Laleh Talebian, PhD

Research Scientist, Your Health and Nutrition Consultant

I know you are wondering who I am and what makes the Self-RenYou™ program different from any other nutrition program? Allow me to introduce myself.

By the time I was 13, I had decided to become a scientist and at 15, I had one purpose in life: To Find a cure for Cancer.

Since then, I have obtained my bachelor’s degree in Genetics and Food Biochemistry from the University of CA, Davis, my PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer from Dartmouth Medical School. [^1-3]

In order to broaden the scope of my knowledge of human physiology and health, I continued my education by doing three years of Post-Doctoral fellowship on the role inflammation in human genetic diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis, COPD, lung cancer and others. ^[4-7] Since2008, I have been working as a research scientist involved in clinical research/ clinical trials with the Blood and Marrow Transplant program at DHMC. ^[8-11]

I have been trained as a scientist, and I am doing my best as a scientist to fight cancer. Years of research has also taught me the influence and the positive AND negative effects of FOOD on human health. Working as a cancer researcher in the past few years has further reinforced my hypothesis. My working hypothesis has been to test and confirm the following theories:

1)      The food that fuels the human body directly and very strongly affects the function of the immune system in fighting disease and healing ailments NATURALLY.

2)      The same genes that serve as the blue prints that make each person a unique individual, determine what combination of foods and fuel is right for that individual.

3)      The most effective method of fighting disease is: PREVENTION.

4)      The most effective medicine for the human body is: THE RIGHT FOODS.

5)      The simplest yet most commonly overlooked answer to most health problems is NOT a particular drug BUT is CLEAN FUEL & PROPER MAINTENANCE, i.e. healthy food and regular exercise.

I have personally tested each of the theories stated above and have concluded that the answer to true health and longevity is fairly simple, but, at the same time, is manifested as a very complex challenge to enforce in the modern society. I will elaborate.

In the past decade, I have come to realize that most Scientists AND Clinicians have been pre-occupied with disease TREATMENT rather than disease PREVENTION.

This is mostly due to training in a medical and scientific society that is dominated by profit-driven drug discovery in the name of “innovative research” governed by massive pharmaceutical companies. This, unfortunately, also comes at the expense of human lives, such as YOURS and MINE.

The focal point in the medical and scientific training, is no longer understanding “why” and “how” a problem occurs, Or “where the root of the issue is”  as much as it is “what” and “how fast” can we MASK it, or, in other words, TREAT it, and how to TREAT it as CHEAP as possible.

Time is not spent to solve a problem, but to cover it up FAST and CHEAP. The main goal of health care is not “care” but profit. Health Insurance has become a meaningless term, why?? A dedicated Physician is often left to make a medically critical decision based on a patient’s medical coverage NOT based on the patient’s medical NEEDS; VERY disconcerting but VERY true.

There is little time allowed for extra CARE and for knowing each person as an INDIVIDUAL; a person becomes a number and each number is allotted a limited number of minutes, NO more, because the insurance does not cover that extra “undefined” minute previously known as extra CARE. After all, time IS money in a society where profit is the primary goal.

I have grown progressively more frustrated with the lack of attention to detail by some scientists and clinicians. My frustrations are further magnified when 9 out of 10 people around me are on some sort of prescription medication, for “ailments” that their own bodies can heal provided the right tools. And it escalates when I see that those medications have to be further “medicated” because they have side effects. Once you agree to one prescription, chances are, you are going to HAVE to medicate the side effects of the first medication by a second medication and it snowballs thereafter, until you have so many problems you don’t recall where it all started??? “The root” of the problem is buried under piles of medications and the side effects.

In the midst of this chaos, each and every day, I am constantly reminded of the effects of nutrition and lifestyle on our health. I see the detrimental outcome of unhealthy choices manifesting NOT ONLY as cancer but as many other diseases and obesity. It is truly a vicious cycle.

Did I depress you???

There is a bright side to this so let me make it up to you.

I also come from a family in which cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, migraines, just to name a few, are very prevalent.

I watched my father deteriorate under high dose chemotherapy at age 49. I have been extremely driven and determined for personal reasons, to find a better answer. I needed to know that I can have a better chance at a healthy life. I had to prove to myself that I have better options than simply giving in to my genetics and wait my turn.

I will not just tell you what you should do, I am also a true believer in, and truly practice:

“I AM what I EAT” & “FOOD is My Medicine”.

I am a living proof that we can use the knowledge about our genes and family history to our benefit and to beat the odds. I want to share all that I have learned with you.

Knowledge is power. I want to share with YOU my knowledge, to help YOU discover the power within YOU, to uncover your body’s full potential, and most importantly, to help you gain CONTROL.

Limitations? We will face them together, and we will leave them behind.

You set your goal(s), you choose your destination, you take control, we will get you there.

Are you ready to Self-RenYou??

So what is so unique about my program? The fact that YOU are unique.

My personal philosophy is that no two individuals are identical and therefore, it is not logical to have a “one size fits all” model for nutrition. Even the same person may have different health and fitness goals from one year to another and the nutrition plan must meet the requirements of each training program to meet those goals.

The human body is an amazing “vehicle” and like any other, this incredibly complicated vehicle needs the right parts and tools and the right fuel to function at its best. I like to use the following analogy:

Consider your body as your one and only vehicle that is available to you. You have to work well with what you have; buying another vehicle or borrowing one from someone else is NOT an option. It must last you the rest of your life and ideally, with as few trips as possible to the mechanic (DOCTOR).

You want to keep it in good shape for as long as you live because it will simply make your life easier, makes for a pleasurable ride each and every time, and it keeps you happy each and every day. So, if you want a fun and safe ride that continues for as long as you like, you have to make sure you give it the right fuel (FOOD), perform preventative maintenance (EXERCISE, PERSONAL TRAINING, PHYSICAL THERAPY, MASSAGE, OTHER CONSULT) , and give it a break (SLEEP, REST, RECOVERY)

If you were to take a long ride (MARATHON) or a particularly steep and challenging ride (BODY BUILDING) or a very complicated route with lots of hidden surprises (TRIATHLON)… you get the idea, you want to make sure all of the above are done right for the specific ride you have in mind, because you do NOT want to break down in the middle of the road and have a setback, do you?

This program is specifically designed to meet your specific health and fitness needs, goals and plans, as well as your personal wellbeing and physical and mental balance. The plan will be customized around your specific goals, your family history and back ground, your genetics, your commitment and determination, and based on the information that you will provide to me.

A detailed questionnaire is specifically formulated to help me to get to know you from the inside out, at a cellular and molecular level all the way up to a physical and emotional level.  In order for me to ensure that you get to your destination safely and timely, you have to give me the “car facts”. The more specific and clear you are, the better equipped I will be to design your plan. So, you need to be honest, be specific, and be detailed. Don’t hold back, don’t be embarrassed and don’t leave anything out. I am NOT here to judge you, I am here to help you. Your information will remain strictly confidential and will ONLY be shared with professionals that YOU chose to share it with. (Your physician, your therapist, your personal trainer…)

My first and foremost goal is YOUR health, everything else follows.

My logic is outlined:

You have to be healthy FIRST, before you do anything else. So whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, maintain your weight, improve your athletic performance, participate in a race, marathon, triathlon…. MY focus is YOUR HEALTH FIRST.

Important things to keep in mind about me:

1) I AM a scientist and what I do best is to solve problems.

Do you suffer from migraines?

Do you have underactive OR overactive thyroid?

Do you have high Cholesterol?

Does High blood pressure run in your family?

Are you tired of battling allergies?

Have you given up on having a healthy digestive system because your doctors have ran out of tests and have no explanation but: “ You have IBS and you just to live with it.” ?

Do you take more medications that you care to list?

Are you tired of being tired?

Have you given up on losing OR gaining weight?

I am determined to solve your problem, because that is what I was born AND what I was trained to do. And I hate to put “band aids” on things so I will NOT mask your problem, but I will do anything in my power to help you solve it; I do not tolerate unsolved problems very well.

2) I am a cancer researcher, but I am truly interested in Chemo-prevention, more than anything else.

Have you had to battle cancer?

Do you find that it has left your body weak and vulnerable?

Do you feel that the cancer treatments have done more damage than good to the rest of your body?

Have you been recently diagnosed with cancer?

Are you determined to do what it takes to strengthen your body to heal itself?

This is my ultimate mission in life and I tirelessly live to fight cancer. I have done extensive research on NATURAL ways to help your body fight cancer. And I am ready to take this challenge WITH you head on.

1- Background and life history analysis- I will use a comprehensive questionnaire to gain information about your health history, your family history, and your background to determine what genetic and environmental factors affect your overall health, fitness, and lifestyle.

2- Heart Rate Monitor based fitness test- I will evaluate your fitness level using a heart rate monitor and a non-invasive stress test. This will help me assess and compare your fitness age to your biological age. We all know that 220-age works ONLY for 15-20% of the population who do not engage in regular physical activity.

3- A comprehensive fitness report will be generated that is as UNIQUE as YOU are.

4- Your personal goals and needs, current eating habits and lifestyle will be evaluated in private.

5- You current exercise regimen will be evaluated and, based on information I get from your test and questionnaire, necessary modifications will be made to help you improve your performance on a daily basis.

6- Based on all the information collected, your VERY OWN comprehensive nutrition plan will be designed to complement your genetics, your health, your lifestyle, your exercise program and your goals.

7- Follow up and continued support, feedback, and guidance- I will stay connected as long as you need, I will answer your questions, address your concerns via phone, email, or private sessions.

8- A 6 months follow up from the start date of the first phase of your nutrition program- I will repeat your fitness assessment and generate a progress report (before and after data for you to see the results of your hard work and commitment).

9- Long-term follow up option is available on a yearly basis or more frequently, if you need it, at a lower rate than your initial plan.

Testimonials

Downloads:

  SRY_HealthQuestionnaire_Mar2012.pdf (321.4 KiB)

  SelfRenYOU_Brochure_REV2.pdf (971.0 KiB)

  Self-RenYou-Progress__follow_up_guidelines_copyright.pdf (220.2 KiB)