Pillar of Wellness 6:
Genetics (causative)
Genetics (our DNA) is a blue-print to the human body and is inherited from our parents, or ancestors. As a result, some diseases that our predecessors have, or had, may be passed on to us.
Western medicine generally considers genetics to be purely causal, and many people consider genetic diseases to be an inevitable fate. However, genetics has an extremely complex role in this cause and effect dynamic and does not necessarily result in a disease. That is, just because a person has inherited a gene, or genetic mutation, for a condition (such as a BRCA gene mutation), this does not necessarily mean the condition will come about. There are many reasons for this, but a major one is epigenetics.
Epigenetics is the study of how our behaviours and environment (the PoWs) may modulate genetics. This may be by:
changing genetic expression, i.e. how our bodies read the DNA or how the genes work. These are variable and reversible changes. This happens without changing the underlying DNA structure. The effects can be both beneficial and detrimental, depending on how we apply the PoWs.
causing, or preventing, DNA damage and mutations, i.e. physical changes. These are irreversible once they have happened, but may be prevented by applying the PoWs. Even where damage has occurred, applying the PoWs will always help reduce any impact.