Seth & Lauren Rogen: Genes are a Roadmap, Not a Destination

Seth Rogen (actor, writer, producer, director) and Lauren Miller Rogen (writer, director, producer, philanthropist) join us to discuss the origin and missions of HFC, their non-profit organization, that cares for families impacted by Alzheimer's disease, activates the next generation of Alzheimer's advocates, and leads brain health research and education. Lauren opens up about her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s at an early age, and how her mother’s diagnosis affected the early stages of her relationship with Seth. Seth and Lauren discuss the ripples of mental health struggles on an entire family, why treating and preventing Alzheimer’s can be so difficult, and the benefits of familiarizing yourself with symptoms of neurological diseases. They explain potential causes of early-onset Alzheimer’s, lifestyle changes that can help promote brain health, and the positive and negative effects of marijuana use on brain health. Mayim and The Rogens consider the need for universal access to medical and mental health resources and the reasons Americans may be distrustful of the healthcare system.
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Trailer for As They Made Us: • AS THEY MADE US | Offi...
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Find Seth and Lauren Rogen:
HFC: WeAreHFC.org
Twitter: @WeAreHFC
Instagram: @WeAreHFC
Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong.
#MayimBialik​​​ #BialikBreakdown #SethRogen #LaurenRogen

[@Kaybee410]

I took care of my mom with Alzheimer’s until the day she passed. I was 28 when she was diagnosed and 36 when she passed. Hilarity for Charity awarded me a grant that allowed me to have some respite care . I am eternally grateful to them

[@deborahrose8621]

That's great to hear! I am totally a new fan of Seth and now Lauren ~ I didn't know he was doing such a wonderful humanitarian service This will be a charity I support

[@egyptmachine]

That’s amazing, I was blown away how that’s part of their charity. I love them even more now.

[@deborahrose8621]

@@egyptmachine I was always a Seth Rogan stoner movie and GIF fan and I friggin love his insane laugh but there's a part of me that is stone cold sober about humanitarianism and health and wellness and kindness And Seth & Lauren checked all the boxes A part of me personally thinks she made him a better person but the fact that she's the woman he chose as his partner tells me about his spirit as well

[@egyptmachine]

@@deborahrose8621 100% I was watching this in bed and I’m thinking I’ve always loved this man and his work as an actor, but knowing his story now with how he stayed with Lauren warms my heart. He is a good man, and she’s a good woman. What a team 🤘🏽

[@deborahrose8621]

@@egyptmachine We definitely see eye to eye on that one!

[@trisciense]

Came for Seth, stayed for Lauren. Awesome episode Mayim.

[@deborahrose8621]

ha ha ~ I wished I said that!

[@brinsonopinion]

Like a scalpel LOL! Bravo.

[@gabrielleroux2333]

Seth was clearly there to bring spotlight to her ❤️

[@laurinlatour4246]

I grew up very poor, sharing one bedroom with my mother brother and sister. My aunt and her son were in the smaller room, and my grandparents slept in the living room. There was no personal space. You had to time your share of the bathroom. But this was a step up for my grandparents. My grandmother literally lived in a tent village on a dirt floor in the '40s. My grandfather lived in the projects. There's a long history of violence, addiction, and mental illness in every tree limb. So I consider myself a but blessed, as each generation gets a little better. But when you're that poor, you eat what you can, sleep when/where you can, and wear what you can. Now I have my own family. We struggle and we're a little cramped but we're in a three bedroom with two cars, and thanks to wonderful social funding through things like Medicaid and food stamps (which were absolutely horrific to access during Trump), we can make better decisions about sleep and food and clothing and basic small changes. Unfortunately so many still can't, as I know from personal experience. Also thankfully we had Medicaid and Medicare that covered hospice when my grandmother was dying from bone cancer and thankfully my mother and my aunt were able to be there and help with her when the nurse wasn't there but not everyone has that flexibility. I'm reaching an age where I am now fearful of being able to care for my parents, and my in-laws.

[@brittany3966]

As someone who is at risk of developing early onset Alzheimer’s, I just want to thank you all for taking the time to do this podcast. I’ve been terrified to do a deep dive into this topic due to my anxiety regarding my predisposition. This was such a digestible way to learn new information.

[@coryr7183]

im curious why you feel that?? we i feel mostly all get it when get old but early onset?? i just started this podcast and ive never quite known the difference between similiar but differnt words however maybe the beginning is answering that?? i just also found out about a song called Raymond by brett eldredge i believe was his name, its deep but beatiful man

[@tamrahostens1009]

I laughed! I cried! 🤣😭 I was caregiver to my mom (dementia) & my husband (cognitive issues from other problems) for 10 years in my home while working full time. Lost my husband in 2020 & my mom a year later in 2021! How wonderful their program is to help those affected with dementia! I did not have “a break” but I would not change keeping my loved ones at home!😍

[@astridx7485]

From someone that grew up with a sick mother and spent her childhood in hospitals, thank you for this.

[@nyckidsprojectnyckp7370]

Your last 5 minutes about privilege and the price of health … very important . I hope everyone stayed on to view you two speaking on this . Thank you . Great episode.

[@laurinlatour4246]

I would love to see you on the JRE. The in-depth neuroscientific discussion between you two, I am positive, would be absolutely amazing.

[@deborahrose8621]

Great suggestion! Lex Fridman is also a great choice for long format podcasts which are good for Mayim who is a walking encyclopedia

[@orland0110]

Thank you so much Mayim for this podcast with Seth and Lauren Rogen. I totally love this one!

[@dcat266]

Just love this channel. I love Mayim. I have followed her acting career since Blossom. I also remember her part in Beaches. Of course, we must not forget Amy on The Big Bang Theory. She gets me. I'm bipolar with depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I am Canadian; so enjoy this video as it touches on me as a Canadian. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🙂🙂👍

[@customerservice3171]

My Grandma passed with Alzheimer's. She wasn't diagnosed with dimentia/alzheimer's until 3-5 years before her passing. A few years before that, she lost sight in one eye. At that point she stopped reading books. I have felt that this contributed to her alzheimer's.

[@kathrynoneill5862]

That's interesting that her mom was so young. I'm so sorry about that. My grandmother is going to be 98 this year and his showing signs of dementia although very mild and the Doctors do not take very seriously because she is 98 and is barely showing signs of it. I was frustrated with the Doctors at first but I really didn't realize you got even get Alzheimer's at 50 it's so tragic.

[@mikemorris2625]

Great conversation. Mayim can you get Doug Stanhope as a guest that would be a interesting talk about mental health.

[@paurow]

What a great, authentic and important conversation. thank you!

[@susanbrown6458]

My dad has Alzheimer's. I'm grateful for his VA benefits and doctors because I don't know if we'd even have a diagnosis at this point. The family was concerned for a while, but the doctors told my mom that he was "just being lazy" 😠 (when he thought my daughter was the waitress when she returned from the bathroom in a restaurant, I begged my mom to get more forceful with the doctors). It was the VA docs who finally did the necessary assessment, got him services for respite, care providers, and day treatment, got my mom connected with a support group, and have helped with equipment as it's needed.

[@susanbrown6458]

My mom always said "sleep is as important to the body as food and water". My dad worked swing shift, ate poorly, doesn't drink water, didn't exercise regularly, etc, plus a genetic history. 😞

[@westcoastfireafc]

My father has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, having had a background in a medical field I saw the early signs so where I was not surprised at his doctors diagnosis I was surprised at my emotional reaction to hearing someone say it. I want to learn more about how we can help my dad. But I have the easy job I am only an hour away from my folks so I try and give my mum a break my sister lives in Banff a 24 hour flight away from my folks here in Australia.

[@marisamartinezolivera]

About ‘Genes are a Roadmap, Not a Destination’ is what modern Epigenetics studies, isn’t it? I wish you talk some day about the strange dementia my mom suffered, called “Reduplicative Paramnesia”, a rare dementia first diagnosed in Vietnam’s veterans, with lots of symptoms in common with Alzheimer’s, but probably induced or accelerated by previous brain injuries and not because brain reduces the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Resulting in a kind of “quantic” dementia bc who suffered it thinks is living in some “parallel universes” not his/her own. A rare, quite unknown dementia, a disease very difficult to diagnose and treat it. Very hard to live and deal with it, for the patient, caretakers and family. Specially if you decide to keep the patient at home, as doctors recomended, to avoid more “multiverses”…

[@susanbrown6458]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this!

[@katherinemartinez5260]

As a nursing student part of our evaluation of the client is to look at them holistically and consider Maslow’s. I appreciated the point you were trying to make and it sounded like how we look at it. I would have liked to hear you finish your point, Johnathon. Lol joking! I see what he was doing there. You both are awesome! 🤍

[@sweingold5686]

This was SO good. Lots of information and anecdotes. I also enjoy the talking part after the interview. And I put my bag of potato chips away.

[@mitchhecht624]

The finest most consistent podcast I know. Original content too.

[@deborahrose8621]

This is an excelllent podcast! Thank you so much for approaching the topic of "pot" ~ I noticed when you said that pot can affect discipline to food because of munchies that Seth and Lauren flinched and the reason is that these are NOT teenagers who thrive off a junk diet Mature smokers who are foodies control their diet! In fact pot may help to discipline or refine their diet! Alcohol on the other hand discourages discipline but can totally enhance your diet if you love wine and dining I always loved Seth but now that I see him as a couple I love him more Big Shout Out to my fellow 🍁 Shout out to you too Jonathan ~ you are a good balance to your uber intelligent and boisterous partner in crime

[@Fvmarks]

If u can't eat whats the point of being awake!!! Yessss

[@Lord_Dillinger]

Awesome episode Mayim. I agree with Lauren, but instituting changes for the better it in your life can be a challenge.

[@JUDYJAKESSPECKMAN]

My father passed in 2015. We were paying >$8k month for his nursing home. Thank you for doing this video.

[@slimsonite2111]

Yay! We get a Seth Rogan laugh right away!! 😆💖👍

[@wendybowman5871]

This is good the see/hear discussion. My Dad got very early diagnosis of Loewy Bodies Dementia due to his annoyance of the early tremors. Luckily the university here has great resources/studies on it to help out.

[@m_brokenleg]

Watching this episode after watching the trailers of “AS THEY MADE US” is poignant & so touching..And your “Ukranian” colored dino presiding your desk! Such a subliminal message! I love it! 💛💙Or maybe my emotions are a bit overloaded.. Btw, about Alzheimer dissease check Pasqual Maragall Foundation (founded by our Barcelona’s “Olympic” Major, who suffers it). Specially its Alfa Study, the International Projects and BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center.

[@danelleroof7144]

My great aunt just passed from Alzheimer's, so I am concerned how far it effects my extended family. Lauren hit all the points my physician did for my weight program. The biggest thing I had to give up was a stressful job within health care and since stepping away from health care my mental health and stress level are much healthier. Thank you for all your content and intriguing interviews.

[@charleneg.4053]

I love Seth, and his wife is super cute. I love what they are doing ♥️

[@danuta4232]

Thanks so much for this series, Mayim and Jonathan. I started watching sometime last year when I was looking at mental health and wellness and went, "OMG, this woman knows her stuff." So refreshing. I really loved this episode, particularly your segue into lifestyle for brain longevity. Very helpful. I was wanting to ask a question, if you still answer them? I am interested in Burn-out. I got burnt out completing a PhD while raising four kids with diverse needs. Just when I thought I could have some time to really recover, other serious things happened and the global situation ensued, and so I haven't been able to take the time. So, I was wondering if burn-out compounds over time, and how best to recover after decades of intense experiences? What can you do to recover when you can't really take a break? How is burnout and recovery from burnout reflected in our biology (brain and body)? Ok, not just one question, but I would really love to hear what you have to say. If you have a episode that speaks to this, could you post a link? I did a search for Burnout in your website and found the conversation with Alison Desir, which was interesting but only focused a little on burnout itself.

[@brinsonopinion]

I really got a lot out of this, not the least of which is a newfound appreciation for Seth Rogen. I didn't know his history & certainly was unaware of his wife who seems like one of the coolest, most empathetic people you'd want to meet. I also love when the guest makes Mayim spontaneously crack up. Another valuable AND entertaining episode, thank you! (ps - same way about sleeping hot, can't do it.)

[@cjplay2]

34:42 - Thank you!! Sleep. Most important one. I've had 2 other sleep trackers. 1 says I only sleep 5-7 hours and the other was saying 7-9 hours. My heart rate did not appear different on either one. Also, neither had a pulseox tracker to see if I (did) have sleep apnea. Whoop still doesn't track that, though. You need a true oximeter to help with that. Also, think you only need it for 1 night like the sleep therapists say? No. It can help you position your body to reduce the apnea (hint, on your side or stomach with a wedge worked for me). Thank you as always to Mayim!

[@tiffanysmith7419]

Just found your channel! Where are you finding all the energy to do all that you do??? And you clearly have a time machine in order to find all this time. I'm so impressed with your productivity!!!

[@cjplay2]

01:02:17 - "Lighten your blanket" - I think you mean for heat reasons, right? At least 2 members of my family sleep with weighted blankets and sleep better but will likely need the cooling pad once summer hits. Thank you Jonathan!

[@JanelleVocate-Ames]

YAY! It's going to be another good one. thanks!

[@lyndamichler407]

Thank you.

[@dangell4401]

Oh my gosh. I literally laughed out loud when you brought up the shoes on the wrong feet. SO FUNNY.

[@spaceforlifeca]

Thank you for this. I really appreciate the reminder to do simple things like stop eating at a certain time and go to bed a little earlier to improve my mental health. These are things I know but keep forgetting.

[@Tatycharmz]

Its so sweet what they do to help, if only the goverment would help people who are sick with all sorts of illneses pysical and mental.

[@saraj396]

Jotted down some good notes here....📝☺

[@westminster860]

One of your best Myam. You are so funny. I enjoyed this one much. My cousin is dealing with her husband dealing with this. I think the care givers suffer more than the person going through the demise in a lot of cases.

[@katelynivens3007]

I have wild dreams and remember them vividly! always have!!

[@jamier.hayden4636]

Have you seen Pam and Tommy! It's great! Seth is great!

[@JimMcNicholas]

Thanks Mayim and Jonathan, loved the episode.

[@sarahbright8574]

Good morning Mayim!

[@antoniomadison7885]

I love this👍

[@rachelgrig9985]

So excited for this one ❤️❤️🌹

[@MachaMongRuad]

Saaaaaame 💜💜

[@jayhgraupppopp]

Practical content AF!!! Thanks to every one!!!

[@rosealee9367]

After you ask a question? Please let your guests answer.

[@mollysmith1226]

Yes!!! So annoying

Dear bro Seth and si sLauren thank you so much for your non-profit humanitarian organisation,conribution and activities,ı rally appericate that, you guys rock, unfortunatly Alzheimer is aserious disease and ı dont know why but it's been increasing rapidly especially in the recent years, ı 'm also suffering a bit from extreme amnesia nowadays that might caused by lack of B12 vitamin so ı'm takin my pills and medication, please pass my best regards to Franco bro much love dear friends.

[@alananate9650]

As a follow up to the awesome episode on Mayim’s Breakdown…. How can I get a sleep score? Did you mention an app you use? Thanks 🙏

[@melinagomez3788]

I loved this episode.

[@shaylajolly5870]

I love your channel

[@toad6917]

Mayim - the sooner a person learned the effectors of health and participates in their own self care the better - which works better do what I say or here is why you need to Once one is aware of such effectors is is mature to act on them!

[@user-wu2cl2es5r]

what kind of music is playing? I like it

Dear beautiful sis, ı just watch therecent epsode and it' awesome, ı always enoyed teaching music,playing instruments and some other stuff to my students in the past, it's really awonderfulfeeling, do you guys consider to gofor a rock 'n' roll comedy tv-series sort of production for the futue with some heaavy dudes lke me by theway, perhapsthat might be interesting ı'd say don'r you think?

[@Authentistic-ism]

Cannabis slows down my internal racing thought monitoring to a point where I can think at a speed close to normal people and communicate with them better.

[@Authentistic-ism]

Oh, and the inhibition of nightmares is also a nice bonus, but I was also concerned about the implication for REM sleep

[@forestduffe5576]

Another incredible episode mayim

[@joannaurban2418]

Remember that dementia running in your family is not a sentence. You can put off the onset simply by following the well-known rules of what a healthy lifestyle is.

[@matiaspereira9382]

Seth Rogen was the voice of Paul

[@Rainbowofthefallen]

Just Commenting for the algorithm 🧡

[@TheCoolCookieKitchen]

It’s not all sunshine and roses here in Canada you can have obscene amount of money and they’re just isn’t availability. The city that I live in doesn’t even have a hospice building centre wing nothing you would literally have to move out of town.

[@reginafallangie2867]

Not at all what I expected when I saw. Less comedic, & more informative. I would have been happy either way, but this was very interesting.

[@shamshersingh8842]

Hi Mayim. How're you doing 😄

[@stephanies5658]

I’m curious if you would have child actress Soleil Moon Frye- Punky, Mario Lopez, Candace Burè, Tiffani Amber Theissan or Alyssa Milano on The Breakdown

[@matiaspereira9382]

It's awful to have Alzheimer

[@yardenavriel]

I love your work and your ethics. Was wondering though, as a staunch supporter of Israel and the Israeli people's right for existence did those values not clash with Rogan who is admittedly antizionist?

[@RachelinAK]

My grandmother on my dad's side and her sister had alzheimers. My dad and two brothers have Lewy Body Dementia. :/ Not looking good for my parental line.

[@marvintheys5616]

Through the lens of science, combined with your personal experience and belief system AND considering conflicting views, which elements in your opinion are crucial to allow for the surfacing of the true selves in others? And do you believe in Angels (divine messengers recognized in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism)? 😅

[@kamarpreet]

Double guest!

[@yc5000]

Had to pause and just....WHAT!?!? At the comment about hysterectomies. NO WAY?!?! Oh my God 😭

[@grootjnr]

OMG 5 mins in and I need to go, so many adverts

[@Littlebigtime]

i work at a (good) memory care assisted living home and they hire 18 year olds who took a 6 week online class to be caregivers, apparently you dont need a high level of expertise.

[@larissabruce6233]

Anyone else getting a ton of prolife ads on these videos? I feel like mayim would be livid.

[@kellykingsland9861]

You are turning Canadian. Careful. Propose Jonathan

[@homotron8629]

I found this episode triggering; such potential at sharing valuable information from guests living daily with the subject at hand, yet unable to get more than a a sentence in before being loudly interrupted with information, we as regular listeners, are with all too familiar. I love this podcast, and sing along to the theme music; Jonathan, you're a gentle, intelligent, caring soul. I wish that maybe you consider starting your own podcast as even guests are often stoked when you ask such precise questions to open up discourse. Mayim, you are a fascinating person who feels life and I love you both but I gotta unsubscribe for a bit. cheers

[@mollysmith1226]

Agree!!

[@kellykingsland9861]

See we Canadians know you

[@strange4202]

my mom had dementia caused by a stroke.

[@elissa3188]

I'm having trouble watching this one- even though the content is interesting- Seth looks a bit disengaged and bored during huge chunks of the conversation... I'm glad he's letting Lauren do lots of the talking, as it is her story- but maybe he didn't need to be there for this one, haha.

[@samriddhigupta5514]

He isn't bored he is just sitting there because it's more of his wife's story. He speaks when it comes to pot .

[@iblisgalilean6952]

murder secrectpluralandornotorso dementia posttraumatic derogativedisorder;. sincerity

[@kellykingsland9861]

Don’t say sorry Jonathan. We have to pay tax on that

[@nancyjohnston7528]

Sorry: the statement that some people wear glasses when speaking about smoking weed is just...whaaaat???

[@deborahrose8621]

He was addressing people's individual physiology! Not everyone becomes a munchie gobbing disoriented incoherent jester! Mature smokers can smoke before business meetings or studying or whatever!

[@myfuntimescaryplaylist1112]

Hmmm

[@nicolewilliams2468]

I swear, we have GOT to get cannabis federally legalized ASAP. It’s ridiculous how much good it does compared to so much of the crap on the market.

[@Flarui]

I can't help but be disappointed in this episode. Never thought you would have Seth Rogen on as a guest and offer him this platform... I am looking forward to the next episode!

[@fa876]

What? Why?

[@susanbrown6458]

Its not about Seth Rogen, and he actually doesn't speak a lot. Its really about Alzheimer's and the family dynamics

[@williamsullivan4640]

@@fa876 he’s said some pretty vile stuff on Twitter and tried to play it off as humor

[@deborahrose8621]

???

[@tobyleonard5410]

what would cause a person to have a historectomy at 47

[@missalex2718]

Are you joking?

[@susanbrown6458]

So many things--cysts, endometriosis or adenomyosis (so), cancers, preventative, personal choice

[@melindassimpson7936]

Death? I was 31 & had cancer...

[@snoozyq9576]

Getting cancerous pr precancerous cells removed, like with my mother who luckily caught it very early on

[@samriddhigupta5514]

My mom had a procedure ( not hysterctomy) for removing a cyst in her uterus or cervix I guess. That triggered her menopause 4 years earlier than usual which is 50 years in my maternal family. My mom is turning 50 next year. There are so many procedures to do now. And hysterectomy should be the last solution. It triggers many problems earlier in life. Many women in my family had them and after that health complications happened.

[@iblisgalilean6952]

murder secrectpluralandornotorso dementia posttraumatic derogativedisorder;. sincerity benevolent malevolent

[@kassidymiller3223]

I love you Mayim, but I'm not gonna waste a single minute watching Rogen.

[@rainspiritflower2385]

Some of your commercials are very long and extremely upsetting. I find this tragically ironic for a show that I thought cared so much about our mental well-being!

[@reginafallangie2867]

What commercials did u get?

[@olam1234]

Great with Lauren, Seth looked bored 😢

[@princeicio]

Mayim don't $have her ¢unt and I love that

[@jbagger331]

Baby boy is born a cripple, his destination is being crippled for life, so you're just a little bit wrong which is unsurprising because who live in a dream World.

[@iblisgalilean6952]

murder secrectpluralandornotorso dementia posttraumatic derogativedisorder;.

[@neopsycho4413]

too short. And Bad Mayim

[@caesarvolz6945]

Mayim really wants people know she's a "scientist".

[@kristinmartin2899]

Because she is. Like seriously she’s earned that title. To get a PHD in neuroscience the amount of work and years that would have gone into that…..yeah she’s earned it :)

[@snoozyq9576]

Is neuroscience not science to you

[@caesarvolz6945]

@@snoozyq9576 My point is that she constantly mentions it. She really wants everyone to know and remember.

[@RedHeadThriller10]

Because she is has a degree to probe if

[@michaelaf8698]

“Good western medicine” = patriarchy lmao

[@__loafy__]

Typical social constructivist science denialism lmao.

[@rainspiritflower2385]

This was the most damaging episode of anything I’ve ever seen to my mental health. You are seeming smug and insensitive.

[@reginafallangie2867]

How so?

[@fromshadeswithlove2208]

This was a great episode! I will check out wearehfc. I will say that I would have a very difficult time sleeping cool. Good talk. Thank you to all!❤️

[@iblisgalilean6952]

murder secrectpluralandornotorso dementia posttraumatic derogativedisorder;. sincerity benevolent malevolent