Curated Paper 1

 “You are only afraid if you are not in harmony with yourself.”

 ― Herman Hesse

The biggest theme from Ayurveda is having harmony between mind, body and spirit. Harmony between our guts and our microbiome is a particular branch of ayurveda I enjoy reading and learning about. In addition to that, I personally enjoy the spiritual aspect to balance or harmony. Not everyone would consider themselves as having a spiritual aspect, but the cool part of ayurveda that I read about is that it can be personalized to each person. They may not be someone that goes to church, but they may still get their “spiritual” aspect through other things. Examples may be going out on a hike and spending time with nature. They may like to have alone time to ponder or think or read. In my experience taking time to fulfill this spiritual part of ayurveda is great for invigorating the other parts of ayurveda i.e. mind and body. I feel like I am able to handle school or physical activities better with a stronger spiritual connection. I need to improve upon the body aspect of ayurveda. Like getting enough sleep and eating well are important and good for your body. If you don't treat your body right with good habits you will be more susceptible to diseases. I personally have HORRIBLE eating and sleeping habits: then I wonder how I get sick frequently or feel awful throughout the week. I also don’t work out enough, which can lead to other health issues. I feel like if I had perfect harmony between my mind, body and spirit I would be unstoppable. I would feel great, and have more energy and motivation to get what I need done. I wanna try to train my body (mostly my gut) to like less sugary and unhealthy foods. That would help my overall harmony and health for sure. I am worried that if I don't start to improve my body harmony, I will end up with Diabettes from all the garbage I consume.

Even before reading about diabetes, I knew I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy. What first comes to my mind is, ‘would I be able to give myself an insulin shot every day if I needed to?’ The thought alone motivates me to avoid habits that could lead to diabetes. Things like being physically inactive and eating horrible food. I am not the best at either of those things, but I was definitely spooked enough by reading about the effects diabetes has on the body to want to improve. Diabetes is linked to mind boggling amounts of other diseases and symptoms. Issues with the heart like high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. Diabetes can lead to Hyperglycemia and that can lead to its own list of issues. 

I had learned about how we make insulin for large scale use nowadays. To be specific- human insulin. We can’t really extract it from humans to be used on mass, so we do something way cooler and cheaper. We get bacteria to make it for us. Typically we use E. Coli to make human insulin for us. We extract part of the E. Coli called the plasmid. The plasmid is a circular ring that codes for some pretty useful stuff in the bacteria. Although it is DNA it is not part of the main mass of DNA in the bacteria. The plasmid helps code for things that would make the bacteria more virulent, resist drugs and other useful things.

We take the plasmid out of the bacteria, then splice the genetic code that makes insulin, into the plasmid. After the plasmid has been modified, we then reintroduce it into the bacteria. The bacteria then starts to produce the human insulin. After they produce enough insulin in massive containers, we then extract the insulin and purify it for human use. This is the cheapest way to make insulin. From what I have read, to make one 10ml vial is around $2-3. So depending on the dosage amount of the person, being about 1-3 vials a month, manufacturing cost for a person a year $36-71. After going through shipping, retailers etc. Human insulin ends up being sold for $5.64 on average per vial. But this is on the cheapest end of things. Other insulin types are shockingly more expensive. (Better hope insurance helps pay because it can get much worse.) Certain types and brands of insulin can cost from $50-300 per vial! “Current prices of RHI were at a median of 1.2–1.8 times the estimated prices. Current prices of insulin glargine were at a median of 5.6–7.8 times the estimated prices, insulin lispro prices were at 2.7–3.7 times the estimated prices, and insulin aspart prices were at 2.6–3.5 times the estimated prices. It is important to note that the countries included in price comparisons differ by type of insulin, and government procurement prices reported by the ACCISS study are for any presentation (phial, prefilled pen, cartridge), while our estimated prices are for phials only.”

Ultimately not only would it be hard to have diabetes itself, it's hard for some to even afford to have diabetes! Returning to the topic Ayurveda, maintaining harmony over the body seems more critical than ever. Not only do we need to maintain the harmony the body has with itself and our minds, we need to maintain the harmony our bodies have with our microbiome! Millions of microbes that our body needs to delegate tasks to, to produce things for us, to serve a purpose for us. This microbiome harmony is not for animals alone, even plants rely on relationships with microbes. After reading about the many ways we rely on our microbiomes, it led me to a new question.

Can we select what microbe the plants symbiotically bond to, to promote even greater growth than it otherwise would? In my studies there were a couple things that I read that lead to the idea. The first thing was the obesity in mice experiment. Where there were lab grade clean mice, and mice that had obesity. In the experiment they fed the same food to both groups of mice, and also the same portion of food. They then performed a microbiome transplant from the obese mice into the other mice. After the transplant, the none-obese mice became obese. This study looks at the relationship the microbiome has on our metabolism and our health. 

For people that have their microbiomes destroyed, we can also provide for them a healthy microbiome via a transplant. Without the microbiome our guts wouldn’t be able to digest efficiently or even certain specific things. Our microbiome is a sort of extension of our digestive system that is critical to our health. If we mistreat our microbiome, it will have adverse effects on our health.

I then read about the plant microbiome. Mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria help the plant get the limiting nutrients it needs for its growth. When the roots of the plant begin to develop, they quickly need to form this symbiotic relationship with certain types of fungi and bacteria. The fungi often find specific spaces between the cells of the plant's roots to call home. At this hub of connection, the plant will share the sugars it makes within itself with the fungi. In exchange the fungi will use its hyphae, and collect nutrients that the plant can’t collect on its own. Becoming a sort of extension to the root of the plant. The bacteria the plant forms a relationship with are similar to one of the relationships that our own guts form. The bacteria create a sort of buffer that fills a niche that would otherwise be filled with dangerous bacteria that the plant would like to avoid. 

So combining the topics I studied- I came to the question that I began with. If the microbiome in our systems affects our metabolism and health, for better or worse, could we theoretically choose the fungi or microbiome that plants are interacting with to help them grow beyond their normal capacity? We can’t give the plant obesity, but maybe we could find a microbe that is more efficient at collecting the nutrients that the plant desires. If it worked, then perhaps having plants that grow better and more nutritious would lead to our own microbiomes benefiting from healthier foods. Instead of just trying to change our own microbiomes, why don’t we change the biomes of plants and try to chain the effects down to us. 

“Only one thing left to do, and that’s to restore the balance- the natural order of things”. I hope as we continue throughout our lives, we can draw nearer to the concept of ayurveda. Harmony for our health and wellbeing.  Harmony to avoid complications. Ayurveda for a better tomorrow. 

Curated Paper #1

  Throughout the topics we have covered, one idea that has continued to stand out to me is how interconnected the human body really is. Looking at the idea of Ayurveda was interesting to me because the body is made up of multiple systems working together to make one whole of who you are today. Ayurveda focuses on the idea that the mind and body need to be connected and balanced; otherwise, disease can occur. When looking at diseases scientifically, they can occur at a molecular level because of some type of imbalance or mutation. Although Ayurveda approaches health differently than modern medicine, the idea of maintaining balance throughout the body made more sense to me as we continued learning about metabolism, diabetes, and the microbiome.

When first reading about Ayurveda, I learned it originated in India about five thousand years ago and builds on primary therapies that focus heavily on detoxifying the body and consuming beneficial substances to keep the body in balance and maintain optimal health. It also emphasizes regular exercise, good sleep, stress management, and a balanced diet. What interested me the most was that Ayurveda does not necessarily look at one individual part of the body when considering health. Instead, it focuses on the mind, body, and spirit. One article I read described Ayurveda as a form of personalized medicine because the treatment is based on the individual. Another reading discussed cancer and inflammation and described cancer from an Ayurvedic perspective because of systemic imbalances and malfunctions rather than simply one distinct disease. The Ayurvedic approach focused more on healing the body, returning normal tissue function, and correcting metabolic defects. This introduced an idea that continued to appear throughout the other topics we covered: that sometimes understanding a disease requires looking beyond the disease itself.

This became especially clear when learning about metabolic diseases. Reading through the metabolic disorder’s material brought to my attention how many different metabolic diseases there actually are. Metabolic disorders can arise from things like inherited conditions, problems with metabolic pathways, or even obesity. One of the most well-known metabolic disorders is diabetes. Diabetes involves impaired glucose metabolism, which can result in high blood glucose levels and become dangerous if not properly managed. Another metabolic issue that I think can sometimes be overlooked is obesity. It is a growing health concern, and I think it is interesting to consider how closely metabolism is connected to conditions that we hear about and are around every day.

One of the biggest connections I made between metabolism and Ayurveda came from learning about Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have different causes. With Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, causing high glucose levels in the bloodstream because there is not enough insulin available to allow glucose to properly enter the cells. Type 2 diabetes is different and can be influenced by factors such as physical inactivity, high body fat or weight, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These factors immediately reminded me of Ayurveda. When looking back at Ayurveda, one of the major concepts was healing the body from the inside out. This included daily exercise, healthy eating habits, managing stress, and maintaining an overall balanced lifestyle. This does not mean that Ayurveda can prevent or cure every case of diabetes, but I think some of its lifestyle principles connect strongly with what we know about reducing risk factors associated with Type 2 diabetes.

This connection became even stronger when I read “Beyond Glucose-Rethinking prediabetes for Precision Prevention”. One of the main ideas I took from this article was that prediabetes should not be simply viewed as someone’s blood sugar being too high or low. Different people can have different underlying metabolic problems and risk factors. Prediabetes is typically measured using things such as glucose tolerance, but that does not tell us everything about a person’s health. The article discussed characteristics such as insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, body fat, genetic risk, and glucose tolerance. This made me think again about the idea of personalized medicine that I had previously read about with Ayurveda. Ayurveda approaches individuals differently based on their own body and health, which this research suggests that modern prevention may also benefit from recognizing that individuals with prediabetes do not all have the same metabolic problems. Combining these two readings gave me the idea that personalized prevention may be just as important as personalized treatment. Instead of waiting until someone develops diabetes and treating the disease, identifying their individual risk factors earlier could potentially help prevent or delay future problems.

Another topic that changed the way I thought about metabolic health was the development or origins or metabolic diseases. Before reading about this, I mostly thought of metabolic disease as something they developed because of genetics or lifestyle during their own lifetime. However, I learned that a mother’s health and environment can influence the metabolic health of a fetus during development and potentially after birth. Factors such as maternal nutrition, obesity, poverty, and vitamin deficiencies may influence a child’s future risk of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. This showed me that metabolic problems do not necessarily just arise out of nowhere. Some risks can begin before someone is even born and are influenced by a combination of biological and environmental factors.

The microbiome added another part to this connection. Before reading “20 Things About Your Microbiome”, I was already thinking about how the microbiome connects to Ayurveda. One of Ayurveda's major components is maintaining a healthy diet. Keeping a healthy diet and exercising can affect people more than just how someone looks or feels. These behaviors also affect internal and digestive health. The microbiome is made up of microorganisms living within the body, and different areas of the body contain different microbial communities. The microbiome can also be influenced very early in life and may be affected by factors surrounding birth, environment, diet, and antibiotic use.  

What I found especially interesting was the repeated connection between microbiome, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. When reading about the microbiome, obesity was brought up multiple times. Looking back at the metabolic topics, type 2 diabetes is also closely connected with obesity and metabolic health. This created another connection for me between Ayurveda, the microbiome, and metabolism. Diet and lifestyle can influence microbiomes, while microbiomes can interact with metabolic health. At the same time, diet and physical activity are important factors in Type 2 diabetes risk, and major parts of Ayurveda. Instead of viewing these as three completely different topics, I started viewing them as different ways of looking at the interconnected system.

The microbiome also brought me back to Ayurveda, focusing on the connection between mind and body. One article previously read discussed microbiomes and insomnia. It talked about how an imbalanced microbiome may influence the brain through pathways involving the gut-brain axis, potentially contributing to problems with sleep. Everything in the body is interconnected, so it makes sense to me that if the microbiome is disrupted, effects may not remain limited to the digestive system. This also connects with the emphasis Ayurveda places on sleep, stress, diet, and mental health. After learning about microbiomes and metabolism, I can see more biological examples of how changes in one part of the body may be associated with effects somewhere else.

Mental health also appeared when learning about Type 1 diabetes. One study looked at depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and taking less insulin than directed among young people with T1D. What caught my attention the most was that some females reported taking less insulin as a weight control method. Young adults already deal with pressures surrounding weight, body image, depression, and anxiety, and having to manage blood sugar and insulin can add more stress and pressure. This made me realize that diabetes can affect someone beyond just their blood glucose level.

Another connection I noticed was that simply telling people to live a healthier lifestyle does not address every part of the problem. Diabetes can be extremely expensive to manage because of insulin, medical care, and even missed work. Similarly, maintaining a healthy diet for the microbiome sounds simple until considering the cost of food. Many college students choose cheaper and more convenient foods because healthier options can be more expensive. This makes it difficult to tell people to eat healthier without considering whether they can afford to do so.

Bringing these topics together has changed how I think about a “healthy lifestyle.” Ayurveda emphasizes diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and balance, while the metabolism and microbiome readings showed how these factors can influence physical and mental health. However, genetics, fetal development, income, food availability, disease, and access to healthcare can also affect someone's ability to maintain that balance. Overall, these readings showed me that health cannot always be separated into individual parts. The body is made up of multiple systems working together, and understanding how lifestyle, environment, mental health, and biological systems connect may help us better prevent disease and maintain overall health.

 

Curated Paper 1 Buckley

 Curated Paper 1

I think the idea of body and mind being connected is completely valid. I’m sad we aren’t discussing the spiritual part as I think that it is just as important as the body and mind, and that it could find room for discussion in a biological science class, but I understand that modern science doesn’t really care for spiritual things. Putting the spiritual aside though, I think one’s mind has much greater control over the body than we realize, and that the body has a much greater impact on the mind than we realize. Especially recently, I’ve been studying a lot on esoteric cultures and practices that focus on particular diets and activities that affect the mind and body. I’m taking a yoga class this semester and in the past I would’ve laughed at the idea, but recently I’ve come to the point where I think I would get out what I put in, so I went into the class with complete enthusiasm and I actually felt incredible during the yoga session and afterwards throughout the day. My body felt looser and I felt like my posture was better. I’ve also been trying to eat more eggs, meat, dairy and honey to mimic the diets of some viking cultures, and I’ve been feeling pretty good from that too. I don’t know if it's placebo or not, but the idea of placebo kind of fits with the connection of body and mind so I guess whatever I’m doing is working out whether it is actually benefiting me or I just believe it is. 

A simple definition of metabolism is the process of converting food into energy. This energy is used for breathing, blood circulation, repairing cells, and other processes. Catabolism is the process that breaks down macromolecules such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to release energy. Anabolism is the process that uses that energy to build and repair tissues. There are many enzymes used in metabolic processes such as oxidoreductases which catalyze oxidation-reduction reactions. Transferases which transfer functional groups between molecules. Hydrolases that break bonds using water. Lyases that add or remove groups from double bonds. Isomerases that rearrange atoms within a molecule, and Ligases that join two molecules together using energy from ATP.

I like to think that I have a fast metabolism that I got from my mom. My dad has a bit of a belly but my mom’s as thin as a bone. I spend most of my time sitting down at computers and I eat nothing but garbage, and yet I’m still super skinny and light for how tall I am. I should easily be one ninety to two hundred pounds but I have yet to break one seventy five. I’ve started going to the gym again and have tried to improve my diet and increase my protein and calorie intake, so perhaps I will finally be able to gain some weight. In the past when I went to the gym and had a very high caloric intake, I was unable to break one seventy five, but since I’m older maybe my metabolism will be slowing down. I have a very similar metabolism to my oldest brother, and he works as a website developer so he’s usually sitting down while working. The next oldest brother is more like my dad with his body type and metabolism. My oldest brother however turned thirty two this year and he is now starting to gain weight, so I guess I will be able to eat all the garbage I want for a while still until I turn thirty two.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that disrupts the body’s ability to regulate glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism through defects in insulin production. Simplified, this prevents effective conversion of food into energy. Type 1 diabetes causes an autoimmune response of the destruction of pancreatic beta cells which results in total insulin deficiency. This prevents glucose from entering cells, so the body breaks down fat and muscle for energy. Type 2 diabetes is the resistance to insulin, leading to compensatory hyperinsulinemia, increased fat storage, and weight gain. Type 1 diabetes usually is genetic but can be triggered from environmental factors such as viruses or reduced vitamin D exposure. Type 2 diabetes can develop from obesity, physical inactivity, and some genetic influences.

Diabetes affects people not only physically but economically, socially, and mentally. The cost of care for diabetics is $16,752 or 2.6 times higher annually than those without it. Out of pocket expenses for people with insurance ranges from $3,330 to $4,600 per year. They also may need to spend more money on certain foods that are required to maintain their balance. With the costs of everything going up recently, these economic disparities will only increase. Individuals with diabetes also may suffer economically due to the inability to work if they fall ill or have to leave to maintain their blood sugar levels. Some jobs may not hire them if that is too big of an issue at the workplace. The social effects could also be a problem if people are stigmatized for having diabetes. Whether it is type 1 from genetics or type 2 from diabetes, people could create stereotypes or think less of people that suffer from the diseases. Even if those with diabetes got it from factors outside their control such as genetics or a rough upbringing where good food wasn’t available, people will still be prejudiced towards diabetics even if they don’t realize it. The mental effects also can have a big impact on diabetics causing them stress of needing to always balance their blood sugar levels by watching what they eat or making sure their insulin pumps are full and working.

Diabetes hasn’t been a problem within my family and I’ve only known one person who was a type 1 diabetic, so I don’t fully understand the costs for a person with diabetes. The person I know who had type 1 diabetes has had some scares in his life with his insulin pump malfunctioning, and his family not having enough money to pay for his coverage. I can’t imagine how hard that would be for myself or my family if we were in the same conditions. My family is quite lucky with none of us inheriting any genetic diseases, and we’ve been lucky to have healthy upbringings during our developmental years, so we’ve never had to deal with any of these metabolic disorders. With my small pool of data from my personal life, I like to think that my balanced lifestyle growing up on a healthy diet plus an active body and mind has granted me a strong metabolism and immune system. I think that a healthy body creates a healthy mind. It reminds me of the quote from Thucydides, “The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.” 

A microbiome is an ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms within a body, space, or other environment. There are many microbiomes across the body that are made up of many smaller microbiomes. Each person has unique microbiomes depending on various factors such as their diet, activity, environment and hygiene. Microbiomes can change depending on those factors as well.

A couple microbiomes that have big effects are the ones associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. The womb was previously thought to be sterile, but bacteria has been found within it. These bacteria influence the microbiome of the baby. Different bacteria have been found colonized within babies born through vaginal birth and c-section. Breastfeeding is one of the largest influences of infant gut microbiome development. Some research suggests that about thirty percent of the beneficial bacteria in a baby’s intestinal tract comes directly from breastmilk. The infant’s microbiome stabilizes at 1-2 years of life, and this microbiome is the structure that follows the person into adulthood.

The gut microbiome is one of the most important microbiomes in our bodies. It is believed to affect the body overall and the mind. Many diseases may result from a dysregulated gut microbiome including Irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and even Parkinson's disease. Diet is the biggest contributor to the gut microbiome, with different diets providing different gut microbiomes. Many Japanese people have enzymes within their gut microbiomes that help with the digestion of seaweed. People with high carb diets have more prevotella which help in the digestion of complex plant fibers. They have lower levels of bacteroides, which are found more commonly in people with high amounts of fat and animal protein in their diets. The bacteroides help digest polysaccharides. These bacteria help with digestion that human enzymes can’t handle on their own. 

I probably have a really bad gut microbiome considering I eat fast food very often. I’ve been trying to diversify my diet and add healthy options, so perhaps I’ll see a great effect on my body and mind. I have definitely noticed that when I eat large amounts of greasy, fatty foods, I tend to feel a lot more sluggish not just physically but mentally as well. I don’t know if our food consumption has any actual effect on how quickly and effectively our brains can function, but it makes sense if the idea of ayurveda is to be believed. It would make sense that an unhealthy body or gut microbiome could impact the capacity of the brain’s functions because that’s what happens to the rest of the organs in the body. An unhealthy person’s organs get covered in fat and lose their efficiency, so I wonder if the same could happen to the brain. I never know if my gut microbiome is bad because even though I have a horrible diet, I rarely get sick. I like to joke that my gut microbiome has been so thoroughly devastated from the years of fast food, that no pathogen can survive within my body. The physician Hippocrates is known as the father of medicine, and he said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”  The philosopher Socrates also said, “Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.” These quotes suggest that food is meant to be life giving and disease preventing, not a pursuit of pleasure. It fits with the idea that a healthy gut microbiome is able to strengthen the body’s defense against diseases and improve the mind and its faculties.

With the topic of metabolism and microbiomes, they both seem to fit with the idea of ayurveda. A healthy gut microbiome leads to a healthy body and seems to impact the efficiency of the mind as well. It also appears to be connected to a healthy metabolism. These two together seem to nurture a healthy mind, which leads to healthy thoughts. It becomes a positive feedback loop with healthy thoughts leading to healthy habits, which lead to a healthy body which in turn creates a healthy mind and so on.

Ayurveda, Metabolism & Microbiome Curated Paper

Ayurveda, Metabolism & Microbiome

Hearing the word ayurveda sounds so foreign and originally made me think it was going to be something almost mystical. Once I began to read more into it I realized it is honestly very similar to a lot of natural therapies or practices done here in the US that seem pretty normal. It seems to me that the whole idea of ayurveda is to look into every aspect of your life in order to solve a health problem you’re having. They do this by using different herbs or minerals to help your diet, as well as things like meditation and yoga to help your mind and body, and even different spiritual practices. To me this seems like a great way to look at treating illnesses. I specifically found the idea of how much power your mind has in your overall health to be very interesting.

In class we talked about some specific things that the mind controls that affects the body such as hormones and the nervous system in general. It’s pretty cool to be able to have proof of the mind-body connection at a molecular level with hormones and things like that, but I think that looking at the idea of ayurveda with a wider lens is very interesting too. For example, I’ve been able to see the mind-body connection a lot of times based on what I eat. If I’m eating badly for an extended period of time I physically feel worse but it even begins to affect my energy and mood. In order to fix the problem I need to fix my diet first. It works in reverse as well, there are many physical symptoms that come along with mental illnesses like depression. Using that same logic when someone has a bigger health issue could also be very helpful, and it’s the whole idea of ayurveda when it comes down to it. I think it could only be beneficial to look at how we can not only take care of our body, but also our mind when something is wrong. The root of the problem might be physical or mental but by covering both bases, the problem is much more likely to be solved. Modern medicines are incredible and very helpful in the treatment of many diseases but if used alongside alternative medical practices such as ayurveda they have the potential of being even more effective. 

It’s interesting how we were able to link the idea of ayurveda to examples of different real life diseases that many people around the world struggle with everyday. The ability that our body has to maintain a balance across all of the different systems in our body is astonishing in itself. There are just so many things that could go wrong when you think about it. You could have a digestive problem which leads to you not getting the proper nutrients to your cells, there could be a hormone imbalance which causes issues in your metabolism or even things like your mood and mental state. There are infinitely more minute processes going on in your body each and everyday that, if knocked out of balance for whatever reason, could really impact your health. Through our discussion and reflection I have gained an even greater appreciation for the complexity of what our bodies do on a molecular level.

In my biochemistry class, we were given an assignment to research prions which turned out to be a great real life example of the importance of maintaining balance in our bodies. Prions are proteins that are misfolded and therefore don’t function correctly. These misfolding proteins then have the ability to cause other normal functioning proteins to fold incorrectly which then causes a chain reaction. The diseases associated with prions cause neurological degeneration and things like dementia, insomnia and general cognitive issues. This immediately made me think of how a tiny change can cause a huge problem down the road if not taken care of. Now these prion diseases don’t typically come about because of an imbalance in your body, they’re genetic or can be contracted by eating contaminated food. They also can’t be easily treated even early on in the process, unlike some other diseases caused by imbalances in our body. But I just found it interesting that such a small problem could produce such large consequences down the road.

Another classic example of a specific condition that is caused by an imbalance in our bodies is diabetes. As we have researched and discussed diabetes I have found it very interesting to learn about how the absence of beta cells in the pancreas has such a huge effect on the entire body. That small imbalance in the pancreas ends up affecting the brain, colon, muscles, immune system and other systems throughout the body. I always kind of just pictured diabetes as being a problem with the pancreas, which it is, but it’s important to look at what problems stem from the original imbalance of not having the proper pancreatic function. This also gives me a greater appreciation for health care providers that can consistently diagnose patients correctly. Obviously symptoms for certain diseases have been documented and recorded so they know what to look for, but in the beginning stages of diabetes for instance, the patient might be having headaches, blurry vision or they could even just be saying that they’ve been extra thirsty. These three things individually could be related to tons of different problems, yet our understanding of how diabetes affects the rest of the body allows the provider to link the symptoms and find the root of the problem and try to help the patient treat the root of all of the imbalance they’re experiencing. 

One of the unique things about diabetes is that since there is no real “cure” for it at the moment, supplementing with insulin is how they work around the problem with insulin production in the pancreas. This comes with a responsibility for the individual to constantly be aware of how their body is reacting to the food they’re eating and being ready to balance whatever is going on by either injecting themselves with insulin or eating something high in sugar to make sure a balance is achieved. I asked my brother in law, who has had type one diabetes almost all of his life, how it has affected him. The thing I found most interesting was when he talked about how he feels when his sugar is too high or low and the kind of symptoms he feels. Depending on if his sugar is high or low he can begin to feel dizzy, light headed, sleepy, or even nauseous. The craziest symptom he mentioned was that when his sugar gets really low his cognitive function starts going way down and he starts getting loopy. My sister loves to give him a hard time because when he gets really low it seems like he’s high or drunk or something. He’ll start to slur his words, and his balance gets worse and a lot of times if it gets really low he won’t even remember anything that happened. This happens very rarely and he does a good job of taking care of himself, but it was really interesting to hear how many different physical and neurological symptoms he experiences due to diabetes. 

I found his experience super interesting because of the variety of symptoms he experiences based on how out of balance his blood sugar is. Again this plays into the idea of ayurveda very well. As his blood sugar gets further and further from normal he gets more extreme or harmful side effects. I think this is consistent with ayurveda in that the more imbalance is occurring within our bodies, whether that is mentally or physically, the more extreme or noticeable the consequences become. For people with diabetes it is nice because you can test your blood and see if you need more sugar or more insulin, but with other illnesses the hard part can be identifying the root of the problem and fixing it rather than chasing around the symptoms and trying to deal with each of them individually. 

The final specific example of ayurveda I’d like to mention has to do with the gut microbiome. It is amazing to think about the vast number of microorganisms that live in and on our bodies that we don’t even notice. It is estimated that about two kilograms of microorganisms live in an adult person, which is crazy. The problem is that we don’t really know a whole lot about the specific microorganisms that we find in the microbiomes of different individuals. We know what a “typical” microbiome looks like, but even then it’s really hard to determine which organisms are good and which are bad, or if they both benefit and hurt the individual. To me this is promising. Scientists have already found ways to manipulate the microbiome of individuals in a positive way with the little amount of understanding there is on the topic. I can only imagine what kinds of benefits can be produced once there is a better understanding of what exactly the specific microorganisms do for us. It would be extremely helpful to be able to test a sample from an individual and be able to tell them exactly how their gut microbiome is out of balance and be able to provide a way to correct that imbalance. The amount of negative side effects that are experienced by people that have problems in their gut is huge. Obviously they experience digestive or other stomach issues, but they can also have problems maintaining a healthy weight, having enough energy, acne, brain fog and even problems sleeping. The amount of problems that can be caused by a relatively small issue is frustrating when it’s something that is hard to fix, but I believe that as research continues many people will be able to find relief by modifying their gut microbiomes. 

Taking the time to understand any problems that you have with your health is so important. So many times we focus on simply treating a symptom we have at the moment and don’t take the time to find out why we are experiencing that symptom. I truly believe that if we take advantage of the modern medicine and technology that we have at our disposal and use it hand in hand with the principle of ayurveda we will be much healthier. Maintaining a balance within our minds and bodies is essential to living a healthy life, and if we take advantage of the resources that we have, maintaining that balance is more possible than ever before.

Curated Paper 1 Dickson

Intelligent Flow of Body and Brain: 

In my reading, I found a description of Ayurveda as, “intelligent flow between systems.” I thought this was a great way to characterize the way our bodies work. “Intelligent flow,” to me, might be the best way to describe the crazy, yet seamless, complexity of the pathways of our bodies. It all seems so effortless, because our bodies often work without us really thinking about it, but in truth so much goes on behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. This intelligent flow connects the whole body, so maintaining balance across different areas is vital to prevent downstream issues. Based on what we’ve studied in class and my outside research, it is clear that changes in one body system or compartment will affect the others. This applies not only to physical health issues, but also mental health issues. In some instances, this is hard to conceptualize, especially when we look for factors that are more difficult to quantify, such as how changes in microbiomes will have trickle-down effects all over the body and even up to the brain. 

I am intrigued by the idea that different body compartments have different microbe populations. Or, taking it one step further, how different areas in one body compartment will have different populations. For example, even the saliva and tongue in the oral cavity have their own distinct population of microbes from the hard palate. Track this through the throat, to the stomach, and down the intestines, and there’s too many microbe environments to count. One reason these distinct communities occur is because the conditions in each cavity (or section of a cavity) are different. With the oral cavity being exposed to the outside, and the stomach having low pH conditions, this will cultivate different types of microbes. Substances like bile also work as anti-microbial barriers between the mouth and gut. So, each environment is distinct in composition, yet connected through flow. All of these different microbe communities make it hard to track down the cause of dysfunction in the body. We have made steps to take inventory of human microbiomes, and draw connections to diseases, but I imagine that it will be very difficult to ever get a clear picture of each microbe’s role in the body’s balancing act. Nonetheless, in my reading I have found that we do have evidence that microbiome imbalances are related to different illnesses. For instance, oral cavity microbiome composition is related to diseases like Alzheimer’s, type 1 diabetes, various cancers, and atherosclerosis. People with these diseases have measurable differences in oral microbes compared to healthy controls. Alarmingly, some Alzheimer’s patients have been found to have oral microbes in their brain tissue. This is a frightening example of the flow within the oral-brain axis. This flow between mental systems and physical systems is especially fascinating to me. 

This curiosity made me interested in looking more into the association between diabetes and mental health after we covered it in class. In one example, depression tends to develop in diabetics (both type 1 and 2) at a 2-3X higher rate than in those without diabetes. One article I read described how diabetes could lead to decreased brain volume due to chronic inflammation, which would be a physiological contributor to depression. This study also indicated that those with depression increase risk of developing diabetes by 60%, and also are shown to have worse outcomes. One possible explanation for this is that antidepressants often interfere with blood sugar control, which exacerbates negative diabetes outcomes. This shows the two-way flow of body balance, where what happens in one area (metabolism) will inevitably begin to affect another (mental health). It has made me wonder whether diabetes and blood sugar regulation imbalances lead to depression, or whether depression leads to diabetes. I suspect that the answer is more complicated than a definitive one or the other. There is flow between the domains (body and mind), so when one is out of balance, there will begin to be dysfunction in both. In the case of diabetes and depression, it seems like the dysfunction compounds over time. 

To expand on this, anxiety is also common among diabetics. But, compared to depression (which is prevalent whether the patient is officially diagnosed with diabetes or not), anxiety is only significantly increased in patients who are officially diagnosed with diabetes. To me, this indicates that the anxiety might not be a physiological downstream effect caused by diabetes like how depression is, but rather stems from the stress of having a chronic illness in general. In this case, the cause might be mischaracterized as a metabolism issue, when really it is a stress issue. Something similar is seen in those with celiac disease, where the physical metabolism issues don't seem to contribute to the anxiety, but rather the stress that comes along with the condition. Again, this highlights to me that tracking down the roots of these diseases is incredibly complex. There is not one single cause or microbe to blame, but rather an array of factors that contribute to body dysfunction in different areas. 

Outside of mental illnesses like anxiety and depression, blood sugar levels have been linked to changes in personality, such as mood and impulse control. For example, there is an association between blood glucose levels and aggression. In one study, verbal aggression tended to be higher in people with diabetes, but there was no significant difference in physical aggression between groups. This shows how maintaining regular states of physiological factors is indeed important, because the effects of imbalance can go so far as to affect our moods and personality. Going the other way, issues like stress can create downstream effects on our physical status. One article I read brought up the negative effects of heightened cortisol resulting from excess stress on sleep, immunity, and blood sugar. Further downstream, if something like sleep is disturbed, a person may develop really serious issues like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These two examples highlight the “sugar-brain axis,” where flow moves both ways. Mental issues may lead to metabolic issues, and metabolic issues may lead to mental issues. Everything in the body is connected, and disturbances in the interplay between different domains and systems create potential for disaster. 

All in all, drawing connections between how mental health interferes with physical status (and vice versa) helps to showcase the intelligent flow of our bodies, as outlined in ayurveda. It also shows how hard it is to trace the root cause of a health issue, because there is so much give-and-take in the complex flow between systems. It has made me realize that health treatment could benefit from combining multiple angles. It is important not to only consider physical effects, but also mental effects, when treating a patient. They are so connected that it would be detrimental to ignore. One article I read described how treating depression in overweight youth drastically improved outcomes both in diabetes, and in other health issues like asthma. Like intelligent flow in our bodies, I think that developing intelligent flow between healthcare specialties (sometimes known as collaborative care) will be extremely beneficial to patient outcomes.

Curated Paper 1

The body is a complex of interacting systems that work on various tasks. Those tasks often work together to provide a balance for the body to create a state of healthy living, defined as homeostasis. External and internal obstacles challenge this homeostasis by forcing the body to absorb nutrients, filter out wastes, and produce the right antibodies. As a society, we are told that moderation regarding our diet and exercise will aid us in maintaining that balance; however, external factors like the change in environment, illnesses and physiological priorities can make maintaining that balance difficult and can even change how the body considers itself to be within homeostasis. A paper written by Kotas and Medzhitov goes into detail about this phenomenon, the example they use is insulin sensitivity (the body's ability to respond to insulin to regulate blood sugar) and how it is affected by examples including pregnancy, illness, infection and even stress by being reduced. Insulin sensitivity can be increased by reducing calorie intake and weight loss. Kotas and Medzhitov make an argument that this type of adaptability makes it vulnerable to dysregulation of homeostasis (pg 823).

Adding more to this, my thoughts regarding the Ayurveda of how there is a connection of body and mind in addition to the existence of a balance of the two is that the balance is essential for a person's longevity. With that in mind, not everyone has the same homeostasis standards and it can be more challenging especially those with genetic disorders. In my case, maintaining that balance is a change in lifestyle. I am diagnosed with Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), formally known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), on top of endometriosis, this means my body produces more androgens than normal. As a result I have to be more mindful of my diet as I am more susceptible to insulin resistance illnesses such as diabetes and heart diseases. I am also diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression, and this adds another layer to my condition as my brain sends out signals that increase my heart rate if I sense a smallest amount of perceived danger; i.e. my water bill greatly increased, I had an assignment that I forgot to turn in, or even if a close friend sends a text that reads “Hey we need to talk.” While I am aware that my disorder does not define me I also have to live with this disorder, and being aware how both my mind and body functions together is how I will be able to achieve my homeostasis and have the best quality of life that I am able to get.

Today we began discussing metabolism and metabolic disorders. Metabolism can be defined as the process of recycling materials and synthesizing energy. Metabolism is controlled by pathways that use negative and positive feedback to keep the body in homeostasis. A metabolic disorder; in contrast, can inhibit or make the pathways that are involved with metabolism which can worsen the quality of life for an individual. In class we listed how metabolic disorders manifest in an individual by; their genetics or family history, their lifestyle, or organ dysfunction that occurs later in life. One of those metabolic disorders we were introduced to in class was Diabetes.

Diabetes can come into two common types, type one and type two. In class we went into detail on what diabetes is, which is the loss of function of beta-cells, which are responsible for controlling the amount of insulin produced. Insulin in a functional body works with a different hormone called Glucagon to balance the blood sugar levels in the body. Insulin's role is to lower blood sugar levels by allowing sugars to be transported into cells from the bloodstream that can be used for energy. In diabetes, there is an increase of insulin resistance, which means that the body struggles with processing sugars which creates a chain reaction. The brain sends signals to increase sugar consumption as it believes it is starving; the liver becomes compromised which makes the body more susceptible to diseases; blood pressure increases and other heart issues occur; and kidney function will also decrease as increased blood sugar will result in water loss.

We were given access to an article Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022 which highlighted the costs of diabetes beyond the individual level. Due to limited sample size, the groups that the study was able to categorize were; age, sex, general race/ethnicity, type of insurance coverage, and residential status. Table 1 of the article shows the organization of the types of costs that the patient has experienced/will have to consider, how often the costs are used, the quantitative amount of those costs, and any additional costs that come with having diabetes. They also included indirect costs associated with diabetes such as missed workdays and reduced productivity. They found the results to be that roughly 25.5 million people in the US are diagnosed with diabetes in 2022, which they stated was a 7.6% increase from their collected data from 2017. They also calculated that the cost of diabetes in 2022 to be $412.9 billion, 74% of the costs representing medical costs associated with diabetes and the 26% representing lost productivity and the missed days of workers diagnosed with diabetes. The largest contributors to the medical costs the study explained, were that from prescription medicine, and increased hospital visits directly tied to diabetes. In addition to the data, the study made a note that addressed the time frame of data collecting being around the same time as Covid-19, that while it decreased the amount of face-to-face visits, tele-health appointments increased for patients until numbers recovered by 2021 (pg. 32, 36).

This article opened my eyes on how Diabetes is an epidemic that goes beyond the biological sense, as more people are having to pay more for medications that treat the disorder in addition to the costs of making the visit to the doctor. The labor force is also affected by this as well, with companies losing their workforce due to diabetes increasing the disability rate and decreasing the productivity of the work-line. Their call to action is to continue further research on diabetes to improve treatments to help mitigate the financial burden that this metabolic disorder has placed on our society. I also want to add my two-cents as to also advocate those that are diagnosed with diabetes on how they are treated during and after their diagnosis. As it is important to explain the long-term issues that come with the disorder, it is still a disorder that can be greatly demonized to the point of dehumanizing the patient for having the disorder; which can make it difficult for patients to reach out for support as shame plays into effect on their quality of life.

In class we discussed further on the effects of diabetes that go beyond the metabolic pathways of the individual. This ties in with the article I read that explained in detail how much diabetes is costing the US in the economic area. We went into discussion as to why it is more prevalent for people to be less active. I put my hat in and argued how it is more difficult for kids, teens, and even adults to find places to work out due in part to most places requiring those to pay a fee which can force those with low-income to be pushed out. In addition to being easier for people to get harassed when trying to meet their physical needs due to stigmatism.

We also talked about the largest leading causes of death, with heart disease being the #1 cause for it. In addition to the idea of personalized medicine which is based on an individual's genetics and how expensive it is due to how diverse it is. It is 2.6 times higher for patients with diabetes to be treated compared to other patients. Diabetic patients also suffer indirect costs such as lower mobility which puts them at risk of losing employment and becoming disabled. Social factors that contribute to diabetes can be; being in a low-income environment, employment insecurity, poor living conditions, and social stigmatism from others. We also discussed the role glucose has with regulating moods, with it being able to improve an individual's emotional health.

Microbiome is defined by the ecological community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms within a body space or other environment) as in we are the environment for the microorganisms. We have over 1000 bacterial species, and we have different microbiomes based on the location within our body for those species. Our stomachs and lungs are that of different continents on the planet which is something interesting to think about. We also discussed childbirth and how the different methods can affect the types of microbiota that the infant can be introduced to which might affect their microbiome. Epithelial cells play a role in it as well as they help organize the types of bacteria within the system to select good bacteria and keep out the bad bacteria. Mother's milk contains Oligosaccharides which while not digestible to infants, can provide important pioneer bacteria for the infant. Diet also influences Microbiome composition as certain foods like animal proteins provide different bacteria for the body. Bacteria within the microbiome and the human with the microbiome have a symbiotic relationship that lasts for the human's entire lifetime.

Going into further detail about bacteria and that some bacteria can metabolize the food that we consume. They also play a role with specific pathways to produce essential products such as fuel and enzymes for our organs such as the brain. Disease can develop if the microbiome is altered, diabetes being one of such diseases. Koch's Postulates study took stool from obese mice and transplanted the gene of the stool sample to gnotobiotic (sterile), thin mice; the results being that those thin mice turned obese. Another study supports the influence of diet within the microbiome as an increase of meat in a diet results in an increase of microbe types and some of those can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. One example being Short-chain fatty acids being consumed which affects signaling and increase insulin resistance. It is a triangle of the relationship of diet, gastrointestinal micro-biota, and obesity as each one affects the other. Antibiotics are found to increase fat gain by altering the efficiency of the microbiome. The largest symptom of all of this being inflammation, as the body tries to correct the imbalance of the microbiome. This plays in to the hygiene hypothesis that suggests that having a too-clean environment means there is less exposure to fewer microbes which leads to less complex microbial communities which as a result makes an individual more susceptible to diseases; in addition the introduction to antibiotics at a young age also reduces the diversity of the microbiome. We also discussed Parkinson's and how diet and physical activity can have a link in the nervous system and brain development. This ties back to the Ayurveda and the idea of the body and mind being connected.

To further elaborate on the influence of the microbiome and the connection of mind and body, whenever we get sick, our lymphatic system is working overtime to produce white blood cells in order to combat the foreign invaders. As such the lymphatic system communicates to the nervous system that there is an infection that requires signals to be sent out in order to combat it. This is mainly why we experience symptoms such as fevers and congestion as defense mechanisms to flush out or kill the infection. If there is a lack of diversity of the micro-biota, however, then there is only a select number of bacteria that are trained to recognize infections, resulting in an individual to be more susceptible to illnesses and diseases as if the body is unable to recognize the foreign invader, the mind is unable to send out the right signals to the designated systems until it is too late. Fighting infections also takes a large amount of energy, which is why one of the advice for when you are sick is to rest, as the energy can be put into solely addressing the infection rather than splitting the share.

A paper written by Laurence Zitvogel et al., Cancer and the gut microbiota: an unexpected link, goes into detail on the relationship of the gut microbiota (the bacterial ecosystem within our bodies), and cancer. They explain external influences of the microbiota such as antibiotics and chemo-treatment. They firstly explain how humans and our gut bacteria have coevolved to benefit each other as the human body provides the bacteria a place for residency and the bacteria can help process complex foods and aid in neutralizing illnesses. This balanced relationship can be disrupted by a list of environmental factors, with the paper including examples such as antibiotics, smoking, hormones and diet. They go further in the paper that a diverse biota system can help a cancer patient during recovery as they help mitigate the side effects that comes with cancer-treatment; however, they emphasize that if the biota is not diverse, it can be greatly detrimental to a patient as the microbiota is limited on its ability to return the body back to homeostasis and make recovery take longer.

Up to this point I have gained more insight on how much impact gut health plays in treating and controlling the intensity and length that comes with illnesses and the external influences that affect the diversity of the bacterial ecosystem. In addition to how having a large diverse biota is beneficial for the body's ability to return to homeostasis and maintain multiple organ systems. I also have a better understanding of how each organ system is connected to each other and some are reliant on another for homeostasis.

References:

Kotas M., Medzhitov R., “Homeostasis, Inflammation, and Disease Susceptibility,” Cell, vol. 160, no. 5, 2015. pp 816-827.

Parker E., Lin J., Mahoney T., “Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022,” Diabetes Care, vol. 47, 2024. pp 26-43.

Zitvogel L., Galluzzi L., Viaud S., et al., “Cancer and the gut microbiota: An unexpected link,” Sci Transl Med, vol. 271, no. 7, 2015.

curated paper 1

     Throughout the last few weeks of this course, I have learned that human health is much more complicated and interconnected than I thought. Before taking this class, I often thought about diseases as individual problems. For example, I thought of diabetes mostly as a problem involving high blood sugar and insulin because thats all i saw from people i knew growing up. I thought metabolism was simply whether someone had a “fast” or “slow” metabolism, and I mostly thought of bacteria as something that could make people sick. As we continued learning about Ayurveda, the microbiome, metabolism, diabetes, sleep, exercise, and environmental factors, my understanding of health became much broader and became more interesting. I got to see that the human body is not a collection of separate systems working independently. Instead, our biological systems constantly communicate with one another, while our environment, lifestyle, socioeconomic situation, and mental health can also influence our overall health. There are so many facters that can change how our systems work and how our body reacts to certain situations. 

One of the topics that first changed the way I thought about health was Ayurveda. Ayurveda is an ancient medical tradition that started in India and is still practiced today. Unlike medicine that we know of that focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases in a scientific way, Ayurveda takes a more holistic approach. It focuses on connecting the mind, body, and environment and keeping these different areas in balance. After doing research about Ayurveda, I found the idea that different parts of the body and our environment are connected interesting. Although not all ideas of Ayurveda have been scientifically proven, I was able to find general connections between some Ayurvedic concepts and ideas that are also being studied in modern science.

Ayurveda focuses on whole-body healing and includes physical, mental, and emotional health. It encourages practices such as yoga, meditation, mindful eating, getting enough sleep, spending time with yourself and others, and managing your work-life balance. I think this approach is very important because the mind is such a powerful part of the body. If we are stressed or overwhelmed, there is a good chance that our brain can make us feel sick physically. For example, when I am extremely stressed about an exam, I can feel the butterflies in my stomach. I may get a headache, feel overwhelmed, or have an upset stomach. This made me think about how important it is to have balance in life because this is such a small scale what about big life alter concepts.

This idea of balance is something I can connect to my own life because I am a biology major and also on the gymnastics team. I have had to learn how to adjust my schedule, find time to study, learn difficult material, travel, take care of my body and mind, and work around practices and weight training. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. There are times when it feels like there are not enough hours in the day. Because of this, I have learned that finding balance is not just an idea It is something that I have had to practice in my own life. I have learned that sleep, exercise, school, relationships, and mental health all need attention. We did an exercise 

You know when you start learning about something then it seems to show up everywhere thats how i feel about Ayurveda as a student athlete i am so blessed to have so many resources available for me. We have a wonderful staff that helps us condition, take care of our bodies, and most importantly our minds, gymnastics is a hard physical sport no doubt about it but after so many years doing it the capability is not the hard part its the mental side of things thats where i want to bring up an idea that our sports psychologist showed us. She gave us a piece of paper with one big circle on it inside were nine different lines each line was a rating 1-10 this was used as a rating system the circle was then divided into six categories connecting,moving, fueling/hydrating, sleeping, breathing, communicating with nature and faith. Once you rate your self in each of those categories we were told to connect the dots and we were supposed to look at our wheel that we made with our ratings. My wheel let me tell you that thing would be lucky to roll this was a cool exercise because it opened my eyes to what i need to work on to have balance in my life.

This idea of individual differences connects to what we learned later about the microbiome. Before learning about the microbiome, I mostly thought bacteria were bad thats kinda what was hinted at in microbiology. I associated bacteria with germs, sickness, and infection. It was surprising to learn that many microorganisms living inside and on our bodies are actually important for keeping us healthy somtimes even alive. Every person can have a different collection of microorganisms, which means that our bodies are even more individual than I realized. The gut microbiome can affect much more than digestion. Research has shown connections between the gut, immune system, metabolism, inflammation, and even the brain.

This does not mean that everything in Ayurveda has been scientifically proven. I think it is important to recognize the difference between traditional beliefs and scientific evidence. However, I think it is interesting that some traditional ideas can be examined through modern science. This gave me a new perspective because instead of immediately deciding that something is either completely right or completely wrong, I learned that we can ask questions and investigate how different ideas might connect which is something we have learned to do throughout our major.

Another connection I made was between the microbiome and the brain. We learned about the gut-brain axis, which describes the communication between the gut and brain through several pathways, including the nervous system, immune system, hormones, and substances produced by microorganisms. I found this interesting because it suggests that physical and mental health are not completely separate which would connect back to the idea that all systems work with eachother rather then seperatly. I have noticed in my own life that stress can affect how I feel physically whether my stomach hurts or i give myself headaches.

One of my biggest examples is whenever I compete in gymnastics. No matter how much water I drink or how many times I go to the bathroom before my routine, I never fail to get that nervous feeling before I compete. Learning about the gut-brain connection gave me a possible biological explanation for why emotions and physical symptoms can sometimes seem connected. It also made me more aware of how important it may be to take care of my overall health instead of focusing on just one part of my body. Which i said like before we are kinda trained to do we have a psychologist, weights coach, athletic trainer, and nutrieniest. I am so grateful to have these resource but what about people who do not have direct contact with resources like that… i will get into that later in this paper.

Changes in the gut microbiome have been associated with digestion, metabolism, inflammation, and the immune system. This made me realize that things such as diet, stress, antibiotics, sleep, and lifestyle may have effects that go beyond what we immediately see. Another major topic that changed my understanding was metabolism. Before this class, I thought you either had a fast metabolism or a slow metabolism. I did not realize that there were so many different metabolic disorders or that metabolic pathways were so important. Learning about metabolic pathways was a turning point for me because I began to understand how many chemical reactions are involved in creating and using energy in the body.

This also gave me a better understanding of diabetes. Before learning about metabolism, I mostly thought diabetes was caused by high sugar levels. I did not realize how involved metabolic pathways were. When these processes become disrupted, problems can occur with how the body produces, stores, and uses energy. I learned what happens when the body is missing insulin or when the body does not respond properly to insulin. When there is not enough effective insulin, glucose cannot enter cells properly and remains in the bloodstream. The body can then begin using stored fat for energy. Seeing this as a chemical and biological process gave me a much better understanding of what diabetes actually is.

We also learned that diabetes is affected by much more than genetics and diet. I never really thought about how environmental factors could affect diabetes. I used to think someone either inherited it or developed it because of their diet. I did not think deeply about why some people's diets may not be as healthy as others. Family income, location, availability of grocery stores, transportation, work schedules, and access to healthcare can all affect a person's ability to make healthy choices. Which is what i mentioned earlier about having aviavil resources for peoples needs.

There is also a connection between income and diabetes. Fast food can be cheaper, faster, and more convenient than healthier food. For someone who is busy or does not have much money, it can be an easy meal. If someone does not have enough time to prepare a healthy meal, they may also have less time to exercise. This creates a cycle where time, money, food, and physical activity can all affect health. Making it harder to get resources necessary for a healthy life style.

Where someone lives can also make a difference. People living in rural areas may not have close access to major hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, or healthy food. The personal cost of diabetes can include prescription medications, insulin, glucose-monitoring supplies, medical appointments, and treatment for complications. There are also indirect costs such as missing work or school, reduced productivity, transportation to medical appointments, and the time family members spend helping someone manage the disease. These costs can be especially difficult for people who have limited income or access to healthcare.

My personal experiences with people who have diabetes made these lessons much more meaningful. I have had several people in my life who have suffered or struggled with diabetes. One of my elementary school teachers had a very severe case. I remember that she always had a substitute on call because her health could change very quickly. There was one time before class when she had to leave because she fainted from low blood sugar. Later in the school year, she was taken out of the classroom and was gone for about two months. When I came back after summer break and she returned, we found out that she had received a pancreas and kidney transplant. She is now very well known in our town and helps other people who battle diabetes.

I also remember a girl I did gymnastics with in middle school who had diabetes. She wore a monitor and was always aware of what she ate. When we were at a water park one day, she took a syringe out of her backpack and injected insulin into her thigh. I had never noticed her doing this before, but once I saw it, it was hard to forget. At that age, I did not really think about how difficult it must have been for her to manage diabetes while also going to school and practicing gymnastics for many hours each week. Now that I understand more about diabetes, I have a much greater appreciation for what she was dealing with.

I also think about my grandma when I consider how complicated health can be. My grandma does not have great health, but it is not because she has unhealthy habits. Sometimes people are dealt unfortunate cards that are outside of their control. This helped me understand why it is not fair to assume that every person who develops a disease simply made bad choices. Genetics, environment, access to healthcare, age, stress, and many other factors can influence health.

Another important connection I made was between sleep, metabolism, and diabetes. Not getting enough sleep can affect the way the body responds to insulin. Sleep loss can contribute to insulin resistance and can also affect hormones that control hunger and fullness. This can influence eating habits and potentially increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Before this class, I would not have connected something as simple as sleep to diabetes. Now I understand that something that seems unrelated can actually influence metabolic health. That is why i am using lack of sleep as my topic for my paper this semester.

This connection also relates back to Ayurveda and the idea of balance. Ayurveda encourages sleep, stress management, healthy eating, physical activity, and balance between different parts of life. Modern research on metabolism and diabetes also shows that sleep, diet, stress, and physical activity can influence health. Again, this does not prove all Ayurvedic ideas, but it shows how different areas of knowledge can overlap and create new questions.

When I put all of these topics together, I started to see diabetes from a much broader perspective. It is not simply a problem involving blood sugar, and it is not only one person's health problem. Diabetes is connected to biology, metabolism, sleep, exercise, diet, the microbiome, mental health, families, communities, healthcare, economics, and even government spending. Everything is interconnected and works together if one thing starts to have a problem