How Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats Genetic Predispositions
Key Takeaways:
1. Food is medicine
2. Dominant genes don’t always lead to disease
3. Maintenance is key
4. Preventative medicine doesn’t have to be “medicine”
5. Nature vs Nurture is more than just behavioral science
What is nature vs nurture?
Nature in terms of the human body refers to our biological predispositions, whereas nurture is a result of our external environments. There is a centuries-old debate about which has a bigger impact on how we turn out as humans. However, the bigger question is how do we fight it on a biological level? Chinese medicine has been around for more than 3,000 years and has proven its effectiveness far and wide. We are a direct outcome of not only what we do, but what we eat, and how we choose to live our lives. Our lifestyle can trigger any dormant genes with just the simplest of changes. To fight nurture with nature we must first learn what’s happening within to do what’s best for individual health. Read on to learn more about fighting nature with the nurture of oneself.
Breaking Nature and Nurture Down
Everyone on this planet is made of the two people who created them, their parents. Through them, we inherit 20 to 25,000 genes. Everyone has two copies of each gene – one from our mother and one from our father. We all have genetic predispositions which are defined as “an increased likelihood of developing a particular disease based on a person's genetic makeup. A genetic predisposition results from specific genetic variations that are often inherited from a parent.”
Chinese medicine is known as preventative medicine. This means that it can assist in keeping yin and yang balanced within to avoid triggering a dominant gene that can cause disease. Whether you’re coming in for pain, stress relief, or for a specific disease, acupuncture physicians always look for the root cause of everything in front of them. The goal of TCM is to bring the body back to homeostasis by balancing yin and yang. It’s when yin and yang are out of balance that disease arrives in the first place. Chinese medicine is not just acupuncture and relies heavily on functional medicine, herbal medicine, and nutrition.
Functional Medicine
Functional medicine is a biology-based approach that focuses on getting to the root cause of disease. It can also seek to understand how nature and nurture affect the response of the person.
a. By running a series of blood panels, a physician can see what in the body is deficient or in excess
b. With the results, a protocol based on your exact needs is developed
c. You’ll be able to know exactly what is and is not working for your body so you can make conscious decisions based on what is best for you
d. With this approach your acupuncture physician can truly know your body and work with it to keep it running at its peak – in return keeping dominant genes inactivated and dormant
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine is a system within Chinese medicine prescribed to, “restore energy balance to the opposing forces of energy – yin and yang – that run through invisible channels in the body.” Since the day humans saw that herbs and plants can be used to treat injuries, disorders, and sicknesses they’ve been used to do just that.
a. Herbs are prescribed on a need basis
b. Formulas, supplements, tea pills, etc. are given and modified on an individual basis and what works for one might not work for another
How Nutrition Plays a Part in Nature and Nurture
Nutrition is the #1 way to fight nurture with nature. From whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, protein, and more we’re able to manage the scariest of diseases and symptoms.
a. Life comes from life. By using food as medicine, you’re having a direct impact on everything happening in your body from chronic conditions to flare ups
b. One of the biggest things TCM promotes to maintain health year-round is eating seasonally. For example, eating cooked foods in the fall and winter can help the body stay warm, whereas it’s important to eat foods such as melons that are cold in nature in the summer
c. Nutrition is not about dieting but giving the body the nutrients, it needs to fuel your internal and external self
Learn More
When our bodies have certain predispositions there is certainly a chance for anything. We can minimize the risk of succumbing to our inherited biology with the right tools by a tremendous amount. When consulting with an Acupuncture physician at Eastern Acupuncture and Wellness a physician will work with you to set you on a preventative path of well-being and help on the journey to fighting nature with nurture. We work to provide you with the best care from having an in-house phlebotomist, herbal clinic, and highly trained physicians to guide you with all your holistic needs. Give us a call today or click on our services tab to learn more.