Epigenetics: The scientific study of genetic expression. This study can be highly abstract and scientific, or it can focus on specific diet, lifestyle, and environmental changes that ordinary people can make to improve their own genetic expression.

Gene: The basic unit of heredity. Composed of DNA, genes transmit information from generation to generation, but they also plan an active, ongoing role in many aspects of our health, such as skin repair, renewal of the gut lining, and maintenance of good brain health. They play an important role in anti-aging and in the prevention of such chronic disorders as autoimmune condition, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and cancer.

Genetic Expression: The way your genes express themselves in response to your environment, diet, lifestyle, and mindset. Depending on which of your genes are expressed and how, you can be healthy, energized, and glowing, or loaded down with a whole slew of symptoms: obesity, anxiety, depression, acne, headaches, fatigue, achey joints, poor digestion. You might even face such serious conditions as autoimmune disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Genetic Polymorphism: A fancy way of saying “genetic variation.” They are also called “single nucleotide polymorphisms,” or SNPs—pronounced “snips”—for short. These distorted genes—and you almost certainly have at least one—can do a full-scale number on your body and your brain. They help determine whether you are heavy or slim, sluggish or energized, depressed or optimistic, anxious or calm.

We have about 23,000 genes in our body. There are over 10 million known genetic polymorphisms (SNPs). One person can have 1.2 million of them. Only about 40,000 are known to change the genetic function in some varying degree. Even then, most SNPs are insignificant as they do not contribute to dysfunction. The key is knowing which SNPs do contribute to dysfunction and then how to restore it.

SNP: A “single nucleotide polymorphisms,” or SNP—pronounced “snip”—for short. SNPs are the most common form of genetic polymorphism. In order to be classified as a SNP, the genetic variation must be present in at least 1% in at least one population, such as Chinese, Italian, etc. SNPs account for more than 90% of our genetic variations!

Environment: – anything that is not you. The environment you are surrounded by plays a large role in epigenetics or how your genes express themselves. Food, air, water, soil, heavy metals, bacteria, molds, viruses, chemicals, toxins, furniture, animals, vegetation make up the environment.