Epigenetics: The Implications For Your Health and Wellness

There is still much to be discovered about genetics and its role in determining your health and overall quality of life. In fact, a new field of study called epigenetics is turning our previous notions of DNA on its head.

In short, your genome is much more dynamic than previously thought. The general perception is that you are “stuck” with the genes that you inherited from your parents and your descendants. That, your predisposition to disease, is somehow written in the code and will inevitably manifest itself as a result of genetics.

As it turns out, the opposite may also be true. What the scientific community is now realizing is that external factors also affect the chemical composition of your genome.

Your lifestyle choices including diet, exercise, and stress management can actually alter your genes, how they affect your health, and possibly even the properties that you choose to pass down to future generations.

This has huge implications for your health. It means that by adapting healthy lifestyle patterns, you are not only decreasing your likelihood of falling victim to the same diseases that - for example, your grandparents did, but you are actually rewriting your genome every time you make good choices!

We are very excited about these implications as they relate to the health and wellness of our community, our approach to our own practice, as well as how we aim to evolve our practice over time.

Epigenetics explained

Epigenetics is the study of how genes are expressed, or turned on and off, in an organism. It involves the chemical modifications to DNA, as well as proteins called histones that DNA wraps around, that influence whether a gene is active or inactive. These modifications do not change the underlying DNA sequence, but they can have a significant impact on an organism's traits and characteristics.

One way that epigenetic changes can occur is through the addition or removal of chemical groups to DNA or histones. For example, the addition of a methyl group to a specific region of DNA can cause a gene to be silenced, or turned off. Similarly, the removal of acetyl groups from histones can also lead to gene silencing.

Epigenetic changes can be influenced by a variety of factors, including environmental exposures, diet, and stress. These changes can be reversible and may even be passed down from one generation to the next. This is known as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.

One of the most well-known examples of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance is the study of the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945. During this time, a severe famine affected the Netherlands and many people, including pregnant women, experienced malnutrition. It was later found that the children and grandchildren of these women had an increased risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases, even though they were not directly exposed to the famine. This was thought to be due to epigenetic changes in the DNA of the mothers that were passed down to their offspring.

Epigenetic changes can also play a role in the development of cancer. For example, certain cancers are characterized by abnormal DNA methylation patterns, which can lead to the silencing of genes that normally help to suppress the growth of tumors. In addition, epigenetic changes can also contribute to drug resistance in cancer cells, making it more difficult to treat the disease.

There is also evidence that epigenetic changes may be involved in the development of neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For example, studies have found that people with these disorders often have abnormal DNA methylation patterns in specific regions of the genome.

The field of epigenetics is still relatively new and much is still unknown about how epigenetic changes influence gene expression and contribute to various diseases and disorders. However, the study of epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize the way we understand and treat many different health conditions.

One promising area of research is the use of drugs called epigenetic therapies, which can specifically target and modify epigenetic marks on DNA or histones. These therapies are still in the early stages of development, but they have the potential to be used as treatments for cancer, neurological disorders, and other diseases.

In conclusion, epigenetics is a complex and rapidly evolving field that is shedding new light on the way genes are expressed and how this can impact an organism's traits and susceptibility to various diseases. While much is still unknown, the study of epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize the way we understand and treat a wide range of health conditions.