“The implication is that this basic idea we have that we are controlled by our genes is false. It’s an idea that turns us into victims. I’m saying we are the creators of our situation. Genes are merely the blueprints. We are the contractors, and we can adjust those blueprints. And we can even rewrite them.” — Dr. Bruce Lipton
Excerpted from The Vitality Code. I consider this science to be one of the most empowering discoveries to date. We have more control over our health, than most care to realise.
The Science of Epigenetics
For a long time, we’ve been led to believe that we are at the mercy of our genes. Most of us believe that if our parents suffer or have suffered from Symptom X, then we have a high probability of developing Symptom X and there is not much we can do about it. Here, I’d like to shed new light on the outdated hypothesis that your genes are your destiny, and you will discover how much power you hold to influence your gene expression.
Covered in this section:
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An inspiring story of the reversal of Lupus, an “incurable” or “genetic” disease
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The science of epigenetics
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The importance of keeping a harmonious environment in your body
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Proportion of the population with “defective” genes
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Basics of a healthy environment
I’ll now use the example of Nic Burns, a friend of mine whom I interviewed on my podcast. She was diagnosed with Lupus not long after a friend of hers died from it at the age of 27. Imagine the fear you would feel, when you are told you have an illness that has killed a friend of yours. Nic could have resigned herself to the idea that this was a genetic and “incurable” disease (according to Western Medicine). However, she decided to do something quite the opposite to what her friend had done. Her friend was on 25 medications a day by the time of her death. You can hear our interview here.[1]
Nic was already passionate about anti-aging (and still is). I could not believe her age when she told me. I thought she was younger than me, and she was 12 years older! She connected some dots and realized that inflammation was at play with Lupus, so she followed an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, and, within a year, she was in complete remission. Most people who are diagnosed with Lupus or any other “genetic” illness, are led to believe that their genes are their destiny, and their only option is to follow Western “Medicine” (drugs) because of the conditioning or programming that we are subjected to during our lives. Imagine if when we turned on the TV and we saw adverts for holistic treatments with claims about immune strength, and news bulletins of people reversing illnesses with natural methods. We never see these stories. They are rarely, if ever, covered in the media. Imagine finding out that the body can heal ANYTHING given the right environment in the body. That is what the science of Epigenetics is all about.
It would be criminal for me to discuss the science of Epigenetics further without first citing Dr. Bruce Lipton, whom I refer to as “The Father of Epigenetics.” Cell Biologist Dr. Lipton is a true pioneer in this field and was cloning stem cells in the 1980s before it became ‘cool’. This is excerpted from NCBI (US National Library of Medicine), entitled “Bruce Lipton, PhD: The Jump from Cell Culture to Consciousness (2017):
“It is the environment that selects the genetic activity of the cell. This is profoundly different than the genes making the decisions as to what cells are going to be.”
Here is a definition of epigenetics from the CDC:
“Your genes play an important role in your health, but so do your behaviors and environment, such as what you eat and how physically active you are. Epigenetics is the study of how your behavior and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence. Gene expression refers to how often or when proteins are created from the instructions within your genes. While genetic changes can alter which protein is made, epigenetic changes affect gene expression to turn genes “on” and “off.” Since your environment and behavior, such as diet and exercise, can result in epigenetic changes, it is easy to see the connection between your genes and your behavior and environment.”[2]
Excerpted from the medical journal cited above, the words of Dr. Bruce Lipton:
“You are not controlled by your genetics. Your genes are controlled by your environment, and more specifically your perception of the environment. This allows dynamic control of your biology. If genes controlled your life, your fate would be determined regardless of what was happening in the environment: “These are your genes, this is your life. You have this cancer gene; you are going to get cancer and die.” The fact is, there is no such thing as a cancer gene. That is a belief that is self-sabotaging. If you believe you have a cancer gene and you believe that gene can turn on and give you cancer, then your belief is manifesting a chemistry that will create cancer because you are translating your perception into chemistry.
“A perception of cancer can cause cancer. Less than 10% of cancers have any hereditary linkage of all. The other 90% or more of a chance of cancer is a direct response to the environment and the perception of the individual in that environment. It basically says, “Genetic control is a limitation, because you can only express what your genes express.”
“The new science called Epigenetic Control sounds almost like the same thing. When I say, ‘genetic control,’ it translates as “controlled by genes.” The new science is called epigenetics. It sounds similar, but it is profoundly different. ‘Epi’ means ‘above,’ so when I say epigenetic control, I am literally saying, ‘control above the genes.’ This is the new biology. It reveals that the environment and our perception of the environment are what control our genetic activity.
“This is profound. A revolution for the simple reason that the conventional belief, which most of the public is already programmed with, is genetic determinism. That makes us victims because, as I said, I cannot control the genes if the genes are controlling themselves. Therefore, my life is an expression of a pattern of genes unfolding and I am a victim of this pattern. Epigenetics changes the entire game, because it says that genetic expression is directly due to the environment and our perception of the environment.
“We are capable of changing the environment we live in, and we are capable of changing our perceptions. Therefore, we are not victims, but we are actually masters of our genetic activity. We have to recognize that the belief of being a victim is a perception. If that is what you believe, then you can be a victim because you are going to translate your perception into biology. This is why your work becomes important in this case, Craig, because knowledge is power. A lack of knowledge is by definition a lack of power.
“A lack of knowledge about this new understanding of epigenetics is a disempowering experience for the individual on this planet. If you believe genes control your life, then you let go of the control and programs take over. If you understand epigenetics and you say, “Wait, I have the ability to change conditions environmentally or perceptually to enhance my life, rather than to fall victim to illness” — that is self-empowerment. That is why the new knowledge is power-inducing.”
The science of Epigenetics has superseded the conventional notion of ‘genetic diseases,’ now, and, as you can see, this applies to 90% of cancers, too.
We now know scientifically that it is the environment in the body that signals our genes, which then trigger the health of our cells. ‘Epi’ means above, meaning above the genes. Epi can be likened to the software and genes likened to hardware. The software runs the hardware. While we do have our gene blueprint, it’s down to us and the environment we maintain in our bodies that determine whether or not our genes are turned on or “expressed” — and ultimately the health of our cells.
This is true for at least 95% of the population. According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, less than 5% of the population are born with ‘defective’ genes or genes that are ‘fully penetrant’ – which is wonderful news for the vast majority of the population. This puts us back into the driving seat and enables us to be in full control of our health, and development and reversal of illness.
Can you see how this is both liberating and empowering? We have more control of our bodies than most ever realize. And if you’re one of the <5% who are born with a defective gene, the science of Epigenetics is telling us that the body can heal anything, provided the appropriate environment is created within the body.
As we proceed throughout this book, we will be looking into the fundamentals of what it takes to create an environment conducive to healing. We will look at cell fuels, and what they require to thrive so you can consciously and deliberately change the environment in your body. At a fundamental level, this means breathing (oxygenating) and exercising, hydrating, consuming sufficient nutrients, eliminating toxins, sleeping well, grounding, and creating a harmonious mental and emotional state. Those last two are more important than you ever might imagine.
It may not come as a surprise that a truly healthy environment means addressing each of the “Four Pillars of Vitality” — Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Energetic. You might have a sense already of where you might fall short of balance or are optimized. What you’ll soon see, from Dr. Bruce Lipton, is that the overarching “governor” of the environment in your body is your brain. He refers to the brain chemist. We get to choose which pharmacy of chemicals we secrete depending on our thoughts, and our emotions. Excited? I hope so.
Your genes are not your destiny. You get to signal new genes in new ways when you are in the driving seat.
Stay tuned for my new Vitality Code Community, launching Monday 8 April in which we will explore Four Pillars of Vitality together, to help you to get results, fast.
Need a personal “partner in health” to guide you through the Four Pillars of Vitality? Check out how I can support you at https://VitalitySecret.com/coaching.
[1] https://vitalitysecretpodcast.com/ep-27-healing-lupus-with-anti-ageing-expert-nic-burns