Junk Genes
Nobody wants junk genes. The term junk genes was used early in the discovery of the human genome. This term is no longer used because it was found that these genes actually had a function. In general, they protect and help other genes function and eventually improving our bodies function.
Junk genes reminds me of the movie Twins. In this movie Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger were twins. Complete physical opposites. Danny DeVito’s character complained that he got the junk genes. I recommend it for a good laugh.
I’ve had a lot of questions about how genes affect our health. In trying to keep it simple have developed an analogy around the car.
Two scientists were researching how the body works. They found an object which they call a car. In this analogy the car is a particular gene. They observed the car from every angle, described its physical appearance, but wasn’t sure what the car actually was. Later in the investigation they found a key (scientific method to evaluate genes). With the key they were able to get inside of the car and found more information, (the code inside the gene). After more investigation they found they can start the car and it can be used to move from one location to another, (the basic function of that gene). As they were driving the car there were signs in the environment (road) directing the car to stop, to go, to speed up or slow down, (how our genes change to our environment).
In basic high school biology, and even in medical school we all learned that I our genes are basically deterministic. Example is those charts that will predict your eye color. We now know that this is not the case. The environment in the analogy does cause our genes to respond differently depending on the changes in environment. I discussed this in an earlier article on epigenetics. This is the science of genes adapting to our environment to maintain an equilibrium in the how the body functions. Our environment is; where we live, our diet, exercise, sleep, stress and everything that we encounter during the course of the day. For example, it is 90°, you decide to jump into a pool to cool off. The pool is 70°. When you enter the pool a billion different biochemical reactions occur instantaneously so that you can adapt to the drastic change in temperature. This occurs constantly throughout the day. All of our lifestyle factors (environment) are dictating how our genes function and thereby how our body functions and our state of health. This is the basic concept in functional medicine/lifestyle medicine. All of our chronic diseases which are responsible for the vast majority of our healthcare spending is caused by poor lifestyle. A great example is type II diabetes. The cause of type II diabetes is directly to the American diet which has far too many simple and complex carbohydrates. Our genes/ body responds by increasing the amount of insulin to get sugar from these carbohydrates into the cells. Over time our body becomes resistant to insulin. This condition is called prediabetes. If this is left unchecked you develop type II diabetes.
With our health insurance system in such disarray, and now that you know that our chronic health problems are directly related to how we treat our body/genes, it’s time to make some small changes in our “environment” to improve our health.
If you want more information on improving your health, please visit my website, robertromanelli.com. You will find numerous of my earlier articles in my blog. You can also find more information about functional medicine. I would appreciate any comments that you may have on any of the articles.
Nobody wants junk genes. The term junk genes was used early in the discovery of the human genome. This term is no longer used because it was found that these genes actually had a function. In general, they protect and help other genes function and eventually improving our bodies function.
Junk genes reminds me of the movie Twins. In this movie Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger were twins. Complete physical opposites. Danny DeVito’s character complained that he got the junk genes. I recommend it for a good laugh.
I’ve had a lot of questions about how genes affect our health. In trying to keep it simple have developed an analogy around the car.
Two scientists were researching how the body works. They found an object which they call a car. In this analogy the car is a particular gene. They observed the car from every angle, described its physical appearance, but wasn’t sure what the car actually was. Later in the investigation they found a key (scientific method to evaluate genes). With the key they were able to get inside of the car and found more information, (the code inside the gene). After more investigation they found they can start the car and it can be used to move from one location to another, (the basic function of that gene). As they were driving the car there were signs in the environment (road) directing the car to stop, to go, to speed up or slow down, (how our genes change to our environment).
In basic high school biology, and even in medical school we all learned that I our genes are basically deterministic. Example is those charts that will predict your eye color. We now know that this is not the case. The environment in the analogy does cause our genes to respond differently depending on the changes in environment. I discussed this in an earlier article on epigenetics. This is the science of genes adapting to our environment to maintain an equilibrium in the how the body functions. Our environment is; where we live, our diet, exercise, sleep, stress and everything that we encounter during the course of the day. For example, it is 90°, you decide to jump into a pool to cool off. The pool is 70°. When you enter the pool a billion different biochemical reactions occur instantaneously so that you can adapt to the drastic change in temperature. This occurs constantly throughout the day. All of our lifestyle factors (environment) are dictating how our genes function and thereby how our body functions and our state of health. This is the basic concept in functional medicine/lifestyle medicine. All of our chronic diseases which are responsible for the vast majority of our healthcare spending is caused by poor lifestyle. A great example is type II diabetes. The cause of type II diabetes is directly to the American diet which has far too many simple and complex carbohydrates. Our genes/ body responds by increasing the amount of insulin to get sugar from these carbohydrates into the cells. Over time our body becomes resistant to insulin. This condition is called prediabetes. If this is left unchecked you develop type II diabetes.
With our health insurance system in such disarray, and now that you know that our chronic health problems are directly related to how we treat our body/genes, it’s time to make some small changes in our “environment” to improve our health.
If you want more information on improving your health, please visit my website, robertromanelli.com. You will find numerous of my earlier articles in my blog. You can also find more information about functional medicine. I would appreciate any comments that you may have on any of the articles.
