Your Genes Are Not Your Destiny: Rewriting Your Health Story One Choice at a Time

A few years ago, I had a conversation that totally shifted the way I look at health… mine, my family’s, and my clients’. I was catching up with a friend over coffee, and she mentioned that her doctor told her she was “probably going to get diabetes” because it ran in her family. The words came out so nonchalantly. Like it was already carved in stone. She shrugged and said, “It’s just in my genes. There’s not much I can do.”

Oof.

I felt that one in my gut. And not because I thought she was wrong, but because I used to think the exact same way.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever believed you were stuck with your health struggles because “it runs in the family.” Maybe you’ve been told that you’re genetically predisposed to heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, or autoimmune conditions. Maybe you’ve watched family members go through chronic illness and assumed that would one day be your reality, too.

But what if I told you that’s not how it works?

Here’s the truth: your genes are not your destiny.

They’re a starting point. A blueprint. A dusty old library of stories that you inherited, but you get to decide which ones are worth rereading, and which ones never even make it off the shelf.

This, my friend, is the incredible power of epigenetics and why I’m so fired up to talk about it.

Think of Your Genes Like a Library

Let’s set the scene.

Imagine your DNA as an ancient library: floor-to-ceiling shelves of books passed down from your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Some of those books contain brilliant wisdom, resilience, and strength. Others are filled with old narratives of illness, inflammation, and imbalance.

But here’s the kicker: you’re the librarian.

You get to decide which books are pulled off the shelf and opened… and which ones stay closed and collect dust. You might have a “book” on heart disease in your library. That doesn’t mean you’re destined to read it. The way you live… what you eat, how you sleep, how you manage stress… that’s what determines which stories get read.

Epigenetics is the science that proves this.

The Science: Epigenetics Runs the Show

Your DNA doesn’t change, but how it expresses itself does. That’s epigenetics in a nutshell. It’s like the director of a movie: it doesn’t rewrite the script, but it controls how the story plays out.

Your lifestyle habits create little chemical tags called epigenetic marks that attach to your DNA and influence which genes turn on or off. These tags are constantly being added or removed, depending on your environment, your food choices, your movement, your sleep, and even your mindset.

Here’s where it gets juicy: Scientists estimate that only about 20% of how we age is dictated by our genes.

The other 80%? That’s all you, baby. Your daily choices hold way more power than your family history ever could.

A pivotal 2015 study published in Science showed that lifestyle changes (especially around stress, diet, and movement) can actually influence the length of your telomeres. Telomeres are the protective caps on your DNA, kind of like the plastic ends of a shoelace. When they get shorter, you age faster. When they stay longer, you age more slowly.

Translation: your habits can slow down (or speed up) your biological aging. 

Practical Steps: Lifestyle Hacks to Refresh Your Genes

Alright, now that your inner science nerd is satisfied, let’s make this practical.

Because what good is all this info if you don’t know how to use it?

Here are five evidence-based, doable, real-life strategies you can start today to refresh your gene expression and actually influence your long-term health. And no, you don’t need fancy supplements or biohacking gadgets. Just some good ol’ consistent habits that your body will absolutely thank you for.

1. Eat the Rainbow (and Skip the Junk)

Color = nutrients. Nutrients = epigenetic gold.

A diet rich in colorful veggies, berries, herbs, and healthy fats floods your cells with antioxidants, polyphenols, and compounds that literally help repair your DNA. Think: leafy greens, cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and cauliflower), blueberries, turmeric, green tea, and wild-caught fish.

A 2020 study in Advances in Nutrition found that eating in a Mediterranean style (think olive oil, nuts, fish, fruits, veggies, and minimal sugar) was directly associated with longer telomeres. That’s a big deal.

And let’s not forget what not to eat: processed sugar, seed oils, refined carbs, and trans fats. These guys are inflammatory landmines that crank up oxidative stress and wreak havoc on gene expression.

Your DNA is not a garbage disposal. Be intentional about what you’re feeding it.

2. Move Your Body (Consistency > Intensity)

You don’t need a six-pack or a CrossFit membership to impact your genes. Just move.

Exercise has been shown to increase enzymes that protect telomeres, and it lowers inflammation, boosts brain function, and regulates blood sugar… all factors that influence gene expression.

A 2019 study in Sports Medicine confirmed that even moderate activity like brisk walking, yoga, or resistance training 3–5 times a week can support healthy aging at the cellular level.

My advice? Choose movement that brings you joy, not punishment. Go for a walk while listening to a podcast. Dance in your kitchen. Lift heavy things. Stretch your body after sitting. The point is to make movement a lifestyle, not a chore.

3. Sleep Like It’s Your Job

Sleep is not optional… it’s foundational. And your genes are listening.

During deep, restorative sleep, your body repairs damaged cells and clears out toxins. Without that reset, your epigenetic “switchboard” gets scrambled. A 2021 study in Sleep found that chronic sleep deprivation messes with gene regulation and speeds up biological aging. Yikes.

So, how do you protect your precious sleep?

• Create a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.

• Keep screens out of the bedroom.

• Cool your sleeping environment.

• Avoid caffeine after noon.

• Build a calming wind-down routine (no, scrolling TikTok doesn’t count).

Aim for 7–9 hours of high-quality sleep each night. Not just time in bed… actual restorative sleep.

4. Stress Less (or at Least, Stress Smarter)

Stress isn’t inherently bad, it’s your body’s way of adapting and surviving. The problem is chronic stress that never shuts off. And guess what? That constant state of fight-or-flight changes your gene expression.

It suppresses genes that regulate immune function and upregulates inflammatory genes. Translation: your body gets stuck in survival mode, and healing takes a back seat.

To flip the switch, you need to intentionally build resilience:

• Practice breathwork or meditation.

• Try journaling or gratitude writing.

• Get outside barefoot (hello, grounding).

• Laugh, connect, rest, and play.

Remember: stress management doesn’t have to look like bubble baths and spa days (though those are great). It can be five deep breaths between meetings. A short walk after dinner. A tech-free hour before bed.

Small shifts. Big results.

5. Ditch the Victim Mindset

This one’s a little spicy, but I say it with love.

You cannot heal if you’re constantly telling yourself that your body is broken or that you’re a victim of your genes. That mindset alone alters your biology. Your thoughts create real, measurable changes in your hormones, neurotransmitters, and yes… your gene expression.

Instead, embrace the belief that your body is wise, resilient, and capable of healing. That it wants to be in balance. That your genes are working for you, not against you.

Say it with me: My genes are not my destiny. My daily choices are.

A Root Cause Mindset for the Win

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I don’t chase symptoms. I help clients support the whole body by addressing the foundations of health... like blood sugar balance, digestion, mineral status, hydration, and rest. Why? Because when we support the foundations, we create an internal environment where the body can do what it was designed to do: heal.

And that healing process? It begins with small, consistent lifestyle changes that signal safety to the body. When we shift out of survival mode and into a state of balance, our genes have the opportunity to express vitality instead of dysfunction.

You’re not stuck. You’re not broken. And you’re definitely not at the mercy of your family tree.

You’re holding a beautiful, powerful library of potential... and you get to decide which chapters get read.

So here’s your invitation:

Start spring-cleaning your gene expression. Dust off the chapters that align with vitality, joy, energy, and longevity. Let the rest fade away. One meal, one walk, one deep breath at a time.

Your biology is always listening.

What story will you tell it today?

Ready to take that first step? Hit reply and tell me: What’s one habit you’re committed to this week that supports your health story? Let’s do this together.

References:

Blackburn, E. H., Epel, E. S., & Lin, J. (2015). Human telomere biology: A contributory and interactive factor in aging, disease risks, and protection. Science, 350(6265), 1193–1198. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aab3389

​Carroll, J. E., & Prather, A. A. (2021). Sleep and biological aging: A short review. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 18, 159–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coemr.2021.03.021

​Crous-Bou, M., Molinuevo, J.-L., & Sala-Vila, A. (2019). Plant-rich dietary patterns, plant foods and nutrients, and telomere length. Advances in Nutrition, 10(Suppl_4), S296–S303. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz026​

​Passarino, G., De Rango, F., & Montesanto, A. (2016). Human longevity: Genetics or lifestyle? It takes two to tango. Immunity & Ageing, 13(1), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-016-0066-z

Werner, C. M., Hecksteden, A., Morsch, A., Zundler, J., Wegmann, M., Kratzsch, J., Thiery, J., Hohl, M., Bittenbring, J. T., Neumann, F., Böhm, M., Meyer, T., & Laufs, U. (2019). Differential effects of endurance, interval, and resistance training on telomerase activity and telomere length in a randomized, controlled study. European Heart Journal, 40(1), 34–46. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy585 

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash