How can I support my methylation naturally?
At Stride we know just how much of our health and wellbeing is built into our DNA. But we also know that while our genes may lay the foundations - particularly when it comes to our methylation cycles - it's our environment that can really help optimise, or hold back, our genetic activity.
So by tailoring our diets and our lifestyles to support our own personal optimal methylation, we can make a big difference in helping support our own health. This can be important and boost everything from our sleep to our fertility, from our concentration to our longevity.
So here are some top tips to get you started, without over-complicating things.
Optimise your diet
It’ll come as no surprise to learn that a nutrient-dense, wholefood-based Mediterranean-style diet is the best way to support methylation. But did you know that some nutrients are particularly important when it comes to methylation?
These include:
Folate
Often referred to simply as Vitamin B9, folate is found in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale or broccoli. Nuts, beans and peas can also be good sources, as can liver if you aren’t vegetarian or vegan - or pregnant! (Liver can contain very high amounts of Vitamin A, which is not good for a developing foetus
Vitamin B6
Meat-eaters and pescatarians can find good sources of B6 in liver, fish and poultry. For vegetarians or vegans, chickpeas and tofu are a good source. In fact, many fruits and vegetables, including potatoes, contain a good amount of B6. If you are reaching for a snack, pistachios are also B6-rich.
Vitamin B2
You might recognise B2 more by its alternative name, riboflavin. Fortified breakfast cereals often have it, along with other B vitamins, added, although this is often in the form of folic acid. Natural sources again include, meats, dairy and shellfish are good sources of B2, and vegans can look to oats and whole grains like quinoa and wild rice, as well as almonds and sunflower seeds.
Vitamin B12
The best sources of B12 tend to be animal products: meat, shellfish, eggs, fish, and dairy. Though nuts and seeds are a natural source, it can be one of the trickier vitamins for vegetarians and vegans to get enough of purely through diet. Some foods are fortified with B12, such as soy products, fortified nutritional yeast and some breakfast cereals. Many vegans or vegetarians may, of course also choose to supplement B12 - see below for further advice!
Zinc
Perhaps it might surprise you to learn that oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food. However, eating oysters does come with certain risks - and certainly should only be an occasional addition to your diet. When it comes to meats, red are better sources than white - Beef, pork, and lamb - while eggs and nuts also contain zinc.
Magnesium
Those leafy dark green veggies are once again food heroes, rich in magnesium. So are nuts, seeds, whole grains and even Greek yoghurt.
Choline
It might be a less familiar name, but choline is essential for many bodily functions, including brain health, nervous system function, memory, and learning. You’ll find it in egg yolks and liver - as well as cruciferous vegetables, and shiitake mushrooms.
Consider supplementing your diet.
While it’s always best to get the vitamins and minerals you need via your diet, the reality is it’s not always possible, whether that’s down to the availability of ingredients, hectic lifestyles or your own dietary choices. And if that’s the case for you, then supplements are a great way to plug that gap.
Methylated or active forms of nutrients may be particularly helpful for those who have impaired methylation profiles. For example, if you are trying to conceive, you might consider supplementing methylfolate (L-5-MTHF), rather than folic acid. But as always, please consult a medical professional for the best approach for you.
Give some thought to your environment - and its toxins.
Our modern-day lives bombard us with toxins, but that’s unfortunately a reality many of us have to accept. And exposure to toxins such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pollutants, and heavy metals has been shown to disrupt DNA methylation.
But we can control, or at least reduce, some of this exposure. For example, we can choose which cleaning chemicals to bring into our house and control ventilation. We can also support our own natural detoxification pathways through regular movement, exercise, hydration, and, of course, our diets.
Test our own abilities.
Rather than simply guessing what your methylation ability looks like, and how you can support it - you can now take away the guesswork and test your methylation genes with Stride.
This will allow you to understand what you’re working with from a genetic perspective, which nutrients you need to focus on to support methylation, and how to hack your biology to best support your health goals.