The Future of Healthcare: Harnessing the Power of Epigenetics

by Dr. Nick Zyrowski February 11, 2024

You don’t need to learn to live with certain illnesses and diseases simply because your parents did. Yes, your genes may influence the blueprint of specific diseases, but that is not a life sentence. There are methods and factors completely within your control to change what happens. (1)

In this article, we’ll give you more information on the science behind epigenetics and some practical tips you can use to take control of your wellness. Keep reading to learn how to alter gene expression and become healthier than you ever imagined.

What is epigenetics?

You may not have heard about epigenetics before. Most likely, your regular doctor hasn’t spoken to you about it or perhaps isn’t informed enough to discuss it. Epigenetics is all about how your cells control gene activity in your body without changing your DNA. These codes can determine whether certain genes are turned off or on. (2)

Epigenetics is also learning how your behaviors and your environment may change how your genes function. Epigenetic factrs can be reversible and may change how your body reads these DNA sequences.

A bridge to better health

Since epigenetics can have a dramatic impact on your health, you can see why learning about it is crucial. Using nutrition and natural protocols can alter gene expression. Simply put, that means better health for you by possibly helping you avoid the diseases and health problems your parents and grandparents may have faced.

Different nutrients can reverse certain physiologic processes. The result means having less inflammation, and not getting type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and other diseases. (3) Until recently, many of us thought these health issues were unavoidable. Some doctors even told their patients that they inherited health problems from their parents. While some of that may be true, it is also possible to change that pattern.

Decreasing Cellular Inflammation

As with the topic of epigenetics, you likely won’t have a discussion with your primary care doctor about cellular inflammation. Yet, it is often the root cause of many health issues that people experience today.

When your immune system is stimulated and goes into the fight or flight mode, it can cause chronic inflammation. That can be due to sickness, stress, and many other things. As a result, your cells will have higher inflammation levels. Cellular inflammation causes enormous disruption in your body, leading to things like autoimmune disease, cardiovascular problems, and many other potential illnesses. As an illustration, your immune system goes on the defense to fight off foreign invaders and ends up fighting itself.

It has been proven in the research that cellular inflammation contributes to gene mutation, leading to DNA damage and the changing of gene expression. This epigenetic change from cellular inflammation is connected to all sorts of problems, including cancer.

“Due to the intricate relationships linking inflammation, DNA damage, and DNA repair, these processes can easily become dysregulated, leading to cancer.”

In order to allow our genes to have their best and healthiest expression, we must decrease cellular inflammation. Below are our top recommendations to improve your gene expression and decrease cellular inflammation.

#1 Cellular Detoxification

In order to restore the cellular function and decrease inflammation, the most important and impactful thing that you can do is to perform a cellular detox. Healing your trillions of cells will allow for optimal gene expression. It will take about three months to complete the process because it is thorough and works to support and detox the cells. The Prep Phase is month one of the protocol and will prepare the pathways for the safe and effective elimination of toxins. During the second phase, the Body Phase, you will enter the first level of intracellular cleaning. You will also get mitochondrial support for peak cellular energy. The third phase is the Brain Phase. This phase allows deep cleansing of brain neurotoxins and includes binders that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which carries toxins away from your brain and escorts them for safe elimination.

#2 Reduce Environmental Toxins

Unfortunately, not enough attention is paid to all the toxins in our environment. Before you leave your home each morning, you’ve exposed your body to numerous toxins. Think about the soap or body wash you use, the beauty and skin products you have, and even your cleaning products. They all have chemicals and additives that are harmful to your health.

These toxins are heavy contributors to cellular inflammation and can cause free radical production. If you’re not familiar with what free radicals can do, they can cause serious diseases, like cancer, arthritis, and atherosclerosis. When possible, switching to natural products can make a big impact on your health and lower the inflammation in your body.

Fortunately, there are a lot of options available today for natural products. Many people have switched to vinegar added to some warm water to clean different areas in their homes. A quick internet search can show you dozens of natural products you can use for cleaning. You can also find beauty products and soaps made from natural sources. These contain no harsh or toxic chemicals.

#3 Proper Nutrition

You already know that a healthy diet is critical for the best health possible. Now, we also know it can alter gene expression. For you, it means that nutrients can help you steer clear of those diseases you once thought you were bound to have one day.

Resveratrol is a nutrient found in grapes, mulberry, and even peanuts. It’s known to have anticancer properties. (4) Studies have shown that using natural nutritional methods, like adding resveratrol to your diet, may help in the treatment and prevention of diseases, like cancer.

A ketogenic or low-carb diet may also be highly beneficial for gene expression. (5) You’ve most likely heard lots of stories about people having successful weight loss and health improvements with a high-fat, low-carb diet. Increasing healthy fats and reducing processed carbohydrates impacts your epigenetics because your body gets plenty of the nutrients it needs from stapes like butter, cheese, and healthy fats. The vegetables included in a low-carb diet can contain nutrients that also enhance gene expression. (6)

You want to increase your levels of vitamins and minerals. Specific minerals, like iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, are important for changing gene patterns.

A Healthy Diet is Expensive

If you haven’t wanted to try a ketogenic diet because you thought it would be too expensive, we have some great tips on how to do it on a budget. Of course, we always want you to get the best quality you can afford, but being healthy doesn’t have to cost more. While processed foods may appear cheaper because of their fancy packaging, when you think of it in terms of pound- for-pound, whole foods are always less expensive.

Skip those packaged foods that have the promise of keto on the label. They are typically pricey and not good for you. Instead, you can get hamburger meat or roast cuts, which tend to be much cheaper than ribeye steaks. Canned fish is fine, but make sure it’s not in vegetable oil.

We know berries and veggies can be expensive. If that’s the case where you shop, opt for frozen. They are nutrient-dense and cost less than fresh produce. (7)

Olive oil may be a bit pricey, but there are always sales where you can get a bottle for less. Butter and cheese can last a long time and are great for a keto diet. Eggs are known as nature’s multivitamin and are often staples when eating a low-carb diet.

#4 - Exercise Benefits

As with diet, exercise can alter gene expression patterns. Now, that doesn’t mean you should go full force and begin a high-intensity training program right away. Slow and steady wins the race here. Building up your endurance will help you avoid injuries and burnout.

Start with brisk walking for thirty minutes each day. You may move up to a more high-intensity walk or run, which can improve cellular metabolism. (8) Exercise can create a stimulus that initiates epigenetic changes inside your body. Whatever you do, make exercise a priority for better overall health.

The Big Picture

While the study of epigenetics may seem new, there are promising findings that show how gene expression can affect health. When you change the way you eat and increase movement in your life, it can quite literally shift the pattern of disease.

By using a combined approach of diet, exercise, and the proper supplementation, you can fuel epigenetic change. Genuine health is never found in a pharmaceutical drug. Don’t settle for taking the easy way out when it comes to your health. Having a disease is not an inevitability. You can change your health, and we want to help you do it. Contact us for more information on how we use holistic nutrition and health protocols to improve the lives of our patients. The power is within you to change your gene expression and live a different life than your parents and grandparents thought possible.

 

References :

https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm#:~:text=Epigenetics%20is%20the%20study%20of,body%20reads%20a%20DNA%20sequence.

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/epigenome/

https://www.dmu.edu/blog/2019/06/epigenetics-taking-greater-control-of-your-health-and-wellness/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S216183132200552X

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27846492/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224420305057

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.00079/full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146425/#:~:text=Another%20important%20aspect%20of%20epigenetic,incidence%20of%20seizures%20in%20epilepsy.

https://getopt.com/2021/08/12/ketogenic-diet/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/ketogenic-diet/keto-diet-on-budget/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6801086/#:~:text=Inflammation%20contributes%20to%20mutagenesis%20through,transcription%20factors%2C%20and%20cellular%20signals.

Dr. Nick Zyrowski
Dr. Nick Zyrowski



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