Antiangiogenics

     Can we eat to cure cancer? According to Dr. William Li, we can. Essentially, he says we can starve the cancer by deterring the process of angiogenesis.  He studies how antiangiogentic foods can halt the blood and nutrient supply that feed tumors.

     Angiogenesis is the process through which new blood vessels are created to supply various parts of the body. It works very smoothly until a cell mutates into a cancerous cell and uncontrollably reproduces itself, becoming a tumor. Once a cancerous cell cluster begins to demand its own blood supply, its growth only progresses. The idea behind anti-angiogenic treatments of cancer is to hinder this process. Cancer patients can eat foods considered to be anti-angiogenic (like pineapple, dark chocolate, strawberries, and raspberries) to potentially starve out the cancer.

     Personally, I found the research Dr. Li presented in his TED Talk fascinating. It really exhibits how many different factors go into the effects of cancer on our bodies, from dietary choices to toxin intake to environmental exposure to genetics. It was amazing to me that something as simple as eating specific foods could lower my own risk of getting cancer and even slow or even stop cancer progression in those already diagnosed with the ailment. Because of the findings Dr. Li shared, I have made an effort to integrate more anti-angiogenic foods into my diet.

Lucy the Chimpanzee

     Lucy, a chimpanzee crucial in breaching a gap of scientific understanding, was one of the many chimpanzees studied in a human environment. Eventually, Lucy's strength became too dangerous to house in such an environment, so she and others like her were shipped to a remote island. A scientist named Janice Carter lived in a cage to study them safely.
     While most of the other chimpanzees moved on from their human lives, Lucy had more trouble. Her survival was difficult, as her situation could be compared to forcing a human child to fend for itself in the wild. Eventually though, when her disconnect was enough, Janice left, visiting less frequently. On her final visit, she walked onto the island, she found Lucy's bones, excluding hands, as Lucy had been poached. It is believed she was poached because she had been raised human, went to interact with other humans, and was treated instead as a chimpanzee.
      Lucy taught us that the genetic gaps between chimpanzees and humans are very minimal. She also taught us how much of an impact socialization has, as her wanting to interact led to her downfall. After this story, my perspective on chimps has evolved to one of admiration, as they are not so different from us as we think. Even though the experiment ended in death, science benefited greatly from it, so I believe it was worthwhile. Lucy's end makes me feel upset because even though ideologically, Lucy was similar to us, it did not matter in the face of ultimate destruction.

Response to "Thinking Like a Mountain" by Aldo Leopold

     The wolf cares not for the deer, but for the wolf.  The person cares not for the wolf, but for the person.  Every singular being does not see outside itself, and is only concerned with its own welfare.  If it interacts with another creature, it seems the circumstances are always "kill or be killed," as one assumes a more predatory role while the other acts as prey.  As Aldo Leopold explains in his writing, "Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf."
     "Thinking Like a Mountain" outlines the importance of a diverse ecosystem by illustrating what would happen if the wolves were to be eliminated from a mountain. Aldo Leopold demonstrates that even though an abundance of deer may initially seem enticing to hunters (and encourage them to kill off the wolf population to let the deer flourish), the lack of biodiversity would have severe consequences. According to Leopold, if the deer were a species uncontrolled by predators, all surrounding vegetation would be decimated until the ecosystem was barren. Without the plant life, the deer would all starve, leaving the mountain void of all life whatsoever. He states that the regeneration process for an entire mountain's creatures could take decades.
     I very much liked this writing piece because it brought to light dire circumstances in an artistic and relatable way. I'd never been encouraged to deeply think about and form and opinion on biodiversity, so it was cool to find a new perspective on this topic.