and these yo-yos. 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:10.880 Don't you see how that could be impactful in medication? 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:16.239 Not to mention that the medications that she was being given, a lot of them weren't even studied on women. 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:26.960 So they have no idea how our hormone cycles can contribute to the absorption, the use, the clearance, or the impact of the medications that she was given. 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:28.480 And she's just one, right? 00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:36.719 There are women in general, women's health is something that I could go on a tangent about because it's really frustrating. 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:42.960 In her case specifically, the world has lost three tiny humans that didn't deserve what they were given.

00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:49.199 And she also didn't deserve the treatment that she was given, and that needs to change. 00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:53.519 I experienced my own, you know, struggles. 00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:02.320 I was never suicidal and started having suicidal tendencies once I was on medications and switching psychiatrists and all of these different things. 00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:04.880 And this med didn't work, this one caused this side effect. 00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:14.639 It why wouldn't we look into things like Celank or CMAX or blood sugar or insulin or hormones from a functional perspective instead of a conventional one? 00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:17.440 Like, there's just so many other things that we could do. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:22.880 Now, let's talk about things that we can control because those are things outside of our control at this point. 00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:32.480 Um, one of the things that they were talking about in the um podcast with Louisa Nicola is the research involving strength training and brain health. 00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:41.920 Um, one of those studies was called the SMART trial, and researchers looked at older adults who were already experiencing some problems with memory or thinking. 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:46.239 And they had participants do strength training twice a week for six months. 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:50.000 They found improvements in certain measures of thinking and memory. 00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:51.199 So think about that. 00:35:51.440 --> 00:36:04.159 We're talking about people who were already experiencing cognitive changes, and researchers found that building strength was connected to improvements in how their brains performed on certain tests. 00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:06.239 Here's what I keep coming back to. 00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:08.800 I don't always feel like working out. 00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:09.280 Okay. 00:36:09.519 --> 00:36:12.639 Sometimes I have a million other things that I'd rather fucking do. 00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:14.320 Sometimes I'm tired. 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:16.559 Sometimes I don't want another obligation. 00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:24.239 And sometimes I think about my grandfather, I think about my APOE result, and I force my body to do something that I don't really feel like doing. 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:33.840 Okay, because it is a hell of a lot easier to prioritize annoying things when you understand the impact of not doing that annoying thing on your body. 00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:34.559 Right? 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:44.480 I think about what we're learning about exercise and brain health, and suddenly lifting weights doesn't feel like something I'm doing just to look better in and out of my clothes. 00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:49.840 It feels like something I'm doing for the person I want to be 50 years from now. 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:52.480 Because muscle isn't just about appearance. 00:36:52.719 --> 00:37:03.599 Muscle helps your body use blood sugar, it supports your metabolism, it helps you stay strong and independent as you age, and exercise benefits your heart, your blood vessels, and your brain. 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:11.599 Now, lifting weights isn't a guarantee against Alzheimer's, but it's something that I can choose to prioritize. 00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:18.079 And knowing my genetics gives me a reason to do that, and that feels incredibly personal, right? 00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:19.679 The workout hasn't changed. 00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:25.280 My reason for doing it has, my motivation on the days where I'm not motivation, motivated also has. 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:32.239 And I think that's something that a lot of people are missing because sometimes we don't need another person telling us to do the exact same thing. 00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:35.039 We need to understand why it matters, right? 00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:37.440 Why do I need to exercise? 00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:41.760 Why do I also have better results in the gym three days a week versus five? 00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:46.639 Well, I also have genetic mutations that cause me to need more recovery time. 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:48.639 So I'm not a five-day-a-week person. 00:37:48.719 --> 00:38:01.440 I'm a three-day-a-week person, and in between each of those, I'm doing gentle body weight exercises at home or yoga or meditation or whatever, a walk in the outside with the dogs, whatever that looks like, right? 00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:09.920 Your why matters and you deserve the education that is out there and is available to tell you your why. 00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:14.559 Now, another part of that interview that caught my attention was creatine. 00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:21.280 And I think this is a perfect example of why we need to stop thinking about supplements only in terms of what they're marketed for. 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:35.119 Because most people associate creatine with bodybuilding, building muscle, improving workout performance, but creatine also helps your cells manage energy, and your brain uses an enormous amount of energy. 00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:45.119 So think about everything your brain is doing right now: helping you breathe, processing what you're hearing, storing memories, controlling movement, keeping your body functioning. 00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:47.119 All of that requires energy. 00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:53.920 Okay, and creatine plays a role in helping your cells quickly restore the energy that they need. 00:38:54.320 --> 00:39:00.719 In 2025, researchers published a small study involving 20 people with Alzheimer's disease. 00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:10.559 Participants took creatine for eight weeks, and researchers found the amount of creatine in their brains increased by approximately 11%. 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:15.360 They also saw improvements in certain memory and thinking tests. 00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:17.440 Now, yes, it was a small study. 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:24.159 No, it didn't have a placebo group, do with that what you want,

but I think it's fascinating. 00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:26.639 Okay, you also do need to be intentional with creatine. 00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:29.599 We want to make sure your kidneys can handle it, all these different things. 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:39.360 But it's fascinating because now we're talking about brain energy and whether supporting the way brain cells produce and use energy can influence how they function. 00:39:39.599 --> 00:39:47.360 That's the kind of research that gets me excited about the merge of cellular medicine and genetics, right? 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:57.679 Because sometimes the most interesting discoveries aren't about brand new compounds, sometimes they're about understanding something familiar in a completely different way. 00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:06.000 So there's another genetic finding in my report I want to talk about because I actually see it a lot when I'm going over genetic reports with my clients, and that is something called choline. 00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:14.880 My report rated my choline pathway as very high impact, and it identified a variant involving a gene called PEMT. 00:40:15.039 --> 00:40:20.639 If you've read the book Dirty Genes, that is one of the super seven that he talks about in that is PEMT. 00:40:21.039 --> 00:40:26.159 Choline is a nutrient that your body needs, and it helps build cell membranes. 00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:33.039 It also supports how your body handles fats, and it's used to make a chemical messenger called acetylcholine. 00:40:33.280 --> 00:40:39.280 Acetocholine helps nerve cells communicate and is involved in memory and attention. 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:46.000 PEMT is a gene involved in helping your body make a substance called phosphatidylcholine. 00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:49.599 That's a type of fat that's important for cell membranes. 00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:55.440 Certain PEMT variants may influence how much choline a person needs from their diet. 00:40:55.599 --> 00:41:01.760 So when I look at my genetic results, I become interested in whether I'm consistently getting enough choline. 00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:10.880 Not because of just the genetic result or that it proves I'm deficient because it doesn't, but because it gives me another reason to look more closely at my nutrition. 00:41:11.039 --> 00:41:15.440 And I think it's an example of why personalized nutrition matters. 00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:20.880 Because two people can eat the exact same diet and have very different nutritional needs. 00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:28.719 And that's why I don't believe everyone should automatically be following the same supplement protocol or nutritional diet without knowing this information. 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.480 Now, fun fact because you know I'm kind of unhinged today. 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:38.000 Do you know the type of food that can give you a lot of choline very easily? 00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:39.039 Eggs. 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:41.519 Specifically the yolk inside the egg. 00:41:41.760

--> 00:41:46.400 Do you also know what food doctors told everybody to be afraid of? 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:50.159 Eggs, specifically the yolk of the eggs? 00:41:50.800 --> 00:42:09.360 Do you understand that when um right around the time that the first statin came out, um, Big Pharma and the food pyramid, all of that, decided that egg yolks were really bad for you, and they also decided to lower your cholesterol from 200 to 150. 00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:14.639 And do you understand that having adequate cholesterol actually protects your brain, especially as we get older? 00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:17.440 Do it that way you will. 00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:18.800 Mark that down. 00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:37.119 Okay, let's bring this conversation back to something that I think is one of the most important messages in this entire episode because we've talked about a lot APOE4, blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, hormones, creatine, peptides, resistance training, but none of that information is particularly useful if it doesn't change how we approach our health. 00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:38.719 And here's what I realized. 00:42:39.199 --> 00:42:44.320 Sometimes the hardest part of being healthy isn't knowing what to do, it's actually doing it. 00:42:44.559 --> 00:42:46.480 We know exercise is good for us. 00:42:46.639 --> 00:42:53.760 We know sleep matters, we know nutrition matters, we know managing our stress is important, but knowing those things doesn't automatically make them easier. 00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:55.679 Sometimes I don't feel like working out. 00:42:55.840 --> 00:42:58.800 Sometimes I don't feel like eating two hard-boiled eggs every morning. 00:42:58.960 --> 00:43:01.920 Sometimes I want to stay up late because I have a million things to do. 00:43:02.159 --> 00:43:05.679 Sometimes I just don't want to add one more thing to my schedule. 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:07.679 And sometimes I don't, right? 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:13.440 But when I keep, when I have my genetic results in mind, it gives me a different perspective. 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:16.880 I know I have APOE4E4. 00:43:17.280 --> 00:43:22.639 I know I have genetic findings putting me at a higher risk for inflammation and oxidative stress. 00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:28.079 I know I have a predisposition to struggle with blood sugar and insulin regulation. 00:43:28.400 --> 00:43:33.440 Okay, and I watched what those things combined can do to someone's brain. 00:43:33.599 --> 00:43:41.599 So when I think about strength training now, I'm not just thinking about building muscle, I'm thinking about maintaining my metabolic health. 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:44.159 I'm thinking about staying strong and independent. 00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:48.719 I'm thinking about the relationship between exercise and my brain health. 00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:50.719 I'm thinking about my husband. 00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:57.679 I'm thinking about my children, I'm thinking about my business, I'm thinking about my clients, my friends, my mom, my sisters. 00:43:58.239 --> 00:43:58.559 Okay. 00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:04.000 And when I'm Don't feel like doing it, I understand why it's worth making the time. 00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:06.000 The same goes for nutrition. 00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:09.199 If someone tells me to do one thing, I want to know why. 00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:11.840 What's it gonna do to my body if I don't eat those things? 00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:14.079 What's it gonna do to my body if I do? 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:21.679 Inside your blueprint, if you become a client of mine, you get foods that are superpowers, foods to limit, foods to avoid completely. 00:44:21.920 --> 00:44:23.440 Boom, easy. 00:44:23.840 --> 00:44:27.280 A lot of my clients come to me so overwhelmed. 00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:33.840 They typically bring in a box or a bag full of supplements that they are taking. 00:44:34.480 --> 00:44:36.400 That is all important information. 00:44:36.719 --> 00:44:42.159 Less is more, and being intentional is what we should be prioritizing, right? 00:44:42.719 --> 00:44:46.480 When someone tells me to do something, I'm not just following another dietary rule. 00:44:46.559 --> 00:44:49.679 I'm making an informed decision based on my body. 00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:51.280 Same thing with sleep, right? 00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:53.679 We know what we should be sleeping. 00:44:53.840 --> 00:45:03.760 But when you understand the relationship between sleep, blood sugar, heart health, brain function, it becomes a little bit harder to justify sacrificing your sleep night after night. 00:45:03.920 --> 00:45:06.480 Does this mean I'm gonna sleep perfectly every single night? 00:45:06.639 --> 00:45:10.880 Does this mean I'm gonna skip a girl's night and make sure I'm in bed by nine? 00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:11.440 No. 00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:14.159 You know, hang out with your friends is medicine too. 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:17.119 Being perfect isn't the goal and it doesn't even exist. 00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:21.039 One missed workout isn't gonna determine if you develop Alzheimer's. 00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:23.920 One bad night of sleep isn't gonna determine your future. 00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:28.000 One cheap meal isn't gonna undo everything you've worked hard towards. 00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:35.679 Okay, we're talking about the choices we make over time, and we're talking about understanding why those choices matter. 00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:48.480 Because here's what I believe: when you understand your biology, taking care of yourself becomes less about forcing yourself to do something and more about understanding why it's worth doing. 00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:49.840 That's powerful. 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:53.760 So many of my clients come to me with zero capacity to add new things. 00:45:53.920 --> 00:46:01.679 So we slowly start adding things into their life that compound on one another, and one day they do have capacity to meal prep. 00:46:01.920 --> 00:46:04.320 One day they do

have capacity to go to the gym. 00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:07.920 One day they do have the capacity to try and do hard things. 00:46:08.159 --> 00:46:12.159 Okay, this brings me to why I built being whole the way that I did. 00:46:12.320 --> 00:46:14.960 I don't believe wellness should be a guessing game. 00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:19.920 I don't believe everyone needs the same diet, and I don't believe everyone needs the same supplements. 00:46:20.159 --> 00:46:24.239 I don't believe everyone should be handed the exact same protocol. 00:46:24.480 --> 00:46:28.000 Now, are there basic things that benefit almost everyone? 00:46:28.239 --> 00:46:29.119 Absolutely. 00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:38.400 Movement, good nutrition, sleep, adequate bowel movements, minerals and hydration, taking care of your heart and metabolic health. 00:46:38.639 --> 00:46:45.599 Okay, but how we prioritize those things and when can and should look different from person to person. 00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:52.000 That's why we look at health through multiple lenses: physical body, emotional body, energy body. 00:46:52.320 --> 00:46:58.320 From the approach of a functional medicine, natural medicine, spiritual medicine, and cellular medicine. 00:46:58.559 --> 00:47:03.119 Your genetics helps us understand what you may be more likely to struggle with. 00:47:03.280 --> 00:47:07.440 Your blood work shows us what is happening in your body right now in this moment. 00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:14.320 Your symptoms and your health history understand how that per like how these things are showing up in your body, what you may be experiencing. 00:47:14.559 --> 00:47:23.840 And if you did watch a lot of your family members be exposed to something or die from certain diseases, that's going to impact what you're spending your mental energy on. 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:24.320 Right? 00:47:24.400 --> 00:47:30.079 If it's always in the back of your head, it's taking up real estate, it's taking up really important parts of your life. 00:47:30.159 --> 00:47:32.639 And even with that, we want to give you peace of mind. 00:47:32.880 --> 00:47:37.199 We want to remind you that you are in control of way more than you think that you are. 00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:39.440 You do create your own reality. 00:47:39.679 --> 00:47:41.039 You're always manifesting. 00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:47.440 You name may not be manifesting what you want, so let's tweak it so that you are manifesting what you want instead of what you don't want. 00:47:47.599 --> 00:47:58.320 When someone comes to me exhausted, overwhelmed, struggling with weight, dealing with digestive problems, or feeling like they've tried everything, I don't want to simply hand them another generic protocol. 00:47:58.559 --> 00:48:06.159 I want to understand their story, I want to understand their biology, and I want them to understand why we're recommending what we're recommending. 00:48:06.320 --> 00:48:11.840 Because I don't want someone leaving Being Whole with their binder full of information and they don't know what to do with it. 00:48:12.079 --> 00:48:27.920 I want them to know why we're paying attention to certain things, why we're looking at certain markers, why their nutrition recommendations might look different from their identical twin sister, even, why we're focusing on particular areas of their health, because their genetics aren't the whole story, it's one piece. 00:48:28.079 --> 00:48:34.719 And when we understand how to use it, it can be an incredibly valuable piece of information. 00:48:35.519 --> 00:48:44.480 Now I want to finish by by bringing it all back because this is this is where the emotional side of this conversation really matters to me, right? 00:48:44.559 --> 00:48:47.679 Like I can't undo what happened to my grandfather. 00:48:47.840 --> 00:48:52.960 I can't undo watching my husband go through that with his grandmother, right? 00:48:53.360 --> 00:49:01.039 I I can't change what happened, but I can do what I can do to make sure that that isn't what I'm giving to my kids. 00:49:01.280 --> 00:49:13.360 I can make sure that I'm doing everything I can to ensure that I'm not spending the last 5, 10, 15, 20 years of my life in a nursing home slowly deteriorating. 00:49:13.599 --> 00:49:16.719 That is not the legacy that I want to leave behind. 00:49:16.960 --> 00:49:22.639 I don't use genetics and that information to make me afraid of my future. 00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:30.000 I I know that I don't want to spend the next 30 years worrying every time I forget where my keys are. 00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:34.800 I want to prioritize the things that we know. 00:49:35.039 --> 00:49:42.880 We know stress can affect memory, so I intentionally choose stress management things like meditation, fibroacoustic therapy, breath work. 00:49:43.280 --> 00:49:48.079 We know poor sleep can affect memory, so I make sure I'm in bed by a certain time. 00:49:48.239 --> 00:49:50.400 I make sure I have good sleep hygiene. 00:49:50.559 --> 00:49:54.960 I make sure that I use peptides like DCP when I'm really struggling. 00:49:55.280 --> 00:50:01.199 We know that medications can affect memory, so I'm doing everything I can to avoid needing them. 00:50:01.440 --> 00:50:08.880 We know hormonal changes can affect memory, so I track my hormones way more consistently than every six months when they do your blood work. 00:50:10.239 --> 00:50:14.159 We know that there are health conditions that can affect it also. 00:50:14.480 --> 00:50:18.079 Knowing my genetics means I have information I can use. 00:50:18.239 --> 00:50:26.639 It means I pay attention to my heart health, my blood sugar, my cholesterol, my sleep, my nutrition, my strength, and my overall health. 00:50:26.880 --> 00:50:28.960 It means I can keep learning. 00:50:29.119 --> 00:50:36.559 It means I can make more intentional decisions, not because I'm afraid, but because I understand why those decisions matter. 00:50:36.719 --> 00:50:38.480 And that's what I want for you too. 00:50:38.719 --> 00:50:43.360 I don't want you blindly following whatever wellness trend is popular on social media. 00:50:43.440 --> 00:50:48.000 And I don't want you taking supplements simply because somebody said that they changed their life. 00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:53.360 And I don't want you feeling like you failed because someone else's protocol didn't work for you. 00:50:53.599 --> 00:50:55.840 I want you to understand your own body. 00:50:56.079 --> 00:51:04.159 I want you to know what your health information is telling you, and I want you to feel like you're making decisions based on something more than guessing. 00:51:04.559 --> 00:51:07.360 That is why the Being Whole Blueprint exists. 00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:17.280 Genetics, blood work, health history, symptoms, and any other assessments we need to build a more personalized understanding of your health. 00:51:17.519 --> 00:51:21.519 Then we use that information to guide your individualized wellness plan. 00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:24.800 Your protocol shouldn't be based on what worked for somebody else. 00:51:24.960 --> 00:51:31.599 It should reflect your needs, your health, your goals, and your capacity as you sit there in front of me that day. 00:51:31.920 --> 00:51:35.280 You can learn more about the Being Whole blueprint at BeingHole.com. 00:51:35.519 --> 00:51:40.480 Before I go, I want to make sure you understand that your DNA is not a death sentence. 00:51:40.559 --> 00:51:44.079 It is information, and information can be powerful. 00:51:44.239 --> 00:51:53.280 Not because it guarantees that nothing bad will happen, but because it gives you an opportunity to understand your body and make more intentional choices. 00:51:53.599 --> 00:51:56.079 For me, this isn't just about living longer. 00:51:56.239 --> 00:52:06.079 It's about doing what I can to protect my quality of life, my independence, my ability to keep learning, creating, connecting, doing the things that I love. 00:52:06.400 --> 00:52:13.119 And I know that I want to be able to show up for my kids, my grandkids, and ideally my great-grandkids. 00:52:13.599 --> 00:52:20.800 So the next time you don't feel like working out or you're tempted to ignore something that you know matters for your health, I want you to think about your why. 00:52:21.199 --> 00:52:24.639 Not from a place of fear, but from a place of understanding. 00:52:25.119 --> 00:52:30.639 Because sometimes understanding why something matters is exactly what makes it worth doing. 00:52:31.599 --> 00:52:32.960 Thank you for being here today. 00:52:33.119 --> 00:52:36.559 Thank you for letting me share something a little bit more personal to me. 00:52:36.800 --> 00:52:39.119 Um yeah. 00:52:39.360 --> 00:52:48.719 Until next time, keep asking questions, keep learning about your body, and continue being the most whole version of yourself. 00:52:49.039 --> 00:52:49.920 Love you bye.