Epigenetics & Food
“If you knew that eating the right foods now could prevent your baby from developing diabetes or struggling with obesity or having chronic skin rashes later in life, would you eat differently?”
-Real Food For Pregnancy, Lily Nichols
Epigenetics is literally translated to “above genes.” Though a complex topic, it essentially refers to the study of changes in genetic expression unrelated to changes in DNA sequence. In other words, our genetic code is stable, but diet and lifestyle choices and experiences can impact the way our genes are expressed. And though the mechanism isn’t fully understood, there is evidence to suggest that these changes can be inherited by our offspring during the perinatal stages. The mother’s diet and lifestyle have a more obvious impact since she is the one that carries the baby, but the father’s choices around the time of conception impacting his sperm can also transfer to his offspring.
Tobacco, alcohol, stress, obesity, pollution, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pathogen exposure, and a host of other factors are associated with epigenetic alterations. Nature however has equipped us with its own bioactive components with the ability to positively modify the epigenome defending against these toxins. Look to include in your diet daily whole foods containing:
An array of polyphenols -mostly plants, especially colorful fruits and veggies!
Vitamin D
Selenium
Choline
Book a call with Carla for more information on the right diet to support you and your baby!