“DNA is not your destiny…dinner is!”

This is one of our favorite quotes from Dr. David Katz.  But what exactly does he mean?

For years, we’ve been told that genetics determine our health.  If heart disease, diabetes, or being overweight “runs in the family,” we’re destined for the same fate.  Does this sound familiar?

Brace yourself…this is simply not true.

DNA is not your destiny.  

While genetics can play a role, lifestyle choices – especially what you eat – are the primary drivers of health and disease.

“It Just Runs In My Family”

A friend recently told me that he had to start taking cholesterol medication.  He shrugged it off and said, “I knew it would happen eventually.  High cholesterol just runs in my family.”  We also heard another friend say, “I have two siblings with autoimmune diseases, and the joke in our family is ‘which one are you going to get?!'”  I cringed when I heard these stories because I knew their lifestyle habits, and I knew it didn’t have to be this way.

Some of you may have heard me tell this story.  My husband, Scott, grew up thinking he was destined to have “the Sanderson thighs.”  Most of the men in his family were all built the same – it’s just the way it was.  He struggled finding jeans that would fit.  Sometimes 36″ waist, other times 38″.  And he was convinced this would just be his lifelong challenge.   As our REAL food journey evolved, he was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED the first time he fit comfortably into a size 32 pair of jeans. Our lifestyle changes – specifically our eating habit changes – had overcome the genetic cards he THOUGHT he had been dealt.

“Genes Load the Gun – Lifestyle Pulls the Trigger”

I’m not exactly sure who first said this, but it provides a helpful way to think about this topic.  While it is true that your genetics may give you a predisposition to certain conditions, they don’t guarantee you will develop them.  Instead, it is your daily choices – including what you eat – that determine whether those genes get activated.

This concept is referred to as “epigenetics“ – the study of how your lifestyle and environment influence gene expression.  Research shows that diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors can “turn on” or “turn off” genes linked to chronic disease.  This means you have far more control over your health than you may think!

Our Genes Haven’t Changed, But Our Health Has

I was surprised to learn that, as humans, we are 99.9% identical in our genetic makeup.  And our genetic makeup hasn’t changed very much in the last 50-100 years.  Yet the health of our nation and the prevalence of chronic disease has increased dramatically, especially over the past 50 years.  So, logic tells us there has to be something other than genes going on here.

In his book Fiber Fueled, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz says, “We have since discovered by studying identical twins that less than 20 percent of disease is based on genetics.  Yes, there are some, such as cystic fibrosis and Down syndrome, where if you have the genes then you get the disease.  But taking all chronic disease across the board, more than 80 percent of your disease risk is determined by your environment and exposures during your lifetime.”

He goes on to say, “There’s a silver lining here.  You are not the victim of the genes you were born with.  You may have certain predispositions – we all do.  But you ultimately control your health destiny, in large part through the effects of your diet and lifestyle on your microbiome.”

Think Family Habits, Not Family History

Stop for a minute and think about the family habits that get passed from one generation to the next.  Growing up, I learned how to make my Grandma’s coffee cake.  This was a staple at our breakfast table.  It was really delicious since it was loaded with sugar and butter.  Of course, we also served it with more melted butter on top!  Or, for hectic mornings, our habit was to grab Strawberry Pop Tarts or a bowl of Fruit Loops or Cookie Crisp cereal.

I was a pro at whipping up the creamy cheese sauce that we put on our steamed or pressure-cooked vegetables.  It was four simple ingredients – butter, flour, milk and Velveeta.  These are the cooking habits I learned growing up.  I also learned at an early age that driving through McDonald’s or ordering a Pizza Hut pizza for dinner was the solution to having a hectic evening.  What about roasting vegetables and eating a big salad daily?  That was something I never experienced growing up.

You have probably heard the definition of insanity…

“doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

We talk to people all the time who are frustrated because they are dealing with the same health challenges as their family members.   In most situations, this isn’t because they are just destined to deal with these issues since they share the same genes.  Rather, it is because they are doing the same things – eating the same foods, exercising (or not) the same, and living very similar lifestyles. Family habits, not family history.

Dr. Michael Greger says, “The primary reason diseases tend to run in families may be that diets tend to run in families.”   And Dr. Mark Hyman says, “The greatest contributor to chronic disease is the food we eat – not our genes.”  And of course it’s not just eating habits.

• Movement.  Are the habits being passed down based on seeing movement (walks, hikes, playing sports) as a normal part of life?  Or is there a lot of free time spent on the couch or in front of screens?
• Stress management.  Did we learn healthy coping mechanisms, or does stress instead trigger emotional eating, drinking, or just hoping the problem will go away?
• Sleep.  Did we learn a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time – in a dark room with a comfortable temperature?  Or did we learn that sleep is just something you have to try to fit in among all of our competing priorities?

Don’t Be Surprised…

Be prepared that your doctor may say something like, “if it runs in your family, there’s really nothing you can do about it.”  Or if you have fantastic lab results, he or she may say, “you must have really good genes.”  A majority of medical professionals are still practicing what they have always heard – that genes are the biggest driver.  And that there is little you can do about it besides take a pill (or two or three).  Most medical professionals simply aren’t comfortable with empowering patients to do the amazing things they are capable of – by taking charge of their lifestyle.  Hopefully this is changing – and will continue to change.

TAKE THE WHEEL!

Blaming genetics for bad health is like blaming your car for running out of gas when you ignored the fuel light.  Yes, genetics matter, but lifestyle is the real game-changer. 

So, before you resign yourself to “it runs in my family,” ask yourself: “do chronic diseases run in your family, or do lifestyle habits?”

The good news? 

You can break the cycle.  

We know you can, because we have seen so many others do it.  Eat REAL food.  Move your body.  Get a good night’s sleep. 

And if your genes start acting up, remind them who’s really in charge!