FAQ
1. Why is Epigenetics important if I’m pregnant?
Epigenetic factors can change gene expression, influencing your baby’s growth, appearance, health, intellect and even mental health.
Several studies on the influence of exposure to common toxic substances during pregnancy, have shown that a pregnant mother can protect her baby from the negative effects of some of these substances, by consuming specific foods.
In fact the influence of food on our genes of such magnitude that an entire new field evolved, called Nutrigenomics, specifically to study the influence of food on genes.
Limiting your exposure to toxic substances and eating a protective diet is within your control and it provides us with a window of opportunity, to not only help our children achieve the best possible genetic outcome but also to protect them from a toxic environment. Take action now, your grandchildren will thank you.
2. How can one Genome generate many Epigenomes?
The big surprise that came from mapping the human genome, was how few genes we have. At the time Craig Venter said, “the small number of genes means that there is not a gene for each human trait, that these come at the protein level and at the complex cellular level”. This proved to be right.
Humans are much more complex than the fruit fly, yet we only have about 6 500 more genes (20 500 genes vs about 14 000 for a fruit fly). It is not the number of our genes that makes us complex; it is the number and diversity of gene products that our genes can instruct our cells to manufacture, that makes us complicated. For example, a single gene can direct the manufacture of not just one type of protein, but thousands of different proteins, due to the wonder of alternative splicing.
Alternative splicing is like an editing process where the “message or instruction” copied from the gene, are cut up and bits are pasted back together by the splicing machinery. This altered message then moves on to a structure called the ribosome that reads the instruction and manufacture the protein according to the changed or edited message.
There are also other factors that influences gene expression and can cause a Genome to generate different Epigenomes, see Epigenetics an Overview in the Free Resources section.
3. How can food influence a gene to be switched on or off?
There are several epigenetic mechanisms for switching genes on or off, the most widely researched and well known is called DNA Methylation. For example, research indicate that foods like leafy greens and broccoli, high in folate, floods the body with tiny four-atom configurations named methyl groups. During fetal development the methyl groups latch onto a flawed gene and switch it off.
4. What is an Epigenetic mutation?
Sun exposure, smoking and environmental toxins etc. can cause an Epigenetic mutation, unlike a genetic mutation, there are no actual break or change to the DNA sequence, but a change in the expression of a gene or genes, meaning a gene that is supposed to be switched off have been activated, and vice versa. These epigenetic mutations can also be inherited by your grandchildren. Epigenetic mutations also occur much more easily than genetic mutations, because epigenetic factors that influence gene expression are much more sensitive to diet and environmental influences. Some epigenetic profiles are potentially reversible and whilst scientists are currently experimenting with drugs, food is currently the only safe way this can be done.
5. What are Oestrogen mimics and why are they a problem?
Oestrogen mimics are chemicals that enter the blood stream and mimic oestrogen in the body. Oestrogen mimics (also called endocrine disrupters or hormone disrupters) are found in products such as pesticides, cosmetics, household cleaners, etc.
Oestrogen mimics have been linked to many hormonal cancers such as prostrate, colon, melanoma, ovarian, endometrial, breast cancer, also some brain and lung tumors. Pregnancy is also a time in particular where you want Homeostasis – when the hormones are in balance within the body – to assist with the baby’s development. Oestrogen mimics interferes with this process.
6. Why should I use full cream milk during pregnancy?
Nutritionists continue to recommend low fat milk but more recently research has shown that when the fat in milk is removed, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is also removed. CLA increase the level of potentially healthy fatty acids in breast milk, offering anticancer and antioxidant effects.
Researchers from Harvard also found that a low fat dairy diet can cause infertility by preventing ovulation. Scientists are still unsure why but speculate that when the fat is removed, whey protein is often added to the milk to improve taste and colouring. Whey protein have caused testosterone like effects in mice.
7. How can my behavior affect my baby’s Epigenome?
From research on patients that attempted suicide, researchers have discovered epigenetic changes thought to have occurred due to childhood abuse. Exactly how this occur is not clear, however experts speculate that childhood abuse cause excessive amounts of stress that disrupt the chemical balance in the body, causing epigenetic changes to an individual’s genes that result in a change in how the gene is expressed.
Studies on rats have also shown how a mother rat can alter DNA Methylation in the hippocampus of her pups, caused by frequent licking and grooming.
8. How do you increase Emotional Intelligence in a baby?
The development of Emotional Intelligence starts at birth. The mother infant bond is responsible for:
• the ability to build successful future intimate relationships
• the ability to maintain emotional balance
• the ability to enjoy ourselves and to find satisfaction in being with others
• the ability to rebound from disappointment, discouragement and misfortune.
Reference: (Helpguide.org)
Nurturing parents can aid their baby’s development and increase his emotional intelligence.
