Part 1 in the “Body Types Decoded” Series
Read these next:
🔹 Part 2: Body Types, HealthTypes, and Why One Size Fits No One
🔹 Part 3: So…How Do I Find My Healthtype?
When I tell people I’m an Accredited Epigenetic Health and Wellness Strategist, I often get a puzzled look and the same question:
“You’re an epi-what?”
It’s a fair question. Epigenetics may sound like a complicated science term—but it has everything to do with your health, your energy, and how your body responds to life. Let’s explore what epigenetics really means—and why it should matter to you. After all you should know if you need to dress your genes in a tartan plaid or a sophisticated tweed!
A while back, a clever lad named Dr. Bruce Lipton discovered something amazing while cloning stem cells in a petri dish.
What he found was this:
All the cells had the same genes, but they behaved differently depending on their environment. One turned into muscle. One into fat. One into bone. One maybe became the cousin who always brings drama to the holidays, but that’s a story for another day.
This was a groundbreaking discovery. Until then, science largely believed that your genes were fixed, and they operated independently—like little machines controlling your health.
But Dr. Lipton’s research suggested something different:
The cell membrane, not the genes, was actually the “brain” of the cell—what he affectionately called the “mem-brain.”
Here’s what he discovered:
Why? Not because of the genes themselves—but because of what was happening around them.
Turns out, if the cell membrane detects a loving environment—green smoothies, sleep, kindness—it acts one way. If it senses stress, Doritos, and Netflix marathons at 2 a.m.? It gets confused.
And so, epigenetics was born.
“Epi” = above
“Genetics” = your genes
So it’s really about what’s happening above or around your genes that changes how they behave.
Yep, I used to think the same thing. I blamed everything from my hips to my late-night snacking on my “genes.” Unfortunately, my genes can no longer be the scapegoat.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines epigenetics as:
“The study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.”
— NIH.gov, What is Epigenetics?
This science is now widely accepted and rapidly evolving, with research linking epigenetic changes to cancer, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, cognitive decline, and even accelerated aging or longevity.
Yes, you—the boss of your own biology. You are not doomed to repeat your family’s health history. You can make informed, personalized choices that change how your genes behave.
The secret is understanding your lifestyle, and I don’t mean just macros and workouts. It includes:
Your lifestyle is the sum of what you consistently expose your body to. It’s not a one-time change—it’s the living environment your cells are bathed in, day in and day out. Is that going to be tartan plaid or sophisticated tweed?
Here’s where things often go sideways:
Following the latest trend—whether it’s fasting, keto, celery juice, or only eating during full moons—is like playing Russian roulette with your health. It might help… or it might leave you tired, puffy, moody, and wondering why your pants shrunk (again).
The problem? That protocol might have worked for their body… but it might overwhelm, stress, or sabotage yours. This is why so many people are frustrated and feel like they tried everything and yet nothing works.
This is where the PH360 model comes in—a tool I use as an epigenetics strategist. PH360 helps identify your HealthType, which is based on your dominant hormone exposure in the womb. It links your physical structure (anthropometric measurements), heritage, and more to predictable biological patterns—like metabolism, stress responses, and circadian rhythms.
Science typically identifies three base body types (Somatotypes)* :
Let’s look at how epigenetics works in nutrition.
Say you’re a mesomorph with a fast metabolism. You thrive eating small, balanced meals throughout the day. But your favorite influencer is an endomorph who thrives on two plant-heavy meals and fasting in between.
If you copy their plan? You might actually gain weight, become fatigued, or throw your hormones off balance.
That’s because when you feed your cells too much or too little energy based on your actual needs, your body compensates—by storing, stressing, or shutting down. And your genes respond to that environment.
The outcome? It’s not about willpower. It’s about biological mismatch.
*PH360 refines this into six distinct HealthTypes, offering tailored guidance for nutrition, fitness, mindset, environment, and even career choices. I’ll break down the HealthTypes in the next blog.
The bottom line?
The choices you make every day influence which parts of your genetic code get activated. You’re not broken. You’re just maybe following the wrong script for your biology.
In my next post, I’ll break down PH360 HealthTypes.
Until then, here’s your reminder:
Sources
Gustafson, Craig. “Bruce Lipton, PhD: The Jump From Cell Culture to Consciousness.” Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, vol. 16, no. 6, Dec. 2017, p. 44, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6438088.
Al Aboud, Nora M., et al. “StatPearls [Internet].” Genetics, Epigenetic Mechanism. StatPearls Publishing, 14 Aug. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532999.
“Epigenetics, Health, and Disease.” Genomics and Your Health, 31 Jan. 2025, www.cdc.gov/genomics-and-health/epigenetics/index.html.