Episode 47 - How Our Environment and Lifestyle Choices Influence Our Genetic Makeup & Health - with Dr Ken Pelletier

The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast

The interplay between our genetics, environment, and lifestyle is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in shaping our health outcomes. Understanding how these elements interact can pave the way for a transformative shift in healthcare practices.

In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, Seth Serxner and Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California School of Medicine (UCSF) in San Francisco, talk about how our environment and lifestyle choices significantly influence our genetic makeup and overall health.

Dr. Kenneth Pelletier also holds positions in the Departments of Family and Community Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco. He serves as the Director of the Corporate Health Improvement Program (CHIP), a collaborative research initiative that partners with fifteen Fortune 500 companies, including Ford, Oracle, Prudential, Dow, Lockheed Martin, NASA, PepsiCo, IBM, Cummins, Steelcase, and the Mayo Clinic.

Seth and Dr. Pelletier discuss:

☑️ Epigenetics, which reveals that our genes don’t solely determine our health; environmental and lifestyle factors significantly influence health outcomes.

☑️ How the fee-for-service model creates inefficiencies in healthcare by incentivizing unnecessary treatments.

☑️ Insights from “blue zones”, demonstrating that longevity and quality of life are largely shaped by lifestyle choices and strong social connections.

☑️ The greater impact of environmental factors and lifestyle choices on health outcomes compared to genetics.

☑️ The various challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system, including entrenched financial incentives and resistance from medical lobbies.

☑️ The importance of increasing healthcare literacy to improve health outcomes.

☑️ The necessity of incorporating integrative and lifestyle medicine into traditional medical education to enhance overall healthcare results.

☑️ The need for innovative strategies to promote the adoption of integrative healthcare approaches.

☑️ And much more.

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