do you have good genes?
Sydney Sweeney got everyone talking about genes. Let’s make it useful.
Sydney Sweeney triggered a 9.2 magnitude cultural earthquake last week. In an ad for American Eagle, a narrator remarked that she had “great jeans.”
The internet spiraled into shambles. Some accused the brand of sanctioning eugenics. “It’s literally giving Nazi propaganda,” one influencer said.
Others praised the ad’s apolitical, sexy cleverness. “HOTTEST ad out there,” Trump declared—after learning she’s a registered Republican. “Go get ’em, Sydney!”
Now, the takes are being published. Pundits are dissecting the moment from every possible angle other than one: the actual power of genes—or more specifically, the ability to influence their expression for better health.
When I first came into existence—at the moment of fertilization—my genetic blueprint was formed. Unique. One of one.
This blueprint, a combination of my parents’ genes, determined things like my brown hair and matching set of irises. That’s usually what we think of when we think genetics. Eye color, hair type, height.
And while those traits are written into my DNA, that’s not the whole story.
Contrary to what 20th-century science led many to believe, genes aren’t set in stone. My DNA may be fixed. But how my gene code gets read? That’s where things get interesting.
Enter epigenetics: the science of how your genes are turned on or off without changing the underlying DNA.
Bear with me as I get nerdy for a second. But this is important. Especially to abate the critics.
Epigenetics works through three mechanisms:
DNA methylation: chemical tags get added to DNA, effectively silencing certain genes.
Histone modification: DNA winds around proteins called histones; how tightly it’s wound determines whether a gene is active (loose) or silent (tight).
Non-coding RNAs: these help regulate which genes get expressed, when, and to what extent.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.”
Epigenetics takes it a step further. It determines where, when, or even if the gun fires at all.
Take my friend, Harrison*, for example. His father died of ALS, a brutal neurodegenerative disease. Most doctors will tell him—young, healthy, in his prime—that if he tests positive for the ALS gene, it’s game over. Nothing to do but wait.
But that’s demonstrably false.
Emerging research shows that epigenetic mechanisms—like histone modification—can actually silence or suppress the expression of the ALS gene, meaning the so-called genetic “destiny” isn’t a destiny at all.
The same goes for your family history of heart disease or obesity or diabetes or depression or cancer.
Not to go Oprah Winfrey on you, but you can change your trajectory. Let’s talk how.
It’s exciting to know that gene expression can be changed. But that knowledge is useless unless we understand how to change it, and what drives good or bad expression. Fortunately, we do.
The list of factors is long. Nearly everything affects your genes: from where you live to who you spend time with to the deodorant you use.
But unless you’re living in a hyper-toxic environment, the most powerful lever you can pull is diet. Nutrient-dense foods help switch off harmful genes and activate protective ones.
Specific nutrients—like folate—are directly tied to healthy DNA methylation. Without them, your genetic expression can take a nosedive, giving deference to disease-promoting pathways.
The Running On Butter lifestyle works great on this front. Keep eating meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, herbs, and spices. These foods are packed with nutrients that cultivate healthy genetic expression.
Exercise is also critical for good gene expression. In one study, older women who strength trained three times a week for three months saw 61 pro-inflammatory genes “significantly blunted,” researchers reported.
(pro-inflammatory = disease)
Not sure where or how to start on the strength train?
Seniors: start here.
Moms: start here.
Dads: start here.
Young adults: start here.
Kids: Get outside and play.
Lastly, we must talk about the modern chemical onslaught affecting our genes. Think: microplastics, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances.
These hormone-disrupting compounds don’t just float around harmlessly. They interfere with our biology at its deepest level, flipping genetic switches that were never meant to be touched.
The question isn’t if they’ll trigger harmful gene expression—like cancer—it’s when those expressions will fully manifest.
I’d be lying if I said Sydney Sweeney didn’t have great jeans and genes. But I’d also be lying if I said your genes are your destiny. Because they’re not.
They’re custom-coded, dynamic, and constantly tuning in to what you eat, how you move, and whether you’re marinating in Marc Jacobs perfume.
The real scandal isn’t American Eagle’s ad copy. It’s that no one’s talking about this: your DNA isn’t your destiny. Your daily choices are.
And the sooner you act like you’re the director of your genes story, the better your plot line unfolds.
*Name has been changed.
I loved this!!