Yoo-Hoo! It's Been Awhile

Has it really been over a year since I even checked in to the blog? Whew! Crazy, great year, and I'm just here to send a shout out to y'all and let you know I am still here. And by here, I mean online. Check out my Facebook and Instagram pages @Nomiknowshealth. By the way, that is not an endorsement of social media- use it smartly and infrequently and for the right inspiration. (Can you feel my discomfort with actually being on social media?!)

I am at my Jerusalem office in Cinema City every week. If you are ready to get proactive about your health, separate the facts from the fiction, and feel supported as you move upwards and forwards with your wellness journey, book an appointment or call me for a free consultation.

If you need some health inspo feel free to look through the old blogs. I'm currently doing my Masters of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine at the University of Western States. I'll keep researching the current information and bringing it to you. Here's a cool tidbit of info I wrote last week...

Researchers looked at the effects of relaxation response (RR) training and genomic expression involving genes that increase mitochondrial resiliency, upregulate insulin function, and increase ATP synthase production.

A prospective, cross-sectional study of 52 individuals assessed genomic changes following one session of RR practice. Twenty-six individuals with no previous relaxation response training underwent an 8-week training program to learn relaxation techniques. Twenty-six individuals with significant prior experience were also included in the study. Researchers, having identified RR-affected pathways, examined these pathways to determine how genomic expression modified the regulation of energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, and insulin secretion.

Researchers sought to link the known research on the RR response, and its positive physiological effects, with specific pathways and molecular mechanisms. After a single session of RR practice, researchers were able to determine that both groups experienced significant gene expression changes. Greater changes were seen in the experienced RR group. These changes were evident within minutes and were lasting. The RR-experienced group showed significant upregulation of genes involved in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) activity, in addition to genes involved in inflammation and immune response.

Long-term RR practice was also shown to improve telomere function. Telomere dysfunction can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction.

This research can easily be implemented in a clinical setting. Teaching a client/patient simple diaphragmatic breathing techniques, promoting that they attend a relaxing yoga class, or sharing a breathing app or audio could be an excellent tool to influence mitochondrial function. Even though this research is considered preliminary, the benefits are that RR training can be inexpensive, easy to use, and safe.

Reference

Fricchione, G. L., & Libermann, T. A. (2013). Relaxation response induces temporal transcriptome changes in energy metabolism, insulin secretion and inflammatory pathways. Plos One, 8(5), e62817.