A update Review By Walter Sorochan Posted August 26, 2014; updated October 17, 2021. Disclaimer The information provided below is intended for educational purposes only. It is not meant to either directly or indirectly give medical advice or prescribe treatment. Two Canadian researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Moshe Szyf, a molecular biologist and geneticist and Michael Meaney, a McGill neurobiologist, attended a conference in Spain, in 1992. They met at a bar in Madrid and talked about a new revolutionary idea in genetics: What if diet, chemicals, certain experiences like child neglect, drug abuse or other severe stress could also set off changes to the DNA inside the neurons of a person’s brain, thereby evolving changes in behavior or appearance? That question turned out to be the basis of a new biological science, behavioral epigenetics. This article explores the new science and the role environment has in activating the DNA to turn good switches on and bad switches off that affect your body and your way of life. An example of DNA switch: We have been brainwashed into believing that we inherit most of our good and bad genes [ DNA ] and we are stuck with these the rest of our lives. The traditional belief system or dogma said that if your parents were overweight or obese, had cancer, or diabetes, then you would probably also have these diseases. Buchen: nurturing babies 2010 But this may not true any more! "You are not controlled by your genetic makeup. Instead, your genetic readout [which genes are turned "on" and which are turned "off"] is primarily determined by your thoughts, attitudes, and perceptions!" Androite: Switching fat off 2013 Gabriel-Method-Revolutionary-DIET Dashwood: Epigentics: controling DNA 2010 Mithers: weight loss is in head 2007 Epigenetics is the powerful way that food, environment, thoughts and lifestyle impact on our genes and cause the genes to change how they work [ but not change the genes themselves ]. In case you need to refresh the parts of a human cell, here is an imaginary cell and its nucleus, chromatin and DNA: Behavioral epigenetics is the study of how signals from the environment trigger molecular biological changes that modify what goes on in brain cells. It examines the role of epigenetics in shaping animal (including human) behavior. It seeks to explain how nurture shapes virtually everything that occurs during the life-span [e.g., social-experience, diet and nutrition, and exposure to toxins]. The videos below explain how epigenetics works. What is epigenetics - Bruce H. Lipton: 1:00 mn. Video: Dr. Wayne Dyer & Dr. Bruce Lipton - Power of the Mind
7:28 mns long: So far so good. If you viewed the videos, you should have some understanding of the biochemistry of science behind epigenetics. The illustration below shows that there are two phases to epigenetics. The first phase is the environment that includes many things like food, toxins, socializing, exercise, climate changes, and other activates that stimulate the cell membrane. The second phase begins with the cell membrane [light blue color] receiving the environmental stimulus, thereafter sending a signal to the nucleus [ purple color ] which stores DNA. The DNA synthesizes special proteins that, in turn, change / adjust protein shape and length. The protein [ made up of amino acids ] is the bridge between genes and traits and is the switch that turns the gene(s) on/off and arouses the mind or belief perception to select a new behavior; the example below of the obese man thinking thin. This 'think thin' perception is a new behavior that rewrites genes into a RNA copy [ but does not change the DNA ], changing the psychic awareness of a fat man being perceived as a new thin man in the mind and cell! The fat cell loses fat. "Mind over matter!"
You may have some confusion about what you viewed because what you were taught is different from the new biology science. The old beliefs or dogmas about heredity and genetics: The old model has a cell with a nucleus and cytoplasm inside an outer cover or membrane skin. The traditional belief has been that the nucleus is the 'control' center of the cell and perceived as commanding all cell functions. Genes select genes. For over a hundred years we have accepted that the genetic code changes slowly, through the processes of random mutation and natural selection. This is what we learned in our science and medical classes. Another approach to understanding dogmas and epigenetics by
Bruce Lipton: length 42:41 mns.
In spite of mounting research giving behavioral epigenetics credibility, the new biology is controversial. Buchen: nurturing babies 2010 "Old dogs do not want to learn new tricks!" The controversy is more about outdated belief than science! Such controversy should not deter us from exploring it and even trying it out. Educate yourself on how your body works: Story at-a-glance:
Psychology of Change: The other half of epigenetics, the psychology of change, is how you yourself can turn the genes on/off with a new belief system .... using thoughts or perceptions. Numerous psychologists claim to be able to do this with meditation Black: meditation changes DNA 2012 and visualizations, but as yet their explanations and demonstrations lack everyday application and validity. You and others need to be able to activate the belief signal and be able to actually turn selected switches on or off in real time. As independent investigator Sorochan has found out, he understands the science of epigenetics but doesn't know whether he is turning the switches on or off yet. This is the missing link that would make it possible for all of us to use epigenetics in our daily lives! However, you may have inadvertently switched some/many of your genes on without being aware. For example, your eating "whole plant food complexes," exercising and being in the sun for 20 to 30 minutes [vitamin D] could automatically turn on the good switches. On the other hand you might be turning the bad switches when you are ingesting toxins [ fluoride, chlorine ] in water, smoking cigarettes, eating sugar sweets, or being exposed to toxic heavy metals like mercury or lead, polluted air or contaminated food. These are simple examples of what you may be doing and not be aware of. You are selecting your environment for change. So although the earlier comments that we need more information/research about how to turn the switch for the psychology of change are true, we may actually be doing good and bad environmental changes without being aware that we are. So why is this new information about epigenetics important for you? Because it has the potential to change how you can successfully lose fat, prevent diseases and disorders and live a longer, happier and healthier life. The past 100 years were witness to a barrage of highly stressful, life-threatening, anxiety-producing events: wars, large-scale disasters, assassinations, mass murders, and the obliteration of entire cities and the threat of annihilation of millions more people with nuclear weapons. The Overkalix studies in Sweden about poor nutrition affecting the health of future generations Bygren: grandma food affect on grandchildren 2014 and Dutch famine of 1944, known as the Hongerwinter ["Hunger winter"], that took place in the German occupied northern part of the Netherlands, both imply the theory that diseases like cancer and heart disease can originate in the womb. On the other hand, we have also had many positive life changing happenings like electricity, clean water, women’s right to vote, automobiles, air and space travel, air conditioning, and highway systems, the discoveries of antibiotics, television, the internet and cell phones. Many of these supposed good innovations have had deleterious affects on health of people. Judith Atkinson reviewed research about whole communities being affected by a single experience of trauma by a single member of a community; giving support to Nasrallah's implications! Atkinson: community trauma There is circumstantial research that substantiates the transgrenerational observations of Nasrallah, Atkinson, Bygren, Roseboom and others. New ongoing findings about "transgenerational effects on animals and humans compel a reevaluation of how scientists perceive environmental health threats. “We have to think more long-term about the effects of chemicals that we’re exposed to every day,” says Lisa Chadwick, a program administrator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). “This new research suggests they could have consequences not just for our own health and for that of our children, but also for the health of generations to come.” Schmidt: environ effects inheritance 2013 Skinner has shown that insecticides, phthalates, dioxin, and jet fuel, when given to gestating rats during periods of embryonic programming, promote early-onset puberty in female offspring and decreased sperm counts in males, out to the F3 generation. Schmidt: environ effects inheritance 2013 "Chemicals given to pregnant female mice (the F0 generation) interact not only with the fetal offspring (the F1 generation) but also the germ cells developing within those offspring, which mature into the sperm and eggs that give rise to the F2 generation. Thus, the F3 animals are the first generation to be totally unexposed to the original agent. Effects that extend to the F2 generation are known as “multigenerational,” whereas those that extend to the F3 generation are known as “transgenerational.” Transgenerational effects have now been reported for chemicals including permethrin, DEET, bisphenol A, certain phthalates, dioxin, jet fuel mixtures, nicotine, and tributyltin, among others. Most of these findings come from rodent studies. But preliminary evidence that chemical effects can carry over generations in humans is also emerging, although no F3 data have been published yet." Schmidt: environ effects inheritance 2013 The science is good. Most of the epigenetic research began as a hunch in 1992 in a bar in Madrid, Spain. Since then, the support for the hunch has mounted gradually with research picking up steam since 2004. Yhe unique researches may be difficult to understand for persons lacking a biology-genetics background. The research also throws out genetic terms that may be complex. Making matters worse is the inability of many superb researchers to communicate their findings to us. This researcher reviewed many research projects [ see footnotes below ] dealing with epigenetics in an effort to find a researcher who understood the field and who also could communicate the new science in simple terms. Such a researcher is Bruce Lipton. Lipton explains epigenetics, using animation, in a general way. Lipton's explanation of how the new bio-science of epigenetics works and how it can be used to change people's beliefs and approaches to controlling their body and health is also giving credibility to Gabriel's approach to weight control. Lipton and Gabriel leave a mystery gap in how to implement theory into practice; activating the mind to turn good switches on. The gap is with psychologists theorizing, talking and simulating how to activate the mind for change instead of actually guiding [ giving a confirmation recipe ] people into doing it; that is, actually having people change their belief switch. The proof of this happening is missing! This gap needs more research to put the "proof of the pudding in the eating!" Researchers need to simplify just how "main street people" can implement turning the belief switch epigenetics in their everyday lives. Until this happens, the use of epigenetics in user's hands will remain somewhat of a mystery. These reserved observations should not stop you from trying the new epigenetics out in your personal life. As pointed out earlier, you have been letting your environment dictate your choices and switches by letting others turn on the switches for you [ like mass media advertizing, newspapers and recommendations from others ]. But the science behind turning the belief switches on and off has an excellent graphic communicator in Bruce Lipton. Although there is much that most persons may not understand about Lipton's epigenetics, and the biological experiments of Cairns, Meaney, Szyf and others, this new science opens the door for a new approach to the practice of medicine, to healing and to better health. New research about what traits new generations may inherit from grandparents, parents and communities should motivate our politicians to review current agricultural and industry practices. Lipton and his college, Rob Williams, point out that changing the belief switch should take 2 to 5 minutes. This contradicts Gabriel's system of weight loss approach requiring length visualizations over months. Obviously, such differences need to be resolved with more good research design. All this new information should make you aware that you can become an extension of your environment, your thoughts and belief systems, toxic exposures, exposure to sunlight, exercise, and food. The new biology moves you out of victim-blaming others for your problems and toward mastery over your own health. "You Can Take Control of Your Health." It gives you a recipe for your lifestyle and how to live! It is not just about weight loss and getting rid of excess body fat, but bringing under control many chronic disorders like diabetes, autoimmune disorders and cancer without drugs and expensive therapy. References Alcock Joe, Carlo C. Maley, C. Athena Aktipis, "Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms," BioEssays, 2014, DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400071 Alcock: bacteria controlswhat you eat 2014 Androite John-Manuel, "To Lose and Keep Off Weight, Turn Off Your Body's 'Fat Switch'," Huffington Post, May 09, 2013. Androite: Switching fat off 2013 "In his new book The Fat Switch, Richard J. Johnson, a professor of medicine and head of the division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado-Denver, argues that obesity is a process animals have used to protect themselves during periods of food shortage, and that they have learned to "flip" a switch when they want to gain weight. The switch occurs in the energy factories of the body (mitochondria) and results in the desire to eat more than is needed and to reduce energy output, thus allowing the maximal conversion of food into fat. >Johnson says the real reason people are getting fat is that they have inadvertently activated the "fat switch." In other words, we are eating more not because we are given bigger servings of food, but because we demand bigger servings, and we are exercising less not because we are watching more TV, but we are watching more TV because we have less energy. Anway, MD, AS Cupp , M Uzumcu, and MK Skinner., "Epigenetic Transgenerational Actions of Endocrine Disruptors and Male Fertility," Science 2005 308:1466-1469. Article is no longer active. Atkinson Judy, Jeff Nelson and Caroline Atkinson, "Trauma, Transgenerational Transfer and Effects on Community Wellbeing," Trauma and Transgenerational Transfer, Chapter 10. Atkinson: community trauma [ trauma experiences are transmitted within and across generations; whole communities can be affected by a single experience of trauma by a single member of a community. ] Bygren LO, Tinghög P, Carstensen J, Edvinsson S, Kaati G, Pembrey ME and Sjöström M., "Change in paternal grandmothers´ early food supply influenced cardiovascular mortality of the female grandchildren," BMC Genetics 2014, 15:12 Bygren: grandma food affect on grandchildren 2014 [Conclusion: The shock of change in food availability seems to give specific transgenerational responses. ] Black DS, Cole SW, Irwin MR, Breen E, St Cyr NM, Nazarian N, Khalsa DS, Lavretsky H., "Yogic meditation reverses NF-κB and IRF-related transcriptome dynamics in leukocytes of family dementia caregivers in a randomized controlled trial," Psychoneuroendocrinology. July 15, 2012. Black: meditation changes DNA 2012 [ The present study examined if a yogic meditation might alter the activity of inflammatory and antiviral transcription control pathways that shape immune cell gene expression. Conclusion: it does. ] Brown Emily, "Epigenetics – Could the central dogma be in danger?" McGill Blog, January 7, 2014. Article no longer active. Brumfiel Geoff, "Tiny DNA Switches Aim To Revolutionize 'Cellular' Computing," NPR, March 29, 2013, Brumfiel: Building DNA switches 2013 Buchen Lizzie, "IN THEIR NURTURE Can epigenetics underlie the enduring effects of a mother’s love?" Nature, September 9, 2010. Buchen: nurturing babies 2010 [ criticisms of a landmark study and the controversial field to which it gave birth.] Cairns John, Overbaugh J, Miller S., "The origin of mutants," Nature, 1988, 335:142–145. Cairns: Mutations 1988
Dashwood Rod, "Epigenetic' concepts offer new approach to degenerative disease," Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, April 28,-2010. Dashwood: Epigentics: controling DNA 2010 Evans Sandy, "Exercise can make-over your fat cells even if you're not losing weight," Better Body Chemistry. Evans: exercise changes DNA Foster P.L. "Adaptive Mutation in Escherichia coli," Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 2000; 65: 21–29. Foster: bacteria mutation 2000 Foster Patricia L."Adaptive mutation: implications for evolution," Bioessays. Dec 2000; 22(12): 1067–1074. Foster: mutations & evolution 2000 Gabriel Jon, The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary DIET-FREE Way to Totally Transform Your Body (Paperback) Book Reviews Gabriel-Method-Revolutionary-DIET Gottfried Sara, "How to Turn on Your Skinny Genes (and Fit in Your Skinny Jeans) Gottfried: DNA control [ vested interest ] Hackett Jamie, "Scientists discover how epigenetic information could be inherited," Science, January 25, 2013, Research, University of Cambridge. Hackett: epigenetic inheritance [ New research reveals a potential way for how parents’ experiences could be passed to their offspring’s genes. ] Hurley Dan, "Grandma's Experiences Leave a Mark on Your Genes," June 11, 2013. Hurley: inheriting grandmas lifestyle 2013 Your ancestors' lousy childhoods or excellent adventures might change your personality, bequeathing anxiety or resilience by altering the epigenetic expressions of genes in the brain. Hyman Mark, "Why Your Genes Don't Determine Your Health," Huffington Post, August 20, 2014. Hyman: Genes do not determine disease 2014
Kollias Helen, "Research Review: Change your DNA with exercise How movement affects methylation," Precision Nutrition. Kollias: Exercise changes DNA Lamb Robert, "How Epigenetics Works," How Stuff Works, Lamb: How Epigenetics Works Langer Ellen, "Science of Mindlessness and Mindfulness," Being, May 29, 2014. [Transcript] Article no longer active. Langer defines mindfulness as the simple act of actively noticing things - with a result of increased health, competence, and happiness; what neuroscience is pointing at now: our experience of everything is formed by the words and ideas we attach to them: e.g. to induce weight loss by substituting the label “exercise” for labor. Learn genetic traits [ explore activities ] Explore your traits Ledón-Rettig Cris C., Christina L. Richards and Lynn B. Martin, "Epigenetics for behavioral ecologists," Behavioral Ecology, September 25, 2012. Ledón-Rettig: Research epigenetics update 2012 [ Review advances that have been made toward understanding molecular epigenetic mechanisms underlying behavioral variation, and their potential role in ecological and evolutionary processes; then propose approaches and systems that will be amenable to the study of behavioral epigenetics in natural populations. ] Lipton Bruce, "Has Modern Science Bankrupted Our Souls?" AOL Healthy living, JUNE 02, 2011. Lipton: Flawed assumptions 2011 Lipton Bruce, "The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles," The Biology of Belief; Spontaneous Evolution 2009.[Texts] September, 2008. Lipton: mind changes body Lipton claims that amino acid chains that make up the backbone of proteins receive signals from the quantum field. He goes on to explain that by changing the quantum field we can actually affect how the proteins bind and interrelate to other proteins affecting the systems in the body. The implications of his research has radically change our understanding of life. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. Dr. Liptons's profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics is being hailed as a major breakthough, showing that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking. Lester Barry M., "Behavioral epigenetics," ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Printed 2011 14–33; Conference Report "Behavioral Epigenetics” held on October 29–30, 2010 . Article no longer active. [ Conference was held at the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus Center, Boston, Massachusetts. This meeting featured speakers and panel discussions exploring the emerging field of behavioral epigenetics, from basic biochemical and cellularmechanisms to the epigenetic modulation of normative development, developmental disorders, and psychopathology. This report provides an overview of the research presented by leading scientists and lively discussion about the future of investigation at the behavioral epigenetic level. ] McCarthy MI., "Genomics, type 2 diabetes, and obesity," N England J Med. 2010 Dec 9;363(24):2339-50. McCarthy obesity & genes 2010 McGowan Patrick O, Aya Sasaki1,2, Ana C D'Alessio3, Sergiy Dymov3, Benoit Labonté1,4, Moshe Szyf2,3, Gustavo Turecki1,4 & Michael J Meaney, "Epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in human brain associates with childhood abuse," Nature Neuroscience, February 22, 2009;2, 342 - 348. McGowan child abuse & epigentics 2009 [ findings translate previous results from rat to humans and suggest a common effect of parental care on the epigenetic regulation of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor expression. ] Meaney Micheal J., refer to Weaver study. Mithers Carol, "Weight loss is all in your head," CNN Living, July 20, 2007. Mithers: weight loss is in head 2007 Nova, "Ghost in Your Genes," Nova, PBS Airdate: October 16, 2007. Nova: Genes & health 2007 Orenstein Beth W., "The Ornish Diet," Everyday Health. February 23, 2012. Orenstein Diet & cancer 2012 Ornish Dean, Mark Jesus M. Magbanua, Gerdi Weidner, Vivian Weinberg, Colleen Kemp, Christopher Green, Michael D. Mattie, Ruth Marlin, Jeff Simko, Katsuto Shinohara, Christopher M. Haqq and Peter R. Carroll, "Changes in prostate gene expression in men undergoing an intensive nutrition and lifestyle intervention," Jul-Aug; 2012 34(4):782-812. doi: 10.1016/j.mam. Ornish: switches on/off life 2012Pembrey Marcus E, Lars Olov Bygren, Gunnar Kaati, Sören Edvinsson, Kate Northstone, Michael Sjöström, Jean Golding and The ALSPAC Study Team, "Sex-specific, male-line transgenerational responses in humans," European Journal of Human Genetics, December 14, 2006, 14, 159–166. Pembrey: transgration in Sweden 2006 [ Observational Study done in Överkalix, northernmost Sweden: "sex-specific, male-line transgenerational responses exist in humans and hypothesise that these transmissions are mediated by the sex chromosomes, X and Y." ] Powledge Tabitha M., "Behavioral Epigenetics: How Nurture Shapes Nature," BioScience, 2011, 61 (8): 588-592. Powledge: Behavioral Epigenetics 2011 Rappaport, S., et al., "Environment and disease risks," Science, 2010, 330: 460-461. Artivle no longer active. "the notion of the "exposome"--the idea that the environment in which your genes live is more important than your genes themselves. What this suggests is that applying genomics to treat disease is misguided because 70-90 percent of your disease risk is related to your environment exposures and the resultant alterations in molecules that wash over your genes." Reid Kathryn J., Giovanni Santostasi, Kelly G. Baron, John Wilson, Joseph Kang, Phyllis C. Zee, "Timing and Intensity of Light Correlate with Body Weight in Adults," PLOS, April 02, 2014. Reid: Light & body weight 2014 [ Light exposure can influence sleep and circadian timing, both of which have been shown to influence weight regulation. ] Rodenhiser, David, and Mellissa Mann. Review: Epigenetics and human disease: translating basic biology into clinical applications. CMAJ January 31, 2006 vol. 174 no. 3 doi: 10.1503/cmaj.050774 Ronn Tina and others, "A sox month exercise intervention influences the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern in human adipose tissue," PLoS Genetics, 2013, 9(6). Ronn: exercise switches DNA 2013 Schmidt Charles W., "Uncertain Inheritance: Transgenerational Effects of Environmental Exposures," Environ Health Perspect, 2013, DOI:10.1289/ehp.121-A298. Schmidt: environ effects inheritance 2013 Simmons Danielle, "Epigenetic influence and disease," Nature Education, 2008, 1(1):6. Simmons: Epigenetics & disease 2008 An example:"These findings suggest that diet can cause changes to genes that are passed down though generations by the males in a family, and that these alterations can affect susceptibility to certain diseases. --- Epigenetics involves genetic control by factors other than an individual's DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes can switch genes on or off and determine which proteins are transcribed. --- Within cells, there are three systems that can interact with each other to silence genes: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA-associated silencing. --- Because so many diseases, such as cancer, involve epigenetic changes, it seems reasonable to try to counteract these modifications with epigenetic treatments. These changes seem an ideal target because they are by nature reversible, unlike DNA sequence mutations. The most popular of these treatments aim to alter either DNA methylation or histone acetylation." Szyf Moshe, Weaver Ian and Michael J. Meaney, "Maternal care, the epigenome and phenotypic differences in behavior," Reproductive Toxicology, July 2007, Volume 24, Issue 1,Pages 9–19. Syzf: behavioral epigenetics 2007 "... discovered that the type and amount of nurturing a mother rat provides in the early weeks of the rat's infancy determines how that rat responds to stress later in life. Immediately after birth, they found that methyl groups repress the glucocorticoid receptor gene in all rat pups, making the gene unable to unwind from the histone in order to be transcribed, causing a decreased stress response. Nurturing behaviors from the mother rat were found to stimulate activation of stress signaling pathways that remove methyl groups from DNA." Weaver Ian C G, Nadia Cervoni, Frances A Champagne, Ana C D'Alessio, Shakti Sharma, Jonathan R Seckl, Sergiy Dymov, Moshe Szyf, & Michael J Meaney, "Epigenetic programming by maternal behavior," Nature Neuroscience, June 27, 2004, 7, 847 - 854. Weaver: Nurturing & epigenetics 2004 Wikipedia, "Behavioral epigenetics." Wiki: Behavioral epigenetics Wikipedia, "Genetics." Wiki: Genetics Wilborn Colin and others, "Obesity: Prevalence, Theories, Medical Consequences, Management, and Research Directions," Sports Nutr. Deceember 09, 2005; 2(2): 4–31. Wilbourn: Obesity research 2005 |