By Victor S. Sierpina

I recently attended the Lifestyle Medicine Conference in San Diego and learned or was reminded of some amazing information.For example, Dr. Dean Ornish, a noted health researcher and cardiologist, pointed out what lifestyle factors we can choose to improve the expression of our genes. It turns out that our behaviors are what largely affect our health and well-being or conversely, our disease risk.At least 70 percent of our health is dominated by our behaviors, and 70-90 percent of common chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease can be avoided or even reversed with optimally healthy lifestyles.The “book of life” that we are born with, our chromosomes and genetic material, can likewise be significantly and positively modified by healthy lifestyle choices.Dr. David Katz, the lead keynote presenter, is a professor of preventive medicine at Yale Medical School. He is also the president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and showed data that seven basic behaviors were the primary influences on our health:
• Feet — movement and exercise
• Forks — what we put into our mouths
• Fingers — avoiding smoking (and too much keyboard and texting time)
• Sleep — getting enough quality rest daily
• Stress — how we handle day-to-day stressors of life
• Love — cultivating and nurturing supportive, caring relationships in our lives
Ornish used a similar, simpler four-part prescription for good health:
• Nutrition
• Stress
• Exercise
• Love
Much of the data presented at the lifestyle medicine meeting focused on a plant-based and vegan diets, as did Ornish’s early work which he published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and other leading medical journals documenting reversal of heart disease using this diet along with moderate exercise, stress management, and relational healing.Practically speaking, most Americans are not likely to shift to a primarily plant-based diet without any animal derived protein like meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Dramatic changes occurred in heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and even Alzheimer’s disease risk on the vegan diet.However, even moderate nutritional shifts to eating six or more servings of fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains daily made a big difference as well. Genes that promoted improved protein profiles, reduced inflammation, and even cancer risk were shifted in a positive way by such a diet.The daily unremitting exposure to stress in many of our lives similarly requires some attention.
Telomeres, which are at the end of chromosomes, get shortened with excess stress, shortening our lives and decreasing our resilience to disease. Telomere are the like the little plastic tips on the ends of our shoelaces that keep them from unraveling.When damaged by too much stress, our chromosomes unravel and we become more prone to chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s. Even brief amounts of relaxation, meditation, yoga, deep breathing for as little as 10-20 minutes a day has been documented to make a difference in halting telomere damage and can even lengthen them.
In our couch potato culture, the biggest hurdle to doing exercise is our habit of sitting rather than walking or moving. As little as 150 minutes weekly of some kind of movement is of enormous benefit in turning on protective genetic expression.Ten minutes at a time is an adequate dose and even a moderate exercise like walking is beneficial. You do not have to jog and get your heart rate up to a percent of target. Just move.
All kinds of gizmos and wearable technology were discussed at this meeting from fit bits, pedometers, actigraphs, watches that measure glucose, blood pressure, oxygen levels and more. These are part of an emerging and disruptive technology that will help you monitor your own attempts to be healthier with feedback and data. It starts, though, with lacing up or Velcroing on your shoes and moving, no matter how little.
Finally, the severe negative impact of loneliness, isolation, depression, and hopeless had significant impact on the expression of genes regulating cardiovascular health, chronic metabolic inflammation and cancer. Connecting with others, creating meaning in your work and family, experiencing authentic emotions and communication, as well as deep and loving relationships all contribute to decreasing premature mortality and the impacts of chronic disease.
So do not delay. Start somehow, somewhere today to implement these simple and common sense guidelines. Your genes will thank you. Your body will thank you. Your family, friends, and doctor may even ask what is going on. Just smile and enjoy the transformation of your chromosomes, your health, and happiness.
Dr. Victor S. Sierpina is the WD and Laura Nell Nicholson Family Professor of Integrative Medicine and Professor of Family Medicine at UTMB.