Epigenetics is a new science that explains how to control your health and prevent disease or premature aging. If genetics is a cooking recipe, epigenetics is the quality of the ingredients and equipment, the hands that prepare the food and the environment in which it is made.
Simple explanation of genetics
It is estimated that humans have 37 trillion cells that are constantly renewing themselves. One study estimated that 3.8 million new cells are reproduced every second.
In every cell there is DNA that contains a sequence of your genes, the hereditary information. For example, genetics has been linked to skin wrinkles, as well as your ability to produce collagen.
But genes in DNA can become damaged or mutated. What can damage our genes/DNA? Exposure to UV (ultraviolet) light and certain genotoxic chemicals (such as chemicals that can cause cancer) are examples that cause genetic damage. Fortunately, your body is equipped with repair mechanisms to counteract these changes. But sometimes the repair mechanisms fail and disease develops.
Simple explanation of epigenetics
What’s so amazing about epigenetics is its power to put you in control. While genetics makes you feel like your health is a lottery and there’s little you can do about the patterns you’ve inherited, epigenetics shows you what you can do about it!
Epigenetics allows for genetic control by external factors other than your DNA. These factors influence genes to be turned on, turned off, or dictate the rate at which they must be “read” to produce the molecules needed for the body to function. Prime examples of these external molecules are nutrition, environmental chemicals, chronic stress, trauma, and exercise.
Monozygotic twins are genetically identical but become different due to DNA mutations and various epigenetic factors that occur throughout their lives.
You may have inherited skin that is predisposed to more wrinkles, but you can mitigate the negative effects by limiting your UV exposure, choosing a healthy diet, and managing chronic stress.
Nutrition and epigenetics
Nutrition is now THE new science, with thousands of phytonutrients (nutrients from plants) being researched and several identified as having epigenetic roles. Food bioactives such as sulforaphane from broccoli, genistein from soy, curcumin from turmeric, resveratrol from grapes, polyphenolic catechins from green tea, apigenin from parsley, allyl mercaptan from garlic, lycopene from tomatoes, and many others are considered epigenetic compounds.
Diets rich in fish, fiber, vegetables, fruits and reduction of red meat have a therapeutic effect on the epigenome. Indeed, in addition to dietary epigenetic compounds, certain vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and some minerals contribute to the epigenetic mechanism.
Skin Diligent's Epigenetic Technology
As we have explained, epigenetics is affected by lifestyle choices and the environment, which in turn can encourage or discourage the replication of healthy cells or damaged cells. It is estimated that about 5% of current human diseases are related to genetic factors. The remaining 95% is thought to be related to epigenetics, i.e. lifestyle choices, pollution, etc. The good news is that most epigenetic changes in your cells can be reversed by making better lifestyle choices.
When it comes to skin health, Skin Diligent’s Epigenetic Technology has embraced the power of epigenetics to influence skin cells before they reproduce. Skin Diligent technology combines very rare epigenetic ingredients and other supportive ingredients (antioxidants, anti-inflammatories) to reshape skin cells before they divide, so that more healthy cells are reproduced. This technology does not reverse skin aging, but the formulations can prevent premature skin aging and provide the foundation for solving other skin concerns. For healthy, vibrant skin, naturally!