O heart! You and your suffering for Him exist; ah, how nice it is always to be concerned with Him and suffering for Him! That suffering is, in fact, your cure.
O you who are seeking the world; you are like a day laborer in this world;
and you, lover of Paradise, are also far distant from truth.
O you, who are unaware of the truth and pleased with the two worlds,
You are excused, for you have not felt
the pleasure of suffering for the Beloved’s sake. (Rumi)

How does suffering become a cure or a pleasure? Just like hot peppers do. Why do we consume hot peppers, even though they are painful to eat? In his article, Ali Fethi Toprak explains that experts think hot peppers “are good for our health by lowering blood pressure, having antimicrobial effects, and increasing salivation thus making a boring diet fun.” Kocabas also suggests that, according to some studies, the capsaicin present in hot peppers could be used as a pain suppressor.

Also in this issue, Katharine Branning explains that researchers have discovered a link between the heavy consumption of isot pepper and the very low cancer rates in southeast Turkey. The “research has provided conclusive evidence that isot pepper does indeed possess substantial anti-cancer properties.” In Branning’s piece, the very hot isot pepper does not only help cure cancer, but is also an emblem of dialogue, friendship, and mercy, stretching across cultures and religions.

In her heartbreaking memoir, Magdalena Rusanova tells us about her father, who she lost when she was a child. As we read along, we trace each and every threshold she needed to surpass in her life as she grew into adolescence, developed relationships with others, and faced important choices. Even though her father’s memory faded as the years passed, and despite her pain, there was one significant piece of advice he had given her, which happened to guide her all her life. Choosing the right guide is necessary for an unwavering walk in our lives, as Niyazi-i Misri says,

Let not any guide lead you, for he may make it
too difficult to proceed;
It is very easy for one whose guide is perfect
to advance along this path.
The right guide can even help us discover the pleasure in pain.

In the remarkable interfaith city of Urfa, the author is surprised by extraordinary generosity which exemplifies the city’s “living faith.”

Sanliurfa, known to the Turks as “Urfa the Glorious,” is often described as a city of many faiths. It is indeed glorious, for a more impressive interfaith site than this one would be hard to find outside of Jerusalem. Legend has it that Adam met Eve on the Göbekli Mound outside of town. The two sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, were born in nearby Harran. Isaac met his wife Rachel while drawing water at a well in Harran, and their love story charted the destiny of the world, for their descendants included Moses, King David and Jesus. The descendants of his brother, Ishmael, included Mohammed, founder of the Islamic faith. The name of Urfa is scattered countless times throughout the verses of the Old Testament. The city later became known as Edessa, seat of the first major Crusader state of the Outremer, established during the First Crusade of Baldwin II in 1096. Edessa became an important center for the spread of Christianity and the revival of Greek learning, through translations made here into Syriac, the local language spoken by Jesus, then into Arabic, and finally into Latin and the European languages.

On my recent visit to this very hot city in southeastern Turkey, I could not help but be impressed by the cultural, historical, spiritual and mystical atmosphere of this capital of many faiths. When I walked through the rose gardens of the Hasan Padishah Mosque on my way towards the Pool where Abraham’s Sacred Fish swam, I could feel the memory of the prophets of many faiths. As I trod on stones polished by centuries of Biblical footsteps, I observed the crowds coming on pilgrimage to the site, many of whom would continue on to Mecca to complete the Hajj.

Yet faith does not just lie in the historical past of Urfa. Today, it is still a city of living faith, as I recently experienced.

Urfa is dotted with several splendid bazaars, reached by narrow backstreets just wide enough for one donkey to pass. These bazaars echo with the sounds of Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, and Arabic. Djellabias, facial tattoos, keffiyeh scarves, Salvar pants, tee-shirts and tennis shoes all mix in a colorful jumble of traditions and cultures. I went to the Kazzaz Bazaar to watch the silk weavers and to hear the hammering of its famed coppersmiths. I went to the Sipahi Bazaar to admire the bright Kurdish rugs. I went to the Ucuzluk Bazaar to buy some isot pepper.

I had read about isot, the celebrated red pepper of Urfa, and was fascinated by it. What did it taste like, I wondered, and is it really as scorching hot as the infamous palate-exploding habanero pepper of my southwest United States? Just what is it that makes it so special – so special that the people of Urfa consume 70 tons of isot pepper in their kebabs per day? It is certain that it is not just the 46 degree centigrade (115 F) weather that heats up this city, but all that fiery red powdered fuel, too. Isot would also appear to have something more explosive than its blazing taste. A team of scientists from the University of Nottingham, in England, intrigued by the link between the heavy consumption of isot and the very low cancer rates in this area, has carried out research on the pepper. Their research has provided conclusive evidence that isot pepper does indeed possess substantial anti-cancer properties.

I stopped in a spice shop where I was immediately taken in hand by the young owner, Abdulhekim. A tower of colorful spice sacs made from striped kilims rose in a tower against the wall, many of them containing different varieties of isot. When I asked to buy some, I first received a lengthy and informed lesson on their different qualities and textures from Abdulhekim: wetter vs. drier, big flakes vs. small flakes, sweeter vs. smokier, and so on, including his confirmation of its proven effectiveness against cancer cells. Tea was shared, stories were exchanged, politics were discussed and jokes were told, for that is the way business is done in Turkey, even for a handful of pepper. He told me I definitely needed to purchase the most expensive variety; the “best quality kind” he assured me. He knew his stock, so I took his word, and I wanted the best quality for sure.

As he scooped out my order of the searing pepper flakes into a paper bag, I said in a low voice, “I am bringing this pepper back for my friend Enciğim who lives in America. She was sick this past year, but she has bravely finished her treatments and is healthy once again. But I would like her to eat some of this pepper every day to keep her that way, just like you do here in Urfa.”

When he finished weighing out the pepper and wrapping it up, I took out my wallet to pay. He flicked his head up in the emphatic Turkish gesture to say “No!” He brushed my wallet away and placed the package in my hands.

“This is a gift. This is my gift to your friend. May Allah’s mercy and the city of Urfa and its pepper keep her healthy and strong for many, many years to come. That is my wish for this gift. Take it home to her from me.”

Yes, all the way from the dawn of time until today, Urfa is a glorious city of living faith.

Like all omnivorous foods, peppers – both hot and sweet – have been created in unique, wise ways to make them appealing to eat and to help reproduce.

Plants and their fruits are sustenance for herbivores, including humans. They are often brightly colored – be it red, orange, yellow, purple, or green, inviting us to a delicious food. But not all plants are meant to be eaten. Indeed, some plants are designed to be unappetizing, either through look or smell; some even have thorns, or sticky, hairy surfaces to deter us from eating them. Another remarkable way that plants are protected against herbivores is the presence of unique chemicals that induce vomiting and pain, or may be toxic.

Many edible plants need to be eaten – it’s how they spread their seeds. Thus, they produce juicy, tasty skin and sweet-smelling aromas. Why, then, are hot peppers different? Though they are nicely colored and juicy, and sweet smelling, they are also hot, and not terribly pleasant for animals to eat.

A recent study at New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute determined the hottest chili to be the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Chili. It was chosen from among 125 varieties. Researchers dried and ground it to powder, to isolate its active compound. This way, they were able to determine that the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion reaches about 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale. It is so potent that it could induce sweating and tears, and of course puts the mouth on fire.

Figure 1. Molecular mechanism of TRPV receptor activated by capsaicin. TRPVs are located on the surface of nerve cells where they normally respond to changes in temperature by releasing calcium ions. Those ions signal to intracellular machinery to fire nerve action to inform the brain about increased levels of heat. Capsaicin in hot peppers mimics this system, and thus fools brain to think mouth is hot.

What make hot peppers hot?

Animals are equipped with receptors, like TRPV1 in the mouth’s nerve endings, which sense heat. Hot peppers produce a chemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin binds to and activates TRPV1 receptors; thus we feel a heat similar to a burning sensation. In reality, capsaicin does not actually increase the temperature in the mouth, but instead mimics the same process (Figure 1). Since capsaicin mainly dissolves in oil instead of water, drinking water does not help much to get rid of the burning sensation. Cold water provides only temporary aid. However, the drinking of ayran (a Turkish yogurt drink) relieves hotness by removing capsaicin due to the presence of oil in ayran. Interestingly, although mammals have receptors for capsaicin, scientists have recently discovered that birds don’t.

Capsaicin deters mammalian consumption

It is an interesting phenomenon that peppers are hot but need to be eaten to propagate their seeds in different environments, which is done through the droppings of animals. If this is the case, why are hot peppers made unpleasant with capsaicin? To figure out the wisdom behind this contradiction, Joshua Tewksbury performed a study with a group of mice and birds, and found that birds do not distinguish between sweet and hot peppers in their diet. In this study, both mice and birds ate the same amount when fed with food mixed with sweet peppers. However, mice refused to eat foods mixed with hot peppers, while birds happily ate such food. Moreover, analysis of the droppings of birds and mice showed that the seeds passed through the bird’s digestion systems were intact and fully fertile and could germinate, while seeds eaten by mice were either crushed or semi digested so that they were not fertile. Thus, the role of capsaicin in hot peppers is to deter mammals that destroy their seeds while not disturbing birds. This is a great example of ingenious interdependence.

Capsaicin as antifungal agent of peppers

Figure 2. Capsaicin is not only protective against mammals but also fungus contaminations. A) Insects make peppers prone to fungus contamination by causing harm. B) Healthy pepper C) A pepper with fungal contamination. Modified Image from Tewksbury lab.

The infinite wisdom of capsaicin protects peppers against fungus as well. Another study by Tewksbury showed that hot peppers are relatively protected against fungal infections. Tewksbury demonstrated that increased doses of capsaicin inhibit the growth of fungus. This finding is in parallel with lower fungus growth in hot peppers compared to sweet peppers.

But what about insects? How could peppers be protected from insects?

Adaptations against insects

Interestingly, the skins of hot and sweet peppers have different levels of thickness. It has been suggested that this gives an advantage to sweet peppers. Furthermore, this protective layer is made of lignin, which is made of the same material as capsaicin and helps to protect from other threats. This allows peppers to adapt to many different environments. For instance, in the presence of fungal contamination, a pepper might be able to produce more capsaicin and decrease lignin production, or vice versa.

Why do we like to eat hot peppers then?

Humans differ from mammals in their love of hot peppers. There are different explanations why we like to eat hot peppers, despite them being painful. Some experts assert that hot peppers are good for our health by lowering blood pressure, having antimicrobial effects, and increasing salivation thus making a boring diet fun. On the other hand, some experts approach it from the perspective of human emotions and argue that we are actually after the pain produced by hot peppers. In addition, there are some studies suggesting that capsaicin could also suppress other pains.

Hot pepper or capsaicin as pain suppressor

Capsaicin in hot peppers could be used as a pain suppressor, as some studies suggested. A study using mice lacking TRPV1 heat receptors showed that the increased long term activation of TRPV1 by capsaicin could relieve pain following the accumulation of high doses of Ca2+ in the cells. This is accomplished by the suppression of both cellular activities and the transmission of pain through nerves.

Hot peppers are hot and we love them. It seems like we will continue consuming them. As every other art of creation, hot or sweet peppers are likely to have many more levels of wisdom awaiting us to discover.

References

• Tewksbury Lab. Retrieved from: http://faculty.washington.edu/tewksjj/res_pai.html on 18.2.2012.
• Yalgın. Ç. 2012. Acı biberler niye acı? (Why Are Peppers Hot?) Açık Bilim. Retrieved from: http://www.acikbilim.com on 18.2.2012.
• Zivkovic, B. 2006. Hot peppers – Why are they hot? A Blog Around The Clock.

“There are numerous perfect mechanisms put to work by our Creator in a fashion that is impossible for us to know; it is equally impossible for us to control each of them.”

“This body is mine! Thus, I have a right to use it as I like!”

How do we own our body? How much of it belongs to us? Can we still stand behind the phrase “this body is mine!” when we explain “scientifically” that it is not? To what extent does that statement meet the truth?

First paragraphs of human biology textbooks strongly mention the phenomenon that the sustenance of life takes place outside our will. Does our first creation in our mother’s womb, when we become existent out of nowhere, happen by our will? Do we have a say in the creation of our body, which is the dress of our soul? Of course we don’t. Even our senses, which are involved in eating and drinking, exist outside of our will. The feeling of hunger, for instance, does not come forth from our control; it is dependent on the emptiness of the stomach, and low blood sugar. Hunger is not only a sense of alarm or warning, but also a feeling that forces one to eat; it disappears when one is full. If it was only a sense of alarm, one could get away with it. This situation shows that the human is not a machine composed of flesh only. If we refuse to respond to this feeling of hunger, it may eventually lead to serious, even fatal, consequences, such as patients suffering from Anorexia nervosa, a severe psychological disorder that can lead to self starvation.

If there were no such thing as hunger or appetite, humans would not be interested in working. The feeling of hunger is a remembrance to the One who provides. As a matter of fact, all our emotions are temporary belongings that provide for the sustenance of life, and for the continuation of generations. Sexual desires are provided so that we can have families and can continue the human race; an appetite for food is given so that we can maintain our lives, and the sense of cold is given so that we dress.

In our village, one of our neighbors suffered from a stroke. All of the senses of pain, hot or cold, and touch disappeared from his legs. A pathological sense urged the patient to ask care takers to warm the stroked leg. Upon the patient’s strong request, care takers tried to warm the underside of the foot with a hot iron over a piece of cloth. As a result, the patient suffered severe foot burns all the way to the bone, since neither the patient nor the care takers noticed the damage. The nerve endings embedded in our skin are in charge of sensing hot or cold; and nerves that are buried deep in our legs and arms are tasked with relaying those senses to our brain.

Despite feelings of cold or excess heat being connected to certain areas of the brain and nerve cells, these senses are not completely delivered to brain. That is to say that we are not simply machines made out of elements found in the earth. We do have emotions and a soul in charge of controlling those emotions, and a spiritual world connected to it. It is such that even senses of hot and cold do not belong to us and we cannot even generate or control them.

We cannot start our body just like we start a washing machine. We do not have a button to restart our heart in case it stops. How does a heart work? Have we ever thought about the number of nerves employed in sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomous nerve networks that make the heart work? All of the muscle cells of the heart contract with perfect timing. Do you know that special channels called “gap junctions” in between neighbor muscle cells are put to work wondrously in order to let electric signals pass from one cell to another? If millions of muscle cells in a heart did not have to work like that, how could all our cells get their nourishment, necessary substances, and oxygen in time? All of these processes happen outside our will.

How many red blood cells or white blood cells do you have, and how are they working? When the hemoglobin molecule reaches cells, it releases the oxygen molecule that is bound in lungs. Does the hemoglobin do this act of binding and releasing by its own discretion? Red blood cells get accelerated with proper speed so that cells get their nourishment on time. Is this something we do on our own? Our body is protected from diseases as white blood cells recognize and attack foreign microorganisms and substances. How can a white blood cell separate normal cells from harmful bacteria? There are numerous perfect mechanisms put to work by our Creator in a fashion that is impossible for us to know; it is equally impossible for us to control each of them. We do profit-loss calculations in every business of ours. Our body employs a great principle of economy; do we know how that is put to life or who makes that work?

Neurons, axons, dendrites, synapses, and neuro-transmitters exist and function in amazing numbers in our brains. Countless connections between neurons, and electric currents through synapses, happen without us even noticing them. How do neurotransmitters only bind with their own receptors and open ion channels? How does this relay of information occur in our brain when Na and Ca ions, existing in soil, rocks, and salt – which we use as a condiment – pass through these electrically controlled ion channels? Even if we know about these intricate works, it is still not up to our will to enable or control them.

How do nerve networks function? How many types of neuron circuitries exist, and how do they work? How does membrane potential form in nerve and muscle cells? How is action potential generated? When we touch a substance, which nerve tracks are utilized to transport the information? Do we have the option to pull the plug of pain and feel free of it? If this machine-like body belonged to us, then we could control and regulate it.

When we are purchasing a computer, we get the hardware according to our budget. We ask and order for the processing speed, memory, and the capacity of a computer to meet our needs. Do we get to arrange the capacity of our brain that we think we own?

Do we know that more than 75% of chewing is a reflex and happens outside our control and will? How good is it that we realize that only one of the three phases of swallowing is actually under our control and the rest of the process happens by our reflexes during eating and drinking? If swallowing was to be in our control, it would be highly likely that pieces of food and fluid droplets would easily choke our lungs and might cause death. How do our stomach and intestines work? At what speeds do secretions and movements take place? The content and amount of oral, gastro-intestinal, and pancreatic secretions are regulated according to the amount and type of food we intake. These regulations continue through our lifespan without any cessation.

Are we able to stop our heart beat when we are just a baby in our mother’s womb even for a minute? How does our heart work? How much blood is pumped in a minute? Approximately how long after the conception of egg and sperm does the heart start to beat: weeks, days? Do we know that our heart starts beating when we are as small as a tiny piece of flesh around week four?

How can we assert that we control our body, even when, to this day, scientists do not have a solid comprehension other than some assumptions of the rhythmic continuation of respiration during sleep or coma?

Since we own this heart and lungs, therefore can we manage to die whenever we want to stop them? Never!

We can conclude that the assertion of “this body is ours” is a deceptive, misleading perception. This body is given to us as a temporary belonging. It is very clear scientifically that all of the works, acts, and wondrous arts of the body do not belong to us, but to the One who created them. Our responsibility is to keep that in mind and be thankful for all the bountiful blessings.

Omer Arifagaoglu is a professor of medicine in Turkey.

In the mechanics of engineering, the force of inertia depends on the acceleration of a moving object along with its mass. Therefore, the force of inertia on an object is equal to the mass times acceleration. Accordingly, the faster an object gains speed, the greater will be the force of inertia. However, this brings along many problems in practice. In machines with pistons (compressors, pumps etc.) which are accelerating and slowing down speedily, a great force of inertia is applied to the machine’s elements. This gives way to a significant amount of resistance and abrasion problems. In addition there are other such troubles inside an engine’s cylinder during the four strokes (induction, compression, expansion, and exhaust). A greater force is required for brake mechanisms at the motion of elevators, banded conveyors, and automobiles. This is why brake linings wear out in a short time.

According to the principles of thermodynamics, where a piston-cylinder system is concerned and the compression or expansion of gases is slower, minimum energy is required during compression and maximum energy is obtained during expansion. On the other hand, if this process of compression and expansion is realized quickly, then the energy consumption is maximum during compression and minimum during expansion. Turning the tap too quickly to stop the flow of water causes a greater force of inertia inside, and if this continues to occur frequently, the faucet may need repair.

Things done too quickly present similar consequences. A person becomes rich as a result of working for long years has a better chance to appreciate his conditions in comparison to someone who becomes rich by winning a lottery. Decisions made in haste without consulting with others mostly yield negative results, which happens rarely in those made after consultation, since the risk of mistakes is reduced.

Living things and gradualness

For living things, adaptation to hot or cold environments is also a gradual process. If adaptation is not realized slowly, they cannot survive. For example, if a man starts by taking showers with hot water, then gradually with warmer water, and in the end with cold water, his body can develop endurance to cold water, even freezing water in winter. Some mothers wrap up their children too well even in good weather, and thereby do not let them adapt to changing weather conditions; such children catch cold easier than others.

Principle of gradualness has an obvious relation with being steadfast and patient, as in the cases of hatching chicks and silkworms in their cocoon. Human intervention to accelerate these processes will naturally have some negative effects. If the wing of a chick is forced to separate from the egg before the due time, it might hurt the animal seriously.

According to dieticians, stomach problems are more commonly found in those who eat quickly than who eat without haste. In addition, it is also known that meals cooked in low heat are more delicious and have higher nutritional value. It is essential for food quality to cool the foods gradually before they undergo freezing. Similarly, before cooking frozen food, it is advised to thaw out the food, gradually bringing it to values near room temperature.

A frog’s nervous system is sensitive to sudden changes, not gradual ones. For this reason, when it is thrown in hot water, it jumps back right away. But if the water is heated gradually, the frog will show no reaction, it will even enjoy it. Despite the increasing heat, the animal feels numb more and more, to such a degree that it fails to escape before it is too late. Even though there may be no obstacle to jumping out, the frog pays a heavy price for the heedless life it led. So, it is very significant to be able to observe the gradual changes and take measures accordingly.

Human life reflects this principle in many ways. From biological development to learning new subjects, different kinds of progress depend on a gradual process. Nevertheless, human beings are too impatient to follow gradual patterns. You may have heard from people who want to learn a new subject-such as a foreign language-express how they wish there were some pills or other quick ways to realize their aim all at once.

Indeed, mankind is ever hasty. Success and joy, however, rest with patience and being in the right tune with gradualness.