Epigenetics: The Science of Gene Expression + How to Use It to Boost Wellness

Nature vs. Nurture: Most of us are familiar with this classic debate.

→ Are your “issues” – mental, physical, or emotional – caused by genetics (aka nature)? Or are they caused by “controllable” factors like lifestyle and environment (aka nurture)?

Or a combination of both?

This is precisely what this new area of research, epigenetics, looks at. And we think you’ll like what the research is uncovering. ;)

This concept of epigenetics (the nature vs. nurture theory) can be applied to many different aspects of life. And the results are unique for each situation and each person.

At Primally Pure, we think the emerging information on epigenetics poses an interesting question. Are you really destined for chronic inflammation, flare-ups, or sensitivities in your skin?

→ Or is your lifestyle + environment creating a more significant impact than you realized?

The latest epigenetics research suggests you have more control over your biology than you think. It’s nature and nurture. It seems you can take control of your health – one simple mindset, biohack, and holistic choice at a time.

Some are calling it an epigenetics revolution. Let’s dive in to see why.

What Is Epigenetics? (aka Nature vs. Nurture Theory)

The term epigenetics might feel intimidating and science-heavy. But don’t let it keep you from learning! We’re going to break it down.

Epigenetics: The study of how your behavior and environment affect your gene expression + how that determines essential bodily functions and biomarkers of health.

→ It’s really just the age-old debate of how much your genetics (aka your unique DNA) affect your well-being vs. the environment and lifestyle you’re exposed to.

Epigenetics research addresses this nature vs. nurture theory to determine how your genetic makeup plays a factor in your destiny. And in contrast, whether your lifestyle choices could redirect the course of your health.

Digging Deeper to Understand Epigenetics Foundations

Even with the exciting possibilities of epigenetics, it’s important to understand a foundational concept. DNA cannot be changed. Your DNA is set in stone and affects everything about you. This includes systemically, internally, and externally.¹

Your genes (which are segments within your DNA) determine physical aspects like:

Eye color
Hair color
How you process nutrients
Which diseases you’re most susceptible to

But your body also uses your DNA as a roadmap/blueprint. It uses your DNA to decide how to respond to certain situations, inputs, and triggers.

This is where things get interesting!

Epigenetics research suggests that while you can’t change your DNA, you CAN control how your body “reads” your DNA. So, in the case of nature vs. nurture, it would be safe to say that both are true!

Let’s break it down a bit further.

→ How does your body “read” DNA? Through a process called gene expression.

Your genes “express” or respond to stimuli in your environment constantly. More simply explained, the DNA in your cells turn your genes “on and off” for different purposes. It’s an essential part of life and a function we couldn’t survive without.

An epigenetic change is a chemical “marker” that occurs when environmental or lifestyle factors change how your body reads a DNA sequence.

These changes are how both health and disease manifest.

Epigenetics: Why It’s Relevant to Aging (+ Skin)

When you improve how your body interprets and interacts with stimuli, you boost your health, longevity, and quality of life. Even despite genetic predispositions.

This is an exciting discovery for slowing the process of aging – including your skin.

Aging is most simply defined as the gradual decline of tissues and organs.² Since your skin is an organ and made of tissues, this suggests epigenetics can also impact your skin’s health (and “biological age”)!

One study even showed that epigenetic effects were the primary driver of aging in mammals.³

So, while your genetics may make you prone to certain conditions (like acne, eczema, or melasma), you’re not 100% destined for them. You can take proactive steps to harness the positive possibilities of epigenetics.

Epigenetics research shows we may be able to delay the biggest biomarkers of aging with simple environmental and lifestyle shifts. This concept has expanded into its own niche category, called longevity medicine.

Longevity medicine aims to alter your epigenome, aka your body’s “collection” of specific epigenetic changes. It works to alter your epigenome via lifestyle and environmental changes. But first, let’s get more specific with how longevity medicine works. Then, we’ll tackle how to apply it. ;)

Epigenetics Revolution + Longevity Medicine

With the knowledge of epigenetics at your disposal, you have the tools to improve your health span. While your innate DNA remains, you can change how your body interprets and interacts with it.

The goal of longevity medicine is to help an individual live as long and healthily as possible through epigenetic changes.

Functional medicine is now beginning to understand just how much epigenetics impacts the health world. Not to mention the possibilities it provides for revolutionary healing. This quote from an integrative medicine journal sums it up well:⁴

“It is now recognized that as we grow older, approximately 20% of our health is determined by the hardwiring of our genes, while the remaining 80% is influenced by the ways our lifestyle choices and our physical and social environment contribute to the expression of our genes.

It has been said and even published that this concept of epigenetic remodeling represents the biology of hope.”

But it doesn’t stop with your choices.

Epigenetic changes can even be passed down through generations – directly impacting the health of your future children.^5,6 It’s profound to realize the decisions you make every day impact future generations, too. (If you want to learn even more about this, check out Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book “Switch on Your Brain.” She’s part of our Expert Panel and has a wealth of knowledge on this topic.)

What Affects Epigenetics? Defining Environment

Let’s look at what’s considered “nurture” in the nature vs. nurture theory. Epigenetic research classifies “nurture” as your environment. But it’s much more than just your physical environment. Here are some of the things in your “environment” that impact epigenetics, for better or worse:

Your current lifestyle habits or “behaviors” around diet, exercise, and sleep

Air and water quality – including the presence of environmental pollution, household toxins, chlorine, or runoff chemicals

Home + work life/culture – whether your primary environments are full of stress, emotional stability, supportive relationships, and learning

Emotional + mental health – caring for yourself by addressing toxic/anxiety-inducing thought patterns or intentionally building mental resilience

Social interactions – how you respond in difficult relational situations, your self-confidence, and whether you lean on your support system in times of need

Twin studies are an incredible reference point for measuring epigenetic changes. Their identical DNA makes the end results clear. Check out this example:⁷

“A study involving 70 pairs of twins found that regular exercise can alter how your body reads a DNA sequence, and in turn, turn off certain genes to help lower your risk for chronic conditions like metabolic disease — even if it runs in the family.”

Our habits, lifestyle, and diet (+ more) directly affect our longevity. Here are the top ways you can apply epigenetics principles to improve your well-being.

8 Lifestyle Shifts + Biohacking Tools to Positively Impact Epigenetics

While epigenetics, genes, and biology can feel like complex subjects, hacking your health doesn’t have to be.

With modern science and technology on our side, we can embrace simple yet transformative habits and lifestyle changes for better health. Positive epigenetic changes improve your body’s response to stimuli.

These are just a few ways you can start changing the course of your health right now.

1. Prioritize Optimal Nutrition

The importance of a whole-food diet can’t be overstated. People have reversed cancer with food, healed autoimmune conditions with diet, and detoxed their bodies from pathogens with optimal nutrition.

It’s especially important to set healthy boundaries early in life. Even during pregnancy, proper nutrition can trigger “protective” epigenetic changes!⁸ We also see the impact of nutrition on the rise in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and systemic inflammation.⁹ Here are some tips to prioritize optimal nutrition:

→ Choose organic or regenerative foods with plenty of bioavailable nutrients

→ Consume adequate protein – especially animal-based protein

→ Incorporate plenty of antioxidants in your diet (they play a big role in epigenetics)¹⁰

→ Balance fat, protein, and carbs for balanced blood sugar (a critical biomarker)

→ Practice circadian fasting, only eating when the sun is up

2. Improve Your Sleep

Your body is doing deeply restorative work while you sleep. Depriving yourself of that restorative work (even unintentionally!) directly affects your body’s aging process.¹¹ Studies show sleep deprivation even affects cognitive function.¹² Here are some ideas to improve your sleep:

→ Sleep in complete darkness to encourage melatonin production

→ Avoid blue light before bed + use red light glasses

→ Utilize red light therapy to kickstart cellular renewal, relax, + experience deeper

sleep

→ Follow circadian rhythms, waking and sleeping with the sun

→ Get morning sun exposure to wake up your body and support hormone balance

3. Move More!

Yes, we encourage you to sweat and make time for high-intensity workouts within the best windows of your monthly cycle. But it’s important to remember movement isn’t always about building muscle or sweating. Even simple movement is incredibly valuable. Moving…

→ Helps your body detox by stimulating lymphatic flow

→ Soothes bunched or tense fascia, which can lead to imbalances and stress

→ Can help prevent chronic diseases you could be genetically predisposed to^13,7

→ Promotes better resistance against oxidative stress¹⁴

4. Try Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy

Hyperbaric chambers use pure, pressurized oxygen your body can absorb up to 3x better. When oxygen is transported more efficiently (+deeper), it has an impressive cascade of positive effects on your health and longevity. Spending time in a hyperbaric chamber:

→ Stops the aging of red blood cells and reverses the aging process¹⁵

→ Lengthens the telomeres on DNA, which is a key biomarker in longevity¹⁵

→ Fights infections and reduces inflammation

→ Forms new blood vessels and heals wounds

→ Improves neurological function and treats carbon monoxide poisoning

5. Spend Time in a Sauna

Saunas are an excellent way to sweat more. Sweating helps detox your body and gives your heart a significant workout – without physical exertion. This is one of the easiest ways to improve your health with minimal effort. Some benefits of sweating include:

→ Improves circulation and lymphatic drainage

→ Provides psychological benefits that support mental well-being¹⁶

→ A good hormetic stressor (healthy stress that builds resilience in your body)¹⁷

→ Decreases all-cause mortality when done routinely¹⁸

→ Improves cardiovascular health and is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality¹⁹

6. Reduce Toxins in Your Environment + Products

With how much time we spend indoors in the modern world, a non-toxic home environment is paramount. The health of your environment directly affects your epigenetics and how your body functions. Not to mention the long list of topical products you absorb through your skin daily. Here are some ways to reduce toxins in your environment:

→ Use a high-quality air purifier to reduce air pollution, which poses disease risks²⁰

→ Replace harsh household cleaners with non-toxic cleaners like Branch Basics

→ Avoid endocrine-disrupting chemicals in personal care products²¹

→ Swap synthetically fragranced products for non-toxic + naturally aromatic alternatives

7. Practice Meditation or Deep Breathing

→ Stress has a negative effect on epigenome health. Stress-reducing practices like meditation and deep breathing can help prevent negative epigenetic changes.²² Here are some ideas for stress-reducing activities:

→ Forest bathing – helps you use your five senses and find a meditative state

→ Nose breathing – provides better oxygen and purer (filtered) air

→ Journaling or practicing gratitude – has real, impactful benefits on your health

→ Vagus nerve stimulation – gargling, humming, and singing activate your body’s parasympathetic (calming) response

8. Embrace Connection + Community

Loneliness is linked to the acceleration of aging through epigenetic changes.²³The simple act of spending time with loved ones, forming meaningful relationships, and fostering community can steer your health in a positive direction. Here are some ideas to find more connection:

→ Invest in quality time with your loved ones or form new friendships

→ Get involved in your community by volunteering or joining a support group

→ Adopt a pet to embrace the unconditional love animals freely give

These 8 practices are just a few ways to significantly improve your epigenome and how your body responds to stimuli. While many of these practices may seem like common sense, don’t overlook them. We firmly believe you get to have a say in your susceptibility to chronic disease.

Sometimes, the simplest changes have the biggest impact.

Creating a Healthier Future With Epigenetics

At the end of the day, here’s what we’ve learned from the available epigenetics research + countless examples: Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger. As a holistic skincare company and leader in the education space for non-toxic living, this is a fascinating and exciting area of research.

Fortunately, this information is readily available and backed by science, so use this knowledge to your advantage! You can start taking steps to steer your epigenetics, healthspan, and longevity for the better.

We hope this brings fresh hope and inspires you. It IS possible to rewrite how your body responds to triggers and “predispositions.”

And don’t forget, full-body health leads to healthier, more radiant skin. ;)

Sources:

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We’re taking a detailed look at how you can positively impact your long-term health through the incredible science of gene expression and epigenetics. | Primally Pure

Tags: Wellness

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