How Diet May Influence Epigenetics and Our Health

Epigenetics is the meaningful changes to gene expression can occur without changing our underlying genetic code of life, along with our genotype, our environment and experiences can influence our health via gene expression. Epigenetics change is a regular and natural occurrence but can moreover be affected by a few factors including age, disease state, lifestyle, and environment. This incorporates the nourishments we eat, the quality of the air we breathe, and indeed when we sleep.

Ginger Root:

Ginger is a powerful herb with the ability to control chromatin in our nucleus and regulate epigenetic mechanisms, particularly histone acetylation. Ginger’s primary bioactive ingredient is gingerol, which research has shown serves as both an anti-inflammatory as well as a cancer fighting antioxidant. By affecting the way thousands of genes express themselves at a time, the molecular mechanisms of the ginger root can improve human health and reducing inflammation with fighting illness.

Garlic:

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for the prevention of disease for many years, and is thought to have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities. Garlic cloves contain several compounds including: vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E, free amino acids, organosulfur compounds and proteins. It acts to inhibit cell cycle progression, induce apoptosis, inhibit angiogenesis and modifies histones.

Fruits and Vegetables:

Although high intakes of cruciferous vegetables (e.g. Cabbage, broccoli, Watercress, cauliflower) have been associated with a lower risk for cancer, that exposure to isothiocyanates through cruciferous vegetable consumption decreases cancer risk. Grapes are also consumed in the form of red wine. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties of resveratrol occur through various molecular and biochemical pathways. Sources of resveratrol in food include the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries.