• DNA isn’t necessarily your destiny: Inheritance is more than just genes being passed on; how much each gene is switched on or off is what matters.

• What you eat can cause reversible changes in gene expression, and those changes can be passed on to your children and grandchildren, even though the underlying DNA remains unchanged.

Examples of Epigenetics:

• What a teenage boy eats can have effects on the longevity of his grandsons.

• Iodine deficiency in a pregnant mother’s diet increases the risk of severe mental retardation in her baby.

• Folic acid deficiency in a pregnant mother’s diet increases the risk of neural tube defects in her baby.

• If a father starts smoking before the age of 11, his son is more likely to be overweight than is the son of a father who started smoking at a later age.

• Low vitamin D levels are associated with a higher risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses.

• A chemical found in plastic food and drink containers (Bisphenol A) has been epigenetically linked with obesity, diabetes and cancer in mice.

• Curcumin – a compound found in turmeric has been shown to be an effective anti-cancer agent through epigenetic mechanisms.