“We are a molecular miracle,” he says. Carlos Lopez Otin, one of the scientists greater prestige and global impact in the study of cancer, aging and rare diseases. His research uncovered more than sixty new human genes and the analysis of its functions in normal and pathological processes. To give you an idea: in 2001, biologist Craig Venter counted on him to be part of the Human Genome Project, who succeeded, for the first time in history, in deciphering the human DNA; In 2009, he received the Santiago Ramón y Cajal National Research Prize; Also in 2009, he began co-directing the Spanish contribution to International Cancer Genome Consortium, where he deciphered the genomes of hundreds of cancer patients. He is a full academician of the European Academy and the Royal Academy of Sciences of Spain and holds honorary doctorates from several Spanish and foreign universities. His work has been cited over 70,000 times and we could go on and on. Now, this scientific genius – who I add is immensely humble – has just published the book The lightness of dragonfliesa wonderful scientific, philosophical, dreamlike reflection… through a journey through the history of medicineloaded with abundant literary, musical and artistic references. In it, based on a dragonfly he encounters, he reconsiders some classic ideas of medicine, health and their complexities, and shows how physical and mental problems are closely linked.
He, who knows a lot about health and diseases, explains to us that “human toxicity modifies the circadian rhythms and microbes. The reality is that most metabolic, inflammatory, autoimmune, cardiovascular, degenerative, and emotional diseases result largely from alterations in our genome’s ongoing conversation with the environment in which our lives develop. “Excessive, deficient or insufficient nutrition, the introduction of drastic or absurd changes in diet, lack of adequate physical exercise, loss of effectiveness of the immune system or even unbearable emotional wreckage can generate epigenetic alterations that , acting on a genetic background. of predisposition, manage to modify the expression patterns of the genes in our genome or to pervert their effective dialogue with the genomes of all the microorganisms that coexist with us. Thus, little by little, we lose the balance inherent to health and life.
Hearing him explain to us how somatic diseases affect biochemical pathways and produce, among other things, epigenetic alterations, a reduction in recycling strategies, the disappearance of hormesis and a decompensation of biological rhythms, makes us reconsider the need to a balance. We must live in silence, without murmurs of sadness, anguish, worry or anger, because inner harmony is the key to our health.
However, it is almost always us who, with our stressful lives, our aspirations, our aversions and our resentments, put ourselves on the path to illness. López Otín reveals to us the nine doors to avoid them as much as possible.
As he explains, throughout his life he often considered the idea of exploring the genetic keys that underlie sadness and melancholy associated with human creativity, but The lightness of dragonflies went much further. Supported by these “mythical, swift and wondrous creatures with an exceptional ability to observe the world through eyes formed by thousands of hexagonal structures that give them a complete panoramic view of the environment in which they live”, it faces the social problem that torments humanity: emotional disorders.
Today, around a billion people suffer from it. The effects of whisper of this sadness: numerous illnesses and a million human beings – including a significant number of adolescents – who decide to commit suicide each year.
This bad news is also good news: we are the architects of our health, we can improve our health.
In short, The lightness of dragonflies It’s a delicious health journey in itself. A journey through art, literature, unique places and people, including Julio Cortazar. Enjoyment.
