FOOD, MIND

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FOOD, MIND BODY

• WE ARE WHAT WE EAT

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• The cause for any illness may be a result of a
  combination of events (multi-factorial)
• Genetic predisposition
• Acquired due to system damage or malfunction
• Stress related
• Deficiency triggered
• Iatrogenic

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Super specialisation has resulted in more small
  picture evaluation loosing out on holistic
  appreciation/ approach.
• The Big picture association takes into account
  what small pictures are contributing however the
  small picture may not represent the outcome of
  the big picture.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• MOTHERS DIET CAN PERMANENTLY ALTER GENE
  FUNCTIONALITY WITHOUT ALTERING THE GENE ITSELF.
• EPIGENETICS STUDY SHOWS HOW DIET,STRESS AND
  MATERNAL NUTRITION CAN CHANGE GENE FUNCTION
• Ref. Aug1 2003 Molecular and Cellular Biology

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Gene effect
• Abnormal mutation 2 to infection, radiation,
  metabolic dysfunctions, idiopathic
• Methylation a process in which a gene
  expression can be turned up or down depending
  on what part of genetic machinery and how much of
  it is around.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Methylation a quartet of atoms called methyl
  group attaches to a gene at a specific point and
  induces changes in the way the gene is expressed.
• This process often inactivates genes not needed
  by a cell. The genes on one of the two X
  chromosomes in each female cell are silenced by
  methylation

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Methyl groups also inactivate remnants of past
  viral infections, called transposons.
• 40 of the human genome is made of parasitic
  transposons.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Methyl groups and other small molecules may
  sometimes attach to certain spots on chromosomes,
  helping to relax tightly coiled strands of DNA so
  that genes can be expressed.
• Methyl groups play critical role in controlling
  genes involved in prenatal postnatal
  development including some 80 genes inherited
  from only one parent. Because of the so called
  imprinted genes must be methylated to function,
  they are vulnerable to diet and other
  environmental factors.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Fleeting exposure to anything that influences
  methylation patterns during development can
  change the animal or person for a lifetime.
• Methyl groups are entirely derived from the foods
  that people eat.
• The effects may be good as well as bad.
• Therefore it is crucial that maternal diet during
  pregnancy is given serious consideration.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• In an experiment a mouse was chosen that happened
  to have a transposon right next to a gene that
  codes for coat colour.
• The transposon induces a gene to overproduce a
  protein that turns the mice pure yellow or
  mottled yellow brown. The protein also blocked
  a feeding control centre in the brain. Yellow
  mice therefore overeat and tend to develop
  diabetes and cancer.

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• The mice were then fed with a rich supply of
  methyl groups in supplements of B12, folic acid,
  choline and beaine from sugar beets just before
  they got pregnant and through the time of weaning
  their pups.
• The methyl groups silenced the transposon, which
  in turn affected the coat colour gene, had an
  inherited predisposition to diabetes, obesity and
  cancer negated by maternal diet
• RefDr. Jirtle,Randy, Prof. Radiation
  Oncology,Molecular and Cellular Biology 2003, Aug1

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• However the exact mechanism of which ingredient
  or methyl rich supplement is helpful or which may
  be harmful is still not determinable.
• E.g.. We know that folic acid supplement is
  helpful in preventing spina bifida ( which is on
  the decline) but there is worry that it may be
  associated with autism and obesity (which are on
  the rise)

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FOOD,MIND BODY

• Methylation may hold a key to gene expression and
  disease expression.
• Abnormal methylation are hallmarks of most
  cancers.
• There is an increasing interest in this area in
  Psychiatry in areas such as schizophrenia.
• Dr.Laird, Peter, Assoc. Prof. Biochemistry and
  Molecular biology, University of Southern
  California School of Medicine