Viome’s Momo Vuyisich believes the microbiome is key to preventing disease. But the medical establishment has been slow to catch up.

Momo Vuyisich was running out of time. The scientist had spent years battling a mysterious auto inflammatory disease. His joint pain was getting progressively worse and doctors couldn’t explain why. They told him he could end up in a wheelchair within 10 to 20 years.

For Vuyisich, that prognosis was unacceptable. “I really needed to do something about it,” he says. “I read every paper in the world that was ever published on low grade inflammation and joint pain.”

What he discovered not only changed his health but eventually inspired him to co-found Viome, a health technology company focused on personalized nutrition and the human microbiome. He joined the One Day with Jon Bier podcast to talk about how he found a cure to his debilitating condition, growing up dirt poor in a communist country and how he built his company.

After diving into the research, Vuyisich became convinced his condition was not genetic but something related to his diet. He tried low-carb, vegetarian, and keto menus, but none of them provided relief. Then, he came across a scientific paper that caught his attention.

The research involved Neu5Gc, a sugar molecule found in mammalian foods such as red meat and dairy . Humans don’t naturally produce the molecule, and research suggested it could provoke an immune response. Vuyisich eliminated all red meat and dairy from his diet.

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