“You are just like your dad!”
Now that was a phrase that my mom used to hurl at me when frustrated by something I had done. Like join multiple organizations at school plus get invited to activities with friends that involved needing a ride either to school or a friend’s house.
She was an introvert, enjoyed 1 or 2 friends, but preferred alone time and really didn’t want her schedule burdened by us kids. (She was a good mom — just not in that way.)
But since my dad and I had many personality traits in common (like extreme extroverts) – it probably had a bit of her frustration with my dad in there, too. (just guessing)
And have you experienced an MD or other health professional searching your family health history? And the inference that since over 50% of your family tree had cardiovascular issues, then you will, too? So, is that really true?
What is it – genetics or environment? …nature vs. nurture?
Thankfully, Steve Wallach (son of Dr. Joel Wallach, founder of Youngevity supplements) did a detailed blog on this titled “Epigenetics: How Environmental Factors Impact Heritable Health Traits” which is posted in the Youngevity Resource Center. HERE
Otherwise, I was wilting under the prospect of reading a very thick book co-authored by Dr. Joel Wallach and Dr. Gerhard Schrauzer – “Epigenetics, The Death of the Genetic Theory of Disease Transmission.” I have dipped in and out of it, but certainly could not summarize and explain it well – especially on the “third grade” level that I need things presented to me.
It helped to see Steve’s definition of this area — “Epigenetics is an emerging field of science that studies alterations in gene expression caused by factors other than changes in the DNA sequence.”
He goes on to explain that the epigenetics’ impact on key aspects of biology and potential in human medicine cannot be overstated. It changes the way we view the relationships between nutrition, genetics, and disease. Okay, you have me “tuned in” now.
Definition: epigenetics literally means “above” or “on top of” genetics. The word was coined in 1942 when little was known about the hereditary role of genes. But by the 1980’s, epigenetics was used more precisely to describe heritable traits that don’t involve altering DNA sequence.
English, please…..”epigenetics” establishes that genes alone do not make us. In fact, environmental factors like diet, lifestyle choices and behaviors, and stress can not only alter your health, but also the health of your offspring. What? My kids can blame ME?
Steve shared an interesting breakthrough experiment done in 2007 on this issue of inheriting our parent’s experience. I needed to read up on this to be able to defend myself.
The experiment? Mice with a gene called Agouti (responsible for yellow color, diabetes, and obesity) were fed a food source of methyl groups, which are essential for preventing obesity in adult mice. Amazingly, their offspring were brown, slim, didn’t suffer from diabetes, and lived for a very long time. (OK, NOW I AM REALLY INTERESTED – what was that food source again?) The Agouti gene still existed in their cells, but was inhibited by the methyl groups, and this was even true of the next generation of mice.
The conclusion? According to Steve’s blog, we’re not only what our parents ate, but also what our grandparents ate. And food is only one determining factor in this generational cycle. Whether we smoke (which both my parents did all their lives), move frequently, or even think positively can all influence changes in our epigenome. (a chemical responsible for activating a particular gene)
As Steve explained, this discovery was no surprise to people like Dr. Schrauzer and his father, Dr. Wallach. In fact, it reinforced Dr. Wallach’s landmark selenium discovery in 1979, as an assistant pathologist at Emory University’s Yerkes National Primate Center in Atlanta.
How did that Happen? The center was doing a space research program focused on a small colony of monkeys, which led to Steve’s father (Dr. Wallach) discovering the first non-human case of cystic fibroses. As he conducted liver biopsies on each member of the colony (all had different fathers and mothers), he found each one had the disease. And that it was caused by a selenium deficiency in their diet.
As Steve described the aftermath, Dr. Wallach’s findings were met with “much opposition and skepticism at the time”. And that is an amazing story in itself. But I digress….what was the result? It helped establish that diseases could be transmitted by factors other than genetics.
What does this mean for future generations? Traditional genetics wisdom held that major changes in the human genome only happened over many generations or even thousands of years. But epigenetics reveals how these changes can happen much faster.
Fasten your seatbelts, grandkids! New genetic traits can appear in a single generation and be passed on to kids, grandkids and beyond. For example, Steve shared that evidence suggests smoking and overeating can “switch on” genes that affect obesity and “switch off” those carrying messages for longevity.
Steve adopted the quote from Soania Mathur of the Michael J. Fox Foundation: “Genetics loads weapons, but it is epigenetics that pulls the trigger.” This metaphor explains that DNA is not our destiny, although it plays a huge role in shaping it. Plus – it also tells us that pulling the trigger (epigenetics) doesn’t only apply to passing on negative traits or health risks, but also to inheriting healthy, beneficial traits.
And we arrive at THE POINT in Steve’s blog: This means living healthier now could be vital to your future generations, which is good news for anyone who wants to take charge of their own wellness. Of course, Dr. Wallach’s work is the foundation of the “90forLife philosophy” which is that we all need 90 essential nutrients our body does not manufacture…and that is right in line with the concept of epigenetics.
Anyone who has heard Dr. Wallach’s lectures has learned of the impact of environmental factors like commercial farming depleting nutrient levels in our soil. Result? We can’t get the nutrition we need from food alone. And the consequence is that nutrient deficiency impacts our health in ways that can be passed down to our children.
For instance, the selenium (which was deficient in the monkey colony causing cystic fibrosis) can’t be produced by our own bodies. But this dietary deficiency was passed down to the next generation of monkeys.
So back to that lesson Steve shared – we’re not only what our parents and grandparents ate, but also what they didn’t eat!
Wait – don’t despair – there is hope for the future. As Steve pointed out, for so long we’ve been told that genetics alone determine our health destiny, but now we know our own behavior is equally important to this outcome. We’re talking a sound diet of whole foods, a proper fitness routine, and supplementing with essential nutrients – you can “turn on” those genes that help you and future generations.
Even if you are my age (in the 70’s) you can educate yourself on the epigenetics and apply your knowledge AND you can also pass it down to those who matter most in your life.
And if you are so inclined, I am adding the Resource List Steve Wallach put together in his blog (see the P.S. below my signature). And most helpful are his brief identifying summaries – I am now led to read that copy of Rare Earths Forbidden Cures on my shelf! His summary hooked me!
Don’t forget – your finger is on the “trigger”!
Food and dietary supplement products sold by Youngevity are intended to contribute to the daily diet and overall health and are not intended for use in the prevention, treatment, mitigation, or cure of any disease or health-related condition. Individuals who have or suspect they have an illness or who wish to commence a diet or exercise program should consult an appropriately licensed health care practitioner for a medical history evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and health recommendations.
P.S. Here is Steve’s resource list with his summary descriptions:
Epigenetics, The Death of The Genetic Theory of Disease Transmission
Central to the book’s theme is the connection between nutrition and so-called genetic disease, which is the direct result of decades of collective research conducted by my father and Dr. Schrauzer. Most importantly, it challenges the dogma and misinformation spread by medical institutions and doctors resistant to change.
Here my father collaborates with Dr. Ma Lan for a comprehensive look at the physical, emotional, and social problems attributed to mineral deficiencies in our soil and food supply.
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance
DNA alone doesn’t tell us enough about how an organism behaves and interacts with its environment. This book details how epigenetics can change the way we look at organisms.
The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, & Miracles
Among other stunning discoveries, this book shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology, that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell.
The Developing Genome: An Introduction to Behavioral Epigenetics
In spite of the importance of this research, behavioral epigenetics is still relatively unknown to non-biologists. This introduction allows readers without a background in biology to learn about its revolutionary implications.
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