Epigenetics is a rapidly growing area of science that focuses on the processes that help direct when individual genes are turned on or off. Epigenetics affects everyone!
Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.
You have the opportunity and power to make changes yourself. Several lifestyle factors have been identified that might modify epigenetic patterns, such as diet, obesity, physical activity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, environmental pollutants, psychological stress, and working on night shifts. Environment pollutants can include viral infection, hormones, certain drugs, and pollutants which have all been found to influence the development of autoimmune diseases.
You are in control to improve how your body functions. In a recently published article titled “Live Longer by Living Younger” in National Geographic, the author, Dr. Michael F. Roizen of the Cleveland Clinic states, “You have the ability to change how your body works and reacts – and ultimately how healthy you are and how long you may live. You should build a strong foundation now.” He goes on to say, “In the United States about 40 percent of premature deaths – defined as occurring before age 75 – are related to lifestyle choices, behaviors we can change. Lifestyle and genetics are intertwined, in that your lifestyle choices influence the ways that many of your gene’s function – thus how your body functions.”
This is exactly the principle Doc Wallach has fought to bring to the mainstream for a generation.
DNA methylation and histone modification are two ways in which lifestyle choices can affect gene expression. Essentially, these processes modify the way a gene is expressed, i.e.. Whether a gene is turned “on” or “off”.
Common everyday lifestyle “tweaks” can improve the gene expression. These small “tweaks” can make a big impact. According to Dr. Roizen, “Why both with the little things? Will they really matter that much? Yes! Every little decision adds up, and even more as you live longer.” The epigenetics field is relatively new and researchers are continuing to learn more about how lifestyle choices can affect gene expression and contribute to disease risk.
Right now, you can eat more vegetables, cut down on alcohol consumption, go to bed earlier, use non-toxic cleaning products, cut down on tobacco use, and reduce the stress in your life.
Remember, it all starts with giving your body proper nutrition that can start with 90 For Life! Prevention is Key.
