Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Chemical Exposures, Neurodegenerative Disease & Exposomics | Gary Miller | 218
Short Summary: How environmental chemical exposures affect neurodegenerative disease and health.
About the guest: Gary Miller, PhD is a Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University. His research bridges pharmacology, toxicology, and neuroscience to explore neurodegeneration, particularly Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere. Full transcript and other information on Substack.
Episode Summary: Dr. Gary Miller talks about neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, exploring their age-driven nature, early detection challenges, and environmental risk factors such as pesticide exposure and head trauma. They discuss the emerging field of exposomics—studying lifetime chemical exposures—and its potential to uncover links between pollutants, diet, and disease, while highlighting protective factors like caffeine and nicotine, and the role of technology in advancing prevention and treatment.
Key Takeaways:
- Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s worsen with age, but early intervention could slow progression & improve quality of life.
- Parkinson’s symptoms often appear after significant dopamine neuron loss, but subtle signs like handwriting changes or gait issues might be detectable earlier.
- Environmental factors, including pesticides & air pollution, increase neurodegeneration risk, while caffeine and nicotine surprisingly lower Parkinson’s incidence.
- The exposome—total lifetime exposure to chemicals—offers a new lens to study health, revealing how pollutants & diet interact with our biology.
- Ultra-processed foods & common chemicals like PFAS (in packaging) raise exposure levels, but simple steps like air filters or less processed diets can help reduce risks.
Related episode:
- M&M #145: Epigenetics, Hormones, Endocrine Disruptors, Microplastics, Xenoestrogens, Obesogens & Obesity, Inheritance of A
All episodes, show notes, transcripts, etc. at the M&M Substack
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