Since ancient times, we’ve been told that
our genes can’t be changed and it’s our destiny too. But surprising today, it’s
said that it can be changed by our lifestyle, habits, and even finances. What
does it mean for our kids?
A guest post by Krutika Bhoot
Epigenetics heralded as an important
biological discover after DNA, it is a new branch associated with genetics.
Until now, we're made believe that we can't alter our genes with which we were
born. A new branch of genetics discovered it that our genes get turned on and
off and also expresses to lesser or greater degrees based on some important
factors such as lifestyle. Let's have a look how epigenetics functions and how
can we improve our lives with it.
What
is Epigenetics?
The ‘Epi’ in epigenetics word is derived
from a Greek word meaning “over” or “above”. It is demarcated as the study of
any process that changes our gene activity with making no alteration in the DNA
sequence. In simple words; it’s basically the study of gene expression – where
you can see how external factors influence our genes to go turn on and turn
off, also up and down.
A project named ‘the Human Genome’
recognized approximately 25,000 genes in the DNA of the human. Deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) is universally regarded as the instructions code that the body
utilizes to build and reproduce itself.
Genes themselves also requires instructions for what to do and when and
where to do it.
Epigenetic
modification known as tags offers the instructions. Many of these tags got
discovered for human benefits. But it classifies in two chief groups such as
methyl group and second histones. The methyl group is made of carbon and
hydrogen while on the other hand, the histones, basically is a kind of protein.
To know how exactly tags functions, suppose a gene as a lamp. The first group
(Methyl) acts as an on and off switch that actually turns a gene on or off.
While Histone performs like a dimmer switch that regulates gene activity up or
down. It’s been revealed that we’ve 4 million of these switches that are
triggered by factors like our environment and lifestyle.
Clues
from Identical Twins:
A research was made on identical twins, who
possessed similar genetic material, has offered scientists a unique window to
find some epigenetic changes. The effect of environment and lifestyle factor on
genes is so powerful that genes of twins can deviate expressively during their
lives. The study unveils that identical twin that lives apart most of the time,
their genes after a time becomes less alike.
You might expect both the twins may have
same health histories but still, they show different incidences of many
diseases such as mental disorders like Alzheimer’s, alcoholism, schizophrenia
and bipolar disorder and talking about the physical disorders like cancer,
diabetes, RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and Crohn’s disease. It is because of
epigenetic drift - an alteration in gene expression over a time.
Lifestyle
Factor for Genes:
A professor named Dr. Rudolph Tanzi working
at the department of neurology at Harvard University Medical School. He is one
of those researchers who co-discovered three genes that causes early arrival
familial Alzheimer’s disease. Along with a global leader (Dr. Deepak Chopra) in
the arena of mind-body medicine, he also co-authored a book “Super Genes:
Unlock the Astonishing Power of Your DNA for Optimum Health and Well-Being”.
In their book, they talked about a
disease-related gene that it's only 5% disease-associated gene mutations that
are utterly deterministic else 95% can be certainly influenced by our diet,
behavior and other environmental conditions. The present model of well-being
generally ignores gene, but some studies have revealed that a program of
positive lifestyle alters 4 to 5 thousand different gene activities. According to Chopra and Tanzi; you are not
simply the complete packet of total genes you were born with but it’s you who
is the user and controller of your genes and in simple words, you’re the only
author of your story.
It's exciting news because it means you have
a great deal to control your health and your future. You are definitely not at
the mercy of your genetic material only that you got at your birth.
Gene
Expression Modulates based on Diet, Sleep, and Exercise:
Diet indeed plays a significant role in
affecting the health of your DNA. A rich diet of refined carbohydrates that
increases high blood glucose damages your DNA. While on the other side of the
coin, compounds like sulforaphane (found in broccoli, cauliflower, Kale, and
Cabbage, etc.), epigallocatechin gallate (green tea), resveratrol (red wine)
and curcumin (turmeric) can slow or possibly reverse DNA damage.
Sleeping less to complete your projects? Or
not sleeping for few days due to exams? Well, as per a research inadequate
sleep is also one of the reasons for disrupting genetic activity.
A team of scientists examined how sleep influences your gene function and they
found that insufficient sleep for just a single week can alter the activity of
over 700 genes.
Not surprising, the physical exercise is
well accepted for topping the best things one can do to improve overall health
(physical and mental well-being). Now one can easily find several pieces of
evidence that physical exercise positively affects our gene expression. As per
the latest study of the brains of old mice examined 117 genes that were
expressed contrarily in animals’ brain that ran frequently, associated to those
that were inactive.
So Do
Stress, Our Relationships, And Thoughts:
One can notice how tangible factors such as
sleep, exercise, and diet affect our genes but it's also not that difficult to
observe how intangibles like our relationships with people, stress and our
thoughts affect our genes. Mindfulness Meditation is considered to be the best
stress reducing techniques turning down the expression of our pro-inflammatory
genes. Chronic inflammation includes 7 top leading causes of death such as
heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.
You may think that you would have to
meditate for many years to alter gene expression properly but some measurable
changes can be observed even in eight hours of meditation. However, remarkable
effects were found in experienced meditators in comparison with new to the
practice.
Epigenetics
Changes last for Several Generations:
Epigenetics is indeed one of the most
amazing discoveries because the epigenetic changes generally don’t stop with
you only. These epigenetic signals from our environment pass from one
generation to other and sometimes for many generations with no changes in gene
sequence.
