F is for family and your future

Genetics plays a role in our health, but so do habits and both run in families. When it comes to lifestyle diseases, which has a greater impact?

F is for family

Are genes more important than habits? That depends on the gene.

Some are more likely to be destiny.

When considering cancer, defects in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes for breast and ovarian cancer are well known. Everyone has these genes, the difference is when the genes passed down through families contain a mutation. Then these genes don’t function normally and the likelihood of breast, ovarian and other cancers increase. Between 5-10% of all cancer cases are due to genetics. If you are not one of the 10% with faulty genes, the risk of being diagnosed with cancer has more to do with environmental and lifestyle factors than from your genes.

What about heart disease?

You may have the gene that increases cholesterol. Cholesterol is manufactured naturally in the liver, but some people inherit Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH). A defect in the way the body recycles LDL (the bad) cholesterol. This means LDL levels of cholesterol remain high and tend to increase as time passes. The risk of having this faulty gene is about 1 in 200. Thankfully it is pretty low, however, 94 million American adults have high cholesterol levels. This is not due to genetics. This is lifestyle. The highest rates of cholesterol also occur where people eat the most fried food.

Family history is not necessarily your future.

Our families, communities, and environment have a greater impact on our health than genetics. Your family history makes lifestyle choices even more important. Genes are not necessarily destiny. In most cases, they increase the risk but are not the future.

The impact of habits.

Now there is evidence that changes to our gut health increase the risk of developing heart disease. A new study from the University of Copenhagen links these cardiovascular disturbances with lifestyle habits.

This evidence from 1241 middle-aged adults showed gut disturbances in the microbiome that were causing signs of heart disease. Lead researcher at the University of Copenhagen states

“Intervention in both humans and rodents have shown that an imbalanced gut microbiome at various stages of heart disease development can be modified and partly restored by eating a more plant-based and energy-controlled diet, avoidance of smoking and compliance with daily exercise

Oluf Pedersen

Our guts contain trillions of bacteria referred to as the gut microbiome. When they are in balance they produce compounds that improve our health, but habits, like smoking, poor diet, and inactivity all change our microbiome by increasing unhealthy bacteria. This can increase the risk of chronic conditions including heart disease, especially in people who are at higher genetic risk.

Add 13 years to your life

Regular dietary habits don’t just make a difference to your gut and heart health. An adult eating a Standard American Diet (SAD) could add more than a decade of healthy years by switching to a diet full of beans, nuts and whole grains. It is estimated that poor diet causes 11 million deaths and 225 million disability-adjusted life years, meaning a reduction in the number of healthy years.

You can estimate how your diet is affecting your health span at https://food4healthylife.org to see how changing your diet can add years to your life.

Habits run in families, but you can change yours.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla