Flip the Switch: How Epigenetics shows the importance of lifestyle factors

Wouldn’t it be great if all you had to do was to throw a switch to change the way you felt everyday? If you could control the way you feel by making lifestyle changes, would you make them? The traditional answer is “of course, I would, but my genes aren’t good.” The reality is that only about 10-15% of your health is influenced by your genetic make-up. What is the other other 85-90% consist of? Your lifestyle behaviors and environmental factors.

The century old study of epigenetics looks into how your gene expression is influenced by your behaviors and environment. It literally means “in addition to changes in genetic sequence.” While the study of epigenetics has become more mainstream, it still is a newer concept for many people.

How does epigenetics work? It really is switching on and off genes in your genetic sequencing. The changes made are reversible and don’t change the sequence of your DNA, it just changes the way your body reads your DNA sequence. The process works through something called DNA Methylation (turns off a gene) and Demethylation (turns on a gene). Metyhylation works by adding a chemical group (CH3) to DNA at a specific location so it will block proteins that attach to DNA to read the gene.

Sound confusing? Let’s look at it through the lens of food. If you are eating the Standard American Diet and consuming a majority of processed foods, you are consuming chemical compounds within those foods. The chemical compounds within those foods are used by your body for its fuel, as well as for information. They are broken down to provide nourishment and information to the more than 30 trillion cells that make up your body.

As everything is processed, your body reads sequencing to express your genes (which can change as you age). Without the addition of methylating foods, those genes can be demethylated and turned on to show illness or disease. The processed foods do not have the capability to block the necessary proteins that enable the gene to be turned on.

Now let’s look at if you went from the Standard American Diet of processed foods to a more whole foods diet, where processed foods were left to a minimum. Through eating fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient dense whole foods that contain polyphenols (known to aid methylation) the methylation process would be part of your body’s overall energy process which may turn on the right gene expression. In this instance, the genes would have the necessary tools to turn the genes off.

Is food really that powerful? Yes, it really is. What you consume into your body is not only to give your fuel, but it also gives your trillions of cells information and the chemical make-up to stay in process, do their particular tasks, as well as stay alive.

environmental and emotional factors

But food is not the only factor when it comes to epigenetic changes. Environmental toxins and emotional wellbeing all come into play for gene expression. Because our bodies are whole systems that affect one another, all of the life factors need to be considered when figuring out how to “switch off” the bad genes.

For instance, scientist at the University of California in Santa Cruz recently published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that epigenetic modification can be passed down through generations. That what happened in a family two generations ago could impact their gene expression today. Along those same lines, a recent British study showed the impact of trauma in one’s epigenetic modifications throughout their lifespan.

throw the methylating switch

While yes, you inherit genes through your family, it is not the end-all-be-all of your health journey. Hippocrates said that “you are what you eat”. And those are very true words. The food you eat everyday is information that your body uses to function. And as discussed above, certain foods can turn off genes, while others will turn them on. The environmental toxins like makeup, lotions, and other products you put on your body may be absorbed through your skin making them a factor as well.

With genes only accounting for 10-15% of your health expression, you have control over the other 85-90% to make a difference in your health. That is an overwhelming ratio in your favor. Lifestyle changes, and environmental changes can make the impact you are looking for to become your optimal health. The biggest question remains, are you ready to throw the switch?