AHS Talk This Saturday

For those who are attending the Ancestral Health Symposium this year, my talk will be at 9:00 AM on Saturday.  The title is "Insulin and Obesity: Reconciling Conflicting Evidence", and it will focus on the following two questions:

1. Does elevated insulin cause obesity; does obesity cause elevated insulin; or both?
2. Is there a unifying hypothesis that's able to explain all of the seemingly conflicting evidence cited by each side of the debate?

I'll approach the matter in true scientific fashion: stating hypotheses, making rational predictions based on those hypotheses, and seeing how well the evidence matches the predictions.  I'll explore the evidence in a way that has never been done before (to my knowledge), even on this blog.

Why am I giving this talk?  Two reasons.  First, it's an important question that has implications for the prevention and treatment of obesity, and it has received a lot of interest in the ancestral health community and to some extent among obesity researchers.  Second, I study the mechanisms of obesity professionally, I'm wrapping up a postdoc in a lab that has focused on the role of insulin in body fatness (lab of Dr. Michael W. Schwartz), and I've thought about this question a lot over the years-- so I'm in a good position to speak about it.

The talk will be accessible and informative to almost all knowledge levels, including researchers, physicians, and anyone who knows a little bit about insulin.  I'll cover most of the basics as we go.  I guarantee you'll learn something, whatever your knowledge level.

Talent, Hard Work, and Laudable Goals

Time away from work gives us the opportunity to explore the facets of life that are not immediately related to our work. Last Thursday night, I saw Terence Blanchard in concert at the Blues Alley in DC. It wasn’t the first time that I had seen him and he did not disappoint me. Mr. Blanchard and the other members of his quintet mesmerized the crowd with their hauntingly beautiful numbers mostly from their new CD, Magnetic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTjt7EcGtU

I really enjoy Jazz music and I am in awe of the masters of this genre. In May, Wynton Marsalis gave the keynote address at the graduation ceremonies of the University of Vermont. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIYKfyDVzxg. Mr. Marsalis’ son, Simeon, was among those getting their bachelor’s degrees as was my son, Patrick. I knew Wynton as a virtuoso of the trumpet, but I did not realize that he was also a gifted public speaker. He had me, and most of the other parents in the crowd choking back tears as he brought himself to tears in giving the best commencement address that I have ever heard. Mr. Marsalis addressed us from the heart of a proud father and his words really connected with me. I was amazed at how such a talented musician could relay such a powerful message through the spoken word as well. He is truly multi-talented. It is clear that both Terence Blanchard and Wynton Marsalis put in many, many hours of practice to take advantage of their talents. Talent and hard work are unbeatable.

At GBMC we are blessed with many, many talented people who work very hard. From our dedicated Board members who give so much of their time to assure the community that we stay true to our mission and move towards our vision; to our senior team and our tremendously talented and hard working physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, care managers, hospice aides, medical technicians, secretaries, food service workers, environmental services workers, billers, finance analysts, and every other member of Team GBMC, we are all united in our quest-that everyone gets the care we want for our own loved ones. United around this laudable goal and with the hard work and talent of our people, the GBMC HealthCare System is unbeatable.

Do you have a story about a GBMC team member going the extra mile to deliver excellent care? Let us know in the comments below.