Gotta love science when it’s fun!
It’s starting to look like [diabetes, autoimmune disorders, or cancer] may be caused by [bad] epigenetic information passed down from our parents. I know! It’s such an unbelievable buzzkill! There’s no point in our lives when we can do anything without guilt anymore!
Do watch the whole thing. It’s less than 10 minutes long and will give you a great handle on epigenetics. Boy if I knew then what I know now, I so would be studying this!
Weight Maven is written by Beth Mazur. Beth believes that obesity is more symptom than cause and that the real problem is our Western diet -- especially sugar, refined grains, and industrial oils. Beth writes about nutrition, ancestral health & food policy. And cats!
“BOO EPIGENETICS!”
Love this guy. Wish all scientists (and teachers) had his gift for teaching. Of course the concepts are over-simplified-but he doesn’t pretend otherwise. In fact, his lesson (here) compels me to re-contemplate the complexities involved in human physiology. Lately, I’ve been pondering why *successful dieters* almost always assume that their own choices resulted in the outcome they desired-when, theoretically, epigenetic factors (beyond the individual’s ability to control) may have played a much greater role in *their* success than the seemingly apparent role played by their own *healthy choices*. Mind blowing. And, yes, great fun!
Thank you for introducing me to scishow. I really like it!
Love your blog name ;).
Now if only my blog didn’t suck ;-)
As a “successful dieter,” I will tell you exactly why I believe (not “assume”) my own choices resulted in my 65 lb weight loss that I will have maintained for four years in May. I am the product of two slender parents (my father was six feet tall, never more than 165 lbs; my mother was barely five-one never weighed more than 105 lbs) who had little interest in food other than as necessary for survival. I grew up slightly overweight; never the fat kid but NEVER a kid with visible ribs, I was always a voracious eater, open to all kinds of foods, never picky, always there for seconds, desserts, etc. Not athletic in the least. As an adult, I *did* get fat. I was up to about 200 lbs as I entered my late 20s (I’m 5’4″, just for reference). I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, PCOS) but did NOTHING about it even though I understood how dangerous it can be if not managed. I got into the 250s during my two pregnancies in my early 30s and stayed in the 200-212 lb range for several years after the 2nd child was born. At age 38 I decided ENOUGH, started exercising EVERY day, which I still do, and completely overhauled my diet from the typical processed convienience food to clean, whole foods in proper portion sizes. I lost 65 lbs in seven months and my insulin, blood sugar, thyroid, blood pressure and all the other things that metabolic syndrome can mess up are not only now normal but EXCELLENT. SO, my CHOICES to learn about, address and manage my “slow metabolism” aggressively and FOREVER rather than letting my body have “what it wants” (bagels, pizza, pasta, chocolate) is what resulted in my weighing 140 lbs for the last 46 years, rather than 205 lbs, and having a body fat % of 13.4% as opposed to 30%. Now if it were all about genetics, wouldn’t I have naturally turned out just as slim and uninterested in food as my parents were? I could say, if i wanted, that metabolic syndrome is “beyond my control” and I just have to accept that being overweight is part of the deal, but I DON’T. I make the choice every day to eat real food and work out and that is what has resulted in my “success.” I still have metabolic syndrome; always will. If I am not hypervigilant about managing it through diet and exercise, I will pay the price (diabetes, heart disease, obesity). MY choice is be accountable for it.
@ Norma, sorry, didn’t mean to step on any toes. :( I was just suggesting that epigenetic factors (as well as socioeconomic influences on epigenetics) might be the determining differences in whether one is able to follow through with change that leads to “success”. If you feel happy, strong, and free-well more power to you! :)