“Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger”
-Dr. Mehmet Oz
This quote was a total game changer for me and more importantly, empowering. Although our genes determine qualities like our hair and eye color, they are not the only thing that determines if you will have heart disease like your father, cancer like your mother, or even Alzheimer’s like your grandmother. Our lifestyle matters! Diet, exercise, stress management, sleep, and relationships play an important role in whether that “trigger” gets pulled or not. In other words, we have choices!
It’s good practice to take stock of your life and see how you are doing in these areas:
- Is your diet fueled with colorful veggies, fruits, good fats, and whole foods or are you loading up on processed foods filled with refined sugars and carbs? Do you pay attention to where your food comes from and what, when, and where you eat?
- Do you exercise? How often? Do you incorporate strength and resistance training into your routine? If not, why not?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your stress level? What techniques, if any, do you use to manage daily stressors? Are you anxious? Worried? Do you handle these feelings by overeating?
- How many quality hours of sleep do you get a night? Do you wake up rested and ready to start your day or do you struggle to get out of bed each morning? Do you depend on caffeine to get you through your day? Or sugar?
- Do you have a solid support system? People who love and care for you and want to help you be the best version of your self? Are you lonely? Do you self-medicate with food and alcohol?
If you found that you are struggling in any of these ares, I can help. Despite your genes, there is power in making the lifestyle changes necessary to live a long and healthy life, or at least give you a fighting chance. Learning how to eat well can be the first step in a life changing process. “Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger.” Let that sink in, and then choose wisely.