First firewall: Ants are exceptional at repairing their DNA due to their production of a dialdehyde called Iridodial. Supplementing with ant extract may support genetic repair systems in us as well.
Second firewall: Another way that the body protects itself from bad genes is gene silencing. There are a number of ways in which this happens. Some genes are silenced at transcription (where the DNA splits to make RNA), other genes are silenced at translation (where the RNA is made into protein). Methylation is a key player in gene silencing, but upwards of 50% of us have a gene defect (MTHFR) that causes poor methylation with another 10% of us having hypermethylation. Curcumin may have a supportive and adaptogenic effect on the our methylation pathways. Detoxifying metals and chemicals that would otherwise use up our valuable methyl donor is another way to support healthy gene silencing.
Third firewall: 80+% of our DNA is thought to be junk DNA, the residue of viral infections that we were able to silence (mostly) but not get rid of completely. On the other hand, the Venus fly trap plant is only 3% junk DNA. Venus Fly trap is the ‘superstar’ of removing junk from its DNA. Taking supplemental Venus fly trap may support a healthy response to Junk DNA
Fourth firewall: Apoptosis is the pathway that causes cells that are highly infected with viruses to self destruct so that they cannot make any more rogue proteins or viruses. Apoptosis doesn’t function optimally in many people, especially those that have been infected by the herpes family of viruses (genital or oral herpes, chicken pox, mono, Epstein Barr and cytomegalovirus) as they can damage the p53 apoptosis gene. Ellagitannin may support healthy apoptosis.
Fifth firewall: T reg cells are the part of the immune system (lymphocytes made in the thymus) that maintains homeostasis and keeps inflammatory cytokines from getting out of hand in response to rogue proteins that viral DNA can generate. Astragalus and Curcumin may support balanced T reg cells.