6 epigenetic tips for a relaxing November

Perpetually cloudy skies. An office full of sizzling colleagues. Creeping cold. Smog. Stress. There are a hell of a lot of reasons not to like November. But by following a few principles, it’s possible to at least survive the month in good health.

1. More light

The shortening day and perpetually cloudy skies are not good for anyone’s mood. However, few people know that lack of natural light can cause not only low mood and depression, but also many other problems – fatigue and lack of energy, weight gain, impaired physical and mental performance, and reluctance to have sex.

The key to understanding these processes is the hormone melatonin. It is released in our pineal gland, or pineal gland, in the dark to allow us to rest undisturbed thanks to its dampening effect. The bright morning light then stops its production, which, together with other hormonal changes, increases our activity. However, the lack of light in the autumn and winter months is not enough to stop melatonin production in the susceptible, resulting in the aforementioned problems.

One of the reasons is that melatonin, like most hormones, has epigenetic effects, i.e. it influences the activity of a number of important genes in our DNA. Incidentally, the epigenetic effects of melatonin are behind the fact that sleeping in insufficient darkness (for example, with a street lamp outside the window) increases the risk of many diseases, including cancer.

Our tip

It is important to be outdoors as much as possible, especially when the light intensity is highest. A short walk at lunchtime can work wonders. As soon as there is a little snow in the mountains, it’s a good idea to head there at the weekend. The snow reflects the light, and the intensity of the light is greatly increased. At home and in the workplace, it is advisable to install sufficiently strong lighting, preferably of full-spectrum quality, i.e. with a colour composition as close to sunlight as possible.

Of the dietary supplements, vitamin D3 is very beneficial. Curcumin, pomegranate, rosemary, rosemary and saffron have a significant antidepressant effect.

2. More movement

While in the summer we are very physically active – we go on hikes, ride our bikes, swim – with autumn most of the exercise naturally decreases. But movement is one of the most significant positive epigenetic factors. In particular, it has a positive effect on gene methylation and histone acetylation, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and thus not only helps to prevent obesity and civilisation diseases, but also has a significant antidepressant effect and strengthens immunity. In addition, it has been shown to slow down ageing-related processes.

Our tip

If you are new to the movement, try quercetin. This dietary supplement has a positive effect on performance not only in experienced athletes, but it will also help beginners adapt to the load faster.

3. Less sugars

On the other hand, carbohydrates, especially those with a high glycemic index, are a significant negative epigenetic factor. They promote inflammatory processes in the body and the development of insulin resistance, which significantly increases the risk not only of diabetes and obesity, but also, for example, of cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

It is true that the body will initially react to a significant reduction of sugars in the diet with increased fatigue, but once it has adapted to the new state, it will reward us with an influx of energy and improved mental processes.

Our tip

Switching to a lower-sugar diet will be less of a shock to the body if we also support its ability to use fat as an energy source. This can be achieved, for example, by regular endurance exercise, and dietary supplements such as EGCG or Coleus forskohlii can help.

4. Less smog

Air pollution can not only cause acute respiratory irritation, but many pollutants also have significant negative epigenetic effects – especially nitrogen oxides, fine dust particles and ground-level ozone. If we are regularly exposed to them, we increase our risk of developing asthma, for example, and even Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Therefore, if you live in a city or village where there are many local heating systems and poor natural ventilation conditions, it is important to monitor smog reports in autumn and winter. In the case of inversion conditions, we should keep outdoor exposure to a minimum, as well as ventilation. It is then completely counterproductive to play sports outdoors. Exercise multiplies the volume of air inhaled, and the negative effects of pollutants are completely outweighed by the positive benefits of exercise. If you live in areas where smog situations are common, consider investing in a good quality home air purifier.

Our tip

The negative epigenetic effects of environmental pollution have been shown to be mitigated by sufficient intake of B vitamins. Dietary supplements that effectively regulate the epigenetic reaction called histone acetylation are also suitable, as this is where air pollutants have a very negative effect. For example, resveratrol is suitable.

5. Less stress

Stress is another of a number of significantly negative epigenetic factors. The stress hormones released as a result of stress have negative epigenetic effects that can manifest themselves not only by increasing the risk of depression and anxiety, but also by increasing the risk of a number of civilisational diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Our tip

Regular exercise, yoga or meditation can effectively reduce the level of stress hormones. Dietary supplements such as rhodiola, suma or ginseng are very suitable. Curcumin, for example, is also effective.

6. More sleep

Long-term sleep deprivation causes a number of negative epigenetic changes that result, among other things, in significant impairment of cognitive abilities, i.e. memory, concentration and the ability to solve logical and other tasks. Immunity is also significantly impaired.

Our tip

Mental abilities can be supported, for example, by rosemary, resveratrol (or a combination of these) or boswellia. Immunity is effectively boosted by astaxanthin or omega-3.