Chapter 1: Reprogramming Your Genes Flashcards
What are genes?
Subsets of DNA that orchestrate the building of critical protein structures and enzyme pathways, as well as repairing, regenerating and sometimes even destroying cells when necessary.
True or False:
Familial predispositions cannot be overridden.
False:
Altering the environmental signals that you send your genes can render familial predispositions to health problems or excess body fat storage virtually irrelevant.
Epigenetics
How environment affects gene expression.
Nutrigenomics
How nutrition affects gene expression.
Familial Genes
Codes for traits that environment has little to no influence over, such as eye, hair, and skin color; facial features; body shape; and even particulars such as flat feet or distinctive noses. We also have strong familial predispositions for obesity, heart disease, cancer, endurance athletic performance, sprint athletic performance, mathematical aptitude, etc.
What are the two main selection pressures that essentially vanished with the advent of civilization?
Starvation and predator danger
What development enabled humans migrating North into Europe and Scandinavia to absorb more vitamin D in their skin?
A lightening of skin pigment in only a few thousand years.
True or False:
We all share the identical genetic code that makes us Homo sapiens.
True
True or False:
With properly conducted sprint workouts, anyone can develop the ability to run at 27 miles per hour like world record holder Usain Bolt in the 100-meter dash.
False:
The degree to which you suffer or succeed in an assortment of areas depends on the particulars of your familial genes. Only a select few will develop that sort of ability.
What is the “spellchecker” gene?
The P53 gene helps regulate healthy cell division and prevent cancer.
True or False:
The genes that influence health and longevity are essentially fixed and cannot be manipulated.
False
While we are most certainly stuck with our eye and hair color from birth, nearly all the gene expression that influences health and longevity can be manipulated and optimized through complementary lifestyle behaviors
True or False:
Genes have no effect until they are expressed.
True
Even a gifted sprinter like Usain Bolt could just as easily have ended up as a couch potato had he never participated in athletics.
Are we locked into familial predispositions toward health problems?
No. The concept that genes have no effect until they are expressed is particularly relevant to those concerned with familial predispositions toward health problems. Conditions that are strongly associated with lifestyle (obesity, most cancers, heart disease, even arthritis and cognitive disorders) require a CONTINUAL application of adverse lifestyle behaviors to make these otherwise static familial genetic predispositions a reality.
True or False
Members of the modern Pygmy tribe in Africa have more genetic variation among them than among the entire rest of the world combined!
True
The greatest genetic diversity is found in human populations with isolated African roots.
What is homeostasis?
The synchronistic functioning of all systems in the body.
What is the “mission” of our genes?
To promote short-term survival through homeostasis. Genes don’t know or care whether the signals you give them promote or compromise long-term health.
True or False
Pumping large amounts of insulin in response to the consumption of insane amounts of soda and junk food is an example of genes working to ensure short-term survival.
True
Excess glucose in the bloodstream is toxic and can become life-threatening in a short time, so pumping out insulin is the body’s valiant, and desirable, effort to ensure short-term survival.
From the point of view of gene expression, what role do prescription drugs play?
Prescription drugs are designed to manipulate gene expression by overriding natural homeostatic mechanisms to act directly upon various genes associated with the condition being treated. Short-term results can be dramatic at the expense of potential long-term consequences.
Based on millions of years of evolution, what basic things do our genes “expect” from us?
Our genes expect healthy foods; frequent movement; regular brief, intense strength and sprint efforts; adequate sun exposure, sleep and leisure time.
What is the essence of the Primal Blueprint?
Gene reprogramming based on the idea that we have a blueprint for healthy living embedded in our Homo sapiens genetic code the DNA that resides in every cell of our bodies.
True or False
It takes repeated exposure to a particular stimulus for gene expression to begin.
False
Gene expression happens instantly in response to eating a certain meal, conducting a certain workout, or even according to some scientists thinking a certain positive or negative thought.
What are the five generally accepted markers for Metabolic Syndrome?
Elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure, excess waistline measurement, high triglycerides, and low HDL
What is “transcription?”
During transcription, information stored in a cell’s DNA flows to the RNA, both of which are located in the cell’s nucleus.
What is the function of mRNA?
When RNA contains the information for making a specific type of protein, it is called messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA carries its information out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm in preparation for the next step, translation.
In the cytoplasm, mRNA interacts with ribosome, the protein-making machinery in your cells.
