{"id":14446,"date":"2022-09-14T13:41:56","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T12:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nutrishield.com\/?p=14446"},"modified":"2022-09-26T15:01:09","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T14:01:09","slug":"switch-on-good-genes-for-longer-healthier-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.nutrishield.com\/?p=14446","title":{"rendered":"Switch on good protective genes for longer healthier life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A gene is a strand of DNA \u2013 the area between the arrows. A gene determines a characteristic (like eye colour) \u2013 or controls a biological action.<\/p>\n

Your genome \u2013 the genes that make you unique \u2013 are fixed at conception. But not all genes are switched on \u2013 the biological term is \u2018expressed\u2019. In fact, up to 50% can be silent at any one time.<\/p>\n

There are genes that protect you \u2013 like tumour suppressor genes. You\u2019ll want those switched ON.<\/p>\n

But others like oncogenes that can trigger cells to divide in a rapid, uncontrolled manner and which increase your risk of cancer \u2013 you\u2019ll obviously want those switched OFF or silenced.<\/p>\n

This gene switching or gene expression is called \u2018epigenetic\u2019 moderation or epigenetic change<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Epigenetic change can come about through changes in diet, exercise, sleep, stress levels and environment.<\/p>\n

Epigenetic change is central to turning back biological ageing and to staying well \u2013 and many of the discoveries of how to switch genes on or off have been made in the last few years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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 <\/p>\n

Colin Rose is a Senior Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the Founder and Director of Research and Innovation of Uni-Vite Healthcare and author of a recent <\/em><\/span>book: Delay Ageing: Healthy to 100<\/strong>, where he reveals how to slow ageing and, therefore, help prevent later-life illness.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On why he wrote this series of articles on how to live A Longer, Healthier Life<\/strong>, Colin says:<\/p>\n

\"The following chart \u2013 created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science \u2013 <\/em>is sobering.<\/p>\n

\"Switch<\/p>\n

\"Why the steep increase in all these health threats after the age of say 55? Previously we might have muttered \u2013 \u201cJust getting older, what can you expect<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"But a mountain of recent research has uncovered the processes that are driving all<\/u> these age-related diseases and how to counteract them<\/strong> for a longer, healthier life.<\/p>\n

\"That\u2019s what I explore in this series.\"<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Epigenetic change<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Epigenetic reprogramming is the science that billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg and Silicon Valley companies like Google are investing in, and we\u2019ll publish an article on that soon. But they are seeking patentable and profitable drugs. We are seeking ways to do it naturally.<\/p>\n

Genes are expressed when what are called methyl donors from the diet are added (donated) to the surface of DNA. The process is called methylation. Methylation switches off<\/u> or silences the gene \u2013 either cancelling or reducing its effect.<\/p>\n

\"Switch<\/p>\n

When a methyl group is removed, it switches on<\/u> \u2013 or 'expresses' \u2013 the gene. You can liken epigenetic change to a dimmer switch on a light, dialling the gene's activities up or down.<\/p>\n

As we get older, the methyl donors that are bound to DNA become looser and less accurate, and genes start to get expressed when they shouldn't be. In addition, the ability of the body to perform methylation seems to decline with age.<\/p>\n

Consequently, some age researchers \u2013 like Professor Steve Hovarth of UCLA \u2013 have created \u2018biological clocks\u2019 that measure biological as opposed to chronological ageing, based on the individual\u2019s pattern of DNA methylation.<\/p>\n

As errors in gene expression accumulate, we become more vulnerable to auto-immune disease, cardiovascular disease, loss of muscle mass, Alzheimer\u2019s disease and cancer (Ref.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Specifically, methylation imbalances cause tumour suppressor genes to become turned off, allowing tumours to continue to grow (Ref.<\/a>). Simultaneously, cancer-promoting oncogenes may also be turned on, allowing cancer to metastasize or expand.<\/p>\n

Reversing errors in gene expression can improve brain function, immune strength, cut disease risk, improve skin condition \u2013 and slow ageing (Ref.)<\/a><\/p>\n

Epigenetic change, however, is not a one off. You need to be acting consistently to make the changes long-term. So, switch to a healthier diet overall and take recommended supplements on a regular basis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Methyl donors<\/h3>\n

The following are all good methyl donors (Ref.<\/a>) Other methyl donors are zinc, magnesium and the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Folic acid<\/strong><\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Betaine<\/strong> (a nutrient found in beetroot)<\/p>\n

\"Switch<\/p>\n

> <\/strong><\/span>Choline<\/strong>, found in eggs, fish, seafood, nuts and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage)<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Vitamin B12<\/strong><\/p>\n

Betaine and folic acid also have another function \u2013 they lower levels of a dangerous protein in the blood called homocysteine \u2013 and high homocysteine is strongly linked with heart disease, neurological disease like Alzheimer\u2019s and even depression (Ref.)<\/a><\/p>\n

Doctors, in a thorough check-up, will now measure levels of homocysteine in the blood \u2013 because a high homocysteine level is a sign that methylation is impaired.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Methyl donors<\/em> need to be accompanied by methyl adaptogens<\/em><\/h3>\n

Methyl donors alone are not enough. They need to be accompanied by what are called methyl adaptogens<\/strong>. These are compounds that regularise methylation and thus the expression of genes. They prompt the addition of methyl donors when needed and equally remove others to shut off pro-ageing or pro-disease genes.<\/p>\n

Methyl adaptogens have, therefore, been compared to a thermostat \u2013 turning good genes on and \u2018bad\u2019 genes off to ensure a balanced state.<\/p>\n

Carotenoids like lycopene and beta carotene from red and orange vegetables act as methyl adaptogens and so have a positive impact on gene expression, especially when combined with vitamin D3. These nutrients help express genes \u2013 like the SIRTUIN 6 gene or the BRCA genes \u2013 that protect DNA.<\/p>\n

Some of the most important methylation adaptogen foods<\/em><\/strong> include (Ref.<\/a>):<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Cruciferous vegetables<\/strong> \u2013 broccoli, kale, cabbage, watercress, Brussels sprouts<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Berry fruits<\/strong><\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Curcumin<\/strong> (in the spice turmeric)<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Herbs<\/strong> like rosemary, sage, parsley and basil
\n\"Switch<\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Fermented soy<\/strong><\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Brown seaweed<\/strong><\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Shiitake mushrooms<\/strong><\/p>\n

><\/strong><\/span> Green tea<\/strong><\/p>\n

And then there are many important methylation adaptogen nutrients \u2013<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the building blocks of food. The main ones include:<\/p>\n