Your DNA, Your Life

By Cee McDermott

A guide for anyone looking to utilize the key information their DNA inherently provides to unlock the mechanisms for health and wellness. 

 

No longer are we bound by the deterministic fate of our genetics. Science now tells us that our health destiny is in ou

• Language: English
• Publisher: Langley House Media
• Release date: Oct 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986443904

Book preview

Have patience with all things, but, first of all, with yourself.

— Saint Francis de Sales

Your DNA, Your Life

Copyright ©2022 Cee McDermott

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state, and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the reader and consumer.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of the consumer or reader of this material. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

The resources in this book are provided for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the specialized training and professional judgment of a healthcare or mental healthcare professional.

Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for using the information provided within this book. Please always consult a trained professional before making any decision regarding the treatment of yourself or others.

To get the best experience with this book, it is advisable to download and use my online audio and pdf companion so as to implement the suggestions faster and take the next steps needed to reach limitless wellness. You can get started by visiting: www.ceemcdermott.com/bookresources

Typesetting and cover design by Arjan van Woensel

Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9864439-1-1

e-Book ISBN: 979-8-9864439-0-4

First Edition

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Your DNA

Chapter 2: Sleep

Chapter 3: Movement

Chapter 4: Nourishment

Chapter 5: Cognitive Health

Chapter 6: Stress and Mindset

Chapter 7: Spiritual Practice

Chapter 8: Your Life

Workbook

Cee McDermott holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Integrative Nutrition. She is the founder of Cee McDermott, LLC as a Precision Wellness Practitioner.

Cee is a Certified Holistic Health and Nutrition Practitioner, Behavior Change Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, Cognitive Health Specialist, Epigenetic specialist, Kundalini Yoga teacher, Herbalist, meditation teacher, Reiki Master teacher, writer, wife, and a mom to two young boys.

She lives in New Jersey and spends her time learning, cooking, traveling, volunteering, teaching, and guiding others to find their flow for an enhanced human experience through optimized wellness.

To those with a shared spirit to raise the collective consciousness

(particularly Eamonn and Reed)

Your DNA

The term epigenetics has become a popular buzzword among health-conscious people, but many are still unaware of its meaning. The prefix epi is derived from Greek and means above, while genetics denotes the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that makes up each cell of your body. While the literal translation of epigenetics might sound quite intrusive, epigenetics is translated as above the genetics. Simply put, epigenetics is a new maxim pertaining to how you live your life. Nevertheless, it goes much deeper than that. In reality, the concept of epigenetics is rooted in the cells of your body—the way you take each breath upon waking (and while sleeping), how you wake up in the morning, and even your choices affect who you are at the cellular level. Whether you reach for that cup of caffeine or a phone scroll upon waking, or whether you choose instead to meditate or stretch your body—each choice produces a very different outcome within the body. When you shower, the water temperature affects you on a cellular level. When you rush through a routine and barely notice your movements, your cells are listening. Acknowledging the self within the body is as vital to health as what you eat and how you move. Mindful cognizance aligns the self with the body. If you decide to skip preparing breakfast in exchange for a quick trip to the drive-though, your whole being is affected. The same goes for how you drive and where you choose to park, what music or podcast you listen to, and whom you surround yourself with. Even down to what type of water you drink, your body, mind, and soul are affected. Every decision, or lack of thereof, affects who you are as a person—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

If you are reading this book, you are most likely interested in learning how to effectively make decisions for the best possible impact on your health and wellness, in precisely the way your body needs for optimal function. Maybe you’d like to run a 5k, spend more time in creative energy with your kids, or finally get to writing that book you’ve had on your mind for the last several years. Maybe you are ready to leave your 9–5 for your 5–9 and create an impact on the world. Perhaps, you have grand plans, or once did, and you’ve seen them slip away or get put on the back-burner year after year.

When I get that promotion, we’ll go on the trip.

When the kids are bigger, I’ll have more time for my passion.

Once I get a clearer sense of what I’m looking for, I will find my partner.

I’ll find peace and happiness, but only when I have more time.

We’ve all been there; it is the human condition to look to optimize, upgrade, and move to the next stage—or the next best thing. Modern life seems to have intervened with its conveniences of safety and comfort that allow our ego minds to easily have less I’ve done it’s, and instead, more what if’s (besides more time staring at a screen).

To move past the someday mindset and the what if’s, you need the energy and drive to want it, to need it, and strive for it. Full physical, spiritual, and mental health to be able to pursue what it is you are meant for—some may call it divine purpose, others may call it soul alignment. And, what if you were meant for more than just moving through your days on the hamster wheel? What if you were capable of finding your flow in everyday life?

As individuals in our society, we have been automated to follow a specific life path. Once in a while, you may find yourself monotonously completing routines through life without deep-seated passion. Waiting to get to the next culturally assigned milestone is common, but this doesn’t imply that it’s normal or even beneficial for humans to crave. Family time may be limited, but you manage to embrace a sit-down dinner here and there, and you celebrate the holidays together. Perhaps, you used to be an athlete but now hit the gym a few times a week. Or, maybe you had a great hobby, but it became a time commitment you could no longer make. Playing outside in the sunshine is reserved for kids, but only after soccer practice. Monthly dinner with your friends becomes an annual dinner, catching up to realize that you’ve only met their baby once, and now she’s six. Some inquiry, curiosity, or other act brought you to have a desire to learn more about how to live a fulfilled and joyously abundant life. My intention in writing this book is to help guide you toward falling in love with the power of your body, mind, and spirit.

Let’s look at the story of Michelle. She is a 38-year-old mother to small children who craves alone time. She works a full-time job and wants to spend time with her kids when she gets home, but she also desires downtime alone. However, the countless responsibilities of running a household take their time each night. After putting her children to bed, she chooses to fall asleep in front of the television while binge-watching Netflix after a couple of glasses of wine—she considers this to be her alone time. To feel better physically and better about herself, she makes a resolution to wake up early and get in a workout three times a week. Before having kids, Michelle had committed to her self-care, and after realizing how little time she spent toward bettering herself in her current condition, she recalled the importance of making her goals attainable and reasonable. Week 1 goes well, and she starts her workouts a little sleepy but begins to feel slightly energetic with the confidence gained from her workouts. Week 2 is busy at work, creating a little stress for her, but she still committed to her morning exercises. Week 3 held her desired routine until things began to go south. After a night of tending to her sick child, she willingly hits the snooze button on her alarm. She considers how much cozier her bed is than a chilly drive to the gym and is captivated by the thought. Michelle unswervingly dodges the gym for the next several months and does not continue the healthy lifestyle that she knew would benefit her. The inconsistency that Michelle experienced results from substituting a short-term goal for a life solution. While short-term goals can be helpful, she did not change anything else about her life. Inserting one fix into a body and consciousness as complex as a human’s will not bring about a lifelong change.

What is Epigenetics?

The human genome is a complete set of nucleic acid sequences for humans, encoded as DNA within the 23 chromosome pairs in cell nuclei and in a small DNA molecule found within individual mitochondria. The genome contains around 23,000 genes. Gene expression signifies the chemical products produced by genes. Herein, we refer to gene expression when discussing the variations within your genetics owing to your environment; this does not imply that you are changing your DNA, simply the chemical products produced by the DNA. These chemicals direct your cellular activity. Around 5% of your genes determine physical traits, such as eye color and height, and these cannot change. The other 95% of your genes, which control thousands of functions, are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Your DNA is set at conception—half coming from the sperm and half from the egg; this also does not change throughout life. Each parent gives you 3 billion bases (for a total of 6 billion from both parents), which are chemicals known as adenine, thymine, guanine, and cystine and denoted as A, T, G, and C, respectively. The bases are arranged on each side of the ladder of the double helix. Different iterations of these bases form the rungs on the ladder. Each side of the ladder links with the other base, creating base pairs that have two letters—A always links with T, and G always links with C; each of these pairs is called a nucleotide. Picture the DNA helix: each nucleotide is paired as a rung on the helix. Numerous sets of these rungs converge and form the 46 chromosomes contained in each cell of the body. Of the 3 billion base pairs, only approximately 3 million are gene variants that we are concerned with in epigenetics. These are single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; pronounced snips), which make your genetics completely unique and make you, you. Some SNPs do very little at this time in evolution. They are either a part of the genome with little function or science has not yet discovered their fullest function.

Everything in our body is regulated by chemical reactions that switch genes on or off within our DNA. However, it’s not as simple as turning on or off a gene expression. These genes can be activated, suppressed, or modified by epigenetic effects. Epigenetics focuses on the chemical reaction turning that gene up or down, much like a dimmer on your light switch. With the dimmer fully up, chemicals express this gene fully. With the dimmer fully down, this gene is suppressed. With the suitable lifestyle habits and environment, the dimmer may go all the way up, all the way down, or halfway down or somewhere in between, depending on the gene. Some genes exert an enormous effect on the human body and can also combine with other genes to express a disease.

Let’s say that your family has a history of diabetes. You might have inherited the SNPs that could render you more susceptible than average to insulin resistance. If you live a healthy lifestyle and manage glucose levels by simply eating nutritious, real food, exercise, and maintain an active mind and body, you are unlikely to express the insulin resistance that later becomes diabetes. This is a common theme among those actively focusing on health; they might not even be aware of dodging the proverbial bullet their healthy lifestyle has afforded them. Conversely, the opposite scenario is also possible and can commonly occur. If the same person with a genetic predisposition for susceptibility to insulin resistance follows a high-sugar diet and almost sedentary lifestyle, he/she is more likely to experience insulin resistance that can eventually lead to diabetes. Same person, same genetics, and yet very different outcomes based solely on lifestyle factors.

The human body is not a ticking time bomb that we have to outrun, out-think, or out-maneuver. Many people believe that their health is dictated by their genes (oftentimes we may hear someone state, It’s in my genes.), suggesting that there is no control over what you or your body decides to do in this life. This has been debunked, and scientific research has elucidated that you can control your DNA expression. Since the mapping of the full human genome in 2001, scientists thought that they had discovered all the answers regarding genetics; however, their discoveries were just the beginning. Many outstanding researchers in the genomic field discovered that epigenetics determine outcomes in gene expression. The idea of the markers appearing above the genes cannot be credited to a single study or research project. Science continues to explore the epigenome (the portion of the human genome that can be altered) and how our lives affect it. Broadly, our genetics is altered by lifestyle, psychosocial, and environmental factors (sometimes unintentionally).

We work with the body, mind, and spirit to establish and maintain a connection for the wellness of the epigenome. Sadly, however, the medical and scientific communities do not encourage individuals to be in control of their health and wellness outcomes. Suffice to say that selling a healthy lifestyle is not nearly as profitable as selling pills. Our healthcare system supports a sick care model and intentionally disregards a new paradigm shift embodying personal responsibility. If people knew they had the power to live how they wanted, rather than depending on a separate system, it would make life much easier for so many struggling with their health. This is not to say that all genetics are alterable. There exist some specific genes for the following diseases that researchers continue to explore to date: sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, hemophilia, Huntington’s disease, and muscular dystrophy. When someone is born with genetics specific to these diseases, symptom management is the only known current solution.

A common belief that I have heard from clients is that they inherited a disease state or are bound to get it; this is most often cited for obesity, diabetes, and cancer. What I try to convey to individuals who feel destined for a disease state is that they are in charge of their genetic outcome the vast majority of the time. Remember that our parents do not just give us our genetics, they also give us our environment, they give us our mindset, and our programming from a young age; these factors become ingrained in your body and inherited in mind much like your genetics. Thus, it is imperative to elucidate the role of the environment in our genetic expression to understand our SNP expression. Once we take a look at the current environment, I like to go back with clients to discover how the childhood environment might have influenced where their genetics are currently expressed. This is not a chance to blame anything on our parents or to give away our responsibility but to build context and break a generational or, perhaps, multigenerational pattern.

Grace

I define grace as a thoughtful way of behaving. Although dictionaries offer many definitions of grace, this is the definition I refer to when I say to move through life with grace. Grace enables us to navigate life’s ups and downs with great care and thought that comes naturally. Grace allows us to sacrifice for the greater good whether that be for our loved ones or society. If you know someone who possesses grace, he/she behaves such that others can admire but sometimes cannot quite define. Grace comes from creating thoughtful ways of living, day in and day out. Another buzzword to describe this way of thinking is mindful. However, grace differs from mindfulness in the sense that grace includes being kind and loyal to yourself and also to others. As we move throughout this book, we will explore the concept of grace, and you will likely find it comes naturally as you work through the processes here. Through purposeful, meaningful habits that actually create change in physical, emotional, spiritual health, you can create a mind–body connection that will give you the vitality to do each and every thing that you decide to do each and every day—not just the dishes, laundry, and emails. Your life’s passion that lights you up and brings you energy will be open to you. You might have heard of a flow state; when you are in flow, you lose all sense of time and sense of the outside world. You are engrossed in your passion physically, mentally, spiritually, and nothing is difficult. The words, thoughts, and actions flow right through you. Great athletes know this flow. Great thinkers know this flow. Moreover, average everyday folks who have purposefully sought this type of energy know this flow. Did you know that there are people who walk around in this state of flow with ease every day?

Ease

There is someone we all know that seems to move through life with great ease. She can handle almost anything that comes her way unruffled. Effortlessly and casually crushing goals, taking on her fair share of the workload, and still getting home in time to cook a healthy dinner for her loving family. And, this is not just a pretty Instagram-curated picture, but the real deal. She seems to brainstorm an idea, get it started, and complete it with absolute ease. By now you have a specific friend or acquaintance in mind and, perhaps, because of human nature, you find this person annoying or baffling. If you don’t have someone specific in mind, think of someone that just seems