Sober Synthesis

Every day brings new evidence that the mind-body connection reaches right down to the activities of our genes. How this activity changes in response to our life experiences is referred to as “epigenetics”. Regardless of the nature of the genes we inherit from our parents, dynamic change at this level allows us almost unlimited influence on our fate.

Deepak Chopra MD and Rudolph Tanzi MD

• Difference between genetics and epigenetics
  • Genetics is the study of genes and the traits that they influence. 
  • Epigenetics focuses on physical changes that affect how the genes are “expressed” in response to the environment.
  • Only 5% of DNA are genes; 95% of DNA are gene “on and off” switches.
• Epigenetic changes do not actually change the underlying DNA sequence of genes. Instead, they involve the attachment of chemical compounds to the DNA. (The prefix “epi-” means “above” or “upon.”)
  • One researcher proposed epigenetics as the genetic “field of opportunities”. 
• There is evidence that epigenetic modifications, specifically histone modifications, within key brain reward regions are correlated with addiction.
• Severe stress, especially early in life, may result in epigenetic changes that contribute to a lasting increase in one’s physiological stress response.
• Another possibility that has received attention in recent years is intergenerational transmission of trauma.
  • Epigenetic changes resulting from  traumatic experiences that can be passed from one generation to the next.
  • However, the evidence for transmission of trauma-related epigenetic changes from parents to offspring is still very limited, and further research is required to establish whether and how it occurs.

Factors that May Influence Your Epigenome

1. Stress: Chronic stress is the number #1 reason for poor functioning biochemistry and genetic expression. It induces both deficiency and toxicity, and the body cannot heal when chronic stress is present.
2. Sleep: Poor sleep patterns impair DNA repair. When we get deep, relaxing sleep for 7-9 hours, our body repairs.
3. Breathing: Shallow breathing causes mild hypoxia, which affects the entire immune system. Deep breathing (inhale with an extended exhale) episodically throughout the day delivers oxygen and nutrients to all your tissues. Preliminary research indicates that meditation/mindfulness also inhibits inflammation gene expression. 
4. Medications: Many medications cause deficiencies of key vitamins and minerals and mimic gene mutations by disturbing the pathways. If you must take certain drugs, be sure to supplement with the nutrients being depleted.
5. Diet and Environment: Our diet can harm or heal. It is optimal to eat your last meal at 6:00 pm, and fast for 12-15 hours until 6:00-8:00 am the next morning. This keeps you at a healthy weight while positively influencing the DNA repair mechanisms of the body. Certain nutrients, such as folate and B-12, have been identified as having epigenetic healing properties.
6. Exercise: Maintaining a healthy weight and sweating lowers your toxic load. Healthy muscle mass increases oxygen transportation and mitochondria quantity. It is important to exercise moderately but not excessively, which can become inflammatory.
7. Electronic screen usage: Excessive screen usage, especially social media, stimulates the addictive dopamine reward system. It also contributes to shallow breathing, can interfere with restorative sleep, and contributes to obesity and/or physical atrophy.

Proposed Questions for thought or sharing:

1. If learning about epigenetics is new for you, what are your initial thoughts? How may this information impact your recovery?
2. If knowledge of epigenetics is not new for you, did understanding epigenetics influence your recovery? How?