Brexit Stress

As the never-ending story of Brexit rumbles on each week with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel.
And the endless stories of the referendum having both a sociological and economic impact for years to come.
One area that seems to be overlooked is the stress and anxiety that Brexit is causing the nation and one question that is not currently being asked is.

What effect is Brexit actually having on the health of the nation?

Well, on the face of it this seems to be obvious to answer. With the continual fighting, shouting and screaming (and that’s just in parliament) being broadcast 24/7.
Is it any wonder that everyone is on tenterhooks? And the health of the nation is at breaking point!
As the stress, anger and anxiety levels rise the health and wellbeing of the nation will inevitably fall.
We are fully aware of the short-term health ramifications that stress will cause. Sleepless nights, high blood pressure, eating a poor diet to name but a few.

The Long-Term Damage of Brexit

But no one as of yet has mentioned the long-term health effects that Brexit may cause. And the permeant damage that Brexit will have on this generation and generations to come!
One word can help to explain this – Epigenetics.

What Is Epigenetics I Hear You Ask?

Epigenetics is a process where tiny chemicals called Methyl groups sit on top of your genes and control the way they function.
There are a variety of lifestyle and environmental factors that will cause this to happen, with stress being a major trigger for your genes to lose their function over time.
These tiny changes to the way your genes function in many ways act as mutation, which can over time lead to various health issues such as cardiovascular problems, arthritis, dementia and cancer.

What Is Your Real Age?

And the short-term effects that stress will cause such as sleepless nights, high blood pressure and eating a poor diet can also be measured by your biological age.
The majority of us will be completely unaware that we actually have two ages: Chronological age and biological age.
Chronological age refers the exact number of years that you have been alive while biological age is a true reflection of how your cells are ageing and how they have been affected by your diet, exercise, lifestyle and environment.
Muhdo is a UK based company pioneering the science of epigenetics. Their bioinformatics and science teams have identified the genes – as well as the specific biomarkers which sit upon them – that correlate to cellular ageing.
This allows you to see a true representation of how your diet, lifestyle and environment has been affecting you at a cellular and genetic level, as well as the current status of your internal health.

External Vs Internal Health

You should never judge a book by its cover, and the same can also be true when it comes to judging your health from an external point of view.
While external characteristics can sometimes give us an insight into our internal health, in many instances we can simply misinterpret external factors such as bigger muscles, faster running times or eating a certain type of diet as they do not actually actuate to being healthier.
Epigenetics allows us to cut through the media noise of the latest hyped training style or fad diet to enable us to better ascertain which lifestyle changes we must make individually.
These alterations are to provide our “genetic hardware” with the specific “lifestyle software” our body needs to nourish our internal health and, ultimately, live a healthier, happier and longer life.

Our Future Selves

Unfortunately, the way you lead your life today will not only affect your health but also subsequent generations to come, as research is now clearly demonstrating that epigenetic changes can be passed to your children and grandchildren.
Epigenetic alterations induced by environmental stress
Epigenetic mechanisms in intergenerational effects
Have a read through the above research articles to understand the implications of your health on future generations.