Genetics + Choices = Health. This is the basis of epigenetics. This term refers to the effects diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors have on your health. You are born with a specific set of genetics that were inherited from your parents and your grandparents and generations of ancestors. These control things like skin and eye color, but also have influence over things like how easily you gain weight or how well you handle stress. And you have tens of thousands of different genes, each responsible for something different.
The interesting thing is that they are not all ‘turned on’ all the time. Some genes may be upregulated in times of stress, or famine, or sickness while others are turned on in times of rest and bounty. This is where epigenetics comes in. In essence, epigenetics is the bridge between genetics and your environment, explaining how external factors and lifestyle choices can influence gene activity and overall health.
This is really good news for anyone looking for tangible ways to bolster health. Your choices about the food you eat, the amount of sleep you get, physical activity level, chemical and toxin exposure, and even emotional/spiritual practices impact your gene expression and health in a very real way. In a world that often feels out of control, isn’t it nice to know that the control you have over yourself can have such a big impact!?
I hope this is comforting for another reason as well. You may have noticed, the things I mentioned that have the biggest impact on your health are not trendy, gimmicks, or out of reach. You do not need expensive injections, treatments, gadgets, or gizmos. The basics of wellness and vitality are not the newest or sexiest things. They are the basics. Eat clean, nutritionally dense foods. Exercise regularly. Get quality sleep. Spend time outdoors in fresh air and sunlight. Slow down. Make meaningful connections with others. Laugh. Give and receive hugs. Have orgasms. (Yes, I said it) These things turn on the good, helpful genes and downregulate things like inflammation which has a direct link to most chronic disease.
Now, depending on your genetics, sometimes there are targeted supplementation that are helpful, most often in the form of methylated B vitamins. And that is also good news because, nowadays, we are able to easily test for these things so there does not have to be any guess work involved. You can be at ease knowing you are able to easily overcome the challenge. Some of these healthful genetic expressions, when turned on, can also be passed down to future generations. In this way, knowing how epigenetics impacts you during child bearing years can be amazing for you as well as your family members.
So, what do I want you to know about epigenetics? I want you to feel empowered. The choices you make, day in and day out, truly do impact your health. Right down to your genes.
