Chapter 1: Reprogramming Your Genes

Question 1

What are genes?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

True or False:

Familial predispositions cannot be overridden.

Answer 2

False:
Altering the environmental signals that you send your genes can render familial predispositions to health problems or excess body fat storage virtually irrelevant.

Question 3

Epigenetics

Answer 3

How environment affects gene expression.

Question 4

Nutrigenomics

Answer 4

How nutrition affects gene expression.

Question 5

Familial Genes

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

What are the two main selection pressures that essentially vanished with the advent of civilization?

Answer 6

Starvation and predator danger

Question 7

What development enabled humans migrating North into Europe and Scandinavia to absorb more vitamin D in their skin?

Answer 7

A lightening of skin pigment in only a few thousand years.

Question 8

True or False:

We all share the identical genetic code that makes us Homo sapiens.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

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.

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What is the “spellchecker” gene?

Answer 10

The P53 gene helps regulate healthy cell division and prevent cancer.

Question 11

True or False:

The genes that influence health and longevity are essentially fixed and cannot be manipulated.

Answer 11

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

Question 12

True or False:

Genes have no effect until they are expressed.

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

Are we locked into familial predispositions toward health problems?

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

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!

Answer 14

True

The greatest genetic diversity is found in human populations with isolated African roots.

Question 15

What is homeostasis?

Answer 15

The synchronistic functioning of all systems in the body.

Question 16

What is the “mission” of our genes?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

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.

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

From the point of view of gene expression, what role do prescription drugs play?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Based on millions of years of evolution, what basic things do our genes “expect” from us?

Answer 19

Our genes expect healthy foods; frequent movement; regular brief, intense strength and sprint efforts; adequate sun exposure, sleep and leisure time.

Question 20

What is the essence of the Primal Blueprint?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

True or False

It takes repeated exposure to a particular stimulus for gene expression to begin.

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What are the five generally accepted markers for Metabolic Syndrome?

Answer 22

Elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure, excess waistline measurement, high triglycerides, and low HDL

Question 23

What is “transcription?”

Answer 23

During transcription, information stored in a cell’s DNA flows to the RNA, both of which are located in the cell’s nucleus.

Question 24

What is the function of mRNA?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

What are ribosomes?

Answer 25

The protein-making machinery in our cells.

Question 26

How do ribosomes “translate” the instructions from the mRNA?

Answer 26

Ribosome translates the information contained in the mRNA to make specific amino acids that comprise a protein.

Question 27

What is “translation?”

Answer 27

The process by which the ribosome uses the information provided by the mRNA to assemble amino acids into new proteins.

Question 28

What is tRNA?

Answer 28

Transfer RNA is responsible for assembling the new protein one amino acid at a time.

Question 29

What are “codons?”

Answer 29

Codons give direction to the tRNA as to how to assemble the amino acids in a protein.

Question 30

True or False
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology refers to the process by which DNA translates the information contained in RNA to create proteins.

Answer 30

False
It refers to the process by which information is TRANSCRIBED from DNA to RNA and then TRANSLATED to protein by the ribosomes.

Question 31

True or False

Genes can be influenced by the outside environment in the form of proteins called “transcription factors.”

Answer 31

True

Transcription factors facilitate the activation or deactivation of genes inside each cell.

Question 32

What is “gene regulation?”

Answer 32

The process of controlling which genes turn on and off inside a cell. Gene regulation enables brain cells, liver cells, and muscle cells to develop and function according to their intended purposes.

Question 33

True or False

Specialized cells in your body (e.g. liver vs kidney) only carry the genes responsible for those cells.

Answer 33

False
In any given cell, only a small fraction of the total number of genes are actively involved in carrying out the main function of that type of cell. Despite their specialized roles, each cell has the entire “recipe” for a human residing in its DNA.

Question 34

Is the inflammatory response harmful?

Answer 34

Sometimes
When inflammation-promoting environmental stimuli is chronic instead of acute, or occurs throughout the body instead of staying confined to the area of an acute injury, the inflammatory response becomes harmful.

Question 35

True or False

Reducing systemic inflammation can result in the release of a lot of fluid.

Answer 35

True
When dietary changes are made to achieve a better inflammatory balance, many experience less cellular fluid retention. This results in significant weight loss and noticeable changes in appearance in the initial weeks of diet modification.

Question 36

True or False

You can never exercise enough.

Answer 36

False
Chronic exercise promotes systemic inflammation because the body’s stress response is overwhelmed by repeated demands on the natural, desirable inflammatory process that occurs in response to the stimulation of exercise.

Question 37

What are NSAIDs?

Answer 37

NSAIDs) including aspirin, ibuprofen, and prescription medications such as Naprosyn and Celebrex, override normal gene expression and hormonal responses to reduce the pain and swelling associated with the inflammatory response. This is achieved by blocking the production of hormone-like lipid substances called prostaglandins.

Question 38

What are prostaglandins?

Answer 38

Prostaglandins promote swelling and pain, but also protect the lining of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.

Question 39

True or False

NSAIDs can negatively impact the digestive tract.

Answer 39

True
By blocking the production of prostaglandins that protect the lining of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, NSAIDs produce a common side effect of gastrointestinal distress.

Question 40

What are some other side effects of NSAIDs?

Answer 40

High blood pressure increased fluid retention and kidney damage, because NSAIDs inhibit blood flow to the kidney.

Question 41

What is the link between inflammation and cancer?

Answer 41

Two key genes in the inflammatory process, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), provide a mechanistic link between inflammation and cancer. Inflammation induces these genes to inhibit apoptosis, stimulate angiogenesis , and support cell proliferation.

Question 42

What is “apoptosis?”

Answer 42

desirable destruction of defective cells

Question 43

What is “angiogenesis?”

Answer 43

unhealthy cell division

Question 44

True or False

Glucose and insulin in the bloodstream have anti-inflammatory properties.

Answer 44

False

Glucose and insulin are the leading causes of systemic inflammation.