According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, mind-body interventions such as mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation dont simply relax us, they can reverse the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression. <\/p>\n
Ivana Buric et al analyze how the behavior of our genes is affected by different MBIs including mindfulness and yoga. Image credit: Nato Pereira. <\/p>\n
When a person is exposed to a stressful event, the sympathetic nervous system the system responsible for the fight-or-flight response is triggered, in turn increasing production of a molecule called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) which regulates how our genes are expressed. <\/p>\n
NF-kB translates stress by activating genes to produce proteins called cytokines that cause inflammation at cellular level a reaction that is useful as a short-lived fight-or-flight reaction, but if persistent leads to a higher risk of cancer, accelerated aging and psychiatric disorders like depression. <\/p>\n
However, people who practice mind-body interventions (MBIs) exhibit the opposite effect namely a decrease in production of NF-kB and cytokines, leading to a reversal of the pro-inflammatory gene expression pattern and a reduction in the risk of inflammation-related diseases and conditions, according to the study. <\/p>\n
The inflammatory effect of the fight-or-flight response which also serves to temporarily bolster the immune system would have played an important role in mankinds hunter-gatherer prehistory, when there was a higher risk of infection from wounds, the authors said. <\/p>\n
In todays society, however, where stress is increasingly psychological and often longer-term, pro-inflammatory gene expression can be persistent and therefore more likely to cause psychiatric and medical problems. <\/p>\n
Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps dont realize is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business, said lead author Ivana Buric, a PhD student at Coventry University, UK. <\/p>\n
These activities are leaving what we call a molecular signature in our cells, which reverses the effect that stress or anxiety would have on the body by changing how our genes are expressed. <\/p>\n
Put simply, MBIs cause the brain to steer our DNA processes along a path which improves our wellbeing. <\/p>\n
More needs to be done to understand these effects in greater depth, for example how they compare with other healthy interventions like exercise or nutrition. <\/p>\n
But this is an important foundation to build on to help future researchers explore the benefits of increasingly popular mind-body activities, Buric said. <\/p>\n
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Ivana Buric et al. What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind-Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices. Front. Immunol, published online June 16, 2017; doi: 10.3389\/fimmu.2017.00670 <\/p>\n
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Read more: According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, mind-body interventions such as mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation dont simply relax us, they can reverse the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression. Continue reading
\nStudy: Meditation, Yoga and Related Practices Can 'Reverse' DNA Reactions - Sci-News.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"