Relaxation techniques boost the way our genes protect the body from illness.
- Yoga reduces our production of the molecules that activate inflammation genes
- Genes are activated during the ‘fight or flight response’ in stressful situationsÂ
- Inflammation is linked to cancer, accelerated ageing and poor mental health
- Stress is often long term and has been linked to substantial medical problems
Yoga and meditation reduce our risk of cancer by changing our DNA, new research reveals.
People who practice so-called mind-body interventions (MBI), such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi, produce significantly lower amounts of molecules that activate inflammation-causing genes, a study review found.
Inflammation has been linked to cancer, accelerated ageing and poor mental health.
Lead investigator Ivana Buric from the University of Coventry, said: ‘Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of MBIs like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don’t realise is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business.
‘Put simply, MBIs cause the brain to steer our DNA processes along a path which improves our wellbeing.’
How the study was carried out Â
Researchers from the universities of Coventry and Radboud analysed 18 studies with 846 participants conducted over 11 years.
Studies were included in the analysis if they measured gene expression after a MBI.
Key findings
Results revealed people who practice MBIs produce significantly lower amounts of molecules that activate inflammation-causing genes.
These molecules are released after a stressful event due to the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Inflammation has been linked to cancer, accelerated ageing and poor mental health.
Ms Buric said: ‘Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don’t realise is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business.
‘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.
‘Put simply, MBIs cause the brain to steer our DNA processes along a path which improves our wellbeing.’
The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.
Yoga causes less molecules to be released that activate inflammation-causing genes
Why the research is importantÂ
The researchers believe the inflammation-causing fight-or-flight response, which is involved in wound healing, would have played an important role when we were hunter-gatherers due to there being a higher risk of infection from wounds.
Today, however, when stress is often long term and more internal than injury-related, inflammation-causing gene expression can be persistent and cause medical problems.
Ms Buric said: ‘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.
‘But this is an important foundation to build on to help future researchers explore the benefits of increasingly popular mind-body activities.’
From: Daily Mail
