As a nutritionist, I tend to try to solve all of life’s problems with food. It’s like a weird superpower. Are you depressed? Add some probiotics. Worried about climate change? Decrease your consumption of conventional red meat and dairy. How about declining bee populations? Choose organic. Concerned for your local economy? Eat local, from farmers and restaurants you believe in. Want to connect with your family? Make a meal together. And so on, and so on. That’s the encompassing power of food - it ties into everything. Absolutely everything.  

Of course, this mindset can also be an idealist trap. Problems don’t exist in a vacuum. Not all depression can be resolved by kimchi. Abstaining from almonds isn’t going to put even the slightest dent in the damage done by the 100 companies that contribute 71% of global emissions. You can’t fix a broken bone with kale. And yet, I feel compelled to at least try. After all, it’s one of the rare superpowers I’ve got. I have to believe that the choices I make can have a positive change, otherwise, what am I even doing here? What are any of us doing here?

So, it follows that I could attempt to use this lens to target a growing health problem within our American population: exposure to chemical weapons. Thousands of citizens protesting in cities across the country are being repeatedly exposed to tear gas and pepper spray at the hands of their local police force and federal agents. These weapons have a fascinating century-old history and, coincidentally, are rooted in racial suppression. (Shocker, I know.) I set out to determine how repeated exposure to these chemicals affects the body and in turn, how to combat the negative effects using food and nutrition. After all, the healthier we are, the longer we fight.

I combed through multiple studies from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), leafed through my old biochemistry, nutrition, and anatomy textbooks, consulted my Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine cookbooks, and sifted through current publications and reddit forums. Turns out, “diet and chemical weapons” isn’t a common search.  

Regardless, here’s a bit of what I found: 

• There are many varieties of chemical weapons. The ones currently deployed in our American cities are categorized as riot control agents (RCA), and are one or more of the following: 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS), chloroacetophenone (CN), and capsaicin (OC). CS is ten times more potent than CN, but is significantly less toxic; the US Army adopted CS as their primary RCA in 1959 and other branches of law enforcement have since followed their lead. Both CS & CN are types of tear gas; OC is pepper spray. All three momentarily disable and grossly irritate the senses.

• A 2020 report stated that CS gas is absorbed primarily through the respiratory tract, and may be metabolized by the liver. OC is absorbed primarily through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and is metabolized primarily by the liver, but also by the kidneys, lungs and small intestine. Studies on the metabolization of CN are inconclusive.

• A 2014 study concluded that even after just one incident of exposure, CS can cause severe inflammation, cause chemical injury to airway and lung linings, and make people more susceptible to developing respiratory illness. An assessment from 2016 states that other effects may include cough, asthma, dermatitis, chronic pain and neurodegeneration. More severe symptoms may include pulmonary edema, chronic bronchitis, reactive airways dysfunction, respiratory arrest, vomiting, GI distress, allergic reactions, and even death. 

• Recent anecdotal evidence from Portland suggests that inhaling large amounts of CS gas may lead to disruptions in menstrual cycles; symptoms include debilitating cramps, spontaneous menstruation, and early, abnormal, and prolonged periods. Observations in Bahrain showed that exposure could lead to pregnancy loss; similarly in 2011, the Chilean government temporarily prohibited the use of tear gas due to concerns that it caused miscarriages.  

And that’s about it. [Well, that and this weird study where they threw a bunch of poor saps in a room for an hour with increasing concentrations of tear gas to see if they could develop a tolerance to it. Turns out, they could, kind of. (The poorer saps exposed to max concentration in the last five minutes all had a much harder time)]. Ultimately, there’s just not a ton of research that’s been done to study the lasting effects of riot control agents. At least, not research that the public has access to.   

Regardless, we can be pretty sure that the respiratory system, the GI tract, and the liver bear the brunt of internal damage. There are plenty of foods we can eat to help support these systems (for a list of those foods, keep reading). As a nutritionist, of course I want to provide all the information I can to help. But another thing I want to do is be realistic; not everyone has the time, money, or wherewithal right now to focus energy on eating for their organs. Another thing that I came across in one of the studies was this: Longer term systemic changes are likely due to the stress associated with exposure.  

Many of us are currently drowning in a stress slurry. Stress from living in a pandemic. Stress about the upcoming election. Stress about climate change. Stress about the economy. Stress about finances. Stress about racial justice, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrant’s rights. Stress about what the streets will look like today, tomorrow, the next day. Interestingly, stress was one of the selling points for these chemical weapons in the 1920’s. From the Gas-Age Record magazine, November 26, 1921:  

“The tear gases appear to be admirably suited to the purpose of isolating the individual from the mob spirit … he is thrown into a condition in which he can think of nothing but relieving his own distress. Under such conditions an army disintegrates and a mob ceases to be; it becomes a blind stampede to get away from the source of torture.”

Stress is a weapon, and it, too, takes a deadly toll on our bodies. So yes, of course, feed yourself well, find your antioxidants, increase your probiotics, take your fish oils, support your health as much as you can, but maybe more importantly, find those moments of respite to ease your stress. Find some comfort. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to just bake some fucking cookies. 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies

Tahini isn’t just for hummus and other savory foods. This butter, made solely from ground sesame seeds, imparts a gentle nutty flavor and provides a slight chew to these cookies. The espresso powder contributes a subtle depth, but truthfully these cookies are just as good without it if you don’t have it on hand. If you can, rest the dough overnight in the fridge to allow all of the flavors to mingle. If you’re like me and just can’t wait, bake ‘em off straight away.

Yield: 14 - 20 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 11- 14 minutes

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup tahini, well stirred
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
Flaky finishing salt (like Maldon or Fleur de Sel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine butter and tahini and beat until blended. (Alternatively, mix in a large mixing bowl with a spatula.) Add brown and white sugar and mix until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla and combine.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and give one more beating to combine. (If you can wait, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight.)

When you’re ready to bake, spoon heaping tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. (Make sure to give them ample space, as the dough will spread.) Top with a few more chocolate chunks for decoration. Bake 11 - 13 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove from baking sheet, top with a sprinkle of salt, and let cool. Find your happy place. Breathe. Eat. Enjoy.

Some Foods To Support Our Systems

Respiratory system

Up your antioxidant intake. Vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids and carotenoids are abundantly present in many fruits and vegetables, nuts, cocoa, red wine and green tea. Examples include dark leafy greens, red berries, beans, dried fruits, cruciferous vegetables, and foods under the Mediterranean Diet umbrella. Drink lots of water with lemon. 

Gastrointestinal Tract & Liver

Up your probiotics with naturally fermented foods to help heal the gut. Examples include miso, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, yogurt, and apple cider vinegar. Up your polyphenols with spices like clove, peppermint, star anise, cocoa, Mexican oregano, flaxseed, and sage. Up your anti-inflammatory & detoxifying foods such as burdock root, umeboshi plum, milk thistle, grapefruit, beets, garlic, sea vegetables, omega-3 rich foods like salmon, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale & brussels sprouts.