Why should you consider your genes?
As a nutritionist, we are privileged to work with a variety of client cases. Variety brings comparison. And with that, an informed understanding over time, that by applying the same protocol to the same condition in different individuals, we do not bring about the same results.
The question then has to be asked, Why?
When I first began to ask this question I discovered environmental toxins such as heavy metals, glycophosphates, herbicides, pesticides all from varied and multiple sources. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat can all be a source of contamination.
Then, some years later I came across the importance of viruses. How viruses implicate auto-immune conditions and therefore obstruct healing as they change the relation our first line of defence has with our biological systems.
More recently I discovered another layer, parasites. For the sake of not repeating you can link to my previous post on the three shields here.
However, all of these areas of health are concerning. especially when complex health conditions have manifested. And are NOT shifting!
So the question is Why?
I am one to never settle for the patient who doesn’t get better. I believe nothing is random…
Genetic predisposition lies within the differences between how biological systems respond to heavy metals, parasites, and infections. All of it is valid, each part potentiating the final genetic expression and therefore health outcome.
Let’s start with, what genes do
Simply put, they follow orders. Meaning that the information we deliver to the gene (in the form of our thoughts, dietary choices, breathing patterns, sleep patterns, etc) is then taken and they then make it happen. Genes simply inadvertently do what we ask them to do, therefore it’s up to us to put in good orders.
Putting in orders
Putting in the orders comes in the form of ‘how we are and what choices we make’.
When we are calm, cool and collected, our genes will have more nutrients available to complete the usual tasks. The result might be that we convert serotonin to melatonin and then we sleep better, or at least promptly when the lights go out.
We are frazzled and anxious, we rattle through magnesium using it up more rapidly, inhibiting the conversion of methionine to SamE and therefore without the donor SamE Serotonin cannot be converted to melatonin and we do not sleep as well. This is just one example.
One of the other task genes have to do is that they make enzymes. Which in turn get rid of things like environmental pollutants such as Bisphenol A, a carcinogen.
The more demand of our genes, in terms of resources the more our genes are tied up, pre-occupied dealing with these additional challenges. And therefore the less able our genes are able to deal with their original roles. Such as converting serotonin to melatonin. Or converting toxic substances such as homocysteine to the powerful antioxidant glutathione.
Homocysteine is just one by-product of a normal biological function. Therefore it is a normal toxicity compound produced by the body under completely normal circumstances.
The same gene responsible for lowering homocysteine is also used for clearing the heavy metals Lead and Thallium from the intestines.
Conversely, the more we give our genes a break, the more they can restore themselves.
Eating junk food or poor quality foods, going to be late all places additional challenges on your genes. So within the mind, we can know our genetic predispositions, in terms of the outcome of our SNP’s, are fluid and malleable rather than fixed.
Factors within the environment which influence our genetic outcome are environmental toxins They are everywhere and unavoidable to an extent. The choices we make either increase this challenge or lessen it. But the fact remains none of us is immune to the exposure of heavy metals and environmental pollutants.
And heavy metals are so heavy that they really do put pressure on the genes giving them much extra work, thus slowing them down.
An apt example of this has been provided by Ben Lynch; he says that it is like when you are at a restaurant and order a meal. But then you don’t get the meal because the chef is so busy putting a fire out in the kitchen. He says that heavy metals and environmental pollutants are like the fire in the kitchen. Our genes can’t do their usual work because they are so busy dealing with heavy metals AKA putting the fire out. The gene no longer cares about lowering homocysteine because they are so caught up in dealing with the additional exposure to pollutants.
We have 19,000 genes in the human body give or take. With 1000’s known to be impacted directly by heavy metals. The consensus in current thinking is that ALL of them are influenced indirectly.
Other examples of what happens when our genes are compromised: Hydrogen peroxide is produced by stress, a pro-oxidant, required by our body in order to engage the immune system. It’s a positive thing, but too much of it turns our hair white. Our GST glutathione genes deal with this. However iron, copper mercury, selenium, and zinc also slow it down. Any gene that is functioning too fast, or too slowly is not a good thing.
Soux, a gene relevant to sulphites is affected by arsenic and tungsten. Sulphur sensitivity is on the increase, and the question has to be, why? Few people are aware that cysteine bonds are typically very reactive. If the body is not breaking it down quickly then we can have too much sulphur and feel BAD! Increased sulphur sensitivity can result just from chronic inflammation experienced for any of the following reasons; not sleeping well, fighting infections, having lots of heavy metals in the body. Cysteine then becomes cystine but is damaging to all the systems of the body.
MTR, also relevant to methylation is slowed by lead, cadmium, and aluminium, inhibiting the cycling of B12 and therefore homocysteine.
Arsenic, found in apples, chicken, rice and many other foods slow down our body’s ability to produce ATP and therefore promotes mitochondrial dysfunction.
Pon1 is super significant too, as the challenge with glyphosates, barium, mercury, cobalt are all on the rise, slowing this gene down.
And of course, there are cascades … eNos gene is always going to be dirtied by PEMT, MTHFR, and a few others. Methionine synthase is slowed by a lot of common heavy metals, but then COMT is dirtied and so is MAOA. GSTM1 is always affected and dirtied when any other gene is struggling.
The key here is to draw a road map with multiple SNP’s. Understanding the wider pictures will give you the advantage. And then, when you learn your genetic road map and can see that you are in the clear WITHOUT SNP’s in certain areas of health, remember that your genes can STILL ACT as if there are SNPs present when genes are presented with the wrong environment. This is due to either a lack of co-factors and/or the presence of heavy metals. So go by how you feel. Not just gene results!
Action steps
- Look at your history in detail. Think about where you have lived. Think about pollution, old lead piping. Then take action to reduce the burdens. Find the sources, then reduce or remove them. Look to your air, environment, food, cosmetics, and water first. The fact of the matter remains if you don’t reduce or remove the current heavy metal burden your load will not be reduced. And there will always be more.
Functional Medicine Tests to consider
- Homocysteine test
- Organic Acid test
- Heavy Metal Hair Analysis
- GI Effects
- GI MAP with Dr’s DATA
- Testing for Viruses such as EBV and HHV6
- Complete your 23&Me and have this analysed by detoxnutrition.com
Other effective methods for daily detox
- Invest in a FIR or a NEAR & FIR sauna
- Do coffee enemas on a regular basis
- Skin brush daily
Read about how heavy metals can interfere with the glymphatic system and sleep
Read about the links between heavy metals, parasites, and other organisms
