Epigenetics May Be Key To Healing Disease

By Jody Smith HERWriter

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Dr. Melinda Ring finds the theory of epigenetics very exciting. Epigenetics seems to hold great potential for the enhancement of the healing process and elimination of toxins.

As a physician of integrative medicine, Dr. Ring looks forward to the day when science knows more about epigenetics, and can use it to turn genes on and off. She believes that in time greater understanding of epigenetics will increase medicine's ability to help the body heal itself.

(Transcribed from video interview)

Dr. Ring:
Well it’s very interesting - the idea about how toxins cause disease - and it goes with this new theory, well not that new, but there’s a growing theory called epigenetics.

Epigenetics is this: While we all have our genome to about 25,000 genes and that helps to find who we are. It tells, you know, how tall we are and what color hair and all that kind of stuff, but then there’s this thing called the epigenome and it’s the outer genome and it’s like the software of your computer. It will tell those genes to turn on or off, and what we are finding is that toxins impact that epigenome. So they will help turn genes on and off and so, in some studies they have shown, for example, a tumor suppressor gene that helps prevent cancer, can get turned on if a toxin turns on something in this epigenome, and that seems to be a very plausible mechanism for how, rather than having a full genetic mutations, how we can actually see a connection between toxins and disease.

About Dr. Ring, M.D.:

Melinda Ring, M.D., is an Integrative Medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Ring believes the patient and physician are partners in the healing process. She uses evidence-based approaches from other cultures to complement Western medicine treatment and stimulates the body's innate healing abilities. Her philosophy embraces treating the whole person, physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions, to achieve optimal health. Dr. Ring received her medical degree from the University of Chicago/Pritzker School of Medicine and has been practicing medicine since 1997.

Visit Dr. Ring at http://nmpg.com/default.aspx?article=Bios/MRing.1.xml

Video:
https://www.empowher.com/healthy-eating/content/how-do-toxins-cause-disease-dr-ring-video

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.