Harnessing Nutrigenomics for Personalized Diabetes Control

Dr. Tamar Lawful: 0:00

Are you ready to revamp diabetes care and truly empower your patients? This is Dr Tamara Lawful, doctor of pharmacy and certified nutritional genomic specialist. In this episode, I'm going to show you how harnessing the power of Nutrigenomics can help you provide the most personalized care for your patient's battling diabetes. For too long, we've relied on a one-size-fits-all approach to managing this disease, but each patient has a unique genetic blueprint. By understanding their genetic variants, we can tailor nutrition and lifestyle guidance specifically for them. Imagine being able to tell your patient we have the plan designed just for you and your genetic makeup. This is a future pharmacy, and it starts now. Join me as we explore how Nutrigenomics can reshape diabetes care and give your patients back control of their health. Welcome to Pivoting Pharmacy with Nutrigenomics, part of the pharmacy podcast network, a must-have resource for pharmacist entrepreneurs seeking to enhance patient care while enjoying career and life. Join us as we pivot into Nutrigenomics, using pharmacy and nutrition for true patient-focused care. Explore how to improve chronic conditions rather than just manage them. Celebrate entrepreneurial triumphs and receive priceless advice. Align your values with a career that profoundly impacts patients. Together, we'll raise the script on health and pivot into a brighter future. Hello, hello, it's Tamar and I'm so excited to have you here at Pivoting Pharmacy with NutriGenomics, the place where passion for pharmacy meets the heart of healthcare. In today's cozy chat, we dive into episode seven. Before we embark on this exciting adventure, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the powerful work you do day in and day out. I truly see your dedication, your unwavering care for patients and the resilience you display through the ups and downs of life in the pharmacy, or even entrepreneurship. Now imagine making an even more significant impact on your patient's lives. Envision a future where you're not only managing their diabetes, but truly empowering them to take charge of their health. Sounds remarkable, doesn't it? Let's dream a little further. What if I told you that together we can not only turn this dream into reality, but surpass it? Let's do what we do and explore the world of Nutrigenomics. This powerful tool sits on our horizon, ready to revolutionize diabetes care and bring an unparalleled sense of achievement and fulfillment to your life and your patient's life too. Picture yourself guiding a patient with diabetes. Using their unique genetic blueprint, you're crafting a plan that fits their life as snug as their favorite pair of jeans. Imagine the joy both you and your patients feel when you say we've got a plan designed just for you and your genetic makeup. But do you know what's even better than joy? Witnessing tangible results. Studies show patients experience significant improvements in blood sugar control, weight management and overall health with personalized Nutrigenomics interventions. The reward is right there, waiting for you and your patient to grab it. So, my dear friend, what do we have to look forward to? A future where your actions make a phenomenal difference in others' lives, empowering your patients and elevating your career to new heights. Are you ready for this transformative journey? Let's join hands and pave the way toward a new era in diabetes care that puts control back into the hands of our patients. This is our moment to change lives, including our own. Let's seize it together. Now let's take a moment to reflect on how most of us perceive diabetes within the healthcare realm. Yes, it's typically cast as a lifestyle disease, with fingerprints of our genetic traits thrown into the mix. But hang on to your metaphorical lab coats, because there are innovative pathfinders amongst us who are starting to see things differently. These pioneers are waking up to the monumental role that the tango between our genes and nutrition holds in the management of this disease. It's all about personalization. When you're stepping into your community pharmacy. A regular workday, armed with your usual buzz of enthusiasm I may be a little sarcastic here, but sometimes we can't be enthusiastic to get to work and then walks in Mr Johnson, a familiar face, trying to tame the monster that is his type 2 diabetes. Good, traditional approach. You'll probably throw him a welcome and smile and engage in the good old insulin chat, nudging him towards a bit more exercise, telling him don't forget to pile up on those greens and go easy on the sugar Seems like sound advice. Sure, time honored and generally delivers the goods. But could we get even better outcomes? Now consider the alternative. You beck in Mr Johnson. Aside your eyes sparkling with curiosity, mr Johnson, you say how about we mix things up a little? What do you say? We team up to create an action plan tailored to your lifestyle, your distinct habits and your dazzling uniqueness. The secret sauce. We decode your unique genetic blueprint to guide us. Can you envision the hope dancing in his eyes, etching deeper lines into his crow's feet? That's the change we're talking about the magic of neutral genomics. And you know the best part. You're capable of this transformation because you're not just any healthcare professional. You are an influencer, a guide, a friend and an advocate. You've got this silver bullet of personalization in your toolkit now, just waiting to make a seismic difference in the lives of your patients and reigniting their zest for a healthier life. Let's tackle a big question, though, that's sitting on our minds why isn't neutral genomics common knowledge yet? Well, good question, let's break it down together. From the time we first dawned our white coats, we've predominantly been trained to fight diabetes with lifestyle changes in medication. The tried and true method is all great, but it's like we're playing an old fashioned game of checkers when there's a mesmerized 3D chessboard just waiting for our attention. Pioneering this realm of 3D chess is neutral genomics, an inspiring frontier science that's practically shimmering, with untapped potential for personalized healthcare. But it needs champions like us, my friends. It needs our passion, our courage, to shine a spotlight on it and make the big leap. Can you imagine? You're driving down the highway, the highway of traditional healthcare. You're cruising in your car or keeping your focus trained on the familiar path ahead. It's comfortable, it's proven, it's the road most traveled, but it's also linear. It's one dimensional. Your vision is limited to what's straight ahead and you don't see what is around you. It's like watching a movie in standard definition, when breathtaking, lifelike 4K resolution is just around the corner? Whoa, we're missing out right? Let's come back to our world, the world of healthcare. When we ignore neutral genomics, we're cruising along in that same single lane highway, oblivious to the enchanted multi-dimensional spider web of opportunities entangling on the sidelines. We're letting an extraordinary opportunity pass us by, an opportunity to delve into personalization and rewrite the narrative of diabetes management. Just imagine the number of lives we could rebeat with this knowledge. Throw open the doors of possibilities where every single patient walks into the sanctuary of your pharmacy, or even a sanctuary. Say, you're in an outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic. You're seeing these patients and they're walking into that sanctuary, and not only to manage your disease, but to partner with you on their unique journey towards a healthier life, a journey rooted in their unique blueprint, facilitated by you, their trusted pharmacist and friend. And picture yourself empowering them to navigate their health highway in a vehicle personalized down to its engine core. This future since tingles down my spine. I hope it does yours as well. The ripple effect of positive health outcomes that you could bring, the healthcare revolution you can be a part of it's all out there, waiting for us to reach out and grab it. So let's take off those blinders, let's free ourselves from these old constraints, pull over, step out, breathe in the fresh air of revolutionary thinking. In our hands we hold the elixir of change, a potent new tool that could transform countless lives. Neutrogenomics beckons us, inviting us into a world where science, healthcare and personal transformation intertwine and evolve like never before. Together, let's step onto this exciting new road and drive towards a beautiful horizon of individualized care. So today we're gonna look at this cutting edge field of neutrogenomics, specifically how it pertains to diabetes management. What would it be like to have the power to tailor nutritional guidance for your patients based on their unique genetic blueprint? That's where neutrogenomics pops in and that's how we're going to pivot pharmacy and bring it to new heights. And guess what? This isn't just wild speculation or rosy predictions. No, no, no. The evidence is piling up. Studies indicate that harnessing neutrogenomics in creating personalized dietary plans triggers significant upgrades in glycemic control, weight management and improves overall health. It's like remodeling your diabetes care, making it feel like a glove, unlike one size fits all approach. It's high time we embrace this personalized thing about us, our genes. Consider the single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNPs, the variants that are specific to diabetes, like variants found in the genes TCF7L2 and SLC2A2. Yeah, they sound a bit technical, so let's call them genetic fingerprints that give us the superpower to guide the application of customized dietary strategies. Match these genotypes with lifestyle adjustments and the right supplements and you've got yourself a potent potion to masterfully handle diabetes. The TCF7L2 gene is a bit of a VIP in the world of diabetes research, as it's one of the most significant genetic risk factors for the disease. The TCF7L2 gene plays a massive role in regulating blood sugar levels by being like a traffic cop for insulin production or glucose metabolism. In some people, a variant in this gene can throw a wrench in the whole system, leading to an increased risk for diabetes. And then we've got the SLC2A2 gene, another heavy hitter in a diabetes world. Slc2a2 plays a crucial role in how our body absorbs and uses glucose. With a SNP in this gene, or variation in this gene, it's like your body's glucose transport system starts getting a little wonky, meaning glucose can't get where it needs to go in the body efficiently. And you guessed it. That can also lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Let's get back to Mr Johnson. You start by exploring the alphabet soup of his genes, those SNPs, those variations, a 30 second cheek swab and a lab test. Because with nutrigenomics you test, you don't guess, and boom. Well, more like four to five weeks later you get a roadmap of Mr Johnson's genetic workings. You stumble upon something interesting Mr Johnson's SLC2A2 gene struts right up into the spotlight with a variant linked to developing impaired insulin metabolism and you guessed it? Our notorious villain type 2 diabetes. And that's not all. It brings along an oversized appetite for sugars and those susceptively delicious refined carbs, increasing Mr Johnson's sugar intake and turning up the volume on his cravings, especially those decadently dangerous sweets and baked goods. Armed with the knowledge of his predisposition for diabetes, as well as other valuable information from his nutrigenomics test, you can work with him to apply the recommendations outlined in his report, essentially working with his genetic disposition, not against it. His report recommends a diet that sends junk sugars and processed carbs packing. Instead, he should include whole grains, quality proteins and treats from the MCTs and unsaturated fat family. Olives, nuts, seeds, avocados and coconuts are all friends here. He can support his glucose and insulin hormone health with foods rich in selenium, chromium, vitamin A, resveratrol and flavonoids. We're talking foods like peppers, grapes, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, brazil nuts and a protein party of poultry, beef and lamb. And to cherish his gut microbiome, the report tells Mr Johnson to consider fiber from goodies like barley oats, onions, squash and turnips. Add in fermented rock stars like kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha and remind him that every bite can be a step towards a healthier, happier life. How about that? Huh, all from a simple genetic test, we just replaced one-size-fits-all healthcare with very specific and custom-tailored fits like a glove healthcare. Now amplify this power of personalization by the hundreds of patients you see, each with their unique genetic codes and lifestyle challenges. Imagine the positive ripple effect on every individual you help and the entire community at large. Doesn't this tickle your motivation bone? Aren't you filled with a giddy excitement to be a superhero pharmacist of the future, using Nutrigenomics to provide the most personalized care With every patient you encounter? Remember you have the power to rewrite the narrative based on their genes, literally. It's time to unlock this untapped potential. Let's revolutionize healthcare, starting now, starting with you. So there you have it, my fellow pharmacists. We've just taken an exhilarating dive into the power of Nutrigenomics and its potential to reshape our patient's lives. It's moments like these that reignite my passion and remind me why I embarked on this journey in the first place. And it's pharmacists like you who make this purpose-driven mission a gazillion times more electrifying, meaningful and, let's call it, fun. But don't you for a second think that this is a final destination. Nope, you're just gathering momentum here To keep your brain juices flowing and to keep evolving your pharmacy practice into something. Be sure to tune into our future episodes of Pivot and Pharmacy with Nutrigenomics. And don't forget, I'm right here with you every step, in a way cheering you on as you create a ripple effect that will change your world. So keep striving forward. Believe in the power of Nutrigenomics, believe in the power of you and with that, let's step into the future, where we morph the face of healthcare one gene at a time. As we wrap up this episode, I invite you to take a moment of reflection. How can Nutrigenomics play a role in your practice? How will you step up to provide personalized care for your patients spandling diabetes, helping them lead the healthiest lives possible? Take these lessons to heart and let's commit to making a positive impact together. Do you have any thoughts or queries on this topic? Share with us on our social media. You can find me on Instagram or LinkedIn at Dr Tamar Loffel, I'd love to hear from you Now coming up next week on the show, we're switching sides and talking to the patients about taking back control of their health so they can become an empowered patient without feeling overwhelmed by doctors' orders. See you back here next time and remember, in your journey as a healthcare professional, always raise the script on health, because together we can bring healthcare to higher levels.