As a physician specializing in functional medicine, circadian biology, and personalized genomics, I often see patients who have implemented healthy habits—but still struggle with fatigue, digestive distress, hormonal imbalance, or chronic inflammation. The missing variable? Often, it’s not what they’re doing—it’s when they’re doing it.
Why Circadian Rhythm Matters
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s innate 24-hour clock, governed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and synchronized by light, food intake, and sleep. It regulates:
- Hormone secretion (cortisol, melatonin, insulin)
- Digestive activity and nutrient absorption
- Immune function and inflammation
- Detoxification and cellular repair
- Neurotransmitter release and mental resilience
When this rhythm is disrupted—due to shift work, irregular sleep patterns, late-night eating, or chronic stress—health begins to unravel.
Insights from the 2024 Publication:
“Interactions Between the Gut Microbiome, Host Circadian Rhythms, and Metabolic Homeostasis” , Authors: Sponti, Mima G., et al. (2024)
This collaborative Award Winning research illuminates the dynamic, bi-directional relationship between genetics, the gut microbiome, and circadian biology:
- Microbial Oscillations: Gut bacteria follow daily rhythms, influencing inflammation, metabolism, and neurotransmitter production.
- Clock Gene Disruption: Variants and expression shifts in CLOCK, BMAL1, PER2, CRY1 alter microbiome structure, reduce short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, impair bile acid processing, and weaken gut integrity—all signals detected in patients with circadian misalignment.
- Genetic Susceptibility through SNPs: Variants in genes such as PER3, CLOCK, BMAL1, NR1D1, FUT2, and IL6 correlate with disrupted sleep patterns, metabolic dysregulation, and inflammatory phenotypes—especially when compounded by stress or trauma.
Genomic Markers I Prioritize in Practice
Through clinical genomic analysis at MIMANSA, I often identify the following SNPs that impact circadian health:
- CLOCK gene polymorphisms: Linked to insulin resistance, obesity risk, and shift work intolerance
- PER3 variants: Associated with delayed sleep phase and mood instability
- BMAL1 variants: Implicate metabolic dysfunction and type 2 diabetes risk
- NR1D1 (Rev-Erbα): Linked to mitochondrial and sleep-related regulation
- FUT2 & IL‑6 SNPs: Modulate microbiome composition and systemic inflammation
Patients with these variants frequently report persistent symptoms—fatigue, digestive upset, anxiety—that standard interventions fail to resolve until timing and genomic context are addressed.
Personalized, Rhythm-Aligned Clinical Approach
At MIMANSA, in collaboration with LA Integrative GI, I offer:
- Advanced genomic testing to identify your chronobiological and metabolic SNPs
- Gut microbiome and metabolome analysis to reveal microbial rhythm disruptions
- Chrononutrition protocols that align eating windows with circadian peaks of digestion and metabolism
- Behavioral reprogramming focused on light exposure, sleep hygiene, and stress modulation
- Somatic, trauma-informed consultations and care designed to recalibrate HPA axis and circadian signaling
- Targeted supplement strategies that leverage gene-nutrient interactions (e.g., COMT, MTHFR, CYP1A2)
Why Timing Needs to Be Personalized
Symptom improvement may hinge not on diet alone but on aligning habits with your inherent rhythm. Whether it’s waking with morning light, anchoring meal timing, or optimizing sleep cadence—these changes, guided by your genome and microbiome, can restore harmony to your biology.
The Future Is Rhythmic, and Personalized
Medicine is evolving. It’s no longer enough to treat symptoms. We must consider when to eat, rest, or detoxify based on genomic insights and microbial timing. That’s the future of high-impact, personalized care.
PROMO OFFER FOR NEW PATIENTS:
https://drmima.as.me/schedule/f31bee45/appointment/79547553/calendar/7220118
Ready to Sync with Your Biological Timekeeper?
If you’re interested in uncovering your genomic susceptibilities and aligning your lifestyle to optimize health goals, schedule a consultation with Dr. Mima MD at MIMANSA—now available at LA Integrative GI and virtually.
Begin with genomic decoding: laintegrativegi.com/genomic-decoding-snps-analysis
Dr. Mima MD, IFMCP, Founder, MIMANSA
Former Chopra Mind-Body Medical Center Physician
Author, “Interactions Between the Gut Microbiome, Host Circadian Rhythms, and Metabolic Homeostasis” (2024)
(623) 437-4888
