|
Stop blaming mom and dad for passing along bad genes and start looking at your own health habits, because you control your health more than your genes do. It's the start of a new year and a fresh start to improve your health. You can choose to believe that you can't control you health and continue down the road of declining health and more medication every year...or you can empower yourself with the latest science. Human genetics have barely changed in thousands of years, yet our health problems have skyrocketed in only decades. What's really going on? If genes haven't changed, what has?
As scientists gain a better understanding of genetics, they are learning more about how our habits actually control the function of our genetics. They have discovered that most health conditions are not the result of bad family genes. They come from bad habits. Our habits actually switch genes on and off, leading to increased risk of health problems or health improvement. This area of research is called epigentics; studying factors that control DNA. The infographic below helps simply explain how this occurs. Researchers studying epigentics have seen how smoking, diet, and exercise switch genes on and off. A stressful lifestyle or other environmental factors can also switch genes on and off. Are you switching on good genes or bad genes? Think about this: A young man with bad habits switches his genes to "unhealthy" mode and then passes them on to his first son. Then the father wises up with age, improves his health habits, and switches his genes back to "healthy" mode. He has a second son and passes these "healthy" genes on to him. The genes could theoretically be the exact same in both children, but the genes in the first son are switched to cause more health problems than the genes in the second son. Now consider: The first son could potentially take up good health habits to switch his genes back to "healthy" mode, while the second child takes up bad habits and makes his genes worse. Take control of your health for you and your children The bottom line is: You control your health. You also control the health of your children and grandchildren by switching on bad and good genes and passing them down. You are not an innocent bystander of your inherited genetics. Don't accept bad health and try to medicate your symptoms under control. Take control of your health with good habits. Watch for our helpful tips for these 5 major causes of health problems to control your genes: diet, exercise, posture, sleep, and stress.
0 Comments
 Is pesticide exposure harming your family? Experts (including doctors) have long told Americans not to worry about being harmed by the chemical cocktails of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides used to grow our produce bigger, faster, and blemish-free.
However, research has now shown that Americans, including newborns, have surprising levels of pesticides accumulating in their bodies. Now that research has linked these chemical to health problems, scientists and medical organizations are finally starting to sound the alarm. American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends Reducing Pesticide Exposure The American Academy of Pediatrics released a new policy statement describing the harmful effects of pesticides and how to reduce exposure. Here are highlights of the AAP statement on pesticides:  Diabetics may be able to improve their DNA with exercise One of our favorite topics is the growing research on epigenetics and healthy lifestyle. Epigenetics refers to the expression of our genes. Think of each gene in our DNA having an up and down switch that controls whether the gene works a lot or a little. This is a powerful topic because it shows that we can change our genes with simple lifestyle choices like eating well and exercising. We are not slaves to "bad genes".
A recent study on epigenetics found that within just a few hours of exercise, genes involved in muscle oxidation, DNA transcription, and glucose regulation were upregulated (told to "work harder"). Researchers had thought these types of changes were slow to occur, so there is excitement about the speed at which these positive changes happened. Genes that reduce a diabetics ability to regulate sugar were positively improved with exercise. The scientists involved noted the important application of their findings to diabetes. Prior research has shown diabetics have an altered expression of these genes in their muscles. They are not as active as they should be. It helps explain why diabetics are less sensitive to insulin and have trouble regulating glucose levels. The same genes that reduce a diabetic's ability to regulate sugar with insulin were positively improved with exercise. The benefits of exercise for diabetics was clear already, but this new research sheds light on the benefits of exercise at a genetic level. This makes sense. Our bodies are designed to move and be active. When we move our bodies they work the way they are meant to and adapt well to a changing environment. When we don't move our bodies, we're in trouble. Exercise once for a few hours and your DNA is set for life, right? So you can exercise once for a few hours and your DNA is set for life, right? Nope. The researchers found that the positive epigenetic changes reversed several hours later. Clearly, regular exercise (not hours a day) is the key to making healthy changes. Expect future research to explore how a long-term exercise program results in long-term epigenetic benefits. For now, get away from the computer and get moving. R. Barres et al., “Acute Exercise Remodels Promoter Methylation in Human Skeletal Muscle,” Cell Metabolism 15:405-11, 2012. From Oregon State University: Researchers in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University have discovered yet another reason why the “sulforaphane”compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you – it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics.  Broccoli is more than just good looks Sulforaphane, can help restore proper balance and prevent the development of cancer. This is one of the most promising areas of much cancer research. But the new OSU studies have found a second epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, which plays a similar role. “Cancer is very complex and it’s usually not just one thing that has gone wrong,” said Emily Ho, an associate professor in the Linus Pauling Institute and the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences. “It’s increasingly clear that sulforaphane is a real multi-tasker. The more we find out about it, the more benefits it appears to have.” This research, which was published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics, primarily studied the effect on prostate cancer cells. But the same processes are probably relevant to many other cancers as well, researchers said, including colon and breast cancer. oregonstate.edu For those unfamiliar epigenetics, this is a growing area of research that has revealed the ability of our lifestyle choices (like eating broccoli) to change the activity of our DNA. It won't change the genes, but it can switch them on or off. The natural phytochemicals in broccoli basically flip a switch in your genes that tells them to grow in a healthier way. Epigenetic research has increasingly shown that our daily habits play a powerful role in determining whether we develop heart disease, cancer, and a variety of chronic conditions. Take control of your health and eat your vegetables.
Common cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and brussel sprouts. Mom was right. These veggies pack a powerful nutritional punch. Try to include them regularly in your diet, especially anyone with an increased risk of cancer. Make sure to eat some of these veggies raw to avoid cooking away the beneficial nutrients. When cooking, using lower heat for a limited time is best. Don't cook them into a mush. |
THE NATURALS
AuthorsDr Aaron McMichael + Dr Ryan McMichael Categories
All
Archives
October 2024
Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating doctor. This blog is not a doctor and will not diagnose or treat your problems.
|
RSS Feed