People often take care of their overall health, but ignore their DNA! The reason is, they don’t know much about their DNA or genetics! The reason is that there is no layman’s content available for them to understand.
Without discussing any fancy science theories, let me give you some brief and easy-to-understand knowledge of what’s good and what’s not good for your DNA. First, you need to understand what the factors are that affect our DNA.
Everything!
Almost every factor, food, our surroundings, where we are living, what we are doing, our mental and physical health, etc, all contribute and affect our DNA in either positive and negative ways.
For instance, fruits are good for our DNA while junk and processed food are bad.
Let’s take another example,
Healthy, clean, green and positive surroundings are good for our DNA, while polluted, dirty and negative surroundings are bad for our DNA.
Now, without wasting time, as it is just an introductory piece of content, let me give you the complete list. We will summarise all the factors in the form of a table.
Key Topics:
Good and bad food for our DNA:
| Good | Bad |
| Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Dairy (in moderation), Lean Proteins (like fish, legumes) | Processed Foods, Junk Food, Excess Sugar, Refined Carbs, Processed Cheese, Red/Processed Meats |
Good and bad surroundings for our DNA
| Good | Bad |
| Clean, fresh air (natural environments, green spaces) | Air pollution (traffic, factories, indoor pollutants) |
| Filtered drinking water | Contaminated water (heavy metals, industrial waste) |
| Natural light and proper sleep environment | Excessive blue light exposure at night |
| Low-radiation environments | Frequent exposure to radiation (e.g., UV, X-rays, radioactive leaks) |
| Safe household products (eco-friendly, non-toxic) | Toxic household cleaners, pesticides, and plastics |
| Noise-free, stress-reducing settings | Constant loud noise, chaos, and high stress zones |
Good and bad Environment for our DNA:
| Good | Bad |
| Green spaces (forests, parks, gardens) | Urban pollution (vehicle exhaust, industrial smog) |
| Clean oceans, rivers, and lakes | Microplastic-contaminated water bodies |
| Low radiation zones | High-radiation zones (nuclear sites, radon areas) |
| Biodiverse and balanced ecosystems | Ecosystem destruction and biodiversity loss |
| Naturally ventilated areas | Indoor environments with poor air circulation |
| Organic farming areas (minimal chemicals) | Pesticide-heavy agricultural zones |
Good and bad habits for our DNA
| Good | Bad |
| Regular exercise | Sedentary lifestyle |
| Eating a balanced, antioxidant-rich diet | Frequent consumption of junk or processed food |
| Getting enough sleep | Chronic sleep deprivation |
| Staying hydrated | Excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption |
| Managing stress (e.g., meditation, hobbies) | Chronic stress or anxiety |
| Avoiding tobacco and vaping | Smoking, vaping, or drug use |
| Practicing safe sun exposure | Excessive UV exposure without protection |
| Using protective gear in labs/workplaces | Ignoring safety protocols or PPE use |
Good and bad lifestyle for our DNA
| Good | Bad |
| Routine health checkups | Ignoring symptoms or delaying diagnosis |
| Avoiding unnecessary medication use | Overuse of antibiotics or self-medication |
Good and bad exposure for our DNA
| Using natural cleaning and beauty products | Frequent exposure to toxic chemicals (e.g., formaldehyde, BPA)- cosmetics, beautiproducts etc. |
| Limiting unnecessary scans (X-ray, CT) | Repeated radiation exposure without medical need |
Good and bad digital and tech habits for our DNA:
| Good | Bad |
| Taking breaks from screens | Long hours of blue light exposure (affects sleep/DNA repair) |
| Keeping gadgets away while sleeping | Sleeping with phone/Wi-Fi devices near the head |
Good and bad mental health for our DNA:
| Good | Bad |
| Mindfulness & meditation | Chronic stress or anxiety |
| Positive social connections | Loneliness and isolation |
| Regular therapy or mental health check-ins | Ignoring mental health struggles |
| Practicing gratitude and optimism | Persistent negative thinking or toxic self-talk |
| Healthy emotional expression | Emotional suppression or unresolved trauma |
Related articles:
- Newsletter 03: What’s Good and Not Good for Your DNA
- Vaping vs Smoking: Is Your DNA Safer with E-Cigarettes?
- This Tiny Byproduct of Plastic is Damaging Your DNA
- 5 Habits during pregnancy That can hurt Fetal DNA.
- 5 Real Radioactive Accidents That Left a Mark on Human Genetics
Wrapping up:
I may miss some! Because our DNA is so sensitive to so many things. But these are the factors that I guess are most common. Healthy DNA means we need to avoid as much DNA damage and gene expression alteration as possible.
I hope you enjoyed reading. I already gave links to many important and useful resources in our article. We will continue this series in our everyday genetics to improve your DNA’s strength.
