Inheritance by Sharon Moalem Summary
Overview of Inheritance
Discover how your genes shape your life - and vice versa. Bestselling physician Sharon Moalem reveals startling epigenetic insights, challenging genetic destiny with compelling patient stories like "Gabby" who feels no pain. What if your daily choices are rewriting your genetic future?
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Key takeaways
Your Body Remembers What Your Mind Forgets
What if I told you that the stress your grandmother experienced decades ago might be affecting your health today? That the fruit salad you're eating for breakfast could be slowly poisoning your liver? That your genes aren't a fixed blueprint but a living, breathing document being edited with every choice you make? We've been sold a lie about genetics. We learned in school that DNA is destiny-a rigid instruction manual written at conception that determines everything from eye color to disease risk. But here's the truth: your genes are more like a jazz ensemble than a classical score, improvising and adapting to the music of your life. Right now, as you read these words, chemical markers are attaching to your DNA, switching genes on and off in response to your environment, thoughts, and experiences. This isn't science fiction. It's the revolutionary field of epigenetics, and it's rewriting everything we thought we knew about inheritance. In a Zurich laboratory, scientists separated baby mice from their mothers for just two weeks. These mice grew into anxious, easily defeated adults-and so did their children, and their children's children, even though the later generations never experienced separation themselves. The trauma had literally rewritten their DNA through chemical modifications called methylation, switching certain genes on or off and passing these changes to future generations.
When Food Becomes Medicine or Poison
Reading the Body's Hidden Language
The Trauma That Echoes and the Medicine That Fails
The Superhumans and Genetic Lottery Winners
The Dark Side of Knowing Your Genetic Future
The Secret Inside Every Rare Disease
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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