What is "Systems Biology" ? And Why I Want Us to be Asking All the Right Questions
July 31, 2021
EVERYTHING AFFECTS EVERYTHING
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now.. and it’s led me to develop more and more content and teachings to use this framework of thought in conversation and education…. so here we go!
This week,
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF... 👀 👀
SYSTEMS BIOLOGY or SYSTEMS THINKING?
In this quick primer video, I dive into WHAT Systems Biology is, and why it grounds my entire framework of thinking, or working, living, and interacting with my greater ecosystem.
If you’re reading this on the web and you’re a newcomer here to ZigZagNutrition…
Welcome, and I’m happy to have you!
My name is Jonathan Isbill, aka Jonathan ZaZa and I’m a Registered Dietitian, writer, thinker, speaker, and overall educator. This newsletter serves as my opportunity to serve others, little nuggets of truth, of insightful tips and inquisitive questions that can be used as tools to help us live a better more fulfilling life.
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This Education is Free. This Education takes Time and it takes Work.
This Work is My Hope for You. 💙
This Education is meant for well, educational purposes only of course ;)
BUT that doesn't mean you should ignore it or dismiss it as inapplicable to you in your life. NO - in fact, systems thinking and systems biology allows us to see the world in a whole new way once we learn the subtle art of wearing those special spectacles to help us see the great big world around us... 🧐🧐 we no longer miss the big picture, and we can transform the way we think, feel, act and make decisions everyday.. with intention and purpose because NOW WE KNOW... since putting the puzzle pieces together...
🧩 🧩
"OHH! IT ALL MAKES SENSE TO ME NOW!"
Do you want to keep exchanging bandaid after bandaid or would you rather get to the root cause of the issue, resolve it for good, and never to look back again?
In much of our busy life, we often don't take the time to stop to think, to stop to question, to doubt, look up, look out, and ask around before we move on.
Sometimes we need to DIG DEEP.
ASK MORE QUESTIONS :)
And without further ado, here’s the video I’ve made for you!
A Quick Primer on SYSTEMS BIOLOGY to support your own personal journey to explore your own personal health and unique biology inside the greater puzzle, bigger picture of our lives. :)
Systems Biology looks at the whole picture, the BIG PICTURE, and it wants to learn how all the puzzle pieces fit together.
In comparison, common reductionist thinking would prompt us to look at every single tiny piece of the puzzle with a microscope.
Reductionist Thinking takes the puzzle apart to understand how each piece works by itself while Systems Biology or Systems Thinking that is, instead wants to put the puzzle together to see how each piece works as part of the whole system.
While both of these are valuable when they work together, we don’t currently have a lot of strong “Systems’ Thinking” going on in our lives.
Systems thinking can help us better connect cause and effect and see how everything really does seem to effect everything.
Observing Natural Occurrences in their Natural Forms vs. Diving in head first with a microscopic lens only looking at one piece of the puzzle, or missing the giant elephant in the room.
Have fun in the adventure to explore the UPSTREAM cause for the DOWNSTREAM effects we see today.
Gut - Brain Connection - Nutrition and Mental Health
Skin Health - Immune System Response - Dermatology - Inflammation
Gut + Skin + Immune connections with respect to inflammation, eczema, acne, dermatitis and more..
Systems Biology allows us to see the big picture and not miss the forest for the trees. It allows us to take a look at the probable cause, the root issue, and prevent excessive, exhaustive temporary reactionary remedies.
Dig Deep. Ask Questions. Connect the Dots. ✨
Find the Cause and Effect Relationships in Your Everyday Experiences.
--- Don't accept mediocrity with fickle deduction methods, keep your eyes and ears open with a conscious consideration for how Everything Affects Everything.
Don’t get stuck with exchanging bandages, missing the real cause for the real problem.
This entire perspective has led me to the place in my life and career where I am intentionally pursuing prevention with an intense interest on education. It’s been a tough journey to get here, to crawl away from comfort and to leap upon the unknown in pursuit of what I believe is a worthy journey to help people learn the basic foundations of health to reimagine what health can be for them.
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On another note
I’ve got another question for you!
I’ve always wanted to lead a Book Club... so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, go ahead and let me know if you think you’d be interested in joining a virtual book club for us to work through together online with sectional reading and debrief conversations afterward.
Would You Join ? Let me know in the comments below!
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Every new season brings new delight and new challenges. This is the ebb and flow of life and our values will continue to be our guiding compass leading our steps forward.
We Zig and We Zag, as we learn to adapt. We need help, and we’re in this together! 💪