Podcast: Play in new window | Download
How can we create an epigenetic map to optimise our gene expression for a lifetime of sustained wellness? In part 2 of my fascinating conversation with Dr. Kenneth Pelletier, we talk more about genetics and how we can change our gene expression. Find out how positive and negative thoughts influence gene expression, and more!
Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/podcasts-blog for the complete show notes of every podcast episode.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
-
How you can change your gene expression
-
The links between blood markers and the microbiome
-
The 7 biochemical pathways
-
What causes oxidative stress
-
The biology of belief
Key Takeaways:
-
The push toward actual life expectancy is much more determined by what we do rather than what our genes are that we inherit from the moment of birth.
-
There are seven major biochemical pathways in the body. And behind these biochemical pathways are a finite set of genes that influence that pathway. So as the gene becomes expressed or not, the pathway becomes activated or not, the change shows up in our blood chemistry, and the blood chemistry, in turn, shows up metabolically in the body organs and in the biome.
-
Methylation
-
Inflammation
-
Oxidative Stress
-
Detoxification
-
Immunity
-
Lipid metabolism
-
Mineral metabolism
-
When we know what our genetic predisposition is for lipid metabolism, we can make more informed decisions about our diet.
-
The positive emotions — hope, love, compassion, optimism, generosity — have a direct, positive, and enduring impact on the epigenetic expression.
-
When you have the negative emotions — anger, fear, hostility, aggression, negativity — all of those suppress and alter the biochemical pathways in a negative direction, so you get greater inflammation, greater oxidative stress, poor lipid metabolism, and excessive methylation.
-
There are certain adult diseases that once they progressed to the stage of a disease, they’re hard to alter. We can slow the progression, sometimes even reverse the disease, but once it’s in extreme onset in our senior years, it’s very, very hard to alter it, so not all things are going to be malleable.
Action Steps:
-
When you go to a grocery store, no matter what the product is, buy the one with the shortest label. If it has 3 ingredients, buy it; if it has 20, don’t.
-
Practice meditation. From an internal state of awareness, strike a balance that’s more optimistic and more positive.
-
Do genetic testing and understand your biology, your biochemistry, and your epigenetic markers.
-
Track your epigenetic markers and keep them within an optimal range.
Dr. Kenneth Pelletier said:
“The purpose of meditation is to enhance our ability to recognize the negative emotions and move toward the positive emotions.”
“Even if we have advanced disease… we can have a major impact on its progression, our life expectancy, the quality of our life, independently of the state of the disease.”
Thanks for listening!
If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.
If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
Links to things we discuss in the show:
Books by Dr. Kenneth Pelletier:
More from Dr. Kenneth Pelletier:
Dr. Pelletier’s Twitter (@drkrpelletier)
More from Leanne Spencer:
Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page
Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer
Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer