Nutritional Genomics, a growing field of medicine, is looking at which foods and nutrients can alter your genes. Imagine having a saliva or blood test to determine which foods and nutrients you need in order to manipulate your genes so you don't get high cholesterol or Alzheimer's. Well it is happening today — and scientists have already studied many foods and nutrients for their ability to alter or turn on or off our genes. The food you choose can either keep dangerous disease-causing genes dormant or wake them up with a vengeance. I have highlighted a few of the foods and nutrients known to positively affect our genes.

Curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, reduces the action of a number of genes that promote inflammation particularly the Cox-2 gene. We know that inflammation is linked to heart disease, several cancers especially colon cancer, as well as diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. India, where curcumin is eaten daily as a spice in foods, has the lowest rates of Alzheimer's in the world. In North America Alzheimer's affects 10 percent of those over 65 and the rate doubles every five years thereafter. Researchers at the University of California found that curcumin, in both low and high doses, reduced the inflammatory immune factors IL-1 and IL-6 secreted by microglia cells. These cells in the brain when hyper-stimulated can cause neuron destruction. It just makes sense to eat curcumin or take it as a nutritional supplement to help prevent Alzheimer's and memory decline.

Sulforaphane, found in broccoli, is a powerful gene manipulator. So is D-glucarate found in fruits and vegetables. The body has a way of dealing with toxins via the liver. There are two detoxification pathways affected by key genes. Phase I detoxification breaks down dangerous substances and then Phase II makes sure they are eliminated. If either pathway is disrupted for example; if Phase II is working too slow to clear away all the toxins, the toxins build up in the system and create disease — particularly cancer. Sulforaphane and D-glucarate make sure the genes that control that system work without failure. Mother was right when she told you to eat your fruits and vegetables but I would go further and make sure your supplement program includes Sulforaphane and D-glucarate. Everyday we are bombarded by thousands of dangerous chemicals and agents and our genes are crying for help.

Green tea, extensively researched for its cancer protective effects, has been found to work on the HER-2 gene associated with aggressive breast cancer. The HER-2 gene causes growth of cancer cells. Green tea slows the signalling of this dangerous gene in some women. Researchers have found not all women benefit from the powerful gene altering agents in Green tea because they may have another gene that produces enzymes that turn off Green tea's benefits. But for those genes, Green tea does affect it is powerful.

Green tea has also been found to calm inflammation via the Cox-2 gene. In 1999, several studies were published in Sweden, Taiwan and the United States describing Green tea's efficacy in inhibiting the Cox-2 enzymes which cause inflammation in those with arthritis. Not only was Green tea found to be as good as Cox-2 anti-inflammatory medications like Celebrex and Vioxx, but Green tea also contains 51 other anti-inflammatory compounds. The USDA Phytochemical Database also identified 15 anti-ulcer compounds in Green tea, supporting evidence that long-term use can also inhibit ulcers caused by prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications including ibuprofen.

The three ingredients above are contained in Estrosense.

Vitamin D manufactured on our skin from sunshine, works on genes that protect us from colon cancer among other diseases. Those living in the northern hemisphere have double the rate of colon cancer and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis as those living in the sunny south. Vitamin D deficiency is endemic in the North even during the summer months according to research performed at the University of Calgary mainly because we are heeding the dangers of the sun and seeking shade, slapping on sunscreen and hats, all to the detriment of our vitamin D stores. Vitamin D in a dosage of 1000 IU is essential to ensuring proper gene activity.