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_The Evolving Science of Chiropractic Philosophy Part II_
© 1999 Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.

The chiropractic philosophy of D. D. Palmer provided an understanding
of the principles employed in his healing art. Palmer declared that
life's vital functions were "controlled" by Innate Intelligence, which
was under the guidance of an eternal Innate (spirit). He further
defined Educated as an "intelligence" that is acquired through one's
life experiences. Educated provides Innate with an awareness of the
body's environment and in the process, it serves to "keep, fix, and
adjust the skeletal frame..." in an ever changing environment.1A
The perceptions acquired by Educated represent one's "beliefs," and
these beliefs guide the behavior of Innate. According to Palmer, "The
Educated impresses its thoughts upon Innate, directing its functions
more or less."1B If learning experiences are fraught with errors and
misperceptions, then Educated would inadvertently misdirect the
activities of all-knowing Innate. Palmer stated that "Educated bothers
and worries Innate when trying to direct that of which Innate knows
far more of than Educated will ever know." 1C He was referring to the
fact that misperceptions in the Educated mind would cause dis-ease if
they misinformed the Innate. Palmer further asserted that
Auto-suggestion, the process of "self-talk" by Educated, represented
one of the primary causes of dis-ease. 1D
D. D. Palmer was expelled from the Palmer School of Chiropractic
eleven years after he founded the science. His chiropractic philosophy
was subsequently altered, removing the concept of "spirit" from Innate
and eliminating Auto-suggestion, the role of mind over matter, as a
cause of dis-ease. These notions, considered too metaphysical or
religious, were eliminated in an effort to make Chiropractic more
"scientific," more acceptable to the "conventional" world.
Over the last eighty years, the profession has experienced an
undercurrent effort to align chiropractic with allopathic science, for
biologists have obviously made great strides in understanding the
mechanisms of life. Currently, conventional biology recognizes that
the physical character and behavior of an organism is defined by its
protein building blocks. Since the nature of proteins is "programmed"
in DNA, medical science recognizes the following hierarchy in regard
to information flow in living systems: DNA>RNA>Protein. Based upon
this flow, contemporary biomedical thought is preoccupied with the
concept of genetic determinism, the belief that an organism's
expression is primarily under the "control" of its genes.
As we approach the new millennium, leading edge cell research now
reveals a profoundly different story. The primary difference concerns
the fact that genes are not self-emergent.2 This means that genes are
unable to turn "themselves" on and off, genes can not "control" their
own expression. Obviously, this challenges the concept that genes
"determine" our character.
How then are genes controlled? Within the cell's nucleus, DNA (gene)
molecules are ensheathed within a layer of regulatory proteins.
Concealed (i.e., protein-encased) genes are inactive. Removing the
protein "sleeve" exposes the gene and allows for its activation. The
binding and release of regulatory protein is controlled by
"environmental signals."3,4 Consequently, active "control" of cell
expression is in the hands of the environment and is not in the domain
of the genes.
In contrast to genetic regulation, the "revised" version of
information flow reveals that environment represents the prime source
of control: 2

Environment>Regulatory Protein>DNA>RNA>Protein
The processing of environmental information and its translation into
biological behavior is carried out by the cell membrane, the "skin" of
the cell.5,6 The membrane separates the external non-self environment
from the internal self, the cytoplasm. For the following, discussion
refer to the illustration below.

The cell's INPUT devices are the protein receptors which extend from
both of the cell membrane's surfaces. Receptors facing inwards "read"
the status of the cytoplasm's environmental conditions. These
receptors receive information concerning cytoplasmic pH, salt balance,
membrane potential, the availability of metabolites and energy
molecules and other parameters related to the cell's physiology.
Protein receptors displayed on the outer surface of the membrane
provide the cell with awareness of the external environment. Cells use
information derived from external receptors to "navigate" through
their world. Internal membrane receptors are concerned with visceral
needs, externally deployed receptors primarily regulate somatic
behaviors. Consequently, information of the external environmental
profoundly influences the cell's cytoskeleton and behavior.
To PROCESS the environmental information (i.e., convert signals into
biological responses), "activated" receptors couple with complementary
effector proteins. The activity of membrane effector proteins, which
include ion channels, enzymes and components of the cytoskeleton, is
controlled by receptor proteins. 6
The OUPTUT behavior is mediated by activated effector proteins.
Effector proteins primarily serve as "switches" or "second messengers"
that turn on or off more complex protein pathways deployed within the
cell. Effector proteins regulate cytoplasmic pathways, which include
motility, digestion, excretion, and respiration among others.
The MEMORY system of the cell, the genes, are also controlled by the
membrane. Sometimes cells receive environmental signals necessitating
specific responses, however, the cell may not have the necessary
proteins in the cytoplasm to enact the required behavior. In this
case, activated receptor-effector protein complexes are able to target
the regulatory proteins that mask specific genes. These membrane
"messengers," known as transcription factors, alter the binding of
regulatory proteins causing them to detach from the DNA, exposing
specific genes that need to be read. 3,4 This is how "environmental
signals" control gene expression. As the cell experiences new
environments, it is capable of dynamically adjusting its genetic
readout to accommodate any environmental exigencies. Consequently, the
structural and behavioral expression of the cell is a reflection of
the organism's environment.
The primal role of "environment" in controlling gene expression is
revealed in recent studies of newly discovered stem cells. Stem cells,
akin to multipotential embryonic cells, proliferate forming large
colonies of undifferentiated cells. The developmental destiny of stem
cell progeny can be experimentally "controlled" by regulating their
environment. Environmental signals activate stem cell transcription
factors, which in turn select specific gene programs controlling the
differentiation of these cells.7,8
Genes are coded "programs" that enable the organism as an individual,
and the species as a whole, to survive. Gene programs can be
subdivided into two functional groups. One group, representing
"growth" mechanisms, is expressly designed to provide for the physical
construction and physiologic maintenance of the body. However, an
organism possessing only "growth" mechanisms would most likely be
called "food," and would soon become extinct. Environmental threats
are managed by the second group of genes which code for "protection"
programs. These genes provide for physical mechanisms and behaviors
that are deployed in life-threatening situations. 9
Survival = Growth Programs + Protection Programs
Protection behaviors do not provide growth, and visa-versa. Both
growth and protection behaviors require an energy expenditure on the
part of the organism. An individual's ability to grow and reproduce is
ultimately based upon the amount of energy available to support those
processes. However, their ability to protect themselves is also
dependent upon the same energy source.
Organisms engaging in protection behaviors utilize energy from their
reserves, leaving less energy for growth processes. Under extreme
environmental stress, protection demands may deplete the energy budget
to the extent that the organism dies from an inability to sustain
normal metabolic functions. In simple economics, survival is inversely
related to the need for protection. More protection equates to less
growth.

_Survival = Growth/Protection_

Growth behaviors are associated with the character of attraction.
Organisms are "attracted" toward elements of the environment that
support their life (e.g., food, water, air and mates). In contrast,
protective behaviors are most frequently associated with repulsion.
Protection responses to threatening stimuli are characterized by a
"posture" that reflects an avoidance reaction. Growth and protective
behaviors can readily be distinguished by observing the cell's
motility. Cells expressing growth move toward (attraction)
life-sustaining environmental stimuli. In contrast, cells expressing
protection move away from (repulsion) life-threatening stimuli. The
behavior of single-celled organisms appears "digital," they either
move toward positive (+) stimuli or away from negative (-) stimuli.

Recent studies on molecular control mechanisms support this "digital"
nature of regulating behavior. It has been recognized that cells
possess "gang" switches which collectively shunt growth pathways into
protection behaviors in response to environmental stress. 10,11,12
Growth and protection appear to be mutually exclusive behaviors in
single cells; a cell can not be in growth and protection at the same
time. Simply, a cell can not move forwards and backwards
simultaneously.
The dynamic interaction between environmental signals and
growth-protection genes evolved an "Innate Intelligence" which enabled
cells to "read" environmental signals and invoke appropriate survival
mechanisms. For the first three billion years of life, the Earth was
inhabited by unicellular organisms that survived by employing
individualized Innate Intelligence. Five hundred million years ago,
single cells came together forming "colonies," wherein cells could
collectively share awareness of their environment. More awareness
increases an organism's chance at survival.
The first communities were just "loose associations" of cells with all
individuals expressing the same functions. At any time, a single cell
could leave the colony, divide and start a new one on its own.
Original cell colonies contained as few as four and up to several
hundred participating cells. Multicellular communities necessitated a
language of communication, for survival depends upon organization and
coordination of community activities. In small groups of cells,
coordinating communications consisted of the first neurotransmitters,
as well as vibrational frequencies, that were freely exchanged among
the close knit cells.13
As communal intelligence mechanisms evolved, successful colonies could
support larger cell populations. A point came wherein colonies were so
physically large that it was inefficient for all cells to do the same
"work." Larger communities began to subdivide survival-related labors
among their population. This resulted in differentiation, a process
wherein cells began to express specialized functions such as skin,
bone, and nerve.
In physically large cell communities, most of the constituent cells
are not in direct contact with the environment. Out of necessity, a
subset of the cellular population became specialized in reading the
environment and relaying their "perceptions" to cells internalized
within the community. These information handling cells became the
organism's nervous system.
Today, individual cellular communities may be comprised of trillions
of cells. For example, human beings represent a social community of
from 50 to 70 trillion cellular citizens. Each human cell, like an
amoeba, is a free-living entity, possessing Innate Intelligence and
capable of appropriately responding to its "local" (i.e.,
tissue-specific) environment. Through the action of the nervous
system, each individual cell is also influenced by a much larger
environment, that experienced by the whole organism.9 Your liver cell
knows what's going on in your liver, but through the nervous system,
it also aware of what's going on in your job or in your relationships.

As illustrated here, the cell's receive environmental signals via the
central nervous system. In truth, the cell's receive a "perception" of
the environment as interpreted by the Educated brain.
Our nervous system tabulates approximately four billion environmental
signals per second. Its primary role is to "read" the environment and
make appropriate adjustments of growth and protection behaviors in
order to ensure survival. Memory systems evolved to facilitate
information handling by storing previously "learned" experiences.
Memories, which represent perceptions, are scored on the basis of
whether they support growth or require a protection response. In
chiropractic philosophy, these learned perceptions constitute the
Educated Intellect, which is by evolutionary design, a derivative of
the collective Innate Intelligence.
As described above, the switch between growth and protection behaviors
in unicellular organisms is "digital." An individual cell moves either
forward or backward. In organisms comprised of large numbers of cells,
environmental signals can elicit a graded, "analog" response, wherein
some cells are in growth and others are in protection.
The more relevant a stimulus is to the organism's survival, the more
polarized (either + or -) the resulting response. In humans, the
extremes of the two polarities might appropriately be described as
LOVE (+) and FEAR (-). Love fuels growth. In contrast, fear stunts
growth. In fact, someone can literally be "scared to death."

Perception of environmental threats suppress a cell's growth
activities and cause it to modify its cytoskeletal in adopting a
protection "posture." 9,14 Suppressing growth mechanisms conserves
valuable energy needed in exercising life-saving protection behaviors.
In humans, a similar systemic switch functions to shut down our growth
processes and prepares us for launching a protection response.15,16,17
This switching mechanism is represented by the
Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The brain's hypothalamus is
instrumental in perceiving and assessing environmental signals. The
perception of stress causes the hypothalamus to secrete
corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which in turn, activates certain
pituitary cells to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the
blood.
ACTH stimulates the adrenal gland to secrete adrenal hormones. These
hormones constitute a "master switch" that regulates the systems
growth-protection activity and routes vascular flow in preparation for
"fight or flight" reactions. Firstly, adrenal hormones shunt blood
from the viscera and redirect it toward the body's somatic tissues,
which adopts a protective posture. Reduced blood flow to the viscera,
by definition, implies a suppression of growth-related behaviors..
Secondly, adrenal hormones directly inhibit the action of the immune
system, the internal "protection" mechanism.18 The adrenal system's
function is to protect the body from threats it perceives in the
external environment. Adrenal suppression of the high budget immune
system makes more energy available to the somatic system.
Consequently, the more stress one experiences, the more susceptible
they will be to dis-ease.
Adrenal hormones also reroute brain blood flow by constricting
forebrain blood vessels and dilating hindbrain vessels. Fight or
flight situations are more successfully handled using
hindbrain-mediated reflex behaviors. Constriction of forebrain blood
flow suppresses "logic" or "executive reasoning," since slower
thinking responses ultimately jeopardize fight-flight reactions.19
Have you ever experienced a loss of intelligence in response to
adrenal-mediated "exam stress?"
Collectively, HPA stress suppresses visceral-mediated growth, inhibits
the immune system and stunts intelligence. The degree of expression of
these influences is directly related to the level of perceived stress.
The more stress, the less growth. The interference with growth due to
chronic stress leads to dis-ease, since the body is unable to
adequately maintain its metabolic vitality.
In conclusion, conventional allopathic medicine is now beginning to
realize that genetic expression, which influences the character of the
body, is under the control of the environment. However, the growth or
protection posture of an individual's tissues and organs is mediated
by the nervous system's perception of its environment. Perceptions are
beliefs. Misperceptions can inappropriately increase or decrease
physiologic mechanisms and produce dis-ease. The role of perception
and mind is now becoming a point of focus in allopathic healthcare, as
they try to unravel the mysteries of the placebo effect and the role
of pyschosomatic stress.20
The power of perceptions or beliefs in promoting health or disease was
originally recognized by D. D. Palmer. In chiropractic, perceptions
constitute the Educated, and it is this Educated that so worries and
bothers Innate. He wrote, "The determining cause of disease are
traumatism, poison and auto-suggestion."1D Auto-suggestion (personal
beliefs, self-talk) produces "auto-traumatic action directed to any
organ or portion of the body, thereby modifying bodily functions,
exciting or relieving morbid conditions by mental processes
independently of external influence." 1E
When Educated perceives an environmental stress, it will signal the
requirement for a protection response. Protection behaviors, mediated
by the somatic nervous system will adjust the spine to provide a
defensive posture. Consider the relationship between a powerful
alpha-male dog and a dog of lesser rank. The latter will acquire a
protective submissive posture, lowered head and body, in order to
avoid inciting the wrath of the alpha-male. After holding this posture
for a long time (i.e., a chronic protection response), the dog's spine
will acquire obvious subluxations that would adversely impact its
health. A spinal adjustment would alleviate these subluxations.
However, if the dog returns to the same environment, it will continue
to perceive a need for a protection posture. Under such circumstances,
the dog's Educated mind will employ auto-suggestion mechanisms that
will return the spine to its subluxated condition. In addition to the
adjustment, the dog will need to either alter its environment or alter
its perceptions, in order to remain free of dis-ease.
As Palmer suggests, the chiropractor needs to seriously consider the
role of auto-suggestion in the healing process. While adjustments
alone can alleviate subluxations, problems generated by an erring
Educated, may require the need for "reeducation" as a means of
reversing dis-ease producing beliefs.
In 1907, chiropractors rejected D. D. Palmer's philosophy as being too
religious or metaphysical. In an effort to present themselves in a
more "scientific" light, the profession has been gradually moving
toward allopathic science for the last ninety years. Interestingly,
allopaths have now begun to realize Palmer's truths. If things
continue as they are, allopaths may soon be more "chiropractic" than
chiropractors!
References
1. Palmer, D. D., The Science, Art and Philosophy of Chiropractic 1910
Portland Printing House Co., Portland, OR, A) page 753, B) page 681,
C) page 97, D) pages 359 and 674, and E) page 360
2. Nijhout, H. F., "Metaphors and the Role of Genes in Development,"
BioEssays 12 (9):441-446, 1990.
3. Lipton, B. H., "The Evolving Science of Chiropractic Philosophy,"
Today's Chiropractic pp.16-19, Sept/Oct 1998
4. Graves, B. J., "Inner Workings of a Transcription Factor
Partnership," Science 279:1000-1002, 1998. (How proteins turn on
genes)
5. Unwin, N. and Henderson, R., "The Structure of Proteins in
Biological Membranes," Scientific American pp. 56-66, Oct. 1985.
6. Cornell, B. A., et al., "A Biosensor That uses Ion-Channel
Switches," Nature 387:580-584, 1997.
7. Pittenger, M. F., et al., "Multilineage potential of Adult Human
Mesenchymal Stem Cells," Science 284:143-147, 1999.
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Hematopoetic Fate Adopted by Adult Neural Stem Cells In Vivo," Science
283:534-537, 1999.
9. Lipton, B. H., Bensch, K. G., and Karasek, M., "Histamine-modulated
transdifferentiation of dermal microvascular endothelial cells,"
Experimental Cell Research 199:279-291, 1992.
10. Hannun, Y. A., "Functions of Ceramide in Coordinating Cellular
Responses to Stress," Science 274:1855-1859, 1996.
11. Hemmings, B. A., "Akt Signaling: Linking Membrane Events to Life
and Death Decisions," Science 275:628-630, 1997.
12. Raloff, J., "Sphinx of Fats," Science News 151:342-343, 1997
13. Tsong, T. Y., "Deciphering the Language of Cells," Trends in
Biochemical Sciences 14:89-92, 1989.
14. Lipton, B., Bensch, K. G., and Karasek, M., "Microvessel
endothelial cell transdifferentiation: Phenotypic characterization,"
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15. Leutwyler, K., "Don't Stress," Scientific American pp. 29-30, Jan.
1998.
16. Mlot, C., "Probing the Biology of Emotion," Science 280:1005-1007,
1998.
17. Sandman, C. A., et al., "Psychological Influences of Stress and
HPA Regulation on the Human Fetus and Infant Birth Outcomes," Annals
of the NY Acad. of Sciences 739:198-210, 1994.
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Connection," Science 275: 930-931, 1997. (Regulation of immune system
by stress)
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280:1711, 1998.
20. Brown, W. A., "The Placebo Effect," Scientific American pp. 90-95,
January 1998