Do we stereotype and make ourselves sicker in the process?: Part II: Epigenetics

As a follow up to last week’s post about how external cues and previously held ideas can impact how we think of ourselves. This week we explore the idea that we are more than our genes.

There is a growing new field of research called epigenetics. Translated epigenetics means “above the genome.” An easy way to understand this is think of it in terms of how a computer works. The genome is like the computer itself and the software, which determines how the computer functions, is similar to the epigenome.

Simply put, genes can express themselves differently based on environment. Studies of identical twins, where they both have the same exact genes, show that epigenetics explains why one twin may develop a disease that the other doesn’t. If one twin smoked and drank, and the other didn’t, that would be a sufficient environmental change to cause how genes expressed themselves.

A recent study of elderly men in Boston Environmental Health Perspectives found that long term exposure to certain air pollutant altered DNA methylation, a mechanism that controls gene expression. These decreases may lead to changes in gene expression and altered risk for diseases that become more common with aging.

The take home point of the last two posts is that how we view and treat ourselves, for better or for worse, can be impacted by:

a) Preconceived ideas of what people are like if they have certain conditions and/or are elderly. Often these can be traced back to how our parents, grandparents may have acted and what we saw growing up;

b) External cues that help us heal or make us feel worse; and

c) Our environment (what we eat and drink, exercise, stress, toxic chemicals, such as those used for cleaning, where we live, whom we associate with and whether we live mindfully) can play an important role in how our genes express themselves.

As powerless as it can sometimes feel to be living with a chronic condition, there are things you can do to help yourself heal. For ways to do that, check out Healing the Whole Person: Ways to Increase Well-Being.