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I love it when research backs what we already know! Here is a super detailed article (I have highlighted the main points) that proves that a minimally processed diet can "turn off" genes that would normally lead to ageing. Epigenetics is the study of how genes can be turned “on” or “off” without changing the actual DNA sequence. Think of DNA as a recipe book. A dog is born with the recipes, but epigenetics helps determine which recipes get used, how often, and how strongly. Environmental factors can influence these genetic switches, including: • Nutrition • Exercise and body weight • Stress • Toxins and pollutants • Age • Gut microbiome How does it work? One major mechanism is DNA methylation. Small chemical tags called methyl groups can attach to DNA and influence whether a particular gene is expressed. For example: Diet → nutrients/compounds → epigenetic changes → gene activity changes → changes in physiology This is especially interesting in canine nutrition because nutrients such as folate, choline, methionine, B12 and other methyl-donor nutrients participate in pathways that can influence DNA methylation. So, in very simple terms: Genetics is the DNA a dog inherits. Epigenetics is part of the system that determines how that DNA gets used. And importantly, epigenetics doesn't mean that food can magically "change a dog's genes." Rather, nutrition and other environmental exposures can influence gene expression, which can affect metabolism, inflammation, development and potentially disease risk.