By Emory Liscord MD

We all feel it

As a medical student, I kept thinking

They are sure to “find me out” soon.

As a parent, I keep thinking …

I’m a mother? What? Who let me do that?

I must be an impostor.

I have read obsessively about nutrition for years.

Secretly performing N=1 experiments on myself.

Diving into the research on epigenetics and nutritional biochemistry for fun.

Eventually the knowledge felt too important to keep to myself.

I shared a little with my husband.

My friends and family.

Then colleagues.

But I was careful because I felt like an impostor.

Compared to the researchers I followed, I felt unqualified.

BUT

A surprising thing occurred

People were interested

People were REALLY interested.

People ARE interested.

People want science-backed advice to feeling better

And don’t want to listen to lectures by ph.D researchers for fun.

I cant imaging why not

Despite my longtime obsession,  I have one worry

How can I give advice on health and longevity when I don’t have it ALL figured out?

How can I give advice if I’m an impostor?

But, does anyone ever “figure it all out”?

So maybe ……. just maybe

The’re are some benefits to this feeling of being an impostor

It keeps me humble

It pushes me to read and learn more

I can teach what I know and recognize what I don’t.

Recognizing our skills and our limitations are keys to success.

So, here I am

Impostor reporting for duty