You must have heard the phrase, ‘genetics loads the guns, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.’ Turns out that there is a lot of truth to it. It is said that your DNA is the computer system of your body and the brain of each cell. Poor DNA health has connections with almost every disease, from cancer to Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular conditions to diseases related to the kidney, liver and brain. This is true of everything that involves a cell, be it obesity, gut health, hormones or fat gain.
We have genes and it’s time we stopped blaming them for everything. For most cases of sicknesses and diseases, we need to understand that our genes are controlled and affected by the environment we create inside and outside of our body and mind.
In very few cases of genetic disorder and birth defects, nothing can be done, but in other cases, good genes and bad genes can be turned on and off for better or worse by our lifestyle and environment. This includes the food we eat, our sleep routine, exercise, stress levels, toxic exposure, weather, sunlight, radiation, chronic inflammation, UV light, processed food, smoking, passive smoking, tobacco, excessive alcohol and certain medications.
Most cancers are related to shorter telomeres. These are unique structures found at the ends of our chromosomes that help in protecting them, like the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces. They play an important function in protecting the ageing and longevity process of life. The kind of environment we’re in can affect the telomeric structure and thus its function.
The effect of our environment, both internal and external, and its impact on our genes, becomes clearer through the concept of epigenetics, where epi stands for environment and genetics means genes which is to say that our environment controls our genes.Fortunately, in most cases, we have control over these environments. How can we create a favourable environment? The easiest ways to damage your DNA and put yourself in a vulnerable position to get seriously sick are:
What can work in your favour?
In this regard, superfoods can help. These are green tea (top quality whole leaf), black tea, matcha tea, lemon, watercress, cooked spinach, cooked tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, arugula, broccoli sprouts, berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, Indian gooseberries), avocados, dark chocolate or cacao nibs, apples, onion, garlic, citrus fruits, walnuts, resveratrol, and chlorella.
Try including two-three of these in your daily diet. It’s a great preventative tool and effective if you are already suffering from a disease, especially cancer. Don’t forget to keep your health care expert in the loop.
We live in a world where we are exposed to toxicity and poor lifestyle. Our body needs to be taken care of. We need to put in the effort to enable and empower it to heal us and protect us. Most of it is in our control as long as we choose the right lifestyle.
The author is a Mumbai-based holistic lifestyle coach