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The information provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions related to your health or medical care. The content shared here reflects personal experiences and creative practices and is not a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment.
With that being said, I’d like to share my personal mix of art and science. Welcome to my website.
I want to document my work—however imperfect it may be—because I believe in the balance between consuming and creating. The more we consume, the more we learn how to create. The more we create, the more we appreciate what we consume.
At the heart of both is learning. When we learn, we’re better able to share. And when we share, we open the door to connection.
If my work brought you here, I’m deeply grateful. I hope it helps you feel the value of connection—and maybe even inspires you to create something of your own.
The kidneys are important for filtering water-soluble substances in your body. As you get older, your water percentage usually decreases due to less lean muscle mass.
A vast majority of this water is housed inside cells and we are made of up trillions of cells. However, a small fraction of our water flows through our blood vessels, this is what the kidneys have access to to keep clean.
Water leaves cells, gets cleaned in kidneys by filters called glomeruli. Kidneys have many glomeruli, about 1 million in each. A tiny bit of blood's water is filtered repeatedly, eventually cleansing all body water.
Podocytes are cell that are a key component of the filter. Podocytes are small cells that develop projections when energized , creating a filter by interlocking with neighboring cells. This filter when healthy blocks albumin from being filtered into the urine. The podocytes, like all cells, generate energy by making ATP.
Most of the water filtered by the kidneys doesn't end up urine. Instead, about 99% of it is reabsorbed by the processing tubes connected to each of the 1 million glomeruli. The proximal tubules, which are the tubes located near the glomeruli, are mainly responsible for reclaiming the majority of this water.
A functioning kidney can filter around 60 mL of water per minute. This equals at least 86 liters of water each day. Only 1% of this goes out as urine (860 mL), while the rest needs to go back into the body. Getting this much water back into circulation takes a significant amount of energy. Remember that energy is stored as ATP.
The proximal tubules in the kidneys contain many mitochondria and receive a substantial amount of oxygen-rich blood. This oxygen is crucial for breaking down fat to produce energy (ATP) through a process called aerobic metabolism. Fat provides more energy than other nutrients, yielding 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates each provide only 4 calories per gram. This efficient energy production is essential for the function of the proximal tubules
In the kidneys, particularly in the proximal tubules, the mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of the cells) prefer to use fat for energy because these areas get a lot of oxygen. Even though there are enzymes that can break down glucose for energy, the DNA in healthy proximal tubules usually doesn't make these enzymes. Generally, in the body, fat is used as the main fuel in places where there is a lot of oxygen available.
Using the right fuel source in the right location is crucial. If the wrong fuel source is used, then the cells will steal from each other, and inefficiency will develop. This inefficiency may manifest as podocytes that don’t make proper filter barriers. This may lead to excessive albumin leaking through the filter causing pre-mature scarring of the glomeruli.
The theme of this site is that eating more whole food plant based foods takes the guesswork out of getting the proper ratios of nutrients (micro- and macro-) that we need. To embrace this way of eating and make other healthier lifestyle choices, discipline is essential. I’m working to incorporate technology into our daily lives to help us use the various fuels around us more efficiently.