During the pandemic, Dr. John Campbell rose to prominence as a medically qualified podcaster analyzing data and trends on coronavirus outbreaks, offering gentle but data-driven critiques of public policy throughout the pandemic. His guest on a recent episode, Dr. Nyjon Eccles, also known as ‘The Natural Doctor’, “is one of the most respected Integrated Medicine physicians in the UK and has been at the forefront in the use of pioneering, innovative and ground breaking natural healthcare over the last decade. He holds a raft of medical and academic qualifications, including the MBBS, and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP). He also holds a PhD in Pharmacology (London).”

Since the release of the FDA’s documents on its Pfizer data, Dr. Campbell’s tone has changed noticeably along with his previously implied confidence in public health officials to place public interest ahead of big pharma profits. This interview continues on that trend – it begins with Dr. Campbell jumping right into everyone’s biggest question – are we too reliant on pharmaceutical companies to protect our health? Dr. Eccles agrees and instantly points out economic interests that suppress news about how vital nutrition is to preventing disease and how instrumental a role it can play in solving it.

Common Nutrient Deficiencies

The first item on the agenda was possible deficiencies in underappreciated vitamins and minerals driving widespread health problems – beginning with Vitamin D. Dr. Eccles then went on to describe a recent study on the vast impact it has on our body and immune system through the regulation of 2k-3k of our 25k genes, its anti-cancer properties, and cell regulation (among other benefits too). The second deficiency group he listed was phytonutrients, flavonoids, and macronutrients found in a broad range of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts that work synergistically to prevent inflammation throughout the body, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and many other health conditions. Later in the interview, he goes into more detail on iodine (linked to COVID-19 prevention, brain health, immune function, and cancer prevention) and Vitamin K2 (going into detail on how it affects calcification of arteries and more). He tied everything in from a historical perspective – discussing conditions and food sources we’ve faced in different environments and how what we’re eating today leaves out nutrients that we’re built to thrive on.

Epigenetics

About 10 minutes in, they explain one of the mechanisms plant-based food sources, sunlight (Vitamin D), and exercise all have in common to fight disease: the ability to influence genetic expression. According to the CDC:
“Your genes play an important role in your health, but so do your behaviors and environment, such as what you eat and how physically active you are. Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.
Gene expression refers to how often or when proteins are created from the instructions within your genes. While genetic changes can alter which protein is made, epigenetic changes affect gene expression to turn genes “on” and “off.” Since your environment and behaviors, such as diet and exercise, can result in epigenetic changes, it is easy to see the connection between your genes and your behaviors and environment.”

This part of the interview spoke to me and reminded me of a Ted Talk by Rachel Knox that discusses the endocannabinoid system’s role in regulating gene expression. In addition to the plant-based food listed by Dr. Campbell and Dr. Eccle in the video, Rachel points out that meditation, yoga, and exercise play a key role in endocannabinoid regulation, which is directly tied to epigenetic expression.

Big Picture

Towards the end of the video, after spending a considerable amount of time discussing possible applications and benefits of iodine, they note a stark reality – many of these potential holistic solutions will not be given the attention they deserve because of conflicting economic interests. Though they don’t suggest anything illegal is happening, they note the perverse incentives in our system that result in huge profits for pharmaceutical companies and worse patient outcomes with a lower quality of life. They note doctors are trained to treat symptoms without addressing the root cause of those symptoms, producing lifelong customers instead of a healthy population.

Last year, I read a book called “Becoming Supernatural” by Dr. Joe Dispenza, which dives into the mechanics of the circular relationship between the mind and the surrounding environment. Dr. Campbell’s video speaks specifically to the way food and nutrition influence epigenetic expression, while Dr. Dispenza’s book touches on how meditation and chakras influence it (and how that may transfer to the broader environment). We still don’t know what most of our DNA does, epigenetics is a brand new and very promising field, and we are learning how the endocannabinoid system works.

Though I am not a doctor or scientist, my prediction is very soon in the future; we will begin to realize that these factors combine to impact the strength of the placebo effect each person experiences. My personal belief is understanding your chakras and energetic balances may also play a larger role in this equation than we realize.

Sources

Dr. Nyjon Eccles
https://thenaturaldoctor.org/about/about-dr-nyjon-eccles/

Vitamin D – Gene Expression
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69128-2#:~:text=Studies%20demonstrate%20that%20cholecalciferol%20can,D%20binding%20protein44%2C45.

Vitamin K2 – Decalcification of Vessels
https://www.nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/news/article_page/Vitamin_K2_MK-7_and_Cardiovascular_Calcification/147750

CDC on Epigenetics
https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm

Becoming Supernatural
https://drjoedispenza.com/products/becoming-supernatural-by-dr-joe-dispenza-paperback-book

Rachel Knox Ted Talk – The Endocannabinoid System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJbOQ9P2NYQ

Meditation and Yoga Endocannabinoid System
https://www.everydayhealth.com/marijuana/feeling-blissed-out-after-a-yoga-session-the-reason-may-lie-within-the-bodys-endocannabinoid-system/

Endocannabinoid System and Epigenetics
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32046164/#:~:text=Recent%20findings%20demonstrate%20the%20epigenetic,generational%20epigenetic%20inheritance%20in%20the

Iodine & COVID-19
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7244430/