How to reprogram your DNA for optimum health

The fact is, you can. Most people mistakenly assume that their genes control their eventual health and wellbeing, but exciting new science disproves this helpless stance. Your genes tell only part of the story. The rest is written by epigenetics—alterations to the way that genetic traits are expressed. Epigenetics is like a powerful secret in your genes that proves and explains how much control you have over your health and wellness, no matter the genetic flaws you inherited. This book holds the answers you need to unlock the incredible potential of epigenetics for shaping your own health now and far into the future. Some of what you read may surprise you. For instance, within these pages you’ll discover: ● How prepubescent smokers helped researchers uncover the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance. ● Why hypnotism is no hoax. ● How you can override your genetic code to reduce your health risks. ● The promising future of epigenetic cancer drugs. ● How one woman cured her cancer using only her mind. ● The best supplement regimen for protecting and rewiring your genes.

Think of this book as a user’s guide to epigenetics as explained by top scientists and doctors, with real-life examples of epigenetics in action and clear advice on altering your own genetic code in exactly the ways that will benefit you the most.

Adelle LaBrec

● How one man used epigenetics to improve not only his health, but also his entire life. ● Why heart disease doesn’t have to be your fate—even if it runs in your family. ● How shifting your perceptions can rewrite your genetic readout. ● The major mistake in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and how it affects your health. ● An experiment that turned mice yellow—and why you should care.

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

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hat if you could avoid the health problems of your parents and grandparents and instead create exactly the level of ideal health you desire?

How to

Reprogram Your DNA for

Optimum Health Spontaneous Healing and Other Health Miracles through Epigenetics Adelle LaBrec Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC First Edition

How to

Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

Spontaneous Healing and Other Health Miracles through Epigenetics Adelle LaBrec

Published by Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC

311 N. Robertson Boulevard, Suite 323 Beverly Hills, California 90211 www.UndergroundHealthReporter.com Copyright © 2014 by Adelle LaBrec First Edition 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher. The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author, and are based upon research conducted exclusively by the author, unless otherwise noted. The author does not dispense medical advice, and does not intend anything in this publication to constitute an attempt to diagnose, treat, mitigate, or cure any medical or psychological condition. Neither the author nor the publisher has any financial interest in the products described in this publication, nor do they intend to recommend any such products to treat specific medical, psychological or other health conditions. The information presented in this publication is intended for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace the advice of a medical doctor or other qualified health care professional. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from the use of any information, suggestion, or product described in this publication.

Introduction.................................................................................................1 What is Epigenetics?..................................................................................7 The Power of the Epigenome...................................................................9 The (Quantum) Physics of Perceptions, Emotions, and Beliefs..........10 Overriding Your Genetic Code ..............................................................14 The Science of Epigenetics … And How Darwin Got it Wrong...17 Darwin, Lamarck, and the New Truth About Evolution.....................18 The “How” of Epigenetics......................................................................21 Epigenetic Inheritance ............................................................................25 Feasts, Famines, and Future Health.......................................................28 Can Epigenetic Inheritance Be Proven?................................................30 How Your Choices Change Your Genetic Code...............................33 Beyond the Borders of Conventional Medicine....................................35 Take Control of Your Genetic Program ................................................38 Perfection is Not Necessary – The Power is in Ongoing Effort.........39 Are You Sending the Right Signals?.......................................................40 Evading America’s #1 Killer ....................................................................41 Eat Well, Be Well.....................................................................................42 Rewriting Your Genetic Destiny...........................................................45 The Epigenetic Drift ...............................................................................47 Where Nature Meets Nurture ...............................................................48 Change Your Mind, Change Your Genes..............................................50 Techniques to “Turn On” Wellness .......................................................53 Change Your Genes in Just Minutes ......................................................55 How Moving Your Body Changes Your Cells.......................................55 A Possible Key to Longer Life................................................................56

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health The Cancer Connection .........................................................................59 Epigenetics and Genetics: Accomplices in Cancer Development.......60 Can Cancer Cells Be Reprogrammed?..................................................62 Cancer Cells Stopped Growing and Disappeared ................................63 Why the Health Revolution Will Begin in Your Home (And How One Woman Cured Cancer Using Only Her Mind)........65 DNA and Hypercommunication: Rewriting Your Genetic Code....67 “Magic” Words and Phrases Can Rewrite the Genetic Code .............68 Turning Frogs Into Salamanders – No Scalpel Needed ......................72 Trading the “Thought of Illness” for the “Thought of Cure”.............73 Have You Experienced Hypercommunication?....................................75 Autosuggestion and Your Genes...........................................................77 The Psychobiology of Gene Expression................................................78 A Master “Mental Chemist” ...................................................................80 We Are All in Kindergarten ....................................................................83 Hypnosis, Self-Help, and Gene Chips...................................................83 The (Serious) Science of Magic..............................................................85 The Future of Epigenetics .....................................................................87 Mapping the Epigenome.........................................................................89 Separating Fact from Fantasy .................................................................91 Epigenetics and Herbs – Explaining the Inexplicable ..........................93 New Assessments of Old Solutions ........................................................95 When East Meets West, Everyone Benefits..........................................98 Your Daily Dose of Optimal Wellness.................................................100 Polish Your Epigenome.........................................................................102 What Epigenetics Can Mean For You...............................................103 Sources......................................................................................................107 Index..........................................................................................................111

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Introduction “We were all brought up to think the genome was it.It's really been a watershed in understanding that there is something beyond the genome.” —C. David Allis, Rockefeller University molecular biologist.

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he announcement of the Human Genome Project in 1990, which was intended to produce the first complete map of the human genome, was met with unparalleled enthusiasm and high expectations. Many scientists predicted that the success of the project would radically reconfigure not only the world of medicine, but the world as we know it. Once the estimated 25,000 genes that make up human DNA had been sequenced, we would have unlocked the genetic key to how we look, feel, think, and behave. With the human genome map in hand, many scientists believed that there would quite literally be no more mysteries about human life. As Jean-Pierre Issa, professor of microbiology at Temple University, puts it, “When the human genome was sequenced, some scientists were saying, ‘That’s the end. We’re going to understand every disease. We’re going to understand every behavior.’”

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How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health However, when the Human Genome Project finally concluded in March of 2000, it quickly became clear that these hopes had been overly optimistic to some degree. While the $3 billion project had indeed furnished a wealth of fascinating new facts about genes and how they function, there were undeniable signs that a piece of the puzzle was still missing. And it was a critical piece with respect to providing a full and complete view of human health and the role of genes in the development of disease. “As it turns out,” Issa notes, the picture was incomplete because “the sequence of DNA isn’t enough to explain behavior. It isn’t enough to explain the diseases.” In the decade since, scientists have discovered that genes tell only part of the story. The rest is written by epigenetics— alterations to the way that genetic traits are expressed. These epigenetic alterations do not change the DNA sequence itself, but they are extremely influential nevertheless. The Human Genome Project “provided the blueprint for life,” says David

Adelle LaBrec Allis, professor at Rockefeller University in New York, “but the epigenome will tell us how this whole thing gets executed.” This “whole thing,” of course, includes the way that genetic traits are involved in the development (or not) of disease within an individual. Identical twins provide a powerful illustration of this point. Although their genes are identical, many aspects of their individual bodies, such as their health, wellbeing, and even (over time) their physical appearance, can vary dramatically. But even in the short term, striking differences can be seen. “One might be normal, while the other is autistic,” says Dr. Allis. “We can’t explain that on the basis of pure genetics because the DNA is identical. Something else must be at play.” That “something else” is epigenetics, which guides gene expression. It is commonly thought that if you have the gene for condition X, eventually and inevitably you will develop condition X, and that is that. There are some genes for which this rule holds true. However, many other genes function more as pre-dispositional factors than ultimate deciders. For instance, if you don’t have the gene (or gene cluster) for certain types of breast cancer, you won’t develop it; however, if you do have the gene (or cluster), this means that you have a genetic predisposition to developing cancer. A predisposition essentially means a “tendency toward” developing a particular disease. But in order for this tendency to become a reality, so that you actually do develop the disease, the genes involved must “express” themselves, or become activated. Whether you do or don’t develop breast cancer, then, depends on whether the gene cluster is activated. In general, genes are expressed if and only if all conditions are “right” for their activation. Actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie’s decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy received heavy press coverage.

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How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health In an op-ed piece discussing her decision, Jolie writes: “The truth is I carry a ‘faulty’ gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.” Jolie is correct that the BRCAI gene is implicated in breast cancer and can be considered a genetic red flag signaling the potential for the development of the disease. But in order for that to happen, the gene must be activated; if it is not, a carrier of the BRCAI gene will not develop breast cancer. It all depends on epigenetics. And perhaps the most exciting aspect of epigenetics research is that scientific study has shown that the behavior of genes is not fixed and determined, nor completely out of our control. In fact, it is possible for individuals to influence the behavior of their genes. For instance, with respect to the BRCA1 gene, Karolyn A. Gazella, author of The Definitive Guide to Cancer, and member of one of the largest and most studied families in North America to carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, writes that “it is not possible to fix the mutations, but we know we can influence the expression of other genes to help compensate.” So, it is of profound importance to our health that we recognize the distinction between mutated or faulty genes and the concept of genetic predisposition—and that in order to be expressed (and, consequently, trigger the development of disease) a gene must be “turned on.” This is why despite having identical genes, twins can turn out so differently. If a gene is “turned on” in one, and “turned off” in the other, the trait contained within that gene will be expressed in the first twin but not in the second. Another way to think of the relationship between your genetic DNA and epigenetics is to envision your DNA as a paragraph, and your genes as the individual letters that make up the words in the paragraph. Epigenetics is the factor that controls spacing and punctuation. Although the “letters” don’t change, epigenetics can dramatically

Adelle LaBrec alter the meaning and appearance of the “paragraph.” One way that we can influence the behavior of our genes— and outsmart our genetic programming—is through the foods we choose to eat. In a Psychology Today article exploring how Jolie’s choice could potentially affect other women who carry the gene mutation, Gazella refers to a 2009 study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. That study showed that a high consumption of fruits and vegetables decreased the likelihood that women with the inherited BRCA mutation will develop cancer. Ultimately, we may have far more choices than we’ve ever imagined when it comes to influencing and even determining our genetic futures. Indeed, scientists are continually uncovering further evidence of just how prominent the role of epigenetics is in almost every aspect of our health. And the links, although powerful, aren’t always obvious. For instance, a recent study showed that your place in society’s “pecking order” can result in epigenetic alterations that make you more (or less) likely to die of a heart attack. This book has been carefully designed to help you unlock the incredible potential of epigenetics for shaping your own health now and far into the future. In it you will find information on the

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How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health history and science of epigenetics laid out in a clear, straightforward way so that you don’t need an advanced degree to understand these powerful ideas. Some of what you read may surprise you. For instance, within these pages you’ll discover: • How one man used epigenetics to improve not only his health, but also his entire life • Why heart disease doesn’t have to be your fate—even if it runs in your family • How shifting your perceptions can rewrite your genetic readout • The major mistake in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and how it affects your health • An experiment that turned mice yellow—and why you should care • How prepubescent smokers helped researchers uncover the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance • Why hypnotism is no hoax • How you can override your genetic code to reduce your health risks • The promising future of epigenetic cancer drugs • How one woman cured her cancer using only her mind • The best supplement regimen for protecting and rewiring your genes Think of this book as a user’s guide to your epigenome. Each chapter is loaded with wisdom from top scientists and doctors, real-life examples of epigenetics in action, and advice on altering your own genetic code in exactly the ways that will benefit you the most.

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Chapter One:

What is Epigenetics? “When you think of nurture and nature, what epigenetics represents is the interface between those two influences.” —Frances Champagne, behavioral scientist at Columbia University in New York

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he word “epigenetics” literally means “on top of genetics.” When simplified to its core elements, epigenetics is the study of changes to gene expression that alter how genes behave, without altering the underlying genetic code itself. This is possible because the changes in gene expression are dictated by the epigenome (the prefix “epi” means “above,” as in above the genes). So, just as the epidermis is the layer above the skin, epigenes are the cellular layer above your genes. The simplest explanation of epigenetics, for our purposes, is that it is an emerging science that proves and explains how much control you have over your health and wellness, no matter the genes you

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How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health inherited. However, to put epigenetics to use in your life, you will find it exceptionally useful to understand at least some of the extraordinary science that has brought these powerful truths to light. Otherwise, this new field of medicine could easily sound so fantastical—so downright magical—that you’d scarcely be inclined to believe it. But believe it you should, because the science that reveals your innate power to change the way your genetic destiny is expressed is some of the most thrilling science happening today. Before delving into the world of epigenetics, a quick review of genetics is in order. As the word “epigenetics” itself indicates, the two subjects are inextricably enmeshed. Each cell in your body is formed from 46 chromosomes, 23 from the mother’s egg and 23 from the father’s sperm. These chromosomes contain 60,000 to 100,000 genes in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid, a complex molecule commonly known as DNA. As the primary hereditary unit for all living things, DNA contains the information needed to build and maintain a living organism. Your DNA provides the raw material for your physical appearance and personality. When your cells duplicate, they pass this genetic information on to the newly formed cells. These immature cells are known as stem cells, and stem cells have the potential to become any type of fully differentiated adult cells. All of your

Adelle LaBrec cells—from those making up the nail on your pinky finger to those forming the innermost chamber of your heart—have an identical DNA blueprint, regardless of how completely different the functions each cell serves may be. Most people have heard about stem cells in the media. Stem cell research has garnered a great deal of attention and even controversy because with the present state of technology, stem cell research requires the destruction of a human embryo in order to extract the stem cell line. Yet, the interest in and push for stem cell research is not likely to decline any time soon, given the potential these cells offer to medical science. Stem cells offer near infinite possibilities for researchers, because of the way they can develop into all the different kinds of tissues found in the human body. Ultimately, your genes carry the instructions that not only first allowed your body (and every organ, tissue, and cell) to develop, but that also now allow your body to create all the things it needs to function. Those functions are set by your epigenes, which instruct fetal cells to develop according to their intended roles. Until recently scientists believed that cellular function was “set” during gestation, but it has now been shown that epigenes are actively involved in cell function over the entire course of a person’s life.

The Power of the Epigenome To begin to break down the way epigenetics works, imagine a white cat and a black cat producing a litter of kittens—three white ones, and three black ones. Genetically speaking, the three black kittens inherited a gene capable of producing melanin (naturally occurring dark pigments, such as is found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers). The three white kittens inherited a defective gene, resulting in un-pigmented fur. Now imagine that same white cat and black cat have another litter, but this time two of the kittens are black, two are

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white, and the remaining two have black and white stripes. Clearly, the striped kittens inherited the melanin-producing gene, but the melanin was only expressed sporadically, producing stripes. This—the varied expression of identical genes in real life— is what epigenetics is all about. Epigenes determine whether a gene is switched on or off. They also control how outside factors such as diet and stress affect your genes. But that’s not all; they can also influence the genes of your descendants.

The (Quantum) Physics of Perceptions, Emotions, and Beliefs Dr. Bruce H. Lipton, a world-renowned leader in cellular biology and quantum physics research, was one of the first scientists to recognize the importance of epigenes. Dr. Lipton is an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. Stem cell biologist, bestselling author of The Biology of Belief, and recipient of the 2009 Goi Peace Award, he has appeared as a guest speaker on hundreds of TV and radio shows, as well as being the keynote presenter for national and international conferences. In 1982, Lipton began integrating the principles of quantum physics into his understanding of the cell’s information processing systems. To fully appreciate Dr. Lipton’s contributions, it will be helpful to first describe the basic principles of quantum physics. Quantum physics can be difficult to comprehend, especially when tackled from a technical standpoint. However, when the main ideas are translated from jargon to plain English, you may find the concepts highly intuitive. Quantum physics deals with discrete, indivisible units of energy called “quanta.” A superficial examination could cause you to dismiss it as arcane theorizing, but in truth quantum physics contains vital clues about the fundamental nature of the

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universe and all the creatures living in it. According to the Oracle Education Foundation, there are five main ideas represented in Quantum Theory: 1. Energy is not continuous, but comes in small but discrete units. 2. The elementary particles behave both like particles and like waves. 3. The movement of these particles is inherently random. 4. It is physically impossible to know both the position and the momentum of a particle at the same time. The more precisely one is known, the less precise the measurement of the other is. 5. The atomic world is nothing like the world we live in. Quantum physics describes the entire nature of the universe as being far different from the world we see. In fact, the universe from the quantum perspective can be so shockingly different, and so infinitely complex, that even seasoned scientists have difficulty grasping its implications. Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist who made highly influential contributions to our modern understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics (for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922), put it this way: “Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it.” One of the most mind-boggling concepts to emerge from quantum physics is that the mere act of observing a sub-atomic particle changes it. This is clearly contrary to our “normal” way of perceiving reality, in which objects simply are what they are, regardless of whether they are observed or not. As radical as this idea may seem, it has had tremendous influence on the direction of research within the scientific community. And for good reason; in essence, what it means is that our perceptions can actually impact and change external reality. And this in turn means that your reality is unique to you because it is the result of your own unique perceptions. Likewise, everyone else’s reality is also unique

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to them. In other words, there is no one single, unified, and universally perceived reality. Or as Albert Einstein so aptly put it, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” This understanding of how our perceptions affect reality is an extraordinarily powerful concept, particularly when it comes to our health. One of the most empowering aspects of quantum physics is that the universe is fluid and always changing. In fact, what quantum physics teaches us is that the universe is renewed on a sub-atomic level every few seconds. The universe is constantly engaged in an infinite dance of creating and transforming itself. As sub-atomic particles are destroyed, they are simultaneously recreated as new sub-atomic particles. The average half-life of most sub-atomic particles is just a few billionths of a second—which means that in the time you have taken to read this paragraph, the universe, which includes you and your physical body, has recreated and renewed itself many times over. Imagine the implications this holds for our ability to transform our own health and, for that matter, our lives. On a subatomic level, everything in our lives—external and internal—is refreshed and renewed every trillionth of a second or so. Therefore, by the laws of quantum physics, every moment is literally a new beginning. Dr. Bruce Lipton’s work reflects a deep respect for and understanding of these laws of quantum physics. His breakthrough studies revealed that epigenes, located on the cell membrane, transmit electromagnetic signals to the interior of the cells. These signals are produced by our senses, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. Just as you mentally adjust to your environment, so, too, your cells respond to their environment. Dr. Lipton compared the outer layer of the cell—the epigene—

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to a computer chip. If your DNA is your genetic hardware, your epigenes are your software. Research conducted by Dr. Lipton between 1987 and 1992 showed that the epigene conveys information about environmental factors that control the behavior and physiology of the cell. His discoveries flew in the face of the scientific dogma that claimed (and still does, in some instances) that your fate is laid out entirely in your genes. Ultimately, Dr. Lipton’s research was a watershed moment for the fledgling field of epigenetics. In his two major publications discussing his discoveries, Dr. Lipton explained how molecular pathways connect the mind and body, and more importantly, how retraining our thinking can change our bodies. This is both inspiring and motivating, because if we can change our cells by changing our minds, our lives are not completely controlled by our DNA. Today, Dr. Lipton is the foremost authority on the link between emotions and genetic expression. According to Lipton, your thoughts, attitudes and perceptions are the true keys to optimal wellness,

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because shifting your thought patterns can rewrite your genetic readout. Rather than seeing your genes as the ultimate—and only— source of your health or illness, Dr. Lipton’s research makes it reasonable to see why your environment, in the broadest sense, determines whether you thrive or wither. And by “environment” we mean everything from your thought patterns and belief systems to your exercise habits, diet, exposure to sunlight, and virtually everything that impacts on your life. A supportive, healthy all-round environment in this strong sense can translate into either wellness or disease, not just for you, but for your children and even your grandchildren. That’s the astonishing power of epigenetics.

Overriding Your Genetic Code Evidence indicates that the lifestyle choices you make, such as smoking and eating unhealthily, can intensify the expression of genes that lead to obesity and dampen the expression of genes that extend your lifespan. It’s also becoming clear that these genetic modifications can predispose your children to disease. Scientists have long recognized that lifestyle choices take on a particular importance for expectant mothers during pregnancy, and that her choices—from nutrition to whether or not to smoke and even the level of stress she experiences—can affect the health of her unborn baby. However, scientists have now gone on to show that a mother’s lifestyle choices are far from the only factors that can affect the health of the developing fetus. It may surprise you to know, for example, that a father’s dietary habits during his own adolescence can directly impact the health of not only his children, but his grandchildren as well. Although this may initially strike some people as far-fetched and difficult to accept, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that just a few generations ago, medical scientists were unaware that maternal drinking and smoking could negatively affect an unborn child’s future health.

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Some researchers also believe that epigenetics may explain occurrences that have puzzled the logic of traditional genetics, like why only one of a pair of genetically identical twins will develop asthma, bipolar disorder, autism, and even cancer. As mentioned previously, a genetic predisposition for a certain condition was once regarded as a virtual guarantee that a person would succumb to that disease or health issue. However, scientists now say your choices can help prevent your genes from expressing that condition. According Dr. David Rakel, director of integrative medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, “Research is telling us even if your family has a history of cancer, there are things you can do to bathe that gene in a way to keep it from expressing itself. That means your genes may produce healthy tissue instead of tissue that is diseased or cancerous.” In other words, your lifestyle choices can override your genetic code and effectively reduce or even eliminate your chance of repeating your family’s history of poor health. According to Dr. Rakel, changes in diet, exercise, and personal attitude can reduce your odds of health decline due to age or genetics. While this advice may sound like another iteration of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and other medical truisms, the concept of epigenetics is actually far more than chirpy folk wisdom. It is cuttingedge science that produces visible changes to genetic expression. “We have a choice to bathe our genes with joy, happiness, exercise, and nutritious foods,” Dr. Rakel says, “or we can bathe them with anger, lack of hope, junk food, and a sedentary lifestyle.” In either case, the choices we make show up at a cellular level. In 2007, Dr. Steven Schroeder of the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco, published a review concluding that the largest influence on longevity in America is personal behavior. According to Dr. Schroeder’s review, even if top-shelf health care were available for all,

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only a small fraction—10 percent—of lives would be saved with high-tech interventions. However, embracing healthier habits (notably, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing stress) reduced the death rate by a staggering 40 percent! But it’s not just about our habits; it’s also about our attitudes. “Human attitude has a tremendous influence on health,” says Dr. Rakel. “If I’m seeing what’s bad in the world, I won’t have the hope that encourages positive lifestyle choices.” Conversely, seeing the good in the world sparks beneficial outcomes. “If I choose to eat fruits and vegetables versus high-fat foods, if I choose to fill my heart with compassion versus hate and hostility, that can leave a mark in my code that can be passed on,” Dr. Rakel continues. Unlike more traditional scientific breakthroughs focused on the latest drug or technological wonder, epigenetics advances a simpler solution: self-healing. “It could be a matter of forgiving that person who has made you angry for 30 years,” says Dr. Rakel. “If you can do that, maybe your shoulders feel lighter or that ache in your gut doesn’t feel as bad. Maybe you stop getting headaches or neck pain. That’s an epigenetic example of how that choice—forgiveness—results in tremendous change in your overall outlook, well-being and physical health.” The possibility of altering our genetic blueprint is both terrifying and thrilling. Epigenetics places much of our health and well-being directly into our own hands, which is, undeniably, a weighty responsibility—but it is also remarkably empowering. While poor choices may now seem more grave than ever, the worry of falling victim to genetic destiny is virtually lifted. “The question is not who you are now,” Rakel says, “but who do you want to become? And who do you want your kids and your kids’ kids to become?” By changing your cells to eradicate disease, you can pass on a legacy of health to your descendants. Nothing could be a better inheritance than that.

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Chapter Two:

The Science of Epigenetics... And How Darwin Got it Wrong “What if Darwin's theory of natural selection is inaccurate? What if the way you live now affects the life expectancy of your descendants? Evolutionary thinking is having a revolution . . . Epigenetics is the most vivid reason why the popular understanding of evolution might need revising.” –Oliver Burkman, science writer for The Guardian

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ou may be familiar with Aesop’s Fables, also known as the Aesopica. This collection of fables originated in ancient Greece and is credited to Aesop (620 – 560 BCE), a storyteller and slave. Many are aetiological fables, meaning they explain why something is the way it is. For instance, one fable describes how the tortoise got its shell, and another how the crested lark came to

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be crested. Early evolutionary scientists set out to answer much the same kinds of questions. And the dominant theory of evolution, since the time of its publication, has been that of Charles Darwin. However, the burgeoning study of epigenetics has prompted the reinvestigation of alternate evolutionary principles. In other words, Darwin may have gotten a key point wrong.

Darwin, Lamarck, and the New Truth About Evolution Over half a century before Charles Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species, a French naturalist named Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck proposed a very different theory of evolution. Lamarckism, as his theory came to be known, centers on the idea that organisms can pass on traits acquired over the course of a single lifetime. The most popular (and since disproved) example was that giraffes’ long necks were the result of constant stretching to reach high, nutrient-rich leaves. Lamarck began his career as a botanist, but ultimately he specialized in the classification of worms, spiders, mollusks, and other boneless creatures. In 1793, he helped to found France’s Musee National d’Histoire Naturelle—or Museum of Natural History. Struck by the similarities of many of the animals he studied, Lamarck came to believe that organisms adapted to environmental changes. These adaptations led the physical changes—like the growth of giraffe necks—that could be inherited by offspring. In other words, Lamarck’s theory suggested that if a mother and father giraffe had to reach and crane their necks to reach the leaves in high branches, their baby giraffes would then be born with longer necks as a result of this parental experience.

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Darwin, who was 84 years younger than Lamarck, argued that adaptations happen over millennia, not the span of a generation. His theory of evolution holds that giraffes have long necks because of an adaptive process that took place very, very slowly over multiple decades. What began as a random mutation in the form of a longer neck became, over eons, the norm. Because giraffes with longer necks held a survival advantage over those with shorter necks, they were more successful at living long enough to reproduce. When they mated, some of their offspring also had longer necks, giving them in turn an advantage, and so on, until eventually the genes that programmed for short necks became almost obsolete. “Darwin was 100 percent right” about the giraffe necks, says Swiss bioengineer Renato Paro. However, the fact that he was correct in this case doesn’t mean that Lamarck’s theory was entirely wrong. Paro and other geneticists around the world have begun to quietly admit that in dismissing Lamarckian evolutionary theory as a scientific blunder, their predecessors made a monumental mistake. It is now becoming quite clear that parents sometimes do pass traits that they have acquired during their lifetimes to their offspring in just the way Lamarck suggested. An example of such an acquired trait can be seen in water fleas living in predator-heavy environments. Such water fleas develop large defensive spines for protection in what is clearly an adaptive response to the threats and dangers of a particular environment. If Darwin’s theory were correct and acquired traits cannot be passed on, then subsequent generations of fleas should not grow spines unless they lived in a similar predator-rich environment. Raised in a predator-free environment, on the other hand, the offspring would have no need for such protection and should be spine-free. However, even when the offspring of the original water fleas were

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raised in predator-free settings, they developed spines as well. All of which means that an adaptive trait acquired by one generation can become an inheritable trait that can be passed on to the next. This process is called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, and fleas aren’t the only organisms that evolve this way. An article published in The Quarterly Review of Biology in 2009 listed over 100 well-documented cases of epigenetic inheritance. It’s become overwhelmingly apparent that non-DNA inheritance happens far more frequently than scientists once thought, and that organisms can adapt much faster than Darwin believed. According to Eva Jabonka and Gal Raz, who compiled the list, “epigenetic inheritance is ubiquitous.” In other words, it happens all the time, far beyond what’s been currently documented and proven. Jabonka and Raz noted cases of epigenetic inheritance in bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals, a set of findings that the authors claimed is “the tip of a very large iceberg.” Though widespread revival of Lamarckism is recent, the beginning of modern epigenetics is most often marked as 1942. That’s the year when Conrad Waddington, an English developmental biologist, is said to have coined the term “epigenetics.” Waddington believed there was something working on top of the DNA sequence to modulate gene expression. His choice of the term epigenetics was likely influenced by Aristotle’s ideas about epigenesis, the forming of specific, individual beings from unformed matter. Waddington defined epigenetics as “the branch of biology which studies the casual interactions between genes and their products, which brings the phenotype into being.” He was interested in the extent to which humans are genetically programmed versus environmentally shaped. He and his followers investigated whether—and how— experiences trigger genetic changes.

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The “How” of Epigenetics Scientists have already identified many mechanisms involved in the “how” of epigenetics, including processes with such daunting names such as methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, and sumolyation. Of these processes, DNA methylation is the most studied, in part because existing technology is best suited to do so. Though it may sound incomprehensible, DNA methylation can be understood quite easily. DNA is our master program, residing in the nucleus of every one of our cells. Enzymes bind methyl groups (a basic unit in organic chemistry made up of one carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms) to the DNA. Often, a methyl group is affixed near the beginning of a gene. The beginning of a gene is where proteins fasten on to activate the gene. When the beginning of a gene is blocked by a methyl group, proteins can’t connect to it, and the gene will most likely remain inactive. Nucleus (where DNA is located)

Cell Membrane

Cytoplasm

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For this reason, you can imagine that the distribution of methyl groups significantly impacts the expression of your genes. Even though methyl groups don’t change the underlying DNA, they do alter patterns of gene expression. This in turn has an immediate effect on our health—and a long-term impact on our children and grandchildren, because these altered gene expressions can be inherited by subsequent generations. Depending on environmental influences, the arrangement of methyl groups can be static from embryo development to death, or can vary drastically over a person’s lifetime. Researchers are still teasing apart the factors that influence DNA methylation. A woman’s diet during pregnancy appears to significantly affect the epigenetic tags of her child. Prenatal diets low in nutrients containing methyl groups—nutrients such as folic acid and vitamin B12—have been linked to multiple problems including an increased risk of asthma and defects of the spinal cord and brain. Studies have also found that exposure to the chemical additive BPA in the early developmental phases can cause irregularities. Additional research on sets of twins offers further clues. For example, in sets of twins where one but not the other has schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, scientists have uncovered differences in the methylation of certain genes associated with these conditions between the healthy twin and the twin with the disease. Certain processes associated with the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease have also been linked to the presence and placement of methyl groups. It seems clear that methylation plays a crucial role in determining whether or not certain diseases will be genetically expressed. While researchers have devoted the bulk of their work to methylation, another important mechanism that controls

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epigenetic inheritance is histone modification. Again, it’s a highly technical term that can be easily broken down. Histone modification—sometimes called chromatin modification—is just another process that modifies gene expression without changing the underlying genetic structure. Histones are simply basic proteins. DNA coils around these basic proteins to form chromatin, which in turn forms your chromosomes. If methyl groups are like switches that turn genes on and off, histones are like knobs. The tightness or looseness of the DNA spooled on the histone determines how strongly a particular genetic trait will be expressed. Histone modifications tend to be less enduring than those triggered by methylation. More work is needed to determine how the molecules surrounding our DNA—including methyl groups and histones— affect gene activity. It’s clear that the foods we eat, the chemicals we come in contact with, the viruses we contract, and our physical activity levels all affect these regulatory molecules. For example, in regard to food, studies indicate that shortages or excesses of food during childhood trigger epigenetic changes that result in a whole host of conditions, from diabetes to obesity to early onset puberty. Other known or suspected drivers behind epigenetic processes include: • Heavy metals • Pesticides • Diesel exhaust • Tobacco smoke • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons • Hormones • Radioactivity • Bacteria

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One of the most pertinent aspects of epigenetics is especially exciting, as it holds great promise for our health status. As far as contemporary science can tell, in the absence of environmental triggers, epigenetic changes will be stripped away, and your DNA code will revert to its original programming. Remember, epigenetics does not change DNA; it is a biological response to environmental pressure. If the pressure fades, the response will eventually fade as well. In other words, although the adaptive response can be inherited, there is evidence that these changes to how our genes behave need not be permanent. Only natural selection—as described by Darwin—can cause permanent genetic change. This means that where potentially harmful adaptive changes have occurred as a response to our overall environment (including unhealthy food, stress, toxins, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) we have good reason to believe that by removing those triggers the potential for damage can also be lessened.

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Chapter Three:

Epigenetic Inheritance “Give mothers chemicals, and it can affect offspring and the next generation.” –Dr. Larry Feig, biochemist at Tufts University

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ne of the most impressive (and oft-cited) examples of the power of epigenetics to alter gene expression in future generations comes from a 2003 study carried out by Duke University oncologist Dr. Randy Jirtle and one of his postdoctoral students, Robert Waterland. Dr. Jirtle and his team experimented with genetically identical pairs of agouti mice. These agouti mice have a gene that, when expressed continuously, results in yellow coats and a propensity for obesity and diabetes. In order to discover whether pre-natal diet can impact on gene expression in offspring, one group of pregnant agouti mice was fed a diet supplemented with nutrients such as folic acid, choline, vitamin B12, and folate. The other group was fed an un-supplemented diet. The results were quite telling: mothers who benefited from prenatal supplementation gave birth to healthy brown pups of normal weight that were not predisposed

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to diabetes. The researchers found that the nutrients acted as methyl donors, causing methyl groups to attach more frequently to the agouti gene in utero. This suppressed the effects of the agouti gene so significantly that, although their DNA predicted identical odds of growing up to be fat and yellow, the two litters of agouti mouse pups looked totally dissimilar and had divergent risks for obesity and other diseases. Frances Champagne, a behavioral scientist at Columbia University in Manhattan, says that the most striking thing about Jirtle’s study is that the results are unequivocally visible, even to the naked eye. “We’ve got a yellow obese mouse, and a brown mouse,” Champagne says, adding that although the Jirtle study was conducted with mice, “there’s reason to believe it happens in humans, too.” A study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2005 further supports Champagne and Jirtle’s contention that human mothers are also able to transmit epigenetic changes to their children. This turns out to be true not only with respect to maternal diet, but also with respect to external factors, such as the experiences of the mother. The study found that pregnant women who witnessed the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade center passed on higher levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) to their babies. Other research also indicates that intense traumatic experiences can be passed down as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from one generation to the next. Even modification to memory—an intricately complex and sophisticated biological and psychological procedure—can be inherited. In 2009, the Journal of Neuroscience published the results of a study done by Dr. Larry Feig, a biochemist at Tufts University. For two weeks during adolescence, Dr. Feig and his colleagues placed mice that had been genetically engineered to have impeded

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memory functioning in an environment filled with toys, exercise opportunities, and social interaction. As expected based on previous work showing that enriched environments boost brain function, the memory capacities of the mice improved. The researchers carefully examined a molecular mechanism called long-term potentiation (LTP). LTP is a form of neural transmission that is key to memory formation. To their surprise, the researchers found that environmental enrichment repaired genetically faulty LTP connections. Not only did Dr. Feig’s team find that environmental stimuli boosted memory despite genetic disadvantages, but they also found that the improvements to memory could be passed on to future generations. “When you look at the offspring,” says Feig, “they still have the defect in the protein, but they also have normal LTP.” Even when the pups were given no extra attention, and raised by memory-deficient mice, the findings held true. “The results are extremely surprising and unexpected,” says Li-Huei Tsai, a neuroscientist at MIT. “This study is probably the first study to show there are transgenerational effects not only on behavior but on brain plasticity.” Dr. Feig’s study was a breakthrough in another way, too. It was one of the very first experiments that pointed to a longer timeframe during which environmental influences can trigger epigenetic changes. Contrary to the earlier belief that the “window” for epigenetic changes was limited to pregnancy and early developmental phases, Dr. Feig’s study suggests an extended timeframe that not only includes first generation offspring, but that can also carry forward into future generations. “Give mothers chemicals, and it can affect offspring and the next generation,” Dr. Feig says. “In this case, [these effects] happened way before the mice were even fertile.”

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Feasts, Famines, and Future Health Since the 1980s, a Swedish scientist named Dr. Lars Olov Bygren has been investigating how parental experiences affect the health of their children. Dr. Bygren was working as a preventativehealth specialist at the distinguished Karolinska Institute in Stockholm when he read and was fascinated by ideas presented in two groundbreaking papers published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. These two papers, dealing with how conditions in the womb could impact on the health of offspring not only as children but also throughout adulthood, would ultimately define Dr. Bygren’s career path. The first of the two, published in 1986, linked nutritional deficits during a mother’s pregnancy to an increased risk of heart disease for her child later in life. This data started Dr. Bygren wondering whether it was also possible that parents’ experiences, and particularly those that occurred prior to pregnancy, could also influence the traits that were passed on. As he was pondering this epigenetic tangle, Dr. Bygren was also analyzing population data from 19th century Norrbotten, Sweden. The Norrbotten area, located in northernmost Sweden, is very sparsely inhabited (with an average of only six people per square mile) and is also quite isolated. In fact, Norrbotten is so isolated

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from the rest of the country that during the 1800s, if the local harvest was bad, people simply starved. Conversely, in years of abundant harvest, the people of Norrbotten tended to feast for months. Dr. Bygren was interested in whether the “feast or famine” environment in the region affected the health of children, and if so, whether the effects were short-lived or continued to make themselves felt over the long term. In order to pursue these questions, he designed a study aimed at investigating potential links between environmental conditions and health across several generations. Dr. Bygren’s first step was to collect data from a random sample of 99 people born in 1905 in the Overkalix parish of Norrbotten. He then used historical records to trace their parents and grandparents. By analyzing agricultural records, Dr. Bygren and two of his colleagues were able to see, in meticulous detail, how much food had been available to the parents and grandparents during their childhoods. Dr. Bygren’s findings showed that the sons and grandsons of boys who, thanks to a plentiful harvest, went from normal eating to feasting in a single season lived considerably shorter lives than average. In the first of his papers on Norrbotton (published in 2001 in the Dutch journal Acta Biotheoretica), Dr. Bygren reported that the grandsons of the boys who had overeaten died an average of six years earlier than the grandsons of those who had suffered through a starving winter. As disturbing as this six year difference is, the actual longevity gap turns out to be even more shocking. After controlling for various socioeconomic factors, Dr. Bygren and his team discovered the longevity gap jumped to a remarkable 32 years. In later papers, they found that a significant difference in life

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spans also applied along the female line. The data clearly suggested that, for both boys and girls, a single winter of glutinous eating during childhood could set off a chain reaction that would result in one’s grandchildren dying decades before their peers. In other words, Dr. Bygren’s work helped establish an indisputable link between environment and genetic expression. However, Dr. Bygren and his team faced a seemingly insurmountable scientific obstacle: duplicating the results. In his search for a solution, Dr. Bygren uncovered a near-forgotten paper by a British geneticist named Marcus Pembrey.

Can Epigenetic Inheritance Be Proven? In 1996, Dr. Marcus Pembrey, a prominent geneticist at University College London and a committed Darwinist, published a highly unusual paper. In the paper, a review of epigenetic science at the time, Dr. Pembrey hypothesized beyond Darwin’s theory of evolution. What if, Dr. Pembrey asked, the ever-more-pressing demands of modern life had caused our genes to react more quickly? Rather than changing at an extremely slow and gradual rate over many generations and millennia, what if our genes now adapted much more quickly, possibly even within “a few, or moderate number, of generations”? Granted, the genes encoded within DNA would be unable to alter within that short window of time, but Dr. Pembrey wondered whether the epigenetic markers might be able to change the way the genes themselves behave. In other words, while the structure of DNA would remain stable and fixed over this time frame, could environmental pressures cause certain genes to remain unexpressed and others to become active? Dr. Pembrey’s ideas were so radical that his paper was met with incredulity and heated controversy. The major scientific journals firmly refused to publish his work. Eventually, a small Italian

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journal, Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemollogiae, accepted his paper. But with such a modest readership, the paper received scant serious attention, and seemed destined to fall into dusty obscurity. Unsure of how to go about testing the theory he proposed, Dr. Pembrey eventually also put the idea aside. That is, until May of 2000, when he received an email from Dr. Lars Olov Bygren, which contained an explanation of the Overkalix life-expectancy data. The two researchers, fueled by their common passionate commitment to the same theoretical concepts, soon became friends and colleagues. Together, they tried to work out a research method that would allow them to investigate “the Overkalix connection” more deeply and thoroughly. Certain research experiments that may have provided them with additional insight had to be discarded for various reasons. For instance, trying to replicate the “feast or famine” circumstances would be unethical, to say the least, because it would require that some children be denied adequate food while others were forced to overindulge. But even if the ethical issues were overcome, this experimental method wouldn’t be feasible, because it would mean waiting 60 years or more before any clear results were achieved—a timeframe that would outstrip both their lifetimes. However, by a lucky twist of fate, Dr. Pembrey had access to another source of genetic information that would ultimately prove to be an even greater goldmine than the Overkalix records. Founded by Jean Golding, an epidemiologist at University College, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is a research project uniquely designed to determine how genotype and environment influence health and development. Dr. Pembrey himself was a longtime board member of ALSPAC, which is based at the University of Bristol, and he was familiar with Dr. Golding’s work. Golding and her staff were in the midst

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of an ongoing study, and had recruited 70 percent of all women in the area, including a total of 14,024 women who had given birth in 1991 and 1992. The study followed both parents and their children (from birth), and its participants were given an extensive battery of medical and psychological tests on an annual basis. By the time Pembrey and Bygren began working together, the ALSPAC data has already yielded a number of important insights about childhood health. For instance, the study suggested that baby lotions containing peanut oil could be a factor behind increased rates of peanut allergies. In addition, there is a strong association between asthma in children and high levels of maternal anxiety during pregnancy. Further, and perhaps surprisingly, bathing children too frequently may put them at higher risk for developing eczema. While all these findings are of value in and of themselves, by far the most momentous finding was one that closely mirrored the results of the Overkalix study. This finding emerged from data Golding had collected about a cohort of 166 boys within her participant group.

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Chapter Four:

How Your Choices Change Your Genetic Code “What other things could we be doing to flip those switches and provide a better blueprint for our kids to start them off right in life?” – Dr. Beth Abramson, director of women’s cardiovascular health at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto

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rior to puberty boys are “genetically isolated.” What we mean by this is simply that their sperm—which is the genetic material that will impart their DNA to any future children—does not yet exist. Girls, on the other hand, are born with all their ova, or eggs, already stored within their bodies. So in that sense, girls already share a genetic link with their future children. If epigenetic changes are truly inheritable in the sense we’ve been discussing, meaning the expression or activation of genes that do not yet exist (in the bodies of future children) can also be affected by the environment and experiences of parents, then prepubescent boys are ideal candidates for demonstrating this. Hypothetically, the

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years preceding puberty seem prime for epigenetic change. What better time for the environment to affix epigenetic markers to the genetic code of the Y chromosome, which is carried only by boys, than when sperm production first begins? If the environment and experiences of boys who have not yet begun to produce sperm can be shown to affect the health status of their offspring, this would provide additional and very significant support for the correctness of Pembrey and Bygren’s theory. And that is exactly what the ALSPAC study provided. According to the ALSPAC data, 166 of the 14,024 fathers in the study said they started smoking before age 11—just before entering puberty. When Dr. Pembrey, Dr. Bygren, and Dr. Golding scrutinized the data pertaining to the sons of those 166 prepubescent smokers, they found that by age nine, these boys had significantly higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than other boys. Higher BMIs can mean a considerably increased risk of obesity, as well as of developing other serious health issues later in life. In a trailblazing paper published in the European Journal of Human Genetics in 2006, Drs. Pembrey, Bygren, and Golding

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write that it is extremely likely that the sons of early smokers will have shortened life spans. Noting the strikingly similar prognosis for the sons of the overeaters in the Overkalix study, the doctors conclude: “The coherence between the ALSPAC and Overkalix results in terms of exposure-sensitive periods and sex specificity supports the hypothesis that there is a general mechanism for transmitting information about the ancestral environment down the male line.” In demonstrating that the ALSPAC data paralleled Overkalix for both the environmental factor exposure period (prepubesence) and sex (male), Dr. Bygren’s quest to establish the solidity and verifiability of his original theory succeeded beyond his wildest expectations. Considering the vast implications these studies hold for our health—as well as the health of our children and possibly our grandchildren—it is little wonder that in a 2010 article for Time magazine, senior health writer John Cloud called the Pembrey, Bygren, and Golding article “the most compelling epigenetic study yet written.”

Beyond the Borders of Conventional Medicine The more we learn about epigenetics, the more it becomes starkly evident that contemporary medicine fails to adequately treat widespread health concerns such as cancer and heart disease. Slowly, some conventionally trained doctors are adjusting their outlooks and treatment protocols to take epigenetics into account. One of those forward-thinking doctors, Dr. Frank Lipman, has become a leader in the practical application of epigenetics for transforming the health and the lives of his patients. Dr. Lipman is the author of Total Renewal: 7 Key Steps to Resilience, Vitality, and Long Term Health and Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again, and founder and director of Eleven-Eleven Wellness

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Center in New York. Dr. Lipman’s history is not only fascinating, but highly relevant to how he has come to be one of America’s leading integrative physicians. Dr. Lipman trained as a doctor in South Africa under apartheid. After finishing medical school at the University of Witwaterstrand in Johannesburg, the best university in South Africa, he chose to intern at Baragwaneth Hospital. Located in Soweto, one of the “Blacks Only” areas surrounding Johannesburg, Baragwaneth Hospital serves a primarily blue-collar clientele— typically factory workers, gold miners, and domestic laborers. The rationale for Dr. Lipman’s unusual choice for his internship can be traced back to his parents. Dr. Lipman’s mother and father were political activists who fought against apartheid. In his book, Total Renewal, Dr. Lipman writes that his parents “instilled in me a sense of social justice and the importance of questioning the status quo.” He credits this philosophy not only with informing his choice to intern at Baragwaneth, but also with setting the tone for his entire career. At Baragwaneth, the largest and busiest hospital on the continent of Africa, Dr. Lipman encountered a wide variety of diseases, injuries, and non-Western medical practices. “Sometimes, when we doctors found ourselves unable to help a patient using conventional methods,” he writes in Total Renewal, “the patient’s family would call in a sangoma, a traditional African healer.” Though he was crushingly busy tackling the problems his patients routinely faced due to living in poverty in an overcrowded urban area— things like knife wounds, alcoholism, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke—Dr. Lipman couldn’t help but notice that on more than one occasion a patient’s condition improved after a visit from the sangoma.

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After his internship, Dr. Lipman spent 18 months in Kwandbele, one of the “homelands” wherein the apartheid government forced different tribal groups to live. During that time, he frequently encountered life-threatening medical emergencies, such as heart failure, acute asthma, bowel obstructions, pneumonia, and meningitis. Because for the most part he was able to respond to and treat such emergencies effectively, he simply did not question what he had been taught in medical school. “My medical training was indispensable for these types of problems,” writes Lipman. “I felt that I was helping people, and as a result, I believed in my training and in modern medicine.” When he returned to the suburbs of Johannesburg, however, Dr. Lipman’s practice consisted mainly of middle-class Caucasian patients. Compared to the patients he saw at Kwandbele and Baragwaneth, these people had a wealth of advantages. While they were not critically ill, they were also experiencing far from optimal health. The “worried well,” as Dr. Lipman termed them, were being adversely affected by lifestyle factors such as poor eating habits, lack of exercise, overwork, and stress. While it wasn’t difficult to identify the lifestyle factors that were harming his patients’ health, it came as something of a shock to Lipman to realize that when it came to treating nonemergency problems (headaches, joint pain, indigestion, and fatigue), his training had failed to equip him with the knowledge required to help at least three out of four patients he saw. Feeling frustrated and helpless, Dr. Lipman confided in Dr. Paul Davis, the owner of the practice. Dr. Davis laughed and told him: “Don’t worry. Most people get better by themselves despite the medicine we give them. Your real job is to listen to your

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patient and be there for them.” Lipman was dissatisfied with this response and what he viewed as an essentially passive approach to health care. “I couldn’t accept that for the rest of my medical career I would only help 25 percent of the people who were going to see me.” In 1984, Lipman emigrated to the United States and, in his search to find more effective ways to help his patients, he began studying alternative therapies such as acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), yoga, meditation, bodywork, and biofeedback. While Lipman may not have realized it at the time, he was at the forefront of a movement towards what is now called “integrative medicine,” and he is now internationally recognized as an expert in functional and integrative medicine. At ElevenEleven Wellness Center, he practices a unique blend of “good medicine,” which combines all the systems he has studied, and which elegantly harnesses the potential of epigenetics science in the everyday lives of the patients he treats.

Take Control of Your Genetic Program It comes as no surprise—considering Dr. Lipman’s efforts to combine the best of modern medicine with traditional methods of healing—that he is fascinated by and holds a deep respect for the power of epigenetics. “When all is said and done, the idea that epigenetic changes are reversible is just this side of revolutionary,” he says. As mentioned earlier, mutated genes are unlikely to revert back to normalcy, but this does not mean that defective genetic programming cannot be corrected. With this in mind, Lipman expresses the belief that it is imperative that we take responsibility for our own health and do our best to send healthy signals to our epigenes. “How you communicate with your genes will influence

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how they’ll express themselves, so my advice is to bathe them inside and out in the healthiest environment possible.” His advice on how to do so is pleasantly simple: eat nourishing, organic food; avoid exposure to chemicals and toxins; exercise regularly; make restful sleep a priority; and seek out loving relationships.

Perfection is Not Necessary— The Power is in Ongoing Effort Above all, Dr. Lipman emphasizes the importance of making an ongoing effort to improve your health status, but at the same time, not demanding perfection of yourself. Especially as you first begin to adopt a healthier lifestyle, there will be times you fall short of your goals. Don’t dwell on what you did wrong. The important thing is that after a slip, you redouble your efforts, or as Dr. Lipman puts it “get back on that pony every day.” Whenever you face temptation, Dr. Lipman suggests asking yourself this question: “Is this promoting my health or pushing it farther from my grasp?”

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Making honest, conscious choices is the best way to recognize your ultimate control over your own health.

Are You Sending the Right Signals? Your diet is a crucial arena for health-protective choice making. As the Overkalix study showed, subpar decision-making with respect to nutritional intake can affect your health as well as the health of your descendants. Fortunately, eating healthily can counteract many genetic handicaps, and establish a better starting place for the next generation. A new field called “nutrigenomics,” a branch of nutritional genomics, is devoted to the study of the effects of foods on gene expression. By analyzing how different foods interact with specific genes, researchers in this field have confirmed that dietary signals directly influence the metabolic programming of our cells. Essentially, food “talks” to our genes and the way our genes express themselves varies based on those “conversations.” Not only does the food we eat carry information to our genes, but it can also in some cases carry instructions that can either increase or decrease our risk for certain diseases. The list of critical biological processes affected by dietary signals includes cholesterol levels, aging, hormone regulation, and weight fluctuations. Eating the right foods promotes healthy function in these and other important areas, whereas eating the wrong ones leaves you vulnerable to disease. The makeup of food is far more complex than the nutrient building blocks with which you may already be familiar. Inside an apple, for instance, there are thousands of micronutrient compounds that relate to one another and to your genes in complex and dynamic ways. With processed foods, however, like an apple-flavored snack bar, these micronutrients are altered or absent. It shouldn’t be surprising,

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then, that these two food items deliver totally different messages to your body. The messages from the apple are all positive, but as you might suspect, those from the processed, pseudo-apple snack can be mixed at best and wholly negative at worst. Just as computers can be corrupted by bad data, your body won’t function properly when fed this type of negative information from food. In fact, nutritionally empty, overly processed foods cause your genes to miscue metabolic actions. One fascinating result of our overly processed diets is that it is becoming increasingly common for our biological systems to respond to processed foods as if they were foreign invaders rather than food, and indigestible foreign invaders at that. In order to protect itself from damage, the body initiates an inflammatory response to what it perceives as a threat. If we continue to “feed” our bodies mainly processed foods, this inflammatory response goes into overdrive, becoming continuous and chronic, which in turn leads to a low-grade but chronic inflammation throughout the body. Chronic inflammation of this sort is now recognized as a precursor for a variety of serious illnesses.

Evading America’s #1 Killer Of the many illnesses known to stem from low-grade inflammation, heart disease is one of the most deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in every four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease—that’s about 600,000 deaths annually. But epigenetics holds an invaluable key to stopping the encroachment of this destructive disease. Already, researchers have actually pinpointed markers placed by DNA methylation on genes linked to cardiovascular conditions. It all started with a research team led by Dr. Mehregan Movassagh of the University of Cambridge. Dr. Movassagh’s

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research was the first to establish a connection between lifestyle choices and the epigenetic expression of heart disease. The findings of Movassagh’s team are based on comparative studies of samples of heart tissue taken from two groups: men with heart disease who died after undergoing heart transplants; and individuals with healthy hearts who died in traffic accidents. “We already know that several genes play an important role in heart failure,” said Dr. Movassagh. “Researchers have looked at mutations in these genes, and sometimes don’t see any, so it could be methylation, not mutation, which is responsible for the altered expression that leads to disease.” When the Cambridge team compared the genomes from the two groups, they found that the diseased hearts had epigenetic markers at significant locations on genes associated with heart failure. “This opens a new window on the link between genome and disease,” Movassagh said. More work must be done to deepen the understanding of the link. But even now, the Cambridge research makes one thing exceedingly clear. That is, epigenetic factors have a significant influence over whether you develop heart disease, even if you have a strong genetic predisposition towards doing so. The next steps in research studies will likely focus on determining patterns of methylation in specific genes, and on how environmental influences (obesity, for example) prompt DNA methylation. However, the work done to date supports the optimistic hope that future research findings will point the way towards more effective treatment of heart disease, as well as more exact guidelines for how to prevent it.

Eat Well, Be Well The science behind how food speaks to your genes is highly complicated and technical. Fortunately, the science of what we

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43 should be eating for optimal health is far more straightforward. Perhaps the most concise way of describing a healthy diet comes from Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food. Pollan’s advice? “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Although it doesn’t get much simpler than that, for those seeking further guidance, Dr. Frank Lipman offers the following tips:

• Eat fresh, whole, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. Hint: if it has a label, it’s likely that it’s not any of these things. • The further removed the food is from its source, the less good data it will contain for your genes. • Strive to eat fruits and vegetables in all shades of all colors of the rainbow. • Buy fresh food whenever possible—ideally, locally grown and organic. • When you feel 80 percent full, stop eating. • Be wary of obsessive calorie counting. • Don’t waste time feeling guilt for eating the “wrong” thing. Just recommit to making a more healthful choice next time. These guidelines are incredibly simple, but not necessarily easy to follow. In a culture and a time when many people rely on

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processed foods from bags and boxes for most of their calories on most days of the week, following the above advice may take considerable effort because it means making a rather drastic change in our habits. However, the benefits of doing so are outstanding. Eating in this manner as often as you possibly can ensures that your genes receive the best data to work with in order to express positive health traits and inactivate negative ones, now and in the future.

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Chapter Five:

Rewriting Your Genetic Destiny “What you are thinking, feeling, and believing is changing the genetic expression and chemical composition of your body on a moment-by-moment basis.” —Dawson Church, PhD, founder of the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare (NIIH)

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s mentioned earlier, some of the most valuable and informative studies illustrating the potential power of epigenetics to overwrite genetic destiny have been done with identical twins. The scientific term for identical twins is “monozygotic twins,” because the genetic material for each twin came from the same embryo. Monozygotic twins are the result of a split in the embryonic material at a very early developmental phase. Because these twins are from the same embryo, they have identical genetic codes. Often they are also identical in outward, physical appearance. However, as time passes, the genes of one twin may be expressed differently than the other, resulting in radically dissimilar health outcomes.

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A group of Spanish, Swedish, Danish, English and American investigators published a seminal study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in 2005 on the influence of environmental factors on genetic expression. By the time of this study, epigeneticists had already come to suspect that DNA methylation was affected by the environment, but no one had as yet been able to prove it. But this study changed all that, because according to lead author Mario Fraga of the Spanish National Cancer Centre in Madrid, this was “the first time that somebody has demonstrated that this is the case.” The comprehensive, detailed study explored age-associated epigenetic changes in identical human twins. In an article in the same issue of PNAS, George M. Martin, of the Departments of Pathology and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, called the study “a technical tour de force,” in part because of its use of advanced techniques including “a battery of powerful molecular genetic methodologies.” The researchers studied genetic material from 40 pairs of identical twins who ranged in age from three to 74 years old. Their goal was to assess how environmental factors sway gene expression. To accurately assess this, the research team measured the amount of DNA methylation. In a third of the pairs of twins, they found appreciable differences between the chemical modification of DNA and its

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accompanying histones in the individual twins. The older the twins were, the more extensive the differences. In more than 60 percent of twin pairs aged 28 and older, the team found significant dissimilarities in the chemical modification of DNA. These epigenetic variations can have considerable consequences on genetic expression, and, therefore, on the health and wellness status of each half of the twinned pairs.

The Epigenetic Drift The researchers found that differences in gene expression for older twin pairs was approximately four times greater than for younger pairs. They termed this age-related divergence “epigenetic drift.” Although the term “drift” seems to imply a gentle, benign movement, in fact epigenetic drift may be a warning sign of impending health problems. Drift too far, and you may end up crashing into a serious health obstacle that your genetic doppelganger was able to completely avoid. In other words, epigenetic drift explains in part why one twin in an identical pair may develop serious, life-threatening diabetes while the other goes completely unscathed. Here is a case that demonstrates exactly how this works in real life. Mario Fraga’s team identified a chemical change in one twin that had activated a gene associated with diabetes. While that twin had indeed developed diabetes, his twin had not. Although the two had identical DNA structures, in the second twin the change had never been triggered, the gene remained inactive, and the twin remained completely healthy.. “We are now mapping twins with different penetrance for a particular disease, such as diabetes or autoimmune disease,” said Manel Estreller, also of the Spanish National Cancer Centre. “By comparing the epigenomes of both twins, we can isolate genes that contribute to

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the development of these diseases.” Importantly, the researchers saw an association between the degree of epigenetic drift and the extent to which environmental factors such as lifestyle choices varied. Even more interestingly, there was a correlation between the degree of drift and the amount of time the twins spent together. The more time the twins spent apart, the more their patterns of gene activation varied. According to Trygve Tollefsbol, Ph.D., professor of Epigenetics and Gene Regulation in Cancer and Aging at the University of Alabama, studies like these also show that “epigenetic expression of many genes changes each year.” Tollefsbol says that “the reason for that is the interaction between epigenetics and the environment.”

Where Nature Meets Nurture Scientist Frances Champagne of Columbia University is also fascinated by the interplay between epigenetics and environment. “As you walk through life, as you have your unique experiences through that lifespan, your epigenetic changes are mirroring those experiences,” said Champagne. For one of her studies, she focused on whether early childhood conditions can predict coping skills in adults. Champagne found that rat pups whose mothers showed more affection in the first weeks of their lives were far better at coping with stress later on. She says similar patterns appear for other species as well. “In primates, there is evidence that abuse leaves lasting epigenetic changes,” she says, “even in human brains.” Stress seems to be an especially pertinent environmental factor that can negatively affect health. In fact, stress has been shown to

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be associated with up to 90 percent of all conditions that send people to the doctor’s office, including cardiovascular disease, gastro-intestinal problems, obesity, diabetes, infections, immune disorders, and cancer. Experts believe chronic stress releases substances such as cortisol and adrenaline and other inflammatory factors that, when present in excessive amounts over long periods of time, cause health harm. This negative modification of your internal chemistry affects epigenetic tagging, and ultimately, which genes get expressed and which get silenced. At first, this may seem like very discouraging information. After all, none of us is able to control our earliest childhood experiences. And even in our present-day lives, none of us can entirely eliminate stress, no matter how meticulously we plan. However, there is a very important silver lining in these findings about how stress affects our genes, and that is that we can retrain ourselves to respond to stress in more positive ways.

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The fact is that by learning to regulate your response to stress, you can help yourself to avoid cellular damage. By consciously activating a positive mental state, you can release “feel good” chemicals and neurotransmitters like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Bathing your cells in this calming cocktail promotes good health and longevity. When practiced regularly, positive thinking may even be able to suppress the expression of disease-related genes. As Dawson Church, PhD, founder of the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare (NIIH), put it: “What you are thinking, feeling, and believing is changing the genetic expression and chemical composition of your body on a moment-by-moment basis.”

Change Your Mind, Change Your Genes In his award-winning book on epigenetics, The Genie in Your Genes, Dawson Church discusses several studies on the placebo effect. This remarkable phenomenon is one of the strongest examples of the impressive power your mind wields over your physical health, and to understand how it works is to begin to understand the vast potential of epigenetics to revolutionize your health and the entire field of medicine. A placebo is essentially a “fake” treatment with an inactive substance like sugar, saline solution, or distilled water which has absolutely no real medicinal properties. Yet, in some cases, the condition of the patient taking a placebo will improve simply because the person expects that the treatment will be helpful. Remember, placebos have absolutely no actual impact on your health, so when the person experiences improvement, the only explanation is that their mind is responsible for the change in their health status. The healing caused by your mind is the placebo effect, and it’s a very important illustration of how your belief can change your health.

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According to Church, placebos work in about 35 percent of documented cases. For a drug to be considered effective, it has to work significantly better than the placebo. It may surprise you to know, however, that in efficacy testing, fewer drugs than expected are able to rise to that challenge. For instance, a recent trial of anti-depressant treatments compared the effects of three substances: St. John’s Wort (a popular herbal option); Zoloft (one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressant medications); and a placebo. At the conclusion of the trial, St. John’s Wort worked for 24 percent of the participants who took it. Zoloft performed better, but only slightly; it worked for 25 percent of the participants. And the star of the study? The placebo; it worked for a whopping 32 percent of those who took it. The results of two large-scale studies of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a top choice for pharmaceutical treatment of depression, anxiety, and some personality disorders, showed equally unimpressive results. Released by the United States federal government in 2006, the findings from the tests “failed to show that the drugs were safer or more effective than a placebo.” There’s good evidence that reported benefits of many currently prescribed drugs are actually due to the placebo effect. Dr. Irving Kristol, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut, claims an astronomical percentage of the entire effect of antidepressants stems from the placebo effect. After analyzing the results of drug studies for depression, Dr. Kristol determined that three-quarters of the improvements patients experience from drugs like Zoloft and Prozac came from the patient’s belief that the drugs would be effective, rather than from the effects of the drugs themselves. As for the remainder, it was hard to tell, since

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the drugs produce recognizable physical symptoms (for example, side effects such as dry mouth) that may alert participants to the fact that they are taking a “real” drug rather than a placebo, which may strengthen their belief that the substance would be effective. Dr. Kristol later conducted a meta-analysis of 47 studies of antidepressants from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database, and found that “an average of 80 percent of the effect of the drugs was due to the placebo effect.” Only 40 percent of the studies he analyzed showed that the drug had a marginally better cure rate than the placebo. These so-called “file drawer studies” are never published or submitted to the FDA. Drug companies go to great lengths to hide them, and the reason they do so is hardly surprising. If patients knew that the real secret behind their improvement wasn’t a chemical cocktail—one that often entails nasty side effects—but rather their own mental strength and positive beliefs, the multibillion dollar pharmaceutical industry would start losing customers fast. And that, of course, would threaten the astronomical profits of one of the most outrageously lucrative markets in the modern world. Nonetheless, there is something greater than profit that can be garnered from the science behind the placebo effect. Enterprising researchers are now conducting experiments to determine how to harness the power of belief. Researchers from the Institute of HeartMath in Boulder Creek, Colorado, performed a series of experiments on the effect of intention and emotion on human DNA. Dr. Rollin McCraty, PhD, led the HeartMath team, which documented measurable molecular changes to DNA molecules caused by desires, intentions, and emotions. “Consciousness, acting through the body, can generate the

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molecules required for healing,” the team reported. “Our brains are themselves generating drugs similar to those that our doctor is prescribing for us.” Of course, we must consider that many drugs may be effective only because we ourselves will them to be so. However, the power of the mind heals with no known side effects. In that light, it seems fair to say that the “drugs” generated by our brains are not only similar to the drugs doctors prescribe, but actually far superior to those drugs.

Techniques to “Turn On” Wellness One extremely powerful way to use your mind to modify your gene expression is through meditation. Scientific studies have indisputably proven that meditation can help to determine which genes are turned on and which are turned off. One study, led by Dr. Herbert Benson, president of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine, compared the genes of 19 long-term practitioners of meditation to the genes of 19 non-meditators. Benson and his team found about 1,000 stress-related genes were turned off for the meditators, twice as many as for the non-practitioners. The more stress-related genes that are switched on, the more likely a person is to experience chronic pain, high blood pressure, and other serious conditions. In a later phase of the study, the researchers taught the nonmeditators to meditate in order to track changes to their genetic status. After they had been meditating for eight weeks, the team compared the “before and after” gene profile of each participant. This analysis showed an additional 433 stress-related genes had been turned off. This is remarkably good news because it shows that meditation can substantially reshape your genetic expression, and that it can do so in a very short time. Studies like Dr. Benson’s could help to explain the numerous reports of

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How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health miraculous recoveries sparked by positive thinking, meditation, yoga, and prayer. “It’s not New Age nonsense,” Dr. Benson said about these alternative (and often ancient) approaches to tapping in to the power of mind-body medicine.

For another study on meditation, Dr. Benson and colleagues from the Massachusetts General Hospital analyzed the gene profiles of 26 nonmeditators prior to teaching a relaxation routine lasting between 10 and 20 minutes, which included reciting words, breathing exercises, and tuning out “everyday thoughts” and distractions. After eight weeks of daily practice, the team once again analyzed the participants’ gene profiles. The new analysis showed “clusters of important beneficial genes had become activated and harmful ones less [activated].” Genes known to boost insulin production (which stabilizes blood sugar) were turned on, as were those that minimize age-related ravaging of your DNA. An especially concerning master gene, NF-kappaB, was also found to be significantly less active. This means that in just eight weeks, the volunteers had decreased their risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and certain types of cancer.

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Change Your Genes in Just Minutes One of the most astonishing results from Benson’s research was just how quickly gene states can change. His team took blood immediately before and again immediately after the participants performed the technique. These samples showed meditation changed the subjects’ genes within minutes. “It seems fitting that you should see these responses after just 15 to 20 minutes,” said Julie Brefcyznski-Lewis of West Virginia University in Morgantown, an expert on the physiological effects of meditation techniques. “Short periods of stress elevate stress hormones and other physiological effects that are harmful in the long term,” BrefcyznskiLewis said, “so it makes sense that the benefits of meditation could appear just as quickly.”

How Moving Your Body Changes Your Cells Along with meditation, exercise is one of the behaviors known to alter the expression of our genes. In an article for The Atlantic, Dr. Alice G. Walton, PhD, health journalist, and editor at The Doctor Will See You Now, discusses a study done with mice that showed how exercise affects cell differentiation. “When mice ran on a treadmill for as little as an hour three times a week, the exercise induced these stem cells to become blood-producing cells of the bone marrow, rather than fat cells,” Dr. Walton writes. Conversely, the stem cells of the sedentary mice were likely to become fat cells. Study author Gianni Parise says: “Some of the impact of exercise is comparable to what we see with pharmaceutical intervention. Exercise has the ability to impact stem cell biology. It has the ability to influence how [cells] differentiate.” Dr. Parise’s work patently proved that exercise influences how stem cells develop into mature cells. Since exercise has that

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capacity, it’s also quite possible it could transform our genetic risks for certain diseases. With more research, scientists may soon be able to map the molecular changes caused by physical exercise. But even before that happens, we have every reason to believe, and act on, the theory that exercise can transform our genetic expression and protect our long-term health.

A Possible Key to Longer Life Already, current evidence indicates that altering your epigenetic markers for the better can not only improve your health, but also extend your lifespan. Trygve Tollesfsbol, PhD, professor of Epigenetics and Gene Regulation in Cancer and Aging at the University of Alabama, specifically studies the epigenetics of telomeres and the enzymatic activator telomerase. Dr. Tollesfsbol’s lab at the University of Alabama has been studying telomerase and telomeres for over a decade, and is on the forefront of the booming field of epigenetics. The telomere is one of the most captivating structures in all of biology. These repetitive sections of DNA—located at the end of each chromosome—explain one of the great puzzles of mammalian cell division. Telomeres are known to be intricately linked to aging and death. That’s because of the way cell division affects telomeres. Cell division is a process that’s happening in our bodies all of the time, and it results in the loss of a small portion of the end of each DNA strand. If those portions contained crucial genetic information, much of that information would be destroyed as well. Telomeres are essentially protective “caps” at the end of DNA strands that protect the DNA itself from being damaged as cells divide. They are composed of expendable DNA (that is, nonessential DNA) that takes the brunt of the effect of cell division, so that the cells near the end of the strand are able to retain their

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integrity. In other words, telomeres protect DNA strands from losing critical encoded genetic information as we age. However, the protective capacities of telomeres are not immortal. Telomeres lose part of their length with each cell division. Dr. Tollesfsbol explains: “The gene for the enzyme that maintains the telomeres, referred to as telomerase, is actually inactivated before we are born, which causes the telomeres to get shorter and shorter with each cell division.” When telomeres become too short to protect the DNA strand, cells begin to selfdestruct or fall dormant. This is what scientists mean when they refer to the “cellular damage” that we are accustomed to thinking about as an inevitable part of aging. And in many cases, it is this cellular damage that opens the door to developing diseases and serious illnesses. Many researchers, Dr. Tollefsbol included, believe that reactivating the gene that maintains telomeres could be a promising way to increase people’s lifespans. A paper published

Telomeres

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in Nature in 2010 claims that when researchers were able to continually express telomerase in mice, the mice lived longer and had fewer diseases. While Dr. Tollefsbol sees a bright future for human trials, there is a possible, frightening downside. “Cancer calls are addicted to telomerase,” Dr. Tollefsbol says. In fact, cancer cells have their own means of epigenetically turning on telomerase, which “they need in order to maintain telomeres and keep proliferating.” With the ability to constantly regenerate telomeres, the cancer cells are virtually immune to destruction; they effectively become immortal. “Just like in Star Wars, telomeres have a light side and a dark side,” Dr. Tollefsbol explains. “There is a fine balance, because if we turn on telomerase in people and lengthen their telomeres, we could find out that they’re getting a lot more cancers.” He remains hopeful, however, that scientists can ultimately find a way to use telomerase to enhance longevity without increasing a person’s cancer risk.

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Chapter Six:

The Cancer Connection

“Epigenetics does not get much hotter than it is right now. And probably the biggest area is cancer research.” –Trygve Tollefsbol, PhD, professor of Epigenetics and Gene Regulation in Cancer and Aging at the University of Alabama

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t is only in the last decade that scientists have begun to fathom the integral place of epigenes in the cancer equation. Until the turn of the millennium, the leading theory within the scientific community held that cancer was caused by abnormalities within the genes themselves. Epigenetic experimentation like that done by Trygve Tollefsboll has effectively upended that theory. “Research has shown that genes can undergo key epigenetic changes so that we become more predisposed to developing cancer,” explains Dr. Tollefsbol. In fact, the activation of a single gene—p53—appears to be a factor in the development of “at least 50 percent of cancers.”

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Viewing the genome has revealed many surprising links between epigenetic processes and the causation and progression of cancer. In a 2011 article in Nature Reviews Cancer, Stephen B. Baylin and Peter A. Jones write: “Next-generation sequencing is providing a window for visualizing the human epigenome and how it is altered in cancer.” According to Baylin and Jones, epigenetic alterations could be used to develop specific markers for cancer detection, as well as diagnosis and prognosis. If that’s true, epigenetic therapies hold the potential not only to treat cancer, but also to predict the risks of having it develop in an individual, so that interventions could be undertaken to prevent it from evolving.

Epigenetics and Genetics: Accomplices in Cancer Development Contrary to the way we usually think about it, cancer isn’t actually a single disease. Rather, “cancer” is actually an umbrella term that encompasses approximately 200 different diseases, all of which share a few essential commonalities. However, all cancers are caused by genetic mutations that lead to abnormal cell behavior, such as out of control growth of particular cells, the destruction of other, surrounding cells, and unnaturally long cellular life cycles. This is part of the reason that it’s so challenging to kill cancer cells. Two types of genes are involved in the development of cancer: oncogenes (mutated genes that have become cancerous) and antioncogenes (tumor suppressors). Typically, anti-oncogenes prevent cells from becoming cancerous. When anti-oncogenes mutate, however, this tumor-suppressing function is compromised or shut off entirely, which creates the conditions for unrestrained growth of oncogenes.

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Errors that impair the function of oncogenes and antioncogenes can be caused either by faults in the genetic code or by a flawed set of epigenetic instructions. Both failings—separately or jointly—result in loss of control over cell growth, which ultimately leads to cancer. Scientists say that emerging research on epigenetics has shifted the paradigm. Now, the biology of cancer must be viewed through the lens of both genomics and epigenetics. Sibaji Sarkar, PhD, adjunct instructor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), believes that epigenetics— and DNA methylation specifically—can explain the formation of cancer cells. Dr. Sarkar and colleagues from the Boston University Cancer Center specifically investigated the origination of progenitor cells. Progenitor cells are quite similar to stem cells. In fact, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The exact definitions of the two types of cells are still being debated. What stem cells and progenitor cells have in common is that both differentiate into different kinds of “target” cells. One key distinction is that stem cells can replicate infinitely because they are, as yet, undifferentiated. An undifferentiated cell is one that has not yet been “slotted” into becoming a particular kind of cell (a liver cell, for instance, or a brain cell). Progenitor cells, on the other hand, can only replicate a limited number of times. (If you imagine a spectrum of cells stretching from stem cells to fully specialized cells, progenitor cells lie somewhere in between.) In an article published in the February 2013 issue of Epigenomics, the researchers from BUSM proposed an intriguing theory of how cancer cells grow in an uninhibited fashion. The DNA methylation, these researches theorized, may trigger the formation of progenitor cancer cells. The team found an enzyme known to

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support high levels of methylation in the tumor suppressor genes of cancer cells. Highly methylated genes are essentially “silenced.” With the suppressor cells silenced, the cancer cells can grow without limits. This could also help clarify why sometimes, despite having identical genetic blueprints, only one twin will develop cancer.

Can Cancer Cells Be Reprogrammed? Another forerunner in epigenetics science is Jean-Pierre Issa, director of the Fels Institute for Cancer Research and professor of molecular biology at Temple University in Philadelphia. Dr. Issa believes that epigenetics shines a light into the murky areas between your genes and your health. “Genes are not strictly our destiny,” Dr. Issa says. “Taking care of our epigenome may lead to longer, healthier lives.” Dr. Issa is specifically interested in how epigenetics can give rise to superior cancer treatments. Along with an impressive group of collaborators, Dr. Issa compared lung tissue from a lung cancer patient to healthy lung tissue, and found distinctly different epigenetic markers on the two. With further investigation, Dr. Issa and his team believe this discovery could lead to treatments that can “reprogram” cancer cells by reconfiguring epigenetic markers. Assuming that such a treatment is successfully formulated, doctors could extend the lives of cancer patients by reshuffling the epigenome. This option would be preferable to current methods such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, all of which have risks and side effects that are often severe and debilitating. “I like to tell people that these are like bookmarks, and if we simply reconfigure the bookmarks, then there is a very different instruction program,” Dr. Issa says.

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Cancer Cells Stopped Growing and Disappeared Dr. Issa and other researchers from Temple have already conducted some very promising trials with lung cancer patients. Using epigenetically active drugs, they were able to erase the epigenetic signature of cancer. After being dosed with the epigenetic drugs, the cancerous cells not only stopped growing, but also either reverted to normal behavior or simply died. Slowly, the patients’ cancers disappeared from their bodies. Issa and his colleagues have used this technique to successfully treat hundreds of patients. “This is different from the war on cancer,” says Issa, “this is diplomacy on cancer.” Rather than attacking the cancer cells, the epigenetic drugs change their instruction program. Epigenetic changes can be passed on during cell division. However, once they are erased, they do not return. Because of this trait, epigenetic drugs can stop a cancer without killing its cells. In essence, as Issa puts it, these treatments “remind” the cells of how they should behave. The FDA has approved four of these “persuasive” drugs, and an estimated 100,000 people already take them. As the understanding that cancer is as much—if not more—epigenetic than genetic becomes more mainstream, more doctors will be convinced that epigenetic therapies can achieve real results. “We have proof of principle,” says Dr. Issa. “Many patients are alive today who would not be alive were it not for these drugs. Ten years from

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now, we’ll know a lot more.” Dr. Issa hopes that perhaps one day, epigenetic treatments could even be routinely used to cure cancer. The head of the epigenetics research group at GlaxoSmithKline (one of the world’s largest drug companies), Dash Dhanak, is striving to develop a substance that is capable of inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called EZH2. An overactive EZH2 enzyme has been linked to many lymphomas—cancers of the immune system. This overactivity raises methylation levels in surrounding genes, including tumor-suppressor genes. As mentioned earlier, genes with high levels of methylation are silenced, or “turned off.” When Dr. Dhanak and his colleagues at GlaxoSmithKline treated lymphoma cells with a novel kind of inhibitor, they were able to dramatically decrease methylation levels. They found that the inhibitor, currently named GSK2816126, could also reduce the proliferation of tumor cells. Crucially, it appeared to have no effect on healthy cells nearby. James Bradner, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boson, developed an alternate kind of inhibitor called JQ1. He and a group of scientists used JQ1 to block the activity of the Myc gene. The Myc gene encodes a transcription factor involved in the expression of about 15 percent of human genes. Unsurprisingly, errors involving this transcription factor are one of the most common causes of cancer. Recent studies show that epigenetic drug treatments not only treat cancer, but also reduce the chance of relapse. Specifically, treatments focused on progenitors (like the work of Sibaji Sarkar) have lasting results. “Progenitors are known to cause cancer relapse,” says Sarkar, “and because epigenetic drugs can help destroy progenitor cells, these drugs could help reduce the chance of cancer relapse and improve the long-term outcomes of people

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with cancer.” These ideas, based solely on current knowledge, inspire Dr. Sarkar. He describes the future of epigenetic cancer treatments as “important and exciting.”

Why the Health Revolution Will Begin in Your Home (And How One Woman Cured Cancer Using Only Her Mind) While laboratory-manufactured epigenetic treatments may be able to achieve wonders, some find a different aspect of epigenetics to be far more exciting. Researchers like Trygve Tollefsbol believe the true health revolution will come from “the simple-but-powerful epigenetic changes people can accomplish in their own home.” In The Genie in Your Genes, Dawson Church shares the story of a woman who cured her terminal cancer using only her mind. In 1972, Nancy was diagnosed with metastasized Stage IV uterine cancer. Despite the fact that her diagnosis was essentially a death sentence, she chose to reject conventional medical treatment. When asked about this unusual choice, Nancy says: “My body created this condition, so it has the power to un-create it too.” To facilitate the “un-creation” process, Nancy quit her job, exercised whenever she had the physical energy to do so, and spent hours soaking in the bath. While she soaked, she used a specific visualization to fight the cancer. Church explains that Nancy imagined that “tiny stars were coursing through her body. Whenever the sharp edge of a star touched a cancer cell, she imagined it puncturing the cell, and the cancer cell deflating like a balloon.” Finally, she imagined the bathwater rinsing away the remains of the cancer cells. She didn’t think about dying. Instead, she focused on eating a healthy diet, walking, enjoying her baths, and the healing power of the “stars” traveling through her body.

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Given the late stage of her cancer, most doctors would have predicted that Nancy would die. However, something miraculous began to happen in Nancy’s life. She started feeling stronger. She found that she could walk further. And she began to picture what her life might look like, years in the future. Three months after her initial diagnosis, she felt “a firm inner conviction” that her body was completely free of cancer, so she scheduled an appointment with her doctors. To their complete surprise, the tests confirmed what Nancy had already sensed—her cancer was gone. Hard science backs Nancy’s story. Dr. Dean Ornish and a team from the Preventative Medicine Research Institute have documented how meditation changes cancer genes. The team studied how meditation and other practices affected the health of men with early-stage prostate cancer. Testing revealed changes in over 500 genes; most critically, RAS, a gene set known to promote cancer, and the Selectin E gene, which causes inflammation and is strongly associated with breast cancer, were both turned off. SFRP, a gene that fights tumor formation, was turned on, indicating that meditation was fortifying the men’s bodies to battle the disease. Future studies may yield information that patients can use to tailor their diets and lifestyle habits to reduce their susceptibility to illnesses such as cancer. “We think that environmental and lifestyle factors are probably the most interesting thing about epigenetics,” says Dr. Tollefsbol. “Life affects epigenetics.”

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Chapter Seven:

DNA and Hypercommunication: Rewrite Your Genetic Code

“All ideas that we fix upon the mind become a reality.” — Dr. Emile Coué, 20th century French psychologist, pharmacist and originator of “conscious autosuggestion”

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ver two decades ago, Russian scientists ventured into DNA territory that Western researchers still, unfortunately, dismiss as spurious and unworthy of serious investigation. Conventional scientific inquiries have dealt primarily with the 10 percent of our DNA that is responsible for protein building, and have largely ignored the rest. Refusing to believe that the vast majority of DNA held no research value, the innovative Russian team set out to learn more about the remaining 90 percent of the human genetic code. This unconventional team, led by biophysicist and molecular

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biologist Dr. Pjotr Garajev, paired linguists and geneticists in the trailblazing effort. By testing the impact of vibration and language on DNA, they made a completely unexpected discovery: our genetic code uses grammar rules and syntax in a way that closely mirrors human language. Not only does DNA construct human bodies, but it also stores data and serves as a means of communication—especially in the “useless” 90 percent of our genetic code. The researchers compared the rules of syntax (how words are formed into phrases and sentences), semantics (the meaning in language forms), and basic grammar to the composition of our DNA. They found that the structuring of DNA-alkaline pairs follows a regular grammar and has set rules, giving rise to speculation that all languages past and present may simply be verbalizations of our DNA. Even more astoundingly, the team was able to use spoken words and phrase to change and rearrange living human DNA.

“Magic” Words and Phrases Can Rewrite the Genetic Code The key to using language to change DNA, according to Dr. Garajev and his colleagues, is determining the right frequency. By modulating sound and light frequencies onto a laser-like ray, the Russians influenced cellular metabolism and altered the genetic material itself. Since DNA-alkaline pairs and language share related structures, no decoding is necessary—spoken words and sentences can change living DNA. The ongoing experiments of Dr. Garajev and his team highlight the immense power of wave genetics, the study of the interaction between electromagnetic waves and DNA. Their work has been so fundamental to the discipline that some call Dr. Garajev “the

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father of wave genetics.” By untangling the biological underpinnings of the vibrational behavior of DNA, the Russian team laid the groundwork for further probing of the capabilities of our genetic code. One key discovery was that our DNA could produce miniature, magnetized wormholes. By creating invisible, structured patterns in the vacuum energy of space our DNA forms microscopic equivalents of the EinsteinRosen bridges left by burned-out stars. Einstein-Rosen bridges— found near black holes—are tunnels that connect far-off areas of the universe. Essentially, the bridges are portals that transmit information, and it seems that the miniature versions function in the same manner. When Dr. Garajev and his laboratory cohorts placed a DNA sample in a small black box, then irradiated the box with laser light, a wave pattern formed on the monitor. That wave pattern indicated the presence of DNA in the box. Before the DNA sample was introduced, the monitor connected to the box had displayed a random scattering of dots. However, after the team removed the DNA sample, the wave pattern remained on the monitor. Further controlled experiments revealed that the reason the pattern remained stable after the removal of the DNA was because the energy field of the sample was still present. This phenomenon is now called the DNA Phantom Effect. Even after the DNA is no longer physically present in the box, the monitor can still detect its information, thanks to the conductive powers of the micro-wormhole produced by its removal. As is all too typical with work of this kind, the media was quick to slander the results as “pseudoscience,” “New Age mumbo jumbo,” and so on. A related breakthrough by Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier met a similar fate.

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Dr. Montagnier, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2008, went on to uncover further proof of the immense influence of wave genetics on the formation of organisms. He discovered that DNA has the capacity to send “electromagnetic imprints” of itself into distant cells and fluids, imprints which can then be used to create copies of the original DNA. Dr. Jeff Reimers, a theoretical chemist, speaks of Dr. Montagnier’s work with great excitement. ““If the results are correct,” he says, “these would be the most significant experiments performed in the past 90 years, demanding re-evaluation of the whole conceptual framework of modern chemistry.” Unfortunately, the popular press and so-called internet experts misrepresented Dr. Montagnier’s claims as evidence of “teleportation” or “magic.” These characterizations churned up a cloud of controversy around his serious scientific findings. This is perhaps not as surprising as it seems, because scientists are often notoriously reluctant to relinquish commonly accepted beliefs, even in the face of new research evidence proving that those beliefs are incorrect. However, not all fields in the health arena were so quick to dismiss Dr. Montagnier’s work. One field in which his work is particularly relevant is homeopathic medicine. Homeopathic medicine is based on the theoretical principle of “like cures like,” which essentially means that a substance which causes symptoms of illness can also cure the same symptoms, if administered in highly diluted form. For that reason, homeopathy relies on doses of substances that have undergone sequential dilution, with vigorous shaking in between each dilution. Skeptics have long assumed that none of the original molecules of the original substance could possibly remain after the series of dilutions. However, Dr. Montagnier’s work on DNA’s ability to create

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electromagnetic imprints, as well as the work of many other scientists, suggests otherwise. His experiments prove that, in fact, the structure of the original medicinal substance could well remain in the homeopathic solution, and be capable of producing dramatic biological effects. As may be expected, the reception to Dr. Montagnier’s work in his native France and throughout the rest of Europe and the United States has been sheer disbelief. On the other hand, scientists in China have proved to be more open-minded, and many have embraced it wholeheartedly. For instance, Jiaotong University in Shanghai (often called “China’s MIT”) has established an institute bearing Dr. Montagnier’s name. The team working there has full leeway to explore the intersections of physics, biology, medicine, and wave genetics. Dr. Montagnier’s research will be focused initially on the electromagnetic waves that emanate from various pathogens. “Not all DNA produces signals we can detect with our

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device,” he explains. “The high-intensity signals come from bacteria and viral DNA.” Dr. Montagnier believes his observations will lead to new treatment options for many chronic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Turning Frogs Into Salamanders— No Scalpel Needed By far the most staggering application of wave genetics to emerge so far comes from the work of Dr. Pjotr Garajev and his associates. Using vibration and language, this team was able to capture information patterns from one set of DNA and transmit it to another. By doing so, they reprogrammed the second set of cells with the genome of the first set. The most famous example of this was their successful transformation of frog embryos into salamander embryos. This transformation represents an unbelievable—and totally unparalleled—scientific revolution. Although cloning has been possible for a number of decades, what this team did was to essentially clone DNA without lifting a single scalpel or making one incision. All the information needed to build a salamander was communicated into the frog embryo without any of the side effects and disharmonies that accompany the grafting of single genes. What this means is that cutting and splicing could soon become relics of the past, just like bloodletting and the application of leeches. The Russians’ work also helps to explain why affirmations and hypnosis have such overpowering effects on people. Our DNA is inherently programmed to respond to language. Esoteric guides, spiritual teachers, and hypnotists have been unconsciously tapping

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in to this programming for ages. But now, we are beginning to understand not just how it works, but why.

Trading the “Thought of Illness” for the “Thought of Cure” It’s likely that the healing that Dr. Emile Coué, the originator of “conscious autosuggestion,” was able to effect in countless people was the result of DNA’s natural tendency to respond to language. The best-known illustration of his work was the following sentence, which Dr. Coué taught his patients to repeat daily: “Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux.” In English, the sentence translates as, “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.” According to Dr. Coué, the autosuggestive nature of this sentence is what enabled his patients to cure themselves by replacing the “thought of illness” with the “thought of cure.” Hundreds of patients in Europe and North America have cured themselves of a wide variety of disease and ailments just by using his affirmation. Dr. Coué began as a disciple of master hypnotist AmbroiseAguste Liébault, but in 1910, he broke away from the classical hypnotism of Liébault’s Nancy School to develop the technique he christened “conscious autosuggestion.” With this technique, subjects are taught to use suggestion and imagination for themselves. Dr. Coué’s intention was to remedy what he saw as an alltoo-common misconception about hypnosis, which is that under hypnosis individuals are effectively being controlled by the hypnotist. His goal was to help his clients understand that such is not the case. The client responds to hypnosis not because he has no control, but because he voluntarily accepts the suggestions being

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offered. By handing the power of mind control over to the subjects themselves, Dr. Coué imbued his patients with the ability to initiate and guide their own healing process. Dr. Coué only instructed his students in two autosuggestion methods: the general and the specific. His general method was the famous cure-all formula quoted above, “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.” This was to be repeated a minimum of 20 times each night with the eyes closed, just before falling into sleep. Dr. Coué recommended using a rosary to count the repetitions. While there was no maximum number of repetitions, in his book My Method, he did add the important caveat: “Say it as many times as you like; only don’t let it become an obsession.” A special emphasis was to be put on the words “in every way,” to draw awareness to how the healing process includes both physical and mental improvement. In addition, broadening the focus to include virtually every aspect of a patient’s life made it possible for the phrase to be used by anyone, because it allowed the subject to feel that it referred to his or her particular circumstances, as well as to every goal he or she had in mind. The specific method, designed to treat a pain or acute symptom of distress, was even simpler. Subjects had only to repeat “ca passé,” which is French for “it is going.” In My Method, Dr. Coué advised English-speaking people to stick to the French version, as the phase was better suited for rapid repetition than the longer and more awkward English expressions. Subjects were told to speak as fast as possible, “at the risk of gabbling,” because in his opinion speed was essential to prevent the intrusion of negative thoughts that could conflict with the subject’s intentions. At the same time, they were to rub the affected area. If the symptom was purely abstract—a thought or feeling, for instance— they were instructed to pass a hand over the forehead. “All ideas

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that we fix upon the mind become a reality,” Dr. Coué writes. In other words, holding an idea in our minds has the power to induce us to believe that it is indeed true. So, by verbalizing that the pain or unwanted thought or feeling was passing, “we thus actually think it is going…[and] the pain, physical or mental, vanishes.”

Have You Experienced Hypercommunication? “Hypercommunication” is the technical term used to describe situations wherein a person suddenly accesses information outside of his or her own personal knowledge base. In common parlance, the phenomenon of hypercommunication is often described as intuition. In modern times, instances of intuition or hypercommunication have become exceedingly rare—but to understand it can provide us an important glimpse into how we can use epigenetics in our everyday lives. For some creatures, like ants, hypercommunication is woven into daily existence. When a queen ant is physically removed from her colony, her subjects continue to work and build according to her instructions. If she is killed, however, work halts and the ants become aimless. It seems that so long as the queen ant remains alive, she can use hypercommunication to access the group

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consciousness of her colony regardless of her proximity. The research done by wave geneticists on the DNA phantom effect may hold the key to unlocking our capacity for hypercommunication. If we were able to consciously activate and control the micro-wormholes identified by Drs. Garajev, Montagnier, and others, we could use our DNA to transmit and receive information. The more people who honed this skill, and the more participants who joined the network, the more encompassing the database would become. All of this is so outside the realm of what most of us think of as possible that at first, it may just sound like something out of science fiction. However, examples of individuals who have mastered the necessary techniques have already emerged. Successful cases of remote healing and telepathy may not be isolated, inexplicable miracles, but instead instances of successful hypercommunication. Dr. Garajev’s research also helps to explain why not everyone can master esoteric techniques. Clear “communication” with DNA depends on finding the right frequency. Those who specialize in this science believe that individuals with more highly attuned inner processes are more able to create a conscious, effective channel of communication with their DNA. By increasing your consciousness, you too can achieve results like Dr. Coué’s students using only your own words and thoughts.

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Chapter Eight:

Autosuggestion and Your Genes

“These new discoveries have revolutionary implications for health and healing. Psychologist Ernest Rossi begins his authoritative text The Psychobiology of Gene Expression with a challenge: ‘Are these to remain abstract facts safely sequestered in academic textbooks, or can we take these facts into the mainstream of human affairs?’” —Dawson Church

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was brutishly clubbed on the head in my sleep.” With this striking sentence, Dr. Ernest L. Rossi, Ph.D., opens his paper “Gene Expression and Brain Plasticity in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Personal Memoir of Mind-Body Healing Dreams.” To call an academic paper “riveting” is rare, but Rossi’s account of how he used his psychotherapeutic acumen to recover from a stroke

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certainly merits that description. Dr. Rossi begins by vividly retelling the sensations of a stroke he suffered in the early 2000s. “I felt heavy and unable to move out of a cramped fetal position in the nightmarish darkness. I wanted to groan but could not. I did not know whether I was asleep or awake. But I must have opened one eye at least momentarily to glance at the dim luminous glow of a clock by my bed that registered about 2:30 a.m.” Ironically, a few months before suffering his stroke Rossi, a preeminent figure in clinical psychobiology, had completed a book on activity-dependent gene expression, a possible mechanism for rehabilitation from severe trauma. He would apply the same concepts that he described in the book to his own recovery. It was a process he described as “a deepening exploration of the cocreation between consciousness and nature.” The revised version of his book, completed after he made a full recovery, presented practical methods for applying an advanced understanding of the brain-body connection to self-healing in everyday life. According to Dr. Rossi, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral experiences measurably impact on numerous biological functions, including gene expression, brain plasticity, synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, and stem cell differentiation and maturation. Contemporary neuroscience research, says Dr. Rossi, can serve as a blueprint for naturalistic, self-guided rehabilitation.

The Psychobiology of Gene Expression In 2002, Rossi’s book entitled The Psychobiology of Gene Expression: Neuroscience and Neurogenesis in Hypnosis and the Healing Arts was published. In the book, Dr. Rossi explores the theory, research and practice of utilizing positive experiences to facilitate brain growth and healing. He also outlines how alternative and

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complementary medicine, psychotherapy, and therapeutic hypnosis can be used to optimize gene expression. By combining research on neurogenesis and therapeutic hypnosis, he advances fresh insights on personal, social, and spiritual development. In particular, the book highlights how social attitudes and cultural expectancies can impact gene expression just as much as pharmaceuticals do. Rossi references a seminal paper by Dr. Eric Kandel, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 2000, titled, “A New Intellectual Framework for Psychiatry.” In that paper, Dr. Kandel issued the bold proclamation that all bodily functions are susceptible to social influences. He also proposed that in the future, it would be possible to prove that influence. “As the resolution of brain imaging increases,” he writes, “it should eventually permit quantitative evaluation.” Stated simply, his argument is this: “social influences [are] biologically incorporated into the altered expressions of specific genes in specific nerve cells of specific regions of the brain.” By depicting the complexities of the communication pathways between the mind and the body, Dr. Rossi helps his audience understand how you can optimize your consciousness. He broadens and builds on the ideas of Dr. Coué and other early advocates of hypnosis and autosuggestion. As Rossi stresses, the flow of information between mind and matter goes in both directions. Your behavior influences your genes, and your genes influence your behavior, as well. By controlling the tenor of that conversation, your mind and body co-create the status of your health and wellness. What makes Dr. Rossi’s work so compelling is that he supports his assertions concerning somewhat fuzzy or nebulous notions such as free will with firm statistics based on physical markers such as stem cells. The Psychobiology of Gene Expression

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offers new options to those who feel they’ve run out of ammunition in battling all-toocommon issues like stress. Dr. Rossi takes a neuro-scientific approach to abstract but key concepts such as novelty, wonder, life enrichment, and dreaming. This broad and encompassing approach is central to the emerging disciplines of psychosocial genomics and psychoimmunology, which seek to optimize health by drawing from a spectrum of resources encompassing everything from arts and culture to hard science to the realm of the spirit. Dr. Rossi’s work is revolutionary, in part because of an uncommon background that allows him to see the links between seemingly disconnected areas.

A Master “Mental Chemist” From a young age, Dr. Rossi was drawn to the world of science. When he was seven years old, he used the tips he saved from his job as a shoeshine boy to buy himself a chemistry set. Later, he excelled in his high school and undergraduate chemistry and biology classes, and set out to pursue a master’s degree with a specialty in pharmacognosy (the study of medicinal plants). While in pharmacy school, he received a copy of Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams, which set in motion what Dr. Rossi now recalls as “an incredible revolution” in his thinking.

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“Suddenly, I saw psychology as a kind of mental chemistry,” Rossi told interviewer Michael Yapko. He was so absorbed in the ideas laid out in the book that he stayed up for three days straight reading it. “I was so excited about the idea of mental chemistry that I literally couldn’t sleep,” he says. In the end, Dr. Rossi was so bowled over by Freud’s book that he switched disciplines and completed a master’s degree in psychology. After completing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, Dr. Rossi moved to California and went into practice as a Jungian analyst. A strange twist of fate connected him with esteemed therapeutic hypnotist Milton H. Erickson, M.D., with whom he would co-author four books. After a lifetime of professional and personal twists and turns, Rossi found a way to draw together the threads of the many different ideas that had influenced his work on the mind/gene connection. In his 1990 interview with Yapko, he declared: “The average psychotherapist is profoundly behind the times. The genius of our age is not psychotherapy. That genius took place in the 1900s with Freud and Jung. The genius of our age is the molecular biology of the gene.” Rossi’s background in biology gave him the capacity to draw from diverse sources in his psychology work. “The innovative research in hypnosis is being published by journals in neuroscience,” he told Yapko. The journals did not describe the practice as “hypnosis,” he explains, but as “ritualized relaxation,” or “imagery.” However, the studies they published traced “the effects of images and emotional states on white blood cells and molecules, right down to the genetic level.” For Rossi, the neurological and biological underpinnings of his chosen discipline have practical as well as theoretical resonance. The mind/gene connection is not merely something to puzzle over in the abstract, but something that practicing therapists can use when conducting treatments. Yapko asked him to contextualize the

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importance of the genetic expression of emotions by explaining, for instance, what his approach could offer in understanding the behavior of a man who batters his wife. In Dr. Rossi’s opinion, the mind/gene connection would allow that therapist to address the root of problem, “that rage that leads to battering.” The act of battering is what Dr. Rossi calls “a behavioral seizure.” A person in that state is not acting rationally, but under the direction of statedependent memory, learning, and behavior conditioning. “These behaviors are encoded by information substance-hormones, flowing from the body as well as from the mind,” explains Dr. Rossi. In certain states of stress, like the one that would lead the hypothetical husband to abuse his wife, “ACTH stress hormones are flowing through his system and are automatically turning on ‘battering behavior.’” Better knowledge of the mind/gene connection can identify triggers for the ACTH hormones, and resolve the underlying cause of a problem like battering. One of the dangers associated with discussion of the mind/ gene connection is oversimplifying the balance of power involved in that relationship. Tilting too far in either direction leads to potentially damaging misstatements. In the situation described above, for example, to say that the husband’s behavior is the result of stress hormones is not to acquit him of responsibility for his actions. He is still guilty of failing to control himself. Conversely, global proclamations such as “the mind can heal the body” can be equally misleading. To tell a cancer patient something like that can imply, in a sense, that he or she is sick because of a failure to properly express emotions, and that the health issue could have been avoided—or can be easily resolved—by simply learning how to visualize properly.

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We Are All in Kindergarten Dr. Rossi is very well aware of the possibility for this sort of oversimplification, and the potential harm and guilt it may arouse in patients who are ill. What is called for, he believes, is humility. On the one hand, it is now clear that “there are mind/molecular associations in cancer, and every other illness and state of health,” and acknowledging these associations is important. But on the other hand, these associations are “functioning for the most part on an unconscious level” that we are “only now beginning to understand.” In other words, while we can rightly be optimistic of the potential healing aspects of these associations, we also need to be mindful that we’re still in the infant stages with respect to our understanding. As Rossi puts it, “We’re all in kindergarten! We’ve barely scratched the surface!” The fact that there is still so much we do not know about the mind-body connection means that we should avoid the temptation to oversimplify and generalize. The more we learn about the profound connections between mind, emotions, body, and molecules, the wider the array of options we will have to utilize them effectively. In the meantime, perhaps the best we can do in the present moment is to clear away our learned limitations and keep an open mind about “how nature might facilitate itself.”

Hypnosis, Self-Help, and Gene Chips Rossi first proposed his theories on the links between gene expression, protein synthesis, and hypnosis in the mid-1970s. Dr. Rossi’s work is a vital part of a field called “psychosocial genomics,” the study of how inner psychological events and interactive social events stimulate gene expression. Applied psychosocial genomics centers on how the mind-body connection can facilitate

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emotional and physical healing. Although his ideas have not yet been fully embraced by the majority of practicing therapists, he is slowly but surely gaining followers. Perhaps one of the most visible of these is Dr. Tim Brunson, who is a prolific author of self-help audio courses as well as a member of the International Hypnosis Research Institute. The Institute is a coalition of integrative health care specialists from around the world who collaborate to provide information and educational resources to clinicians. When Brunson attended a course with Dr. Rossi he was intrigued. While he was somewhat skeptical about whether Rossi’s ideas would take hold on a broad therapeutic scale, Brunson also felt that there was a strong scientific case to be made for the validity of the relationship Rossi was proposing between “novelty, gene expression, neurogenesis and numinosum.” The central message that Brunson took away from the course was that emotional arousal, sparked by fascination or wonder, produces proteins that affect our physiology and alter our DNA. Alfred Bellanti, a clinical hypnotherapist, medical herbalist, and master practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming, was introduced to Dr. Rossi’s work by an article in the Australian Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis. The article primarily addressed a 2008 pilot study carried out by Ernest Rossi, Salvatore Iannotti, Mauro Cozzolino, Stefano Castiglione, Angela Cicatelli and Kathryn Rossi. The first of its kind, the study used DNA microarrays to assess the molecular impact of “a top-down creatively oriented positive human experience” on gene expression. Rossi and his team invented a psychotherapeutic protocol that combined hypnosis, psychotherapy, rehabilitation therapy, meditation, and pastoral counseling, which they call “The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience.” During the study, DNA microarrays of three human subjects

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were performed immediately before, one hour after, and one day after participation in The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience. Analysis of the white blood cells showed changes to the expression of 15 early response genes within one hour of the experience. After 24 hours, those changes had also initiated a further cascade of changes in 77 genes. DNA microarrays measure the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. As one might expect, the science that makes this technology possible is complex. In a basic sense, microarrays work by attaching thousands of microscopic samples of DNA to a solid surface (usually glass or silicon). The resulting coding structure, often referred to as a “gene chip,” can then be referenced against existing gene databases. A gene chip can also be compared to the DNA of the person from whom the sample was drawn, so that changes in expression levels can be tracked over time. This allows researchers to observe which genes have been “up-regulated,” or switched on, and which have been “down-regulated,” or switched off. Dr. Rossi’s preliminary study indicates that psychotherapeutic protocols can directly influence whether a gene is up- or downregulated. “Until I read this article, I had no idea that such research had ever taken place,” Dr. Bellanti writes. “I have been practicing clinical hypnotherapy since 1993, knowing that it achieved amazing results, but not thoroughly understanding how those results were achieved.” In Dr. Rossi’s work, Dr. Bellanti found confirmation of what he had instinctively sensed, “that changes must take place in the clients’ neurotransmitter levels.”

The (Serious) Science of Magic Modern technology makes it possible for scientists to quantify the effects of spiritual, religious, magical, and faith-based methods of treating physical and mental ailments. Dr. Palpu Pushpangadan,

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of the Regional Research Laboratory in Jammu Tawi, India, showed that magico—religious rites commonly used to treat ailments in ancient India, and still prevalent in tribal societies, are a scientifically sound psychological treatment strategy. “Magical incantation and other religious rites performed to cure the disease unknowingly affect the mind of the patient,” writes Dr. Pushpangadan. The rites generate a kind of energy that fuels the patient’s body through the recovery process. Pushpangadan compares the energy to that generated by hypnosis, which is perhaps the best-studied modality of suggestion-based healing. Documentation of the medical applications of hypnosis allows us to follow its evolution from early Egypt and Greece, to the Nancy school and the work of Dr. Coué, to Freud’s theories of unblocking unconscious conflicts, and to the work of Dr. Rossi and other contemporary authors. C. Alexander Simpkins, Ph.D., and Annellen M. Simpkins, Ph.D., psychologists specializing in meditation, hypnotherapy, and neuroscience, have written 28 books (several of which are bestsellers) on consciousness techniques viewed through the dual lens of Eastern philosophy and therapeutic effectiveness. Through the meticulous use of neuroimaging techniques, C. Alexander Simpkins and Annellen Simpkins integrate mindbrain-body connections to improve our understanding of the clinical process of self-hypnosis. Better understanding of key concepts like attention and the unconscious can help individuals overcome resistance to self-hypnosis and sharpen the tools necessary to successfully practice it.

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Chapter Nine:

The Future of Epigenetics

“Creativity is not the sole domain of the arts. Science is one of the [domains] where I find creativity all over.” –Paul L. Harrison

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uman cloning has been a controversial topic since the birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996. Despite this controversy, the advent of cloning with respect to humans may be closer than you think. In 2012, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet in 2012 awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology jointly to Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for “the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.” Before becoming a Nobel laureate, Gurdon, who almost half a century ago began the research that culminated in winning the prize, had been nicknamed “The Godfather of Cloning.” This nickname, however, is something of a misnomer, because for Gurdon cloning was an accidental offshoot of his real passion, nuclear reprogramming. In a series of experiments with frogs that became instant classics, Dr. Gurdon laid the groundwork that could change the future of

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medicine. His work opened doors that could eventually allow researchers to create one kind of specialized cells (for instance, a brain cell) from another, more accessible tissue (such as skin). Once a cell has developed to have a specialized function, it’s said to be a “mature” cell. Immature stem cells that have not yet specialized are pluripotent, meaning they are capable of evolving into all of the types of cells found in the human body. Typically, pluripotent stem cells exist only in the days immediately following conception. As the embryo grows, the cells become nerve, muscle, liver, and all other types of cells. Scientific tradition held that the route from pluripotent to specialized cell was unidirectional. Changes that occurred during maturation were thought to alter cells in ways that made reversal to a pluripotent stem cell state impossible. In other words, the life of a cell was essentially a one-way journey from infinite possibility to increased specialization. At least, that was the reigning scientific dogma—until Dr. Gurdon’s research came along. In 1962, Gurdon effectively overturned this conventional thinking about cellular development. Gurdon began with a simple hypothesis: that a cell’s genome might retain the information necessary to form all different cell types even after specializing. The scientific community was nothing short of shocked when this hypothesis turned out to be completely correct. Gurdon’s method of proving it was to switch the immature cell nucleus of a frog egg cell with a nucleus from a mature intestinal cell from a tadpole. In complete defiance of the expectations set by established dogma, the egg cell developed into a fully functional tadpole that was genetically identical to the nucleus donor. Gurdon hadn’t intended to work in the area of cloning, and as he said later, in his view the experiment he conducted “had really nothing to do with cloning.” But that was exactly what he accomplished. His paradigm-shifting discovery was heavily scrutinized. The flurry of research that evolved from it confirmed his findings, and

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eventually led to the cloning of mammals, including Dolly, who was cloned from an udder cell of a mature sheep. In the simplest terms, Gurdon’s technique involved removing the nuclei from one (immature) cell, and introducing it into the nuclei of a mature, already-differentiated cell. It was not until 2006 that a Japanese scientist named Shinya Yamanaka found a way to reprogram mature cells into immature stem cells without introducing a separate nucleus. He and his co-workers injected different combinations of genes known to keep stem cells immature into fibroblasts—mature connective tissues cells. Ultimately they hit upon a simple combination of four genes that could be used to turn fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). The immense implications of Yamanaka’s work were recognized immediately upon publication. As the Nobel committee put it, the “findings [of Gurdon and Yamanaka] have revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop.” Research in recent years has “provided new tools for scientists around the world and led to remarkable progress in many areas of medicine.” For instance, in an interview after receiving the award, Dr. Gurdon stated that clinical trials based on his and Yamanaka’s work were being used to attempt to restore vision and that success in being able to do so was drawing “very close.”

Mapping the Epigenome Considering the epigenetic wonders that have been accomplished to date, it would be shortsighted for scientists and research institutions to not delve wholeheartedly into exploring the field. For the most part, that’s exactly what has been happening. The National Health Institutes (NIH) awarded a $190 million grant in 2008 to a multi-lab, nationwide investigation into “how and when epigenetic processes control genes.” As then-director Dr. Elias Zerhouni says, epigenetics is now “a central issue in biology.” Though the phrase seems understated, its simplicity and succinctness is actually an indication of how

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crucial the field of epigenetics has already become. One of the first major developments sparked by the NIH grant came from the San Diego Epigenome Center, an upstart operation based largely online. Scientists from the center partnered with colleagues from the Salk Institute, a vast organization located in La Jolla, California, and founded by the man who discovered the polio vaccine. The joint effort resulted in an announcement, in October of 2009, that the team had produced “the first detailed map of the human epigenome.” This is not completely accurate, because in reality the scientists had completed a map of specific portions of the epigenomes of two types of cells, an embryonic stem cell, and a fibroblast, a more basic cell. While the feat is still worth fanfare, Joseph R. Ecker, a Salk biologist who worked on the maps, points out that the human body is composed of a minimum of 210 different kinds of cells, perhaps substantially more. Each type of cell will likely have a different epigenome, and the number of epigenetic marks comprising an epigenome is so large that Ecker won’t even speculate on the final total, but it is certainly in the millions. These staggering figures caused Ecker to comment that in relation to the projected end cost of documenting the full network of epigenetic markers, the NIH grant amounted to “peanuts.” To put the final cost estimate into some sort of perspective, the Human Genome Project, which mapped approximately 25,000 genes, cost $3 billion. Cancer research scientists worldwide had been especially vocal about the potential that could be mined from a complete analysis of DNA methylation patterns. A partial response to the need for such an analysis came about in 2003, when the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom and the biotechnology company Epigenomics AG in Berlin united to launch the Human Epigenome Project (HEP).

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The stated aim of HEP is to “identify, catalogue, and interpret genome-wide DNA methylation patterns of all human genes in all major tissues.” Spearheaded by immunogeneticist Stephen Beck of the Sanger Institute and Alexander Olek, CEO of Epigenomics AG, HEP was conceived as a five-year endeavor to map DNA methylation sites throughout the human genome. According to Dr. Olek, HEP would explain “what determines when and where genes are switched on and off to produce a person. And knowing more about the human epigenome may provide clues to what goes wrong in cancer and other diseases.”

Separating Fact from Fantasy Claims like the one expressed by Olek about the possible benefits of epigenetics research can sound impossibly lofty. Whether such benefits do in fact turn out to be impossible remains to be seen. One thing is certain, however. The field of epigenetics has captured the imagination of both scientists and the general public around the world, and has triggered some truly fantastical predictions as well as a significant degree of negative backlash. In part because of this exposure, and also because the field is expanding and changing so rapidly, the line between fact and fiction can easily become blurred. “It’s our duty as scientists to pass on the right messages,” comments Edith Heard, head of genetics and developmental biology at the Institut Curie in Paris. “I don’t want to say that epigenetics isn’t exciting…[but] there’s a gap between the fact and the fantasy. Now the facts are having to catch up.” So far the strong suit of epigeneticists has been generating data, however, “[we] have not yet been really successful at integrating and interpreting the data,” says Stephen Beck, of the Department of Cancer Biology at the UCL Cancer Institute, University College, London. Both Beck and Heard are members of Epigenesys, an ambitious research network devoted to “building a bridge between the

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fields of epigenetics and systems biology” as well as to awakening public interest in the topic. “Epigeneticists felt, or feel, very keenly that to a great extent we’re not actually attacking the problems necessarily,” Heard says. Beck believes this issue can be resolved by applying a systems biology approach. Doing so, he says, would help scientists to look at how different aspects of epigenetic regulation come together. Rather than focusing exclusively on a single regulatory factor, they will start looking at “the holistic picture of the cell.” Geneviéve Almouzni, also of the Institut Curie, is in charge of coordinating the Epigenesys Network of Excellence. The five-year initiative (from 2010 to 2015) will use its 12 million euro budget to further the integration of epigenetics and systems biology. “You cannot do this kind of science isolated,” Dr. Almouzni says. To the contrary, the initiative has labs in 14 countries spanning Europe, where it facilitates unconventional interdisciplinary collaborations such as those of Paul L. Harrison. An artist with a background in print, printmaking, and publishing, Harrison works out of the Visual Research Center (VRC) Print Publishing facility at the University of Dundee, where he applies techniques from his visual arts training to the biological sciences. “Creativity is not the sole domain of the arts,” Harrison says, “Science is one of the [domains] where I find creativity all over.” One form of creativity, for instance, is evident in the way he uses visualization systems to make sense of biological research data and information. This novel approach shows new ways to understand the biological functions of human life. Even after the official conclusion of the initiative, Dr. Almouzni hopes the community it has created will endure. The odds of that happening seem favorable. Highly skilled scientists seem eager to take their knowledge of epigenetics out of the laboratory and do, as Heard puts it, “something useful.”

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Chapter Ten:

Epigenetics and Herbs— Explaining the Inexplicable

“Epigenetics… begins to explain why one herb, food, or nutrient can affect so many systems.” —Bradley R. West, N.D.

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pigenetics seems to encourage innovative collaboration between forward-thinking individuals from the many branches of science that study its workings. In much the same way that epigenetics brings together scientists working in different fields, it has also done much to break down the long-standing wall between traditional remedies and cutting-edge medications. Most, if not all, naturopathic modalities have “an inexplicable component,” as Bradley R. West, N.D. put it. This is not problematic for holistic-minded practitioners who accept the idea that there may be a mystical, spiritual, and unverifiable reason why a remedy works. But for many more conventional doctors

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and scientists, the “inexplicable component” presents a major hurdle because of the degree to which these disciplines traditionally insist on the principle of verifiability. West believes epigenetics can illuminate the clinical evidence behind these cures, or in other words, provide verification of both how and why they work, which would give them more credibility in the eyes of conventional, allopathic-minded health care providers. A recent study backs up West’s ideas. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the six-month study tracked the health of 111 healthy, elderly subjects. The study’s findings proved that omega-3 supplements (EPA and DHA) decreased the expression of genes linked to inflammation. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the first consumed 1.8 grams of EPA plus DHA daily; the second 0.4 grams; and the third consumed 4 grams of high-oleic acid sunflower oil. Analysis of gene expression at the study’s conclusion revealed alterations for 1040 genes related to inflammation for the first group (who took in the most omega-3s), compared to 298 for the third group (who took in sunflower oil—one tablespoon of sunflower oil contains about 4 grams of omega-6s and only .005 grams of omega-3s.) “Of these genes, 140 were overlapping between the groups, which resulted in 900 uniquely changed genes in the EPA plus DHA group,” say the study’s authors. Supplementing with omega-3s also decreased the expression of atherogenic genes, which are known to promote the formation of fatty plaque and hardening of the arteries. This research helps to explain why fish oil supplementation has such extremely beneficial results. The “ability of dietary fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, has been well established to improve the outcomes of many disease states… [but] most of the mechanisms have remained

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unknown,” West says. “Epigenetics helps close this gap and begins to explain why one herb, food, or nutrient can affect so many systems.”

New Assessments of Old Solutions Recently, leaders from ancient medical traditions—namely Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)—have begun exploring the connection between epigenetics and the herbs and plants that have been key to their healing practices for thousands of years. So far, studies have demonstrated that the effects of two staples of Ayurvedic medicine—tulsi and ginger—reach all the way to the chromatin of cell nuclei. (Tulsi is what Ayurvedic practitioners call a yogavahi, a category of substances that also includes shilajit, saffron, honey and ghee.) It seems that both herbs up-regulate the H3 histone, a key epigenetic player. “It gets really enthralling when you ponder the deeper ramifications of this,” commented Prashanti de Jager, a wellness coach for Organic India.

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Not every individual responds to the herbs in the same manner, and again, epigenetics may help explain why. Jager believes that there are a number of potential factors behind varying response levels, including how the herb was grown and processed, the phenotype of the patient, and interactions between herbs and other dietary components. “Investigation into what dictates the direction and magnitude of the response of an individual, [as well as] the actual and hoped-for molecular targets for the micronutrients available in herbs are based on both genetic and epigenetic events and conditioning,” de Jager says. In other words, epigenetics helps to determine how your body will respond to a certain herb. In turn, that herb may influence how your body reacts to other substances. For instance, “long term use of one herb that can up-regulate histone may change one’s ability to be supported by that herb, or by another herb, food, or situation,” says de Jager. When yogavahic substances are taken with other herbs and supplements, the overall effects are enhanced. This is a phenomenon referred to as “synergy.” “In the past, I always assumed that this was simply a function of increases in corresponding enzymatic metabolic factors,” de Jager says, “but now I will start and inquiry into how many of these yogavahic medicines are actually epigenetic medicines as well.” Analyzing the epigenetic impact of tulsi and other herbs could give us a more detailed picture of how the compounds they contain influence various factors, including rate of absorption, site of action, metabolism, and possible interactions between different supplements. Modern pharmacological experiments have also uncovered that ginseng, an important herbal remedy used in eastern Asia for thousands of years, has strong epigenetic actions. Ginseng grows throughout China and Korea, and is highly valued in TCM. Historically it has been used to treat a range of conditions from

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heart palpitations to insomnia to diabetes. Scientists have identified multiple constituents in ginseng— in specific, ginsenosides, polysaccharides, peptides, and polyacetylenic alcohols—giving credibility to its wide variety of uses. The full spectrum of compounds contained in ginseng contribute to health in a number of ways, such as strengthening the immune system, reducing the risk of cancer, calming and stabilizing the central nervous system, and protecting cognitive function. Among the constituents in ginseng, ginsenosides (the active ingredients responsible for the herb’s beneficial properties) are especially key. And those properties are impressive, given that the herb is known to be antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunestimulant, and anti-apoptotic (able to prevent cellular death). But beyond the biological science of the herb lies the epigenetic aspect of how ginseng delivers its benefits, which is where East meets West in the fight against disease. Interesting findings are emerging, for instance, from studies focused on using ginsenosides to address neurological and neuropsychiatric issues. One team of researchers, for example, focused on evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of ginseng as a complementary treatment for schizophrenic patients with persistent negative symptoms. They found that ginseng works as an epigenetic transcription modulator. The researchers, based at the Lawson Health Research Institute of the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario and at the Imperial College in London, specifically pinpointed that ginseng targets the nuclear peroxisome proliferating receptor complex (PPAR) and contributes to cross-talk with histone and microRNA. Commenting on the significance of the study, they said: “Our findings highlight the harmonious synergy of ‘Western

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Medicine’ and ‘Oriental Medicine’ in optimizing therapy for the most devastating neuropsychiatric disorder.”

When East Meets West, Everyone Benefits Recent research on turmeric, a member of the ginger family, provides a treasure trove of compelling anecdotes about how epigenetics can verify the efficacy of time-honored herbal treatments. The dark yellow spice, which you may recognize as an indispensable curry ingredient, is an abundant source of curcuminoids, chiefly curcumin. Japanese researchers published a study in the International Journal of Pharmacology on their discovery that curcumin inhibits the action of the destructive MMP-13 enzyme far more effectively than any other tested substance. MMP-13 plays a major role in destroying joint cartilage. A “switched-on” MMP-13 gene is a signature of the epigenetic change found in people with osteoarthritis in their knees or hips. David A. Young, Ph.D., one of a group of researchers from Newcastle University who first connected MMP-13 to osteoarthritis, says this about the discovery: “As the population gets older, osteoarthritis presents increasing social and economic problems. Our work provides a better understanding of the events that cause cartilage damage during osteoarthritis.” Zeroing in on MMP-13 and the epigenetic changes that increase its activity is a promising path to eradicating

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arthritis pain. Clinical trials show that curcumin, long recommended by herbalists as an arthritis treatment, is an effective and safe way to inhibit MMP-13 expression. This, in turn, means that curcumin now has a strong scientific explanation for its benefits against arthritis. While it’s exciting that mainstream science has begun to show interest in natural treatments, it remains true that many of these studies on herbs, plants, and extracts routinely conclude by advising that the substance be considered for drug development. This is hardly surprising, since drug patents are big business, generating billions in revenue annually. A prime example of this is a new “wonder drug” called TA-65. Geron Corporation and TA Sciences, its manufacturers, claim it “turns on” the gene that makes telomerase. As discussed in Chapter Five, telomerase is an enzyme necessary for cell division. Every time your cells divide, your DNA loses a portion of the telomere that caps the end of each chromosome. When your telomeres shrink to a certain point, the cells they are attached to cease to divide. Many of the unpleasant consequences associated with aging are the result of shortened telomeres. Telomerase replenishes telomeres, thereby enabling cells to continue to divide. However, for most of us, the genes controlling telomere production are deactivated. Information posted on the companies’ website states the following: “TA-65 affects genes related to aging and cell division. TA-65 turns on the hTERT gene, which activates the enzyme telomerase which can lengthen your telomeres.” In vitro studies have shown that the hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) gene can reactivate telomerase activity. The kicker in all this “new wonder drug” hype is that TA-65

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is “a naturally occurring single molecule found in the ancient Chinese herb astragalus.” Astragalus, an adaptogen, has been used by TCM disciples for centuries to protect the body against stress of all kinds—physical, mental and emotional. Unsurprisingly, T.A. Sciences developed a “proprietary process” to produce TA-65. Ultimately, however, there is no evidence that this proprietary medicinal formulation of TA-65 would impact telomerase production any differently than a high-quality astragalus supplement.

Your Daily Dose of Optimal Wellness A simple and effective strategy for boosting your epigenetic signals is to incorporate supplements known to promote positive epigenetic changes into your daily routine. Certain elements are known to have a profound impact on our epigenomes, especially those involved in methylation, a fundamental epigenetic process. It’s crucial that you “provide the building blocks for methylation in the body—and in the proper balance,” advised Jon Barron, founder of the Baseline of Health Foundation and author of Lessons from the Miracle Doctors. Barron, who serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the prestigious Health Sciences Institute, points to six specific nutrients known to support methylation, which are: • Choline • Methionine • Vitamin B12 • Vitamin B6 • Folic acid • Trimethylglycine (TMG) • SAMe These nutrients serve as methyl “donors,” and their presence

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or absence can rapidly alter gene expression. “Remember,” Barron says, “turning gene expression off is often as important to health as letting a trait express itself.” SAMe, or S-adenosylmethionine, is one of the most important methylating agents in the body. There are several molecules that supply methyl groups to DNA, but SAMe is by far the most active methyl donor. Inadequate levels of this molecule bring the methylation process to a screeching halt. SAMe is naturally generated by every living cell, however, that is no guarantee that the requisite amount will reach your DNA. When a SAMe molecule donates its methyl group to DNA, it breaks down into homocysteine, a toxic inflammatory molecule. “SAMe and homocysteine are essentially two sides of the same coin, or molecule in this case,” Barron says. At this point in the methylation process, vitamins B6 and B12, as well as folic acid and TMG, become crucial. These nutrients convert homocysteine into glutathione, an important antioxidant, or recycle it into methionine, which can subsequently be transformed into SAMe. If any of these nutrients are missing, the cycle will skew or break down altogether. For instance, homocysteine levels may rise to the point where they outweigh the amount of SAMe in your system, at which point you begin to suffer from chronic inflammation or heart disease. Supplementing with SAMe floods your system with all the molecule’s benefits, and helps you avoid consequences associated with excess homocysteine. “For most people, 200 mg of SAMe is enough,” says Barron. He also recommends choosing a “good for your genes” supplement mix containing the following amounts of the methyl building blocks: 50 mg of vitamin B6, 500 mcg of vitamin B12, 800 mcg of folic acid, and 500 mg of TMG.

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Polish Your Epigenome A healthy immune system is integral to overall health, and to a healthy epigenome as well. Taking care to provide your body with health-promoting substances is important, but it’s not the only thing that counts. To complement a solid supplementation regime experts advise regular detoxification. Ideally, you should avoid exposure to toxins. In the course of your daily life, however, you are likely to find that some encounters are unavoidable. Detoxing regularly reduces the amount of time the toxins have to negatively impact the way your genes express themselves.

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What Epigenetics Can Mean for You

“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 epigenome, 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

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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 controlling 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,

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including the thoughts and beliefs of others, the philosophies and ideas you are exposed to, and the cultural and religious environment that surrounds you. Cumulatively, all of these influences form your mental landscape, 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?”

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http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v11/n10/full/nrc3130.html http://epigenie.com/epigenetics/cancer-epigenetics/ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219140720.htm http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/09/news/la-heb-cancer-epigenetics-20111109 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progenitor_cell http://www.uab.edu/uabmagazine/2011/september/epigenetics#sthash.3ChpA2T 2.dpuf http://www.agemarker.com/2011/09/empowering-patients-through-epigeneticstake-control-of-your-genes/#sthash.3ChpA2T2.dpuf http://www.fosar-bludorf.com/archiv/biochip_eng.htm http://hypnosis-hypnotherapy-training.com/2009/06/17/emile-coues-method-of%E2%80%9Cconscious-autosuggestion%E2%80%9D/ http://prof77.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/dna-replication-at-a-distance-reportedby-nobel-scientist/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/luc-montagnier-homeopathytaken-seriously_b_814619.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/energy-medicinefuturisti_b_632418.html http://divinecosmos.com/index.php/start-here/articles/362-groundbreakingrussian-dna-discoveries http://kylehypnosis.blogspot.com/2008/10/about-ernest-l-rossi.html http://www.ernestrossi.com/ernestrossi/keypapers/PG%20GE%20PB%20Stroke.pdf http://www.ernestrossi.com/interviews/Interview%20with%20Rossi%20by%20Y apko.html http://ezinearticles.com/?Rossi,-Hypnosis,-and-Gene-Expression&id=3545256 http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/hypnosis-and-gene-expression http://www.ernestrossi.com/documents/about_psychobiology_of_gene_expressio n.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3331570/ http://simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3338184/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Epigenome_Project http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC300691/ http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2012/

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http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/human-cloning.htm http://www.sciencemag.org/content/322/5909/1811.full http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jun/23/rational-heroes-edith-heardepigenetics http://www.jonbarron.org/jon-barron-facts-expert-natural-health http://www.jonbarron.org/article/everything-you-need-know-about-epigenetics http://organicindiausa.com/article-tulsi-ginger-adaptogens-epigenetics-andevolution/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18567057 http://naturalbioactivesconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/NaturalBioactives-Listing-of-Symposium-and-Workshop-abstracts_Part14.pdf http://www.seekinghealth.com/blog/epigenetics-definition-positive-outcomes http://www.neurohackers.com/index.php/fr/menu-top-neurotheque/40-cat-nhmethods-tech/209-longevity-and-epigenetic-modification-intermediate-level-nh http://www.invitehealth.com/ARTICLE-herbal-defender.html http://www.heartmath.org/templates/ihm/enewsletter/publication/2011/summer/you-can-change-your-dna.php http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC300691/ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?_r=0 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-healing-factor/201305/angelina-joliemissed-important-opportunity http://www.psychologytoday.com/experts/karolyn-gazella http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/human-reproduction6.htm http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/getting-pregnant/genetics/genetics-andyour-baby/ http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/introduction-what-is-dna-6579978 http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/health_basics/genes_genetic_disorders.html# http://www.ama-assn.org//ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-science/geneticsmolecular-medicine/related-policy-topics/stem-cell-research/basics-stem-cellresearch.page

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INDEX A

anti-inflammatory 97

Abramson, Dr. Beth 33

anti-oncogenes 60-61

Acta Biotheoretica (Journal) 29

ants, hypercommunication and 75

Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemollogiae (Journal) 31

anxiety 51, 104

ACTH stress hormones 82 acupuncture 38

appearance, physical, in twins 3, 45 Aristotle 20

adrenaline 49 Aesop’s Fables (Aesopica) 17 aging 40, 56, 57, 59, 90 Agouti mice (see mice, agouti)

arteries, hardening of 93 asthma 15, 22, 32, 37 astragalus herb 100 Atlantic, The (magazine) 55

alcoholism 36

attitudes 13, 15-16, 79

alcohols 97 allergies, peanut

anxiety, maternal 32

32

atomic structure 11

Allis, David C. 1, 3

atomic world 11

allopathic health care 94

atoms, carbon 21

Almouzni, Geneviéve 92

atoms, hydrogen 21

Alzheimer’s disease 22, 72

Australian Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis, The 84

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the 94

autism 3, 15, 72

anger 15, 104

autoimmune disease 47

antidepressants, placebo effect and 51

autosuggestion 67, 73-74, 77, 79

antioxidant 97, 101

Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) 31-32

anti-apoptotic 97

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B

BPA 2

bacteria 20, 23, 72

BRCA1 gene 4-5

Baragwaneth Hospital, Soweto, South Africa 36-37

Bradner, James 64

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

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

body mass index (bmi) 34

cardiovascular conditions (also see heart disease) 41, 49

bodywork 38

cartilage, joint 98

Bohr, Neils 1

Castiglione, Stephano 84

Boston University Cancer Center, The 61

cell nuclei 89, 95

Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) 61

cells, division of 56-57, 63, 99 cells, pluripotent 88-89

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cells, progenitor 61, 64

compassion 16

cells, specialized 61, 88

conditioning, behavioral 82, 96

cells, stem 8-10, 55, 61, 78-79, 88-90

cortisol 26, 49

cells, undifferentiated 61

Cozzolino, Mauro 84

cellular biology 10

Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience, the (also see psychotherapeutic protocol) 84-85

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

counseling, pastoral 84

creativity 87, 92 curcumin 98-99 curcuminoids 98

D

chemicals 23, 25, 27, 39

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The 64

child development, early 48

Darwin, Charles 6, 17-20, 24, 30

choline 25, 100

Davis, Dr. Paul 37

chromatin 23, 95

De Jager, Prashanti 95-96

chromatin modification 23

death 16, 22, 41, 56, 65, 97

chromosomes 8, 23, 34, 56

decision making, health and 40

Church, Dr. Dawson 45, 50-51, 66, 77

Definitive Guide to Cancer, The (Karolyn A. Gazella) 4

Cicatelli, Angela 84

cloning, human 87

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) 1-4, 89, 13, 20-24, 26, 30, 33, 41-42, 4647, 52, 54, 56-57, 61, 67-70, 72-73, 76, 84-85, 90-91, 99, 101, 103-104

Cloud, John 35

depression 51

cognitive function 97

DHA (see omega-3 and omega-6)

Columbia University 7, 26, 48

Dhanak, Dash 64

cloning 72, 87-89

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diabetes 23, 25-26, 36, 47, 49, 97

Einstein, Albert 12, 69

diesel exhaust 23

Einstein-Rosen bridges 69

diet 10, 14-15, 22, 25-26, 40-41, 43, 65-66

electromagnetic imprints 70-71

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

electromagnetic signals/waves 12, 68, 71 Eleven-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

DNA Phantom Effect, the 69, 76

environment 12-14, 19, 24, 29-30, 33-35, 39, 46, 48, 103

DNA, vibrational behavior of 68-69, 72

environmental changes 18

“Doctor Will See You Now, The” (Dr. Alice G. Walton) 5

environmental factors/influences on health 13, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29-30, 35, 42, 46, 48, 66

Dolly the sheep 87, 89 dopamine 50 drift, epigenetic (see epigenetic drift) drugs, efficacy testing of 51

Enzyme EZH2 (see EZH2) Enzyme MMP-13 (see MMP-13) enzymes 21, 57, 61, 64, 98-99 EPA (see omega-3 and omega-6)

drugs, epigenetically active (“persuasive drugs”) 63

epigenes 7, 9-10, 12-13, 20, 38, 59

Duke University 25

epigenesis 20

E Ecker, Joseph R. 90

Epigenesys Network of Excellence (see Epigenesys research network) 91-92

eczema 32

epigenetic drift 47-48

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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

115

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

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

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

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activity-dependent 78

ginseng 96-97

“Gene Expression and Brain Plasticity in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Personal Memoir of Mind-Body Healing Dreams” (Dr. Ernest Rossi) 77

ginsenosides 97

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)

GlaxoSmithKline 64

ginger 95, 98 giraffes 18-19

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

genes, atherogenic 94 genes, communicating with 38-39, 68-69 75-76

H

genes, faulty 4

healing, remote 76

genes, tumor-suppressing 60, 64

Heard, Edith 91-92

genetic adaptations 18-19

heart attack 5

genetic change, permanent versus temporary 24

heart disease 6, 28, 35, 41-42, 54, 101

genetic determinism 103-104

heart palpitations 97

genetic isolation, concept of 33

histone modification 23

genetic mutation 4-5, 19, 42, 60

histones 23, 47 impact on gene expression of 23

geneticists, wave 68-72, 76 Genie in Your Genes, The (Dr. Dawson Church) 50, 65

Harrison, Paul L. 87, 92

homocysteine 101 honey 95

Geron Corporation, the 99

hormones 23, 26, 40, 55, 82

ghee 95

hormones, regulation of 40

Adelle LaBrec

Human Epigenome Project (HEP), the 90-91 Human Genome Project, the 1-2, 90 cost of 90 human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) 99 hypercommunication 67, 75-76 hypnosis 72-73, 79, 81, 83-84, 68

I Iannotti, Salvatore 84

117

insulin 54 integrative medicine (see medicine, integrative) International Hypnosis Research Institute, The 84 International Journal of Pharmacology, The 98 Interpretation of Dreams, The (Sigmund Freud) 80 intuition 75

imagery (see hypnosis)

iPS cells (Induced pluripotent stem cells) 89

immune system 64, 97, 102

Issa, Dr. Jean-Pierre 1-2, 62-64

immune-stimulant 97 Imperial College, London 97

J

In Defense of Food (Michael Pollan) 43

Jabonka, Eva 20

in vitro studies 99

Jiaotong University, Shanghai 71

incantations 86

Jirtle, Dr. Randy 25-26

indigestion 37

Jolie, Angelina 3-5

infections 49

Jones, Peter A. 60

inflammation 41, 66, 94, 101 chronic 41, 101

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, The 26

inhibitors, types GSK2816126 64 JQ1 64

Journal of Neuroscience, The 26

insomnia 97

Jungian analysis 81

Institut Curie, The 91-92

junk food / processed food (see food, processed)

Institute of HeartMath, The 52, 104

Jung, Carl 81

118

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

K

Martin, George M. 46

Kandel, Dr. Eric 79

Massachusetts General Hospital 54

Karolinska Institute, The 28, 87

McCraty, Dr. Rollin 52

kittens, white and black 9-10

medicine, Ayurvedic 95

Kristol, Dr. Irving 51-52

medicine, contemporary 35

L Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste 18-20 Lancet, The 28 language 68, 72-73 Lawson Health Research Institute, The 97

medicine, functional 38 medicine, homeopathic 70-71 medicine, integrative 15, 36, 38, 45, 84 medicine, traditional chinese/tcm 38, 95 meditation 38, 53-55, 66, 84, 86

Lessons from the Miracle Doctors (Jon Barron) 100

memory 26-27, 82 modification of 26-27

Liébault, Ambroise-Aguste 73

mental state, positive (see thinking, positive)

lifestyle choices (see diet, exercise, nutrition, relationships)

metals, heavy; exposure to 23

light, frequency of 68

methionine 100-101

Lipton, Dr. Bruce H. 10, 12-14, 103-105

methyl donors 26, 101

longevity 15, 29, 50, 58

methyl groups 21-22, 24, 26, 101

love 104

methylation 21-23, 41-42, 46, 6162, 64, 90-91, 100-101

LTP (long-term potentiation) 27

mice, agouti 25-27

lymphomas 64

mice, experiments with 6, 25-27, 56, 58

M magic, the science of 85-86 magico 86

micronutrients 40, 96 mind, the 15, 53, 67, 75, 79, 81-83, 86

Adelle LaBrec

mind/gene connection 81-82 mind and matter, information flow between 79 miracles 76 MIT 27, 71 MMP-13 enzyme 98-99 modern life, demands of on rate of epigenetic change 30 monozygotic twins (see twins, identical)

119

neuropsychiatric disorders (also see schizophrenia) 97-98 neurotransmitters 50, 85 “New Intellectual Framework for Psychiatry, A” (Dr. Eric Kandel) 79 Newcastle University 98 NF-kappaB master gene 54 NIIH (see National Institute for Integrative Healthcare) Nobel Assembly, the 87

Montagnier, Luc 69-72, 76

Nobel Prize 11, 70, 79, 87

Movassagh, Dr. Mehregan 41-42

Norrbotten, Sweden 28-29

multiple sclerosis 72

nuclear reprogramming 87

Musee National d’Histoire Naturelle, The 18

numinosum

84

My Method (Dr. Emile Coué) 74

nutrigenomics / nutritional genomics 40

Myc gene 64

nutrition (see diet)

N National Institute for Integrative Healthcare (NIIH), The 45, 50 natural selection 17, 24 Nature (magazine) 58 Nature Reviews Cancer (Stephen B. Baylin and Peter A. Jones) 60 neural transmission 27 neurogenesis 78-79, 84 neuroimaging 86

O obesity 14, 23, 25-26, 34, 42, 49 Olek, Alexander 91 omega-3 and omega-6 94 On the Origin of Species (Charles Darwin) 18 oncogenes 60-61 Oracle Education Foundation, The 11

120

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

organic chemistry 21

perfection 40

organic food 39

peroxisome proliferating receptor complex (ppar) 97

Organic India 95 Ornish, Dr. Dean 66 osteoarthritis 98

pesticides 23 pharmaceutical industry 52 pharmacognosy 80

Overkalix, Sweden 29, 31-32, 35, 40

placebo 50-52

“Overkalix connection,” the 31

placebo effect, the 50-52

Overkalix research study 29-32

plaque, fatty 94

Oxytocin 50

Pollan, Michael 43 polyacetylenic alcohols 97 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 23

P

polysaccharides 97

p53 gene 59

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 26

pain 16, 39, 53, 74-75, 99 parental experiences, inheritability of 18, 28 Parise, Gianni 55 Parkinson’s disease 72

prayer 54 pregnancy 14, 22, 27, 28, 32 Preventative Medicine Research Institute, The 66

Paro, Renato 19

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 46

particles, elementary 11

protein synthesis 83

particles, sub-atomic 11-12

proteins 21, 23, 84

patents, drug 99

Psychology Today (magazine) 5

perceptions 6, 10-13, 105

Psychobiology of Gene Expression: Neuroscience and Neurogenesis in Hypnosis and the Healing Arts, The (Dr. Ernest Rossi) 78

pecking order, social 5 peptides 97

Adelle LaBrec

121

psychoimmunology, discipline of 80 psychosocial genomics 80, 83-85

RNA, micro 97 Rockefeller University 3 Rossi, Ernest 77-86

psychotherapeutic protocol (Dr. Ernest Rossi) 84-85

Rossi, Kathryn 84

psychotherapy 79, 81, 84

S

Pushpangadan, Dr. Palpu 85-86

saffron 95

Q

salamander and frog experiment (see frog and salamander)

quanta 10

Salk Institute, The 90

Quantum physics 10-12 Quantum Theory, principles of 12

SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) 100-101

Quarterly Review of Biology, The 20

San Diego Epigenome Center, the 90

R

sangoma traditional African healer 36

radioactivity 23

Sarkar, Dr. Sabaji 61, 64-65

Rakel, Dr. David 15-16

schizophrenia 97

RAS gene 66

Schroeder, Dr. Steven 15

Raz, Gal 20

Selectin E gene 66

reality 3, 11-12, 66, 75

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) 51

Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu Tawi, India 86

self-healing 16, 78

rehabilitation, self-guided 78

self-hypnosis 86

Reimers, Dr. Jeff 70

serotonin 50-51

relationships 39, 103

sex specificity, research findings on 35

Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again (Dr. Bruce Lipman) 35 “ritualized relaxation”

81

SFRP gene 66 shilajit 95

122

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

Simpkins, C. Alexander 86 Simpkins, Annellen M. 86

TCM (see medicine, Traditional Chinese)

sleep 40, 74, 77-78, 81

telepathy 76

smoking 14, 16, 34

telomerase 56-58, 99-100

sound frequencies 68

telomeres 56-58, 99

Spanish National Cancer Center, Madrid 46-47

Temple University 1, 62, 81

spinal cord defects 22 spirit, the 80 St. John’s Wort 51 St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto 33 stem cells (see cells, stem) stress, chronic 49 stress hormone (see cortisol) sub-atomic particles (see particles) Superconsciousness (magazine) 104

thoughts 12-13, 54, 74, 76, 104-105 Time (magazine) 35 TMG (Trimethylglycine) 100-101 Tollefsbol, Dr. Trygve 48, 57-59, 65-66 Total Renewal: 7 Key Steps to Resilience, Vitality, and Long Term Health (Dr. Bruce Lipman) 35-36 Traditional Chinese Medicine (see medicine, TCM)

supplements 94, 96, 100

traits, acquired versus inherited 19-24

survival advantage, evolutionary 19

traits, adaptive 19-24

synaptogenesis 78

transcription factor encoding 64

synergy 96-97

transgenerational epigenetic inheritance 20

synthesis, protein (see protein synthesis)

Tsai, Li-Huei 27 Tufts University 25, 26

T

tulsi (herb) 95-96

TA Sciences 99

turmeric 98

TA-65 “wonder drug” 99-100

twins, identical 3-4, 15, 22, 45-48

Adelle LaBrec

123

U

W

universe, the 11-12, 69

Waddington, Conrad 20

University College, London 30, 31, 91

Walton, Dr. Alice G. 55

University of Alabama 48, 56, 59 University of Bristol 32 University of California at San Francisco 15

Waterland, Robert 25 wave genetics 68-72, 76 Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The 90

University of Cambridge 41

West, Dr. Bradley 93-95, 97

University of Connecticut 51

West Virginia University 55

University of Dundee 92

World Trade Center 9/11 disaster 26

University of Washington, Seattle 46

wormholes 69, 76 “worried well,” the 37

University of Western Ontario 97 University of Wisconsin 15

Y

University of Witwaterstrand 36

Yamanaka, Shinya 87, 89

up-regulation / down-regulation of genes 85-86, 95-96

Yapko, Michael 81

V

yogavahi substances 96

verifiability, principle of 35, 94

Young, David A. 98

viral dna 72 viruses 21 vision, improvement in 89 Visual Research Center, the (VRC) 92 visualization 65, 92 vitamin B6 100-101 vitamin B12 25, 100-101

yoga 38, 54

Z Zerhouni, Dr. Elias 89 Zoloft 51

124

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

If you enjoyed this book and wish to learn more health secrets and little-known health discoveries, subscribe to the Underground Health Reporter™ e-newsletter for FREE at www.UndergroundHealthReporter.com ✔ Order copies to give away to friends and family members by going to http://www.HowToReprogramYourDNA.com ✔ To order our other book titles, go to http://www.ThinkOutsideTheBook.com or contact Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC 311 N. Robertson Boulevard, Suite 323 Beverly Hills, California 90211 (800) 311-3285

The fact is, you can. Most people mistakenly assume that their genes control their eventual health and wellbeing, but exciting new science disproves this helpless stance. Your genes tell only part of the story. The rest is written by epigenetics—alterations to the way that genetic traits are expressed. Epigenetics is like a powerful secret in your genes that proves and explains how much control you have over your health and wellness, no matter the genetic flaws you inherited. This book holds the answers you need to unlock the incredible potential of epigenetics for shaping your own health now and far into the future. Some of what you read may surprise you. For instance, within these pages you’ll discover: ● How prepubescent smokers helped researchers uncover the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance. ● Why hypnotism is no hoax. ● How you can override your genetic code to reduce your health risks. ● The promising future of epigenetic cancer drugs. ● How one woman cured her cancer using only her mind. ● The best supplement regimen for protecting and rewiring your genes.

Think of this book as a user’s guide to epigenetics as explained by top scientists and doctors, with real-life examples of epigenetics in action and clear advice on altering your own genetic code in exactly the ways that will benefit you the most.

Adelle LaBrec

● How one man used epigenetics to improve not only his health, but also his entire life. ● Why heart disease doesn’t have to be your fate—even if it runs in your family. ● How shifting your perceptions can rewrite your genetic readout. ● The major mistake in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and how it affects your health. ● An experiment that turned mice yellow—and why you should care.

How to Reprogram Your DNA for Optimum Health

W

hat if you could avoid the health problems of your parents and grandparents and instead create exactly the level of ideal health you desire?

How to

Reprogram Your DNA for

Optimum Health Spontaneous Healing and Other Health Miracles through Epigenetics Adelle LaBrec Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC First Edition