Did you get up with a moody parent? Fear dawns with each passing year that you are unstoppably trampling towards that bitter change — your temper becomes shorter in inverse proportion to the lengthening of the wrinkles. All the ironic comments are muttered by the forgotten waiter, all the “idiots” bark involuntarily at question time, and the miserable metamorphosis feels pre-determined. And science seemed to support the idea that resistance was in vain for this upcoming moody. As in 2005, influential papers claimed that 50 percent of people’s well-being was determined by their genes. Becoming a moody git was part of your inheritance.
But if I can temporarily stop swearing on TV, pause determinism, and give some good news, we’re not completely destined for our parents’ genes. got it. Genes associated with all kinds of propensity and illness that you have rather not inherited, such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as the DNA of fate and darkness. This is because the rapid leap in genetics in recent years has changed the way genes understand the subtle roles they play in our health and well-being.
“We once believed that having genes for complex illnesses was the key to explaining why some people are vulnerable to illnesses such as diabetes. No more.” Says Professor Vittorio Sebastiano, an epigenetic scholar at. He says that “important” is actually gene expression. In very basic terms, is the gene activated? “In other words, even if you have a good gene, if you can’t properly express or activate it, it can lead to disease,” says Professor Sebastiano.
“Conversely, you may have a genetic predisposition to diabetes, or depression, heart disease, or hundreds of other genetically related conditions, but a combination of genetic problems is activated. If not, you are unlikely to develop the condition. “
The idea of being able to turn genes on and off, that is, the idea that we are not determined to have an ancestral disease, is a game changer. Professor Sebastiano estimates that 70% of our health outcomes are due to gene expression. “It’s the most important factor affecting our health — from aging and immunity to our feelings.”
So our temperament can be long and wrinkles can be short. But how do you get our genes to play with the ball in this radically altered game? Now, the good news is that so many gene expressions are in our hands. Because our lifestyle (the days of our lives) can actually turn those inherited traits on and off. For example, exercise, stress, pollution, sleep, and meditation can all affect genes, as do behaviors towards others. One of the authors of the 2005 paper later discovered that “just a small kind act on another individual can affect human gene regulation.”
Gene expression is the most important factor affecting our health-from aging and immunity to our feelings
Deepak Chopra, a leader in alternative medicine, was skeptical of the BBC Wellness Podcast All Hail Kale when he was looking for ways to turn my genetic tendencies into morning people so that he could connect with nature. Taught me.
To be able to leave the earth. After astronaut Scott Kelly returned from the International Space Station, NASA noticed that his gene expression was 7 percent different from that of his identical twins.
But the only way to influence gene expression is through what we eat, along with all the benefits it can bring to the mind, body, immunity, aging, and more. The nutrients we ingest go deep into the cells, interact with DNA, and can actually switch on and off genes. Food as molecular medicine.
Studying the relationship between our diet and genes is a groundbreaking field of science called nutritional genomics. And it fascinated me.
Seeing how as natural and accessible as nutrients affect this important process of gene expression, I was forced to get stuck in an onlooker irony. Pioneering nutritional psychiatrist — to bring nutritional genomics research to the masses. With the card on the table, we launched Carmasist, the world’s first nutritional genomics-based supplement that includes mood, relaxation, immunity, and energy formulas. We have always known that plants are powerful. Mankind has turned to them for over 60,000 years. Plants power an estimated 40 percent of modern medicines. But it’s fascinating to use nutrigenomics to dig deeper and see how and why plants work magic.
Take saffron. The active ingredients in this precious Persian spice have been shown to help regulate genes that carry serotonin, the key “happy hormone” of mood. Saffron has also been shown to increase the expression of the pleasing chemical dopamine in the brain. In fact, Dr. Naidoo says, “Saffron has been shown to be as effective as Prozac in reducing the symptoms of depression.” Perhaps there are good reasons revealed by cutting-edge science. That’s why saffron has been coveted for thousands of years and is more expensive than gold.
Another ancient plant that produces the secrets of its cells is Ashwagandha. A highly regarded study of its rejuvenating qualities in the Ayurvedic tradition can help Ashwagandha prevent the expression of certain genes that can cause inflammation, a known cause of stress and anxiety. Shows. Reishi mushrooms contain phytochemicals that, according to research, help regulate the immune system.
The potential of such deep and transformative herbs and plants is in line with our understanding of the gut-mind connection of the two-way highway that runs between the brain and the abdomen. Because, as Deepak Chopra told me, humans not only have about 25,000 genes, but “two million extra genes that aren’t humans, they’re bacteria. Technically, you’re Some human genes hanging in bacterial colonies, known as the microflora, or second genome, are completely lifestyle-dependent. “
So our way of life, especially what we eat, not only affects our own DNA, but the millions of genes in the bacterial mass we are crouching are directly related to our brain. Seems to be doing.
The nutrients we eat have a profound effect on our molecular and cellular processes and have a direct impact on mental health.
We are still in the early stages of nutritional genomics and have an accurate understanding of how the gut and heart axes work.
But at Massachusetts General Hospital, where Dr. Uma Naidoo directs the first hospital-based nutritional psychiatry service in the United States, she uses nutrients as part of her clinical practice, and there is no doubt about the connection between mood and food. there is no. “The nutrients we eat have a profound effect on our molecular and cellular processes and directly affect our brain and mental health,” says Dr. Naidoo.
“Psychiatry was too late to realize that the rest of the body, and what we feed it, affects our mood and stability. Nutrition improves mental health and resilience. It’s a pioneering new frontier to get you to. “
In addition to meditation, exercise, sleep, and exposure to nature, if you have enough nutrients for gene expression, especially if you have a saffron risotto, the waiter can take as long as you like, moody. The future may be available.
Liven up your life: how to eat your way happier
“The benefits of being packed with herbs and spices are amazing,” says Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutrition psychiatrist at Harvard University. Besides adding flavor to the food, she says, these seasonings are good for the mood.
To combat depression, Dr. Naidoo suggests:
oregano: Studies show that its active ingredient has promising antidepressant properties and may help protect brain tissue.
saffron: The ultimate mood-boosting spice (see the main article for serotonin and dopamine prowess).
turmeric: A study that “regulates the chemistry of the brain and protects cells from toxic damage that leads to depression,” writes Dr. Naidoo. Always add freshly ground pepper for maximum absorption.
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