Can Genes Drive You To Become A Vegetarian

Becoming vegetarian is normally a choice that people decide to make, but is it possible for your body to start rejecting meat? Many people become veterinarians for either environmental, ethical, or health reasons. Recently, a study provided information on how someone's genetic code can make them vegetarian. The study compared genetic data from over 5,300 strict vegetarians to a control group of over 329,000 non-vegetarians. The study revealed that 31 genes potentially linked to vegetarians had a different complex lipid content compared to those who were eating meat. 

Dietary needs have always been pretty simple, humans eat plants and animals, but this study opens a door for them to go further into understanding our diet. We will have to wait for other studies to be done to gain deeper insights into this genetic code. This research encourages others to understand the relationship between our genetic code and the food choices we make.

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Genes Driving to Make You Vegetarians

Intake of Red Meat May Cause Colon Cancer

        A new study involving 1.5 million people all-causes of mortality increases with daily intake of red or processed meats. The study confirms the knowledge of physicians that diet can either heal or harm the body. The data found the steepest rise in mortality at the smallest increases of intake of red meat. They also found a 3.6 year increase in life expectancy for people with a vegetarian diet for more than 17 years.

          The intake of red and processed meat has also been linked to an increased rate of colon cancer. Most studies show that the fat consumed from the red meat is what increases the risk of colon cancer. Large amounts of red meat cause colonic cytotoxicity and epithelial proliferation. This also causes cells within the colon to mutate and creates cancerous polyps.  

        In my opinion these study provide very useful information for the public. The data shows how beneficial cutting reducing or cutting red meat out of your diet can be.Hopefully physicians can spread the word to patients about how important nutrition is and how it can improve your health.

   

Western Diet Contributing to Kidney Cancer

In the United States of America, barbecuing food is almost a religious practice; from tailgating to summer holidays, barbecuing is a popular method for cooking meats. Recent studies show that this method of cooking meats may be leading to renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer. Cooking meats over an open flame creates carcinogens, including 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo(4,5-b) pyridine (PhIP) and amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f) quinoxaline (MeIQx). To determine whether the mechanism for developing RCC is viable, the researchers polled and collected genetic information from patients with RCC and people without this cancer. The results showed that people who had RCC consumed more red meat, PhIP, and MeIQx than the subjects without RCC. Due to these results, the correlation between RCC and consuming meats cooked over an open flame is viable. The researchers also investigated connections between human genetics and susceptibility to RCC. Their research showed that people with variations in the gene ITPR2 were more susceptible to the effects of consuming PhIP. Further experimentation needs to be carried out to clarify the mechanism for developing RCC.

Eating red meat has already been connected to health risks in the past, from heart disease to diabetes. Maybe this study is just more evidence that red meat should be avoided, and protein consumption should come from poultry, fish, beans, and other sources. I believe that as long as red meat is eaten in moderation, there will be less risk for developing RCC and other diseases. I also believe that this study shows the importance in the reduction of the cost of genome sequencing. If people can get their genome sequenced, they can find out if they have the ITPR2 mutant gene which increases their health risks due to PhIP consumption. If people know their own genome, then they could modify their diet to reduce risks due to their genetic composition.   

Recently, genes have been found that increase the chance of getting colorectal cancer in people that eat red or processed meat. There is also another gene that US researchers found that decreases this risk when eating fruit, vegetables, and fiber. A study was done to prove this finding in which people with this cancer were compared with healthy individuals. Subject's genes were sequenced to determine if there was a correlation. They found that gene rs4143094 affects 33% of the population and was found in the majority of the cancer positive subjects. This gene was also in the same area of other known genes, such as GATA3, that have been linked to cancer. These findings could help prevent future outbreaks of these types of triggered cancers. This is one example of how genetic sequencing can be used to understand the patients susceptibility to colorectal cancer. Changing their diets according identification of these genes could help prevent future health problems, including other cancers or genetic flaws that could be prevented through a better diet.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267954.php