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 produced.
Simple explanation of genetics
It is estimated that human beings have 37 trillion cells that are constantly renewing themselves. One study estimated that 3.8 million new cells are produced every second.
All cells contain DNA, which, in turn, contains a sequence of your genes, your 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 mutate. What can damage your genes? Exposure to UV (ultraviolet) rays and certain genotoxic chemicals (such as chemicals that can cause cancer) are examples that lead to genetic damage. Fortunately, your body is equipped with repair mechanisms and cell death programming to counter these abnormal cells. But repair mechanisms can fail and lead to disease.
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 genetic control by external factors other than your DNA. These factors affect which genes should be turned on or off, or dictate the speed at which the genetic code must be "read" to produce the necessary cells. Prime examples of these epigenetic factors are nutrition, toxins, 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 (plant-derived nutrients) being researched and several identified as having epigenetic roles. Bioactive food components such as sulforaphane from broccoli, genistein from soybeans, 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, and fruits, and a reduction in red meat, have a therapeutic effect on the epigenome. In fact, in addition to dietary epigenetic compounds, certain vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and certain minerals contribute to the epigenetic mechanism.
Skin Diligent's Epigenetic Technology
As we've explained, epigenetics is affected by lifestyle choices and the environment, which can in turn encourage or discourage the replication of healthy or damaged cells. It's estimated that about 5% of current human diseases are linked to genetic factors. The remaining 95% is thought to be linked to epigenetics—that is, lifestyle choices, pollution, and so on. 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 lay the foundation for solving other skin concerns. For healthy, vibrant skin, naturally!