Do I Look Healthy in These Genes?

Genetics used to feel like a verdict. You either had the gene or you didn't, and if you had it, something bad was coming. That model is outdated. The more we understand epigenetics, the clearer it becomes that your genes are a starting point, not a fixed destination.

So: do you look healthy in these genes? With the right information and the right support, the answer is almost always yes.

Six Things Worth Understanding About Epigenetics

1. Genes Are Not Your Destiny

Having a gene variant doesn't mean it will express as disease. Expression requires triggers: environmental, nutritional, hormonal, emotional. The presence of a variant is an invitation to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

2. Environment Speaks Louder Than Sequence

Two people can carry the exact same MTHFR variant and have completely different health outcomes because their environments differ. Diet, sleep, stress, toxin exposure, relationships: these are all epigenetic inputs that determine whether a gene variant becomes a health problem or stays silent.

3. Methylation Is the Master Switch

Methylation is the biochemical process at the heart of epigenetic regulation. It turns genes on and off, regulates neurotransmitter production, detoxifies harmful compounds, and controls DNA repair. MTHFR is critical to this process. Supporting methylation isn't just about one gene; it's about giving your entire epigenome what it needs to function.

4. Epigenetic Changes Are Reversible

Unlike DNA sequence changes, epigenetic changes (the marks that regulate gene expression) can be modified. You can shift your epigenetic profile with sustained dietary and lifestyle changes. It takes time, but it works.

5. The Epigenetic Diet Is Real

Certain foods actively support epigenetic health by providing methyl donors and cofactors that the methylation pathway depends on. These aren't supplements or protocols. They're foods:

• Brassica vegetables (broccoli, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, arugula) contain sulforaphane, a potent epigenetic modifier that supports detox and reduces harmful estrogen metabolites
• Dark leafy greens are folate-rich and support methylation directly
• Eggs are one of the best choline sources, critical for the PEMT pathway and liver methylation
• Green tea contains EGCG, which has been studied for its ability to influence DNA methylation patterns
• Garlic and onions provide allicin and quercetin, which support methylation and detoxification
• Wild salmon and sardines deliver omega-3s that reduce inflammation disrupting methylation
• Berries contain anthocyanins that protect DNA and support phase II liver detox
• Turmeric contains curcumin, one of the most studied epigenetic modulators

6. Testing Tells You Where You Actually Are

Genetic testing reveals your variants. Functional testing reveals whether those variants are causing real-world problems right now. These two things are different, and both matter.

Who Should Consider This Testing

Methylation affects nearly every system in the body. If you're not methylating well, you're not detoxifying well either. That connection shows up across a wide range of complaints that don't obviously point to genetics:

• Personal or family history of cardiovascular disease
• Infertility or recurrent miscarriage
• Brain fog, memory issues, or mood disorders including anxiety and depression
• Unexplained fatigue or chronic symptoms that don't resolve with standard treatment
• Poor tolerance of medications or supplements
• Skin issues, digestive complaints, or chronic headaches without a clear cause
• People who are healthy and want to stay that way. Knowing your variants lets us tailor your nutrient needs to you specifically, not guess with generic recommendations.

That last point matters more than people expect. Some of the most useful appointments we have are with patients who feel great. There's no crisis driving them in. They just want to know what their genes need to keep running well.

SNP analysis also informs things beyond methylation: how you process caffeine, your optimal protein intake, neurotransmitter production and breakdown, cholesterol and blood pressure predisposition, and detoxification capacity.

How We Assess Your Methylation at Remedy

You don't have to guess. Most patients come in with raw data from 23andMe or AncestryDNA already in hand, and that's a great starting point. We use that raw file to run SNP analysis and pull the variants that are clinically relevant to how you feel: MTHFR, COMT, CBS, MTR, MTRR, and others in the methylation and detox pathways.

Genetic variants alone don't tell the whole story, though. We layer that picture with functional lab work to see whether your variants are actively causing problems right now:

• Homocysteine: elevated homocysteine is one of the clearest indicators of methylation impairment. Our functional target is under 7 µmol/L. Most conventional labs don't flag it until it's over 15.
• Methylmalonic acid (MMA): a sensitive marker for functional B12 status, even when serum B12 looks normal
• Complete blood count (CBC): macrocytic or megaloblastic anemia can indicate folate/B12 insufficiency from poor methylation
• Serum and RBC folate: RBC folate reflects tissue stores more accurately than serum folate alone

Reading these results in the context of your full genetic picture changes what we recommend. One variant in isolation rarely explains much. The pattern across multiple SNPs, combined with what your labs actually show, is where the useful clinical information lives.

Eat Smart, Optimize Your Genes

Watch this webinar for a detailed walkthrough on how diet and genetic variants interact, including what to eat when your methylation pathways aren't working at full capacity.

~ Dr. Sherri