Another welcome to THWB! Now, allow me to introduce myself. My
name is Michael Ball, and I am graduate student at Dartmouth College studying
tumor immunology; specifically the function and regulation of tumor associated
macrophages within solid tumors, such as breast tumors. These cells are an integral
part of your immune system which, in a healthy context, engulf pathogens (bugs),
activate your adaptive immune system (antibodies and cells that kill other
cells!), and produce many factors with a wide variety of inflammatory effects
(ice until the swelling goes down). Conversely, they also play a pivotal role
in immune-suppression so as to prevent autoimmunity (for example), dead cell
removal, wound healing, and the development of new blood vessels.
This varietal,
and even antithetical, repertoire of functions macrophages possess is
critical for your body’s homeostasis. In the tumor, macrophages are tricked to
believe there is a wound to heal and normal self-tissue to protect, and set
about dampening immune responses that would otherwise get rid of the caner,
encouraging new vessel growth that provides nutrients and oxygen needed for
tumor growth, and even assist in destabilizing the extra-cellular matrix
holding the tumor together allowing for potential metastases. My research is looking at reversing the role of these macrophages, convincing them engage in a
more appropriate reaction to their surrounding environment. Macrophages that would enter the other potential activation state of inflammation and initiating an adaptive immune response
would be detrimental to the cancer cells of most solid tumors. I personally
believe that we, like the multifaceted macrophage (objectively the most
important cell-type in the entire world), have such a capacity to interact with
life and the universe. There is no strict dichotomy with regards to macrophages,
i.e. pro- versus anti-inflammatory, but instead they exist along a spectrum of
activation states, modifying their response via cues from, and interactions
with their environment. We do it too. And sometimes, we don’t quite get our
response right. And sometimes, we get it completely wrong, or are tricked by
what’s around us that we are interacting with to perform in a manner entirely
detrimental to the body.
Part of my desire in writing THWB is to address the reality that there are aspects of my life, each instance to the next, that I can react in much, even much much, dare I say much3, better. Not all of them need to be addressed, but then again, one can live a very long time with a host of ailments. Grand analogy/ research tie-in aside, the way we treat our bodies and what we put in them has remarkable consequences for our health. For example, research done in the United Kingdom suggests that 32% of the most common cancers in the UK are entirely preventable by lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, not smoking/ reduced alcohol intake[1]. Overweight and obesity is a category that as of 2008, accounts for 68% of our adult population here in the USA[2] (obesity accounts for over one third of the US population, or 35%[3]). The stats for ages 2-20 year olds isn’t much better. There is a host of diseases associated with overweight and obesity alone, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and different cancers. And those listed are some of the main causes of preventable death. For a list of some of the cancers currently known to have attributable risk associated with overweight and obesity and some information in regards to the research, you can look at the National Cancer Institute’s website[2] cancer.gov (albeit a little outdated in my opinion). In reality though, talking about overweight and obesity only acknowledges the symptom of many changeable life-style choices. I’m not making a point of writing about this in order to condemn anybody or even myself. Instead, to me, this is some of the most hopeful information available in the news these days. I know I can make a difference in my own life, and not just decrease my chances of a slew of diseases (a nice effect though), but increase my ability to experience life and all that I am capable of; all that I was created to do. I’m not so foolish as to believe I won’t get sick if I work out constantly, or even that I’ll attain enlightenment from eating a Paleolithic diet, but I am equally not so foolish as to believe that simply because I have a relationship with my Creator that I can forgo the realities of his creation. If anything, those realities and necessities of life are part of what make it worth living, and what hone us and shape us into what is our true nature. Some people might think they don’t need medicine, to pay attention to what they eat, to exercise, because they want to enjoy life and because God will protect them. To that I would just say, paying attention to what goes into my body (oh man do I need to work on this!) and exercise only enhances how I enjoy life, and I do feel protected, but for some reason I still have to sleep, eat, and breathe. And that’s just the easy stuff.
Oh right, so about me. I am a graduate student, a musician, I’m learning to snowboard, and I want to be fit.
I want you to be fit, too. I really do. I’d like you to get fit and to get fit with you! Let’s not just talk about what we’re going to do, let’s talk about what we did and what we are doing. Ask yourself, “am I going to workout/ eat a small dinner/ drink plenty of water today?” The answer is either yes or no. Pick one, and nothing in between. That’s how we build.
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The mighty macrophage, valliantly overthrowing
a tiny pez-worm regime! I think.. ::squints:: ... trust me. I'm a scientist.
|
Part of my desire in writing THWB is to address the reality that there are aspects of my life, each instance to the next, that I can react in much, even much much, dare I say much3, better. Not all of them need to be addressed, but then again, one can live a very long time with a host of ailments. Grand analogy/ research tie-in aside, the way we treat our bodies and what we put in them has remarkable consequences for our health. For example, research done in the United Kingdom suggests that 32% of the most common cancers in the UK are entirely preventable by lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, not smoking/ reduced alcohol intake[1]. Overweight and obesity is a category that as of 2008, accounts for 68% of our adult population here in the USA[2] (obesity accounts for over one third of the US population, or 35%[3]). The stats for ages 2-20 year olds isn’t much better. There is a host of diseases associated with overweight and obesity alone, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and different cancers. And those listed are some of the main causes of preventable death. For a list of some of the cancers currently known to have attributable risk associated with overweight and obesity and some information in regards to the research, you can look at the National Cancer Institute’s website[2] cancer.gov (albeit a little outdated in my opinion). In reality though, talking about overweight and obesity only acknowledges the symptom of many changeable life-style choices. I’m not making a point of writing about this in order to condemn anybody or even myself. Instead, to me, this is some of the most hopeful information available in the news these days. I know I can make a difference in my own life, and not just decrease my chances of a slew of diseases (a nice effect though), but increase my ability to experience life and all that I am capable of; all that I was created to do. I’m not so foolish as to believe I won’t get sick if I work out constantly, or even that I’ll attain enlightenment from eating a Paleolithic diet, but I am equally not so foolish as to believe that simply because I have a relationship with my Creator that I can forgo the realities of his creation. If anything, those realities and necessities of life are part of what make it worth living, and what hone us and shape us into what is our true nature. Some people might think they don’t need medicine, to pay attention to what they eat, to exercise, because they want to enjoy life and because God will protect them. To that I would just say, paying attention to what goes into my body (oh man do I need to work on this!) and exercise only enhances how I enjoy life, and I do feel protected, but for some reason I still have to sleep, eat, and breathe. And that’s just the easy stuff.
Oh right, so about me. I am a graduate student, a musician, I’m learning to snowboard, and I want to be fit.
My stats currently:
- 6 feet ::read 5' 113/4''::
- 170 lbs
- Probably about 15% body fat (I will be posting about this later)
- Work out 3-4 days a week (ideally)
- At the moment eating whatever
My goals:
- Gain 1/4" in height ::deletes heading titled, "I can dream..."::
- Gain 10 lbs while maintaining 15% BF or less (or whatever I'm at, better estimates to come)
- Be conscious of what I'm eating, understand it
- Make fitness a priority (some adult language)
I want you to be fit, too. I really do. I’d like you to get fit and to get fit with you! Let’s not just talk about what we’re going to do, let’s talk about what we did and what we are doing. Ask yourself, “am I going to workout/ eat a small dinner/ drink plenty of water today?” The answer is either yes or no. Pick one, and nothing in between. That’s how we build.
1. http://www.wcrf-uk.org/uk/preventing-cancer/cancer-preventability-statistics
2. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity
3. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
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