Deepak Chopra addressed a full house at the recent Global Wellness Summit (GWS) in Mexico City, exploring how conscious lifestyle decisions can have a huge impact on wellness.

Chopra believes in ‘Radical wellbeing’ and has a book out explaining the science, called Super Genes. He gave a signed copy to each delegate.

Chopra’s talk centred on self healing, and he explained how scientists used to believe that genes were fixed for life and that they “determine our biological destiny.”

However, said Chopra, the sequencing of the human genome has taught us that genes change in response to everything we think and do, every second of the day.

This extends from exercising to sleeping, to the pollution we’re exposed to and from our stress levels to what we eat and drink.

“The human body is far more capable of healing and renewal than anyone ever previously suspected,” he told delegates.”

This new science is opening up huge opportunities for everyone involved with healthy living interventions, including the spa and wellness industry and everything from wellness real estate to clean air systems. Chopra said we should think of our epigenome as a light switch, saying: “With the right lifestyle changes, you can turn off the harmful genes and switch on the good ones.” In some cases these changes can even be passed on to up to seven subsequent generations.

He said five per cent of illness was genetic and required allopathic interventions, but that most other disease was lifestyle-related and avoidable and that the spa and wellness industry has a huge part to play in helping people make the changes needed to achieve optimum health.

Although still in its infancy, the study of epigenetics is already yielding vital information about the future of health, as well as changing priorities for individuals, health providers and spas and placing a greater emphasis on prevention.