Healthy Habits Can Reduce the Horrible Effects of Unlucky Genes
DNA is a hereditary content or a molecule in humans and almost all other organisms that carry the genetic information utilized in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction. It is a fact that you can’t choose your parents and thereby it can be said that you can’t help it if you are born with genes that trigger and increase your heart disease risk. However, a recent study found that you can cut that risk significantly with a healthy lifestyle.
Scientists have been curious whether that would be the case. To figure out, one international association looked at data collected from four large studies that specifically had isolated genetic risk elements for heart issues. They identified gene sequences that appear to put people at nearly double the risk for heart problems. To further elaborate their research, the scientists went further deep into the data to look at the behavior that helps and heals the heart, and at the influence of obesity as well. Specifically, they focused on diet, exercise, smoking habits, and obesity. Candidates who were healthy concerning the mentioned criteria were considered to be living a healthful lifestyle for the purpose of the study. The scientists were delightful to reveal that the benefits of those good habits were immensely strong, even for people who had genetic traits that increased their risk. Simply, healthy habits benefited everyone irrespective of inherited risk.
People with weak genes concerning heart, but following a healthful lifestyle were half as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as compared to those with unlucky genes and poor lifestyle, according to the study. Dr. Sekar Kathireasan, the head of Center for Human Genetic Research organization at Massachusetts General Hospital Simches said, “At least for heart attack, it is pretty clear that DNA isn’t destiny.” He further told that many people assume that if our father had a stroke, we are destined to have a heart problem; but that is not always true. We have a pretty good control over our own health.
The scientists note that since most of the participants in the study were white, it would be a limitation of this study and thereby results may not be applicable to every group.
Though DNA has a powerful control over our lives; however, doing regular physical exercises and consuming a healthy diet can incredibly reduce your risk of developing a heart problem, the recent study suggests, even though you inherited certain genes that predispose you into the horrible illness. Therefore, do healthy to live high!
Ref:
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/11/14/dna-not-your-health-destiny-doctors
