Hi All:
The PBS program NOVA had a recent show called Ghost in Your Genes. The show was both fascinating and relevant to osteoporosis. The researchers were able to show that environmental factors have a strong impact on the function of our genetic structure. Clearly your genetic structure affects your bones.
They were also able to show there is a definite controlling mechanism to which genes work when. This is exciting because it appears that we have greater control over our gene expression than once thought. Nurturing, whether by others or ourselves, has a positive impact on your health. Lifestyle changes are classified as nurturing changes that can affect your genetic expression.
One of the most compelling examples was the 74 year old identical twins. They should have had the exact same diseases because of their identical genetic structure, but they did not. One twin was cancer free, the other had a form of cancer.
Here are two links to the show.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genes
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genes/mice.html
There are others. Hopefully the show will be on the internet soon. This is exciting stuff showing clearly that you are not a victim of your genes and that gene expression (the way your genes work) can be affected by how you think and what you do.
If you have further questions or if you want to join our osteoporosis support group please feel free to email me at bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.
Woody McMahon
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Ghost in Your Genes
- By SequoiaHealth
- Posted September 26, 2009 at 6:02 am · 2 replies
- In Osteoporosis/Osteopenia treatment
- Shared with the public
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- By debbie59
- Posted September 26, 2009 at 1:35 pm
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Woody,
Finally an interesting subject! Been kind of dry lately. Even though my degree, a very ancient one, is in environmental sciences, I've always been interested in genetics. When I was in college genetics took up about 3 chapters in a biology book! My son is a geneticist and I like to think he got the interest from me:-) Through my ongoing interest and my son, it seems certain genes, and some proteins(enzymes) are comprised of strates and sub-strates. Sort of like a lock and key. You could be carrying a certain gene for something, that will only be kicked on by an outside influence( the key ) like a virus or even an environmental influence, like smoking or chemical exposure. Explains how identical twins, with the same DNA genome can get different genetic diseases. Lifestyle plays a huge part in our health and longevity. Debbie
- By Gatekeeper
- Posted September 26, 2009 at 8:14 pm
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Didn't see the Nova show, but on the news they showed the differences in aging (faces) in identical twins. Such as comparing one who smoked to the one who hadn't, other comparisons, heavy sunbathing and divorce. Those who smoked, sun bathed and got divorced all looked older, with deeper wrinkles than the other twin. (Though I do have to add, the twin that didn't get divorced, was somewhat younger looking, didn't look any happier than the one who had, perhaps they should have checked family background on those two?)
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