As you know, I have always pondered on the extent of human potential for healing - after all, there are animals in nature that can do so much, from electrocuting you, to outliving the average human lifespan and even regrowing lost body parts; new research says that humans can do this - imagine, growing a new organ without any surgery!
"Regrowing amputated limbs, broken backs and even damaged brains could one day be a reality after scientists discover a gene that is key to the almost magical ability" - telegraph.co.uk
Recent research has found that the gene p21 appears to block the healing power still enjoyed by some creatures including amphibians but lost through evolution to all other animals - seems like evolution doesn't always "grow" in the right direction; why would evolution want to block healing?
Wistar researchers said the following:
"In normal cells, p21 acts like a brake to block cell cycle progression in the event of DNA damage, preventing the cells from dividing and potentially becoming cancerous"
This is exciting news - it will even hurt the retina's of sceptics everywhere!
It has long been told, that yogi masters who practice the art of meditation, can access their subconscious mind; which controls vital functions of our bodies (from the very heart beat to hormone excretion). The problem was, there was never enough "proof" to show for it; at least for the sceptics out there - Now there is proof that the human mind is capable of turning "on" and "off" genes within the human body!
"It's not all in your head" says Dr. Herbert Benson, president emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and as associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "What we have found is that when you evoke the relaxation response, the very genes that are turned on or off by stress are turned the other way. The mind can actively turn on and turn off genes. The mind is not separate from the body."
He believes that this study is the first comprehensive look at how mind states can affect gene expression. More details of the study can be found in this document by Amanda Gardner, a HealthDay Reporter.