Free Radical Thinking

When I was in college the theater department put on a production of Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs".  I remember a bit where the family were sitting at the kitchen table.  The mother was asking them if they'd heard about a neighbor, with the son pointing out that she whispered the word "cancer".  To her, if she spoke it out loud it would become too much of a reality and work its way into their lives.  Well, I think you would be hard pressed to find someone today who hasn't experienced cancer in their own lives or in the lives of loved ones.  It has become so commonplace that it's just accepted most of the time that this is what happens.  But hold on - hit the brakes - when did this become the norm?  When did we become so accepting of cancer as a reality?

The mom may have whispered, but I tell you, cancer does not whisper - it SHOUTS!  It disrupts everything it touches and turns your life and your body inside out and upside down.  It even creates its own blood supply from existing vessels (angiogenesis), diverting blood from organs to itself.  As a cancerous tumor grows, it sheds cells that travel to other areas of the body and from there can create new growth (metastases).

Now, this is all very broad and general.  Cancer, like the person it forms in, is unique to each individual.  At its core, cancer is an abnormality in development of cells (dysplasia) which is often the precursor to neoplasm ("new growth" aka tumor).  The human body tries its best to keep a tight rein on internal processes, but for whatever reason (they vary tremendously from person to person, and sometimes no answer can be found) sometimes the process of cell division goes a bit haywire, resulting in the start of a cancerous formation.

I just read an interesting article about Nobel laureate Dr. James Watson, the co-discoverer of the double-helix structure of DNA.  The prevalent view of inflammatory diseases (including cancer) to date has been that an excess of intracellular oxidation leading to high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes inflammation which kills/alters healthy cells.  Dr. Watson is proposing that it is actually a lack of ROS that is the cause.

Ok, here's where we back up ten and talk about ROS, more commonly known as free radicals.  ROS are produced as by-products of metabolic processes.  What makes them free radicals is the presence of an unpaired electron.  Nature strives for balance, and free radicals look for other molecules to pair up their electrons.  One of the downsides about free radicals is that in interacting with other molecules to gain stability, they convert that target molecule into a radical. This starts a chain reaction that continues until two free radicals meet up to form a strong (covalent) bond.

ROS, like acid/alkaline and pH levels, are kept in a delicate balance by the body and are a necessary part of cellular actions.  Immune system cells (neutrophils and phagocytes) use ROS to destroy invaders.  Dr. Watson refers to how, within the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell, the ROS hydrogen peroxide helps forge chemical bonds which stabilizes proteins as they fold.  Without sufficient ROS, proteins emerge unfolded and this, he proposes, is what causes the inflammation that harms the pancreas (and possibly other organs).  Proteins have to be dealt with somehow, and if they make it to the bowel the breakdown process that occurs can result in fermentation, causing bloating, gas, cramps, and poor absorption of nutrients.

I should note too that Dr. Watson strongly recommends exercise as a necessary component in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other inflammatory conditions, as exercise produces ROS and healthy, functioning proteins.  He also stresses that he is not a physician, just a scientist with a novel idea about the treatment of diabetes.

So - why did I put all this out there for you?  This article got me thinking:  what if ROS are getting the same treatment that saturated (and by knock-on effect, most) fat was given not so long ago? What if in trying to treat disease, reduce inflammation, combat aging, etc. we have swung the pendulum too far?  Are we putting too much emphasis on anti-oxidant consumption and therefore not allowing the ROS to do their jobs?  I was taught that anti-oxidants are important for immune function (among other things) but what if we're consuming too many - are we keeping neutrophils and phagocytes from doing their jobs?  Are we effectively knocking out two of the first responders of the immune system, allowing invaders to progress further into the body before they are recognized as dangerous?

I have no scientific proof to back up any of these thoughts, and neither does Dr. Watson.  Not at this point anyway.  It just got me thinking, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you.  What do you think?

Mwah aah aah...

Did the title come across as a mad scientist laugh?  That was the intention as I've been a bit of a cooking mad scientist this week.  I love experimenting with food even when sometimes the results are, as my eldest would say, "an epic fail".  Among those failures are some pretty resounding successes, at least I think so!  

My latest experiment?  Different types of hummus using doTerra lemon essential oil in the mix.  My favorite?  This one:

1 can organic chick peas (or cook your own from scratch, you show off :))

3 cloves garlic

1 heaping tablespoon light tahini

Juice of 1 lemon + 2 to 3 drops doTerra lemon essential oil

salt to taste

2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

a good glug of cold pressed hemp seed oil

5-6 red jalapenos

1 tablespoon of the liquid from the jalapenos

1 scoop powdered spirulina

Place all ingredients into a blender and whiz till smooth.  If you need more liquid, choose from vinegar, oil or jalapeno juice.

The result is this crazy green stuff that looks altogether suspect but tastes divine.  Something about the lemon oil imparts and almost minty flavor into the mix.  I find that I've been craving hummus lately.  Maybe I'm going through a detox period and my body wants the lectins to bind with toxins for a quick exit!

I just got a new phone and am still getting used to the camera.  This isn't the best photo, but here goes:

Please, as well, excuse the poor composition - I had to crop out the "Cars" logo on my kid's bowl!

Anyone have any out of the ordinary/unusual hummus recipes to share?  The lab awaits!