Can Epigenetics be Influenced?

(Health, 2005)

Sherry Asplund, Capella's University's Teaching Assistant for PSY5002: Foundations of Theory and Practice for Master's Psychology/Diagnostician/Mental Health Practitioner, is sharing her outlook on a topic that has leading edge ideas on behavioral psychology, epigenetics!

LLB: First and foremost thank you for your time, energy and knowledge on what I know to be one of your passions, epigenetics! Please explain to us what epigenetics is and then tell us why it excites you as a practitioner-scholar?

SA: Epigenetics was discovered by Dr. Bruce Lipton when his research revealed that stem cells that were identical responded differently when placed in different environments. This discovery led him to more experimentation, which then lead to epigenetics. Thus, epigenetics became a hard science that taught us that environment influences the expression of genes. Dr. Lipton points out that genetics are like a blueprint and the environment/mental and emotional responses are like the builder. 

LLB: What are your thoughts on epigenetics being referred to as an experimental science?

SA: Epigenetics was not accepted at first. Not because it wasn't provable or repeatable but because it challenged scientists to think outside of what they had been taught as truth. It is now considered a hard science and it is being studied all over the world. Dr. Joe Dispenza is a respected leader in epigenetic research of the mind and body. See his work on Gaia or YouTube.

LLB: Can nurture vs. nature whereby nurture is referring to everything that is occurring in the lifespan of an individual and nature referring to biological genes inherited by one's family be contradictory factors in the epigenetic behavior psychology that people display?

SA: I think that the nature vs. nurture debate has been less prominent over the past years because we have recognized both influences. The epigenetic piece, however, is not always easily recognizable. For example, if we look at Eastern medicine and how emotions are related to illness, we could see that there are patterns of thinking/emotional imbalance/beliefs/behavior that are associated with say illness to certain organs. While one may have the genetic predisposition for a certain mental illness, we should also look at the patterns that are passed down through families regarding mental and emotional behavior, denial of emotion, emotional neglect and abuse, etc. rather than blaming genetics-as we typically do in the West. 

LLB: Can epigenetics change the structure of our DNA? If not what is being changed during the epigenetic process?

SA: Dr. Lipton reports that genetic codes can be changed, either in the  present generation or in those that follow. He reports that we can't imagine at this point the influence that we can have over our genetics. At this point, as a culture, we are doing very little to consciously affect our genetic expression.

LLB: Is it possible that generational dis-eases can become occurrences of the past according to the present perception of epigenetics or epi (above) gene (unit of heredity) tics (habitual feature of a person's behavior)?

SA: Yes. Consider that everything in our genes has not always been there. Our genetic code is ever adapting and constantly evolving. Our genetics today are a result of what expressed in generations before us and we have control over how we will allow them to express or change in the future. An interesting side note for future discussion is that we hold what science call "garbage genes". The term was given because the genes are not active. This is not a simplistic topic but Dr. Lipton has many videos on his research on YouTube. 

Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about this fascinating and important topic!

LLB:  Sherry, I agree that epigenetics is both fascinating and very important! Also, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to share information with us that will broaden our perspective on the ability to influence our genetic codes and possibly change the course of our lives for the better!

Loving Life Blogspot thanks everyone for stopping by to pick up information that is being laid down for your consumption to enjoy better lives!


Photo Reference:
Health, N.I. Epigenetics Mechanism. Epigenetic Mechanism. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 01.22.2019,    from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Epigenetic_mechanisms.jpg

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Can Food be Our Medicine?

The Father of Western Medicine, Hippocrates of Kos, a Greek physician of the age of Pericles thought so when he advised us to "let food be thy medicine and let medicine by thy food"!

JoBarie D. Townsend of Chesapeake, Virginia recently put Hippocrates' concept of food being medicine to the test while continuing to follow his doctor's orders as he experienced an amazing recovery process from a life altering medical diagnosis.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. My intention is that we can learn from your journey.

LLB: Please tell us about your life changing event.

JDT: I had been self-diagnosing myself according to what I thought I may have had and my treatment plan wasn't getting the results I needed. I was getting sicker and my pain was increasing so finally I couldn't take the discomfort any longer and went to the emergency room for a professional diagnosis. I learned I had kidney cancer! Immediately, I began thinking all sort of thoughts as I went over my lifestyle trying to figure out how could this be! I'm healthy, happy, have a beautiful wife, and a young son why would life deal me a hand like this! 

LLB: How did this make you feel?

JDT: My emotions went into shock! I wanted to cry, but couldn't find the tears I needed at that moment to release. Then, I thought this has to be a nightmare, because it definitely wasn't my life! I was telling myself to just wake up everything is going to be okay until the doctors began talking to me snapping me out of my daydream of being in a nightmare and I realized this was happening in real time! This was my life!

Then silently I started asking God the usual questions of "why me"? On one of the occasions of me asking God "why me" He allowed me to see a small child about 4 years old suffering from a critical medical condition and on another occasion I saw a little boy about 8 years old happily pushing his brother in a wheelchair, but not a temporary wheelchair this was they type of wheelchair that this child would be in for the rest of his life!

LLB: So seeing those young children dealing with their diagnosis caused you to perceive your diagnosis from a different perspective?

JDT: Yeah it did. I felt like God was saying to me "then who? if not you"! It was like, I heard God say to me "do you realize what those children's parents would sacrifice for them to enjoy 32 healthy years that you have enjoyed" and suddenly I got it! I had to immediately change my perspective in order to improve my life! I wasn't comparing my life to those children's young lives, but the contentment of their young faces taught me to be thankful for the time I've had on this earth. Now I tell everyone make sure you are who you think you are by making sure you do all that you can to be healthy and happy and to remain healthy and happy and by all means be grateful!

LLB: Explain to us how you have used food as your medicine:

JDT: When I was home recovering from having my kidney removed I began to watch documentaries, I got some wise words on the topic from my mom, my friend Simon and his wife Daneika. They all spoke about the connection between food, cancer, and overall health or the lack thereof. I converted my beliefs on how the types of foods we eat can make a difference in our lives and can determine our state of health; literally! I began eliminating certain foods and increasing certain foods, drinking water, juicing, eating vegetables, and trimming fat from meats and poultry. 

LLB: Do you view life differently now?

JDT: Knowledge is key and I am armed with a better base knowledge of what certain foods can and will do for me. I don't always make the best food choices, but I am aware and I have self talks to keep myself on a proper, healthy food path, because the foods we eat will usher in illness or health!

(Before Surgery)

(After Surgery)

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