Meditation, yoga or taichi not only simply relax us, these methods heal our body at the cellular level.
New research from Coventry and Radboud University suggests that “mind-body” methods that affect both the body and consciousness can reverse DNA-related diseases and the molecular responses that cause depression. Members of the research team have studied the impact of these methods on our genes over more than a decade of research.
They heal at the cellular level
Research involving 846 participants found that different “mind-body” methods induce cell-level changes in the body that have a positive impact on both mental and physical health. The researchers also looked at which genes are affected by these methods and how these genes are activated.
When someone is in a stressful situation, the sympathetic nervous system responsible for the “fight or flight” reaction is activated, which increases the production of molecules (NF-kB) that regulate genes.
The so-called NF-κB molecules, under the influence of stress, stimulate certain genes to produce proteins (cytokines) that cause cellular inflammation throughout the body. They have a beneficial effect in the short term, but in the long term they increase the risk of cancer, accelerate aging and can cause depression.
Decreased inflammation in the body
However, the opposite happened in people who regularly practiced yoga or meditation: the production of NF-κB molecules and inflammatory cytokine proteins in their bodies was also reduced, reducing the risk of developing inflammatory diseases.
According to the authors of the study, the inflammatory effect of the “fight or flee” reaction - which also boosts the immune system for a short time - played an important role in humanity’s collection-hunting lifestyle, when there was a higher risk of infection due to injuries and wounds.
However, in today’s society, where stress is more psychic in nature and is typically not short-term but longer-term, the inflammatory effect can be long-lasting and therefore more likely to cause mental and other health problems.
Millions of people around the world enjoy the beneficial effects of mind-body methods on body and soul. However, few know that these processes occur at the cellular level and can even modify genetic codes, as well as reverse the changes caused by stress and anxiety.
