What is 'Natural': Weight Gain? Insomnia? Diabetes? ??

Today's article is a simple reminder of the profound power of choice and its impact on how our life progresses.?

A subplot to the article is a notable increase of the influence of mi-used? words in culture to mean things they kind of don’t - or at least kind of shouldn’t. These subtle distortions can have growing negative impact over time, so I have been looking to tackle a few in posts?

Today’s culprit: NATURAL words have power that can hurt or heal depending on their:?

• Use?
• Interpretation?
• Context?

As words can shape our thoughts over time.?

?? Natural is used as shorthand or a byword for things like: acceptable, normal, destined, permanent, undeniable.?

But should it be?

Look at some naturally occurring phenomena like weight gain, insomnia, and diabetes. These are all common, yes - but should we accept them as the norm? ??♂? Despite their prevalence, they’re symptoms of deeper issues.?

The tricky part? Many of us lack the knowledge, awareness, or willpower to tackle these problems, even though each one can be hugely improved with basic lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle Defined:

• Everything we do, everything we absorb, everything we think, and when.

Lifestyle Medicine:

• Being intentional with everything we do, absorb, think—and when.

Here’s the catch: These problems often feel unnatural when embodied, as if they’re a biological fluke of fate that we didn’t ask for. But that’s not quite right. ?? They’re natural ‘byproducts’ of our choices. We create them by making them part of our lifestyle - our nature. And the good news? We have the power to redefine our nature. Our predisposition is not set one way or the other, it’s reflective of our experiences of our choices!

We’ve lost sight of what is natural and what it infers in this context - or at least how to interpret natural things as good or bad. Consider this:

?? Waking up too early to feel rested?? Common, even natural, but definitely not optimal.

?? Post-lunch energy crash? Common, even natural but not optimal.

?? Constant sugar cravings? Common,even natural but definitely not optimal.

??Uninvited weight gain?? Common, even natural, but definitely not optimal.

These things occur because our bodies are adapting to sub-optimal environments (aka our lifestyles). They’re natural responses, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessary—or healthy.

Let’s zoom in on two of the examples?

Post-lunch fatigue - considerations for causation:

• Poor insulin metabolism and suboptimal food choices ??
• Low light conditions ???
• Poor air quality ???
• Too much caffeine, too early ?
• Waking up too early ?
• Gut health imbalances ??

Constant sugar cravings ??—possible causes:

Guess what? The exact same list as above! ?? Different symptom, same root causes. No coincidence!

But here’s where many of us go wrong: We take a fatalistic stance or put down to your - nature….

• It runs in my family.* ??
• It’s in my DNA.* ??♀?
• I had a tough childhood, so now I have insomnia.* ??

?? Here’s the reality: 99.9% of disease isn’t inherent. Even if you’re genetically predisposed, this does not translate to inevitable or even necessarily likely. It means there’s a dynamic probability - one that can be shifted dramatically based on your lifestyle choices and the presence of Epigenetic action in our biology.?

And here’s the kicker ??:

Those small, seemingly harmless symptoms are actually early warning signs of bigger problems that can escalate into full-blown diseases. ?? Most conditions exist on a spectrum. You might not meet the clinical threshold for a diagnosis yet, but that doesn’t mean you’re truly healthy.?

??? Proactive, preventative measures are always more powerful than reactive treatments. Think of your body like a car. ?? If you fill it with the wrong fuel but don’t start the engine, you can refresh the fuel and save the car. But running it for even 10 seconds could cause serious damage.?

Your health is the same

Everything you do, everything you absorb, everything you think, and when - that’s your lifestyle!?

Bad inputs = Bad outputs

While genetics, behaviour, and past trauma are pieces of the puzzle ??, they do not control you unless you let them. Put simply:

?? DNA is not destiny.

?? Behavioral patterns are not a life sentence.

?? Trauma can be worked through—with intention and effort.

Epigenetic Phenomena?

Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes in the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, which alter the DNA sequence, epigenetic changes affect gene activity without changing the DNA itself. These changes can influence how cells read genes and can sometimes be passed down to future generations.

Real-world example:

Imagine identical twins. They have the same DNA, but one twin grows up in a stressful environment with poor nutrition, while the other has a balanced diet and less stress. Over time, the twin exposed to stress and poor nutrition may develop health issues like diabetes or heart disease due to epigenetic changes triggered by their environment. These changes turn certain genes "on" or "off," impacting their health—even though both twins started with identical genetic blueprints.??

This is all achieved using the mRNA mechanism ??. mRNA is the primary driver for our DNA and responds to the environment to instruct our body on which proteins to build next. This leads to the "on" or "off" phenomenon for certain genes and traits—but that’s enough science for today! ????

The twins example clearly shows how lifestyle and environmental factors can influence gene expression, even without altering DNA. So, what occurs naturally shifts as a mirror to your circumstances and how you choose to behave within them ??.

Conclusion:

Yes, your genetics and history might influence your life—but they do not have to define it. Change is possible, and it starts with believing that you aren’t bound by the familiar. Take control of your health and mindset. Your future is shaped by your choices—not by what you’ve defined as:?

“NATURAL"

POST SCRIPT

Thanks for reading, for some really basic boons in health and longevity check out my post from yesterday

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/chriswhitenowgroup_personaldevelopment-antifragile-activity-7244148992475873280-WQUw?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

This post will give you something to action to support your best mRNA response and to keep you healthy!