Mae Chan, Prevent Disease
Waking Times
There is a chronic anxiety among populations who focus on the diseases acquired by their genetic line. Many define the potential of their own health based on what happened to their father and mother. Although a great deal of who we are appears to have been written in our genes, our actual health potential is more determined by our lifestyle, what we consume, our environment but more than anything else, what we think.
Every thought creates a physiological response in the body, or in other words, every thought we think produces a physical reality. Esoteric and spiritual teachers have known for ages that our body is programmable by language, words and thought. This has now been scientifically proven and explained.
Studies at the world-leading Minnesota Center for Twin and Family suggest that many of our traits are more than 50% inherited, including obedience to authority, vulnerability to stress, and risk-seeking. Researchers have even suggested that when it comes to issues such as religion and politics, our choices are much more determined by our genes than we think.
Many find this disturbing. The idea that unconscious biological forces drive our beliefs and actions would seem to pose a real threat to our free will. We like to think that we make choices on the basis of our own conscious deliberations. But isn’t all that thinking things over irrelevant if our final decision was already written in our genetic code? And doesn’t the whole edifice of personal responsibility collapse if we accept that “my genes made me do it”?
Genes are only part of our health story, explains Jeffrey S. Bland, PhD, FACN, FACB, author of the book, Genetic Nutritioneering: How You Can Modify Inherited Traits and Live a Longer, Healthier Life. The propensity for certain health conditions that you inherit from your family is not, by a long shot, the sole determinant of whether or not most folks will get sick. Your lifestyle choices have a significant impact, especially when it comes to chronic illnesses such as heart disease.
Epigenetic Switch
In the fields of infant nutrition, diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome, the term “metabolic programming” has been coined to give a name to the observation that environmental experiences early in life may be “genomically” remembered and give rise to health outcomes manifesting later in life. Epigenetics emerges as an important mechanism underlying this phenomenon.
Epigenetics is the phenomena whereby genetically identical cells express their genes differently, resulting in different physical traits. Researchers from the Boston University Cancer Center published two articles about this in Anticancer Research and Epigenomics.
Cancer progression is extremely complex, however. It also is well known that new mutations and the activation of more cancer causing genes occur throughout the development and progression of cancer.
“If we believe that everything in nature occurs in an organized fashion, then it is logical to assume that cancer development cannot be as disorganized as it may seem,” said Sibaji Sarkar, PhD, instructor of medicine at BUSM and the articles corresponding author. “There should be a general mechanism that initiates cancer progression from predisposed progenitor cells, which likely involves epigenetic changes.”
Increasingly, biologists are finding that non-genetic variation acquired during the life of an organism can sometimes be passed on to offspring–a phenomenon known as epigenetic inheritance.
The majority of epigenetic changes occur at specific times in an individual’s life, from their time in the womb, to the development as newborns, then in puberty, and again in old age.
Environmental factors that influence epigenetic patterns — e.g., diet, epigenetic disruptors in the environment such as chemicals, etc. – may also have long term, multigenerational effects.
In recent years, faith in the explanatory power of genes has waned. Today, few scientists believe that there is a simple “gene for” anything. Almost all inherited features or traits are the products of complex interactions of numerous genes combined with processes we have no concept of. However, the fact that there is no one genetic trigger has not by itself undermined the claim that many of our deepest character traits, dispositions and even opinions are genetically determined. This worry is only slightly tempered by what we are learning about epigenetics, which shows how many inherited traits only get “switched on” in certain environments.
The common mistake people make is to assume that if, for example, a disease is 90% heritable, then 90% of people with that disease inherited the condition from their parents. But heritability is not about “chance or risk of passing it on”, said Tim Spector, Professor of Genetics and Author. “It simply means how much of the variation within a given population is down to genes. Crucially, this will be different according to the environment of that population.
Cellular Inheritance
Biologists have suspected for years that some kind of epigenetic inheritance occurs at the cellular level. The different kinds of cells in our bodies provide an example. Skin cells and brain cells have different forms and functions, despite having exactly the same DNA. There must be mechanisms–other than DNA–that make sure skin cells stay skin cells when they divide.
The existence of this epigenetic switch is indirectly supported by the fact that tumors develop through different stages. When cells rapidly grow during cancer progression, they become stuck in their current stage of development and their cell characteristics do not change. This is the reason that there are so many types of leukemia — the characteristics that a leukemia cell possesses when it begins to rapidly grow and expand are the characteristics that it will keep until the rapid growth stops.
Dr. Bruce Lipton refers to the work of Dr. Dean Ornish to extrapolate. “Dr. Ornish has taken conventional cardiovascular patients, provided them with important lifestyle insights (better diet, stress-reduction techniques, and so on), and without drugs, the cardiovascular disease was resolved. Ornish relayed that if he’d gotten the same results with a drug, every doctor would be prescribing it.”
Even the strictest lifestyle changes don’t cure cancer in everyone. What about genetic predispositions to getting the disease? “It used to be that we thought a mutant gene caused cancer,” Lipton admitted, “but with epigenetics, all of that has changed.”
“If we believe that all of the irreversible changes, mutations and effects of carcinogens make cells rapidly grow, then the mechanism that allows cells to stop growing and assume new changes in character must be of great importance,” added Sarkar. “The study of cancer progression is key to understanding how cancer cells continue to differentiate.”During cancer progression, there are different stages of rapid growth and differentiation. The control that allows for this switch between growth and differentiation can only be achieved through reversible mechanisms, such as epigenetic changes.
If we believe that all of the irreversible changes, mutations and effects of carcinogens make cells rapidly grow, then the mechanism that allows cells to stop growing and assume new changes in character must be of great importance,” added Sarkar. “The study of cancer progression is key to understanding how cancer cells continue to differentiate.”During cancer progression, there are different stages of rapid growth and differentiation. The control that allows for this switch between growth and differentiation can only be achieved through reversible mechanisms, such as epigenetic changes.
Sarkar and colleagues have previously proposed that epigenetic changes are involved in cancer progenitor cell formation and cancer progression. They also believe that epigenetic changes have the ability to control rapid growth and change of characteristics (different grades/types of tumors) which may involve physiological processes that the cancer cells are subjected to within the body’s terrain.
Identical twins show us that in the nature-versus-nurture debate, there is no winner. Both have their role to play in shaping who we are. But although we have reason to doubt that our genes determine our lives in some absolute way, this does not solve a bigger worry about whether or not we have free will.
Who we are appears to be a product of both nature, nurture and consciousness itself in whatever proportion they contribute. You are often shaped by forces beyond yourself, and can choose what you become. And so when you go on to make the choices in life that really matter, you do so on the basis of beliefs, values and dispositions that you have chosen whether you are conscious of those choices or not.
It is very possible that our entire reality is define but what we feel and this shapes what we are. We always have free choice and will to make ourselves into something that we believe we are. The question is, do you believe it?
Welcome! I’m Carla. I make and shoot real-life homemade baking and cooking recipes for you to make and enjoy in your kitchen. All recipes are developed, tested, shot, written, and approved by me. Minus a few recipes from my early blog years, if it’s been posted in the past 5 years, it’s a keeper. My kitchen knowledge and expertise comes from years of baking and cooking in the kitchen. I am not a parent nor in a relationship, yet I still needed to find a way to eat without wasting food. Currently I live in Pittsburgh where I was born and raised (although I lived outside of the city for a few years). When I’m not in the kitchen, I love to travel with my camera, whether it’s on an adventure or just locally around Pittsburgh. You can check out those photos on my Instagram account.
What is real-life homemade baking and cooking?
Real-life homemade cooking is when you walk through the door after a long 8-hour day of work and need to figure out what to make for dinner that doesn’t take all night. Although now I work from home, I still keep office hours and don’t start dinner until work is done for the day. The only difference is I don’t have to sit in traffic on the commute home. The recipes I make are mostly from scratch, but I do use a few helpful ingredients to make the process easier, such as puff pastry, BBQ sauce, and hummus.
When I first started Chocolate Moosey back in 2007, I went through an ambitious made from scratch phrase. I even made my own ketchup and mustard and tortillas. As I grew older and got my first big girl job, my cooking shifted to figuring out how to make dinner in under 60 minutes, especially if I was on my feet for 8 hours from a video shoot. Although my cooking has evolved over the years, you still won’t find any convenience foods like boxed macaroni and cheese or canned soup. My desserts have also shifted to real-life homemade baking, but again I don’t use convenience ingredients such as cake mix or pre-made cookie dough.
You may notice another theme to my recipes. Most of my dinner recipes make 2-4 servings, leaving you with no or minimal leftovers (which are excellent for lunch the next day). Instead of quarts of ice cream and a 13×9 pan of brownies, I make pints and an 8×8 pan of brownies. Instead of three layer cakes, I’ll cut them down to two (hey you still need a dessert or two for parties). Sometimes I’ll even throw in single serving or just for two recipes.
Why Chocolate Moosey?
The name came from a stuffed moose (pictured above) I had received as a prize for selling Girl Scout cookies many years ago. As I was struggling to come up with a blog name, I looked over at him and said “Chocolate Moosey!”. He still sits in my bedroom to this day. Although most of my recipes are desserts, I still love to share my savory recipe creations (even though the name may suggest otherwise).
WELCOME TO ONE SWEET MESS!
Oh, hey there! I’m so happy you found my little slice of the interweb. Pull up a chair and make yourself comfy. The cookies are in the vintage pig and there’s a bottle of bourbon on the television stand turned bar–help yo’self!
The name is Jennie, and it’s so very nice to meet ya! I’m the whisk wielding, flour-slinging, spatula-licking, bourbon-swilling cook, baker, and cocktail shaker.
One Sweet Mess is my homage to food and booze (lots of booze). If I were any good at poetry, I’d write it a sappy sonnet. Since I have the patience of a starving 2-year old, instant gratification is my benchmark when I’m developing new recipes for the site.
One Sweet Mess is dedicated to unique and innovative recipes that are quick, flavorful, fuss-free, and, most of all, irresistible. You’ll find a range of indulgent desserts, healthy sweets and snacks, soul-satisfying comfort food, and inventive libations. In my kitchen, making a mess is encouraged and licking the spatula is an absolute must. Around here, cocoa powder blowouts are a real threat, flour dust storms happen almost daily, and bits of food find their way to the ceiling… Enter at your own risk!
One Sweet Mess was born in 2011 as a creative outlet to practice my writing while completing my undergraduate degree in English. One recipe led to two recipes, which led to a brand new camera and a few food props. Now, almost 4 years later, this little space on the interweb is a business with a real following (no longer just my mom).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
When I’m not making a mess in the kitchen, I’m out rockin’ the local food scene or shaking up cocktails for friends. I enjoy spending time outdoors with my husband (known as Squirrel around here) running, cycling, fishing, camping, or motor boatin’ the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. We live in Baltimore with our two furballs, Sully, our pitbull pup, and Watson, our persnickety kitty. If you’d like to get a glimpse of my world outside of the kitchen, you can follow me on instagram.
Jennie - One Sweet Mess
I love hearing from my readers! By all means, feel free to leave me some love. If you make one of my recipes, I’d love to hear about your experience. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
If you have any questions, you can email me at jennie@onesweetmess.com. I try to respond to recipe questions as quickly as possible. If you’re interested in partnering with One Sweet Mess, visit my “Work with Me” section for more details.
COPYRIGHT
Please do not re-publish recipes and photos from One Sweet Mess. I work very hard to create each and every recipe published on this site. If you would like to link to a post, you’re welcome to use a corresponding photo from the selected post with a link back to the recipe.
WELCOME TO MY FLOUR DUSTED KITCHEN!
My name is Jennie and it’s so very nice to meet ya. I’m the whisk wielding, flour-slinging, spatula-licking cook, baker, and cocktail shaker. I’m all about quick, flavorful, fuss-free recipes. (more)
FRESHLY BAKED
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