Your DNA is the computer system of your body. Its the brain of each cell. Poor DNA health has connections with almost every disease from Cancer to Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, brain. Actually, everything that involves a cell – be it gut health, obesity, fat gain or hormones.

We have genes and it’s time we stopped blaming our genes for everything. In very few cases of genetic disorder, nothing can be done, for everyone else, we need to understand and believe that we have good genes and bad genes and they can be turned on and off for better or worse by our lifestyle and environment. This includes the food we eat, our sleep, exercise, stress levels, toxic exposure, weather, sunlight, radiation, chronic inflammation, UV light, ultra-processed and processed food, smoking, passive smoking, tobacco, excessive alcohol and certain medications.

Most cancers are related to shorter telomeres and telomeres play an important function in protection and the aging and longevity process of life. Genes that because cancer must be off and genes that can heal and repair must be turned on and this is what epigenetics is all about (epi means environment showing that our internal and external environment controls our genes) and in most cases we have control over these environments.

How can we create this favourable environment?

The easiest ways to damage your DNA and put you in a vulnerable position to get seriously sick is:

• Smoking
• Tobacco
• Vaping
• Excessive drinking
• UV light exposure,
• Radiation
• Too much sunlight, sunbathing
• Certain medical treatments
• Junk food and food that causes inflammation (sugar, junk, refined oils)

What can work in your favour? Besides regular exercise its

• Quality sleep
• Daily meditation, silence, relaxation, prayer (anything that can reduce stress). Remember cells heal in a state of complete rest.
• Your food plays an important role too:
• Green tea (whole leaf top quality)
• Black tea (whole leaf, top quality)
• Matcha tea
• Lemon
• Watercress
• Spinach (cooked)
• Tomato (cooked)
• Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, arugula
• Broccoli sprouts (super powerful)
• Berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, Indian gooseberries)
• Avocados
• Dark chocolate, cacao nibs
• Apples
• Onion, garlic
• Citrus fruits
• Walnuts
• Resveratrol
• Chlorella
• Try and include at least 2-3 of these foods, beverages in our daily diet, especially if you have exposure to any of the above lifestyle habits mentioned.
• This is great as a preventative tool and also great if you are already suffering from a disease, especially cancer

Please understand that we live in a world where we are exposed to so much toxicity and bad lifestyle. That’s why we need to put in effort to look after our body and help it enable and empower it to defend us and heal us.

– Luke Coutinho

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(Disclaimer: Please check with your doctor or health professional before you start anything new)