General News
20 April, 2025
Call the Doctor: Life's changes
One of the best parts of working in health is appreciating the wonder that is life.
Perhaps the most striking and important feature of us is our ability to change.
This is what this column is about.
Biology, or said otherwise 'life', is undeniably magnificent.
This is true for all creations; from the tiniest entities such as bacteria or viruses to nature's most complex and glorious beings: humans.
More remarkable still is how similar all life is.
All life shares the same fundamental makeup, with DNA as our common blueprint.
It may not come as a surprise to read that the molecular building blocks of all organic matter on planet Earth came to us on meteorites, namely squalene (from which cell walls, fungus, cholesterol and hormones are derived) and amino acids (from which DNA, proteins and vitamins stem).
In fact, outside of these two materials, we are otherwise bone (calcium and phosphate), water and a few heavy metals.
Perhaps in a later column I will describe porphyrin, the molecule responsible for biological colour, photosynthesis, chemical metabolism and oxygenation and its mysterious connection to royalty, vampires, werewolves and purple urine.
But for now I wish to inspire hope by reminding us that we change.
Some of my patients may recall me telling them one of my pithy epitaphs: “The greatest lie the devil ever told is you cannot teach an old dog new tricks”.
Humans perhaps existentially crave stability, or maybe it's that truly accepting that we have been blessed with the power to change ourselves is too much to bear.
It's a common and sad occurrence when I hear patients say “that's just the way I am” – sad because they're wrong and are usually holding themselves back from becoming healthier.
The ability to change remains with us always.
Everything in biology is always adapting and moulding itself to the circumstances and environment it is operating within.
This is the very nature of life.
We are all aware that when we use muscle it grows; when we don’t it withers.
The same is true for our ligaments, bones, nervous tissue, brains, thinking, emotions, temperature regulation, blood vessels, hormones, motivation, compassion, forgiveness etc.
Our bones are like the limbs of a living tree: if one were to wrap wire around their arm and apply persistent pressure, the bone would bend and shape accordingly.
Neurologists focusing on what is called neuroplasticity have been able to cure treatment-resistant epilepsy and clinical psychopathology using computer games.
Blood vessels will grow around blockages.
The nerve connecting the brain to the heart widens if you spend time feeling your heartbeat.
Unhelpful psychological changes from traumatic experiences are undone with good therapy.
Change is not an option, it is a constant.
If you accept this and take control of the conditions into which your being is changing, you can fashion yourself as you please.