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slow, burned nearlytwice as many calories aswalking. Almost asimportant was the run-ning motion he used, thegentle forefoot landing,trained his body in opti-mal biomechanics toallow him to run fasterand longer withoutinjury. Running becamea “practice” for Dr.Tanaka, and he went onto run a 2:38 marathon atage 50, reducing 25 per-cent of his body weightin the process.

Dr. Tanaka concludedhis talk with his currentwork on gene expression,a field called Epigenetics,

discovery that the humangenome actually changesin response to the envi-ronment and howwe livein it.

The findings were firstpublished in the premierjournal “Naturein 2008”and showed the experi-ments withmice. Theresults were identicaltwins becoming genetical-ly different when onelived the life of the “hiber-nator” and the other the“hunter.” Yes, these identi-cal twins were now genet-ically different. Thehealthy habit mouse wastrim and vigorous. Theinactive mouse with poor

nutrition became sick,sluggish and obese. Dr.Tanaka chooses to be a“hunter.”

Simple sugars and alack of activity are the pri-mary culprits in what wecurrently understandabout adverse geneexpression. So why is thisimportant to you andyour children? The highintake of simple sugarcombinedwith a lifestyleof convenience has beenin existence for less than ageneration.America andthe world will continue tofail unless we discoverand attack the root causesof obesity, whichmay be

at the genetic level. EvenItaly now has an obesityepidemic where they haveadopted aWesternlifestyle.

But are you doomed ifobesity is in your genes?This may be true, but youcanmodify your genes tobecome the “hunter.” Thisis beyond getting rid ofCoke in schools or adding30minutes of activity orsome other arbitrary num-ber of steps to your day.Onemust awakenwiththe feeling that they arethe hunter and it is spring—move all day, eat freshand lean and trick yourbody that you are existing

in a world of challenge.Now 63, Dr. Tanaka

completed amarathon in3:08, a time achievable byless than 1 percent of run-ners even half his age. Inthe lab he is cracking thegenetic code of how he isstill able to do this “with asmile.”

The genes expressedwith the “hunter” behav-ior may also affect mood.In my 20 years of medi-cine I cannot recall apatient whowas runningeverydaywith joyand stilldepressed.Among thesedentary, we are quick todiagnose the abnormalmood in isolation of the

other lifestyle factors andprescribe a medication.

Highon the “F as inFat”report’s recommendationsto reverse this trendaregrassroots advocacy efforts.This is ourmission atFreedom’sRunandTwoRiversTreads.Get folks out-sidemoving, teachour fam-ilies to eat real food, andgetout of themodern sittingenvironment.

So if every humanwoke up in themorningand said to themselves,“It’s spring, and I’m ahunter,” thenmaybe ourobesity epidemic can beaddressed and, yes, modi-fied at the genetic level.

Friday, July 29, 2011 The Shepherdstown Chronicle 15

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Submitted photoA storm on July 19 uprooted this tree at a residence along Shepherd Grade Road. Thetree, at least 200 years old, stood approximately 100 feet tall, and many, according to theresident, think it was one of, if not the oldest, tulip poplar trees in the area.

Chronicle photo by Kelly CambrellMason Ellsworth presented a piece of artwork he painted to Mayor Jim Auxer last week.Ellsworth's painting will be displayed in the new Town Hall.

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