Institute of HeartMath: You Can Change Your DNA

From You Can Change Your DNA:

Quote:

A Steady Diet of Quantum Nutrients "When we have negative emotions such as anger, anxiety and dislike or hate, or think negative thoughts such as ‘I hate my job,’ ‘I don’t like so and so’ or ‘Who does he think he is?’, we experience stress and our energy reserves are redirected," an article on IHM’s website explains. This causes a portion of our energy reserves, which otherwise would be put to work maintaining, repairing and regenerating our complex biological systems, to instead confront the stresses these negative thoughts and feelings create.

Apparently, "quantum" is another word for woo.

Quote:

Changing DNA Through Intention The power of intentional thoughts and emotions goes beyond theory at the Institute of HeartMath. In a study, researchers have tested this idea and proven its veracity. HeartMath researchers have gone so far as to show that physical aspects of DNA strands could be influenced by human intention. The article, Modulation of DNA Conformation by Heart-Focused Intention – McCraty, Atkinson, Tomasino, 2003 – describes experiments that achieved such results. For example, an individual holding three DNA samples was directed to generate heart coherence – a beneficial state of mental, emotional and physical balance and harmony – with the aid of a HeartMath technique that utilizes heart breathing and intentional positive emotions. The individual succeeded, as instructed, to intentionally and simultaniously unwind two of the DNA samples to different extents and leave the third unchanged. "The results provide experimental evidence to support the hypothesis that aspects of the DNA molecule can be altered through intentionality," the article states. "The data indicate that when individuals are in a heart-focused, loving state and in a more coherent mode of physiological functioning, they have a greater ability to alter the conformation of DNA. "Individuals capable of generating high ratios of heart coherence were able to alter DNA conformation according to their intention. … Control group participants showed low ratios of heart coherence and were unable to intentionally alter the conformation of DNA."

The (insufficient) description can be found in the article at http://www.heartmath.org/templates/ihm/downloads/pdf/research/publications/modulation-of-dna.pdf . Though the page talks about epigenetics, what the article seems to be claiming is, basically, that if you think really, really hard at DNA you can make it melt the strands of the helix apart or anneal them (as the case may be) and that this can even be done from a distance of half a mile.



This nonsense is worthy of the Randi Challenge because, no matter the non-sensical jargon, there's absolutely no plausible mechanism for this (assuming reasonable experimental design).



Zeuzzz would have loved this nonsense (I was going to change it to a different word that Penn & Teller seem to like but then I remembered about the autocensor so "nonsense" it shall remain). Too bad he got himself banned. I kind of liked him even though he had only a passing acquaintance with logic.

via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=265710&goto=newpost