Healthy living can alter the gene expression and cellular changes underlying disease. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that genes associated with cancer, heart disease and inflammation are turned on and off in a systematic manner based on improved diet and exercise, and in patterns that reverse the course of disease progression. 
It turns out an apple a day can keep the doctor away.
In a Wall Street Journal article published today, three leading researchers in alternative and holistic medicine make an impassioned case that lifestyle changes should receive equal or greater billing with pharmaceuticals and surgery in our health care system. But their own scientific studies demonstrate how challenging that would be to implement successfully across large populations. In the study “Changes in prostate gene expression in men undergoing intensive nutrition and lifestyle intervention“, published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors suggest that genes linked to prostate cancer can be altered for the better through improved behavioral choices. (You can find a copy to the right in the Blog Information Box). The Materials and Methods section of this paper details how extensive–and unrealistic–this intervention would be for adoption by millions of people. Study participants had weekly support by nurses, dietitians, exercise physiologists, clinical psychologists, stress management instructors and group sessions. I haven’t seen any of those people in my life over the last week. Have you?
The only way to scale these kind of results, and the deep individual-specific support required to help people make better lifestyle and wellness choices, is through technology. We can’t all have our own nurse, psychologist or group session on call, but we can use computer and sensor-based wellness management tools that could deliver the same, and perhaps better, support and results. We have begun using the first generation of such tools at the Intelligent Medicine Blog, and will begin reviewing them in the next post.
January 9, 2009 at 11:33 pm
[...] dyquadrangularWitt wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Healthy living can alter the gene expression and cellular changes underlying disease. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that genes associated with cancer, heart disease and inflammation are turned on and off in a systematic manner based on improved diet and exercise, and in patterns that reverse the course of disease progression. It turns out an apple a day can keep the doctor away. In a Wall Street Journal article published today, three leading researchers in alternative and holistic medicine make an impassioned case that lifestyle changes should receive equal or greater billing with pharmaceuticals and surgery in our health care system. But their own scientific studies demonstrate how challenging that would be to implement successfully across large populations. In the study “Changes in prostate gene expression in men undergoing intensive nutrition and lifestyle intervention“, published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors suggest that genes […] [...]
January 13, 2009 at 11:21 pm
[...] a hike In our last post (”Behavior, disease and the support required for success“) we discussed how better lifestyle, diet and therapeutic choices can actually halt and [...]
January 14, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Hi, Can you set up an RSS feed so that I can add your blog to my feed burner? Thanks.
February 15, 2009 at 9:26 am
It’s amazing how a simple household spice can be useful in so many ways. There are so many different herbs, oils and minerals out there that can cure almost any condition. Cures such as these are for the most part without negative side effects. This is the complete opposite of most modern day medicines. A lot of these modern day medicines have worst side effects then the previous condition itself. Once again, alternative medicines have proven to be more beneficial in the long run to the body.
April 15, 2009 at 3:31 am
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December 17, 2009 at 2:13 pm
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