God has created us as thinking beings. We are always thinking. At times it might seem like we have no choices in the way that we think, for our minds always seem to be running a dialog with associated feelings. Even in our sleep, our subconscious mind works to sort the days activities out.

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During our thinking process, genetic expression is taking place in the brain. These thoughts we think occupy mental real estate within our brains in the form of proteins which are formed by our thinking. 

Eric R. Kandel, a Nobel Prize–winning neuropsychiratrist for his work on memory, shows that our thinking affects our DNA. As we think, the structure of our neurons are changed in our brain as certain genes are turned on and turned off.

We are constantly changing the landscape of our brains, by how we think. We control our body by our thoughts. We are not controlled by matter, we are to exert control over matter through the thoughts we choose to think.

We cannot control the events and circumstances of life but we can control our reactions. 

…. what God has empowered you to do with your mind is more powerful and effective than any medication, threat, any sickness, or any neurological challenge.

Choices Are Real 

How we think and what we choose to focus on, will affect our brains. How we understand and think of ourselves will affect the chemicals, and proteins in our brains. This will affect the wiring of the neurons and largely impact the working of our brains.

Our thoughts drastically affect our health, and happiness. Amazingly 75 to 98 percent of our mental, physical, and behavioral illnesses come from the negative thoughts we think. This means that only 2 to 25 percent of our illnesses come from our environment or genes.

Thinking Activates Genes

How you think with embedded feelings not only activates the genes but they can also changes them.  This becomes our state of mind. Our state of mind stimulates us to think a certain way, whether good or bad producing the words and behaviors in an endless cycle.

Our Brains Are Shaped By Our Reactions

As life plays itself out we will react to the circumstances as they unfold. We can consciously have our brains shaped in either a positive direction or a negative toxic direction. How we choose to think will determine our brain architecture and the quality of health we emit.

Science and Scripture both show that we are wired for love and optimism and so when we react by thinking negatively and making negative choices, the quality of our thinking suffers, which means the quality of our brain architecture suffers. It is comforting –and challenging–to know that negative thinking is not the norm.

Thinking Changes DNA

Although negative thinking is not the norm, there are many who have their minds functioning that way.  Our DNA changes shape according to our thoughts. If we allow ourselves to think negatively we run the risk of living in stress. Too much stress will become toxic and affect the wiring of our brains.

A study by the Institute of HeartMath demonstrated that thinking  and feeling anger, fear, and frustration caused DNA to change shape in-line with those thoughts and feelings. This affects our quality of expression as the DNA tightens up and becomes shorter, switching off many DNA codes.

The good news here is, the shortened DNA can be reversed, elongated, and DNA codes turned on by thinking positive thoughts with feelings of love, joy, appreciation, and gratitude. God is love! As we intentionally walk in love, according to His image we are able to shape our DNA for the better! Hallelujah!

Stress

Stage one of stress is normal. This keeps us alert and focused. However, stress stage two and three will affect our health as the toxicity mounts. If left unchecked mental and physical health consequences will accumulate.

The dictionary defines stress as:

A condition typically characterized  by symptoms of mental and physical  tension or strain, as depression or hypertension, that can result from a reaction to a situation in which a person feels threatened, pressured , etc.”

Synonyms for stress included anxiety, nervousness, fearfulness, apprehensiveness, impatience, fear, tenseness, and restlessness.

As our life plays out before us, we cannot control the circumstances or events, but we can control our reactions. The reactions we choose will determine the health of our bodies and minds. If we pay attention and think the right thoughts, we align ourselves with God and can reach peak health. If we get this wrong, we are our own worst enemies!

Switch On Your Brain: The Key To Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013), 31 – 38