A recent book reminded me why we need to keep reading. It had a very exciting premise and provided insight into how what we think influences our health and wellness.
The study of science helps us understand both our world and our lives but, when thinking about our very lives doesn’t there seem to be a “missing link” between some personal health events and their interpretation by medical science? It tends to beg a lot of other questions.
Dr. Nick doesn't know.
Like, why is it that medical miracles occur? Why do some alternative medicines work well? How can a placebo be as effective as an actual medication? Why doesn’t modern medicine know why?
Seems like a fair question especially considering how much time and money is spent on medical research.
But, sometimes the best way to resolve such an apparent conundrum is simply to change the way you look at it.
The book “The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles” written by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. provides an object example of a paradigm shift we should all be aware of.
We all learned basic biology and became familiar with the terminology of cells: mitochondria, nucleus, DNA, and citoplasm. (Not to worry, but this book provides a painless refresher).
We learned that cells have a membrane and that the nucleus holds the DNA and the cytoplasm is essentially the goop between the membrane and nucleus that contain mitochondria, whatever the hell they are.
Click image to see descriptors
The big lesson, though, was that everything that happened in your body was a matter of genetic determination – in other words, the DNA was the absolute key to everything about everything you are – or could be.
This left many of us with the somewhat erroneous conclusion that our destinies were shaped by the DNA passed down from our parents – a depressing notion if your mother also had an Adam’s apple and back hair.
Dr. Lipton, a cell biologist, offers a different view of a cell’s components and interaction by using the study of quantum physics to understand their interaction.
The advent of quantum physics suggests that there is no such thing as matter. Stated simply, sub-atomic “things” are not things at all – they are fields of energy.
Yeah ... it's kind of like that.
So, instead of seeing a more mechanical link between cellular interaction, Dr. Lipton is seeing a more energy-based link between cells. He suggests the cell membrane is much more significant because it is the piece of the cell interacting with whatever environment that cell is in.
This argument by Lipton is substantiated in his book by a significant amount of research that he and other cell biologists engaged in.
This energy-based paradigm is significant. It helps explain why non-traditional disciplines like meditation or acupuncture can be effective. It also helps explain the placebo affect we’ve all experienced. It also explains how our attitudes and thoughts influence our health.
If you send the body a message of healing (the act of taking a placebo can send this message) it should not be surprising when it heals itself. Likewise, if you are sending your body messages of duress with negative and stressful thinking, you should not be surprised when aspects of it stop working as expected.
It’s fascinating to consider that the things you think are little pieces of energy to be used for good or bad – even if this is contrary to the view of contemporary medicine.
Although scientific dogma about the primacy of DNA is still very strong, a new field in biology, epigenetics (suggesting that life is controlled at some level higher than genetics), is chipping away at it.
For now, it would seem that your mental and physical well-being is not solely the result of genetic factors alone.
If you need more information on how this might work, you should pick-up a copy of “The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles“.
Your health and well-being might depend on it.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
“Dr. Lipton is seeing a more energy-based link between cells.” I believe these to be energy frequencies. This is a very old and strong belief. I’m currently looking at my Healing Energy Reference Chart. Chakras, Oils, Reiki, Prayer… all energy based – and I’m sure I forgot to mention many.
That would be an accurate description also since they are talking about “waves” – so the frequency analogy is quite appropriate, too. People may have believed in the therapies for a long time but science has been slow to explain the mechanics behind how they might work. The research of Dr. Lipton and others is helping to mainstream these therapies with a plausible scientific basis for them. I’m glad you are continuing your work with healing energies; it’s an exciting field of endeavor. My recent exposure to meditation and yoga have been quite enlightening, I must say. 🙂