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Can Aging Be Contagious?


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Aging Isn't Just About Time. It's About Signals.

We often think of aging as a slow, inevitable decline. But what if aging could spread, cell to cell, like a ripple through your body?


That's the idea behind a newly discussed protein called HMGBI (High Mobility Group Box 1). This protein, typically found in the nucleus of healthy cells, can leak into surrounding tissue during stress, trauma, or damage. Once outside the cell, it acts like an alarm, triggering inflammation, immune activation, and even cellular senescence (aging at the cellular level).


What's even more fascinating (and a little concerning) is that this aging signal can affect neighboring cells, essentially "passing the baton" of inflammation. Like gossip at the cellular level, HMGBI spreads the message: "We're under attack!"


What Does This Mean for Those with MTHFR Gene Variants?

This is where functional genetics, like the MTHFR gene, becomes critical. The MTHFR gene plays a vital role in a process called methylation, which is essential for:

  • Detoxification

  • Glutathione production (your body's master antioxidant)

  • DNA repair

  • Emotional balance

  • Immune regulation


What is Methylation, Really?

Methylation is one of your body's most important biochemical processes. It's like flipping switches on and off throughout your body, helping you detox, repair DNA, produce energy, regulate mood, and keep inflammation in check.


In simple terms, methylation adds a tiny molecule (called a methyl group) to other molecules in your body. This tiny action influences:

  • How you detoxify chemicals and hormones

  • How well your nervous system functions

  • How your genes are expressed (epigenetics!)

  • How efficiently your body makes neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin

  • How your body repairs cells and tissues, including your DNA


When methylation is working well, you feel clear, energized, and resilient. When it's sluggish, due to genetics, stress, toxicity, or nutrient deficiencies, you may feel foggy, inflamed, tired, or emotionally off balance.


MTHFR + HMGB1 = Greater Risk?

If you have a C677T or A1298C MTHFR variant, your methylation may be compromised. This means:

  • Slower detox pathways

  • Reduced glutathione levels, leading to more oxidative stress

  • Inflammation that lingers longer

  • Less protection against proteins like HMGB1


Simply put: If HMGB1 helps aging spread, MTHFR variants can make it harder to stop the spread.


How to Break the Chain Reaction

This doesn't mean you're destined to age faster, but it does mean you should be proactive.


Here's how I help clients support their methylation + aging pathways naturally:

  • Support with Methylated Nutrients

    • Methylfoate (NOT folic acid)

    • Methylocbalamin (B12)

    • P5P (B6)

    • Riboflavin (B2)

  • Boost Antioxidants & Glutathione

    • N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

    • Liposomal glutathione

    • Foods like broccoli, garlic, and onions

  • Regulate Inflammation with Nutraceuticals

    • Curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol

    • Herbal teas, + essential oils

    • Frequency-based sessions


My Go-To Daily Support?

As a practitioner, I'm constantly asked:

"What's one thing I can take to stay ahead of inflammation, methylation, and energy loss?"



Why? Because it includes:

  • Activated B vitamins for proper methylation

  • OPC-3 antioxidants to fight oxidative stress

  • Vitamin D and calcium for immune and nervous system regulation


If digestion is also an issue, then I also recommend Isotonix Digestive Enzymes + Probiotics because this supports absorption and gut health, which is critical for someone with MTHFR.


Final Thoughts: Your Genes Are Not Your Destiny

If you carry an MTHFR variant, or if you're navigating inflammation, stress, or fatigue, you don't have to sit back and wait for aging to catch up with you.


You can support your body's built-in wisdom and stay ahead of the curve with the right testing, daily nutrients, and healing tools.


I offer DNA Nutrigenomics Packages that give you deep insight into your body's blueprint, along with a plan to honor it, support it, and thrive in alignment with it.


📞 Book Your FREE Consult




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💬 Have questions? Message me - let's walk your healing path together.




Q&A: Your Methylation + Inflammation Questions Answered


❓Does food contain HMGB1? Should I avoid specific proteins?

Great question, and one that highlights how interconnected our diet is with inflammation.


HMGB1 (High Mobility Group Box 1) is not something you eat, it's a protein that's released inside your body in response to:

  • Cell damage

  • Chronic inflammation

  • Oxidative stress

  • High-heat cooking methods (like grilling or frying)


But while you don't eat HMGB1 directly, you can stimulate its release through certain pro-inflammatory food choices, especially highly processed meats, fried foods, and meals cooked at high temperatures that form what are known as AGEs (advanced glycation end products).


🔥 Foods that may increase HMGB1 activity:

  • Charred or blackened meats

  • Smoked or cured meats (bacon, sausage, lunch meat)

  • Deep-fried foods

  • High-sugar meals cooked at high temps (like glazed meats or fast foods)


The takeaway? Focus on clean, anti-inflammatory proteins, and use gentle cooking methods like steaming, simmering, or slow roasting.


❓What proteins are best for people with MTHFR gene variants?

If you carry a MTHFR variant, your methylation pathway, the process your body uses to detox, repair DNA, and regulate mood, may run more slowly. That means you'll benefit from easy-to-digest, clean, nutrient-rich proteins that don't overload your system with toxins or methylation byproducts (like homocysteine).


Best Protein Choices for MTHFR Support:


🚫 Proteins to Minimize or Avoid:

  • Factory-farmed meats

  • Processed deli or cured meats

  • Highly processed soy or whey isolates

  • Overcooked or blackened animal proteins


Final Insight:

"It's not just about what you eat, it's about how your body can process, absorb, and detoxify what you eat." ~Vickie Beineke, Traditional Naturopath


Supporting your methylation with the proper nutrients and minimizing dietary triggers that spike inflammation can be one of the most empowering choices you make for graceful aging and emotional resilience.






 
 
 

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