The human body is a remarkable biological machine, fully equipped with adaptable systems primed to respond to an ever-changing environment. Comprised of individual cells working together through vast, dynamic networks, the human body has the full power of biological complexity to help it maneuver through life’s challenges with dynamic, responsive adaptations.
Given this, it frustrates me when I hear, all-too-often, people speak of their bodies as if they were set in stone – as if they were hardwired, given a set programming that they are forever fated to manage.
There is serious room for some mindset restructuring here, because this entire belief system – the belief that this is the body we were given and this is just the way it is – this belief is completely outdated.
As biologists have learned over the past century, the human body is not at all as set as we once believed. The story that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks or that we are stuck being controlled by the DNA we were given – these stories turned out to be just plain false.
The true story is that the body is an ever-changing, incredibly adaptable system – a system which is constantly responding to the signals given to it from the external world with system upgrades in an attempt to maintain an ever-improving individual.
Here’s how it works.
While we have been led to believe that we are a direct result of our DNA, a process that is predestined and hardwired, the truth is really very different. In reality, our DNA is not an exact rule book which must be followed exactly; rather, our DNA is better thought of as a template, or as a set of design plans that may or may not be implemented.
Now, some of these DNA design plans are much more likely to manifest into physical form and defined systems, and there are a select few genes that, when present, will inevitably create problems within these systems down the road. However, these cases can be thought of more as the exception to the rule – by this I mean the hardwired gene-to-disease case is more often the rare case. The case that is dependent on environmental cues – the one that you have great control over – this is the situation we most often deal with, and as a result, knowing we have the ability to control the fate of our bodies is the mentality I believe we should take on.
This has a number of implications for how we live our lives today. When we understand that we are capable of taking charge of what many of those cues are, we can work to send the body the proper signals it needs to grow in a productive, healthy direction. For example, we can ensure that we give the body the signals and resources needed to express the genes that allow our cells to thrive for decades, as opposed to sending our genome the signals that lead to broken down, dysfunctional cells, which in turn create broken down, dysfunctional organs and organ systems, which in turn create a broken down, dysfunctional body.
While this is great news for those of us who wish to take care of our bodies and thus promote full, long lives, there is a second side to this coin, a side that is possibly even more important to understand. Choosing to make healthy choices to prevent disease is one thing, but we must also understand the alternative is choosing to make non-healthy choices that lead to higher chances of one day getting that disease diagnosis. As we work to understand that we can make healthy choices that can affect the fate of our bodies, we also must understand that all of our choices, whether full of intent or not, lead to our body’s physical state.
The truth is that our choices determine, to a remarkable extent, whether or not we will one day get that diagnosis. This means we have the power to choose healthy actions that lead to healthy bodies, or we can choose unhealthy choices that lead to disease.
That choice is yours.
Moving Forward – The Reprogrammed Systems Approach
The Reprogrammed Systems Approach is a method I developed to help you make the healthy choice. By understanding how the body has been designed to operate, we can make choices that align with its natural programming, allowing it to operate on all cylinders. This is in contrast to how the modern, industrialized has negatively impacted the human body, resulting in the new norm that is poor health and disease.
My hope is that, with the knowledge provided on this website, you can consistently make the decision that aligns with the design of your own body. For you, this may mean making decisions that maintain your own healthy programming, allowing your body to function throughout a long, healthy life with its natural, robust human programming. Or, it may be the case that your body has already suffered the consequences that a modern, industrialized lifestyle brings with it – that being poor health on the way to a modern disease diagnosis. If this is your case, then we have some additional work to do Reprogramming your body back to a state of good health.*
Regardless of your specific case, the information provided in the Reprogrammed Systems Approach will allow you to make the right decision that will help lead you down your own path towards good health.
With the following articles, my goal is to help you understand this approach by focusing on the central model. This involves first gaining an understanding of the Reprogrammed Systems Model, which is a model of your body and its interaction with the environment. With a complete understanding of the model, you will have the ability to understand how your actions lead directly to effects in your body.
I understand that making healthy decisions is no easy task, and that taking the first steps towards changing your lifestyle may seem daunting. However, the first step of the Reprogrammed Systems Approach is simply to understand that change is possible. Once you understand that your choices largely determine the ultimate outcome – a long, healthy life or a life burdened by medications, hospital bills, low energy, awful symptoms, and potentially, that life cut short – you can begin to learn what changes should best be made, and eventually, get to a place where you can implement these practices into your life.
Up next, let us begin the process of understanding a new approach to addressing modern disease.
Or, get started on your own Reprogramming Process by understanding the fundamental practice of the Reprogrammed Systems Approach: a good diet.
*Note, if you do already have a disease diagnosis and are taking medication or under other forms of treatment, I encourage you to find a licensed practitioner that has been medically trained to supervise lifestyle changes. Please understand that the material on this website is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice.