Change Your Genes

Our genetic structure is fixed, but we can influence how genes express themselves, and thus improve our health.

To slow (and in some cases reverse) cellular aging:

1. Eat healthfully.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. If you drink, do so in moderation.
4. Quit tobacco products.
5. Reduce stress.

Here’s the independent nutrition site I mention:  https://nutritionfacts.org

This video summarizes research on the power of a plant-based diet (specifically in reducing saturated fat intake) to slow cellular aging.

This video on stress management research highlights well-designed studies, including one showing that just 12 minutes of daily meditation for eight weeks can lengthen your telomeres—helping reverse cellular aging.  

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
[ music].
Hi, this is Rob Sepich, andwelcome to Relaxing with Rob.
Do you ever wish you couldchange your genetic structure?
And how do you think relaxationmight be related to genes?

(00:23):
Well, the brain functions thataffect anxiety and depression do
have a pretty strong geneticcomponent.
But the good news is there'slots of room for reducing our
risks of developing them orpassing them along to our
children.
In episode 23,"Increase YourHappiness," we talked about

(00:45):
Sonja Lyubomirsky's researchthat shows that about half of
our happiness is geneticallydetermined.
But a huge amount is within ourdaily control.
Research out of RutgersUniversity in 2019 found that
even if you have no familyhistory of alcoholism, heavy
drinking can alter your DNA inways that make you crave alcohol

(01:09):
even more, and potentially passalong those characteristics.
I've been fascinated by natureversus nurture questions ever
since college, from learningabout the Minnesota Twin Family
Study to as recently as the 2018documentary,"Three Identical
Strangers." We now know that formost things, it's not

(01:34):
"either/or." It's"both/and." Alittle background: Our DNA
sequence is powerful, and itaffects our personality and
health in big ways.
And although our genes give usstrong predispositions, we're
not talking predetermination.

(01:54):
In some ways we can change ourgenes.
And today I'd like to share how.
One evening, just before a Zumbaclass, I was speaking with a
doctoral student about herresearch in cellular and
molecular biology andepigenetics.
You know, typical pre-workouttalk at a university.

(02:16):
Epigenetics is the field thatlooks at how changes in gene
expression affect how cells readour genes.
We talked about how stressorslike Adverse Childhood
Experiences can damage our genesand shorten our telomeres(these
caps of DNA at the end of ourchromosomes).
They typically shorten with age.

(02:37):
As well as how things likeexercise and nutrition,
mindfulness practices, can helprepair them.
She said it's why identicaltwins don't stay identical
forever.
When I was twenty six, I gotkind of depressed thinking that
if I lived as long as my dad,then my life was half over.

(02:58):
And facing a midlife crisis isone thing, but having one in my
mid-twenties was quite another.
Since he died of a heart attack,and since family history is a
strong predictor, I had apessimistic view about my
chances for a"long sweet life"in Zorba Paster's words.

(03:19):
But I looked at the research andeven back then I learned that
other factors, things that werewithin my control, might help.
And that's when my behaviorsaround alcohol and tobacco
diverged pretty sharply fromthose of my father.
I started these changes in hopesof outliving him, but what

(03:42):
sustained them for me, I think,was quality of life, not
quantity.
I just became a happier, moreoptimistic person.
And that's what kept meinterested in wellbeing.
I've had anxious clients fromwhat they described as extremely
anxious families who were ableto learn to relax and to become

(04:03):
more mindful, to recognize fearsas just fears, not evidence that
they couldn't handle something.
They were able to learn thatthey can have anxious thoughts
without being an anxious person.
Sometimes therapy helped,sometimes medication, and
probably sometimes both.

(04:24):
I know it can be difficult tobreak free from how you were
raised, if you want to bedifferent from your parents.
But please know that it can bedone.
So here are some experiments totry in order to change your
genes.
And this is not an exhaustivelist, but each of these five

(04:45):
practices are within yourcontrol.
First, eat healthfully.
Meet with a registered dieticianto learn how.
In the meantime, I'm placing alink to an excellent site in the
show notes.
Michael Greger, an MD at CornellUniversity who runs this
independent site, accepts noadvertising.

(05:07):
His team reviews all nutritionstudies having to do with major
causes of death, and theytranslate them into a language
that we can understand.
A consistent finding is thatcultures abroad and even
individuals here who liveprimarily on plant-based diets
have a fraction of heartdisease, diabetes and many types

(05:30):
of cancer that we have on ourstandard American diet.
So the foods that we choose toeat truly are the most powerful
medications we can take.
And as always, these arenon-affiliate links.
So if you do purchase somethinglike a book through these sites,
I don't receive anything.
Second, exercise regularly.

(05:53):
We talked a lot about that inepisode 19,"Exercise for Love."
Third, if you drink alcohol,please do so in moderation.
Fourth, if you use any tobaccoproducts, quit.
Reputable scientists don't eventalk about moderation here.

(06:16):
And fifth, reduce stress.
I guess given the name of mypodcast, there's no surprise
here.
In the show notes, I'm alsoposting a link to a brief video
summarizing research on howmeditation can help grow your
telomeres--essentially, reversecellular aging.

(06:37):
So what I hope you're hearingtoday is that in spite of your
genetics and your pastbehaviors, even small changes
now can make big improvementslater.
Thank you for listening, andwe'll talk again soon.
[ music].