Don’t want to damage your genes?

Avoid sugar and plastic packages containing the harmful Bisphenol-A.

We don’t have to lie to each other – the cause of most diseases is food and processes related to its digestion. Unfortunately, because of some foods, we age faster. British scientists were able to prove that almost all genes react to nutrients put into our body. What lands on our plates have a direct influence on the modification of our DNA.

Biochemical reactions, occurring when the foods are going through metabolism, are dependent on sugars, fatty acids, vitamins and amino acids that are in the composition of our meals – said experts from the University of Cambridge and the Center of Biomedical.

Research near The Francis Crick Institute in London

Although the practice of medicine has long been aware of the fact that a diet can affect our genes, until now, however, experts didn’t realise how significant the effect on genetic changes brought by our food can be.
Food can modify up to 90% genes making up our DNA – says the director of studies Marcus Larser from the Biochemistry Department at the University of Cambridge.

Diet changing the genes

The body is naturally adapted to deal with danger coming from infective factors independently. However, for that, it needs appropriate nourishment, which activates the most valuable ingredients that stimulate the body to resist the pathogen attacks.

If you want to help your genes – eat broccoli. They contain isothiocyanates, which can suppress the action of harmful genetic changes happening in our DNA, and force the body to activate the “good genes”, which fight against carcinogen processes. These compounds are also available in Brussels sprouts, watercress, kale, cabbage, and even in the spicy wasabi.

Blackberries also have a good effect on genes because of the presence of anthocyanins, which protect against the destructive effects of reactive types of oxygen, and also protects us against ageing and helps the circulatory system work. A similar, but more holistic results can be achieved with ginseng, used for thousands of years by the Eastern Medicine.

Want to help your genes?

Start eating more green leafed vegetables – cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, watercress and broccoli. Don’t avoid the roots of ginseng, and during summer eat blackberries. On the other hand, avoid sugar and plastic packaging!

We can be protected against harmful effects of free radicals by vitamins C and E, which are able to counteract the harmful effects of stress efficiently – both the one felt by us in the nervous system and also oxidative stress which is experienced by our cells, efficiently accelerating the process of ageing.

The advantage of fresh and natural products, which don’t go through heat-treating and are not highly processed, may have positive effects on our genes. Although, what should we be the most careful about?

What harms the genes?

Researchers from the Duke University in North Carolina were able to demonstrate that Bisphenol-A, which is added to plastic packaging and used in almost every bottle of cheap mineral water around the world, has a significant influence on stimulating the so-called obesity gene responsible for gaining weight.

Laboratory experiments done on rats showed that pregnant animals exposed to the effects of this component gave birth to obese offspring. The children of the rodents fed with an adequately chosen diet were on the other hand healthy.

Plain sugar may have equally harmful effects on us. It turns out that genes may store information about the fact we ate a sweet meal even for two weeks. The more often we reach for such products, the more permanent changes will happen on the level of our DNA.

Don’t be fooled by the sweetness – sugar is also harmful to the genes, and is best eliminated from the diet. May the strength be with you!

Genetics influence our nutritional preferences

Have you ever wondered why some people love specific food products, while others dislike them? The answer lies in our genes. Different genetic variants affect the work of our brain, and at the same time affect our nutritional preferences.

The genetics’ influence on food choices confirm the tests done on a group of 818 people of European origin. The first stage of the tests consisted of an analysis of the genetic variants which interested the researchers, this was followed by a questionnaire, during which the participants were asked about their nutritional preferences.

Their discovery was more interesting. They noticed that a higher consumption of chocolate, and at the same time a larger size of the waist, marked themselves on people in case of which there were genetic variants associated with lower sensitivity of oxytocin receptors. Additionally, the gene connected to obesity affected the amount of consumed dietary fiber. The consumption of salt and fat was also linked to specific genetic variants.