Diet Trumps Genetics

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Diet Trumps Genetics

By: Ebeling, RN, BSN

Many of us think we are victims of our genetic background, however good or bad that may be. However, diet and lifestyle definitely have the ability to change the genetic expression of our heritage, and so keep us on the path of good health. Many health problems that may be looming over us like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's do not have to be our destiny after all. Yes, we are each born with a set of genes, but the expression of those genes is certainly not set in stone. Genes can be either activated or silenced by many factors including diet, exercise, lifestyle, and even our minds. It is not the genes that dictate your future health, but rather the expression of those genes that matter. New research shows that certain foods can actually change how genes associated with health conditions function—turning that gene on or off. It is a well-known fact that olive oil and a Mediterranean diet (high in omega 3 fatty acids and good fats) are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but a new research report just published in the July 2010 print issue of the FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Journal offers a surprising reason why: The Mediterranean diet actually changes the genes associated with development of atherosclerosis."Knowing which genes can be modulated by diet in a healthy way can help people select healthy diets," said Isabel Covas, D.Pharm., Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group at the Institut Municipal d'Investigacio Medica in Barcelona, Spain. "It is also a first step for future nutritional therapies with selected foods."In this recent study, it was found that the group who followed the Mediterranen diet as opposed to their normal diets, had a down-regulation in the expression of atherosclerosis-related genes in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, the polyphenols in the olive oil made a significant impact on the expression of genetic changes influencing coronary heart disease. Results also show that the consumption of a Mediterranean diet can positively impact lipid and DNA oxidation, insulin resistance, inflammation, carcinogenesis, and tumor suppression."This study is ground breaking because it shows that...diet can affect our bodies in a far more significant way than previously believed," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "Not only does this research offer more support to encourage people to change their eating habits, it is an important first step toward identifying…targets that affect how our genes express themselves."Characteristics of the Mediterranean diet are healthy sources of omega 3 fats such as wild caught fatty fish and grass fed meats, healthy raw cheeses, virgin olive oil, nuts, large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, and little or no packaged, processed foods and sugar. This particular study comes from an emerging field called epigenetics, which is the study of environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, stress and maternal nutrition can change gene function without altering the DNA sequence. These changes in gene activity that don't alter the genetic code can still get passed down to successive generations.Epigenetic therapy involves changing the instructions to your cells by manipulating diet and other lifestyle factors to activate desirable genetic behavior and deactivate undesirable genetic behavior. This new field may be the next big wave in medical treatment. Patterns of gene expression are governed by the cellular material, the epigenome, which sits on top of the genome. These little commanders are what direct your genes to switch on or off, whether to manifest characteristics of a particular disease or not. This is where outside environmental factors like diet, exercise, lifestyle and prenatal nutrition make an impression on the genes that are passed from one generation to another. Yes, epigenetic changes can be passed down for many generations. So in a sense, we can not only change our own genetic instruction, but our offspring and their offspring as well. DNA used to be thought of as an ironclad code that we and our future generations had to live by. Not so. We each have the ability and responsibility to eat a healthy diet, incorporate exercise into our lives, and live well. Not just for ourselves but for generations to come.The human body does not manifest disease merely by a defective gene, but by the epigenome. In other words, whether or not you develop disease is determined by how your genome is being directed to express itself. Scientists are discovering that it is easier to make positive epigenetic changes than to fix damaged genes. Your epigenome is easy to mess up, but it's also easier to fix. So the good news is we are not victims of our genetic background after all. Did you know that you are changing your genetics daily by the foods you eat, the air you breathe, and even by the thoughts you think?You are the "caretaker" of your genetic roadmap. Think of it this way: our genes are like sailing ships full of information. The epigenomes are the captains of the ships, sailing them through storms, high waves, and attacks from other vessels. If we can help the captain of the ship by eating well and following a healthy lifestyle, you are helping save the ship and steering it clear of dangerous waters. Just as your epigenome controls the expression of disease, your thoughts can also affect your epigenome. The science of epigenetics is now beginning to explain things like placebo effect and spontaneous healing, which lacked a scientific basis until now."With more personalized nutritional genomic information," says Ordovas, senior scientist and director of the Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory at Tufts University, "we will be able to use diet as a primary disease prevention tool, in a very precise way."The bottom line?Eating healthy should not be just a fad or a phase in your life, or simply a tool to lose weight, it should be an essential and necessary part of your life. By eating well, you are helping your genes to express themselves in a positive, disease-fighting way. It is never too late to train your genes to express themselves in a positive way. Whether or not you have hereditary health problems you wish to avoid, everyone's genes can definitely benefit from good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. For those of you who don't always follow the best diet or lifestyle, this is a chance to change your ways for the better. If you switch to a healthy diet now, it can have a positive impact on your health and future generations down the road.Sources:ph Mercola, "Your Diet Could be More Important Than Your Genes", Mercola.com, July 8, 2010. Carlin Flora, "Your Genes, Your Diet" Psychologytoday.com, September 01, 2004 - last reviewed on October 31, 2007 ScienceDaily, "Virgin Olive Oil and a Mediterranean Diet Fight Heart Disease by Changing How Our Genes Function", sciencedaily.com, July 6, 2010. http://blog.grasslandbeef.com/diet-trumps-genetics?utm_campaign=DietTrumpsGenetics & utm_source=newsletter