Better Nutrition July 2020

NATURAL REMEDY *
For years, we’ve believed it’s all in
our genes—that a predetermined and
unalterable genetic makeup would set
us up for obesity, disease, and premature
aging. Now, emerging research is
showing that’s not the case. What we’re
learning: Almost all of our genes may
be influenced by the foods we eat. In the
words of Deepak Chopra and Rudolph
E. Tanzi in Super Genes (Harmony,
2015), “You’re not just the genes you
were born with. You’re the user and
controller of your genes, the author of
your biological story. No prospect in
self-care is more exciting.”
It starts with DNA, the genetic code
that determines all the characteristics
of a living thing. DNA is packaged
into chromosomes that contain all
of our genes—sections of DNA that
include the instructions for making the
proteins our bodies need to function.
But DNA isn’t a rigid, indelible code, as
was once thought. Instead, new studies
are finding that nutrients in our food
profoundly affect gene expression—the
process by which information from a
gene’s DNA sequence is translated into
a substance, like a protein, that’s used
in a cell’s structure or function.
18 • JULY 2020
holistic strategies to help you feel better
Eating for Your Genes
Good health begins at the cellular level.
BY LISA TURNER
We’ve known for years that degenerative
diseases (and the aging process) all involve
some kind of damage or impairment to
DNA. This damage can come from toxic
chemicals, cigarette smoke, UV rays
from sunlight, radiation (such as X-rays),
and even byproducts of the body’s normal
metabolic processes. DNA gets damaged
throughout life, even tens of thousands
of times a day. The cells are able to
repair most of this damage—in most
people, fairly efficiently through their 20s.
But as we age, DNA damage accumulates
and can cause serious problems including
cancer and other diseases.
The good news is that no matter
what your genetic background, you’re
not doomed to suffer the same diseases
as your parents or grandparents. There
are many things you can do that impact
gene activity and help protect and repair
DNA. Here’s what the studies show:
Get Enough Sleep
Inadequate shut-eye has been linked
with lower DNA repair and more breaks
in DNA—explaining the increased risk
of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases
in people who are sleep-deprived. And
it’s not just a lifetime of insomnia. In
one study, researchers found that just a
single week of insufficient sleep altered
the activity of more than 700 genes.
Photo: adobestock.com