Fascinating Newsweek article re: generational effects on sperm/eggs

[begonia]

This doesn't mention swaying, and I'm not even sure if it relates, but it was a fascinating read nonetheless.... how experiences, both positive and negative, can literally change the sperm/eggs for generations and impact the health/longevity of children and grandchildren. From 10/2010.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/30/h...-and-eggs.html

[lindi]

Wow. That's a little depressing actually! But fascinating, thanks for sharing

[begonia]

Lindi I totally agree that it was somewhat depressing! But the encouraging thing is you can impact things in a positive way too... so just think about what we can do for our kids (and thereby our kid's kids, since this is a generational thing) by exposing them to enriching experiences and healthy diets.

[lindi]

Yes, I do wonder if things "counteract" each other- my DH was not breastfed, but I BF'd DS for over 2 years- so does that just cancel each other out to zero or did my son get further benefits? Is there a way to stop the inheritance of obesity? They talk about those switches being switched on or off, and how that travels generationally, but there are just some things we can't switch around, like all the chemicals our children are exposed to. Not unless we clean things up massively or our children raise their kids out in the wilderness playing with sticks and stones and eating food they've grown themselves.

[Lydia]

Intereting read.. I have heard about binge drinking in teens and early 20s having some sort of affect on women's eggs which is a bit worrying!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, I've read similar things and I do think they ~may~ have some impact in terms of gender swaying...did my grandma's experience of coming from a family of 6 girls somehow alter my DNA to make me conceive more boys??? We'll probably never know.

The other implications are so depressing I don't even want to ponder them!! My mom smoked like a pack of cigs a day when I was growing up.