Understanding epigenetics requires a study effort

You can read her regular blog on epivigenetics and epigenetics at www.epivyziva.cz. However, you may also know her articles from magazines such as Run, Pulse or Medun. Besides that, she is an avid runner and a mother of three. How has epiviviviration manifested itself in her life, why is running so important to her, and how can you benefit from an epigenetic diet? She reveals all this in today’s interview with Mgr. Blanka Gololobova.

Blanka, do you still remember the day you first encountered epigenetics?
It wasn’t a matter of one day. Epigenetics was originally just one of the topics I became interested in as a journalist. Compared to other topics, however, it was much harder to delve deeper into it; after all, understanding the connections requires some study. However, the more time I spent on it, the more I was amazed at how things suddenly fit together beautifully. For example, I was delighted to see how epigenetics was shedding light on the psychological basis of disease.

Dozens of people turn to you with confidence, what do they most often ask you as an expert in the field of epivivigenesis?
In addition to inquiries about what to take for a specific health problem, those asking about the possibility of combining dietary supplements with medications are very common. Epigenetic nutrients, for example, have such a strong effect on the cardiovascular system that some of them cannot be taken with blood thinners, for example. Personally, of course, I would much prefer if people did not take medication for every slight increase in blood pressure or cholesterol, but first tried to adjust their diet, lose weight, or seek help from natural remedies, such as those offered by epigenetics. This is what would help at least ninety percent of them the most, and fortunately there are more and more doctors who prefer a similar approach. However, if a person is already taking a medication, it is not possible to simply discontinue it, and dietary supplements must then be chosen very carefully.

I’ve named magazines, websites. You were also a guest several times on the TV show Feelings with Mista on TV Kino Svět, where you talked about epigenetics. Do you feel that the media is finally becoming more interested in this issue?
It’s not great yet, but it’s also because it’s a complicated issue. It is not easy to squeeze into one short article an explanation of the main principles and some recommendations.

Now you have your regular blog on Epivýživa.cz, that’s a nice opportunity for people to get a better idea of what’s going on in this industry, right?
I’m trying, but I’m afraid it’s going to be a long run. Sometimes I feel like I don’t manage to explain the most important principles even to my loved ones (smile).

Running is a big topic today for the media, for manufacturers of sports equipment and accessories, for manufacturers of running shoes, it’s just a trend, it’s in. And you’ve written about it all for the specialist magazine Run. Do you see running as a phenomenon from your point of view? Because I don’t know a magazine about jumping over a goat, so I have a feeling that running will be ubiquitous for a long time to come, am I wrong?
You’re not wrong. It’s because running is special in many ways. While most people start running to lose weight, those who stick with it usually discover some other, deeper dimension to it. I think a lot of this is due to the fact that people today have a lot of “instant” experiences available to them that they can experience at their convenience, without any extra effort. It’s just that our brains are set up in such a way that the harder it is to achieve a certain goal, the more satisfaction it brings us. Moreover, many of us have an intense need to constantly test our limits and try to push them further, which is also a very effective means of self-discovery and personal growth. Some people climb Everest for this reason, but it will never be for everyone, whereas in running almost everyone can push themselves, given their abilities – someone may try to break the four-hour mark in a marathon, while another will find it challenging to run five kilometres in a row.

On the other hand, it is not true that running is the only true path to health and satisfaction. In principle, we should incorporate as much exercise as possible into our lives, but we don’t have to be athletic. It is good to try to walk a lot, but work around the house and garden counts too, but it is more likely to be physically demanding – that is, chopping wood, mowing, raking leaves or carving flowerbeds rather than running around with a lawnmower or planting flowers. A person who spends two hours a day working in the garden may be much better off than someone who goes jogging three times a week and spends the rest of the time sitting down.

To keep on topic – which herbs and nutrients do you recommend for running enthusiasts? I mean in terms of epivnutrition to support joints, bones…
For the joints, boswellia combined with collagen is ideal, plus it’s good to support this with kidney tea from time to time (ideally drink it twice a year for at least three weeks straight). But there are herbs that can directly influence performance, more specifically support the adaptive processes that take place in response to training. For example, pomegranate, astaxanthin, curcumin or quercetin are great.

What do you recommend to us men – let’s say a sample of such active thirty-somethings. We run businesses, have children and minimal time for sports and exercise in general. What can we do to support our health?
Movement is essential, it’s a powerful epigenetic factor and without it it’s hard to maintain good health. Not to mention that after 30, metabolism slows down and if you don’t do something about yourself, you usually start gaining weight. Everyone can fit at least twenty minutes of brisk walking three times a week into their schedule, and at least an hour at the weekend is also a must – ideally for some physical activity with the children, so that from a young age they take movement as a normal part of life. Other recommendations in terms of epigenetics basically coincide with what we call a healthy lifestyle – i.e. eat healthy, don’t smoke, don’t overdo it with alcohol, stress only moderately… The right dietary supplements can help quite substantially – men at this age usually respond well to pomegranate or curcumin, for example.

As a mother of children – do you recommend introducing supportive epigenetic products for the little ones?
Personally, I am of the opinion that dietary supplements are unnecessary for healthy children. As long as they have a varied, healthy diet, plenty of exercise in the fresh air and most importantly, plenty of love from their parents, they usually thrive. In fact, all of the things I mentioned are very important epigenetic factors that have been shown to influence the activity of a number of important genes. I would only reach for supplements if there was a problem.

As a dad who cares about what his kids eat and the environment they grow up in, I agree with you. My kids and I live in the mountains, they have a clean environment, nature, quality organic food, but still they get everything – like fish oil regularly because they won’t eat conventionally prepared fish. What supplements do you recommend to parents of children who do not eat meat at all?
Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids are essential for a child’s development. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should definitely take them, and later in life it should be enough if children regularly eat fish and vegetable oils with a high omega-3 content, such as linseed or hemp oil. For children who refuse fish, the use of fish oil is highly recommended. Meat is not necessary in principle, but I would recommend keeping fish in the diet, as it is harder to get both omega-3 and iodine supplements from plant sources. A frequent mistake in the diet of children (and far from being vegetarian) is the insufficient intake of protein, and an excess of simple sugars is very harmful, while fats, if they are not overcooked, do not matter so much, even animal ones. On the other hand, butter, but only that from free-range cows, is an excellent source of vitamin K2, a deficiency of which is common in the child population and leads, for example, to increased tooth decay.

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