(Dr. Melina Jampolis/ CNN) — “One man’s food is another man’s poison.” – Lucretius (99-55 B.C.)
Most people have this basic understanding of genetics: You inherit genes from your parents, and their DNA combines to create your unique genetic makeup. This can include more obvious traits such as eye color and height but also more complex traits that may involve multiple genes, such as risk of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer, as well as all aspects of metabolism.
The Human Genome Project — an international 13-year collaboration that mapped out all of the genes in humans — discovered approximately 50,000 variances (differences in the individual DNA code) in our genetic code that can make a difference in how your body functions.
What many people may not realize is that there is a significant interaction between your environment and your genes, and your diet is one of the most basic and potentially modifiable components of your environment. (…)