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Add to NewsvineWe think our genes are set in stone but it turns out that they can be impacted by our lifestyle.
Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.My husband can attest to the benefits of diet and exercise on blood pressure. He was only on his diet for a little while and noticed a huge drop after only a minimal weight loss. 30 pounds later and his blood pressure is normal. His doctor had threaten to put him on blood pressure lowering medication because he was near the hypertension level but gave him 3 months to lose weight and lower it on his own. That was enough of a motivation to get him moving.In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.
As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes.
After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.
I mentioned it to her when I broke my nose (she's my doctor as well) and she was stunned that she was able to motivate him, usually her patients don't lose the weight, which I find amazing! I would think that the fear of being put on medication for life would be motivation enough. I wouldn't want the expense and having to live with the side effects of the medication. Is that cheeseburger really worth the hundreds of dollars a year and the annoyance of having to take a pill everyday for the rest of your life?
Update: Ugh! If I have to have a typo in my post, why the heck does it have to be in the title!!!
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Comments
Genes - the sequence of nucleotides in our DNA that encode proteins and RNA - aren't really being changed, only their levels of expression.
Gene expression is fluid and in some cells can change in minutes. That aspect has never been 'set in stone'. If it were, we'd never bulk up muscles through exercise.
Posted by: Unsympathetic reader | June 17, 2008 4:05 PM
And Michelle, what does it mean to blog? You cut and paste parts of articles that cast aspersions on a man you hate? Do you do contribute anything at all?
I've managed to acquire about 4 million readers for my own conventionally published works, not counting translations into German, Russian, Spanish, and Hindi, so although I may not be a blogger, I do know a thing or two about publishing. I have a feeling you're about to get some lessons, yourself. I suggest you might consider whether it is time to allow the other chicks to take over for you, and whether you might ask Beliefnet to remove all your posts.
Posted by: Rob | June 18, 2008 12:59 PM
"Comprehensive lifestyle" anything should include "The Gay Lifestyle" (TM) or else you aren't the right wing hack we all think you are. don't all religious/self-righteous/pious believe in The Gay Lifestyle" (TM) anymore? Your article is SO incomplete without referencing it. It just feels empty, devoid of any reality the RRR usually paints the "lifestyle" topic with.
Posted by: recovering ex-Pentecostal | June 18, 2008 2:08 PM
"cast aspersions on a man you hate"
I don't hate anyone.
Posted by: Michele McGinty | June 18, 2008 10:06 PM
Tiggers? I think you mean triggers.
Posted by: Adam Graham | June 20, 2008 11:44 PM
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