For many years, conventional medicine emphasized the idea that genetics largely determine health outcomes. This perspective suggested that genes function like fixed instructions, influencing which conditions may or may not develop over time.
More recently, research in the field of epigenetics has expanded this understanding. While genes do provide the blueprint for protein production in the body, studies now suggest that this blueprint can be expressed in different ways depending on various internal and external influences.
Epigenetics explores how factors such as nutrition, stress, lifestyle, and environmental exposures may influence how genetic information is expressed. Rather than genes operating in a simple “on or off” manner, they respond dynamically to signals from their surrounding environment.
One important factor influencing gene expression is the biochemical environment of the body, including hormones and other signaling molecules in the bloodstream. These signals are influenced by a wide range of factors, including sleep, physical activity, emotional stress, and overall lifestyle patterns.
This research highlights the importance of perspective. While genetics play a role in shaping health tendencies, they do not act in isolation. How individuals respond to stress, how they nourish their bodies, and how they support emotional wellbeing may all contribute to how genetic tendencies are expressed over time.
From a broader view, this intersection between biology and environment reinforces the value of taking an active role in personal wellbeing. Supporting the body through balanced nutrition, stress awareness, restorative practices, and positive lifestyle choices may help create conditions that support overall health.
Rather than viewing genetics as a fixed destiny, epigenetics encourages a more flexible and empowering perspective—one that recognizes the ongoing interaction between biology, environment, and daily choices.