Finding Genius Podcast

Nessa Carey, author of Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance, discusses the interesting field of epigenetics. Carey talks about the basics of epigenetics. Epigenetics is a scientific discipline that investigates and explains many things that cannot be succinctly explained by genetics alone. It seeks to answer the puzzling questions, such as how two things that are genetically identical can in fact be different from one another. Her field of epigenetics hopes to explain why different biological outcomes are possible. Epigenetics, as she states, refers to another level of information that is added to the DNA script. The scientific author discusses stem cells, specifically focusing on the zygote, and the embryonic stem cell. Epigenetics informs our understanding of the complex structure and behavior of all biological life on Earth. It helps us to more fully grasp why simply mapping an organism's genetic code is not nearly enough to determine how it will develop or act. Epigenetics, as Carey explains, is a broad topic. It demonstrates how nurture and nature can combine to successfully engineer biological diversity. Carey discusses gene expression in a fetus, and how it can affect an individual for life. She discusses the connection between mother and fetus. And she talks about the passing of genetic information in the animal kingdom. Carey explains how they work with organisms in their study. She delves into a discussion of Darwinian evolution and how it relates to her area of study—epigenetics. Continuing, she discusses chronic conditions that people suffer from, such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, etc. and why they take such a long time to develop. Carey is deeply involved with scientific studies and her work and writings in the field of epigenetics are truly must-reads for others in the field.

Janet Bennett, Speech Pathologist and founder of I Just Want To Sleep (ijustwanttosleep.com), provides an overview of her innovative treatment that can help people achieve more relaxing sleep. Bennett is a successful Speech Pathologist with a private practice in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. She is passionate about her work as it is very personal and rewarding. Imagine helping someone learn to speak again after having a stroke. Imagine the joy a mother experiences as her brain-damaged child speaks to her for the very first time. These are powerful moments and Bennett takes pride in her work helping others. Bennett talks about her background and discusses her innovative program. She states that she's been in the business of speech pathology for over 40 years and for the past 25 of those years she has specialized in treating tongue thrust. She discusses treatment and some of the various problems that can develop due to tongue thrust, such as buck teeth or an open bite. The key is that tongue thrust can cause someone to swallow incorrectly. She recounts the amazing story of a 14-year old football player who had come to her for treatment, and how, to his family's surprise, her treatment ended his thunderous snoring. He acknowledged that his treatment had not only eliminated his snoring problem, but that he was more focused, was now making better grades at school, and he had even improved his speed on the field. This particular case was a true epiphany for the veteran speech pathologist, and marked the beginning of her work specifically to treat snoring. Bennett explains mouth breathing, and how tongue exercises can train your tongue to live at the roof of your mouth, forcing you to breathe more naturally through your nose. She discusses nitric oxide, which helps regulate the body and rejuvenates the body, and is produced by breathing through one's nose. Bennett discusses how she made a checklist of various conditions that her patients suffered from, such as dry mouth, restless leg syndrome, sweating, heartburn, insomnia, high blood pressure, etc. After treatment, she says 94% of people stopped snoring. She explains her exercise program and how it is implemented. Bennett's IJustWantToSleep® program is unique. It's a tongue exercise program that has been proven to stop troublesome snoring that is due to mouth breathing and also incorrect tongue position.

Dr. Moshe Szyf, one of the preeminent pioneers in the field of epigenetics, provides an interesting overview of his life's work and specialization in social epigenetics. Dr. Szyf earned a PhD from the Hebrew University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Genetics at Harvard Medical School. Working, researching, and educating through his James McGill Professorship and as a GlaxoSmithKline-CIHR Chair in Pharmacology, Dr. Szyf is breaking new ground in the field of epigenetics. Dr. Szyf discusses his background, 40 years of scientific research in epigenetics devoted to understanding how genes can be programmed, with an intense focus on how different experiences in life impact their programming. Dr. Szyf's lab proposed that DNA methylation is a chief therapeutic target specific to cancer as well as other diseases, and they provided the initial set of evidence supporting the concept that the 'social environment' early in life may in fact alter DNA methylation. His lab's work essentially debuted the field that is known today as, social epigenetics. The research scientist talks in detail about some of his early observations with rats, discussing how rats that lick their pups more frequently effectively alter their pups' lives for when they become adult rats themselves they will have different stress responsivity and different characteristics. Thus, high maternal care shapes the lifelong behavior and physical characteristics of their offspring. Dr. Szyf's work, as he states, is focused on fully grasping how these actions and behaviors alter how genes are programmed. Dr. Szyf discusses the methods they use to study specific epigenetic changes, discussing in detail—proteins, DNA, and the various factors that impact genes and gene programming. Dr. Szyf talks about the many broad areas of application that the study of epigenetics can lend support to, from understanding aging to disease development. Dr. Szyf provides a wealth of information on the changes in cancer cells, systemic changes, and the specific alterations in various genes. And he discusses epigenetic approaches to manage/prevent/intervene in cancer without needing to resort to the traditional, and toxic, solutions currently used to treat cancer in the modern world of medicine. Dr. Szyf is the co-director of the Sackler Institute for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill and an esteemed Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Experience-based Brain and Biological Development program.

What is the function of dreams? Why do we dream at all, and why do we remember so little of them when we do? These are just a couple of the questions that drove Michael L. Perlis, Ph.D., to dive into the world of sleep medicine and research when he was still in his early twenties. Today, he is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and spends most of his time conducting research on insomnia, placebo, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia research. He joins the podcast to discuss a number of interesting subjects, including REM sleep and dreams, lucid dreaming, subjective experiences in insomnia, the need for more CBT for insomnia therapists, his opinion of the idea that establishing a sleep hygiene routine can fix sleep problems, how insomnia may have evolved, and so much more. Press play for all the details and visit www.cbti.directory to find a CBTI specialist near you.

In this episode, Niny Rao gives us an energizing chemistry lesson and shares findings from her research on the acidity and antioxidant activity of coffee. Rao, an associate professor of chemistry at Thomas Jefferson University, aims to provide home brewers with an understanding of coffee brewing chemistry so that they can apply that knowledge when customizing their own cup of joe. You can find Rao on Twitter @NinyRao or email her directly at niny.rao@jefferson.edu. If you are a world traveler and a coffee lover, you can check out one of the international coffee expos in countries including Tokyo, Costa Rica, Brazil, or Thailand. There will also be a Specialty Coffee Expo in Portland, Oregon in April of 2020.

Wolfram Zimmermann, professor and lab researcher at the University Medical Center Göttingen, delivers an interesting overview of his lab's work. Zimmermann discusses heart failure and what exactly happens to the heart, and the solutions that his lab is seeking to bring to reality as medicine advances. Zimmermann's lab focuses heavily on research related to remuscularization of the failing human heart and the development of engineered heart muscle (EHM) for clinical applications in heart failure repair. Additionally, the lab is interested in multiplexing EHM and combinations with other engineered macro organs specifically for applications related to the new discovery of regenerative therapies. Zimmermann discusses the depth of his research and their hopes for the future. In regard to advances in myocardial tissue engineering and heart regeneration, we can now see that with the availability of human pluripotent stem cells, the sophisticated engineering of human myocardium for direct and significant therapeutic applications, or as a type of model system for realistic simulations of human heart pathologies, is now possible. Zimmermann talks about the development of their laboratory technology and how it will affect their future. He discusses the building of tissue and the regulatory requirements that have an impact on their work. He discusses the evidence that shows his lab's approach is relatively safe, and discusses safety concerns in general. And he outlines the various cellular elements and explains how the transplantation of engineered tissue patches that contain specific cells are used for cardiac repair.

Shawn Faver is an advanced posture therapist who currently works as a physical education coach for children, focusing on healthy posture for improved mobility and overall quality of life. Faver has a background in kinesiology and is invested in learning as much as he can about the body in order to be able to help anyone in any situation. Faver notes that students as young as seven years old are already reporting neck and back pain. He also regularly observes forward neck posture, putting weight on toes when standing (which puts pressure on the back), and shortened hamstrings. He attributes this to the amount of time spent sitting and/or looking at screens. Luckily, posture is more manageable when we are young. Faver states that after having his PE class students do five minutes of posture intervention three times a week for two months, the posture of over 63% of his students improved significantly. Faver also refers us to StandUpKids, an organization dedicated to combatting the health risks of prolonged sitting by encouraging standing desks in school. In addition to the physical health benefits, standing desks have been shown to improve student engagement in classroom activities. Click play to learn more about Faver and posture therapy, including some tips and tricks you can try yourself. For continued education, visit Faveryourself.com and Standupkids.org

Richard Jacobs, entrepreneur and founder of The Good Night's Sleep Project, discusses their AI-powered, custom-tailored pillow line that is creating a stir in the sleep industry. Jacobs talks in detail about his own personal experience struggling to get good-quality, restorative sleep. For many years, he struggled with sleep – just like a lot of people do. Physician after physician simply told Jacobs he was stressed, anxious about his life and business. He was prescribed pills, and given all kinds of advice but nothing worked. Frustrated, Jacobs knew there had to be a solution, so he created it himself. The Good Night's Sleep Project has developed the world's first handmade, custom-tailored pillow that has literally changed people's lives overnight, as many of them experience the first restful night's sleep they've had in months, possibly years. As Jacobs explains, we can all remember those days in which our sleep the night before was so restful that we woke up feeling full of energy and ready to take on the day. But for most of us, sadly, those days are few and far between. Jacobs talks about his own experimentation with nasal strips, new mattresses, humidifiers, head pillows, knee pillows, huggable pillows, and more. Sadly, nothing worked completely, though the combination of many things helped somewhat. After finding some relief but not complete relief, Jacobs focused on the pillow, and sought to find a way to improve it. As he explains, he has a particular body type, with wide shoulders, so if he can get a prescription for glasses that are tailored specifically to his needs then why wasn't there a pillow option on the market that could be tailored to his specific body measurements? Jacobs decided to build the pillow. He began focusing on the ways that AI and machine vision could be integrated into his design process to extract customized measurements from people who were seeking a better night's sleep. Jacobs' app will take your picture and extract all the vital measurements that are needed to then custom-build a pillow for you and you alone. He states that when we sleep on our side, our back, etc., these various positions create potential problems for sleep, and thus Jacobs devised a process to deal with nearly every issue that could arise, so he could design and produce a pillow that really worked, and would provide a better night's sleep for people. The Good Night's Sleep Project head pillow keeps your spine, head, and neck in an aligned position that prevents discomfort and allows for quality restorative sleep. Jacobs' company is also developing customized huggable pillows that help keep the body in a good position so great sleep can occur. In addition, they are focused on a knee to ankle pillow that improves lower spinal position and thus enhances comfort in a healthy, supportive manner. And lastly, a hand pillow which provides needed support for the arm and hand rounds out their full sleep line. Jacobs talks about the future of their project, which will delve into mattresses and more—all with the unified goal of helping people sleep better.

Charlie Bailes, Founder and CEO of CB Supplements (cbsupplements.com), delivers an overview of the many types of supplements we can add into our lives to improve general health. Bailes talks about his background and what led him to launch the company. He explains how the birth of his first child, who suffered many types of childhood illnesses, motivated him to look at life, and health, differently. After many visits to asthma doctors, various pediatricians, and emergency rooms, Bailes knew that he had to do his own research to find another path to improve his daughter's ailing health. Bailes read over a hundred books and engaged in extensive research, and he began to form opinions based on what he'd learned. He made the connection between health and food and began experimenting with dietary changes for himself first, to see how he would be impacted. After much experimentation he found the way, and introducing certain dietary changes into his daughter's diet had a drastic impact—improving her health immensely. Collagen, Bailes states, was a huge piece of the puzzle, and one of the many factors in his daughter's, and his own, health improvement. Bailes believes that collagen could be the missing food group within our daily diet. He believes that collagen should be in a group by itself, equal to other important ones such as fats, carbs, and protein. As collagen is a specific type of protein found naturally in our own bodies, in our skin, hair, nails, muscles, tendons, bones, blood vessels and even our digestive system, its importance to the body is undeniable. Bailes talks about his path to launching CB Supplements. He details the health benefits of bone broth and some of the other ingredients that are in his supplements. As Bailes explains, our diets are extremely important for our metabolic health and many of the illnesses that are plaguing society today could perhaps be eliminated or at least diminished by making dramatic dietary improvements. He expounds on his own personal benefits from the daily intake of collagen, and how it makes him experience less pain and feel much better overall. Collagen has an incredible amount of benefits in general. With aging, collagen production slows and this can produce wrinkles, as well as many general aches and pains within our bodies. It reduces our hair density, creates skin problems and for some—creates a nagging leaky gut situation. Wrapping up, Bailes talks about the many and various health-improvement products and supplements that his company offers. And he talks about his passion for helping others improve their health.

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and while this may seem like a waste of time, Dr. Howard Hindin assures us the time we spend sleeping has important implications for how good the other two thirds of our lives are. When we sleep, we consolidate memories, our immune system repairs itself, and our body gets rid of wastes. One night of poor sleep can change the immune system, increase chronic inflammation, and affect brain function. This can have compounding affects when experienced regularly. Our airway health could be affecting the quality of our sleep, and the real kicker is…we may not even know it. Click play to hear Dr. Hindin, DDS, talk about the importance of airway health, collaborative healthcare, and quality sleep. He is the co-founder and chairman of the Foundation for Airway Health and a partner and founder of the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD). Dr. Hindin is passionate about airway health and encourages you to become an advocate as well. October 2 is Global Airway Health Day; sign up to be an advocate at www.airwayhealth.org. He also encourages practitioners and non-practitioners alike to visit www.AAPMD.org