The genes we are born with and the environment we live in both contribute greatly to our health. With healthy lifestyle changes, we have the ability to produce favorable changes to our body and mind that may override certain negative aspects of the genes we were born with and ultimately produce positive outcomes that allow us to live life at optimal health.
The theories behind epigenetic medicine, controlling genes from above or outside the cells, state that we do have the power to change the make-up of our genes through lifestyle changes such as nutrition, exercise, quality sleep, ability to handle stress in a productive way, and a connectedness to other people. It shows that genes are activated or deactivated by many factors originating outside the cell and even outside the body. Resolving emotional trauma can lower our chances of getting cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
For many years, society has been told that our genes control who we are and determine the outcome of our life. As we are all born with our genes, this theory implies that we have no control over our own destiny. Our life has been set so why even bother to try and improve ourselves and our circumstances. Epigenetics attaches a connection between our environment and our health, and the idea that reprogramming our unconscious beliefs may actually be able to override some of our genetic limitations. Epigenetic studies have concluded that our environment shapes us, not our genes. This means that we do have control over our lives and outcomes based on our beliefs.
“If I believe that I can do something, then I can. And if I believe that I cannot do something, then I am also correct.” – Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
Genes are not destiny. Epigenetic research has established that DNA blueprints passed down through genes are not set in concrete at birth. Environmental influences, including nutrition, stress and emotions, can alter those genes without changing their basic blueprint. If we make the necessary changes to our lifestyle, our DNA can be altered, giving us a greater chance of maximum enjoyment out of life and can even hand down revised genes to our offspring that help them as well.