{"id":17996,"date":"2019-10-17T19:49:15","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T19:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fxnutrition.com\/?p=17986"},"modified":"2025-08-28T14:53:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T14:53:11","slug":"influence-your-genes-with-epigenetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fxnutrition.com\/blog\/influence-your-genes-with-epigenetics","title":{"rendered":"Influence Your Genes with Epigenetics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unless you live in a cave, you\u2019ve probably been seduced or even influenced by the powers of uncovering your genetic blueprint.
\nThere\u2019s definitely some interesting information to uncover in these tests and the data they provide, but I want to help you cut through the information to what really matters.
\nFirst, let\u2019s acknowledge that the evidence is stacking for all gene-environment interactions.
\nAnd the good news is that we now know that our health is not fated!
\nJust because Mom, Dad or Aunt Sally was obese or had heart disease, and even if you carry the genetic predisposition for breast cancer or Alzheimer\u2019s, you can still skate by unscathed by these conditions.
\n(True, that skating might take some know-how, skill and determination, but it\u2019s more in your power than we previously thought.)<\/em>
\nAs a health nut, I know the topic of mastering your destiny to the best of your abilities is of interest you. And that\u2019s why we often want to talk genes\u2014what they are, how they manifest and what you can do about them (no matter what the blueprint says).
\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019m so passionate about making sure you understand the realm of epigenetics.
\nEpigenetics are how you take back control.
\nEpi- is a prefix taken from Greek that means \u201cupon, at, by, near, over, on top of, toward, against, among.\u201d
\nEpigenetics are the factors that bathe our genes and prompt them to express negatively<\/em> or positively<\/em>. This contributes to all known dysfunctions. (And it\u2019s the key to influencing your genes, so read on!)
\nWe\u2019ve all got genes. We know that.
\nBut did you know that your genes don\u2019t actually dictate your health? Your genes can be turned on and off, depending on the environment in which they live. And genetic variants don\u2019t act in isolation. Instead they act together to inform your outcomes.
\nAs the saying goes,\u201cgenes load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger…”
\nWhile this common metaphor makes the relationship between the genome and epigenome clear, I recognize that it\u2019s also not one that many of us health oriented individuals feel comfortable using. That\u2019s why I prefer the analogy of the butterfly effect<\/em>.
\nThe butterfly effect<\/em> states that there is a sensitive interdependence on conditions in which a small change in one system can result in large differences in other systems. We can think of the epigenome (or the environment) as the system that results in changes in the genome.
\nIn other words… all things matter…
\nEpigenetics are<\/em> that environment. They\u2019re factors like diet, sleep, mindset, community and more.
\nWhile your genetics are fixed, these epigenetic factors are fully under your control. And they\u2019re how you can influence the genetic and cellular expressions that manifest as signs, symptoms and disease states. You shift the environment and your genes shift their expression. In this way, daily habit changes can lead to significant positive health outcomes.<\/p>\n

Twins\u2014An Illustration<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s take a quick lesson from twins to drive the concept of epigenetics home…
\nIdentical twins are said to be genetic carbon copies of one another. And yet, over time, these identical twins shift and change so that their physical expression often becomes distinct. In other words, we can more easily tell one from the other.
\nWhile it\u2019s the genes that provide the instructions for the development of the body, it\u2019s the epigenome that interacts with the DNA to provide what might be considered a second set of instructions.
\nThis second set of instructions works to turn on<\/em> or turn off<\/em> particular genes by tagging them, thereby influencing the expression, but not the genetic code itself.
\nTwins start out with not just the same genes, but the same imprinted epigenome (the tags that come with us at birth, that are handed down from our parents). Yet from the moment and experience of birth, and onward as aging occurs, the environment of the twins will begin to differ—different relationships, different food choices, different sleep patterns, different exposures to viruses, etc. These differences will influence their epigenome—or environment—and therefore their genetic expression and physical manifestation.
\nHere\u2019s a quick list of factors that impact genetic expression:<\/p>\n