Why Not One More? 500 Words – Day 036 – Why Not One More? -902-
“Why not one more?” the atheist will say. We no longer believe in the countless gods and supernatural beings that mankind has previously believed in at various times throughout history to explain natural phenomena, yet one True God must remain?
Throughout history, various cultures have personified natural phenomena as gods, goddesses, and demons. Though these entities are no longer in vogue, they illustrate how previous generations personified natural elements and unseen phenomena to explain and relate to the world and universe around them.
Whatever happened to Sol, the Roman sun god? An important belief to explain the cycle of day and night, agriculture, and life.
Another example of this is demonology, which, for the most part, is no longer in vogue as it has been supplanted by the term virus. Yet, they both function the same way in that they both need an organic host to function. Ironically, today’s virus is still something that has yet to be viewed by the human eye. It is simply an updated term to describe the same phenomena.
Whatever happened to the Greek god Zeus? Zeus, the god of sky, thunder, and lightning associated with natural phenomena such as storms.
Some might argue that we can see them with an electron microscope, and that is the common belief. However, the term virus and people’s belief in it go back many hundreds of years before German scientists Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll invented the first electron microscope in 1931.
How could it then be that we knew about something long before the invention of the device necessary to supposedly view them or even verify their existence? Because it was simply an assumption that they MUST exist, otherwise how can we explain supposed viral activity in a world where we no longer believe that demons infect a host cell.
Whatever happened to the Norse god Thor? He was the god of thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, and the protection of mankind.
You see, mankind has always invoked the supernatural to explain the unseen natural, and we still do it today. Today’s virology is no different from yesterday’s demonology, yet no one doubts the existence of viruses.
As long as there are questions we cannot answer and phenomena we can not look upon and say, “Aha! There it is. There is the answer,” we will continue to use terms in an anthropomorphic manner as placeholders for our unfathomable beliefs.
Rewritten in a more poetic form with the help of ChatGPT
Why Not One More?
“Why not one more?” says the atheist, with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. We’ve cast off the multitude of gods and supernatural beings that once populated our ancestors’ world, each explaining the inexplicable in their own whimsical way. Yet, here we stand, clinging to the notion of one True God as if it were a life raft in a sea of disbelief. Why not one more?
Throughout the annals of history, humanity has dressed up the forces of nature in costumes of gods, goddesses, and demons. These divine actors have exited stage left, but they remind us of how our forebears tried to make sense of the world’s grand theater. Take Sol, the Roman sun god, for instance. Once upon a time, Sol was the grand puppeteer of day and night, the overseer of crops and life itself. But where is Sol now? Relegated to the dusty pages of myth. Why not one more?
Consider demonology, that erstwhile science of devils and imps, which has now been replaced by the term virus. Ah, yes, the virus—today’s invisible menace, lurking in the shadows, needing a host just like those old demons did. The irony is rich, for a virus, like a demon, cannot be seen with the naked eye. It’s merely a modern name for an ancient mystery.
And what of Zeus, the mighty Greek god of sky, thunder, and lightning? Zeus who hurled bolts from Olympus and caused storms to rage. Zeus, who explained the tempestuous tantrums of nature. And yet, Zeus too has faded into legend. Why not one more?
Some clever fellow might argue that we can see viruses with an electron microscope, a marvel of science. But hold on—didn’t the term virus exist long before Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll concocted their marvelous contraption in 1931? How, pray tell, did we know of these tiny invaders long before we had the means to spy on them? It was pure assumption based on speculation, a leap of faith in the unseen, much like the belief in demons of old.
And let’s not forget Thor, the Norse god of thunder, lightning, and oak trees, protector of mankind. Thor, with his mighty hammer, once explained the booming thunder and flashing lightning that spooked our ancestors. Why not one more?
You see, dear reader, mankind has always woven tales of the supernatural to cloak the mysteries of the natural world. Even today, with our talk of viruses, we are no different from those ancient storytellers. We dress up our ignorance in the garb of science, yet the essence remains the same. As long as there are questions without answers and phenomena that elude our gaze, we will continue to anthropomorphize, name the nameless, and believe in the unseen.
In the end, we are but players on the same old stage, reciting new lines but telling the same old story and so again, I ask, why not one more?
500 Words – Day 035 – Can Our Skin Sin? -377-
Apparently so. Ever heard of Hamartoma?
A little context. The term hamartia derives from the Greek ἁμαρτία(hamartia), which means “to miss the mark” or “to err.”
Hamartia is also used in Christian theology because of its use in the Septuagint and the New Testament. The Hebrew (chatá) and its Greek equivalent (àµaρtίa/hamartia) both mean “missing the mark” or “off the mark.” There are several nuanced theological meanings, but the one that strikes me the most is the idea of a weakness of the flesh. And this reminded me of a question in the Bible that the disciples asked Jesus.
John 9:1-2 “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Now I’m not here to discuss the validity of the Bible, but clearly, this idea was common in the first century. This idea wasn’t just pulled out of thin air.
This brings me to my current studies on skin disorders within the context of human physiology and disease pathology and the term ‘Hamartoma.’ An error in the normal physiology of human soft tissues or flesh.
Hamartomas, while generally benign, can cause problems due to their location. For example, when located on the skin, especially on the face or neck, they can be very disfiguring. Cases have been reported of hamartomas the size of a small orange. They may obstruct practically any organ in the body, such as the colon, EYE, etc. They are particularly likely to cause major health issues when located in the hypothalamus, kidneys, lips, or spleen.
So again, “Who sinned(missed the mark),” this man or his parents?”
Was this an ancient way of asking if a malady was genetic or hereditary? The main difference between these two terms lies in the fact that hereditary diseases have the potential to be carried from one generation to another, whereas a genetic disease can either be hereditary or not, but there will always be a mutational change in the genome.
This takes personal responsibility to a whole new level. Clearly, poor lifestyle and diet choices like smoking, drugs, and drinking can affect a child in the womb.
What about Twinkies, Coffee, and Taco Bell?
500 Words – Day 034 – What Are Stem Cells? -568-
In 2006, Nobel Prize winners, Kazutoshi Takahashi and Shinya Yamanak, turned the world upside down when they found that skin cells could be reprogrammed and become ‘induced’ pluripotent stem cells. Somatic stem cells are undifferentiated. They are cells found throughout the body that are ready to go at any time. If a name were needed you could call them, “Johnny on the Spot.” They are always ready to be called into service in whatever way the body needs. One purpose they serve is that they replenish any of our senescent(old) cells that have reached the end of their useful life.
Stem cells are located in various locations throughout the body but multiply more readily in the protected environment of our bones marrow, our brain, and our gut. Our three innermost parts. Research shows that stem cells thrive in certain environments and the loss of their power of division and growth occurs when the environment is not favorable. What follows is how stem cells grow and thrive due to several internal and external influences.
1. Caloric Restriction Increases Stem Cell Proliferation
Studies have shown that the number of circulating stem cells in the blood increases with caloric restriction. Additionally, the lifespan of the organs is lengthened. Intermittent fasting or a fasting-mimicking diet is a good way to induce stem cell production and increase the overall functionality of cells. It is these stem cells that are the building materials for our temple.
Chronic inflammation and metabolic problems occur when too many building materials end up in our systems. Studies show that reducing glucose input increases stem cell longevity.
Plain and simple reducing circulating glucose is precisely what the body needs to optimally produce quality stem cells. Foods that are processed or concentrated in any way outside of the body are the biggest culprit.
2. Reduce Triglycerides
The most common causes of high triglycerides are obesity and poorly controlled diabetes. People with high triglycerides are more likely to gain weight, resulting in metabolic syndrome. Additionally, stem cells don’t grow as well in bodies that have high triglycerides.
Some might suggest taking MORE high-quality omega-3 fatty acids to balance out triglycerides and help stem cell growth. I would suggest removing the offending source of the increase returning the body to balance and homeostasis rather than just putting in MORE. Both can be done, but one option is free and I have reservations with the other in that excess is not always better. That doesn’t mean though that there isn’t a place and time where some wisely administered supplements could result in a beneficial end towards whole-body homeostasis.
3. Exercise Boosts Stem Cell Activity
Using our body’s systems results in the proliferation of stem cells by simple means of use. One out, one in. Burn out one stem cell so that the newest one in line can brightly shine. Aerobic exercise in particular aids in this process especially when it comes to stem cells becoming bone instead of fat. When used our muscles activate stem cells as well. These are called mesenchymal stem cells and they are activated by exercise being made available to form new muscle and bone. I would always advise exercising caution in how you go about incorporating any new kind of exercise program. Especially if there are free weights and machines since they end up producing a bit more stress on the overall human creature.
Scribe(author) – Michael J. Loomis | Editor at Chew Digest
500 Words – Day 033 – Reflections on Restoration and Recovery -883 Words-
Death and life are two factors in the same equation. Two sides of the same coin if you will. Disease is not something that happens to us. We are not victims of diseases. We are an organic lifeform that can end up in a state of disease if all of the right environmental conditions are met, combined with long spans of time. As an organic lifeform, perfect health could or should be described as a complete state of ease where everything is systemically working in harmony as designed, completely free of resistance or hindrance.
I prefer to look at life as a spectrum. I do not see death as something that is in front of us but as something that is behind us. The only thing that is truly dead is the time that we spent whether well or poorly spent. We were born into this current existence as sentient lifeforms that will eventually transition away from this current phase of life on Earth. What lay before us is hope and potential. A potential life marked by ease on one end and a life filled with dis-ease on the other end of the spectrum. Pain is my body telling me that I am doing something wrong; suffering results from me not listening to that pain. I’ve learned my lesson, and I am ready to get on with my life.
As I drive around the streets of Los Angeles, I daily see people who likely don’t know that their body is aging much faster than necessary. And some people are just falling apart. I used to be that guy.
June 1, 2022, marks six years since I began a journey of recovery that would be something more than a voyage of grand discovery. On that day, I started my journey toward sober-minded decision-making, which helped me realize that something bigger than me was in charge of what was going on and that my plans were the problem. I had failed some of those around me, but even more so, I had failed my own body, and now it seemed to be failing me. But maybe it wasn’t. Perhaps it was just crying out in pain for some desperately needed attention.
Yet, in my ignorance, my body saw fit to teach me that there is nothing that I can do to improve its functionality. My body already knew the program that I was about to learn. And that if I want it to perform optimally, I need do nothing more than get out of its way, stop interfering, and let it teach me in its ancient ways.
Everything about my body demonstrates less evidence of age, week after week. Day after day, my body confirms that I am continually moving in the right direction. And I can’t imagine that this would continue to happen if I were mistaken. I know that I am unique, as all of us are, but I don’t believe I have any special abilities that every one of you doesn’t also have.
The spontaneous healing of cancer is a phenomenon that can be observed and has been for hundreds and thousands of years. After being the subject of many controversies, it has been accepted as an indisputable fact. Our body can spontaneously heal itself from many stages of disease if it has the right amount and kind of resources, the energy to do the work, and ALL the hydration needed to accomplish the task. And if my body can spontaneously heal from all manner of disease, then I can’t imagine why it shouldn’t be able to recover from any disease state of a lesser nature.
I am a first-hand witness to this in my own life. Provide the body with the proper conditions, nutrients, and sufficient hydration, and it knows nothing other than to find homeostasis and heal whatever keeps you from enjoying a life of ease rather than disease. Just look around at the rest of nature. It does not argue, fuss, or fight. It simply goes with the flow submitting completely to the greater intellect that is creation itself. Nature is never confused and even if we think we can go against nature and its infinitely wise ways we are simply missing the bigger picture. There is no going against nature without removing ourselves from nature which is an impossible feat regardless of courage, skill, or strength. There is no going against nature because even that is part of nature too. You’ll just end up battered, torn, and beaten and nature will still have its way. Our body is nature.
These days I am very fortunate to be looking at a bright future thanks to the human body’s ability to heal itself from the metabolic nightmare I put it through. Alcohol was just the first excess that had to go. Little did I know just how far my body could recover. I have a feeling the life of this body is needed somewhere far off in the future. But for what I don’t yet know?
Biologically, I am a strict determinist. And if there is one thing I see everywhere in nature, it is that biology does not waste energy where there is no potential for the growth of healthy life.
Where is this body taking me? Only time will tell.
RECAST…
In the poetic tapestry of life and death, both elements waltz as twin flames in the theatre of existence. Like dual faces of a single cosmic coin, they teach us of our own fragility and strength. It’s not disease that targets us, as if some cruel game. No, we are but creatures of flesh and bone, and like any living canvas, we might find ourselves marred with time and circumstance.
To me, life doesn’t arc towards death; rather, it flows from it. What’s truly lifeless is not our future but the moments already passed, the echoes of laughter and tears, choices well or ill-made. We emerge from the void, destined to embrace another cosmic journey once we shed this mortal coil. What lies ahead isn’t the gloom of an ending but the brilliance of possibility, a spectrum that spans the blissful serenity of life and the torments of imbalance.
My body, a complex machinery, often signals its needs and discomforts, imploring for care. Yet, sometimes, the soul’s deafness is its own curse. I had to learn, often the hard way, to heed these cries.
Driving through Los Angeles, I am oftentimes haunted by the souls I witness — souls tethered to bodies that seem to age before their time, reflections of the choices they’ve made. I saw myself in them once, a shadow of the man I could be.
More than half a decade ago, the calendar etched a pivotal date. It was the dawn of my personal renaissance, a choice to be sober in thought and action. I recognized the universe’s dance, realizing the chaos was often of my own making. My body bore the scars of my ignorance, yet it remained patient, whispering ancient pearls of wisdom. It wasn’t about conjuring miracles but simply ceasing my interference, allowing nature’s grand design to unveil.
Week by week, as I watched my reflection transform, it was as if time played tricks. My body’s resilience was not a testament to any unique prowess but a universal gift lying dormant in all of us. History is replete with tales of miraculous recoveries, bodies reclaiming their vitality against all odds. If nature could recalibrate itself, why couldn’t the vessel I inhabit?
My journey led me to respect my body’s innate wisdom, to treat it not as a machine but as a living, breathing extension of the universe. Nature doesn’t resist or defy; it gracefully bends, embracing the rhythms set by cosmic laws. Any attempt to defy this dance is but hubris. We are but threads in nature’s vast tapestry.
Today, as I stand at the crossroads of past choices and future possibilities, I am grateful to the miracles of biology. Nature doesn’t indulge in vanity; it invests only where there’s promise. I often wonder where this vessel will lead me next and what destinies lie uncharted.
In the grand ballet of life, if there’s one truth I’ve discerned, it’s that life always seeks growth, expansion, and evolution. And as for where destiny might carry me? That remains a mystery penned by the stars.
500 Words – Day 032 – A Boulder Lifted -1428-
Could my body create a problem big enough that it couldn’t fix it? I am going to suggest the answer is no. Our body doesn’t have the ability to kill itself. Its imperatives are too divine. That would be against its own will and nature.
Or better yet can I even know enough about reality to make the above statement with any surety other than my own self-inflated sense of authority? Maybe not in so much as my knowledge is subject to my own limitations. Yikes. Here we go
The creation that I exist in is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in its being, wisdom, and power. It is all-sufficient, incomprehensible in its fullness, everywhere in its presence and it is a recording of all things.
The creation that I know exists in and of itself and from itself and is in no way dependent on us for its existence. My creation is not served by me, on the contrary, I am served by it.
The creation that I find in my existence is not unique to me but a stream that is constantly flowing in only one direction without variance. Death is the past, the finite time we call life spent whether productive or not, our most valuable asset, time that cannot be recovered because it is past. That is the realm of death. Now, this present existence, is what is flowing through the river of life, the space-time continuum, what we call our experience is one reason why we are here. To observe and to write it down for future generations to look upon to better understand their present life. Our future is hope. Hope is all we have to look forward to because we cannot do anything about it any more than we can change the past. Of course, we can make plans and even try and execute them, but there is no way of knowing if we will succeed. And hope, if well exercised, allows us the benefits of a sort of salve for the bruises we currently receive and experience as we feel our way, with limited vision, around in this world as we move onward and upward.
As far as I can tell it is futile to even imagine a beginning or an end. I don’t have a light bright enough to shine that far back in time to see what a beginning would look like anyways. My history does not begin and end with me, that is the realm of my creator and its creation. It is the beginning and end; I am just along for the ride and the water is nice in this river of water of life.
If I want to know what is the purpose of this creation of mine I need to look no further than the creation around me. Its purpose and function are everywhere; it knows no different. Our creation, its purpose is life, and life more abundant as each opportunity presents itself. If there is any lack of goodness or purpose in the creation around me it is because I or one like me has interfered in the course of nature; the stream of life(all things).
Purpose, symmetry, and asymmetry…Balance.
Apparently, my creator is also very merciful; compassionate in every way imaginable knowing the unusual amount of distress I once embodied as a creation; even to the ignoring of the continual and even willful missing of the mark. That mark and standard being life, in and of itself.
In its infinite wisdom, my creator placed within its creation provision for the inevitability that marks would be missed and messes well made would need to be cleaned up. Not only is my creator compassionate enough to fix my problems but had enough forethought to plan on them.
The creation I enjoy supplies all of my needs even if I don’t understand that some of what I think I need is not as much of a need, but a desire, or something that possesses me; a possession, which is most likely a liability. It is only when I strip away that which possesses me, that I, with sober-minded clarity, see that my needs are very small and always met, it’s just that I have become gluttonous in my creator’s abundance rather than my own understanding.
This creation is one that does not, by nature, cause distress, but that does not mean that I or one like me within creation cannot, or does not, foment that which is distressing. I know…I am a drama-sapien. It is how, in my own head, I add meaning to my existence. If by chance that added meaning, narrative, or for better lack of a term, drama spills out into the creation around me, somehow mercy was there waiting for me too, with a smile; mop in hand.
This garden I know(my body); is planted within creation, crafted by my creator who is clearly slow to anger. Forgiving of inequity and iniquity alike to maintain a creation free from hindrance always working all things back to the center. Ultimately ready to forgive me for both and more.
The lusts and overindulgences I exhibit in this creation are independent of the creator’s explicit creative act and are inconsistent with my creator’s will(direction/flow). My indiscretions are only eggs on my face and in no way a reflection of my creator.
The creator is not difficult to understand, separated from its creation standing by with disinterest; far from it. And if I ever for a moment begin to think that the river of water of life I find myself in is going to stop, reverse, and flow the other way I should just slap myself. That’s just silly. My creator seems to only know ONE WAY—>
My creation does not and cannot suffer. It only knows life and conservation thereof even through death. My creator is without body, parts, or passions. Without emotion, whether grief, pain, or sorrow; knowing only stability and steadiness of course through its action.
I imagine my creator is nothing I could or should even begin to wrap an image around. So far every god I’ve seen fashioned seems to look an awful lot like the creature rather than the creation. That and I might not like what I see if I actually were able to observe it.
And even if I were able to observe such a creator I imagine it would simply invoke more questions than answers in that the answers were likely never intended to be found, much less searched out.
There is no limit to creation, my creator, or its creative powers. Yet I am limited by what I call time. Limited to such a small sliver of my creators existence that it appears immovable; like a rock. Like a statue frozen in time. Like a man with a swatter, chasing after a fly, wrenching out one grand gesture after another while that fly, from its perspective, is making an epic voyage, like Christopher Columbus, across the vast Sea of Kitchen. I imagine we look much like the Statue of Liberty to that annoying imp of a buzzard.
The power and wisdom of our creator are everywhere all at once in balance whether we see all that is being held in balance; homeostasis.
The power of our creator and creation is a life-giving force that flows from one source; our innermost being and it is simpler than we can imagine because it is precisely the fruit and excesses of our imagination that obscures our access to this creative life-giving force within.
That which is called god for better lack of language is always making provision, continually creating for our future, providing for us everything we need even in our ignorance; gross, slight, or acute. Nature doesn’t just rain on individuals but upon us all, even though it might occasionally seem so as it can appear as though the sun doth smile upon us uniquely at times. That is the joy of creation always working towards the center towards balance and homeostasis.
My creator is always right and good and just; factors of which I have no bearing. A unity in the simplicity of its parts that begins with one that becomes everything else fulfilling all creation as intended from a grand illusion we see as a beginning. We couldn’t create a god if we tried because everything that already exists is god in essence and it is I, the hearty fool to think he can improve on perfection.
It was in me all along…
-Michael J. Loomis
500 Words – Day 031 – Illustration: Circulatory and Lymphatic System
Every once in a while I find a medical illustration that does a really good job visually explaining how something works. This is one of them. Occasionally they inspire me; motivating me to study far beyond my original search for answers.
With this one there are a lot of potential learning and teaching points whether the author or artist intended any additional meaning or potential in their efforts.
I like this one…8). I’ve been intimately aware of my circulatory system as long as I’ve heard my heartbeat. But I didn’t really understand the significance of that extra green part. The lymphatic system. Of course, I had heard of it, but I didn’t fully understand the significance of it and its proper functionality for my well-being. That is until my body decided to teach me a more excellent way of taking care of business. Handling cellular life…8). More on that later.
An adult circulatory system, arteries, and veins, transport about 6,000-7,500 liters or 1,500-2,000 gallons of plasma and its companions, red and white blood cells around the body daily.
The lymphatic system helps maintain fluid balance. It returns excess tissue fluid or blood plasma(same thing; different place) along with proteins from our soft tissues that cannot be returned through the blood vessels.
Blood Plasma = Tissue Fluid = Lymphatic Fluid
The tissue fluid is found in the tissue spaces and cavities, in the tiny spaces surrounding cells, known as the interstitial spaces, which are reached by the smallest blood and lymph capillaries.
Around 90 percent of the plasma that reaches our soft tissues from the arteries and arterial capillaries spills out into our soft tissues. The rest is passed through the veinous side of the capillary beds which then makes its way back to the veins to continue its journey back to the heart. The remaining 10 percent remains in the soft tissues in our interstitium and eventually makes its way back into general circulation through the lymphatic system along with any cellular debris.
Each day, around 2-3 liters find their way back into general circulation via the lymphatic system when it is functioning optimally. This fluid includes waste proteins that are too large to be transported via the blood vessels. As that process is taking place these proteins are continually denatured along the way until they reenter general circulation at the end of their journey just above our heart where it begins the journey all over again.
If this system were to completely fail to function properly the toxic burden on our bodies would be too great and we would die within a day. Without this third leg of our circulatory system draining its fluids excess waste or cellular debris, our soft tissues would swell. Blood volume would also decrease because that fluid is our blood plasma, just outside the arteries and veins and blood pressure would increase until the skin, kidneys, liver, and lungs become overburdened resulting in eventual and possibly acute failure.
500 Words – Day 030 – Magic Meatballs? -533-
One of my favorite teachers, researchers, scientists, and authors, Valter Longo, author of the book, The Longevity Diet has observed that a vegan diet is the best way to get to a healthy 65 years of age. However, he has also observed that there are diminishing returns on that vegan diet and overall mortality beyond the age of 65. His answer is to incorporate a small piece of fish once a week for greater longevity and overall mortality.
Personally, I am not satisfied with this answer. I want to know why.
On the surface, this seems counterintuitive to me because there is nothing magic about eating meat. Nothing special is found in eating meat that cannot be obtained from plant-based sources. True, we cannot get animal-based collagen from plant sources, but animal-based collagen is not a necessary nutrient. Our body makes its own collagen when provided with sufficient amino acids and other nutrients, like copper, zinc, and vitamin C. All things found in plant-based foods.
So what is it that happens at age 65 that would make meat confer greater overall mortality to an aging population? I am thinking that it has more to do with the production of stem cells and an elevated white blood cell count associated with eating cooked foods referred to as digestive leukocytosis. This occurs when any foods, plant or animal-based enter the body that has been cooked. Eating cooked or overheated foods result in an increase in leukocyte production similar to what we see when the body has suffered an injury or some form of infection. Eating raw foods does not have this effect.
Some people, especially raw vegans, and fruitarians might feel that this justifies a completely uncooked diet, however, that is a conclusion that is not really justified in that the solution is to simply eat a diet of both cooked and raw. Dr. Paul Kouchakoff demonstrated all this in two papers he published back in the 1930s. However, most people only read his first paper on the topic published in 1930 that points out that digestive leukocytosis happens when foods are overcooked. It is his second paper published in 1937 that is only available in French that further explains that eating cooked foods isn’t a problem if one also eats even a small amount, some 10%, of the same foods uncooked. But alas, most people only read the first paper that had been published in English while ignoring the second one that was published later, available only in French.
This leads me to suspect that the answer can be found in a process called hormesis, whereby our body’s immune system is upregulated. That a diet that incorporates certain kinds of cooked foods into our diet to trigger an increased amount of neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes that then go out into the body resulting in a greater level of regeneration. A cleansing effect if you will. Maybe this is why soups have been loved by many as not only comfort food, but one that makes them feel better when they are suffering the effects of the common cold.
I figure I have another 15 years until I see age 65. I imagine that will be long enough to resolve these questions.
500 Words – Day 029 – Why Cancer? And What is it? -577-
So why do we end up sitting in a doctor’s office with a cancer diagnosis?
First and foremost, we end up there because we know something is wrong. That message is simple and what is unfortunate is that most people don’t realize that our body has likely been telling us that there is something wrong for a long time, but we have missed those messages. Our body has spoken to us in such a manner that is so loud and clear that there is little chance that we cannot respond by any other means than approaching someone, a doctor, that can help us interpret what our body is trying to tell us.
How do we miss those messages?
We don’t know that our body is speaking to us much of the time. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I don’t ever remember being taught or reading about how to interpret so-called body talk if that term can be applied here. Yet, after my run-in with an advanced state of dis-ease, I can now look back and see how many red flags(messages) I either missed or ignored with the help of pain medications or simple will.
In my own life, I imagine the alcohol I regularly consumed day after day helped me miss the messages that my body would have been otherwise able to communicate to me with clarity. The fatigue, headaches, and hangover feelings I associated with the drinking itself were likely my body trying to share with me the reality of what was going on beneath the surface. And what about all of the bottles of over-the-counter remedies consumed over a lifetime? Those too are not to blame but complicit in the dulling of our ability to understand that our body is likely continually communicating with us that something is not correct.
And what exactly is cancer as an entity within the body of the person, or any animal that it inhabits?
As I understand cancer, it is the endpoint of a body running out of balance for some time. Cancer does not simply creep up on anyone. It is like a tree that finally comes to its place in life where it can begin bearing fully ripe fruit of its growth and labor. Disease can be understood as a process that has many distinct states or stages along the way before it is finally diagnosed as cancer. Some would suggest that cancer is still within the intelligent control of the individual’s body, but I am not so sure that this is the case. My opinion is that it is a process that had its origins with the control of the immune system, but at some point broke free from its intelligent control mechanisms and has become an independent process that our immune system fights against like a foreign invader.
Is it productive or destructive?
This is a great question and still debatable in my mind. In one sense, it can be productive if it has not gone so far afield that the body can no longer keep it in check. However, it is always destructive because if left unchecked, it will likely be the last immune battle that a body fights before the ghost leaves the machine.
Ultimately, suppose someone diagnosed with cancer will resist a shortened span of life resulting from cancer. In that case, they will have to make a lot of changes in their lives and work towards a possible resolution.
500 Words – Day 028 – The Virtue of Thinking Virtually -717-
Which came first, the physical computer or the virtual computer?
A holon (Greek: ὅλον, from ὅλος, holos, ‘whole’ and -ον, -on, ‘part’) is something that is simultaneously a whole in and of itself, as well as a part of a larger whole. In other words, holons can be understood as the constituent part–wholes of a hierarchy. -wikipedia
I look at the internet and all of the infrastructure that makes it all happen. And what I see is a virtual world that is based on the physical world that we live in. That is, we have virtualized much of our lives to free up time to do things we were too busy for before just to survive. This should mean that we should be able to look at something like Google in its totality and make predictions about certain unseen things in our natural/physical world.
Which led me to another question now that we have virtual computers. Did we ever need physical computers in the first place?
The simple answer is yes. And it seems reasonable to conclude that we needed the physical thing by which to model the virtual thing. And ultimately there does need to be a physical machine layer as a foundation beneath virtual machines. However, virtual machines are just software and a virtual computer can run within a virtual machine.
I know, I know…Couldn’t it be virtual machines all the way down?
A virtual computer is an emulation of a computer system. Virtual machines are based on computer architectures that provide the functionality of a physical computer. They provide a substitute for a real machine. They provide the functionality needed to execute entire operating systems without the need for additional hardware.
All that to say…I think that there is a lot more going on in the physical world than we are aware of. I think this way because of the model we have created that we call the internet and all of its physical and virtual infrastructure.
This brings me to another question…
Is there such thing as a ruling class? An elite society of people that might be metaphorically considered the owners of the farm we live on.
Though I cannot point my finger at one or name the names of what would functionally be a governing body of sorts, I do believe there is justification for believing in one. Here is my thinking.
Ever heard of Docker containers and Kubernetes?
Basically, cloud computing and container orchestration, at least in my opinion demonstrate to me that there is a governing body above all the nations on this thing we call Earth, even if it is not in the form of human creatures.
In my opinion, when we look at our computers/smartphones we are looking at the surface of that example. Kind of. At least it is representative of existence as we know it, even if it is only one visible factor of many; some unseen but just as real.
In this scenario, we are the programs that run on the hardware we call computers. To the programs running on that hardware computer, that physical box is its universe. Now let’s put a whole bunch of these hardware computers into the cloud.
Back in the day, this was called grid computing. It was rooms filled with physical servers that were all self-contained containers each filled with many resources that were being completely underutilized. Now if there were only some way to pool all of these resources into one large bucket or container. And the cloud was born.
And so now, based upon resources needed that grid or cloud of machines can virtually, like literally virtually become hundreds of virtual computers utilizing only the resources they need at any given time. The leftover resources remain usable in the cloud. And each of these virtual computers is now called a container. They serve our favorite applications.
But how is all of this controlled? Layers upon layers of ones and zeroes.
From the perspective of the containers(states/nations) that serve the programs/applications(people), there is an orchestration that takes place. An orchestration(Kubernetes) that the applications are completely oblivious to, yet completely necessary for the form and function of that application. Kubernetes(conductor) is the chief god that orchestrates and serves the lesser god Docker(container) who in turn serves the people(application).
500 Words – Day 027 – Leukocytic Lifesavers & Endocytosis, Phagocytosis, and Pinocytosis -720-
What is a leukocyte? A Leukocyte is a colorless cell that circulates throughout our vascular system and other bodily fluids that are custom built by the human body uniquely for each human to act against invaders, both foreign and domestic. We oftentimes simply refer to them as white blood cells. They are all amoeboid cells with a nucleus.
There are many players in this immune system of cells. Eosinophils, Basophils, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, and Monocytes.
They do things like break down bacteria through a process called endocytosis, or cell eating. These are devouring cells. That is their job.
Some create antibodies to deactivate viruses, bacteria, and other things that could do harm. Some digest pathogenic fungi and bacteria through the process of phagocytosis(cell eating). Some of these are there to sound the sirens when there is something that needs to be addressed. Some help with allergic responses. And some kill cancer cells.
There are many players in this human army of white blood cells that help keep us healthy and well. And they are made in the marrow of our blood and once fully grown they are energetic little suckers ready to do the job they were created to do. These players ingest nutrients via that funny-sounding word, phagocytosis.
And they can drink too. That is called pinocytosis, sometimes called fluid-endocytosis. A means by which our cells ingest things like nutrients and hydration from around the cell. Also, a process that is used for cleansing and clearing extracellular fluids which are part of our immune system’s surveillance function.
We are not simply feeding ourselves when we put food in our mouths. It is our cells that we are ultimately feeding which is what makes the act of living a possibility. And the pleasures we experience when eating are by no means the primary value of the act, though it is a bonus for sure. And with all these things considered, we should be much more mindful about the things we are putting in our mouths.
This brings me to probably the most important point in mentioning all of this. The capturing of pathogenic and unknown substances that endanger the human organism. When these immune cells encounter something that is not a beneficial part of the overall function of the creature, they go to work eating them. Breaking down harmful things into less toxic substances for reuse or clearance including our own bodily structures that have gone beyond their useful utilitarian functions.
If you have ever heard the words autophagy or senescence you may already be familiar with this process by which our cells simply digest themselves. All of these processes work together for the overall good and homeostasis of the larger overall lifeform. Us.
So what are these lovely white blood cells being created for you ask? Like I said at the beginning of this essay. They act against invaders, both foreign and domestic. But they also work against injury caused by the foods we eat.
Ever heard of autoimmune disorders? Two different forms are abnormally low activity and then there is overactivity. Both are bad. One decreases the ability of the body to fight invaders(low), and the other attacks the body as though it is the foreign invader.
Would it be so strange to imagine your body fighting back against you if you are the one causing harm by the kind of lifestyle you are living? And it could be something you consider beneficial, like exercising a lot. Or something a little more obvious like eating fast food every day, eating carcinogenic foods, drinking, smoking, drugs, etc.
“processed meat causes cancer. Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, it is connected specifically to colorectal and stomach cancer. Examples of processed meats that have carcinogenic properties include: Frankfurter hotdogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, beef jerky and canned or lunch meat.”
“Only marginally better for us than processed meat, red meat is classified as a Group 2A carcinogen, “probably carcinogenic to humans”. The strongest link between eating red meat and cancer is colorectal cancer, however, there is also evidence of links to both pancreatic and prostate cancer.”
Should we really be shocked that our body would look out for its own best interest even when we don’t in ignorance?
Our body has one goal. Getting itself as far down the road as possible.