Is there more to health than our biochemistry?

Is there more to health than our biochemistry?

There’s a lot I’ve been pondering and trialling recently (trust me, I’m always the first person I test my theories on!) and after a busy year following what I thought would lead me to my own optimal health, I’ve sat back and looked at an often forgotten part of healing: our thoughts and emotions.

For most of the past year, I was reading, researching, working with and delving into the fairly new field of methylation and how problems in our genetic makeup impact upon our health. Missed it? These links will take you to info on the impacts of folic acid, the MTHFR gene and how methylation impacts you.

The area of genetics and our DNA is still an incredible source of interest to me, but the more I delved and treated solely by looking at the biochemistry of an individual, the more I realised that we can get very hung up over a reductionist form of treating the body. I.e. this genetic default equals that.

Problem is, every single one of us has a multitude of varying functioning and under functioning DNA and it can be all-consuming to focus only on your genetic makeup as the sole key in unlocking your health problems. In essence, I (and a number of my clients) became very gene-focused, forgetting that we are actually beings of body, mind and spirit.

So I began to look up; up at the bigger picture and realised what actually can have the most impact on health is not just taking care of the physical, but of the mental and emotional as well.

Oftentimes, a shift in location, energy, mental attitude or lifestyle completely changes the manifestation of disease. And this, in fact, is another burgeoning field of science: epigenetics.

Epigenetics means ‘above genetics’ and there’s a lot of research detailing how impactful our thoughts, behaviours, diet and lifestyle impact upon our genetic makeup.

Our bodies are not simply what we are genetically born with, but rather, how we think, how we feel, what beliefs have been passed down from generation to generation, what we eat, how we move our bodies, how well we interact with our communities, how engaged we are in life and love…all these things, not traditionally given much kudos in the creation of disease, are now realised as hugely impactful on our overall health, wellbeing and expression of potential disease.

If you’re interested in exploring how our thoughts and beliefs impact upon our physical health and creation of disease, take a look at some of the titles below (Dr Gabor Mate’s book “When The Body Says No” is an absolute fav.)

Dr Gabor Mate: When The Body Says No

Dr Lissa Rankin: Mind Over Medicine

Caroline Myss Ph.D: Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can

Caroline Myss Ph.D: Anatomy of the Spirit

I’d love to hear your own health experiences below. Has focusing on your mental and/or emotional state offered insight or healing in your own physical health journey?

Kate is a qualified naturopath who is passionate about helping women heal from hormonal havoc and inspiring women to know their own power, worth and wisdom.

Kate offers one-on-one Skype consults for irregular cycles, PMS and period pain, endometriosis, PCOS, peri-menopause, mood swings, fatigue and mental and emotional stress.

Simply drop me an email to see how I can help you!