The Anti-Aging Gene
Health is a fascinating area of life. There is a collective mindset that leads us to believe that aging is a contributing factor to the decline we see in the elderly. However, more and more children are coming into this world with some very significant challenges indicating that age is not the only influence. With the Human Genome Project, researchers have established a connection between our genetics and dis-eases / dis-orders; yet, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of consideration being given to this ‘minor’ detail unless there is some obvious evidence of a genetic defect, in which case, the standard reaction is to try and find the one common gene. Unfortunately, this doesn’t provide much insight due to our unique nature. This isn’t to say that there aren’t some common links; there are. However, no one health issue manifests in exactly the same manner; making it necessary to realize there is more going on within the body than just one or two genetic variations.
Interestingly enough, there are some similarities within any health condition making it easier to diagnose a dis-ease or dis-order. At the same time, every health problem falls along a spectrum, so to speak; take high blood pressure as an example. There are any number of reasons we develop this challenge i.e. anxiety, blood sugar, or narrowing of the arteries. Nonetheless, the name remains the same. The same holds true for Autism, multiple sclerosis, lupus and so on. There are any number of symptoms that are frequently found with other illnesses which prompts me to explore the question, ‘why’.
I was raised with a very concrete way of thinking as I believe most of us have been given the world we live in; therefore, I developed a belief that much of life is predictable. However, it didn’t take long for me to discover this theory was far from accurate. In fact, the older I became, the more I realized the fallacy to this notion; especially in the area of medicine. Needless to say, without an absolute way of explaining or assisting someone’s problem, it is very easy to feel discouraged whether you’re the clinician or patient because the bottom line is we all deserve and desire wellness. So the question then becomes: what to do next.
Well in all honesty, the best thing anyone can do is to shift his or her perspective and let go of the current school of thought around medicine. Don’t get me wrong, healthcare is a well-intentioned field and at the very same time, a ‘box’. Years ago there was a Chiffon margarine commercial with a tagline that said: ‘it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature’, and I cannot help but be reminded of this ad every time I think of the medical field. For as much as they desire to serve the global community, there are several problems with the biggest one being the ‘search for a cure’. There are over 1800 health conditions linked to genetic defects and for all of the similarities within a dis-ease there are a number of differences simply because each of us has our very own epigenome, unique to our life experiences; from our thoughts to the things we consume i.e. medications, body care products and diets. Any one of these can influence a gene to switch itself off or on making every health issue slightly different and the search for a cure nearly impossible, unless we consider and assess the source. Then again, it’s easy to see the links between different dis-orders and dis-eases as will be addressed shortly; although, not before I offer an explanation for hyphenating the words ‘dis-ease’ and ‘dis-order’.
The prefix ‘dis’ means to have a negative or reversing force; therefore, when paired with the word ‘ease’, we understand the combination to mean: the lack of ease. The same can be done with the word ‘disorder’: a lack of order. In the case of health conditions, there is clearly a lack of ease and order and when genetic variations are thrown into the ‘mix’, there is no question that any sequence of defects could cause degrees of unease and disorganization. To clarify this even further, with genetic defects, we observe the misuse of nutrients; although, not all variations are ‘bad’ or using nutrients improperly, further complicating our understanding of the cause behind an illness. What we do know, and again I reference the Human Genome Project, we have clear evidence on how nature adapts (a.k.a. evolves). This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with fact. For as far back as we can study, there is evidence demonstrating the evolution of genes; right up to the time of the Black Plague where the immune system altered itself in order to protect the species. Because of this information, scientists are coming to understand genomic pathways and the nutrients required for proper gene expression. Furthermore, in the presence of a polymorphism, there is a potential for different signals being sent which could lead to the ‘wrong’ chemicals being produced. Over time, these processing errors become toxic and eventually lead to dis-ease. Depending on the individual, this may happen sooner than later. Notwithstanding, should one person adopt a better lifestyle than his or her parents and other family members, the chances of becoming a family statistic is greatly reduced. On the other hand, many people do not realize that their health is not ‘set in stone’ and while many do a lot to change certain behaviors, most fail to comprehend that what they’re really dealing with is one organism, rather than a collection of systems and the need to look at and address the whole rather than treat its parts.
The connection between health issues is what I find most fascinating. I have clients come to me with one or two concerns, a list of medications and by the time I’ve provided my initial response, they provide me with additional information that actually ‘closes the loop’ and confirms my assessments on what’s going on and what to do. Without question, this happens every time and the reason I write this article.
It’s time to shed light on alternative ways of looking at health. Mind you, I didn’t say, alternative approaches, they definitely have their place; I’m referring to a shift in our perspective and actually viewing dis-eases and dis-orders for what they really are; a buildup of systemic toxicity due to a misuse of nutrients. What those toxins are and what manifests depends on the person’s epigenome. While someone can be taking medications for depression, high blood pressure, spasticity and so on; the chance of these conditions being random and independent of one another is next to impossible because the chemistry involved is heavily interdependent. Quite frankly, degenerative dis-eases and mental health dis-orders are simply reflections of chemical imbalances with their defining differences being directly proportional to the altered chemistry due to genetic adaptations. With all due respect to scientists and the medical world, this is the real reason behind the noted decline in health or brain development in such conditions as Autism, Schizophrenia as well as ADHD. No one can dispute, not even me, that there is a life cycle and ‘things’ wear out; including the human body. However, I believe it is important to distinguish that slowing down due to age and dis-ease are two very different aspects to life; one easier to control than the other. Yet, we might consider reclaiming, what’s rightfully ours, wellness, through consciously influencing our epigenome which will not only protect us from dis-ease, but add years to our life; hence, the ‘anti-aging gene’
