Can you control your genes? Let's talk about Epigenetics!

We think we can't change the things we inherit from our parents, right? Not only eye color, hair texture, skin tone, height, but even the risk of developing certain diseases... We know that all of this comes from our genes. So we think that these genes are like something carved in stone, unchangeable, and beyond our control. But... would you be surprised if we were told that we can change the "way" these genes "work" through our lifestyle, the food we eat, and the things we do? Epigenetics is the newest and most amazing scientific field that talks about this.

Simply put, what is Epigenetics?

This may sound like a bit of a scientific term, but the concept is actually quite simple. Let's break down the word `Epigenetics`. `Epi` is Greek for "above, around, outside." `Genetics` is the science of genes. And `Epigenetics` is about the control that exists "above the genes."

Think of it this way. Your genes are like the light bulbs in your house. You can't change what those bulbs are or where they are. They're something you inherit. But you have the switch that decides whether that bulb is on or off. Maybe that bulb has a dimmer switch that turns it on and off.

These chemical switches are influenced by many things, including our lifestyle, the food we eat, the environment we live in, and the stress we experience. Sometimes these changes are good for our bodies, protecting us from disease. Other times, they can be detrimental to our health.

Let's remind ourselves a little about what genes and DNA are?

To understand this, let's first take a brief look at genes and DNA.

Think of your entire `DNA` sequence as a giant recipe book . This giant book contains all the instructions that every cell in your body needs to do its job properly. Cells learn what to do and how to do it by ``reading`` this ``DNA`` book.

There are trillions of cells in our bodies. Skin cells, heart cells, brain cells, and so on. Each of these cells contains a copy of the entire ``DNA'' recipe book.

But, not every cell reads this entire book. It doesn't need to. Imagine, a skin cell doesn't need instructions from a heart cell on how to work. Just like a cake doesn't need a recipe for sambol.

Genes are the individual recipes in that big recipe book. A gene is like a chapter in a book that tells you how to do a specific job. So, a skin cell only reads the recipes (genes) related to the skin. A heart cell only reads the recipes related to the heart.

What `Epigenetics` does is decide which recipe each cell should read and which one should not. It's like putting a sticker on some pages of a recipe book that says "Use this now" and other pages that say "Don't look at this now."

What influences our Epigenome?

The `epigenome` is the system that is made up of our genes and the `chemical switches` that control how those genes work. The important thing is that this `epigenome` is not static. It changes over time, with the things that happen in our lives.

The factors that influence these changes start before we are even born. See what they are in the table below.

What diseases can be linked to epigenetics?

Scientists are still researching this, but what is currently known is that epigenetic changes are linked to a number of diseases.

• Cancer: Imagine, we have a gene in our body that stops cancer cells from growing. But what happens if this gene is 'turned off', that is, silenced, due to a bad lifestyle? Cancer cells are given the opportunity to grow without control.
• Brain diseases: There is evidence that epigenetic changes are associated with age-related diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, as well as some mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities.
• Metabolism: Conditions like diabetes and obesity are influenced by how our genes work. Our diet can change the way these genes work.
• Aging: These 'epigenetic' marks also affect the aging process and related diseases.
• Immune system diseases: These are also related to `autoimmune` diseases like asthma and arthritis, which means diseases in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells.

As research on this continues, scientists hope to find new drugs and treatments by targeting this 'epigenome'.

So can we change our epigenome for the better?

Yes, it definitely is! That's the best news. While we can't change the genes we inherit, we can positively influence the way those genes work. While there's no one surefire way to do this, scientists believe we can make positive 'epigenetic' changes by doing the following:

Things you can do for yourself

• Eat nutritious foods: Include as many home-cooked foods as possible, such as vegetables, fruits, greens, whole grains, and fish. Reduce packaged, processed, and high-sugar, oily foods.
• Incorporate exercise into your daily routine: Do something like walking, running, or cycling for at least 30 minutes a day. However, if you are new to exercise, it is important to talk to your doctor first to find out what kind of exercise is right for you.
• Limit alcohol and avoid smoking completely: These are things that directly damage our `DNA` and `epigenome`.
• Manage stress: You can reduce stress by doing things like meditation, yoga, listening to good music, engaging in a hobby you enjoy, and talking things over with a trusted friend.

If you are a parent, here are some things you can do for your child:

Our `epigenome` undergoes the most changes during the first years of life, so it's important for parents to be aware of this.

• Provide proper nutrition to your child: Consult your pediatrician about this.
• Give your child opportunities to learn and play: Talk to your child, read books, teach new words, and provide brain-developing toys.
• Create a loving, safe environment: Create an environment at home where the child feels safe, loved, and cared for.
• If you are facing challenges such as food insecurity, housing issues, or domestic violence, please seek help from a doctor or appropriate official . They will guide you to get the support you and your children need.

When we hear the concept of `Epigenetics`, we can feel a sense of wonder, hope, and a bit of fear on the one hand. When we think about what happens inside our bodies, there are times when we feel like those things are beyond our control. But `Epigenetics` teaches us that even though there are things beyond our control, we do have some power to make decisions about our health and make positive changes.

Epigenetics, genes, DNA, epigenome, lifestyle, health, disease, nutrition, exercise, stress, Sri Lanka