ABOUTBROOKE
BrookeBensonCampbell(BHSc)
isa ClinicalNutritionistand
Naturopath,speaker,writerand
presenterwitha passionforall
thingshealth,beautyandwellbeing.
A self-proclaimedhumantestsubject,
sheis constantlytriallingthenewest
products,seekingthelatestdiscoveries
andreadingthecurrentclinicalstudies,
inordertoshareherfindingswiththe
publicthroughprivatepractice,social
mediaandindustryeducation.Follow
[email protected]
HEALTH
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achievement is influenced by genes affecting
motivation, personality and confidence
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and all of those genes are susceptible to
epigenetic change. Regarding intelligence
and work performance, it seems that
epigenetics offers us a means to transcend
our innate genetic tendencies — to change
who we are and what we become.
As scientific research stands today,
we appear to be a product of both nature
AND nurture, a mixture of genome
AND epigenome, of inheritance AND
environment. When we make choices
in life, those choices are shaped by our
descendants, our surroundings, our beliefs
and our genetic makeup. In some ways,
we are shaped by forces beyond our control
and in others we have the conscious power
to determine our fate.
So, back to that salivary DNA test...
Will it give you simplistic information about
your ethnic ancestry? Yes. Will it shed light
on personality, motivation and academic
potential? Maybe. Will it provide a crystal
ball that will allow you live your life knowing
with certainty where/when/how you will live
and eventually die? Not even close. As far as
genetic certainty is concerned, there isn’t any
— and that’s the beauty of it. ■