Understanding Genomics: How Nutrition, Supplements, and Lifestyle Can Help You Unlock Your Genetic Superpowers

By Dr. Marios Michael DC CNS cFMP

EDITOR'S NOTE FOR THE AUTHOR
Understanding Genomics
NOVEMBER 2021

"UNDERSTANDING GENOMICS; How Nutrition, Supplements, and Lifestyle Can Help You Unlock Your Genetic Superpowers", by Marios Michael, is a fascinating book that gives the clearest explanation of genomics that I have ever encountered. Firstly, it relates how the increasing knowledge in genomics is affecting healthcare by allowing the focus to be on specific genes that affect a particular condition. Even if a "bad" gene is there, its expression can often be discouraged by the use of supplements as well as fasting and a healthier lifestyle.
It used to be that we had to guess what supplements to take or what types of diets we should follow, but now we can know if we have genes that can cause, or are causing, specific problems and can meet the problems head on. We can target nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle to "unlock our genetic superpowers," as the author says.

The book is written in a clear, direct, and accessible style, which is a big help to the reader when trying to grasp an essentially difficult topic. The author's fascination with his field and the incredible speed with which it is evolving as new scientific discoveries are made, gives the book a quality that draws the reader into it and keeps him or her there. The book imparts knowledge, hope, and enthusiasm.

A basic breakdown of this book is as follows: The 1st part of the book breaks down the science of genomics with the most up to date scientific information in a user-friendly language. The 2nd part of the book provides information on how epigenetics, environment, exercise, nutrition, food and supplements can help you achieve your optimum health. Exposome or how your genes interact with your environment and prevention based on your genome and/or how to manage health conditions from a genomics perspective is also discussed in great detail. The 3rd part of the book talks about the most common mutations in humans and how to manage them with genomics. It also discusses how to achieve longevity, living to 100 and anti-aging recommendations based on your genome. The last chapter provides information about the future of Genomics and the possibility of bringing back extinct animals and perhaps the dead!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667824017

Book preview

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DISCLAIMERThe material in this book is for informational purposes only, and is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of disease, nor is it intended to be a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. Please consult with your primary care physician before taking any of the products or following any of the advice offered. The information is presented by Dr. Marios Michael, DC, cFMP, CNS, Certified in Genetics and Genomics as an independent nutritional expert whose sources of information include studies from the world’s medical and scientific literature, client records, and other clinical and anecdotal reports. All supplement dosages suggested are based on Dr. Michael’s personal experiences. It is important to note that each person’s body type and tolerance levels to supplements may be somewhat different. The publisher, author, and experts cited are not responsible for any consequences, direct or indirect, resulting from any reader’s actions.

© 2021 Dr. Marios Michael

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Print ISBN: 978-1-66782-400-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-66782-401-7

Dedicated to my Wife, Elma, my love, and to our children Cool Lukas and Amazing Alice, for their unconditional love, support, and bountiful happiness. I am forever grateful.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION: A PEEK INSIDE PANDORA’S BOX

PART I: The Science: Boiled Down and Simplified

CHAPTER 1: DNA: THE HUMAN BLUEPRINT

CHAPTER 2: EPIGENETICS—HOW GENES CAN BE TURNED ON AND OFF

PART II: The Process of Unlocking Your Genes

CHAPTER 3: GENOTYPING: READING OUR DNA

CHAPTER 4: BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, DETOX YOUR SYSTEM

CHAPTER 5 : NUTRITION AND HOW TO EAT FOR YOUR GENES

CHAPTER 6:THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY SUPPLEMENTATION

CHAPTER 7: A NEW APPROACH TO FITNESS AND WORKING OUT

PART III: The Variables: Personalized Genomics

CHAPTER 8: COMMON GENE MUTATIONS AND HOW TO ADJUST

CHAPTER 9: LONGEVITY AND LIVING TO 100

EPILOGUE: THE FUTURE OF GENOMICS

APPENDIX

NOTES: BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION:

A PEEK INSIDE PANDORA’S BOX

My wife and I frequently exercise together, but whether it’s running or riding bikes, she almost always outperforms me. She has the endurance of a champion. Even when it comes to keeping up with the kids, she always seems to have an advantage. We thought it was funny and could joke about it, but I’m also a competitive person, which motivated me to push myself harder. It wasn’t until later when we found out why those activities always came easier to her than they did to me. It turned out that she actually did have an advantage that neither of us was aware of, and it was linked to her genes.

A couple of years ago, we both decided to try out 23andMe. Like the commercials advertise, you send in a swab of your DNA, and the results tell you about your heritage. It’s a good conversation piece, and it’s exciting to learn where you come from. I was born in Cyprus, so I thought I was 100 percent Cypriot, but it turns out that I’m 48 percent Sardinian. Who knew?

There is also a genetic component to the test. We learned many fun facts about eye color, taste buds, hair color, and a slew of other traits. What we found even more interesting was that it turned out that my wife had a common genetic mutation that allowed her to perform athletically.

The ACTN3 gene controls whether muscle cells produce a protein called alpha-actinin-3, found in fast-twitch muscle fibers. According to 23andMe, While some people don’t produce this protein at all, almost all of the elite power athletes who have been studied have a genetic variant that allows them to produce the protein. This suggests that the protein may be beneficial at least at the highest levels of power-based athletic competition.

I didn’t have that gene, which on the surface seemed like a minor detail, but it made me realize that only a small difference in our genetic code could have such a significant impact on our bodies and how we function as humans. That got me thinking about what else I could learn by studying my genes.

I’ve always been curious about the human body—its functions, and how it can be improved naturally. That’s why I became a chiropractor. Time and time again, I saw how making adjustments to the spine and removing obstructions could help the nervous system better send signals to and from the brain. Chiropractic school required taking a lot of nutrition courses. That further piqued my interest, and led me to expand my knowledge through seminars before becoming certified as a nutrition specialist. What followed was an interest in functional medicine. Now, for over 18 years, I’ve applied both nutrition and functional medicine to my practice and saw how much it helped my patients get better faster, stay healthier longer, and prevent certain conditions while managing their medication and its side effects.

Despite the great strides we’ve made in health care and nutrition, there is always room for improvement. I’ve watched people work so hard to reach retirement only to spend their time going from doctor to doctor and taking medication after medication, which prevented them from traveling and enjoying their kids and grandkids as they anticipated. That’s why I continue to keep up on the latest scientific research, because I like to know what’s coming and how I can use it to further help my patients. I have a personal drive to see how I can use science to set me apart from the other practitioners.

I learned about genomics when the Human Genome Project was completed in the early 2000s. For the first time ever, scientists were able to study the complete genetic blueprint of a human being. I was fascinated. Information was limited at first, but the field rapidly began to grow. I saw a shift taking place, and there was an opportunity with genomics that wasn’t there before to truly personalize medicine. I set out to learn as much as possible, and completed a two-year certification in Genetics and Genomics at Stanford University, one of the leading universities in the field. I walked away from that course with the knowledge of how to use DNA, genetics, and nutrigenomics to further improve the level of care and treatment I could provide my patients. With functional medicine, I set out to treat the root cause of a particular disease, but with the inclusion of genomics, I would be able to take that one step further by identifying the pathway of those diseases to possibly prevent them from even developing.

It started small. The first patient I treated using genomics was an autistic boy who had traveled from overseas with his mother because they didn’t have the resources where they were from. When I started to see results, my practice expanded. One female patient of mine went through three IVF procedures and couldn’t get pregnant; each time, she suffered a miscarriage. She just wanted a child, and it wasn’t happening, so her mother-in-law referred her to me. We did a genomic test and learned that she had several mutations, including a COMT mutation, which is a mutation that made her prone to miscarriages. I put her on a three-month detox and had her postpone her next IVF procedure until after the detox. We then created a food and supplement plan specific to her genes. The following IVF procedure was successful, and today she has a beautiful girl.

I’ve since gone on to treat hundreds of patients for conditions that include cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, obesity, low testosterone, vitamin D deficiency, and cancer. I don’t claim to have a cure for any of these diseases, but the paradigm has shifted in medicine: Your genes are no longer your destiny.

Did you know that if you have the GSTT1 gene mutation, there is an increased chance of getting certain cancers during your lifetime, because that gene keeps the cancer cells in your body low?¹ There is nothing we can do about that. Your genes don’t change over time, but we can change how those genes are expressed—or turned on and off—through diet, supplementation, exercise, lifestyle, and outside environmental factors. If you know your genetic makeup and what conditions you might be predisposed to, you can use that information to give yourself a better chance of not developing those conditions. And if you do have certain conditions, knowing your genetic blueprint can change how you approach treatment.

I’ve tested the genome for some patients and discovered they had a mutation that impacted how they processed statin medication. They were then able to consult with their doctor to adjust their dosage and frequency to minimize side effects without altering the drug’s effectiveness. That’s the field of pharmacogenomics, and it’s rapidly growing. The FDA has done extensive research on the genomic predisposition to certain medications and is starting to develop guidelines to determine the drugs and dosage for specific gene mutations.

Once you know your genetic information, you can improve your health immediately through simple changes. The main reason why people don’t do it is that this information is not wildly available. It’s also highly complex and difficult to understand, so they don’t even try. That’s where I hope to bridge the gap. I want to make this material simple and easy to understand, so you can begin making small changes to your daily life that will have a significant impact.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that you can immediately improve your health and well-being, starting today, merely by taking a different B-12 vitamin? The most common form of B-12 comes from a natural source called methylcobalamin, which can be found at almost any store that sells supplements. However, since 70 to 80 percent of the patients I’ve treated over the years have the MTHFR mutation, adenosyl/hydroxy B12 is more beneficial than the common B12 supplement. Not only is it natural, so it’s absorbed and retained in the body differently, but it can help change the way specific gene mutations linked to widespread diseases are expressed. Just that one minor detail changes the science behind how you medicate yourself and can significantly impact your overall health, but so few people know about it.

Genomics can also be used to impact the world of sports and training. Doctors today can use genetics to determine an athlete’s susceptibility to certain injuries, which allows them to train differently to prevent those injuries. Genetics is even responsible for an individual’s own athletic ability. For example, those who have the same elite athlete gene as my wife should train differently than those who don’t. They have fast-twitch muscle fibers compared to slow-twitch muscle fibers, which means they benefit from exercises (or a series of exercises) with quick bursts and fewer repetitions, such as circuit training and plyometrics. The more I work with clients, the more I’ve seen how adapting workouts according to their genetic makeup can improve their performance. What’s funny is that now, whenever a new client walks into my office, I can usually tell if they possess that gene just by their stature, musculature, and the way they carry themselves.

Now that the cost of studying your DNA has significantly decreased and become affordable for the average person, genomics has become a significant part of what I do at my practice; but the medical world is only scratching the surface when it comes to learning what is possible. It’s an exciting time in science and medicine because Pandora’s Box is just starting to open, and we are getting our first peek inside, but there is no sugar coating it—genomics is complicated. I know because, even with a background in functional medicine and nutrition, I had many questions for my professors at Stanford. And the more I learned, the more questions I had.

Numerous studies have been done on a scientific level, but there has been very little written about the subject outside the scientific community, making this knowledge less accessible to the average person. We need to change that because everything derives from your genes—how you think, act, look, and feel. Your genes tell the story of who you are and how you function. They are a recipe for you. With that knowledge, you can take action now to enjoy longevity. You can learn what supplements and drugs are best for you and how much of them you should take to maximize effectiveness. That’s important, because we’re all different, and there is no one size that fits all solution. The more you know about your genes, the more you can personalize your health care. It’s not far-fetched to believe that one day it will be common practice to have your genetic information on the front page of your file at the doctor’s office. I believe that every aspect of medicine serves its purpose, and genomics is quickly becoming a part of the bigger picture. Genetics will not only help to make medicine more personalized, it will also make it more preventative because we won’t just be treating the condition; we can work to prevent the condition from ever developing.

Over the past several hundred years, brilliant minds have collaborated and conducted experiments that helped us better understand and define genetics. That work continues, and great strides are being made every year. As technology advances, everything is getting more precise. Some of it sounds like science fiction. It won’t be long before doctors can grow entire organs based on your genome, so your body won’t reject them.² There is already a lot of work underway that studies the liver and kidneys. Scientists have created mutated pigs born with absolutely no kidneys and then injected the animal with the stem cells needed to grow fully functioning kidneys that their bodies don’t reject because the organ is specific to the pig’s personal genome.³ In vitro fertilization allows us to insert the specific genes we want into a cell. It probably won’t be long before it’s scientifically possible to design a human being, but that power raises a whole host of ethical concerns and questions. It’s startling to think where this technology is headed, but simultaneously it’s so exciting to see that we’re pushing the boundaries of what we once thought was possible.

That’s where this book comes in. The subject matter may be complicated, but this book is written for the average person—the one without a science background. Research is cited, but I’ve taken the overly technical and scientific explanations out of the text, so you don’t need to be an expert to understand it. There is much more to the complex world of genomics than what is contained in these pages, but my goal is for you to walk away with a clear understanding of this new field. I will answer all of the questions that my clients ask me, and I’ve been asked a lot of questions over the years. What are genes? What is DNA? What is genomics? How can I make my genes work for me? If I take one of these tests, is my DNA raw data protected? If I have certain diseases running in my family, how do I protect myself?

I’m going to explain how what you put in your body and outside environmental factors can affect your genes. This book will bridge the gap between science, genomics, nutrition, and supplementation, so you can learn how to make your genes work for you. Think of this as both a resource and a step-by-step guide that provides all the options at your disposal to help you unlock the power of your genes and live a healthier life. Everything I recommend is something that I’ve personally seen work. I don’t have an affiliation with any of the companies or organizations mentioned. When I talk about supplements, they are the supplements I’ve taken, my family has taken, and my patients have taken. It’s worked for us, and it can work for you!

PART I:

The Science: Boiled Down

and Simplified

CHAPTER 1:

DNA: THE HUMAN BLUEPRINT

You’ve all heard of DNA, and you’ve seen the double helix, but do you really know what DNA is and what it does? Yes, DNA is the blueprint for a living organism, be it a human being or a houseplant. It’s the basis for our existence, and just like a good recipe book, it contains all of the instructions for creating the proteins in our bodies. In essence, it contains what makes you uniquely you. But what is it? How does it work?

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule. Think of it like a six-billion-letter code that provides the assembly instructions for everything from eye color to why you might be susceptible to cancer. All of that can be found in your DNA.

Nucleotides are what make up DNA, and they have three main parts:

Sugar

Phosphate

Nucleic acid or base pairs

These base pairs are made up of four key amino acids:

Adenine (A)

Thymine (T)

Cytosine (C)

Guanine (G)

These bases are paired in the middle and held together by hydrogen bonds.

A pairs with T

C pairs with G

These nucleotides are structured in two long strands that create a spiral called the double helix. A double-helix structure resembles a ladder, with the nucleotide base pairs forming the ladder’s rungs while the sugar and phosphate molecules create the ladder’s vertical sidepieces, or the backbone.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) came up with an analogy that I like and that might help you think of how this works. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet—A through Z—but the alphabet for our genes has only four letters—A, C, G, and T. Just like the letters of the English language come together to tell a story, so do the letters of our genes.

Our DNA comprises about 6.4 billion letters (or 3.2 billion bases) long, and approximately 99.9 percent of those bases are similar in all people. Each DNA strand is almost six feet (1.8 meters long) but is crammed into a space of just 0.09 micrometers.⁴

FUN FACT:

One gram of DNA has the capability of storing 700 terabytes of data. That’s almost equal to 14,000 Blu-ray disks.

⁵

GENES, RNA, & PROTEINS

A gene is a stretch of DNA that is a code for a trait or an organism’s specific characteristic. These genetic traits can determine if you have seemingly innocuous