500words – Chew Digest

Age

Imagine living in a world where it was completely normal to live well beyond one hundred years of age. A world where it was completely normal for a one-hundred-and-twenty-year-old body to have the functionality and appearance of an Olympic athlete.

If that were the norm and you found yourself aging like most people do today, to maybe 80, how would that make you feel? A life where you found yourself shuffling behind a walker or being pushed in a wheelchair by a caretaker from seventy-five until you breathed your last painful breath at 80. A life where you had to stop working and retire at sixty-five because that was all that was expected of you in your condition, all while everyone else around you was living beyond one hundred and twenty years as mentioned above.

How would that make you feel?

The Question

Read the following carefully and then answer the QUESTION.

Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the ENVIRONMENT and LIFESTYLE.

Our skin(outside/epidermis) covers an average area of 18.75 square feet. Our gastrointestinal tract which makes up the rest of the humans environmentally exposed surface area covers an average area of 377 square feet.

Our GI tract which is twenty(20) times larger than our external world is just one thin and very delicate layer of dermis compared to our external environment which is made up of an incredibly durable five(5) layers that can withstand all manner of insult and injury.

The average human consumes 1,750 pounds of food per year passing over/through that tract, which is actually external though most consider it internal. In actuality, the inside of our body doesn’t start until the small intestine.

QUESTION: According to the aforementioned information, what is the single greatest cause of environmentally caused cancer based on exposure and lifestyle choices?

A Momentary Channeling of Ray Bradbury

It’s a gentle Southern California afternoon just a few miles from the coast of Long Beach. The sound of birds calling out in a harmonious sense of discord. The ants in front of me on the hot concrete mill back and forth to and fro, gently greeting each other for just a moment as they continue on their journey.

I look up to see the leaves of my Betula Birch, which I planted some fifteen years ago—it may have even been sixteen. The leaves bristled back and forth quickly, then slowly, and back again as the gentle breeze from the south worked them up into an audible frenzy. Which reminds me…I need to trim Betty a little.

As I look down at the 60-year-old warm concrete beneath my feet, I’m reminded that my father and his father before him may have very well stood here, just like me, looking at this same piece of ground, the same sky, breathing in that same sense of awe that I am experiencing.

They may have even experienced many years earlier, that same joy I feel…Sitting here today.

Wulzen Anti-Stiffness Factor

The Wulzen factor, also known as the “anti-stiffness factor,” is a compound called stigmasterol, which is present in raw milk and sugarcane juice. Dr. Rosalind Wulzen discovered stigmasterol. Stigmasterol plays a crucial role in the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus by promoting their proper utilization and preventing their excessive deposition in soft tissues. It helps maintain the balance of these minerals in the body, ensuring that calcium and phosphorus are adequately absorbed and utilized for bone health and metabolic processes. This regulation prevents calcification and the associated negative effects on various organs and tissues, contributing to overall health and the prevention of conditions such as atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, neurological disorders, cognitive decline, and other related disorders.

Stigmasterol is a fat-soluble nutrient that combats arthritis and alleviates symptoms such as pain, swelling, and stiffness. Early nutrition researchers considered it to be a vitamin-like substance, but it was never officially recognized as a vitamin by mainstream medical and government authorities. The factor is destroyed by pasteurization, leading to a debate where advocates argue that pasteurization could contribute to arthritis by eliminating this beneficial compound.

Stigmasterol, also known as a phytosterol, is a plant sterol found in various plant sources such as vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and unrefined plant oils. It is also concentrated in mammalian lactates, which offers several health benefits. Firstly, stigmasterol lowers cholesterol levels by competing with dietary cholesterol for absorption in the digestive system, thereby reducing the amount that enters the bloodstream. Additionally, it exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial in managing chronic inflammation-related conditions like arthritis.

Stigmasterol also has antioxidant effects, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals and potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Some studies suggest that stigmasterol inhibits the growth of cancer cells, indicating possible anticancer properties, though more research is needed in this area. Furthermore, stigmasterol may contribute to maintaining bone health by influencing enzymes involved in bone metabolism. Its combined effects of lowering cholesterol and providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits also support better cardiovascular health.

Critics of pasteurization laws suggested that acknowledging the existence and benefits of the Wulzen factor would challenge the widespread promotion of pasteurized dairy products. In modern nutritional science, the Wulzen factor is not widely acknowledged, with limited contemporary research supporting its existence or efficacy. Most of the evidence comes from early studies. While raw milk advocates often cite the Wulzen factor as a reason for consuming unpasteurized dairy products, regulatory bodies continue to support pasteurization to prevent foodborne illnesses, citing the lack of scientific consensus on the benefits of the Wulzen factor.

Interestingly, both Rosalind M. Wulzen and her longtime colleague and lifelong friend Alice M. Bahrs lived almost 100 years. Both made it to 98, which is not a common feat. It would appear that they may very well have discovered a key factor in greater longevity and quality of life if it were demonstrated that they were actually smoking what they were selling. Chances are they were.

Incorporating stigmasterol-rich foods into a balanced diet may provide these aforementioned health benefits, though it’s important to consider overall dietary patterns and lifestyle for optimal health outcomes.

Dearest People of Earth

People of Earth,

My name is Michael Loomis. I am a Southern California native. I have spent almost every day of my life in Long Beach, a Los Angeles suburb. I’ve spent 51 years here, and I love it. Everything about this place.

I wanted to take a moment and talk to ALL of you today. We are living in a fabulous time, a time when more people have access to basic goods and services necessary to make life possible without overdue burdens. By no means have we solved poverty and starvation on a global scale, but we are witnessing a revolution in technology, industry, and now intelligence that is allowing us to understand better how we can meet ALL of our basic needs. Food, shelter, clothing, and health care.

Over the last few decades, we have witnessed unprecedented growth in computer technology, which has allowed us to access vast amounts of data in a very short space of time. The libraries of the world are now online, which allows our large language models to be accessed by artificial intelligence engines in a way and at a rate that the human mind could have never imagined just a few short decades ago. In no uncertain terms, we are now witnessing the advent of a new age. An Intellectual Revolution born out of the foundation of the Industrial Revolution that began in the middle of the eighteenth century.

The time has come and now is when and where we need to embrace and welcome the reality of where we are in the passage of time. We have been born into a time and space where human labor and planning for the future are becoming a thing of the past—things that our future generations will only be able to understand through the lens of history. Whether it is our children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, there will come a day in the near future when that last job will no longer need to be filled. No more working by the sweat of our brow to provide for our daily bread. Our basic needs. And we need to prepare for it. There will be no more inequities.

And now I imagine you have a question that has been swirling around, forming in your mind about how we are going to prepare for this inevitability. This, I imagine, is followed by another question: What are we going to do with all the time that will be freed up because of this inevitability? And if there is no more work that needs to be done, how are we going to pay for our basic needs and luxuries?

At this point, we already live in a time of luxury compared to all of recorded human history. Consider that. Now consider this: We humans are the only species on Earth that has had the inclination to take that which was once free and accessible to all and put it behind lock and key. Food, shelter, and clothing were historically accessible to all mankind long before there were jobs, payroll, banks, and human resource departments. And today, if someone down on their luck is caught taking that which is behind lock and key without paying for it, we then put them behind lock and key, giving them food, shelter, and clothing, their basic needs for free. Kind of ironic, isn’t it?

Allow me to address some of those questions about the future that are likely swirling around in your head.

First of all, just because there will be no more jobs, that doesn’t mean that there will be no work to be done. Far from it. There will be plenty for us to do to ensure that all goes well. However, it will look different. The reality is that we are all going to need to accept these changes in work and meaning because the old way will have faded off into obscurity.

No longer will a household, say a family of four, need to work forty to eighty hours a week just to meet their basic needs. And I can hear the question now, “But who’s going to pay for it all?”

This is the wrong question to ask. The right question would be, “Why would we still need to pay for it?” The answer would be that we need to remedy the problems that led to the need to pay for it and replace them with solutions that would eliminate 84% of the financial burden that requires our human resources in exchange for pay.

$23.32$ trillion divided by $331.9$ million United States Citizens is approximately $.

And then there is the money that employers add to the pot that would be freed up to fund the future.

The total cost to an employer for an employee extends well beyond the hourly wage due to benefits, insurance, office space, taxes, and other related expenses. This total cost is often referred to as the “burden rate” or “fully loaded cost.” The specific amount can vary significantly depending on the industry, location, and size of the company, as well as the specific benefits offered. Here’s a breakdown of some of the typical additional costs:

Benefits: This can include health insurance, dental and vision insurance, retirement benefits (e.g., 401(k) contributions), life insurance, and disability insurance. Benefits can add 20% to 40% or more to the base salary.
Employer Payroll Taxes: In the United States, for example, employers must pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, which amount to 7.65% of the salary. There might also be federal and state unemployment taxes.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance: This varies by industry and state but is a mandatory cost for most employers.
Training and Development: Costs associated with onboarding, training, and professional development can also add to the total cost.
Office Space: The cost of providing a workspace, which includes rent, utilities, office supplies, and equipment, can vary widely depending on location and the nature of the business.
Technology and Equipment: Computers, software licenses, communication tools, and other technology needs can add to the cost.
Miscellaneous Costs: Other costs can include travel expenses, employee perks and wellness programs, and administrative support.

On average, the additional costs can range from 1.25 to 1.4 times the base salary, but this is highly variable. For a more precise calculation, it’s essential to consider the specific factors related to the industry, location, and company benefits package. Employers often conduct a detailed analysis or use calculators provided by HR services to estimate these costs accurately.

https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go

Policy basics: Where do our federal tax dollars go? (2023). Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go

More to come…Back to homework for now…8)

Colonization. A Virus of the Mind?

Is there any point in time where the species homo sapiens sapiens wasn’t engaging in the act of colonization? I think not. And it is my suggestion that it is an intrinsic part of human nature and existence. That at the very least there was at some point in human evolutionary development a beneficial and necessary use for it as a function. My question now, though, is, does it still serve that same purpose as beneficial for evolution, or is it a part of evolution that is truly fading away?

Personally, I would like to think that colonization is in a state of atrophy, ultimately becoming functionless in human evolution.

Why do we inherently, as humans, want to colonize everything? Because it is a virus we have. A virus of the mind.

Perhaps a poem?

From cradle, to grave, what first steps taken?
Amongst ancient echoes ancestors awaken.
From a primal urge, to an endless drive,
We seek, we explore, we expand, to thrive.

Down verdant valleys, over rugged peaks,
Our relentless quest, a conquering spirit seeks.
Is it a force of nature, primal, raw, unrefined?
Yes, colonization – a virus of the mind.

This tribal aspiration toward empire inclined,
These seeds of dominion, domination refined.
The human species conquered and mined,
Through every era this behavior entwined,

Our urge to conquer, to claim, to bind,
What distant treasures await we will find?
To what do we owe this quirky desire,
Will it grow like a flood, or burn out like a fire?

The world we know shrinks under our gaze,
This mystery of old continues to amaze.
We ponder most deeply, evolutions fair stride,
Is this urge now a relic to be cast aside?

Will these ancient impulses still find room,
What once was progress, now slated for doom.
In a world so connected, no longer so vast,
I sense a shift, a call to recast.

This virus of mind, once vital, now lame,
Humanity ponders evolution’s new aim.
This ancient desire, through atrophy fade,
Once evolution whispers, a new way is made.

We once were seekers of lands to possess,
Now stewards of self, undoing distress.
A mind’s fair dance through time and space,
Perhaps a new rhythm will find its place.

From conqueror to healer, transitions we make,
Survival in balance, for our planet’s sake.
As nomads of history, we write in our genes,
A bold new chapter of destiny convenes.

Preceding CO2 Transport: Respiration

January 7, 2024

Me: What process precedes carbon dioxide transport?

ChatGPT: The process that precedes carbon dioxide (CO2) transport in the body is cellular respiration. This is a metabolic process that occurs in the cells of organisms. Here’s a brief overview of the process:

Glycolysis: This is the first step of cellular respiration and takes place in the cytoplasm of cells. Glucose, a six-carbon sugar, is broken down into two three-carbon molecules called pyruvate. This process produces a small amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the energy currency of the cell) and releases electrons that are used in later stages.
Pyruvate Oxidation and the Citric Acid Cycle: Pyruvate enters the mitochondria of the cell, where it is converted into acetyl CoA, a two-carbon molecule. Acetyl CoA then enters the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle), where it is completely oxidized to carbon dioxide. This process generates more electrons for the next stage and a small amount of ATP.
Electron Transport Chain and Oxidative Phosphorylation: This is the final stage of cellular respiration and occurs in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The electrons generated in the previous steps are used to create a proton gradient across the membrane. This gradient drives the synthesis of a large amount of ATP. Oxygen serves as the final electron acceptor and combines with protons to form water.

After the production of CO2 in the citric acid cycle, CO2 is then transported out of the cell into the blood, where it is carried to the lungs for exhalation. The transport of CO2 involves several mechanisms, including being dissolved directly in the plasma, chemically bound to hemoglobin, or converted into bicarbonate ions.

Me: What are the steps that precede glycolysis in the answer you provided?

ChatGPT: Before glycolysis in the cellular respiration process, there are key preparatory steps involving the intake and processing of nutrients:

Nutrient Intake: The first step involves the consumption and digestion of food. Carbohydrates in the food are broken down into simpler sugars like glucose, which is a primary fuel for glycolysis. Proteins are broken down into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids and glycerol. These components are absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system.
Transportation to Cells: Once in the bloodstream, glucose and other nutrients are transported to various cells throughout the body.
Glucose Uptake by Cells: Cells take in glucose from the bloodstream. This process is facilitated by insulin in many types of cells. Insulin is a hormone that signals cells to increase glucose uptake, effectively lowering blood sugar levels.
Glucose Activation: Before glucose can enter the glycolysis pathway, it must be “activated”. This involves phosphorylation (adding a phosphate group), which is carried out by enzymes like hexokinase. This step uses energy in the form of ATP, converting it to ADP (adenosine diphosphate). The phosphorylation of glucose helps to keep the concentration of glucose low in the cell, allowing for continued glucose diffusion into the cell.

These steps ensure that glucose is available and prepared for the glycolysis pathway, which then leads into the rest of the cellular respiration process.

Me: Can you explain this whole process step by step from ingestion of nutrients to the end of the process where we exhale the CO2 from our lungs?

ChatGPT: Certainly! The journey from nutrient ingestion to the exhalation of carbon dioxide is a complex and fascinating process that involves multiple systems in the body. Here’s a step-by-step explanation:

1. Ingestion and Digestion of Nutrients

Ingestion: It starts with eating food, which contains carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Digestion: In the digestive system, these nutrients are broken down:
- Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars like glucose.
- Proteins are broken down into amino acids.
- Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.
These nutrients are then absorbed into the bloodstream, primarily in the small intestine.

2. Transportation and Uptake of Glucose

Transport to Cells: Glucose and other nutrients are transported via the bloodstream to various cells in the body.
Cellular Uptake of Glucose: Cells absorb glucose, facilitated by insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

3. Cellular Respiration: Energy Production from Nutrients

Glycolysis:
- Occurs in the cytoplasm of cells.
- Glucose is converted into pyruvate, producing a small amount of ATP (energy) and NADH (an electron carrier).
Pyruvate Oxidation and Citric Acid Cycle:
- In the mitochondria, pyruvate is converted into Acetyl CoA.
- Acetyl CoA enters the Citric Acid Cycle (or Krebs Cycle), producing more NADH, FADH2 (another electron carrier), and a small amount of ATP.
- Carbon dioxide is released as a waste product in this cycle.

4. Electron Transport Chain and ATP Production

Electron Transport Chain:
- Located in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
- NADH and FADH2 from previous steps donate electrons, which are passed through a series of proteins in the membrane.
- This process creates a proton gradient across the membrane.
Oxidative Phosphorylation:
- Protons flow back across the membrane through an enzyme called ATP synthase.
- This flow drives the production of a large amount of ATP.
Oxygen’s Role: Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor, combining with protons to form water.

5. Carbon Dioxide Transport and Exhalation

Transport of CO2:
- The carbon dioxide produced in the mitochondria diffuses into the bloodstream.
- It’s carried in the blood in three forms: dissolved in plasma, chemically bound to hemoglobin, or as bicarbonate ions.
Return to the Lungs: Blood transports CO2 back to the lungs.
Exhalation: Finally, CO2 is expelled from the lungs when we exhale.

Integration of Systems

This entire process involves an intricate collaboration between the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and endocrine systems, demonstrating the complex harmony of human physiology. From the initial ingestion of food to the final breath that expels carbon dioxide, each step is crucial for the efficient production and utilization of energy in the body.

Me: Yes, and thank you ChatGPT.

Are Humans Well Suited For a Frugivore Fare?

This is my response to a post in a friends Facebook group that promotes a more fruit based diet. Enjoy…

<–MY OPINION–>Personally, I still believe that we are omnivores best suited for a whole-food, single-ingredient diet. A diet made up of a whole collection of single ingredients rather than highly processed foods.

Can someone consume a frugivore fare and live healthy and well? I believe they can for a time. Perhaps maybe even for a long time. It really just depends on whether or not they can get a broad enough spectrum of ALL the nutrients and building blocks their body needs in their daily fare. Most cannot in our modern world, and eventually, the wheels will fall off of their under-nourished frugivore bus. Maybe not in 2 years, or 5 years, or even 10 years, but eventually, the nutritional piper will need to be paid.

On the other end of the spectrum(extreme), you have the cray cray carnivores. They can get along just fine for a time too. But eventually, in like manner, the wheels will fall off of their bus as well. For them, though, it will be a woefully painful calling of metabolic madness.

Both diets, in my opinion, are different wings of an omnivore bird.

And this is why I still believe that we are best served by being a well-balanced omnivore in the dietary portion of our existence.

Life is meant to be lived as a well-formed and balanced kingdom where exercise is King and diet is Queen, and without both, you don’t have a kingdom.

Work hard, eat right, and sleep right. If you can do these three things almost everything else will follow and fall into place according to natural law.

Listen to your body. Even if it is telling you something that may not concur with the path you have been on for some time.

Again, this is my opinion, based on my studies of human physiology and disease pathology over the last 6+ years. Thanks for reading…😎 and be blessed.

A New Model

Car mechanics wouldn’t try to learn how cars work by only studying individual components of a car or by looking at toy cars, but this is essentially how medical science has been taught over the years. They should be working with real humans, learning how existing, fully functioning, complex human creatures work. Not focusing so deeply on misfolded proteins or just one system and correcting that single system or misfold with a pill, but reshaping the whole misfolded protein(human) mess from the inside out.

I am Adam Matryoshka

The human species is not simply a bunch of rugged individuals all living on a blue marble orbiting the sun but a single entity. And for the fun of it, I will refer to this creature as ADAM and that ADAM lives amongst 8.7 million other species of plants and animals here on the third rock from the sun.

That we, as individual discrete organisms, are actually microorganisms within the greater macro-organism, ADAM. Which is also a species-level micro-organism consisting of some 3.8 million parts working together within Mother Nature, or what some might call Biofilm Earth.

Mother Nature(Earth) is a holobiont, and we(ADAM), too, are a holobiont. And who knows, maybe even our cells and microbes within us are also holobionts. Like a Matryoshka doll all the way down. Holobiont refers to an organism and its symbiotic partners (typically microbial) together as a single biological entity. The concept underscores the idea that the macro-organism and its microorganisms are so interconnected that they operate functionally as a single unit. The term “holobiont” derives from “holo-” (meaning whole or entire) and “biont” (meaning living entity). The combined term suggests an integrated system where the host organism and its associated microbial communities interact in ways that influence each other’s fitness, development, and evolution.

ADAM is simultaneously a discrete whole as well as a part of a larger whole. ADAM can be understood as the constituent part–wholes in and of a hierarchy. ADAM is a subsystem within a larger system, simultaneously evolving while also a part of a greater evolving system composed of other species as well.

ADAM is, by definition, a holon. Holons are self-reliant units with a degree of independence and can handle contingencies without asking higher authorities for instructions. Holons are simultaneously subject to control from one or more of these higher authorities. Holons are stable forms that can withstand disturbances and are intermediate, providing a context for the proper functionality of the larger whole.

I want to present a better, more accurate, simpler, more holistic understanding of how something like the black plague, Spanish flu, or our most recent species-level event that just happened is not spread by an invisible viral particle or a demon but through quorum sensing and mirror neurons. Basically, it is a communication system used by what I will refer to as bacteria(INDIVIDUAL HUMANS) to monitor and respond to changes in population density by altering gene expression. Essentially, it’s a way for bacteria(HUMANS) to “talk” to each other and coordinate their behavior, much like individuals in a large crowd of discrete species adjusting their actions based on the number of other species around them. This coordinated behavior allows human populations to act as multicellular entities in certain contexts.

That, what we are experiencing in these species-level pandemics is a coordinated event orchestrated by our species host, or ADAM and his immune system, to cleanse HIS body(the whole of humanity) of its diseased and dying cells(individuals) within the context of the holobiont(Adam), that is living as an individual species(holon) within a greater holobiont we call Mother Earth.