Although there are numerous alternatives to looking great, the truth is, beauty comes from within. Aside from being a good person, of course. If your body is healthy you PHYSICALLY look healthy and also get to feel like a million bucks. That being said, it is a fact that looking healthy is the equivalent to looking and feeling your best!
Your first thought might be, “What Is Methylation?”
In the simplest of terms, it is a chemical reaction that happens in every one of our cells and tissues. What we seek to do with this process is to add methyl groups (a chemical structure made of one carbon and three hydrogen atoms) into a molecule, which means we are adding protein to those cells and tissues. This changes how protein reacts in our bodies. If our bodies do not methylate properly, it can be an easy cause for disease (i.e., heart attack, stroke, dementia, depression, migraines, autism, fertility, cancer, birth defects, etc.). In other words, Methylation is here to assist our cells, tissues and enzymes process properly and avoid all the above mentioned health concerns.
On top of all the roles mentioned above, Methylation has plenty more – for example, it helps rid our bodies of histamine which is best known for its’ contribution to allergic reactions. In the brain, it acts to make us mentally more flexible and also prevents us from ruminating on negative thought patterns that may contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Methylation also contributes to detoxification of foreign chemicals and heavy metals within the liver. In fact, our cells are constantly altering the expression of our genes according to the demands of our environment and methylation is one of the key tools they use to do it.
And, “How do I know if I need Methylation?”
Many things can affect your Methylation process, such as: genetics, poor diet, smoking, malabsorption, decreased stomach acid, medications, toxic exposures and many more. If you seem to have a deficiency in your body like anemia then Methylation is definitely a process that would benefit your health concern.
It is no question that Methylation has been raved about lately in the health world! Considering it is a biochemical process that is actually involved in almost all of our body’s functions. This may leave us with questions such as: “How much can this process really affect me?”. Take a look at the following Methyl-affected areas within your system:
- Fight-or-flight response (how our bodies react to stress)
- Detoxification of hormones and chemicals
- Genetic expression
- DNA repairment
- Inflammation response
- The production of antioxidants
- Energy production
- Balancing of brain chemistry
- Immunity response
Overall, our Methylation cycle is extremely important because if it is interrupted, these important bodily functions can be compromised meaning our health is compromised as well. So how do I find out if Methylation is something I need? Luckily, finding out is as easy as 1-2-3 by just consulting a health expert. The process is both – easy and important. Causes for the need of this process vary widely. For example, if our bodies can’t convert folic acid adequately (this happens to half of the population). B12 deficiency is also a crucial reason for the need of this process, for instance. The only way to know whether or not we are in need of this process, we must ask our healthcare practitioner.
Aside from injections, there are other ways to provide our bodies with the necessary tools to improve or maintain the proper Methylation Cycle.
Nutrition
- Avocado – Green, leafy vegetables
- Asparagus – Legumes
- Broccoli – Rice
- Brussel Sprouts
Lifestyle Shifts
- Physical Exercise
- Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption
- Not smoking cigarettes
- Cutting down on coffee
Having the proper methylation process in our bodies highly influences how our systems act and react, yet somehow it is something that is often overlooked. It is crucial for us to give this issue the importance it deserves because it can severely damage the way our body is supposed to function for our health and well-being. This is definitely something we want to avoid so that in the long run, we are not compromised by this.
If you suspect you are a poor methylator, contact a functional medicine professional near you.