How Diet Influences Your Genes - House Call With Dr. Hyman Recap
Podcast: House Call With Dr. Hyman
Published: 2017-07-03
Duration: 9 min
Guests: Deepak Chopra
Summary
The episode delves into the profound impact of diet on our genes, microbiome, and epigenome, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these systems and the power of natural foods in promoting health.
What Happened
Dr. Hyman and his guest discuss the concept of 'Super Genes', which involves the interaction of our genome, microbiome, and epigenome. They highlight that while we are born with 23,000 genes, we acquire 3.3 million more genes from bacteria, making us significantly influenced by our microbiome. This microbiome, which is the first to interact with the food we consume, thrives on natural substances and is disrupted by artificial elements like antibiotics and refined sugars.
The discussion touches on Ayurveda's long-standing belief that food directly from nature is the best for health, emphasizing the six tastes that balance metabolism. Sweet tastes, for instance, should derive from complex carbohydrates and natural fats like ghee and avocados, rather than refined sugars, to avoid detrimental effects like 'sweet fat'.
They explore how lifestyle factors, such as sleep and stress, influence gene expression and metabolism. Poor sleep can disrupt hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, affecting metabolism and leading to increased abdominal fat, which acts as an endocrine organ.
The episode also examines how social interactions can affect gene expression, with positive connections enhancing health and negative ones leading to inflammation. This is supported by a study at the Chopra Center demonstrating significant gene regulation changes from meditation.
Meditation and breathing techniques are highlighted for their ability to influence gene expression. Techniques that stimulate the vagus nerve can alter the microbiome and increase levels of beneficial chemicals like oxytocin and serotonin, affecting stress and gut health.
The conversation concludes with the surprising finding that both our genes and microbiome 'listen' to our thoughts, underlining the power of practices like yoga to transform both mental and physical health.
Key Insights
- Humans are born with 23,000 genes, but acquire an additional 3.3 million genes from bacteria in the microbiome, which significantly influences health and metabolism.
- Refined sugars can lead to 'sweet fat', a detrimental effect on metabolism, while natural fats like ghee and avocados provide healthier sources of sweetness in diets.
- Poor sleep disrupts hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, leading to increased abdominal fat, which functions as an endocrine organ affecting overall health.
- Meditation and breathing techniques that stimulate the vagus nerve can alter the microbiome and increase beneficial chemicals like oxytocin and serotonin, impacting stress and gut health.