Meditation and yoga can change your genes
'21.06.2017'
Source: Time
Yoga and meditation can do more than just help you feel relaxed. New research has shown that mindfulness practices can actually lead to changes in genes associated with poor health and depression. Reports about it Time.
Scientists analyzed 18 previously published experiments, which were attended by 846 people, and studied the effects of meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, qigong and taiji. They claim that practitioners suppress the expression of genes and genetic pathways that promote inflammation.
Inflammation can temporarily spur the immune system to fight infection or trauma. But today, when stress is primarily a psychological problem, the inflammatory response of the body can be chronic and even worsen both physical and mental health.
Coventry University researchers found that people who regularly practiced mindfulness practices had fewer signs of inflammation. The environment and lifestyle can affect “bad” genes, and this can have real consequences for the risk of disease, longevity, and even characteristics that are passed on to future generations.
For example, stressful events can activate a response or initiate a chain reaction of stressful changes in the body, including the activation of specific genes involved in the creation of proteins that cause inflammation.
Lead author Ivan Burik, a student at Coventry University in England, said her team was surprised to find that different types of mind + body methods have the same effects at the genetic level.
“Meditation is completely different from yoga or tai chi, but all of these activities, when practiced regularly, reduce the activity of genes involved in inflammation,” Burik said.
According to her, this is a relatively new area of research, and it is likely that similar conclusions can be drawn from other lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating and exercise. There is still not enough research to find out how actions like yoga are combined with other types of physical activity in terms of changes in gene expression. Burik says that existing studies show that the effects on the brain through the physical body force the brain to control our DNA processes and are responsible for improving well-being. She also emphasizes that inherited genes are not static, and DNA activity can depend on how people control their lifestyle.
“By choosing healthy habits every day, we can create a picture of gene activity that is more beneficial to our health. Even 15 minutes of yoga or meditation a day can change a person, ”says Ivana.
