Mark’s Daily Apple

Dear Mark: Gene Expression10

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Covering Your Bases

I received tons of emails from last week’s Gene Expression: Location, Location, Location post. Thanks to everybody for their feedback and questions. In the comment section of last week’s post, Ed was interested in other concrete examples of gene expression (the ability of a gene to produce a biologically active protein). In personal emails, others asked for more explanation of the difference between genes and gene expression. Still others wanted to hear more about the interaction between their gene expression and lifestyle choices. Given the range of reader questions this week, I thought I’d reframe this week’s Dear Mark to include more of an overview of this recurring MDA theme. There’s a lot to be said on the subject, and I promise this post won’t be the last word on it. Nonetheless, there’s no time like the present to give a proper introduction and dive right in.

Let me just say that gene expression is one of my favorite areas of interest, and it’s truly at the heart of the Primal Blueprint. In fact, it’s the real beauty of it as well. It confirms that the day-to-day choices we make have incredible impact. And we can influence gene expression to a far greater degree than anyone ever thought possible.

Everyone has the DNA “recipe” to build a human being. The DNA itself is not really so much a “blueprint” (as many people assume) as it is a recipe. As with all recipes, it allows for a little variation to spice things up and even room for improvement. That means that some ingredients can change a little and you still wind up with the intended result. A little more sugar, a little less salt, an added spice, a lower cooking temperature: the end result still resembles the picture in the cookbook.

We often hear about the computer hardware/software analogy. An analogy I like to use is that of a book and its readings. Your genome itself (your DNA) is fixed and can’t be changed. It is the book itself. Once it’s been written (and in this case each of your 60 trillion cells has the exact same copy of your story), you can’t change the words. But a book, even though it’s fixed, can be read differently by different people. (Imagine three different screenwriters taking the same book and coming up with three very different movie versions). The lines themselves are altered in the context of the interpretation.

Similarly, while your genes are “fixed”, the expression of those genes – the amount of proteins they cause to be made, whether or not they are even switched on or off at all – depends on the “environment,” the circumstances surrounding those genes. Diet, exercise, exposure to toxic chemicals (or fresh air), medicines, even the thoughts you think (which generate actual chemical signals) all influence gene expression – positively and/or negatively, depending on the choice. Eat a diet that is high in sugar, and gene expression moves in a direction that produces more insulin, that shuts off insulin receptors, that down-regulates lipase and other enzymes involved in fat-burning, that increases pro-inflammatory cytokines, etc. When you change to a diet low in sugars and rich in healthy fats, those or other genes are directed to reduce inflammatory expression, down-regulate insulin-producing metabolic machinery, up-regulate insulin receptors and rebuild cell membranes to reflect the presence of better building materials (omega 3 fatty acids, etc.). Research in gene expression is exploding right now and is examining both the impact of environmental factors and the promise of epigenetic therapies. The connection between insulin resistance and genetic expression (particularly in relation to exercise) was raised in last week’s comments. Diet and toxin exposure have been shown to influence gene expression in laboratory studies. Here are a few study abstracts to pique your interest: PubMed 1, 2, 3.

The interaction between lifestyle choices and gene expression goes on every second of every day you’re alive. You are literally rebuilding yourself all the time. That’s the message of hope that the Primal Blueprint offers. Even if you have so-called markers for “defective” genes, that doesn’t mean they will be expressed. Gene interaction is such that environmental factors can potentially allow for someone with BRCA1 and BRCA2 (associated with a very high risk for breast cancer) to never get breast cancer if those and related genes are properly controlled through environment. On the other hand, a woman with no risk factors can still get breast cancer if she directs gene expression towards pro-inflammatory pathways, then down-regulates other parts of her immune system.

As I mentioned last week, most of today’s genome investigation centers on SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that predispose the possessor to a particular condition (cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, etc). I’ve always said that a predisposition is not your final destiny. Even aging itself is highly influenced by gene expression over time. In the course of a lifetime, stem cells divide to repair injury (e.g. inflammation). In doing so, the cells are continually aged. The more the cells have to repair, the faster a person ages. This, of course, is a manifestation of gene expression.

The whole idea behind my Primal Blueprint is this: we know that we can influence gene expression, but – more than that – we know HOW to influence it in a direction of health, fitness, productivity, happiness, etc. The “blueprint” is not the DNA but a set of lifestyle and behavioral guidelines that, if followed, allows you to recast yourself as a healthy, fit person using “controlled gene expression”. The “primal” part comes from the recognition that our basic human DNA is relatively unchanged from the past 10,000 years. As long as we understand what it took to evolve to that point, we can find ways to continue to influence gene expression that are in alignment with that pre-agricultural DNA.

Thanks again for your comments and questions, and please keep them coming.

Dollar Bin, ott1mo Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

More Primal Blueprint posts

Gotta Love that Genome

Posted: Health, Personal Improvement, Prevention, Primal Health

Household Cleaners and Health Risks5

We’ve talked a couple times this week about compromises of circumstances, which included environmental toxins. Although we can’t control everything around us, one simple (and economical) step we can take is to replace standard household cleaners with less toxic, naturally based products.

For now, check out this newscast feature from BostonChannel.com. Environmental and public health advocates in Massachusetts are lobbying the state to pass the Safe Alternatives Bill, which would require cleaners used in public buildings, schools and hospitals to be part of a safe product list already established by the State.

As the report explains, common cleaners like air fresheners, Lysol, Clorox and ammonia are potential contributors to the rising rate of asthma in the U.S. Twenty million people have asthma in this country, which the report says is three times the rate seen 25 years ago. Ten percent of school age children have the disease. Overall, asthma results in 16 billion dollars of health care costs. (Anyone who’s seen the annual cost of Advair –more than $2200 – will agree that asthma puts a financial strain on families, insurance groups and government agencies.)

The advocacy consortium, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, (along with countless other health groups) warns that many conventional cleaners have a negative impact on the reproductive, endocrine and immune systems. As the report cites, unidentified ingredients can make up 99% of a cleaner. Current laws don’t require full disclose of all ingredients. Much of this unlisted content is synthetic “fragrance,� which contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of these substances, yet they’re often exposed more often than adults, given the daily use of these types of cleaners in schools and care centers. The bill proposed would replace the worst offending cleaners with effective, less toxic alternatives. Similar legislation has been passed in other areas of the country, including Minneapolis, Minnesota.

We always recommend limiting toxic chemical exposure. Modern living inevitably puts new and novel toll on our bodies. As for choosing safer alternatives for household cleaning, it’s a simple change that can have significant impact for you and especially for children and pets. The chemicals we so liberally spray, wipe, spread and apply present an unnecessary risk. With so many effective, cheaper alternatives out there, it just makes sense to choose safer options. Your endocrine system will thank you for it.

For more on the bill and the effects of cleaners, check out this PDF at Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow.

Have suggestions, comments? We want to hear them!

Posted: Health, Prevention, Videos

Move Your Body for Your Brain1

They’ll be coming out in waves after this news…

A study presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting suggests that regular physical exercise may offer a protective benefit against mild cognitive impairment.

How cognitively impaired are we talking here? Think forgetting where you left your keys, remembering events, appointments, or to check Mark’s Daily Apple every day (as if you could ever forget that!) or recalling the details of a conversation.

Conducted as part of an ongoing study of aging, researchers from the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic surveyed 868 people ages 70 to 89 about their exercise habits between ages 50 and 65. Researchers also screened all participants for signs of mild cognitive impairment.

According to the study, those that reported participating in moderate exercise such as brisk walking one to five times per week were less likely to experience cognitive impairment problems than their peers who exercised less. However, the researchers note that cognitive impairment did not appear to be influenced by exercise activity within the previous year.

Speculating on the mechanism behind the link, the study’s lead author suggests that “exercise induces chemicals that protect brain cells, or exercise is simply a marker for an overall healthy lifestyle, or there is some positive interaction among exercise, healthy lifestyle and intellectually stimulating activity.�

Acknowledging his rather shaky opinion regarding the link, he calls for further research to explore the findings.

Groundbreaking stuff? Well, no, not really. But it does add to the growing body of research suggesting that the benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health. In fact, these findings are likely to prove especially pertinent to the growing legions of baby boomers who, if the study’s findings are correct, could benefit tremendously from starting a regular exercise routine to stave off some of the cognitive declines associated with aging. In addition, while a long track record of physical activity is certainly preferential, the study suggests that even adopting an exercise routine in your 60s can yield significant benefits in the future.

So, the next time you’re pondering where you left your keys or why on earth you would put your cell phone in your shoe, consider logging a few extra trips around the block. You’ll thank us (because you will remember to) later down the road!

zappowbang Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Mature Muscle?

The Role of Lean Muscle Mass and Organ Reserve in Aging

Posted: Aging, Fitness, Health, Personal Improvement, Prevention, Worker Bees' Weekly Bites

Smart Fuel: Spinach5

Popeye’s freakishly abnormal musculature (look at those forearms!) is not the result of spinach consumption.

Perhaps Popeye had it right. He pounded spinach for super-human strength and loved olive oil (although granted, it was a girl, not the healthy fat Rachel Ray is always harping on about!). But is spinach really good for your muscles and can it give you the boost you need to take on ol’ Bluto?

Let’s start with the most basic stuff: Calorie for calorie, spinach is perhaps one of the most nutrient dense vegetables out there (and it’s no slouch in the flavonoid department, but we’ll talk about that in a minute). In the vitamin department, it logs literally off-the-charts levels of vitamin K and vitamin A, providing 1110% and 234%, respectively, per 1 cup serving of boiled spinach (or 6 cups of raw spinach). Why would this be important? Well, vitamin K is important for bone health (especially when combined with calcium and magnesium, spinach’s other bone-building nutrients) and vitamin A is important for reducing the amount of free-radicals in the body as well as preventing cholesterol from oxidation – which is the process whereby cholesterol can cause damage to arteries. This effect is further amplified when the vitamin A is combined with vitamin C – which spinach also has in spades – a combination that is also thought to reduce inflammation, particularly among patients suffering from asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rounding out the nutrient profile, spinach is an excellent source of folate, which is important for blood health, as well as magnesium, which mimics the role of angiotensin inhibitors to help regulate blood pressure and prevent heart disease. When cooked, spinach is also an excellent source of iron, which is one of the primary components in hemoglobin – and thus has a role in energy production and metabolism.

Now on to the flavonoids: Current research suggests that are 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that not only serve as antioxidants but may also reduce the risk of cancer. Specifically, there are several spinach extracts that have been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer, with one study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggesting that consuming spinach or other dark leafy green vegetables can reduce the risk of skin cancer recurring among those with a previous history by as much as 55%. A study published in Cancer Causes & Control, meanwhile, also found that spinach and other vibrantly-hued vegetables could also reduce the risk of stomach cancer (gastric adenocarcinoma). Still need proof? A second study published in Cancer Causes & Control has also suggested that it may also reduce ovarian cancer risk while a study published in the September 2004 edition of the Journal of Nutrition suggests that the neoxathin contained in spinach may also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

But what about the muscles? Well, the reality is, spinach probably isn’t going to give you super human strength (or gargantuan muscles ala Popeye), but when it conveys this many other health benefits, perhaps it makes sense to keep on eating it and plan on outliving – as opposed to straight pulverizing – Bluto.

Spiff 27 Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

More Smart Fuel

FitSugar: Frozen Spinach Does the Body Good

The Consumerist: Spinach Facilities are Unsafe, Disgusting and the FDA Doesn’t Care

Posted: Diet, Health, Prevention, Smart Fuel

Smoking Gun2

We know, we know, there’s very little chance that you, dear reader, are struggling with smoking, but here at Mark’s Daily Apple we’re suckers for a good science experiment (especially ones with high volumes of grammatical and spelling errors!)

With that being said, can you believe that in the year 2008, with as much information as we have on the dangers of smoking, people are still puffing away? We’ve know for decades that this stuff will kill you! We know for some smokers, scare tactics (this video, the entire “Truthâ€� anti-smoking campaign, and the fact that in many states, you and your filter-tipped buddy are no longer welcome in restaurants and bars) simply aren’t going to be effective. After all, if they were, the tobacco industry would have gone bankrupt years ago and been nothing more than a nearly forgotten, laughable relic of yester-year.

But every now and then, reminders such as these can, for some smokers, make them think about what they’re doing and perhaps encourage them to take incremental steps towards kicking the habit for good (or at least gross them out for a few minutes!)

Further Viewing:

More Videos!

Posted: Health, Prevention, Videos