You Are Not Your Parent's Illness

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A well-meaning psychiatrist once told me that my daughter had a 50 percent chance of developing bipolar disorder, a diagnosis which had only been given to my husband six weeks earlier. Not only were his statistics for a genetic transmission sensationally high, he failed to talk to me about epigenetics, or the compounds that tell the genome what to do.

If I'd known what I know now, I would have told that doctor, "Your genes are not your destiny. Stop manufacturing illness in your patients before it begins."

For all the attention devoted to genome-sequencing projects, the epigenome is just as critical as DNA to the healthy development of organisms. The epigenome is a multitude of chemical compounds that inform the genome. Think of it as the software to your genetics. The epigenome is sensitive to cues from our environment. An extra bit of a vitamin, a brief exposure to a toxin, even an added dose of mothering and meditation can tweak the epigenome and alter the software of our genes in ways that affect an individual's body and brain for life.

"Gene as fate" is conventional wisdom, but it is an outdated wisdom. We do have a measure of control over our genetic legacy. What we eat, what we drink, whether and how much we exercise, all of it matters. Free will matters. Unlike genetic mutations, epigenetic changes are potentially reversible. A mutated gene is unlikely to mutate back to normal; the only recourse is to kill or cut out all the cells carrying the defective code. But a gene with a defective methylation pattern might very well be encouraged to reestablish a healthy pattern and continue to function.

Do your part. Eat well. Sleep well. Exercise. Control stress with mindfulness, meditation, and play. A team of researchers from Wisconsin, Spain, and France have reported the first evidence of specific molecular changes at a genetic level following a period of mindfulness meditation. Deepak Chopra's work on epigenetic is as bold as it is life affirming.

I'd like the physician who terrified me with an inaccurate and sensational prediction to update his advice to patients. People whose parents died from cancers, brain illnesses and diabetes should be encouraged to participate in the outcome of their health and of their lives. We can claim some responsibility for the integrity of our genome. Free will matters.

Reference:

Weinhold B. Epigenetics: The Science of Change. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(3):A160-A167. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.












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