Epigenetics is the science of
heritable changes in gene
expression or cellular phenotype caused by mechanisms other
than changes in the underlying DNA sequence Examples
of such changes might be DNA
methylation or histone deacetylation, both of which
serve to suppress gene expression without altering the sequence of the silenced
genes. In simple terms, it’s the science of why
two people with the same DNA can have such different states of health, and can
act, feel, and perform so much differently. Epigenetic signals come from our
environment, and include such as: toxic chemicals, food, survival threats, and
even from our mind, as beliefs and perceptions. A common epigenetic signal is
anxiety, which can range from acute to chronic.
It has long been known that anxiety reduction is one of the
most important factors for a long, healthy and happy life. But what is not
generally known is that anxiety comes in an acute and chronic state. Most of us are aware when we are in an acute
state of anxiety, and our ‘flight or fight’ syndrome kicks in and stress
hormones adjust our biology to meet the perceived threat. As the threat dissipates our homeostasis
starts to return. This process can be
accelerated by exercising the epigenetic signals that affect our ‘relaxation
response’.
Unfortunately, what is not commonly known is that the body
can be in a state of chronic anxiety without our conscious mind being aware of
it. Generally we operate in our
unconscious state of mind, which consists of our genetic code and life
experiences. Our unconscious mind
communicates with us as the ‘voice in our head’, a constant noise about the worries
of the past and the fears of the future, thus keeping us in a chronic state of
anxiety. Since this is considered the ‘norm’ in our over active, highly
competitive culture, we are unaware of its damaging effects. This anxiety
effect of our unconscious mind has long been the concern of spiritual teachers
such as Buddha and Jesus as they taught about the damaging suffering of worry
and fear.The ‘antidote’ for chronic anxiety is to be at peace. This condition
occurs when we are living in the ‘present’ where worry and fear cannot exist.
The way to peace is to practice epigenetic exercises for developing more consciousness
which dilutes both acute and chronic anxiety. There a number of such exercise that
has been taught for thousands of years, but a set of more modern efficient ones
are shown in the happiness program section of www.happinessgenes.com
