Mountain View News May 2, 2026 
1010 
Mountain View News May 2, 2026 
1010 
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ALL THINGS by Jeff Brown 

BEYOND INHERITENCE: 

Our Ever Mutating Cell and a 
New Understanding of Health 

by Roxanne Kamsi 

A captivating exploration of the 
remarkable ways our DNA mutates 
over the course of our lives, with 
radical implications for the future of 
medicine 

Our DNA is the indispensable set 
of instructions that guides our 
growth and vitality. The common 
misconception is that this molecular 
blueprint stays the same throughout 
our lives. In reality, the genetic 
makeup of our cells is continuously 
mutating, from the moment we are 
conceived until our last breath. The 
hidden changes that amass in our 
genomes can have a huge influence 
on our health. 
In this groundbreaking book, science 
writer Roxanne Khamsi describes our bodies as active landscapes of mutation. 
She reveals how the forces of Darwinian evolution operate within our own tissues. 
The effects can be devastating, such as when mutant blood cells outcompete their 
normal counterparts and increase the risk of heart attacks. But mutations can also 
make our bodies more resilient: Liver cells with genetic changes seem to cope 
better with excess calories. And immune cells with remixed DNA can make more 
effective antibodies against the microbes that threaten us. 


By letting go of the antiquated idea that every cell in a body has the same exact 
DNA, we can usher in a whole new era of medicine, including better vaccines and 
treatments that outsmart cancer. Beyond Inheritance will open your eyes to the 
immense genetic diversity that exists within you and its incredible potential to 
shape your well-being. 

Roxanne Khamsi is an award-winning science journalist and a contributing 
writer at The Atlantic. She has reported extensively on the intersection of genetics 
and medicine for a wide range of publications, including Nature, Wired and The 
New York Times. Her work has been recognized for excellence by the American 
Medical Writers Association and Association of Health Care Journalists. 

This book can be ordered at Fables & Fancies Bookstore in Sierra Madre 6266658856 



Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 
professional who offers semi-private/virtual fit-
ness classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit. 
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness. 


FRIENDLY COMPETITION 

Most people hear the word competition and think pressure, winning, losing 
and keeping score. But there is another kind of competition that can help 
anyone become more active, more motivated and maybe even enjoy exercise 
a little more. It is called friendly competition. It is not about beating others. It 

is about being inspired by others. 

Friendly competition can be as simple as trying to walk a little farther than 
your friend, taking one more lap, doing one more minute, trying to catch 
the person ahead of you on a walking path, or seeing if you can climb the 
stairs without stopping this week when last week you needed a break. That is 
competition too, but not threatening. And it works. 

For years in fitness, I have watched people do things in a group they would 
never do alone. Someone in a class reaches a little farther, so the person next 
to them does too. One walker picks up the pace and suddenly others follow. 
A person who planned to quit after ten minutes stays for twenty because 
others are still moving. 

Something powerful happens. Effort rises, confidence grows and exercise 
becomes more engaging. Psychologists call this social facilitation — the 
tendency to do better when others bring out our best. 

Think about children on a playground. One child races to a tree and soon 
others are racing too. Nobody handed out medals. Nobody kept official 
times. But everyone moved more. Adults are not so different. 

One example is “pass the person ahead.” Maybe you are walking and spot someone fifty feet in front of you. You 
gently increase your pace and try to catch them. When you do, maybe you hold that pace a little longer. Without 
realizing it, you have pushed yourself. That small challenge made you stronger. 

Runners do this all the time, but walkers can do it, cyclists do it, swimmers do it and even people doing strength 
training do it. Can I do one more repetition? Can I hold this exercise five seconds longer? Can I improve just a 
little from last week? Friendly competition with yourself may be the best kind. 

I often tell people, do not compare yourself to someone else’s chapter twenty when you are on chapter two. 
Compete with your former self. Can you do a little more today than yesterday? If so that is progress. 

Friendly competition can also make exercise more fun, and fun matters. Many people quit fitness programs 
because exercise feels like discipline and no enjoyment. But when there is a challenge involved, even a tiny one, 
exercise can feel more like a game. Games keep people coming back. 

Use this idea in simple ways. Walk with a friend and see who notices they are slouching first and fixes posture. 
Count steps for a day and see if you can beat your number tomorrow. Challenge a spouse to who takes the most 
walking breaks. Try to beat your own time on a favorite walking route. None of these require being an athlete. 
They involve being human. 

There is another benefit. Friendly competition often helps people do more than they think they can. Many limits 
are mental before they are physical. When we stretch just a little because of a challenge, we sometimes discover 
we had more in the tank. That excitement creates momentum. It should inspire, not pressure. Push, not punish. If 
competition makes you tense or causes you to overdo it, dial it back. The goal is motivation, not misery. 

Maybe that is because humans seem wired to respond to challenge. Not giant challenge. Just enough challenge. 
A hill to climb. A pace to hold. A person ahead to catch. A personal best to beat. Sometimes fitness grows from 
those small moments. 

If you have never tried friendly competition, a community walk or fun run can be a gentle place to begin. You 
do not have to race. Just show up, move at your own pace and let the energy of others lift you. Many people start 
with a 1K or a 5K because it gives them a goal, a little excitement and a reason to train. That small challenge can 
become the beginning of a fitness habit. 

If you have been looking for a friendly place to test yourself, even just by walking, consider finding a local event 
near you. And if you need a suggestion, our KID-FIT Family Fun Run on May 16 at Legg Lake includes both a 1K 
and 5K and welcomes all ages and ability levels. 

Sometimes getting fitter begins not with a giant life change, but with one small challenge… and maybe one 
person ahead. 


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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com