I’ve just read a book by Sondra Barrett, PhD, which has inspired me to write this, I loved the book, it added a bit more science to my knowledge of the cells which I have gained over the years as a yoga teacher and a nutrition obsessive ! Thank you Sondra. This was written for a little presentation that I am giving and is a bit long really for a blog but it seemed a shame to break it up into smaller bits – it would spoil the flow. Some parts I have touched on in previous blog posts but I hope you enjoy those bits again!

We are made up of trillions of cells. All cells at the beginning of life start out the same as each other and at certain stages of development in the womb, cells start changing into different types of cells with different jobs to do. The genetic blueprint changes to enable the development of those certain cells, different combinations of protein chains (DNA) make for unique features and responsibilities. Just as an example we have different shaped cells, we have square cells for the skin, disc shaped cells for red blood cells and amoeboid ones for the white blood cells (our immune system).

Every cell has a protective boundary that’s the cell wall, it has a nucleus – which is it’s core and it has a cytoplasm – which is the fabric that allows it to be pliable, coordinate information and allows movement. The cell contains a powerhouse called a ‘mitochondria’, it’s like a battery, it generates energy, (everyday we produce our own body weight in ATP which is the energy molecule we make from the food we eat) and there are little grains within the cell that dismantle and recycle worn out material.

Let’s think about what plants cells need to grow to be health. Plants are very efficient at using the suns rays to produce what they need for energy, a process called photosynthesis. If they are grown on poor quality soils, (those that have very few minerals in) the plants will be weak and succumb to diseases, and insect infestation, they won’t yield and if we were to eat them they may taste bitter or be tasteless. So what does a plant need to nurture its cells, it’s body, they need a favorable environment, a combination of nutrients, water and weather conditions.

The cells in our bodies are the same, the weather is not so crucial, although it goes a long way to influencing our mood and stress levels and the sun, as we know produces Vit D which is a vital nutrient for health and wellbeing.

Our bodies need a favorable internal environment to be strong and health physically and to support us mentally and emotionally. Our physical, mental and emotional health are intimately connected, they vibrationally affect each other.

Each and every one of our cells has an INTELLIGENCE and the capacity to ‘think’ and respond to what is happening inside the body and on the outside. It is said that each of our cells is a hologram and contains not only information that is relevant to our own bodies and our history but is also is an archive of Universal Intelligence. In yoga we believe that all life is made from the same source or fabric and that we are all connected by this ‘matrix’ of consciousness. The matrix is often called Universal Intelligence. It’s like a web that contains the wisdom of the whole Universe which we can tap into and so access information that is outside our own conscious personal realm of experience.

The cell’s intelligence is often referred to as our ‘inner wisdom’, that can be felt as a sense of ‘knowing’. As an example when you just ‘know’ something is right or wrong, you don’t have to be told, you don’t have to work it out mentally using your brain, it’s a feeling. You could call this feeling your ‘instincts’ – it’s the in-built natural sense’s that are there to guide us through life. Our instincts give us the direction….. the brain is there to work out the ‘how to’.

The digestive system cells (the gut) have a ‘brain’ which is intimately connected to the Brain ‘brain’. If our gut feelings (in our body) are nervous and we are feeling anxious about something, that impairs our brain function, we can’t think clearly, our thoughts can become scattered or we can be mentally numb. We also know that mental, cognitive stress -worrying, confusion, fear, effects our ability to digest and absorb nutrients from the food we eat. In some cases are digestive system is almost paralysed (the bodies energy has gone to the muscles for ‘fight or flight’ response). So the connection between the gut and the brain is very profound and both effect the nervous system, which in turn affects the respiratory system and we could go on endlessly here making the link between all the different bodily systems. The fact is we work as an organic whole and ultimately everything is linked together.

The powerful nutrients that are contained in a health organic diet are the bodies ‘medicine’ and they protect the gut and the vital organs from the chemical toxins that are in most of the food we eat in our modern day life. These toxins damage the delicate lining of the digestive system, it becomes clogged and the intestine lose the ability to act as a good filter. We develop what’s called a ‘leaky gut’ and toxins go straight into the blood stream and then into our cells. Toxicity in our bodies is one of the main reasons for degeneration (physically and mentally), for disease and for weight problems in our world today. The effect of diet on the behavior of young people in remand centers in the USA has been well documented.

All over the body this same consciousness that ‘feels’, also interprets and responds to stimuli every second of every day. The body and each cell is an intricate chemistry lab with every thought, feeling and substance you ingest, hear, see, smell, and touch …. they are all affecting it. The cells have so many tasks, they produce enzymes, digestive juices, hormones, new cells and chemicals that effect are health, our mood and our energy levels. They are constantly growing, changing, processing, dying and being replaced.

When cells are health they are soft and pliable, they can replicate safely, they can change shape, manufacture lots of energy, burn it efficiently and they can produce numerous chemicals that all enable your body to function at its OPTIMUM. The cells have a lot to do and like any complex series of jobs you need the right ‘tools’ for the job in hand. For instance we know that the body produces more Dopamine (a chemical that’s lacking in Parkinson’s disease) when we eat certain things like green vegetables. We know certain fruits and vegetables help the body to produce Melatonin and Serotonin – we need these if we are going to feel good mentally and emotionally and sleep well…..

There is an area of science dedicated to the study of the cells that shows how they are affected by the environment they are in, this study is called ‘Epigenetics’. We know that the genes hold a code – a pattern for the cells to be replicated from – to replace the cell that dies. The surprise came when they discovered that this code rather than being fixed, actually CHANGED, depending on what influences there were at the time! How the gene expressed it’s self varied in different internal conditions. Under stress (that may be environment or nutritional), we become tense and the cells lose their ability to function well on every level, from energy production to repair, they become stiff, even our DNA spiral tightens up – it’s spiral shape contracts – ever considered why the expression being ‘wound up ‘ comes from and why we tell people to ‘ loosen up’? We are talking the language of our cells and of our DNA.

No longer can we say ” that’s just how it is, it’s in my genes”. We are to a large degree in control of gene function and expression. Hence why we are now being told more and more by leading edge science that we can prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, rate of ageing etc.,(the mystics have always told us this). Don’t buy into the disease of your ancestors….. Getting old is so ‘yesterday’, think young and your genes will deliver!

So what can we do to give our cells a positive life-giving environment? …. and what can we avoid that makes the cells job difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to do and can make us degenerate ?

Simply……the short version….

Avoid….. White refined sugar – ‘white death’ – makes us acid. All artificial sweeteners – white death’s even more deadly sister. Choose full fat varieties not low fat or sugar free – messes with all your communication pathways – it’s a killer. Hydrogenated fats – that’s anything that has been processed, junk food, ready meals, pastries, cakes, biscuits (unless homemade) – makes us toxic. Water with added Fluoride – messes up our nervous system and brain!

Have and increase…… Omega fats – nuts, seeds, avocados, vegetable oils, oily fish, eggs – fuel for energy, you need fat to maintain a health weight and nervous system and health skin and brain (your brain is 60% fat) Wide variety of raw, vine ripened, chemical free fruit, vegetable and berries – you can’t overdo these – the tool bag of nutrients for getting the jobs done. Good quality (preferably organic) protein – the building blocks. Fresh water – hydration is key to many aspects of cell function. Engage the relaxation response daily, what ever that may be for you – keep stress at bay. Stress = Toxins Having an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ is a conscious choice and produces life affirming vibrations/chemicals in your cells…… counting your blessings (being grateful) often results in Smiling and as smiling produces even more good chemicals in your cells, it’s a upwards spiral. Smiling is infectious, so the people around you will feel better too