Epigenetics: the Conductor of our Biology
Do you ever wonder how you are doing with your health? You feel pretty good but wish there was a crystal ball to peer into the future. Well, we don't have a crystal ball quite yet, but Epigenetics is one of the best ways to assess how our health strategies are working for us. Epigenetics refers to small chemical tags on DNA that can control which genes are turned on or off.
One category of these tags is methyl groups which is what most epigenetic testing measures. MTHFR is one of many genes that play a role in adding or removing these methyl tags. This is how DNA and Epigenetics are connected. One isn't more important than the other, they work together to run our biology.
But unlike DNA, which we can't change, these methyl groups are dynamic. They respond to cues in a person's environment to dynamically choreograph the symphony of our genes and how they are functioning. The songs they play will reflect the environment of our lives. From diet and lifestyle, relationships and stress, toxins, trauma, and beliefs - these are all things that can influence our epigenetic signatures.
Epigenetics and Biological Aging
Some epigenetic signatures cause our cells and our bodies to age much faster than others. This is called biological aging, and your biological age can differ from how long you've been alive.
But while you can't change your past, you DO have the ability to change your future. We can change our epigenetic signatures and biological age with the right strategies, which will change our overall health and risk for disease.
What Can You Do?
Plant-based diets such as the Mediterranean, regular exercise, stress management, close relationships and a sense of community, and having a purpose in life - all of these have been linked to better aging at least in part through their impact on our epigenetics. But beyond this, one size does not fit all. You can even go deeper into what you need and eliminate trial and error when you have your own blueprint.
