You Are What Your Grandparents Ate with Judith Finlayson

Two mice are genetically identical, but one ends up obese and yellow and the other ends up mousy brown and healthy as expected. What’s the difference? The mutated mouse’s mother was undernourished during pregnancy, and different genes switched on. Genetics load the gun, epigenetics pull the trigger.

Most of us have the potential for exceptional health, but some of us enter the world with serious health disadvantages that make it much more difficult to survive and thrive. Your parents’ nutrition and even your grandparents’ diet might be influencing your genetic expression right now, today. Scary stuff, but potentially empowering too.

Listen in on this week’s podcast to learn: 

• How low birth weight (<5.5 lbs) is correlated with dozens of health challenges 
• How simple nutrients like folate during pregnancy can massively impact the health of a person for their entire life 
• What epidemiological studies tell us about the real risk of generational poverty and health 
• Why the first 1,000 days of life are so important  
• How your parents’ and grandparents' diets might be impacting you today 

Links & Resources:

• Article on Agouti Mice
• Book on Amazon 
• Judith’s website

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Curry as a Spice

Got Questions?

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• Or write to us: [e-mail] 

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About Our Guest:

Judith Finlayson has written books ranging from personal well-being and women’s history to food and nutrition. A former national newspaper columnist for the Globe and Mail, she is the author of over a dozen cookbooks. Judith lives in Toronto, Canada.