page 242
Another hazardous chemical contained in cigarette smoke is acetaldehyde (and
closely related formaldehyde), which is found in smog and in the bloodstream
of alcohol drinkers (the acetaldehyde is made from alcohol principally by
the liver). This toxic chemical is known as a cross-linker because it makes
undesireable chemical bonds via free radical reactions between molecules in
the body, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Although a certain amount of
controlled crosslinking is necessary, [especially with Rives BFK that has
been emersed in warm gelatin] there are also uncontrolled cross-links in the
wrong places. When undesired links form between such molecules, they no
longer function normally. Examples of cross-linked proteins are wrinkled,
inelastic skin and inelastic, hardened arteries. Emphysema is caused to a
substantial extent by cross-linking of lung tissues.
[Our own personal formalin factories]
page 269-270
All healthy mammals, including people, make a small amount of alcohol in
their bodies as part of normal metabolism, The average person makes about
one ounce of alcohol every day by normal metabolism, In order to metabolize
this internally created alcohol, man and the other mammals have special
enzymes, particularly in their livers. These exzymes handle both the
internally made alcohol and also alcohol drunk in beverages, In the first
step, the enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase converts alcohol to
acetaldehyde, a chemical which can damage the body in several ways. It can
create abnormal chemical bonds in important large molecules like proteins
(resulting in skin wrinkling and artery hardening and loss of elasticity),
and damage DNA (resulting in abnormal cell function, birth defects, and even
cancer). This abnormal chemical bonding process is called cross-linking and
is the same process that causes you car's rubber windshield wipers to harden
and become brittle and that converts (tans) soft, moist cattle skin into
hard, dry, stiff leather. [and gelatin to get hard when coated on a piece of
paper] It is also the same process used to embalm cadavers, which employs
close chemical relatives of acetaldehyde such as formaldehyde and
glutaraldehyde. When cross-linking takes place in the lungs, we call the
result emphysema. Another way acetaldehyde causes damage is when it is
nonenzymatically oxidized in the body, creating dangerous and reactive
chemical fragments called free radicals, These free radicals can cause
cancer, birth defects, cross-linking, artherosclerosis, and are implicated
as major causative factors in aging.
Our bodies don't just leave this dangerous acetaldehyde hanging around,
though. We have another enzyme (called aldehyde dehydrogenase) which
enzymatically oxidizes the toxic acetaldehyde into essentially harmless
acetate ( a form of acetic acid, common vinegar). Unfortunately, long-term
heavy use of alcohol leads to free radical liver damage which impairs the
performance of this enzyme system. This results in less acetaldehyde
self-oxidizing to free radicals which do further damage, and so forth, in a
destructive chain reaction.
So, hmmm...
Lets review.
1. We know we shouldn't eat anything that tastes better than cardboard.
2. Smoking anything is so stupid it hardly bears mentioning.
3. Having that glass or two of white wine in the evening will overload our
system with aldehydes. More is worse.
4. Its probably not a good idea to breath the air, or drink the water.
5. Dont let any sun get on you. Ultra violet damage, not to mention the
chance of a stray cosmic-ray collision (DNA mutation).
6. Sex is right out!
7. My personal favorite warning is "Saliva taken internally, in sufficient
quantities, is harmful to your health.
The payoff is, if you concienciously do all the above, You wont live any
longer. It'll just seem that way.
Have a nice day folks I'm gonna go size some BFK.
Hope this helps... [Heh Heh Heh]
Rand
M Rand Carlton
mrand@snowcrest.net
Photography...
"The process is
the product"