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A Tragic Family of Diseases: Neurodegenerative Disease
There is a family of diseases with two things in common – they involve the death of nerve cells over time and have no known cure. They are called neurodegenerative diseases.
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and Huntington's are a few of the more universally known ones.
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What they have in common is the progressive loss of structure, function or death of nerve cells - called neurons. Neurons are the building blocks of your brain and spinal cord. The body cannot replace or reproduce them, so once they are damaged, they are lost.
Drugs and treatments are available to provide palliative care. Some may slow the progression or relieve or minimize symptoms such as shaking or pain. As these diseases progress, often over the course of years, they become debilitating and lead to the eventual end of someone's life.
Sadly, at this time there is no known cure for any of the diseases in this family.
The only hope lies in fully understanding the mechanism of these diseases on the sub-cellular level and the neuron circuitry of our bodies on a system-wide level.
Celebrities have brought light to this terrible and tragic condition to help move research forward. These include Stephen Hawking, Michael J. Fox, Neil Diamond, Muhammad Ali, and Janet Reno. Many of them have used their celebrity to increase awareness and thereby encourage hope for the future.
Alzheimer Foundation of America
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Kiaei, Mahmoud. New Hopes and Challenges for Treatment. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2013.
Neurodegeneration. Wikipedia.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS Fact Sheet. www.ninds.nih.gov.
Stephen Hawking – A Brief History
While confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, Stephen Hawking revolutionized modern astrophysics by uncovering the mysteries of black holes – areas of space with such gravitational strength that not even light can escape them.
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In his early twenties, Hawking contracted ALS (or Lou Gehrig's disease) – an illness that would slowly paralyze him throughout his life. Despite his condition, he rose to prominence in Cambridge as a leading theoretical physicist. Inspired by the work of Roger Penrose, he began doing research on black holes and their relationship to the structure of the universe. He discovered that black holes emit radiation, now called Hawking Radiation, which causes them to shrink gradually, countering previous theories that they remain fixed.
In 1988, Hawking published the classic "A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes," in which he outlined the history of cosmology and attempted to devise a unified theory of the universe, connecting General relativity and Quantum mechanics. The work sold over 10 million copies and became a cornerstone of modern physics and cosmology.
Stephen Hawking died on March 14th 2018 – the 139th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s birth.
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Stephen Hawking, Wikipedia.
Step Out into the Wild!
Exposure to nature lowers stress levels and
can boost your immune system
A weekly jaunt to your local park or forest can do more than satisfy your wanderlust – science shows it can improve your health.
A 2010 study found that people who hike regularly have lower blood pressure and cortisol levels (or stress hormones.) Stepping out into nature can also protect you from seasonal colds and cases of flu, which often circulate around offices and other communal spaces.
Joint pain and stiffness are common results of sedentary lifestyles, especially desk jobs, and weekly activity is a simple, yet effective solution. "Being outdoors is generally associated with activity, and being physically active keeps joints loose and helps with chronic pain and stiffness" says Jay Lee, M.D, of Kaiser Permancente.
On a more spiritual level, unwinding from a long work week by stepping out into the wild, can give you a greater sense of connection with nature and a broader perspective on life.
So do what the doctor and the guru order – give the monitor a rest and set off into the great outdoors.
Nature has been shown to reduce stress, and boost your immune system.
So send someone you love a little touch of nature.
How the simple act of nature helps you de-stress. nbcnews.com. Jan.07.2018
The Invention of Climate Change
One man first recognized man-made Climate Change inspired Charles Darwin’s journey into the Galapagos and revolutionized the concept of nature while braving the wilds of 19th century Central & South America.
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Alexander von Humboldt set off to survey the new world, scaling volcanoes, exploring jungles, and changing scientific thought. His radical theory that nature was a complex and interconnected global force and not merely a tool for human civilization laid the foundation of environmentalism.
Along with his theories, he was the first to suggest that South America was once connected to Africa and the first to propose that human activity could explain changes in the earth’s climate – which he reiterated in 1800 and 1831.
Charles Darwin would cite Humboldt as his primary influence for pursuing a vocation in Biology, leading to his theory of evolution. Humboldt’s influence extended across disciplines, placing him in social circles with Goethe, Schiller, and Thomas Jefferson.
Even today, he is a significant influencer in biogeography, environmentalism, ecology, evolution, and many more.
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1.) Alexander von Humboldt. Wikipedia.