Post-Doc Fellow at Sahlgrenska University Hospital
I am very confused by this article. It proposes to do exactly what it suggests should be put on ice..."testing and solutions that promise results". That is what research does all the time. Some statements are simply false for example: "The answer to any dis-ease lies in the genes". Genes are responsible for meany diseases but certainly not all. You can definitely not treat an infection by "modifying gene expression" Furthermore, not all gene expression can be modified through the effective use of nutrition. The most important thing to remember though is this, anytime you put a compound into your body you modify many processes not just on particular gene expression. That is why so much research is done into each single drug that comes out and years of toxicology before they are released. Something that natural medicine is lacking, under the false understanding that it is at lease safe. There are many compounds in plants that are toxic and even deadly in the small doses found naturally.
I say put the 'research for a cure' on ice. because they are not researching a cure. The answer does lie in the genes & gene expression can be modified using essential oils. We are seeing this and documenting every case. The response to using plants albeit in combination with meds or independently is outstanding. Using drugs is just as toxic. Some plants are toxic & why I do not agree that they be sold or used right off the shelf. Sadly, many doctors and other clinician do not know the adverse effects caused by plants. However, what we do not need is dishonesty about where our money is going. Millions of dollars are donated / dumped annually into research & for what? There are no results & certainly little improvement! Given the fact that every human being is walking around with variations in his or her genome, there is no one solution because the very SNP's / defects that cause dis-ease can also cause adverse reactions to medications and other chemicals. I agree with you that everything we consume whether we inhale, consume or apply it affects our body. Assessing and addressing the individual genome long before dis-ease ever sets in promises a far greater response to the external world. I do not discount the well intentioned people conducting the research; however, I do not agree with the corporate greed or the misleading requests for more money Pegah Johansson, the Human Genome Project gave us tremendous insight into the causes to dis-eases. There are over 1800 ALL linked to genetic defects. Where it took endless days and months to find out what was behind a health condition now takes hours. They look into the effects of various plant constituents on all known polymorphisms every day in order to make new medications. While I agree medications have a place in this world, we've over complicated health. Plants are the reason we have meds. Meds deplete the body of nutrients. Diet alone will not make a difference. Medications do not make a difference and the reason why we end up needing more. A combination of diet and medications leaves a lot to be desired. I've never known anyone to start a med and eventually be taken off unless they incorporated plant matter. Using herbs provides symptom relief along with nutrients; something the medications do not have. Essential oils modify gene expression. I do not speak of anything I do not know. A combination of oils, good nutrition, herbs and meds if necessary actually works; however, this cannot be done without the assistance of a professional who understands all contraindications as well as long term effects. The aggravating part is 'they' claim 'they' are researching for our benefit; yet, over 700,000 people die annually due to pharmaceuticals. And still we continue to hand our money over to them leaving little to nothing in our pockets to take care of ourselves. As I mentioned earlier, 'we' are making human health complicated with all the environmental toxins, rules and regulations. Conversely, plants are managing to adapt to the ever changing environment and it is in this ability that we benefit when we use the entire plant, again with the help of professionals who understand the individual they are working with. It is time to 'table' the one-size-fits all approach to health and realize we are all walking chemistry labs in need of personalized care. As for weakened immune systems, again, it's not complicated. With the environmental stressors, medications, trauma (all compounding genetic variations) and so on leading to digestive disorders combined with the epidemic inability to utilize vitamin D (a genetic defect) ... fighting off an infection does come down to gene expression and had that individual been addressing his or her specific polymorphisms with oils combined with herbs and nutrient dense foods, the chance of preventing it altogether is good