RE: Biology, Yoga, and the Philosophy of Science
Thanks David!
This is why I love Steemit! I had never seen those article before and they are very interesting.
The epigenome is controlled by much more than we realize, and I think "alternate" medicines have realized this for a long time. Those articles really drove that point home.
In terms of pyschoneuroimmunology, that was one of the claim of Yoga I left out of the article, that it can naturally increase your immune response. One technique I have been using is called the Breath of Fire, in which you sit or stand in a relaxed position and take a series of deep breaths. You fill your lungs, through your nose, to the brim. Then, breathe out completely, giving an extra push of your diaphragm at the end. Fill your lungs quickly through the nose and repeat. After several repetitions, you can feel the oxygen in your body and your lungs feel refreshed. According to Yoga materials, practicing this daily can increase your immune system's efficiency and resistance to attack.
It seems to be working for me as I rarely, if ever, get sick. I definitely have seen evidence for how exercise and increased oxygen can affect the immune system, but I will definitely look into Dr. Martinez's work. I think there is much more to it than that.
Thanks again for the excellent comment!