“Genes are not controlling the life
of your cells, your mind is.”
–Dr. Bruce H. Lipton
W
hat contemporary research on the human genome is clearly telling us is that the epigenome is involved in every aspect of our lives, from our DNA to our environment, our relationships, our social world, and our emotions. Although these insights hold immeasurable potential and value for our health, as we learn more and more about the sheer magnitude of the impact of the epi - genome, it is easy to feel as if our lives truly are controlled—and our fates sealed—by epigenetics.Dr. Bruce Lipton offers some welcome words for those feeling overwhelmed by the implications of epigenetics. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between epigenetics and genetic determinism.
“The difference between these two is significant because this fundamental belief called genetic determinism literally means that
our lives, which are defined as our physical, physiological and emotional behavioral traits, are controlled by the genetic code,” Lipton told an interviewer from Superconsciousness. This view turns us into victims, at the mercy of our genetics. “If genes control our life function, then our lives are being controlled by things outside of our ability to change,” says Dr. Lipton.
Laboratory evidence, however, disproves this helpless stance. We regularly influence our own health and wellbeing—whether we intend to or not. Understanding epigenetics can give us a greater consciousness about the impact of even seemingly inconsequential, or intangible, aspects such as our moods.
Scientists at the Institute of HeartMath, an internationally recognized nonprofit research and education organization, say factors such as “the appreciation and love we have for someone or the anger and anxiety we feel” can alter the outcome of our genetic blueprint. After two decades of study, they strongly believe that our daily thoughts, feelings, and intentions are integral to how our genes express themselves. By intentionally thinking positive thoughts and focusing on positive emotions, you can fortify your body to better cope with difficulties like the illness of a loved one or financial struggles. HeartMath scientists have quantified the power of positivity, even showing that human intention can alter physical aspects of DNA.
By retraining your thinking, you can change your body, your biology, and your life. In other words, changing your mind can change your cells. Or as Dr. Lipton put it, “Genes are not con - trolling the life of your cells, your mind is.” But as mentioned previously, it is not just your own mind that influences how your genes express themselves. Who and what you surround yourself with directly affects your health through numerous influences,
including the thoughts and beliefs of others, the philosophies and ideas you are exposed to, and the cultural and religious environ - ment that surrounds you.
Cumulatively, all of these influences form your mental land - scape, altering your perceptions as well as your physiology. Although this may sound abstract, the outcome is quite concrete. “You are innately able to heal yourself, unless your perception says you can’t” Lipton says. “Since perception controls biology, then whether your think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”
So, perhaps the most important question you can ask yourself with respect to your health is this: “What do I think?”
Sources:
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A
Abramson, Dr. Beth 33
Acta Biotheoretica (Journal) 29 Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemollogiae
(Journal) 31
ACTH stress hormones 82 acupuncture 38
adrenaline 49
Aesop’s Fables (Aesopica) 17
aging 40, 56, 57, 59, 90 Agouti mice (see mice, agouti) alcoholism 36
alcohols 97 allergies, peanut 32 Allis, David C. 1, 3 allopathic health care 94 Almouzni, Geneviéve 92 Alzheimer’s disease 22, 72
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the 94
anger 15, 104
antidepressants, placebo effect and 51 antioxidant 97, 101
anti-apoptotic 97
anti-inflammatory 97 anti-oncogenes 60-61
ants, hypercommunication and 75 anxiety 51, 104
anxiety, maternal 32
appearance, physical, in twins 3, 45 Aristotle 20
arteries, hardening of 93 asthma 15, 22, 32, 37 astragalus herb 100
Atlantic, The (magazine) 55
attitudes 13, 15-16, 79 atomic structure 11 atomic world 11 atoms, carbon 21 atoms, hydrogen 21
Australian Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis, The 84
autism 3, 15, 72
autoimmune disease 47
autosuggestion 67, 73-74, 77, 79 Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) 31-32
B
bacteria 20, 23, 72
Baragwaneth Hospital, Soweto, South Africa 36-37
Barron, Jon 100-101
Baseline of Health Foundation, The 100 battering behavior 82 Baylin, Stephen B. 60 Beck, Stephen 91-92 beliefs 10, 12, 14, 50-52 Bellanti, Alfred 84-85 biofeedback 38
Biology of Belief, The (Dr. Bruce H.
Lipton) 10
bipolar disorder 15, 22 black holes 69
blood cells, white 81, 85 blood pressure, high 53, 54 blood sugar 54
body mass index (bmi) 34 bodywork 38
Bohr, Neils 1
Boston University Cancer Center, The 61
Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) 61 BPA 2 BRCA1 gene 4-5 Bradner, James 64 brain, the 2, 27, 48, 53, 78, 79, 86, 88 brain defects 22 brain plasticity 27, 78
transgenerational effects and 27
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 5
Brefcyznski-Lewis, Julie 55 Brunson, Dr. Tim 84 Burkman, Oliver 17
Bygren, Dr. Lars Olov 28-32, 34-35
C
calories 44
calorie counting, obsessive 43 cancer, breast 3-4, 66
cancer, lung 62-63 cancer, uterine 65 cardiovascular conditions (also see heart disease) 41, 49 cartilage, joint 98
Castiglione, Stephano 84 cell nuclei 89, 95
cells, division of 56-57, 63, 99 cells, pluripotent 88-89
cells, progenitor 61, 64 cells, specialized 61, 88 cells, stem 8-10, 55, 61, 78-79, 88-90 cells, undifferentiated 61 cellular biology 10
cellular development, theory about 88 cellular information processing system 10
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), The 41
central nervous system 97 Champagne, Frances 7, 26, 48 chemicals 23, 25, 27, 39 child development, early 48 choline 25, 100 chromatin 23, 95 chromatin modification 23 chromosomes 8, 23, 34, 56 Church, Dr. Dawson 45, 50-51, 66, 77 Cicatelli, Angela 84 cloning 72, 87-89 cloning, human 87 Cloud, John 35 cognitive function 97 Columbia University 7, 26, 48 compassion 16 conditioning, behavioral 82, 96 cortisol 26, 49 counseling, pastoral 84 Cozzolino, Mauro 84
Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience, the (also see psychotherapeutic protocol) 84-85 creativity 87, 92
curcumin 98-99 curcuminoids 98
D
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The 64
Darwin, Charles 6, 17-20, 24, 30 Davis, Dr. Paul 37
De Jager, Prashanti 95-96 death 16, 22, 41, 56, 65, 97 decision making, health and 40
Definitive Guide to Cancer, The
(Karolyn A. Gazella) 4
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) 1-4, 8-
9, 13, 20-24, 26, 30, 33, 41-42, 46- 47, 52, 54, 56-57, 61, 67-70, 72-73, 76, 84-85, 90-91, 99, 101, 103-104 depression 51
DHA (see omega-3 and omega-6) Dhanak, Dash 64
diabetes 23, 25-26, 36, 47, 49, 97 diesel exhaust 23
diet 10, 14-15, 22, 25-26, 40-41, 43, 65-66
diet, prenatal 22
disease, predisposition towards 3-4, 14-15, 25, 42, 59
DNA (see deoxyribonucleic acid) DNA, electromagnetic imprints of 70-71
DNA, energy field of 69 DNA microarrays 84-85 DNA patterns, transmitting between organisms 69, 72 DNA Phantom Effect, the 69, 76 DNA, vibrational behavior of 68-69, 72
“Doctor Will See You Now, The” (Dr.
Alice G. Walton) 5 Dolly the sheep 87, 89 dopamine 50
drift, epigenetic (see epigenetic drift) drugs, efficacy testing of 51
drugs, epigenetically active (“persuasive drugs”) 63 Duke University 25
E
Ecker, Joseph R. 90 eczema 32 Einstein, Albert 12, 69 Einstein-Rosen bridges 69 electromagnetic imprints 70-71 electromagnetic signals/waves 12, 68, 71Eleven-Eleven Wellness Center, The 35, 38
embryo 9, 22, 45, 72, 88
emotions 10, 12-13, 52, 78, 81-84, 100, 103-104
link with genetic expression 13, 52, 78, 81-84 energy 10, 11, 65, 69, 86 environment 12-14, 19, 24, 29-30, 33-35, 39, 46, 48, 103 environmental changes 18 environmental factors/influences on health 13, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29-30, 35, 42, 46, 48, 66
Enzyme EZH2 (see EZH2) Enzyme MMP-13 (see MMP-13) enzymes 21, 57, 61, 64, 98-99 EPA (see omega-3 and omega-6) epigenes 7, 9-10, 12-13, 20, 38, 59 epigenesis 20
Epigenesys Network of Excellence (see Epigenesys research network) 91-92
epigenetic inheritance 6, 20, 22, 25, 30
epigenetic markers 30, 34, 42, 56, 62, 90
epigenetic tagging 22, 49
epigenetic transcription modulation 97 epigenome(s) 3, 6, 9, 47, 60, 62, 89-91, 100-101, 103 Epigenomics (Journal) 61 Epigenomics AG 90-91 Erickson, Milton H. 81
European Journal of Human Genetics, The 34
evolution, theory of 6, 18-19, 30 exercise 14, 15, 27, 37, 39, 55-56
impact on stem cell biology 55-56 EZH2 enzyme 64
F
fatigue 37
fatty acids, dietary 94
“feast or famine” (see Overkalix research study)
Feig, Dr. Larry 25-27
Fels Institute for Cancer Research, The 62
fibroblasts 89-90
fleas, water 19-20 folate 25
folic acid 22, 25, 100, 101
food, processed / junk 15, 40-41, 43 influence on metabolic processes 40-41
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), The 52, 63
forgiveness 16 Fraga, Mario 46-47
frog and salamander experiment 72 Freud, Sigmund 80-81, 86
frogs, Gurdon experiments with 87-89
functional medicine (see medicine, functional)
G
Garajev, Dr. Pjotr 68-69, 72, 76 gastro-intestinal problems 49 Gazella, Karolyn A. 4-5 gene/mind connection (see mind/gene connection) gene activation (see gene expression)
gene chips 83-85
gene expression 3, 8, 20, 22-23, 25, 40, 46-47, 53, 77-79, 83-84, 94, 101
activity-dependent 78
“Gene Expression and Brain Plas ticity in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Personal Memoir of Mind-Body Healing Dreams” (Dr. Ernest Rossi) 77 genes (specific)
BRCA1 (see BRAC1 gene) RAS gene (see RAS)
Selectin E gene (see selectin E) SFRP gene (see SFRP)
Myc gene (see Myc) p53 gene (see p53) NF-kappaB master gene (see NF-kappaB)
genes, atherogenic 94
genes, communicating with 38-39, 68-69 75-76
genes, faulty 4
genes, tumor-suppressing 60, 64 genetic adaptations 18-19 genetic change, permanent versus temporary 24
genetic determinism 103-104 genetic isolation, concept of 33 genetic mutation 4-5, 19, 42, 60 geneticists, wave 68-72, 76
Genie in Your Genes, The (Dr. Dawson
Church) 50, 65
Geron Corporation, the 99 ghee 95 ginseng 96-97 ginsenosides 97 ginger 95, 98 giraffes 18-19 GlaxoSmithKline 64 glutathione 101
Goi Peace Award, the 10 Golding, Dr. Jean 31-32, 34-35
Guardian, The 17
guilt 43, 82-83
Gurdon, Sir John B. 87-89