Lifestyle More Potent than Ancestry
Health not determined primarily by genes
Many of us learned in school that disease is largely predetermined by the genes we inherited from our ancestors. If our parents had heart disease, we might get it too, and there’s nothing we could do about it. But this fatalistic attitude has been challenged by a rapidly growly area of science referred to as “epigenetics.”
Epi” means “on top of.” The knowledge is above and beyond our understanding of the genetics that determine your hair color and intelligence quotient (IQ). Epigenetics is the study of how changes in gene expression are caused by mechanisms other than changes in your underlying genetic code.
Let’s stop a minute and compare it to computers. Think of genetics as like your computer hardware, the mechanical parts like your monitor, processor and keyboard. In contrast, epigenetics is similar to the software. It’s the internal part that tells your computer when and how much to work.
Turning genes on and off
Recent research tools have allowed scientists to understand the body’s biochemistry. The key discovery is a coterie of carbon and hydrogen molecules known as the methyl group. Large numbers of these groups can attach directly to genes. Once attached, the methyl groups act like switches to turn off the gene. The gene is still there but it sits quietly without expressing itself.
Having a gene turned off can be beneficial or harmful. It may be harmful if the gene has a health-promoting activity. For example, tumor suppressor genes repress cancer, so we don’t want to turn them off. Conversely, low levels of methylation can turn some genes on. Turning the gene on may be harmful if it’s a disease-promoting gene. Ordinarily, we don’t want pro-inflammatory genes turned on since they increase inflammation.
Importance of lifestyle
The key is finding the right balance. We want health-promoting genes turned on and disease-promoting genes turned off. One way to do this is with DNA methylation adaptogens. These plant nutrients help your body find the right balance. Phytochemicals like EGCG in green tea and curcumin in turmeric are examples of DNA methylation adaptogens. Other examples include lycopene in tomatoes, rosmarinic acid in rosemary, and sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli.
Scientists who study epigenetics have found that numerous lifestyle factors can influence your genetic fate by turning genes on and off. Your diet, whether or not you smoke, environmental toxins you’re exposed to, the amount of stress in your life—these are all variables that change the expression of your genes.
From time to time in future issues we will continue exploring how DNA methylation acts as an interface between lifestyle and genetic expression.
This newsletter is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment; before adhering to any recommendations in this newsletter consult your healthcare provider.