Nutrigenomics, 2

Nutrition offers different substances to an organism that can work as energy supplier (carbohydrate and fat), as cell structure sources (proteins), and on metabolism control (vitamins and minerals), thus maintaining its homeostasis or balance. The brain and body work most efficiently when everything is in balance. The nutritional state of an individual is the result of the interaction between various factors, such as genetic background, physical body, and emotional and social state. Food is a key role factor. The nutrients and other bioactive compounds present in food can either be beneficial or initiate disease. Illnesses related to food consumption include celiac disease, phenylketonuria, and Nontransmissible Chronic Diseases, or NTCDs. These include cancer, diabetes, and dislipidemies (e.g., Familial combined hyperlipidemia). An individual’s state of health depends on the interaction between their genes and the food they eat. The goal of Nutrigenomics, along with other omic sciences, is to clarify the interaction between genes and bioactive compounds from food sources. More tomorrow.

Nutrigenomics

Nutrigenomics. I find these new labels and even new sciences so interesting. Nutrigenomics is one of them. Recently I completed filming a set of mini podcasts entitled “The Doctor Within.” It should be available on my website by the end of May, if not sooner. It outlines ways in which you can help to support your amazing immune system. You may be aware that the field of Nutrigenomics studies how the food you eat and your environment impact your health. This relatively new science is designed to connect a patient's symptoms and/or/diseases with their genetic profile, food they eat, and their environmental habits. The search for knowledge regarding healthy/adequate food has increased in the last decades among the world population, researchers, nutritionists, and health professionals. Since ancient times, humans have known that environment and food can interfere with an individual's health, and they have used food and plants as medicines. Food itself can be a good medicine or a detrimental disaster. More tomorrow.

Pass It On!

I am enjoying the expressions of appreciation and heart-felt thanks that are being posting on social media. Gratitude strengthens the immune system—the person who gives and thanks and the one who receives it. That’s one thing I hope will continue when we have all pulled through this pandemic together. It reminds me of this anecdote. A little boy came home one day from school and gave a paper to his mother. “My teacher gave this paper to me and told me to only give it to my mother.” His mother’s eyes teared up as she read the letter to her child: "Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have enough good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself." Many years after his mother had died and this little boy had grown, he was looking through old family things in her desk. When he saw a folded paper in the corner of a drawer, it read, “Your son is addled. We won’t let him come to school anymore.” That little boy was Thomas Edison, the genius of the 20^th Century. He had always been so, but his genius came to the world because of one person—his mother—who believed in him enough to teach him how to believe in himself. Years later, when a reporter from the New York Times asked Edison how it felt to fail 999 times as he looked for the filament of a light bulb, he answered, “I did not fail 999 times! I simply found 999 ways that did not work!” Is there someone who needs you to believe in them? It could change the rest of their life!

FOMO Pluses, 2

I communicate with individuals via email and texting and find it interesting—as always—how individual brains are responding to this physical distancing, and even to being willing to take additional protective measures. Do I like wearing masks? No. Didn’t like it when I was a nurse epidemiologist and dealing with communicable diseases in the health system I worked for. Don’t like it now. Am I wearing them if I go out? You bet! I wear them now on my weekly foray for fresh food. I haven’t filled the car tank with gas (petrol) in weeks. Will this guarantee I will stay infection free? No guarantees in life except death and taxes, as my little French grandma used to say . . . but it will likely increase the odds considerably. Yes, it is likely easiest for Introverted brains who try to minimize excess stimulation anyway. More difficult for ambiverts, especially if the lean toward the Extroverted end of the EAI Continuum. Likely most challenging for Extroverts. But in their search for brain stimulation, just look how creative they have become! Entire choirs of individuals, each with their own picture on the computer of TV screen. Talk shows with each host on a split screen. The human brain is amazing! Tell it thank you for helping us get through this—together.

FOMO Pluses

It’s very easy to think of FOMO in terms of what you are missing out on in any given moment. If you want to change the way you feel, you must change the way you think. How could you do that with COVID-19? Think of what you “get” when you must give up something. There is always a “gift,” if you look for it. For example: a serious reduction in the $ spent on gas or petrol; able to sleep in a bit longer in the morning (even if you are working remotely); having the family actually eat at least one if not two or three meals together every day; getting to create new recipes with whatever food supplies are on hand; not having to shave every day or put make-up on every day; actually watching some movies together . . . and the list goes on. I miss traveling and speaking. Take that back: I miss the people I meet when I travel (those 15-20 hour plane flights plus layovers are not missed!) and the pleasure of sharing brain-function information with others. On the other hand, I am writing more and figuring out scripts for mini podcasts—and having a great time. If you have been fortunate enough to avoid the virus or have recovered from it try GIMO:  Glad I Missed Out!

FOMO Australia

In an Australian study commissioned by viagogo, 70 percent of those surveyed reported they had experienced FOMO—and far more than once! Interestingly, they were more likely to be members of Gen-Y or female. One of the interesting conclusions from the study was that Facebook is the worst culprit for triggering this ‘missing out’ phenomenon. Nearly 5,000,000 Australians say they experienced FOMO after using Facebook. Yes, I have a Facebook page (Arlene R. Taylor PhD Brain Function Specialist), which I check every couple of months or so. When I mentioned that while I was talking about FOMO, the response was: “Well, you got a life.” That was the best laugh I’d had all week. Currently, social media is actually HELPING everyone deal with the pandemic. So, you see, almost anything can be positive or negative depending on the circumstances and your mindset. More tomorrow.

FOMO 2020

It’s been several years now since I heard someone use the term FOMO—the fear of missing out on something. I just heard it again the other day. Yes, in these days of sheltering in place, self-quarantining, FOMO has been raising its head all over again just using different verbiage—and this time there are genuine concerns related to employment, graduation, work, and the risks associated with this latest pandemic. The fear of not having enough toilet paper, or hand sanitizer, or face masks, or gloves . . . and it’s real. The fear of not getting to do all the fun stuff around graduation; the fear of “getting older while we’re waiting to get married!” It’s not funny—we might as well laugh, however, because it is the new reality and laughter helps strengthen the immune system-–exactly what everyone needs right now. What does FOMO have to do with the brain? Everything. Because everything begins in the brain.

On one of my lecture tours “down under,” I heard about a FOMO study that had been done in Australia. I pulled out my notes about that. More tomorrow.