Wise popular sayings agree that the power of small gestures should not be underestimated, because they are what move the world. And here is the tiny gesture that moves us: the methylation cycle, the magic hidden behind the colossal power that a humble atom of carbon exerts on our health and mood.
Methylation (or the addition of methyl groups) is the biochemical process that prevents rogue cells from becoming cancerous, neurotransmitters that modulate our behavior and mood from becoming misaligned, or the immune system from failing to perform, while protecting neurons and ridding us of toxins and heavy metals.
Arthur Clarke said that
magic is a science we do not yet understand.
Fortunately, the intricacies of this one are beginning to be understood.
There are genetic variants that make us up to 65% less efficient in the so-called “methylation cycle”. It is necessary for cell replication (which occurs millions of times every day) and for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, but also for ridding our bodies of toxins, heavy metals, and certain molecules once they have served their purpose (such as estrogen, cortisol, and histamine). Being born with these variants does not mean that the process fails (because other genes are involved, and the weaknesses of one can be offset by the strengths of another), but it does increase the risk that we will fall short during times of high demand.
And you only need to add some additional nutrition to the process!