Today's post is by Igennus Healthcare Nutrition
with some sound advice about how you can take care of your genes for better
health…
Our genes contain
the complex code that programmes every single function of our cells and body
but, despite what you may have been led to believe, our genetic instructions
are not set in stone. Throughout our lives, the way our genes are ‘read’ can
change as a result of environmental, emotional and nutritional ‘edits’ made to
how our genes are accessed and translated.
Along our strings
of genetic code are a number of tags that act as signposts, guiding the
cellular processes responsible for reading our genes to focus their efforts on
the right sections. Much like you might highlight or add a coloured post-it
note to a page of a book, these tags allow for quick and easy access to the
right sections of our genetic code, so that they can be easily read and activated.
Until relatively
recently, it was assumed that we were all born with our genes fixed, with all
the right tags in the right places; however, over the past decade or so,
Epigenetic research (Epi meaning upon or above)- the study of changes to cellular
and physical traits caused by external or environmental factors that lead to
switching genes ‘on’ and ‘off’ and how cells read genes - has increased
exponentially. Today we know that everything - how stressed you are during
pregnancy, whether you were bullied as a child, what’s in the air you breathe,
how often and in what way you move, the foods you choose to eat - has the power
to alter these genetic tags and subsequently the way our genes are activated.
Far from our fate being ‘written in our genes’, epigenetic changes with the
potential to alter our genetic expression, occur throughout our lives and can
even be passed down through the generations.
It is now
understood that the risk of diseases such as cancer, mental illness,
neurodegeneration and even cardiovascular disease all increase with certain
epigenetic changes and so, more than ever, we need to understand which factors
in our environment have the power to alter these genetic tags, for better or
worse, and what can be done to manipulate this for personal gain.
If you want to
find out more about epigenetic mechanisms this is a good place to start.
What can we do to safeguard our genes and reduce the potential for negative health outcomes associated with epigenetic changes?
Here are my top
tips for supporting healthy genes and preventing activation of unwanted, rogue
tags:
1. Avoid stress
and deal with historical trauma
Recent advances in
the field of epigenetics show that stress, throughout our lives, can lead to
significant epigenetic changes and increase our risk for numerous negative
health outcomes. Daily stress management such as mindfulness, spending time in
nature and deep breathing exercises can be really helpful to combat stress and
overwrite detrimental epigenetic changes with beneficial ones that seek to
promote and improve our long-term health. Addressing and dealing with
historical emotional and physical trauma is also important to reduce the impact
this can have on our genetic tags, as well as our likelihood of passing these
on to our children.
Check out these
links for more information and support:
2. Check your fatty acid levels and consume healthy fats
The foods we eat
have a huge impact on how our genes are tagged and, when it comes to fats, it’s
important to include enough of the right fats in our diets. Research
consistently links high total fat and saturated fat intake with adverse genetic
alterations. Consuming healthy fats such as those from nuts, seeds, coconut,
oily fish, olives and their oil and free range organic eggs, whilst avoiding
vegetable oils, margarine, intensively farmed animal fat and dairy, is the best
way to ensure you have a healthy balance. Ideally, fats should be consumed with
most meals and snacks in moderate quantities (approx. 10-20g at a time).
Testing cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as red blood cell fatty acids,
can help you determine if you have a good level of healthy fats in your body.
The Igennus Opti-O-3 is a convenient home
test kit and comes with a free consultation to help you interpret your results.
3. Measure homocysteine and supplement with B Vitamins
Homocysteine is
the by-product of our methylation cycle, a process vital for looking after our
DNA and where the tags are placed. If we over or under methylate, this can be
problematic and leaves us susceptible to a range of health issues such as
fatigue, poor cognitive function, reduced detoxification and diseases such as
cancer and cardiovascular conditions. The B vitamins, in particular folate,
vitamins B12 and 6, with the help of B2 and 3, are the most important when it
comes to a healthy methylation cycle and high homocysteine levels may indicate
low levels of these nutrients, or a block somewhere in the process. Eating a
range of leafy greens, beans, pulses and good quality animal proteins will help
keep these nutrient levels topped up. If you feel you need a little extra
support, choosing a good B vitamin complex that
does not contain very high levels of each ingredient can help provide gentle
support for healthy DNA methylation.
4. STOP taking
folic acid – opt for 5-MTHF instead
Those of us with
issues throughout our methylation pathways often struggle to use folic acid,
the most commonly used form of folate in supplements. Recent research now links
folic acid use with a range of adverse effects from increased cancer risk to
autism. Folic acidis the synthetic form of folate and people with certain
alterations in their genetic code tags are less able to absorb and process
folic acid, which can lead to accumulation, causing toxicity. Without testing,
switching your folic acid for folate-rich foods and supplements containing Quatrefolic (such as the products
mentioned above) is the safest way to avoid the risks of folic acid use and
provide gentle support for healthy methylation.
5. Support your
SIRT genes
Our sirtuins,
controlled by SIRT genes, are superstars when it comes to epigenetic regulation
and play an important role in promoting the health of not only our DNA but of
the whole body. Many plant-based whole foods are packed with polyphenols that
help activate SIRTgenes, so these foods are a safe and exciting addition to any
gene nourishing diet. Commonly available and delicious, adding just a few ‘SIRT
foods’ to your meals and snacks can help support optimal genetic tagging and
healthy cell activities. Examples you might like to try include: cocoa, kale,
buckwheat, red onions, parsley, red grapes and matcha green tea. Find out more here.
6. Remove toxins
When we are
thinking about healthy genes it’s important to also consider what can
contribute to unhealthy tagging. We are regularly exposed to dietary and
environmental factors that have the potential to change our epigenetic markers
and even encourage DNA breaks. Certain chemicals can also mimic or block
natural compounds that would otherwise promote health. Removing chemicals and toxins from your
environment is an important step in protecting your genetic
health. Swapping to natural cleaning and cosmetic brands (such as Method and
Green People) can help reduce your exposure to numerous DNA damaging chemical.
It’s also important to keep fatty food away from plastics and aluminium foil,
especially when hot. Choosing organic products, or growing your own where
possible, will also help reduce the amount of toxins in your food.
7. Control inflammation
High levels of
inflammation can not only lead to epigenetic changes but also increase the risk
of subsequent disease developing. It can be hard to tell if you are ‘inflamed’
as many of us walk around with no symptoms. Whilst swelling, pain and allergies
suggest a higher than normal inflammatory load, any form of mental or physical
stress, cell damage or infection can lead to inflammation being triggered.
Without adequate cellular capacity to resolve inflammation, or in the presence
of persistent inflammatory triggers such as regular exposure to foods you might
be sensitive to, your body may fail to switch inflammation off and this can
lead to long-term health issues as well as unwanted DNA tagging. Consuming lots
of anti-inflammatory foods such as omega-3 fats, herbs and spices including
turmeric, brightly coloured vegetables, fresh berries, pineapple and green tea
can be really helpful in controlling inflammation.
8. MOVE
Exercise is a very
powerful therapy and even better when conducted outside in nature. Studies show
that exercise elicits many of its health-enhancing benefits (beyond getting
fitter and leaner) via epigenetic mechanisms, many of which are linked to
improved cellular processes, enhanced metabolism and longevity. A lifestyle
that incorporates movement as often as possible is associated with better
health, longevity and quality of life. Find out more about how to get active here.
Read more top tips from Igennus here.
