Methylation Strategies That Work With Functional Wellness
Implement functional wellness and methylation strategies to support your overall health and boost your well-being effectively.
Integrative Wellness in El Paso: Boosting Methylation with Chiropractic and Acupuncture for Natural Pain Relief
Welcome to Chiromed, your go-to source for integrative wellness insights in El Paso, Texas. If you’re tuning in from our Integrative Wellness Podcast or browsing for functional medicine tips, you’re in the right place. Today, we’re exploring how combining chiropractic care with acupuncture can supercharge your body’s methylation processes to tackle chronic pain and promote overall health. As we age, especially hitting that 40+ mark, environmental stressors can disrupt methylation, leading to overlapping health risks. But don’t worry—non-surgical strategies, backed by science and expert insights from Dr. Alexander Jimenez, can help you detox and thrive.
This article is tailored for everyday folks looking for simple, effective ways to manage pain without invasive procedures. We’ll cover what methylation is, its vital roles, how life factors mess with it, and practical treatments. Whether you’re dealing with back pain, fatigue, or just want to feel better, read on. And if you’re in El Paso, book an appointment 24/7 through our scheduler to consult with top functional medicine providers like Dr. Jimenez. Let’s dive in and empower your wellness journey.
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Understanding Methylation: The Body’s Essential Biochemical Process
Methylation is like your body’s built-in editor, tweaking genes and chemicals to keep everything running smoothly. It’s a natural reaction where a methyl group—a small cluster of atoms—gets added to molecules like DNA or proteins. This happens billions of times a day in your cells, influencing health from head to toe. Discovered over a century ago in basic biology studies, methylation’s importance in human health became clear in recent decades through epigenetics research (Mattei et al., 2022). Epigenetics means changes in gene activity without altering the DNA code itself. Methylation acts as a switch, turning genes on or off based on needs. For example, in DNA methylation, methyl groups attach to DNA strands, often silencing genes that could cause problems if always active. This process is crucial for development, from embryo stages to adulthood. If methylation falters, it can lead to issues like inflammation or poor detoxification, which often show up as pain or low energy.
Crucial Functions of Methylation for Health and Pain Management
Methylation wears many hats in your body, all aimed at maintaining balance. Here’s a closer look at its key jobs, explained in everyday terms:
- Regulating Genes: It controls which genes are expressed. For pain relief, proper methylation can quiet genes that amp up inflammation, helping with conditions like arthritis (Moore et al., 2013).
- Detox Support: Methylation helps neutralize toxins from food, pollution, or stress by aiding liver function and antioxidant production. When it’s off, toxins linger, contributing to chronic fatigue or pain.
- Brain Chemical Balance: It produces neurotransmitters for mood and nerve signals. Disrupted methylation might heighten pain perception or cause mood dips (Wheater et al., 2020).
- Hormone Processing: Methylation breaks down hormones, preventing imbalances that could lead to joint pain or metabolic issues.
- Immune Regulation: It fine-tunes immune responses to avoid overreactions, which can trigger autoimmune pain.
- Cell Repair and Growth: Cell repair and growth protect DNA, supporting healing and reducing disease risks (Meng et al., 2015).
In functional medicine, practitioners like those on our podcast emphasize methylation as a foundation for wellness. Poor methylation can exacerbate pain, but integrative approaches can restore it.
Environmental Influences on Methylation and Overlapping Health Risks
Life throws curveballs at methylation, from diet to pollution, creating layered risks that build up over time. These factors can hyper- or hypo-methylate genes, leading to health cascades.
Factors Disrupting Methylation
- Nutrition Shortfalls: Lacking B vitamins or amino acids from whole foods impairs methyl donation. Processed diets worsen this (Dema et al., 2023).
- Chronic Stress: High cortisol alters brain methylation, increasing pain sensitivity (Yan et al., 2022).
- Toxins and Pollutants: Chemicals like BPA or heavy metals interfere with methylation enzymes, raising inflammation risks.
- Lifestyle Habits: Sedentary living or poor sleep disrupts methylation patterns, overlapping with aging to accelerate decline.
- Medications: Some drugs deplete methyl donors, affecting long-term health.
- Aging Effects: Natural methylation drop in the 40s+ makes environmental hits more impactful.
Building Risk Profiles
These factors interact, creating profiles where one issue fuels another. For instance, stress plus poor diet can demethylate inflammation genes, leading to joint pain that overlaps with metabolic risks like diabetes (Tong et al., 2022). In El Paso, where environmental factors like air quality play a role, functional medicine addresses these holistically.
Podcast guests often discuss how early life exposures set methylation baselines, which are compounded by adult habits, emphasizing the importance of prevention.
Why Chiropractic and Acupuncture Team Up for Methylation and Pain Relief: Clinical Insights
In integrative wellness, combining therapies like chiropractic and acupuncture targets root causes, including methylation. This duo supports the body’s self-healing, reducing pain without surgery.
Chiropractic’s Role in Alignment and Function
Chiropractic adjustments correct spinal misalignments, easing nerve pressure and inflammation. This improves circulation, delivering methylation nutrients. Research shows it helps chronic pain by modulating nervous system responses (Flynn, 2020).
Clinically, it aids methylation by lowering stress, which preserves methyl groups for gene regulation.
Acupuncture’s Epigenetic Boost
Acupuncture stimulates points to balance energy and reduce pain via endorphin release. Studies indicate it influences DNA methylation in pain-related brain areas (Jang et al., 2021; Jang et al., 2024).
It also calms inflammation, supporting detoxification pathways.
Synergistic Benefits
Together, they enhance methylation strategies, offering better outcomes for neuropathic or visceral pain (Lee et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2014). Functional medicine views this as addressing biomechanical and biochemical aspects.
The Non-Surgical Approach To Wellness- Video
Non-Surgical Tricks and Treatments for Pain and Methylation Support
Drawing from functional medicine, here are practical, evidence-based ways to ease pain symptoms while bolstering methylation. These are ideal for the 40+ generation focusing on detox and thrive.
1. Movement and Exercise Routines
Regular activity like tai chi or walking enhances methylation through better nutrient flow. It reduces pain in osteoarthritis (Tong et al., 2022). Trick: Incorporate 30-minute sessions; it counters stress effects on brain methylation.
2. Stress Management Practices
Meditation or yoga alters methylation in stress genes, alleviating pain in conditions like PCOS (Dema et al., 2023). Trick: Daily journaling to process emotions.
3. Nutrition and Supplementation
Focus on folate-rich foods; supplements if needed. This supports methylation and pain relief.
4. Manual Therapies
Massage targets myofascial pain, improving circulation for methylation (Steen et al., 2024). Trick: Use essential oils for added detox.
5. Advanced Options
Laser therapy or biofeedback for nerve pain, integrated in functional plans.
Listen to our podcast for more tips from El Paso experts.
Expert Perspectives from Dr. Alexander Jimenez in El Paso
Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP, is a pillar in El Paso’s functional medicine scene (Jimenez, n.d.a; Jimenez, n.d.b). With decades of experience, he links injuries to diagnostics using MRI, lab tests, and dual-scope evaluations—chiropractic and medical.
He associates trauma with methylation disruptions via inflammation assessments, crafting plans with adjustments, acupuncture, and nutrition. His approach aligns with IFM principles, available through our referral network.
Wrapping Up: Embrace Integrative Strategies for Lasting Wellness
At HealthVoice360, we believe in empowering you with knowledge for better health. Chiropractic and acupuncture, paired with a methylation focus, offer a path to pain-free living. Explore our podcast for more, or use IFM’s Find A Practitioner tool for certified pros.
Important Disclaimer: This content is informational and should be regarded seriously, based on peer-reviewed research. It’s not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making changes. Chiromed and contributors aren’t responsible for any actions taken based on this post.
References
- Mattei, A. L., Bailly, N., Meissner, A. (2022). DNA methylation: A historical perspective. Trends in Genetics, 38(7), 676–707. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35504755/
- Moore, L. D., Le, T., Fan, G. (2013). DNA methylation and its basic function. Neuropsychopharmacology, 38(1), 23–38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22781841/
- Meng, H., Joyce, A., Adkins, D. E., Basile, M., Chilukuri, V., Zhang, G. (2015). DNA methylation, its mediators, and genome integrity. International Journal of Biological Sciences, 11(5), 604–617. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25892967/
- Zhang, R., Lao, L., Ren, K., Berman, B. M. (2014). Mechanisms of acupuncture-electroacupuncture on persistent pain. Anesthesiology, 120(2), 482–503. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24322588/
- Jang, J. H., Song, E. M., Do, Y. H., Ahn, S., Oh, J. Y., Hwang, T. Y., Moon, J. S., Sohn, U. D., Park, J. H. (2021). Acupuncture alleviates chronic pain and comorbid conditions in a mouse model of neuropathic pain: The involvement of DNA methylation in the prefrontal cortex. Pain, 162(3), 861–874. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32796318/
- Jang, J. H., Song, E. M., Do, Y. H., Ahn, S., Oh, J. Y., Hwang, T. Y., Moon, J. S., Park, J. H. (2024). The analgesic effect of acupuncture in neuropathic pain: Regulatory mechanisms of DNA methylation in the brain. Pain Reports, 9(6), e1190. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39450409/
- Lee, I. S., Chae, Y., Lee, H., Park, H. J., Lee, H. J. (2019). Central and peripheral mechanism of acupuncture analgesia on visceral pain: A systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019, 6973632. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31186654/
- Tong, L., Chuang, C. C., Wu, S., Zuo, L. (2022). Current understanding of osteoarthritis pathogenesis and relevant new approaches. Bone Research, 10(1), 60. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36127328/
- Dema, H., Vidhu, J., Sinha, N., Kshetrimayum, V., Kaushik, S., Thakur, S., Singh, H. J., Pandit, A., Reddy, P. C. (2023). Effects of mindfulness-based therapy on clinical symptoms and DNA methylation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and high metabolic risk. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(10), 8697. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37185702/
- Wheater, E. N. W., Stoye, D. Q., Cox, S. R., Wardlaw, J. M., Drake, A. J., Bastin, M. E., Boardman, J. P. (2020). DNA methylation and brain structure and function across the life course: A systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 113, 133–149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32151655/
- Yan, L., McIntire, L. K., Liu, X., Xie, Z., Fogarty, C., Anton, J., Mallett, V. F., Hu, M., Pan, P., Li, G. M. (2022). Physical exercise prevented stress-induced anxiety via improving brain RNA methylation. Advanced Science, 9(15), e2105731. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35642952/
- Steen, J. P., Singh, V., Buksh, R. A., Buksh, N. A., Tahir, M. J., Sarfraz, Z. (2024). Myofascial pain syndrome: An update on clinical characteristics, etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment. Cureus, 16(6), e62715. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40110636/
- Flynn, D. M. (2020). Chronic musculoskeletal pain: Nonpharmacologic, noninvasive treatments. American Family Physician, 102(8), 465–477. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33064421/
- Jimenez, A. (n.d.a). Dr. Alex Jimenez | Injury specialists. Retrieved from https://dralexjimenez.com/
- Jimenez, A. (n.d.b). Alexander Jimenez. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralexjimenez/