Methyl-Rich Diets Counter Toxic Chemical Gene Damage, Dolinoy Says

University of Michigan

Dietary methyl donors counteract industrial chemical exposures by restoring epigenetic marks that suppress aberrant gene expression and buffer against chronic disease.

AI-assisted summary of Toxic foods, food as medicine, epigenetics makes sense of nutritional triggers on health — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2026-09-10

Key ideas

Epigenetics provides the molecular link between diet, environmental toxicants, and long-term health by modifying gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. (3:32)
Ultraprocessed foods carry a dual hazard, delivering degraded nutrition while introducing leached plasticizers and synthetic additives into human tissues. (1:17)
Landmark agouti mouse experiments proved that maternal diets rich in methyl donors or phytoestrogens can completely neutralize the epigenetic damage triggered by BPA exposure. (6:51)
The University of Michigan's MI-CARES cohort study is actively enrolling over 100,000 residents using home blood spot cards to link toxicant exposures directly with epigenetic cancer risks. (11:51)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by the University of Michigan on September 10, 2026, this episode of the Michigan Minds podcast features nutritional and environmental scientist Dr. Dana Dolinoy. According to the page description, the discussion explores how epigenetics decodes the biological mechanisms behind toxic ultraprocessed foods versus nutrient-dense whole foods, examining how dietary inputs turn genes on and off to influence chronic disease risks.

## TL;DR Environmental health scientist Dr. Dana Dolinoy unpacks the molecular link between nutrition, synthetic toxicants, and the epigenome, describing how chemical exposures and dietary methyl donors act as biological dimmer switches on gene expression. She reviews classic animal research showing how nutrient-dense maternal diets can counteract the epigenetic damage of bisphenol A (BPA), and introduces the large-scale MI-CARES study tracking environmental triggers and cancer across Michigan. Emphasizing the plasticity of the epigenome over static genetics, Dolinoy explains how whole foods rich in methyl donors combat oxidative stress, giving individuals tangible personal agency to buffer against slow chemical regulation and protect future generations.

## Atmosphere & style The dialogue maintains an accessible, reassuring, and distinctly optimistic tone that translates complex molecular toxicology into intuitive everyday metaphors like highlighters and light dimmers. Host Kim Shine brings approachable curiosity and occasional self-deprecating humor to the conversation, creating a relaxed rapport with Dolinoy as they connect epigenetics to pop culture touchstones like television procedurals and hip-hop. Rather than stoking dread about ambient environmental pollutants, the exchange feels deeply empowering, leaving listeners with an encouraging sense of biological agency and actionable public health hope.

## Bulletin - [03:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=212s) Epigenetics provides the molecular link between diet, environmental toxicants, and long-term health by modifying gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. - [01:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=77s) Ultraprocessed foods carry a dual hazard, delivering degraded nutrition while introducing leached plasticizers and synthetic additives into human tissues. - [06:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=411s) Landmark agouti mouse experiments proved that maternal diets rich in methyl donors or phytoestrogens can completely neutralize the epigenetic damage triggered by BPA exposure. - [11:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=711s) The University of Michigan's MI-CARES cohort study is actively enrolling over 100,000 residents using home blood spot cards to link toxicant exposures directly with epigenetic cancer risks.

## Key takeaways - [01:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=77s) Federal dietary guidance is shifting from raw calorie counting toward evaluating food processing levels and nutrient-toxicant interactions. - [01:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=77s) Plasticizers and chemical additives in food packaging readily dissolve and leach into fatty, ultraprocessed food products. - [02:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=147s) Environmental toxicologists differentiate between natural toxins, like cyanide in apple seeds and aflatoxin in corn, and man-made toxicants like BPA, additives, and pesticides. - [03:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=212s) The epigenome functions like highlighters or dimmer switches, controlling whether genes are expressed prominently, silenced, or dialed down across different life stages. - [03:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=212s) Dietary methyl donors such as folic acid and vitamin B12 supply essential methyl groups (-CH3) to silence unwanted genes, as humans cannot synthesize these marks independently. - [06:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=411s) In viable yellow agouti mouse studies, maternal BPA exposure induced yellow coats and obesity in offspring, but dietary methyl supplementation completely rescued the lean, healthy phenotype. - [09:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=591s) Unlike the fixed DNA code, the epigenome is plastic and responsive, allowing individuals to exert personal biological agency through targeted diet and lifestyle interventions. - [10:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=650s) Proactive nutritional choices serve as an immediate biological defense against chemical exposures while slower government chemical regulatory policies catch up. - [11:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=711s) The MI-CARES study collects environmental histories and finger-prick blood spot cards from over 100,000 participants to track cancer risks alongside chemicals like PFAS, lead, and mercury. - [14:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=841s) Precision environmental health aims to flip medical practice from reactive illness management to preventative epigenomic risk detection. - [16:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=969s) Epigenetic marks can be transmitted across generations, meaning personal environmental and nutritional decisions influence the health of future offspring. - [18:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=1085s) Nutrients like choline, betaine, and folate in leafy greens, meat, and eggs act like antioxidant enhancers, counteracting toxicant-induced oxidative stress on the epigenome.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=0s) Introduction: Nutrition, Environmental Exposures, and Epigenetics

Kim Shine, senior public relations representative for the Michigan News office, introduces the *Michigan Minds* podcast by highlighting how faculty research unpacks complex scientific topics. In this episode, the focus turns to Dr. Dana Dolinoy, a professor of environmental health sciences and nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Dolinoy’s expertise centers on epigenetics—the study of how beneficial nutrients, toxic foods, beverages, and environmental chemicals alter gene expression to either trigger or protect against chronic disease.

Dolinoy serves as director of both the Michigan Life-Stage Environmental Exposures and Disease (M-LEEaD) Center and Michigan Medicine’s Epigenomics Core, leading investigations into the environmental causes of long-term health conditions. With recent shifts in national nutrition guidelines, Shine notes that Dolinoy's perspective arrives at an ideal moment to explore how diet influences human health all the way down to the level of the epigenome and DNA.

[01:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=77s) Dietary Guidelines and the Hidden Burden of Ultraprocessed Foods

Addressing the updated federal dietary guidelines and the evolving food pyramid, Dolinoy observes a major transformation in the national discussion over the past several weeks. The conversation has decisively turned away from mere caloric tallies and toward food quality and processing levels. Viewing this issue through the scientific lens of "nutrient-toxicant interactions," Dolinoy emphasizes that eating ultraprocessed foods is a double-edged sword: consumers do not merely ingest stripped-down, low-quality nutrition, but also inadvertently expose themselves to hazardous industrial chemicals.

A prime example involves plasticizers—chemical agents engineered to make plastics pliable and soft. Found extensively in food packaging, these chemicals readily leach into fatty, highly processed foods during manufacturing and storage. Consequently, consumers eating packaged cookies, frozen meals, or snack foods ingest not just degraded nutritional content, but a passenger payload of synthetic compounds that hitchhike directly into the digestive tract.

- **Primary shift in dietary guidance**: Transitioning from pure macronutrient metrics to focusing heavily on food quality and the hazards of industrial food processing. - **Mechanism of packaging exposure**: Plasticizers in packaging materials dissolve and leach directly into fatty, processed foodstuffs.

[02:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=147s) Distinguishing Natural Toxins from Synthetic Dietary Toxicants

To clarify how environmental health scientists analyze food safety, Dolinoy draws a clear distinction between natural poisons and synthetic toxicants. When laypeople consider toxins in the food supply, they typically think of naturally occurring biological poisons. These include cyanide found naturally in apple seeds, or aflatoxin, a potent carcinogenic mold that grows on corn crops and frequently contaminates commercial tortillas and tortilla chips.

Environmental health researchers, however, focus heavily on a second category: man-made industrial compounds that "hitch a ride" with our food supply and lodge in human tissues. These include bisphenol A (BPA) found in food containers, chemical pesticide residues clinging to commercial fruits and vegetables, and artificial chemical additives mixed directly into formulations during food processing.

- **Natural toxins**: Cyanide (in apple seeds) and aflatoxin (fungal mold on corn affecting tortillas and chips). - **Synthetic dietary toxicants**: Bisphenol A (BPA) from plastic linings, pesticide residues on agricultural produce, and synthetic food additives.

[03:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=212s) Epigenetics Explained: Highlighters, Dimmer Switches, and Methyl Donors

Dolinoy explains that the disconnect between early toxic exposures—such as those occurring during pregnancy—and adult diseases appearing decades later remained an enigma until the emergence of epigenetics. Translating literally to "in addition to or above our genome," epigenetics functions much like a highlighter pen in a printed book. While the DNA sequence (the printed text) remains unchanged, the epigenetic marks highlight specific passages, dictating whether certain genes are read prominently or skipped entirely.

Expanding on this concept, Dolinoy compares gene activity to a household dimmer switch. When a gene carries specific epigenetic modifications, it functions like a dimmed bulb, expressed quietly or shut off completely; absent those marks, the gene shines at full, bright expression. Food serves as the biological ink for this highlighter system. Nutrients such as folic acid operate as "methyl donors," supplying methyl groups—a single carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms ($\text{—CH}_3$)—directly to the DNA architecture. These methyl groups help silence unwanted genes, an essential biological process because the body requires entirely different gene expression patterns at age 3, age 30, and age 80. Crucially, humans cannot synthesize these essential epigenetic marks independently; they must be continually absorbed through diet.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Epigenetic Gene Regulation by Dietary Methyl Donors accDescr: Diagram illustrating how dietary methyl donors provide methyl groups to act as a dimmer switch on DNA, controlling gene expression across different life stages.

subgraph DietaryInput["Dietary Intake"] A["Methyl Donors in Diet (e.g., Folic Acid, Vitamin B12)"] end

subgraph MolecularMechanism["Epigenetic Modification"] B["Methyl Group Donation (-CH3: 1 Carbon + 3 Hydrogens)"] C["DNA Methylation (The Highlighter / Dimmer Switch)"] end

subgraph CellularOutcome["Gene Expression Outcome"] D["Dimmed / Silenced Genes (Prevents Aberrant Expression)"] E["Dynamic Gene Regulation (Tailored to Age 3, 30, or 80)"] end

A --> B B --> C C --> D D --> E ```

[05:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=311s) Pop Culture Connections: From Law & Order SVU to Eminem

The term epigenetics is relatively modern, coined in the 1950s to describe the interplay between genetics and environmental influences. Dolinoy reflects that when she entered the field two decades ago, the term was strictly confined to specialized scientific symposiums. Today, it has permeated popular culture, appearing on commercial skincare bottles, wellness websites, books, and television.

In her university classes, Dolinoy explores pop-culture portrayals of epigenetics to illustrate how the public understands biological adaptation:

- **Television (*Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*)**: In one episode, Detective Olivia Benson is framed for murder. She is exonerated by the medical examiner, who discovers that the DNA planted on the weapon completely lacks methyl groups—revealing it was synthetic, laboratory-created DNA without the normal epigenetic marks of a living human. - **Music (Eminem’s song "Legacy")**: A student cited Eminem’s track *Legacy*, where the artist describes how severe emotional stress, trauma, and a harsh upbringing imprinted themselves directly onto his brain biology. Dolinoy highlights how this captures the core insight of epigenetics: lived adversity and toxic environments physically imprint onto human biology.

[06:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=411s) The Agouti Mouse Experiment: Counteracting Toxicants with Nutrition

Dolinoy connects these mechanisms to the broader epidemiological framework known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). This principle asserts that preconception and gestational exposures permanently reprogram an organism's baseline susceptibility to later chronic illness. To uncover the molecular mechanisms driving DOHaD, Dolinoy and her colleagues turned to a classic toxicological model: the viable yellow agouti mouse ($A^{vy}$).

In this animal model, genetically identical sibling mice can exhibit radically different physical outcomes based purely on epigenetics: one sibling is lean, brown-coated, and healthy, while the identical twin is yellow-coated and develops severe adult-onset obesity. In an initial breakthrough study, pregnant mouse mothers were exposed to moderate levels of bisphenol A (BPA)—a ubiquitous monomer used in hard plastics, compact discs, baby bottles, and food can linings. The maternal BPA exposure altered epigenetic marks in the offspring, causing the pups to be born predominantly yellow, obese, and disease-prone.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Agouti Mouse Maternal Exposure and Dietary Rescue accDescr: Flowchart illustrating the viable yellow agouti mouse experiments showing BPA adverse effects and rescue via maternal dietary supplementation.

subgraph Exposure1["Experiment 1: BPA Alone"] M1["Pregnant Agouti Mother"] --> Exp1["Moderate BPA Exposure"] Exp1 --> Off1["Offspring: Yellow Coat, Adult-Onset Obesity"] end

subgraph Exposure2["Experiment 2: Nutritional Counteraction"] M2["Pregnant Agouti Mother"] --> Exp2["Moderate BPA Exposure + Methyl-Rich Diet / Genistein"] Exp2 --> Off2["Offspring: Brown Coat, Lean & Healthy Phenotype"] end ```

The team’s follow-up study yielded an even more striking result. When pregnant mothers were administered the exact same dose of BPA alongside a nutrient-fortified diet—supplemented either with methyl donors like folic acid and vitamin B12, or with genistein, a phytoestrogen found in soy—the adverse effects were completely mitigated. The resulting offspring were born overwhelmingly brown and lean, appearing as though they had never encountered BPA.

While conducted nearly twenty years ago, this landmark experiment offered the first empirical evidence that a high-quality diet can directly counteract the epigenetic damage wrought by invisible environmental toxicants. Dolinoy stresses that consumers cannot always adopt a pure "shopping cart approach" because hidden chemicals cannot be fully detected or avoided; instead, exercising personal agency through wholesome nutrition and regular exercise provides an active biological defense against ambient toxic exposures.

[09:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=591s) Public Health Optimism and the Modifiable Epigenome

Asked whether emerging federal guidelines align with her vision for public health, Dolinoy shares that one of her best defense mechanisms is "being an optimist." She sees the national push toward reducing ultraprocessed foods and adopting cleaner eating habits as a vital opening to educate the public on how chemical toxicants travel alongside poor nutrition.

Most importantly, Dolinoy distinguishes the static nature of the underlying genetic code from the responsive flexibility of the epigenome. While the primary DNA sequence is fixed and largely beyond human intervention, the epigenome is inherently dynamic, plastic, and modifiable. This fundamental malleability means that individuals can proactively employ targeted dietary habits and lifestyle interventions to protect their biological systems and buffer against environmental harms.

[10:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=650s) Personal Agency and Counteracting Slow Chemical Policy with Nutrition

Understanding how daily inputs shape our genetic expression gives individuals a powerful sense of agency to reverse negative effects on the epigenome and bring it back into health. As Dana Dolinoy explains, "We're sort of like our own coders." Crucially, she reassures listeners that perfection is not required: people can start and stop, and they do not always have to be strictly disciplined, because there is always an opportunity to make a positive change to improve the health of their epigenome.

This personal and nutritional agency is especially important given the mismatch in pace between scientific discovery and government regulation—where "sometimes science moves faster than policy and sometimes vice versa." When researchers identify harmful new compounds such as PFAS ("forever chemicals"), plasticizers, or phthalates, it takes considerable time for government agencies to evaluate and regulate them. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks tend to evaluate and restrict chemicals one by one, which Dolinoy notes is "a little bit strange because we're exposed to many different chemicals at one time." Making deliberate nutritional choices and shaping nutrition policy offers a proactive way to help counteract the slowness of chemical policy.

[11:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=711s) The MI-CARES Study: Tracking Environmental Triggers and Cancer Risk Across Michigan

Prompted by the host to discuss current discoveries around cancer and the nutritional or environmental triggers people may or may not be able to control, Dolinoy emphasizes the need to back up cultural interest in epigenetics with rigorous epidemiology and population science. To do that, her team recently launched a massive cohort study called **MI-CARES** (the Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study), which is recruiting over 100,000 Michiganders. The study investigates how environmental exposures—such as air and water quality—interact with the epigenome to place individuals at a greater risk of developing cancer.

The study is already underway and open for enrollment on the MI-CARES website. Participation is designed to be straightforward and captures both historical context and biological data:

- **Six Online Modules:** Participants answer detailed questionnaires about their environmental history, including where they were born and where they lived as children, because early life stages represent distinct "sensitive periods" when the environment can strongly impact the epigenome. - **Occupational Exposures:** The survey also tracks workplace environments, recognizing that substances encountered on the job frequently affect epigenetic regulation. - **Blood Spot Cards:** Interested participants can contribute biological specimens using a simple at-home finger prick to place a couple drops of blood onto a card. From just those few drops, researchers can simultaneously measure the participant's epigenome alongside a wide array of environmental chemicals, including PFAS, lead, and mercury.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: MI-CARES Study Participation and Analysis Workflow accDescr: Flow showing how over 100,000 Michiganders enroll online, complete six environmental history modules, optionally submit blood spot cards, and enable simultaneous chemical and epigenetic analysis to assess cancer risk. subgraph Enrollment["1. Online Survey"] A["Over 100,000 Michiganders"] --> B["6 Online Modules"] B --> C["Childhood & Workplace History"] end subgraph Biospecimen["2. Optional Biospecimen"] D["Finger Prick"] --> E["Drops of Blood on Card"] end subgraph LabAnalysis["3. Simultaneous Lab Analysis"] F["Chemicals (PFAS, Lead, Mercury)"] G["Epigenome Profile"] H["Cancer Risk Insights"] F --> H G --> H end C --> D E --> F E --> G ```

[14:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=841s) Interdisciplinary Science and Precision Environmental Health at the University of Michigan

When asked about the broader research landscape at the University of Michigan, Dolinoy describes the complex question of how diet and nutrients "get under our skin through the epigenome" as a uniquely Michigan problem—one that cannot be solved in isolation and requires deeply collaborative, interdisciplinary science. To support this, Michigan Medicine houses specialized biological research core facilities, including one of the very first Epigenomics Cores established on an academic campus. This facility gives researchers across the university—even those who may not initially be familiar with the term—easy access to emerging technologies to measure the epigenome in their own studies.

Beyond core facilities, the university is home to major centers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that bridge clinical medicine and environmental science:

- **M-LEEaD (Michigan Lifestage Environmental Exposures and Disease Center):** Directed by Dolinoy, this center helps researchers and clinicians integrate environmental exposure data across different stages of life. - **MNORC (Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center):** A dedicated hub examining the intersections of nutrition, obesity, and metabolic health. - **Clinical Cross-Pollination:** Physicians investigating how lead exposure might affect neurological conditions such as ALS or Alzheimer's disease can come into these centers to learn how to measure environmental exposures in patients' biological specimens, inside people's homes, or across the broader community.

Having worked at the University of Michigan for 18 years, Dolinoy notes that she still discovers new colleagues tackling related questions every single day. This interdisciplinary synergy is essential for researchers to "walk the walk of precision environmental health." While the healthcare system has historically focused on treating illnesses after they appear, Dolinoy wants to "flip this switch" toward a preventative public health approach—identifying individuals at risk for cancer or other diseases through their epigenome to protect them before they get sick, extend life, and support a healthy lifestyle.

[16:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=969s) Transgenerational Epigenetics and the Importance of Foundational Science

The host, Kim, reflects on how empowering it is to hear Dolinoy speak so passionately about work that much of the public doesn't realize is happening behind the scenes. Out in the everyday world, she notes, health threats like cancer and chronic disease often feel like they are constantly coming at us, making it feel hard to stay healthy—yet we are living in a fortunate, fascinating era of discovery that will benefit not just us, but our children, grandchildren, and future generations.

Dolinoy agrees, pointing out how far technology has come since the 1980s, when researchers first began studying the developmental origins of disease without having the tools to actually measure the epigenome. Today, scientists can walk into numerous labs across the University of Michigan campus and measure the epigenome in a sample. Even more compelling is what those measurements reveal about generational inheritance: when environmental exposures happen, we are not just exposing ourselves. While someone might shrug off an unhealthy lifestyle by saying, "it's my choice if I want to have a bad diet or don't want to exercise," the epigenome is transferred across generations. Taking agency over one's own exposures and nutrition today actively protects future generations.

Laughing at herself for mispronouncing the word "epigenome" once again, Kim remarks that the term really ought to become part of our everyday vocabulary. Dolinoy agrees, but offers a measured scientific caveat: because epigenetics is still an emerging science, researchers do not yet know every detail of how to harness its power. Conducting rigorous foundational science is essential to determine exactly where and when to intervene, ensuring society does not "leap too soon before the science is ready."

[18:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=1085s) Methyl Donors as Epigenome Enhancers Against Oxidative Stress

Bringing the conversation back to practical, everyday actions, the host notes that while epigenetic science continues to build toward future breakthroughs, foundational dietary guidelines for eating well are already well established. Dolinoy connects those everyday food choices directly to molecular defense mechanisms inside the body.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Opposing Effects of Environmental Toxicants and Nutritional Enhancers on the Epigenome accDescr: Diagram contrasting how environmental toxicants induce oxidative stress that disrupts the epigenome, while dietary methyl donors act like antioxidants to shut down stress and keep the epigenome in check. subgraph Threats["Environmental Threats"] T1["Environmental Toxicants"] --> T2["Oxidative Stress in Body"] end subgraph Nutrition["Nutritional Countermeasures"] N1["Leafy Greens, Meat & Eggs"] --> N2["Methyl Donors (Choline, Betaine)"] N2 --> N3["Antioxidant-Like Action"] end subgraph Outcome["Epigenetic Balance"] E1["Epigenome Brought Back Into Check"] end T2 -->|"Disrupts"| E1 N3 -->|"Shuts down"| T2 N2 -->|"Epigenome enhancers"| E1 ```

When people eat whole foods rich in methyl donors—such as green leafy vegetables, as well as nutrients like choline and betaine found in meat and eggs—those compounds serve as "epigenome enhancers." Having these nutrients on board helps thwart the damage caused by environmental toxicants, which frequently trigger oxidative stress in the body. As Dolinoy summarizes, "These nutrition chemicals act like antioxidants to shut that down and bring our epigenome back into check." Kim thanks Dolinoy warmly for sharing her insights, concluding the episode of *Michigan Minds* (produced by Michigan News, a division of the university's Office of the Vice President for Communications).

## Notable quotes > [03:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=212s) in addition to or above our genome — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [09:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=591s) being an optimist — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [10:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=650s) We're sort of like our own coders. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [10:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=650s) sometimes science moves faster than policy and sometimes vice versa. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [10:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=650s) a little bit strange because we're exposed to many different chemicals at one time. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [14:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=841s) get under our skin through the epigenome — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [14:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=841s) walk the walk of precision environmental health. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [14:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=841s) flip this switch — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [16:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=969s) it's my choice if I want to have a bad diet or don't want to exercise, — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [16:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=969s) leap too soon before the science is ready. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

> [18:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y&t=1085s) These nutrition chemicals act like antioxidants to shut that down and bring our epigenome back into check. — Dr. Dana Dolinoy

## Mentioned Dana Dolinoy, Kim Shine, Greta Guest, Jeremy Marble, Hans Anderson, University of Michigan, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Michigan Medicine, Michigan Life-Stage Environmental Exposures and Disease (M-LEEaD) Center, Michigan Medicine's Epigenomics Core, Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center (MNORC), MI-CARES (Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Michigan Minds, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Olivia Benson, Eminem, Legacy

## Video description News, advice and research about what we eat - and drink - and how it influences our health is inescapable.

What we hear less about is exactly what's taking place inside the body when nutrition is considered bad or toxic, say ultraprocessed foods like our favorite packaged cookies, chips or frozen pizza, or good and healthy, those whole, methyl-donor-rich leafy veggies, beefs and eggs.

If you want a deeper understanding, ask Dana Dolinoy. The answers are in epigenetics, her specialty.

As a nutritional and environmental scientist and professor at the School of Public Health, she studies the changes that take place in response to nutrients. Her work digs deep down to the genes and DNA, at the epigenome, where the controls that turn genes on and off are located.

Dolinoy is also director of the NIH-supported Michigan Life Stage Environmental Exposures and Disease Center and Michigan Medicine's Epigenomics Core, teams that advance research and understanding of the environmental causes of chronic diseases and conditions. She is also on the team that launched MI-CARES, the Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study, which is recruiting 100,000 Michigan residents to find causes of and solutions to disease. More on the study.

As Dolinoy discusses in this episode of Michigan Minds, epigenetics, "is actually a relatively new science. The term was first coined in the 1950s as a way to talk about the intersections of our genes in the environment."

Michigan Minds is produced by Greta Guest and hosted by Michigan News staff. Jeremy Marble is the audio engineer and Hans Anderson provides social media animations. Listen to all episodes of the podcast.

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59EY3l6O4Y)

中文简报

Dolinoy表示，富含甲基的饮食可抵御有毒化学物质的基因损伤膳食甲基供体通过恢复表观遗传标记来抵消工业化学物质暴露的影响，从而抑制异常基因表达并缓冲慢性疾病风险。环境健康科学家 Dana Dolinoy 博士剖析了营养、合成毒物与表观基因组之间的分子联系，描述了化学物质暴露和膳食甲基供体如何像生物调光开关一样调节基因表达。她回顾了经典的动物研究，展示了高营养密度的母体饮食如何抵消双酚A（BPA）造成的表观遗传损伤，并介绍了在密歇根州追踪环境诱因与癌症的大型 MI-CARES 研究。Dolinoy 强调了表观基因组相较于静态遗传学的可塑性，解释了富含甲基供体的全食物如何对抗氧化应激，从而赋予个人切实的自主应对能力，以缓冲迟缓的化学品监管并保护后代。表观遗传学通过在不改变底层 DNA 序列的情况下修饰基因表达，在饮食、环境毒物与长期健康之间建立起分子联系。 (3:32) 超加工食品具有双重危害，在提供劣质营养的同时，还会将析出的塑化剂和合成添加剂引入人体组织。 (1:17) 具有里程碑意义的刺鼠实验证明，富含甲基供体或植物雌激素的母体饮食可以完全中和由 BPA 暴露引发的表观遗传损伤。 (6:51) 密歇根大学的 MI-CARES 队列研究正在积极招募超过 100,000 名居民，利用居家血斑卡将毒物暴露与表观遗传癌症风险直接联系起来。 (11:51)

Reading summary

According to Dr. Dana Dolinoy of the University of Michigan, the human epigenome functions as a responsive interface between diet and environmental toxicants, allowing nutrient intake to modify gene expression and buffer against chronic disease risks across generations. Processing, Packaging, and Ingested Chemical Toxicants (1:17) Federal dietary guidelines are pivoting away from simple caloric accounting toward evaluating food quality and degree of industrial processing. Dolinoy frames this issue through the lens of nutrient-toxicant interactions, warning that ultraprocessed foods expose consumers to synthetic chemicals alongside nutritionally stripped calories. In particular, plasticizers in food packaging dissolve and leach directly into fatty, processed items during manufacturing and shelf storage. Dolinoy distinguishes between natural dietary poisons and synthetic environmental toxicants. While natural toxins include cyanide in apple seeds or carcinogenic aflatoxin molds on corn crops, environmental health scientists focus primarily on synthetic industrial additions that ride along with food. These include bisphenol A (BPA) from can linings, agricultural pesticide residues, and industrial chemical additives. Epigenetic Regulation and Dietary Countermeasures (3:32) Epigenetics—literally meaning in addition to or above the genome—describes chemical marks that control how genes are read without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Dolinoy compares these marks to highlighters or household dimmer switches that dial gene expression up, down, or off across life stages. The primary biological marks, such as methyl groups composed of one carbon and three hydrogen atoms, cannot be synthesized independently by humans and must be supplied through dietary methyl donors like folic acid, vitamin B12, choline, and betaine. This molecular defense was demonstrated in classic viable yellow agouti mouse experiments. Genetically identical offspring developed yellow coats and adult-onset obesity when pregnant mothers were exposed to moderate levels of BPA. However, when researchers simultaneously supplemented the mothers' diets with methyl donors or the soy phytoestrogen genistein, the adverse effects were counteracted. The offspring were born lean and brown, providing proof that targeted nutrition can buffer against epigenetic damage caused by unavoidable toxic exposures. Personal Agency Amid Slow Chemical Policy (10:50) Because the epigenome is modifiable and dynamic unlike the static genetic code, Dolinoy explains that individuals can serve as their own coders by using deliberate dietary habits and exercise to protect biological health. She emphasizes that maintaining the epigenome does not require absolute perfection, as lifestyle adjustments can be made incrementally and restarted at any stage. This personal agency is crucial because chemical safety policy often lags behind scientific discovery. Regulatory agencies typically evaluate substances like PFAS, plasticizers, and phthalates one chemical at a time, failing to reflect real-world scenarios where people face simultaneous exposures to multiple compounds. Consuming methyl donors from whole foods, including leafy greens, meat, and eggs, supplies compounds that act like antioxidants to halt toxicant-induced oxidative stress. Population Studies and Transgenerational Epigenetics (11:51) To connect molecular biology to population-level health, the University of Michigan launched the MI-CARES study to recruit over 100,000 Michiganders. The project tracks childhood and occupational exposure histories via online questionnaires while collecting blood spot cards to simultaneously analyze individual epigenomes alongside toxic chemical levels such as lead, mercury, and PFAS. Dolinoy points out that epigenetic changes can be passed transgenerationally, meaning personal environmental exposures and nutritional decisions directly affect future generations. By integrating clinical medicine with environmental tracking across interdisciplinary centers, researchers aim to advance precision environmental health—identifying individual disease susceptibilities through the epigenome before clinical illnesses like cancer emerge. Although Dolinoy expresses optimism about nutritional prevention, she cautions that epigenetics remains an evolving science. Researchers do not yet possess a complete understanding of how to harness every epigenetic mechanism, requiring continued foundational research to avoid implementing premature clinical interventions before the evidence is fully established.

Source quotes

[3:32] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: in addition to or above our genome [9:51] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: being an optimist [10:50] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: We're sort of like our own coders. [10:50] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: sometimes science moves faster than policy and sometimes vice versa. [10:50] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: a little bit strange because we're exposed to many different chemicals at one time. [14:01] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: get under our skin through the epigenome [14:01] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: walk the walk of precision environmental health. [14:01] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: flip this switch [16:09] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: it's my choice if I want to have a bad diet or don't want to exercise, [16:09] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: leap too soon before the science is ready. [18:05] Dr. Dana Dolinoy: These nutrition chemicals act like antioxidants to shut that down and bring our epigenome back into check.

Original transcript

[0:00] [music] [0:04] Welcome to the Michigan Minds podcast [0:06] where we explore the wealth of knowledge [0:08] from faculty experts at the University [0:10] of Michigan. [music] I'm Kim Shine, a [0:12] senior public relations representative [0:14] for the Michigan news office. [music] I [0:16] want to welcome Dana Doaninoi, professor [0:18] of environmental health sciences and [0:20] nutritional sciences at the School of [0:22] Public Health. Dana's research in the [0:24] field of epigenetics, which we'll learn [0:26] a lot more about, explains the effects [0:28] of toxic or beneficial exposures to [0:30] food, drink, and chemicals on our [0:32] health. [music] As director of the [0:34] Michigan Life-Stage Environmental [0:36] Exposures and Disease Center and [0:38] Michigan Medicine's Epigenomics Corps, [0:40] she leads a team that advances research [0:42] and understanding [music] [0:43] of the environmental causes of chronic [0:45] diseases and conditions. And in light of [0:47] recent changes to America's nutrition [0:50] guidelines, her expertise is ripe for [0:52] discussion all the way to our epiggenome [0:55] and our DNA [music] to make sense of how [0:57] what we eat and drink can trigger or [0:59] prevent disease. Welcome Dana. [1:02] >> Thanks Kim for initiating this [1:04] conversation. I'm excited to be here. Of [1:06] course. So I want to start with the new [1:08] federal dietary guidelines, the updated [1:10] par pyramid. There's lots of opinions [1:13] about how it's been switched up. What [1:15] are your takeaways? [1:17] >> Wow, the food pyramid is a really timely [1:20] place to start as we're seeing a massive [1:22] shift in the conversation. So, my [1:25] biggest takeaway over the last couple of [1:26] weeks is the shift in the conversation [1:30] towards food quality and food [1:32] processing. And I've been viewing this [1:35] through the lens of nutrienttoxicant [1:37] interactions. For example, when we [1:39] consume ultrarocessed foods, which have [1:41] been in the news a lot, we're not only [1:43] getting less nutrition, but we're also [1:46] inadvertently exposing ourselves to [1:48] toxic chemicals. For example, [1:51] there are these chemicals called [1:53] plasticizers. They're used to make [1:56] plastic soft and flexible, and they're [1:58] found in lots of products, including [2:00] food packaging. And when they're in food [2:03] packaging that is in processed foods, [2:06] fatty foods, they leech into the food [2:08] that we consume. So you're not only [2:10] getting the nutrition, but also those [2:12] chemicals as well. So information about [2:15] nutrition and health is everywhere in [2:17] our culture. And what your research into [2:19] dietary toxicants and epigenetics does [2:22] is explain how nutrition interacts with [2:26] our genes. Correct? [2:27] >> Okay. So to understand your question, we [2:29] should go back and define that term. You [2:31] said dietary toxicants or food [2:33] toxicants. When most of us think about [2:35] toxins in our food, we think about [2:37] natural poisons like cyanide, that's an [2:40] apple seed or something called [2:42] aphletoxin. That is a mold that's grown [2:44] on corn and contaminates lots of [2:46] tortilla and tortilla chips. But in the [2:49] field of environmental health sciences, [2:51] there's a whole second set of chemicals, [2:53] man-made chemicals that we also worry [2:56] about. And these are important because [2:58] they can hitch a ride with the food and [3:00] then end up in our body. So these are [3:02] things like bisphenol A or BPA that's in [3:05] plastic, pesticide residues that are on [3:07] fruits and vegetables, and additives [3:09] that are um introduced to food during [3:11] processing. Is nutrition and what we put [3:14] in our bodies something that you look [3:17] back across a lifetime? So for a long [3:20] time, we couldn't figure out how [3:22] exposures to these toxic chemicals, [3:24] especially during development in [3:26] pregnancy, could be linked to diseases [3:30] that were present much later in life. [3:32] And so that's where that other term [3:33] comes in that you mentioned, the [3:35] epiggenome or epigenetics. Epigenetics [3:38] literally means in addition to or above [3:40] our genome. It's kind of like a [3:44] highlighter in a book. All of the bases, [3:47] the DNA are there and all of the words [3:49] are there. But when you highlight [3:50] certain words, those are the ones that [3:52] are read and they can be read more [3:54] pronouncly or more softly. So our genes [3:57] are fine-tuned like a dimmer switch on a [3:59] light. A gene that has these epigenetic [4:02] marks might be dimly expressed, but that [4:05] same gene when it lacks these epigenetic [4:07] marks can be brightly expressed. [4:12] And you see food [4:15] acting as that highlighter. Those [4:16] chemicals in the food act as that [4:18] highlighter and that then triggers. [4:22] Yeah. So for example, there's been [4:24] conversation that food is medicine, but [4:26] we're also seeing that food could also [4:28] be toxins, but it's really important to [4:31] understand that these toxins come along [4:33] with nutrients. And nutrients are really [4:36] important for the epiggenome. These [4:38] nutrients like folic acid, they're [4:40] called methyl donors. They donate a [4:42] methyl group, which is just a carbon and [4:45] three hydrogens to our DNA. And that [4:47] helps shuts genes down. So, we don't [4:50] always want the same sets of genes [4:52] expressed. When we're like 3 years old [4:54] versus 30 years old versus 80 years old, [4:56] we want to be able to temperate that [4:58] gene expression. And these epigenetic [5:00] marks help do it. And we absolutely have [5:02] to get these epigenetic marks through [5:05] our food. Can you tell us a little about [5:07] the history or the background of [5:09] epigenetics and the study of the [5:10] epiggenome? [5:11] >> Yeah, that's a really great question. [5:13] It's actually a relatively new science. [5:16] Um, the term was first coined in the [5:19] 1950s as a way to uh talk about the [5:22] intersections of our genes in the [5:24] environment. And when I first started in [5:26] this field about 20 years ago, you would [5:28] only hear the word epigenetics at [5:30] scientific conferences. But over the [5:33] years, it's been introduced into lots of [5:36] things. You might see it on skin care [5:38] bottles or in wellness blogs. In fact, [5:41] in the class that I teach on [5:42] epigenetics, we often discuss examples [5:46] of epigenetics in pop culture. Um, this [5:48] can be in books, movies, even music. So, [5:52] one of the examples I like comes from [5:54] the TV show Law and Order SVU. In one [5:59] episode, the detective Olivia Benson, [6:02] she is framed for the murder, but soon [6:06] exonerated when the medical examiner [6:08] looks at the DNA that was found on the [6:10] murder weapon and sees that it lacks any [6:12] of these epigenetic marks. There are no [6:14] methyl groups and so it had to be faked [6:17] DNA to frame her for the crime. One [6:20] student also brought an example closer [6:22] to home in from music, the rapper [6:24] Eminem. in his song Legacy, he talks [6:27] about how his stress and um hard [6:30] upbringing imprints um into his brain [6:34] and causes um different changes. And so [6:36] while he's not using the term [6:38] epigenetics, he's really pulling it out [6:40] and talking about how physical stress [6:44] toxic experiences can imprint in our [6:46] biology. [6:49] >> Fascinating. I will have to watch that [6:51] episode. So getting back to the science [6:53] then of of epigenetics, can you tell me [6:56] about your research and [6:59] work around this and learning more? [7:01] >> Yeah. So there's a concept in um [7:05] epidemiology called the developmental [7:06] origins of health and disease. And this [7:09] is the concept that even very early [7:11] exposures in pregnancy or sometimes even [7:13] preconception can reprogramming [7:16] individuals so that they may be more [7:19] susceptible or even less susceptible to [7:21] diseases later in life. But what wasn't [7:23] known until this new field of [7:25] epigenetics kind of became on the rise [7:28] was the mechanism that links these two [7:30] disperate periods of life. And so even [7:33] though this concept um was really [7:35] founded in epidemiology, we decided to [7:37] take a toxicological approach and use a [7:40] mouse model. And it's a very special [7:42] mouse model called the viable yellow [7:44] agooti mice. So to paint a picture, [7:46] imagine two siblings. [7:50] They're genetically identical, but they [7:52] look very different. One mouse is brown [7:56] and lean and healthy, while the [7:59] genetically identical sibling is yellow [8:02] and has adult onset obesity. These are [8:04] genetically identical, but they have [8:06] epigenetic differences in a region of [8:09] their genome. And so we've used these [8:12] viable yellow audi mice as a bio sensor [8:15] for how our environment impacts our [8:18] biology. So we did one study in which [8:22] the mice the mothers were exposed to the [8:25] chemical bisphenol A or BPA. This is the [8:27] monomer that makes up hard clear plastic [8:30] and it's in everything from CDs to baby [8:32] bottles and it lines food cans. And so [8:35] when we gave the mouse mothers a [8:37] moderate level of this chemical, we saw [8:40] that the offspring were more likely to [8:42] be the yellow mice that would go on to [8:46] get obesity. [8:47] But what was truly amazing is we did a [8:50] second study. And in this case, the [8:52] mouse mothers were still exposed to [8:54] bisphenol A, but we gave them a really [8:56] good diet. A diet that was high in [8:58] methyl donors like folic acid and [9:00] vitamin B12, or a diet that had genine, [9:04] which is the phytoestrogen that's found [9:05] in soy products. And in this case, the [9:08] offspring were much more likely to be [9:10] brown and lean. It was almost like they [9:13] hadn't seen bisphenol A at all. So while [9:16] this study is almost 20 years old now, [9:19] it is it showed for the first time that [9:22] diet could counteract the negative [9:25] effects of chemicals. And this is really [9:28] important because we can't always take a [9:31] shopping cart approach. We don't always [9:33] know when these toxicants are on board [9:35] with our food. So if we can think about [9:38] the agency that we have to try to have a [9:41] good diet, get some exercise and maybe [9:44] counteract these effects of these [9:46] chemicals that are invisible to us, um [9:49] we might have some hope. How do you feel [9:53] the direction of the federal government [9:55] and their the new dietary guidelines and [9:59] other health guidance? Do you feel [10:02] that's mostly aligning with with your [10:04] work and your hopes for the po for [10:06] public health? [10:07] >> Yeah, one of my best defense mechanisms [10:10] is being an optimist. And I think that [10:14] this focus on reducing processed foods, [10:18] thinking about um eating cleaner is [10:21] actually an opportunity for people to [10:23] understand that it is these toxic [10:25] chemicals that also come along with the [10:27] poor nutrition. Um, and [clears throat] [10:30] when we think about the epiggenome, [10:33] unlike our genome, which is our DNA, [10:36] it's static and generally not [10:38] modifiable. We don't have a lot of [10:40] options. The epiggenome is dynamic and [10:44] modifiable. So, we may be able to use [10:46] dietary approaches or lifestyle [10:48] approaches to counteract the negative [10:50] effects on our epiggenome and bring it [10:53] back into health. Um, and these this [10:55] gives us agency. We're sort of like the [10:58] our own coders. Um, and it doesn't [11:00] matter. We can start and stop. We don't [11:03] always have to be disciplined. Um, we [11:05] can uh know that we can always make a [11:08] change and think about how to improve [11:10] the health of our epiggenome because [11:12] sometimes science moves faster than [11:14] policy and sometimes vice versa, you [11:17] know. So we'll discover new chemicals [11:19] like PAS, these forever chemicals or the [11:22] plasticizers or phalates and it'll take [11:25] some time for government agencies to um [11:28] be able to regulate them and we tend to [11:31] regulate chemicals one by one. But [11:34] that's a little bit strange because [11:35] we're exposed to many different [11:36] chemicals at one time. So if on the [11:39] other hand we can think about our [11:40] nutritional choices, our nutrition [11:42] policy to help counteract some of the [11:45] slowness in the chemical policy, that's [11:48] a really positive aspect. I want to get [11:51] at the [11:54] discoveries [11:55] and the research around [11:59] cancer and nutritional and environmental [12:02] triggers that we may or may not be able [12:05] to control or what we know. Yeah. So, as [12:08] we discussed, epigenetics is out there [12:11] in the culture now and we want to make [12:13] sure that we are also doing the best [12:16] science and so bringing it back to [12:19] population and back to epidemiology. [12:21] We've recently launched a massive study [12:24] called my cares or the Michigan cancer [12:26] and research on the environment study. [12:29] This is a cohort study that is [12:31] recruiting over a 100,000 Michiganers [12:33] and we're looking at exactly the things [12:35] we're talking about today. how our [12:37] exposures in our environment like our [12:40] air exposure or our waters exposure [12:42] interacting with the epiggenome and [12:45] causing people to be at greater risk of [12:47] cancer. [12:49] So, this is a um a really great [12:51] opportunity for people in Michigan to [12:53] become involved and to contribute to the [12:56] positive aspects of this science. [13:00] And when will that start or how does [13:02] that [13:03] >> Yeah, this study has launched. Um you [13:05] can go to the my cares website. Um it's [13:07] really easy to enroll. Um there are a [13:10] series of six online modules. We ask you [13:13] a lot of questions. These are questions [13:15] to get at your environmental history. So [13:18] where did where were you born? Where did [13:20] you live when you were a child? Because [13:22] these are all different sensitive [13:24] periods for when the environment can [13:26] impact our epiggenome. We also act ask [13:29] about occupational exposures because a [13:31] lot of things that we may encounter in [13:33] the workplace can also end up um [13:36] affecting our epiggenome. And then [13:38] individuals who um are interested can [13:41] participate with biological specimens by [13:43] taking a finger prick and putting a [13:46] piece a drop of blood on a card. And [13:49] when you do that, we can measure all [13:50] sorts of environmental chemicals like [13:53] PAS or lead or mercury and your [13:56] epiggenome at the same time from just a [13:58] couple drops of blood. [14:01] I always love hearing about the [14:03] fascinating research, the hopeful, [14:05] promising research happening here. Um, [14:07] what else did you want to talk about as [14:08] far as what's going on in your world and [14:10] University of Michigan? Yeah, I mean [14:12] when we think about back to connecting [14:14] all of the dots, I think the this [14:18] complex question of how nutrients and [14:21] diet get under our skin through the [14:23] epiggenome is like a uniquely Michigan [14:25] question because we can't all do it [14:27] alone. We need collaborative [14:29] interdisciplinary science. And so the [14:32] Michigan Medicine has um biological [14:34] research core facilities. We actually [14:37] have one of the first epigenomics cores [14:39] on an academic campus. And so this [14:42] allows researchers who may not even be [14:45] familiar with the term to have easy [14:47] access to this emerging technology and [14:50] measure the epiggenome. We also have um [14:54] centers that are funded by the National [14:55] Institutes of Health like MLED which is [14:58] the Michigan lifestage environmental [15:00] exposures and disease or MORC which is [15:02] the nutrition obesity research center. [15:05] And so these allow people like uh [15:08] physicians who may be interested in how [15:10] might lead exposure affect neurological [15:13] diseases like ALS or Alzheimer's [15:15] disease. It allows them to come into the [15:17] center and learn how to measure [15:19] environmental exposures in people's [15:21] biological specimens in people's homes [15:23] or in the greater environment. And so [15:26] I've been at Michigan for 18 years now [15:29] and every day I'm discovering new people [15:31] who are working on a similar question to [15:33] me. And with this comes the synergy that [15:36] we're going to need to be able to [15:38] harness the power of the epiggenome and [15:41] really walk the walk of precision [15:44] environmental health. We want to protect [15:46] people before they get sick. A public [15:50] health approach. For so many years, our [15:53] health care system has been focused on [15:54] treatment. But by flipping this switch [15:57] and by identifying people through their [15:59] epiggenome who might be at risk for [16:01] cancer or other diseases, we can really [16:04] um have an approach to extend life and [16:07] um have a great lifestyle, [16:09] >> you know, and it's this work and hearing [16:11] you talk about it so passionately that [16:13] so many of us are unaware of happening. [16:16] Even I, you know, my working here, but [16:18] especially out in the world, you feel [16:21] things are coming at you. It's hard to [16:23] stay healthy. cancer, it's disease, it's [16:26] but we are living in a fortunate and [16:30] fascinating time of discovery that will [16:34] benefit us or or our children or our [16:38] grandchildren, future generations. [16:41] >> Yeah, [16:42] >> it's amazing when you think about it [16:44] that we're finally able to connect the [16:46] dots. You know, back in the 1980s when [16:48] the developmental origins of disease, [16:50] you know, we didn't have the technology [16:52] to measure the epiggenome. And now we [16:54] can walk across to many labs here at the [16:57] University of Michigan and measure the [16:59] epiggenome in a sample. But what's truly [17:03] interesting is that when these [17:05] environmental exposures happen, we're [17:08] not only necessarily exposing ourselves. [17:11] So you could say it's my choice if I you [17:14] know want to have a bad diet or don't [17:16] want to exercise. But the epiggenome is [17:18] transferred across generations. So [17:22] you are also protecting the future as [17:25] you discussed um when we begin to even [17:28] take the agency for ourselves. [17:30] >> Wow. So really epigenome should be and [17:33] even though I said that incorrectly once [17:35] again the epiggenome should be something [17:37] that is an everyday part of our [17:39] language. Exactly. But we also need to [17:42] be careful about it because it's not uh [17:45] it's an emerging science. We don't [17:47] always know exactly how to harness the [17:50] power to improve our epiggenome. And [17:53] that's why we have to do the [17:55] foundational science to understand where [17:57] we can act and when we can act and not [18:00] um leap too soon before the science is [18:04] ready. I appreciate that. And so going [18:06] back to the simplicity of at least your [18:09] your nutrition, the the the dietary [18:12] guidelines aiming at making us [18:14] healthier, that's established, [18:16] wellknown, and epigenome science is [18:19] building and toward more discoveries to [18:22] benefit our health. [18:23] >> Yes. When we're eating the diets with [18:26] the methyl donors, these green leafy [18:27] vegetables, other things like choline [18:30] and betane that are found in meat and [18:32] eggs, these are epigenome enhancers. Um, [18:37] and having those on board can help [18:40] thwart the effects of the toxicants [18:42] which often cause this oxidative stress [18:44] in our body. These nutrition chemicals [18:47] act like antioxidants to shut that down [18:49] and bring our epiggenome back into [18:51] check. [18:53] I like it and I'm so thankful to have [18:57] learned this today and um thank you very [19:00] much for sharing this and I'm sure we'll [19:03] be hearing much more about your work [19:05] >> wonderful going forward. [19:06] >> Thank you so much Kim. [19:07] >> Thank you. [music] [19:12] >> Thank you for listening to this episode [19:14] of Michigan Minds [music] produced by [19:16] Michigan News, a division of the [19:18] university's office of the vice [19:19] president for communications.