Do you think you can have an impact on your genetic make-up?  I’m here to tell you that you can.  How your genes “express” or work is really up to you.  What you do and don’t do can have a direct link to how healthy genes operate in your body.  It’s kind of great to think you have that much control – right?  Or maybe not – it is a lot of responsibility for you and making the right lifestyle decisions do count.

I’ve written about Genetic Eating in several of my past newsletters.  It’s a way of eating that can directly impact your genes in a positive way.  How your body uses what you eat is what it’s all about.  If you are giving it junk, you end up with bad wiring and your body, or your mind for that matter, simply doesn’t work very well.  Recent scientific discoveries in genetic research show we have a lot more control over our genes than we think.  Can you outsmart them – no – and you probably don’t want to – but you can work in harmony with them as your partner in Healthy Living.

Here ‘s a brief science lesson – if you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, your insulin spikes and your blood sugar plummets, making you very hungry. This is the reason you crave more carbohydrates (including sugar) and tend to eat more all day long. If you eat a low glycemic load diet like the one used in the “Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Program” it will balance your blood sugar levels and keeps insulin levels in a healthy range. It also increases your good or HDL cholesterol and lowers your triglycerides levels in your blood as well – a very good thing. This type of “genetic eating” actually turns on the good genetic blueprint for healthy cholesterol and blood sugar balance.

So you can change your genes and subsequently “fit into your jeans”.  Diet is such a powerful change agent in this regard, more than you ever thought possible. Change your biochemistry and your genes will change as well.

But what you eat, how, when and where you eat is not the only thing that affects your genes.  Your thoughts, exercise, sleep and all your healthy lifestyle choices matter.

Here are 6 Keys You can do Today to Improve Your Genes:

Key #1  Go to Bed!  Didn’t you hate those words when you were growing up – I certainly did. Being the youngest in a family of 10 (7 siblings and 2 parents) – I always wanted to stay up late with my older siblings.  But now I know the wisdom of my parent’s words.  Sleep is essential for getting your healthy genes working well.  Sleep is an opportunity to not only rest but let your organs do there powerful work during night hours.  Even my cat Mitzi knows when to quit and call it a day, afternoon or evening…

Key #2  Taste for Life.  Mindset absolutely matters in having a healthy genetic blueprint.  If you are negative all the time your biochemistry is affected in a damaging way.  Brain Studies show how negative thoughts can automatically cause depression, anxiety and affect breathing and other vital functions in the body.  Sometimes the depression comes first, of course, but lifestyle changes along with effective therapy can be most beneficial at not only improving this condition but also eliminating it.

Key#3  Spice It Up:  Eating healthy can sometimes be challenging – you are so used to having excitement in your life and often in our culture that includes your food, too. So why not spice it up using healing and flavorful herbs and spices?  Cinnamon has a profound benefit for blood sugar balance. Tumeric and Ginger aid in reducing inflammation in the body.  Cardamom and Basil have a calming effect on the body and mind.  Thyme contains anti-septic qualities.  Cayenne is known to aid in high blood pressure and heart health.  So many herbs and spices have incredible healing properties so use them and enjoy them.  And just remember your food’s main purpose is to nourish and fuel you not to entertain you.

Key#4  Add the missing ingredients:  Sometimes you need to add extra targeted nutrients to your health plan.  You may have a slight blood sugar issue – add chromium or cinnamon as I mentioned in key #3.  When suffering from tension headaches add additional Vitamin C to your supplement protocol it will help de-constrict your blood vessels and ease the tension.  We are seeing more and more of a need for additional Vitamin D – a vitamin so important for bone, immune and heart health. I also recommend certain anti-aging formulas which target certain genes and can in fact reverse some of the aging processes in the body.

Key#5  From the Garden of Life:  The more vitality a food has – meaning its coming to you almost directly from the garden – the more positive gene enhancing it will cause.  Eating fresh, whole and organic will essentially “turn up” your Vitality Gene.   Choosing food that is full of active and alive nutrients will give your body what it needs and in a form it knows what to do with.

Key#6  Stay Inspired:  Having hope and a positive outlook improves many functions in the body.  Science shows that brain waves are altered, heart beat is slowed down, nerve impulses lessen and “happy hormones” seem to kick in. You know those happy hormones or brain chemicals may have a calming effect by increasing your Seratonin or Gaba or an exciting effect with Dopamine being stimulated.  Either way there is a direct link to your mood and your chemistry and how your genes function in your body.

Remember, genetically speaking, you have an immense power to choose to be happy or sad, energetic or lethargic.  Lean or not you get to choose to make changes in your genetic blueprint if you want.