Of all the things that we can be in this life, it is stated in Dr. Leaf’s book that we are to be our own brain surgeons! Club and scalpel anyone? Thankfully it need not be as drastic as cracking your skull open with a club. Or, using a scalpel on your own brain to slice through it like a warm knife through butter.

To have a skull cut asunder and a scalpel put to the soft tissues of the brain is drastic. Brain surgery in itself conjures up some pretty scary images. Perhaps even of someone like Dr. Ben Carson, the renowned brain surgeon and a recent 2016 Presidential Candidate.

Just imagine Dr. Carson laboriously peering through a high powered scope to ensure that he is cutting out and splicing together the correct tissues and nerves in order to bring a diseased or injured brain back to health.

Dr. Leaf is using pretty strong imagery to make a point. And that is we are more than capable of eliciting change that borders on the miraculous. The question that begs to be asked is, “are her concepts new?”

The Science of Epigenetics

Let’s look further into this. She speaks of a new type of science called epigenetics. In the study of epigenetics it has been demonstrated that the mind changes the structures within in the brain. It is the thoughts generated by the mind that causes these changes.

Not only can our thoughts change the brain, but it can actually turn off and on genes within our DNA! How awesome is that? It shows that we are more in charge of our life than we may have presupposed. We are not victims of circumstance, sickness and disease!

The concepts that she is writing about dovetails beautifully within the deeply rooted truths within the Bible. Thousands of years ago the people of Israel were asked to make a choice. To choose life or to choose death.

The Admonitions of Scripture

In the scriptures we are admonished over and over to renew our minds. To cast our worries off onto the loving Christ. To seek the peace and unity amongst the brethren (where possible). To continually reflect on the goodness of the Lord.

Through the science of epigenetics we now see why the theme is repeated over and over again. Especially in lieu of the fact that up to 95% of sickness comes from stress. Where does stress start? In the mind! What we think about over and over again creates strongholds in the brain either for better or worse.

We have a choice in which thoughts we are to think. Thoughts that can lead us into a toxic roller coaster ride, where we end up damaging our DNA, turning off our genes and our immune system (been there done that). Or, we can choose to think right thoughts, healthy thoughts, Godly thoughts that lead to life, thereby turning on our genes and immune system for optimum health.

If by choosing negative stressful thoughts as a normal way of life, be forewarned that your life may be adversely  affected with discomfort and sickness. My wife was sharing a story with me how one of her coworkers is going out on disability in part because of the stress she has endured with an overly demanding boss. It frayed her nerves and muscles to the point where she can no longer function properly to get the job done.

Science of Epigenetics Enhances the Teachings in the Bible State

The great news is, the Lord has created us so that our brains are changeable and malleable. The Science of Epigenetics enhances the teachings in the Bible. Epigenetics demonstrates that we can change the structures of our brains by the thoughts we think over and over in our mind. We may not be able to control our outside environment or circumstances, but we can always change our thoughts. Being sure to roll our cares onto the living and caring Christ!

The lovely thing here is we can make drastic changes to our brains without doing collateral damage to our heads. We don’t have to crush our sculls with a club and cutting the soft tissue with a scalpel to make drastic changes. By simply thinking good healthy thoughts. We can change the outlook of our lives. We can effectively stop the damage that stress has caused, and allow our immune system do its job.

By thinking right thoughts. The science of epigenetics shows these thoughts will change the neuronal structures of dendrites in our brains. It shows that these will turn on the correct genes, turn off the bad, and allow our immune systems to function as designed. Choose life!

This is the third installment in this series.

Switch On Your Brain: The Key To Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013), 55-70