What's The Big Deal About Epigenetics Anyway?
What's The Big Deal About Epigenetics Anyway? Epigenetics is a hot topic that's gaining popularity and for good reason. There are several studies that indicate that epigenetic changes can affect us not only in childhood when we're developing but throughout our lifetime. Epigenetics is essentially what controls how your genes are expressed. Gene expression can change when cells divide -- this is how organs develop, for example -- or it can change when organisms age. What Is Epigenetics Epigenetics is a process your body uses to switch certain genes on and off, which determine how cells read DNA. If epigenetics didn't exist, we'd all be walking around with the same DNA as our grandparents, only expressed slightly differently due to the mutations that happen during reproduction. What Can Epigenetics Affect? One of the most obvious effects of epigenetic changes is the lasting effect that malnutrition has on babies born to mothers who are deprived of nutrients. A child...