In 1953, Watson and Crick revealed the nature of the DNA double helix. I find it important to note that the DNA helix discovery was by a woman scientist, Rosalind Franklin, whose major advisor gave away her research (without her knowledge) to Watson and Crick who then took credit for her research!

Five years later in 1958, Francis Crick published an article with the title, The Central Dogma. The article emphasized that information in biology only flows in one direction: DNA>RNA>Protein. The public has been programmed to believe this flow of information to be true. This hypothesis had been repeated so frequently, that it has erroneously been construed as a scientific truth, although it was never verified by research. 

The consequence of this belief is that we, as the proteins, have no power in going against the information flow to influence our DNA. We are led to believe that we are “victims” of our heredity, that diseases run in families because of genetic inheritance. After teaching this concept to medical students for years, it was only after leaving the medical school that I looked-up the definition of “dogma.” It means a belief based upon religious persuasion and not based on scientific fact. Yikes! I was teaching religious dogma to my students, a disempowering notion that has since shaped the beliefs of the public.

In 1967, my research on cloned human cells revealed that it was, indeed, the “environment” that controlled gene expression. Twenty-three years later science recognized this truth and coined the term “epigenetics” (i.e., “control ABOVE the genes”). The public is slowly becoming aware of this new empowering concept. While we may not control the genetic information introduced into our genome at conception by our parents, we can control the environmental information we send to our cells that regulates genetic activity.

Unfortunately, science emphasizes that epigenetics is programmed by our response to our external environment. While this idea is “partially” true, the more important environment, the one not being considered, is the cellular environment “within” the body. Epigenetic-controlling environmental information is not directly connected with external environmental conditions. The chemical environment within the body is controlled by our nervous system, which translates and interprets the conditions of our external world by adjusting the chemistry under our skin. 

This is a profoundly important point: Epigenetic activity is NOT controlled by the external environment; it is controlled by our perceptions which regulate the internal chemical milieu. The nervous system interprets our world view based on our developmental programs and life experiences. The brain then sends complementary chemistry of our perceptions to the body’s cells that control genetic expression. Consequently, it is our nurture experiences that override our nature, our inherited genetic programs.

It is through nurture that we acquire our “beliefs,” which epigenetically control our genetic expression. For example, there is NO gene that causes cancer. Cancer is derived from disempowering and self-sabotaging beliefs that send dysfunctional signals to the cells, which in turn, elicit inappropriate, life-threatening, epigenetic alterations. In fact, over 90% of disease is due to disempowering beliefs, while less than 1% of illness can be attributed to defective genes.

The profound conclusion is that the stress of living in today’s world is epigenetically responsible for the planet’s healthcare crisis. Perhaps the most important, non-pharmaceutical advice comes from the lyrics of a song by the Caribbean prophet, Bob Marley, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!” 

With Peace, Love, and wishes for your Personal Empowerment,

Bruce Lipton