Our thoughts affect DNA: we are not victims of genes

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The widespread idea that DNA greatly influences our personality - not only our eye and hair color, but also, for example, our preferences, diseases, or predisposition to cancer - is a misconception, according to biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton, who specializes in the study stem cells.

“People often blame it on heredity,” Lipton says in the documentary The Biology of Beliefs. - The most basic problem with the theory of heredity is that people begin to disclaim responsibility: 'I can't change anything, why try?'

This concept "says you have less power than your genes," Lipton explains.

From his point of view, the perception of a person, and not his genetic predisposition, stimulates the work of the whole organism: "Our perception is activated by our genes that regulate our behavior."

Explaining the work of this mechanism, he begins with the fact that the human body consists of 50-65 million cells. Cells function independently of DNA. DNA is influenced by the perception of environmental stimuli. Then he applied the same principles to the work of the whole organism, showing how our views and perceptions are stronger than genetics.

The cell is similar to the human body, it functions without DNA

The cell is similar to the human body. It breathes, feeds, reproduces, and has other vital functions. The cell nucleus, which contains the genes, has traditionally been considered the control center - the cell's brain.

But if the nucleus is removed from the cell, it retains all its vital functions and can still recognize toxins and nutrients. Apparently, the nucleus and the DNA that it contains does not actually control the cell.

50 years ago, scientists suggested that genes control biology. “It felt so right that we accepted the idea unconditionally,” Lipton says.

Environment controls DNA

Proteins perform the functions of a cell; they are a building material for living organisms. For a long time, it was believed that DNA controls or determines the actions of proteins.

Lipton proposed a different model. External stimuli that come into contact with the cell membrane are perceived by receptor proteins in the membrane. This triggers a chain reaction of proteins that transmit messages to other proteins, stimulating action in the cell.

DNA is covered with a protective layer of proteins. Irritants act on proteins, causing them to select specific genes to respond to in a given situation.

That is, DNA is not at the head of the chain reaction. The first step is taken by the cell membrane.

Without a reaction, DNA is not activated. “Genes cannot be turned on or off by themselves … they have no control over themselves,” Lipton says. - If the cage is fenced off from any external stimuli, it will not respond. Life depends on how the cell reacts to the external environment."

Perception of the environment and reality of the environment are two different things

Lipton cited a study by John Cairns, "The Origin of Mutants," published in Nature in 1988. Cairns proved that mutations in DNA were not random, but occurred in an orderly manner in response to stressful environmental stimuli.

“In every cell you have, you have genes whose function is to adapt genes as needed,” Lipton explained. In the diagram presented in Karnes's study, external stimuli were shown separately from their perception by the body.

The perception of the environment by a living organism acts as a filter between the reality of the environment and the biological response to it.

“Perception rewrites genes,” Lipton says.

Human attitudes are responsible for whether we perceive negative or positive stimuli

The cell has receptor proteins that are responsible for the perception of the environment outside the cell membrane. In humans, the five senses perform a similar function.

They help a person determine which genes need to be activated in a given situation.

"Genes are like programs or a computer disk," Lipton says. "These 'programs' can be divided into two types: the first are responsible for growth or reproduction, the second for protection."

When the cell encounters nutrients, the growth genes are activated. When a cell encounters toxins, defense genes are activated.

When a person meets love, growth genes are activated. When a person experiences fear, defense genes are activated.

A person can perceive a positive environment as negative. This negative reaction activates defense genes and triggers the body's fight-or-flight response.

Hit or run

Blood is directed from the vital organs to the limbs as they are used to fight or to escape. The immune system fades into the background. Imagine you need to run away from a lion. At this particular moment, the legs will of course be more important than the immune system. Thus, the body gives all its strength to the legs and ignores the immune system.

Thus, when a person perceives the environment as negative, his body begins to ignore the immune system and vital organs. Stress also makes us less intelligent and less intelligent. The brain spends its energy on the fight-or-flight response, and the activity of the departments responsible for memory and other functions decreases.

When a person is in a caring environment, growth genes are activated in his body, which nourish the body.

Lipton cites as an example orphanages in Eastern Europe, where children receive adequate food but little love. Children who grew up in such institutions often suffer from delayed development, grow more slowly, and autism is often found. Lipton says that autism in such cases is a symptom of activation of defense genes, it seems to build a wall around a person.

“Human views act as a filter between the real external environment and your physiology,” he says. Therefore, humans have the power to change their biology. Therefore, it is important to maintain an objective perception of reality, otherwise your body will inadequately respond to the environment around you.

“You are not a victim of genetics,” he says and advises to be careful about your perception of the world.