Short Summary: Deep dive into preventive medicine, personalized nutrition, and systems biology, providing listeners with actionable insights on optimizing health through diet and microbiome management.
About the guest: Dr. Momo Vuyisich is a biologist with a background in government science, focusing on drug development before shifting to preventive medicine. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Utah and has extensive experience in systems biology. He is currently Chief Science Officer of Viome, a startup company dedicated to personalized health through microbiome analysis.
Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.
Episode Summary: Dr. Momo Vuyisich discusses the transformative potential of preventive medicine by drawing parallels between human health and systems biology, particularly through the lens of the gut microbiome. He explains how Viome uses comprehensive testing (stool, blood, saliva) to analyze over 100,000 molecular markers, providing personalized dietary and supplement recommendations based on individual physiological data. The conversation covers the complexity of diseases like IBD, the impact of modern lifestyle on our microbiome, and how personalized nutrition can be key to preventing chronic diseases.
Key Takeaways:
Health is Multifactorial: Diseases and health are influenced by genetics, diet, microbiome, hormones, and environmental factors, not just by one aspect.
Disconnection from Nature: Modern lifestyles have disrupted our symbiotic relationship with nature, leading to microbiome degradation through factors like antibiotics, preservatives, and hygiene practices.
Personalized Nutrition: Viome's approach involves tailoring food recommendations and supplements to an individual's unique microbiome and physiological needs, highlighting that food impacts can vary greatly between individuals.
Testing for Prevention: Regular testing (every 6-12 months) with tools like Viome's full body intelligence test can help in making informed dietary changes to prevent diseases before they manifest.
Lifestyle Over Medication: Many chronic conditions can potentially be managed or prevented through lifestyle adjustments rather than lifelong medication, emphasizing the need for a preventive rather than reactive health strategy.
Cooking at Home: Encourages listeners to cook at home with whole foods to avoid the hidden risks of processed foods in restaurants, suggesting practical ways to make this enjoyable and manageable.
Data Security: Viome ensures data privacy by separating identifiable information from molecular data, using RNA analysis which changes over time, thus enhancing privacy.
Future of Medicine: The vision is to make preventive health assessments free, with the cost covered by healthcare systems recognizing the long-term savings from reduced chronic disease incidence.
Related episodes:
M&M #178: Microbiome & Gut-Immune Interactions in Obesity & Metabolic Health | June Round
M&M #172: Immune System, Gut Microbiome, Vitamin D, Cancer, Innate Immunity, Inflammation & Gut-Immune Interactions | Caetano Reis e Sousa
*Not medical advice.
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Episode transcript below.
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