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
Dietary Fat & Light Regulation of Circadian Biology | Louis Ptacek | 268
How seasonal changes in light and dietary unsaturated fats affect circadian rhythms in mammals.
Topics Discussed:
- Evolutionary context of circadian rhythms: All organisms have adapted to Earth’s 24-hour day for survival, with internal clocks slightly offset and adjusted by environmental cues.
- Molecular clock mechanism: Involves a feedback loop where proteins turn on/off genes, lasting ~24 hours, regulated by phosphorylation and degradation for timing precision.
- Genetic variations in sleep: Families with mutations in clock genes like PER2 cause extreme morning lark behavior, altering protein stability and period length by hours.
- Light entrainment: Morning light shortens human clocks (average 24.2 hours) to match 24-hour days; seasonal day length changes require gradual adjustments.
- Food & metabolic links: Seasonal food scarcity/abundance affects clock via glucose and fatty acids competing for protein modifications, as shown in diabetic mouse models.
- Role of unsaturated fats: Paper finds MUFA/PUFA ratios in diet alter phosphorylation of clock proteins, speeding or slowing adaptation to winter/summer light cycles in mice.
- Modern environmental impacts: Artificial light extends “daytime” signals, while constant food access erases seasonal patterns, contributing to obesity and diabetes risks.
- Jet lag & adaptations: Sudden time shifts mimic seasonal experiments; high-sugar/fat intake may phenocopy genetic effects to aid adjustment, though not recommended for health.
Practical Takeaways:
- Expose yourself to morning natural light to help synchronize your internal clock and improve daily energy.
- Consume main meals during daylight hours and avoid late-night eating to align with natural metabolic rhythms.
- Limit evening screen time to reduce artificial blue light disrupting sleep onset.
- Consider varying diet seasonally, favoring diverse, whole foods to mimic natural availability patterns for better health.
About the guest: Louis Ptacek, MD is a neurologist and professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He researches inherited neurological diseases and sleep traits, including genetic variations causing extreme early rising.
Related Episode:
- M&M 237: Circadian Biology: Genetics, Behavior, Metabolism, Light, Oxygen & Melatonin | Joseph Takahashi
*Not medical advice.
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