Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes

[Bernard]

This isn't specific to epilepsy, but I found it extremely interesting - confirming something I have long suspected - that diet, environment and lifestyle may be more important variables for health problems than so called genetic risk factors.

Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.

The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.

As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes.

After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.

The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes: study

[RobinN]

Now ...knowing this information, why is it so difficult for some of us to follow it?

[LynnW]

I live in the land of Mountain Dew and cigarette breakfasts. And Kentucky has some of the highest rates of heart disease, respiratory ailments, diabetes, various cancers. Well, DUH!

[hawke86]

Looks like some good and interesting advice.

[haird18]

Bernard,
With all the prolbems I have to ease into every change because like today I had some bad seizures. and it is becoming clear of dramatic changes emotional physical and enviromental changes that throw me off!
David

[tripletdad]

I've tried to live a healthy lifestyle since I was in middle school, very little junk food, good sleep habits, no drugs, only the occasional glass of wine and an active workout schedule and it has made a BIG BIG difference for me with the side effects of the meds and even my seizures.

When my triplets were born i gained a lot of sympathy weight (50 pounds) and it was several years before I could back into my workout routine and I had a lot of problems because of lousy sleeping habits (three babies can keep you up a lot), no workouts, junk food etc. so I am a big believe in exercise and more important the endorphins they release really really really help me with my mood swings and struggle with the roller coaster ride of emotions I go through with my meds.

[joan]

In my recent research I have found that most of your immunology is in your gut. Only reinforces the thought that the gut influences the entire body, including the brain environment.

This Specified Carb Diet Ive been looking into is of the belief that if you heal your gut, MOST, not all, issues will resolve themselves. They are also looking into making it the standard diet for Autism. It really has been very interesting.

We shall see.

joan*
Before working on my E PhD. I used to be a happy and simple Mom.....