Have you seen the January 18th, 2010, issue of TIME magazine?

The cover story presents some exciting new research. It’s putting to rest the long-held belief that you’re stuck with what you got at birth.

If you think there’s nothing you can do to prevent getting a disease that runs in your family, think again.

As it turns out, you can literally reprogram your DNA – telling your body to slow aging, live longer, and prevent diseases.

Emerging New Science Puts You in the Driver’s Seat

This new branch of science is called epigenetics. Much to the surprise of the old way of thinking, your fate isn’t sealed by your DNA.

The evidence is startling: A study I read in Genome Research shows how one twin avoided disease while the other didn’t.

Identical twins share 100% of the same DNA. Not only do they share the same looks, they also usually share the same disorders and ailments.

For the study, researchers wanted to figure out why one twin had an autoimmune disease like lupus, and the other one didn’t, despite sharing identical genes.

The answer was found in their DNA. The twin that didn’t get lupus had genes that were programmed to keep the disease at bay. The one that did have it had that particular gene expression turned “on.”1

How was this possible? The choices each twin made had literally reprogrammed their DNA.

Express the Genes That Fight Disease…

The impact of this study is far reaching.

Just because a disease like cancer runs in your family doesn’t mean you’re helpless. You don’t have to sit and wait to get sick.

You have some control over whether or not a disease catches up with you.

The “epigenome” makes this possible.

Simply put, the epigenome is a complex network of chemical switches. These switches surround your DNA and turn genes “on” and “off.”

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Your epigenome interacts every day with your environment. That means everything you come into contact with and everything you put into your body has the power to turn genes on or off via different chemical pathways.

The end result is the ability to change the way your body expresses your genetic coding.

Live Longer, Beat Disease

Today’s modern world is already predisposing your genes toward negative “expressions” that include disease.

That’s because your body is constantly absorbing toxins like heavy metals and harmful chemicals. Everything from the detergent you use to clean your clothes to the plastic bottles you drink from are to blame.

Smoking, excess alcohol, and poor diets also interact with the epigenome, telling it to switch on the “disease” genes.

The good news is, taking control of your genetic code is simpler that you might think.

It’s just a matter of developing good habits that promote positive gene expression. By doing so, you’ll boost your chances of living a longer, healthier, disease-free life.

For starters, keep your heart and lungs in good shape. Exercise as I described in The Doctor Directed Weight Loss Program. Not only will this prevent a slew of diseases on its own, it’ll also make your body better able to respond to negative environmental factors.

Next, eat whole, unprocessed foods. That means eating a similar diet to that of our ancestors.

Choose healthy proteins like grass-fed beef or free-range chicken. Wild-caught fish is good as well.

Eat plenty of vegetables and some fruits (preferably berries, as they’re high in protective antioxidants). They contain critical methyl-precursors. These are compounds that play an important role in the chemical process that actually changes gene expression.

Finally, there are a few supplements you can take that are proven to positively affect gene expression:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that taking omega-3 daily tells your genes to prevent inflammation and hardening of the arteries.3 After just six months, the participants in the study had experienced a positive change in 1,040 of their genes. The best way to get your omega-3s is with a quality fish oil supplement. Aim for 1,000 to 2,000 mg per day.

Resveratrol – This powerful antioxidant found in red wine has recently been found to counteract age-related genetic change 92 percent of the time.4 That means it prevents your DNA strands from deteriorating, letting them live longer. Ultimately, this keeps you vibrant and healthy. You can find resveratrol as a supplement at your local health-food store. I suggest 200 mg per day.

Antioxidant: Taking quality antioxidants has been proven in multiple studies to eliminate free radicals, dramatically reduce cancer, give you a higher quality of life and improve your chances of a longer life.

Vitamin B12 – This natural and inexpensive vitamin affects how long your DNA strands live. It does this by lengthening your DNA’s telomeres. Telomeres are a “tail” end to all your strands of DNA. Think of them as the biological countdown clock that tells your cells how long they have to live. As your cells divide, the telomeres become shorter. Once there’s no more telomere left, the cell dies. One of the best food sources are egg yolks and grass-fed beef. Otherwise you can supplement. Take anywhere from 100 to 500 mcg every day.
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1. Javierre BM, Fernandez AF, Richter J, et al. “Changes in the pattern of DNA methylation associate with twin discordance in systemic lupus erythematosus.” Genome Res. 2009 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print]
2. David I. K. Martin, M.D., Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, Calif; Marcus Pembrey, M.D., emeritus professor, pediatric genetics, Institute of Child Health, University College London, U.K.; Nov. 13-18, 2006, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
3. M. Bouwens, O. et al. “Fish-oil supplementation induces anti-inflammatory gene expression profiles in human blood mononuclear cells” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volume 90, pages 415-424. June 2009
4. University of Wisconsin-Madison (2008, June 8). Substance In Red Wine, Resveratrol, Found To Keep Hearts Young. ScienceDaily.

Change Your Children’s Genes

Did you know that any changes in your genetic expression made during your lifetime may get passed on to your children?

If you’re planning on having kids, this is huge. The actions you take today will most likely affect them and their own children.

One of the easiest ways to affect your gene expression in this lifetime is to live in a healthy environment. Take personal responsibility and eat right, take quality nutritional supplements  and exercise.

Next Post: “Habits That Make You Fat or Thin – Your Choice”