"The unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates

- - scatterings of ideas sent to my younger self, a sensitive girl who was fooled into believing she was a boy because of anatomy - -

Thursday 18 November 2021

Autophagy

As I understand it, you pronounce the word "awe-toph-uh-gee" with emphasis on the "toph" part. The word literally means "eat oneself". No, not cannibalism, but the process of removing old dysfunctional material in order to make room for regeneration. 

Relating to my previous post, autophagy involves the recycling of body cells that are old or damaged to make room for healthier new growth. It is an expected result when one goes onto a two-meal-a-day or less regime. Quoting a study from 2017 by Nuria Martinez-Lopez and Marina Garcia-Macia et al, : "Our studies suggest that consuming two meals a day with complete food restriction in between the meals is sufficient to lower blood glucose and lipid levels. This simple dietary approach activates a cell “cleansing system” called autophagy in liver, fat, brain, and muscle that helps prevent obesity and diabetes."

I have heard claims that this same process can prevent dementia, reverse hypertension, and remedy other age-related conditions. I will likely never know if any of this is true for me. I do feel really well, but that might have to do with other factors. 

Since I transitioned, basic attitudes I carry toward myself and others have thankfully undergone some autophagy as well. A lot of old worn-out ways of dealing with the world have been shuffled off to the bin, much as the façade was so many years ago. Memories that have haunted me for years - of interpersonal interactions gone wrong and friends or family lost because of those interactions - while not forgotten, have been put to new, more productive, purpose. It is as though a distillation process has removed toxic, hurtful feelings, allowing lessons learned to be retained in a more positive way. In the past others could manipulate me by making me feel sorry for them. I now know that it is possible to have empathy while at the same time maintaining firm personal boundaries. 

It seems likely that the ability to alter my emotional responses has to do with hormones. So often we are lead to believe that women have emotions that rule their lives. In my experience - what a unique position to make a comparison I have - my range of emotional response has widened considerably yet at the same time a tendency to allow emotions to overrule good judgement has been flushed away along with the testosterone. 

Another use for the concept of autophagy describes a process that clearly needs to take place in the world as a whole. Old and inappropriate animosities among nations or among religious groups have, in too many cases, stiffened to become hatreds. Media, social or otherwise, is full of vicious accusations, and, in some cases, bold lies designed to dehumanize or demonize the opponents. Within nations, political differences which at one time would have resulted in debates in the house of government now seem to have a tendency to harden into hatred as well. In the not too distant past, bitter political rivals might have been friends away from the debate. In important matters of state, they would even have agreed, putting forth joint motions with unanimous consent.

In the next decades, it seems inevitable that more people will be displaced from countries where the climate no longer supports food production. In some places, scarcities are causing bloodshed.  The way other nations respond will determine whether we have a future of peace or of endless war.

When a body has diseased cells that are not removed and recycled, death is the inevitable result. If we choose a way of life that involves clinging to what is toxic, we must expect to live with the consequences. 

"And so, while the end-of-the-world- scenario will be rife with
 unimaginable horrors, we believe that the pre-end period will be filled
 with unprecedented opportunities for profit."


5 comments:

  1. A lot here Halle, as our maths spiritual lady ? - given the latest census (just joking ) has you and I with over 30 trillion intelligent cells ? . Each capable of overriding genome sequencing as ensembles ( evolution over 13 billion years) would like you, as their conductor to go easy on the fuel - kept soft peddling but assertive as in autophagy- for that sweeter tune? Welcome to the Anthropocene I hear from the far off spheres , did you feel those ancestral chords of wisdom from maybe just 5 million years ago ? who barely survived then that severely drying climate. Hopefully we heed the warning ? Best wishes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hopefully we will, but if not, our planet, which undergoes a sort of autophagy quite regularly, won't miss us one bit after we are all extinct.

      Delete
  2. Human beings only seem to react and learn when we are at the precipice as lethargy seems to often be our standard position. The two big threats we face today are climate change and wealth inequality both on a scale that threaten lives in the millions. It is why some youth have started having anxiety over their future as all they see is foreboding tragedy. Time to act is now

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My granddaughter, who is eight years old, was telling me about the climate crisis while we went for a walk yesterday. It was clearly something on her mind from school - I would never have brought that topic up.
      When we got back to her house, she asked me not to tell her mom and dad what she had told me. Perhaps she doesn't want to scare them.

      Delete
    2. Yes this will be a more common place occurrence going forward as these kids realize what's at stake. We need to help them have a brighter future in a better world

      Delete