EATING AND YOU: How what you eat can affect your mood

Did you realize that what you are eating may be responsible for how you feel? The amount of joy we feel in our life is mostly allotted through our consumption of protein. Why? Because our emotions are a product the varying levels of hormones and neurotransmitters, which are made up of amino acids—the building blocks of protein. That means we must consume enough of the right sources of protein for these chemical messengers to perform harmoniously. In addition, vitamins and minerals are essential to the regulation of these chemical messengers.

We believe some people are naturally positive, up-beat, or relaxed people, while we notice that others are inherently negative, irritable, anxious, stressed, or sensitive. We can categorize emotions into categories of good moods and bad moods. Certified nutritional therapist Julia Ross in, The Mood Cure, asserts that amino acids are our most effective weapons for fighting bad moods. Emotion generators in your brain are called neurotransmitters. A brain well-stocked in neurotransmitters produces “true emotions”—or good moods. Conversely, a brain deficient in certain neurotransmitters produces “false or defective moods”, and Ross suggests that “false moods” are largely a product of stress and insufficient nutrition.

Think of things that put you in a good mood. It is scientifically known that sunlight, music, romance, exercise, and nature can all raise your endorphin levels, which are neurotransmitters. Endorphins are what allow you to feel a zest and excitement for life. In a sense, they can influence your sense of joy. Massages, happy memories, chocolate, sex, deep breathing, meditation, and roller coasters also significantly raise your endorphin levels.  It is important to understand that you can be deficient in endorphins or other neurotransmitters, and your levels can be influenced by genetics, stress, chronic pain, and diet.

Neurotransmitters can only be made out of amino acids, which must be consumed. Fortunately, you can get them from a high-protein diet, and additionally purchase them as supplements from a neighborhood health food store. Vitamins and minerals regulate the production of neurotransmitters, and animal fats allow you to use these naturally mood-boosting amino fuels. In addition, adequate amounts of hormones like estrogen and progesterone are vital for the proper functioning of certain neurotransmitters. Hormones have a powerful effect on moods, which make sense for a lot of women who are pregnant, postpartum, premenstrual, or menopausal. So let’s examine the different neurotransmitters’ effects on mood.

Serotonin

When you are high in serotonin, you are positive, flexible, and easy-going.  But when you are low or deficient in serotonin, you can be negative, obsessive, worried, irritable, and or sleepless. You may be prone to tantrums, irrational anger, violent behavior, guilty feelings, low self-esteem, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. More clues to low serotonin levels include being a night owl, a sugar addiction, an exercise addiction, or a drug addiction.

Having low estrogen levels, can also lower your serotonin levels because estrogen helps to program serotonin. Females produce less serotonin than males. Consequently, women are twice as likely to suffer from premenstrual, menopausal, or postpartum mood problems when their estrogen falls too low.

Serotonin is your primary defense against depression and anxiety. Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan and another amino acid. Tryptophan is found in beef, turkey, fish, chicken, pork, cheese, eggs, and other dairy products.

Breastmilk is higher in tryptophan than any other milk, so it makes sense why people say that breast-fed babies are so easy-going. They are constantly getting the highest source of tryptophan. Exclusively formula-fed infants can result in low serotonin babies, which can also lead to low serotonin adults. If breastfeeding is not an option, it is important to use a homemade nutrient-dense formula. The recipe can be found at thehealthyhomeeconomist.com, but it would have to be strictly followed to avoid any nutrient deficiencies. The ingredients can be costly or hard to obtain, so it requires the caregiver to be very diligent.

Sunlight and exercise are great for good moods. They both raise oxygen levels in the brain, and oxygen is critical to the formation of serotonin from amino acids. No wonder why exercising can be addictive. It makes you feel good immediately afterwards. Serotonin is also stimulated by bright light, or sunlight. Exposure to bright light during the day not only improves your emotions, it improves your sleep quality because it stimulates melatonin to raise at night.   Often in the winter, people may experience a low-level depression, or what has been called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), from lack of exposure to sunlight. Not only does exposure to the sun elevate your serotonin, your mood, and improve your sleep, it increases your body’s levels of vitamin D, which allows you to be more effective at fighting off infections. In other words, lots of sun in the winter can be your replacement for the flu shot.

Sugar can very temporarily raise your serotonin levels, but it is not sustainable, and sets you up for an emotional crash later. Using sweets to feel better is a sign of a serotonin deficiency. So pay attention if you are craving sweets at night or during the winter. Craving alcohol or marijuana may also be a sign of low mood-enhancing chemicals. If you suspect you are low in serotonin, you’ll want to increase your intake of quality protein sources, decrease your sugar intake, get exercise for at least 30 minutes 2-3 times a week, and get out into the sun. You can also take supplements of tryptophan or 5-HTP, but you should consult a nutritional expert or health care provider first.

Catecholamines

Being high in the catecholamine neurotransmitters makes you feel energized, upbeat, and alert. Being low in them can make you sink into a flat, lethargic funk or not react strongly to things. You may have trouble with focus and concentration, like having difficulty when paying attention requires you to be physically still. Or, you may have a reduced sex drive. Catecholamines call us to attention. They enthuse you in the face of positive news and alarm you in the face of threats. They prime you to take action, even program your physical movements. Any exciting prospect can elevate their levels, like anticipating a meal or going for a run.

Catecholamines—or the cats—are what Julia Ross calls your internal cheering squad and drill sergeant. The extent to which you are introverted or extroverted is related to your cats. And remember, your brain can inherit an abundance of, or a deficiency in them. Being low in the cats may make you drawn to stimulants like coffee, chocolate, tobacco, nutra-sweet, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or amphetamines. Ritalin also increases catecholamine production in the brain, which is why it is used on kids with ADHD. Low estrogen and testosterone can stymy the cats.  High protein sources and stabilized hormonal levels are the first start to waking the sleeping cats. With professional consultation, the amino acid tyrosine can also be taken to elevate those levels. Not having enough tyrosine is also related to your thyroid health, which may be another clue to sleeping cats.

GABA

Do you feel wired, stressed, or overwhelmed? Feel like you just can’t take it anymore? You may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. It is a sign your adrenals are no longer producing enough stress-fighting hormones. The adrenal glands produce up to 60 different hormones—including your stress and sex hormones. Adrenaline and cortisol are released in stressful situations. Adrenaline alerts you to imminent danger and prepares your body for fighting or fleeing. Afterwards, the release of cortisol subdues the adrenaline rush and infuses you with strength and stamina. Cortisol is critical in allowing you to face ongoing stress. But continual release of adrenaline and cortisol leaves you feeling wired and strained. Eventually, you will experience adrenal burnout and will not be able to rise to stressful situations. You may start feeling irritable, anxious, or suffer from exhaustion. Caffeine, foods high in sugar, and chronic infections also stress the adrenals by keeping these hormone levels high. Constant high levels can lead to heart disease, lowered immune function, and Alzheimer’s disease.

A brain well-stocked in the neurotransmitter GABA allows you to be relaxed and stress-free. Progesterone controls the release of this relaxing chemical in the brain. Levels of GABA and progesterone are supposed to be at their highest the week before menstruation. In PMS and menopause, progesterone levels can be too low. Men can also suffer from low progesterone levels. A diet with lots of good cholesterol from egg yolks, saturated fats, vitamins and minerals—especially vitamin D—are all important to maintain healthy adrenal glands. GABA can be taken as a supplement and is easily acquired from health food stores. The homeopathic remedy Calmes Forte may also be helpful. As always, consult a health professional when taking supplements.

Endorphins

People who take great pleasure in life and who are delighted in the many things it offers are high in endorphins. Being overly sensitive to hurt, crying all the time, or covering up feelings of denial can indicate a brain low in endorphins. Confusingly, endorphins can allow you to be in a state of denial, but when the levels run low, the real painful feelings have to be covered by synthetic painkillers like sugar, alcohol, or drugs. Traumatic events can deplete our endorphins. For instance, endorphins may raise initially after the death of a loved one, and can waver back and forth for a few weeks, but eventually the levels fall for good and a new phase of grief must be faced.

Endorphin levels rise during puberty. In adulthood, men have higher levels than women, which is why women are inclined to be more sensitive than men. Low estrogen reduces endorphins, and so again, we see women being more vulnerable to over-sensitivity to pain. Endorphins are what allow us to endure physical pain. B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and omega 3 fatty acids have all been shown to help with physical and or emotional pain. Certain amino acid supplements are also an effective method for dealing with pain.

You can pass your low hormonal levels on to your children. Hence, your inability to handle stress, depression, or anxiety can be inherited. So it is vital for both men and women to be fortified with lots of protein from fish, eggs, beef, chicken, or dairy, as well as healthy animal fats, before conceiving children.

Eating protein is crucial for keeping blood sugar balanced, and a combination with a saturated fat like butter, satisfies our bodies and lets us know we can stop eating because our blood sugar won’t drop. The worst mood-promoting foods are (in order): #1, Sugar #2, White Four #3, Wheat/Gluten #4, High Omega-6 Vegetable oils (not olive oil) or trans fats, and #5, Soy. All of these foods, in addition to promoting bad moods, cause a host of other health issues in the body, like allergies and inflammation, and should be strictly limited. Our bodies and our moods thrive off of protein, animal fat, and a host of vitamins and minerals obtained from a variety of healthy plant and animal sources.

Not eating enough food can be even harder on your mood than eating foods that cause false moods. Low-calorie dieting is known to be associated with eating disorders and terrible moods. Julia Ross admonishes that dieting and fasting have indelible effects on your brain—it starves and literally shrinks it.   Skipping meals as well, means nutrient losses that can add up to long-term mood deficits. Your body does not keep a reserve of mood-maintaining nutrients. As Ross says, if you don’t eat them, they won’t arrive.

You must also be careful about drinking coffee in lieu of eating breakfast. Coffee can kill your morning appetite leading you to skip breakfast, which will ultimately make you crave sugars throughout the day. Used wrong, coffee can promote high stress and low energy, as well as mood swings and hypoglycemia. Inadequate sleep is another contributor to bad moods. Adequate serotonin from amino acids (protein) is critical to the production of melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle.

So do you like being positive, energized, upbeat, alert, easy-going, relaxed, flexible, euphoric, and stress-free? Having healthy and loving parents is a great start, but the key to happiness can be as simple as eating well, and getting enough sleep, sun, and exercise. The things we know are good for our bodies are also especially good for our minds.

 by Rabiah Lewis

 Sources:

Ross, Julia. The Mood Cure. Penguin Books: New York. 2004.

The foods our ancestors ate—implications for reproductive and gynecological health

Our bodies are sensitive.  Our bodies are cyclic.  Our bodies are constantly listening, receiving, and interpreting information.  Our cells are interpreting vibrations—electrical, chemical, and emotional.  This has been going on for millions of years.  And millions of years of evolution created a perfect specimen—a woman.  And into her was passed the charge of reproducing the human race.

It is often said that we, in developed nations, are living longer than ever.  But are we?  Certainly the average life span has increased when antibiotics, artificial life support, emergency care, and pharmaceuticals are taken into account.  With all of that, we’ve managed to tack on a whopping 6 more years to the average life span since 100 BC[i].  The percentage of people living a really long life, however, has significantly gone down.  The percentage of Americans aged 100 in 1830 was .02.  In 1990, it was .015%.   And today it is .001%[ii].  Most important, the quality of life experienced in our bodies has deteriorated.

My quest for radiant health got serious when I decided to have children.  Discovering the importance of nutrition was an accident, really.  I was reading The Garden of Fertility by Katie Singer, on natural ways of charting your fertility signals to safely and effectively prevent or achieve pregnancy, and the best way to prepare your body for conception and pregnancy.  I wasn’t expecting to discover that nutritional preparation was key to successful fertility and parenting.

Most of my female friends and family struggle with at least one reproductive health issue.  From infertility to uterine fibroids to painful and heavy periods to polycystic ovarian syndrome, we women are constantly reminded of the vulnerability of our wombs.  I believe that these womb scars are, in part, a result of individual and collective psychic scars.  There is so much wounding to correct and make right, it is overwhelming to know where to begin.  Maybe we are not ready to face old wounds, but our lives and our children’s lives demand it.

Before the introduction of street lamps and modern lighting, women ovulated when the moon was full and bled while it was new.  We now know that exposure to light affects our circadian rhythm and our hormonal system, which is at the root of our menstrual cycle.  Melatonin, which regulates the circadian rhythm and the hypothalamus, is primarily secreted at night because it requires darkness to be produced.  Bright light suppresses its secretion.  The hypothalamus regulates the endocrine system, temperature, blood pressure, and emotion[iii].  You can imagine, then, that something as simple as certain exposure to light, can impair the hormonal system.

Lunaception is a technique that can help regulate and normalize women with very short or long cycles.  In addition, to creating regular, healthy menstrual cycles, lunaception can be used to avoid pregnancy. The technique mimics our ancestors’ natural experience with darkness and the moon.  It involves sleeping in complete darkness from days 1-13 of the menstrual cycle, sleeping with a low light source on days 14-17, and then sleeping in complete darkness again until the start of a new period.  Complete darkness means 15 minutes after turning out the lights, you cannot see objects in the room[iv].  To achieve this, it is necessary to eliminate or cover light coming from any source like street lamps, night lights, digital clocks, etc.

Lunaception, or even just sleeping in complete darkness every night, has been shown to strengthen gynecological health, increase fertility, and improve hormonal levels and premenopausal symptoms[v].  But the most direct and easy way to address the roots of reproductive illness, outside of emotional healing therapy, is through correcting diet and nutrition.  This is simple to say, but proper diet and eating takes quite a bit of mental fortitude because of the modern mixed-up and confusing nutritional landscape in this country.  The first fact to face is that modern nutrition is grossly inadequate for the task of sustaining our bodies, those of our children, and future generations.

Nowadays we have our scapegoats all lined up for the causes of illness and disease.  We blame the 3 g’s:  germs, genetics, and God.  We take no personal responsibility for our sick bodies, let alone our sick children.  Traditional people understood well that reproduction entails a critical period of formation and growth in utero, and they recognized that men and women—especially women—need extra nutrition up to 6 months before conception.  This nutritional window was recognized as a special period where special foods were fed to the parents to-be.  And these special foods were fed through gestation and lactation.

Traditional cultures made a science of birthing healthy children.  They took serious the charge of reproduction.  They knew this was their true source of wealth.  Blackfoot women knew that the lining of the buffalo large intestine gave babies a nice round head.  The Maasai only allowed couples to marry after several months of consuming milk from cows eating the wet season grass.  In Fiji, islanders hiked miles down to the sea to acquire certain species of lobster crab which they knew produced “a highly perfect infant”[vi].  Thousands of years of dedication, trial and error, and wisdom being passed on was necessary to protect the genetic wealth of a people to survive in a harsh and wild world.

Our bodies were built by these nutrient dense foods.  Between 3 and 2 ½ million years ago, our brain grew to the proportions it did because eating nutrient dense foods from meat sources allowed our digestive systems to shrink, diverting precious energy away from it towards the brain.  As the maternal metabolic turnover increased, the blood flowing through the placenta of every hominid fetus contained a fuller, more dependable source of omega 3’s and other nutrients, and nothing could prevent the fetus from taking advantage of it[vii].   The proper functioning of our minds and our bodies are still dependent on these foods today.

We come from over 150,000 generations of hunters and gatherers.  Our bodies are built to consume meat for the protein and fat it provides.  With agriculture—the domestication of cereal grains—came the “diseases of civilization” (to say nothing of the diseases of ecosystems).  Before that, we were largely, disease-free.  The reason cereal grains are so nutritionally problematic is because they contain many toxins and anti-nutrients to stop animals from eating them.  Heat, grinding, soaking, rinsing, sprouting, and fermenting disable some of these anti-nutrients.  But eating too many of these improperly prepared starches and sugars can overload the intestines causing an inflammatory response, impairing proper digestion and absorption and allowing toxins into our bloodstream.  A host of problems like Type II diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and depression may result.

Because so many of us in civilized cultures are sick, we don’t question it.  We simply eat the food the culture provides.  But food activist Lierre Keith says it is a lot to question, from the USDA food pyramid, to the righteous aura with which the Left has infused plant-based foods, to civilization itself.  “And these are powerful forces to which our native intelligence has long been subordinated”[viii].

Cereal grains are plants that have designed an intricate way of protecting themselves.  They produce lectins which produce auto-immune responses.  In effect, the body turns on itself.  Grains are basically carbohydrates lacking in essential amino acids, and they have enough opioids to make them highly addictive.  Essential amino acids are essential building blocks of protein that we cannot make ourselves, we can only eat them.  But every cell in the body can make all of the sugar it needs.  The actual amount of carbohydrates required by the body is zero[ix].  Eating a high carbohydrate, low-fat diet is like a tiger attack 3 times a day because of how sugar stimulates the release of adrenaline.  Not only does this create a hypoglycemic cycle of extreme highs and lows, it damages the stomach’s ability to produce hydrochloric acid which can leave you feeling sick, nauseated, and bloated[x]. White flour breaks down in the body into glucose.  Too much sugar in the body makes it secrete excess insulin, and if this happens, the ovaries may stop making estrogen and secrete testosterone instead.  This action diminishes or stops ovulation and hinders progesterone.  The repetition of this process results in polycystic ovarian syndrome[xi].

The good moods you experience throughout the day are mainly possible through protein.  Brains deprived of protein and fat can be rigid, angry, and easily set-off[xii].  A build-up of endorphins requires a large, consistent supply of high-protein foods like fish, eggs, cottage cheese or chicken.  Lack of protein puts you at risk for depression because of the lack of tryptophan[xiii].  Depressed people tend to crave sweets and starchy foods because the sudden rise in blood sugar gives a short-lived burst of energy, but it is followed by a period of letdown and exhaustion, which leads to craving more sugar[xiv].   White flour and white sugar are classic bad-mood foods.  Amino acids (building blocks of protein) are our most effective weapons for fighting these false moods.  Although sunlight, music, romance, exercise, and nature can raise your endorphin levels, they can’t help if your basic levels are too low[xv].

It is time to start listening to your hunger, the real hunger of your body—not the cravings and addictions of pseudo-foods.  Your cells could never be satisfied with that.  Only truly nourishing foods can satisfy you on the cellular level.  To put it bluntly, your brain is hungry for fat—real fat.  So eat up all the full fat cream and butter you can get your hands on.  Leave that skin on the chicken (it’s the tastiest part anyway).  Fry those collards up with bacon grease.  Put that lard back in those biscuits.  There is something to be said for American Southern culinary tradition.

Why does this sound so wrong?  It is because this country has built an entire ideology off of the very flimsy Lipid Hypothesis which claims that high amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol can raise your risk of heart disease.  The Lipid Hypothesis, formulated back in the 1970s, came from a series of dodgy, if not fraudulent, epidemiological studies and questionable researchers who broke the epidemiological golden rule against conflating correlation with causation.  The hypothesis has been disproven and decried by doctors and researchers for years to no avail[xvi].  But it has persisted to the point of becoming doctrine because it fit very nicely into a big corporate agenda of convincing Americans to set aside their local butter, lard, and tallow in favor of the very cheap and plentiful vegetable oils (including soybean oil, canola oil, and corn oil).  At first, this came with a lot of resistance from Americans deeply connected to their culinary traditions, but to the ultimate detriment of the soil, our ecosystems, and our bodies, Big Agriculture won the day through shear stubborn persistence (and a lot of financing towards public and private grants and research to prove this theory).

In the meantime, let’s talk about the facts.  Cholesterol is necessary for life.  Low cholesterol levels are associated with higher cancer risk and increased mortality in heart failure patients[xvii].  Cholesterol keeps cells structurally stable.  Without it, you’d be a puddle, not an animal.   It is the body’s  basic repair substance with antioxidant powers, and all of your hormones are made out of it.  20 percent of the body’s cholesterol needs has to be ingested by food (the body makes the rest).  Breastmilk is high in cholesterol, as infants brains cannot grow without it.  It is known that eating egg yolks—good sources of cholesterol—is protective against Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative diseases.  It is also an excellent food for conceiving and birthing healthy babies.

Nutritionist Dr. Mary Enig says it is very important to know your fats—meaning know the good fats from the bad.  Commercial vegetable oils are exposed to high heat, mechanical processing, solvent extraction, refining, bleaching, and degumming, rendering them all highly rancid.  They can set off chain reactions in the body that destroy cells and damage DNA[xviii].   The worst of all fats to be avoided at all costs are the trans-fats found in hydrogenated vegetable oils such as margarine and vegetable shortening.  Trans-fats have been linked to obesity, heart problems, cancer, infertility, lowered sperm counts, low birth weight babies, and reduced quality of breast milk[xix].  Unfortunately, trans-fats are commonly found in almost all commercial baked goods.  Saturated fats, however, are stable in the body.  In addition, essential vitamins A, D, B, and K all need saturated fats for transportation and absorption.  Saturated fat is necessary for the optimal functioning of our nervous and endocrine system.  And the endocrine system, remember, is at the root of our reproductive health.  It is extremely difficult to sustain a pregnancy without enough animal fat in the diet because it directly impacts the level of progesterone.

And still, the low-fat diet is heralded as the healthiest diet.  This, despite the fact that the fatty acids found in artery clogs are mostly unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats[xx].  This, despite the fact that during the period of rapid increase in heart disease from 1920-1960, American consumption of animal fats declined and the consumptiom of trans-fats and vegetable oils increased dramatically (USDA-HNIS).  This, despite the known fact that the all-cause death rates are higher in individuals with cholesterol levels lower than 180 mg/dl[xxi].  So let’s state these facts loudly.  Saturated fat has not been satisfactorily shown to raise cholesterol levels, and high cholesterol has not been satisfactorily proven to cause coronary heart disease.  This flips the entire low-fat religion completely on its head.

George Mann, MD, former co-Director of the famous Framingham heart study stated:  “The diet-heart hypothesis has been repeatedly shown to be wrong, and yet, for complicated reasons of pride, profit, and prejudice, the hypothesis continues to be exploited by scientists, fund-raising enterprises, food companies and even governmental agencies.  The public is being deceived by the greatest health scam of the century.”[xxii]

No discussion about food and reproductive health is complete without talking about soy.  The soy industry has done an excellent, but frightening, job of convincing us that it is the healthiest alternative to meat and dairy out there.  Soy contains so many anti-nutrients that is not edible for humans without a lot of processing, even more so than other seeds.  In Asia, a way was found to make soy edible by fermenting it into miso, which disables the trypsin inhibitors that otherwise cause gas, bloating, pain, and diarrhea[xxiii].  Even so, it was only served as a condiment in small amounts.  This is in stark contrast to our Western highly processed unfermented soy that is eaten liberally as a meat substitute, and even further processed and repackaged to serve as an alternative to milk.

In addition to trypsin inhibitors, soy contains the highest amount of phytates which can permanently damage your thyroid if you eat or drink enough.  It also contains phytoestrogens.  Infants on soy formula receive the equivalent of 3 to 5 birth control pills a day[xxiv].    It is extremely dangerous to be used as formula in infants. Phytoestrogens produce infertility by locking on to estrogen receptors in the body and blocking them and other hormones such as LH and FSH (key hormones in the menstrual cycle).  They also disrupt the body’s production of estrogen, and this has been known since the 1940s[xxv].  Soy can cause endometrial damage and infertile cervical mucus changes.  Soy can halt menstruation or significantly lengthen the menstrual cycle.   The isoflavones in soy are associated with cancer and endometriosis.  It can lower sperm count in men and interferes with testosterone.  In short, soy can cause accelerated brain aging, infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, decreased libido, aggression, anxiety, and other behavioral disorders. This plant has gone through a lot of changes to prevent itself from being eaten, even as far as messing with an animal’s ability to reproduce.

When indigenous people on their native diets were studied, no cases of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes were found[xxvi].  Studies of cultures eating high amounts of coconut oil, eggs, fish, and dairy have found that there is a lower risk of strokes than those eating the least[xxvii].  Animal fats contain many nutrients that protect against cancer and heart disease[xxviii].  The world renowned Kalenjin Kenyan runners come from a culture free from chronic and degenerative disease.  Raw and fermented dairy products form the bulk of their diet[xxix].   Unfortunately, many of these same people, once they switch to the modern western diets, start manifesting the same illnesses and diseases that we have become so familiar with.  So what were indigenous people eating before the influx of western foods?  The definition of cuisine is a local tradition of food and food preparation.  World cuisine is as different and diverse as local dress and customs.  What connects them all, however, are the pillars of world cuisine:  meat on the bone and organ meats from wild or grass-fed animals; foods that are fermented or sprouted (particularly any grains); and raw or fresh foods from produce, dairy, or meat sources[xxx].  Food with the most minerals are marine foods, (from sources like fish, shellfish, fish organs, fish liver oil, and fish eggs) which explains why the healthiest people on earth are coastal-dwelling fishing peoples.  The next healthiest groups are always the hunter-gatherer/pastoralist groups who eat wild or pastured land mammals. (Note: meat from factory farms are not consumed by either of these groups, as they weren’t consumed by our ancestors).

When asked why they ate the foods they did, the answer from all of these people was the same: “So we can make perfect babies” [xxxi].  Clearly, we have much to learn about eating.  “Our ancestors didn’t think of their food in terms of carbs and protein and fat.  They thought more in terms of good soil, healthy animal, freshly picked, and for this reason, their traditional cultural practices, and the foods they took into their bodies, kept them firmly tethered to the natural world.  In other words, they stayed connected”[xxxii].

If 100% of your food comes from mega non-specialty grocery stores, like Safeway or Publix, the road to optimal health might be a challenge.  So where should we be getting our food from?  One hundred years ago, this would have been a preposterous question.  Food was pulled from the outdoor garden, the backyard, the barn, a neighbor’s flock, fished out of the river or ocean, or was purchased from a small market down the street. This is still the case in many countries.  But since we are where we are, and most of us live in cities far removed from local foods, what can we realistically do about getting healthy sources of food?  Radiant health starts with making a commitment to obtaining real food.  Then it becomes a process.  Before you know it you’re on a journey, until finally it becomes a lifestyle, a mission, a spiritual identity.

It is important to maintain a good relationship with yourself while on this path.  In other words, be gentle with yourself, instead of judgmental, but be committed.  Once you start looking, you will find an abundance of resources like community supported agriculture (CSAs), seasonal farmer’s markets, and buying clubs or co-ops.  You’ll get connected to the slow food movement in your city.  You’ll start budgeting better to afford the greater cost of truly healthful foods.  You’ll discover small community health food stores, or get the hook-up with a local farmer.  You’ll start growing herbs and vegetables in your own backyard or rooftop garden.  The point is, when you make the decision to be committed to the path of radiant health, the synchronicity of just the right opportunity, at just the right time won’t stop.  Start slow, don’t get too frustrated that you give up, and don’t judge yourself for everything that you eat.  Eating is sacred, and when you eat, be happy and thankful about it.  The way you approach your food can be just as important as what you eat.  Our ancestors knew this, as do our indigenous neighbors, and so do you if you sit down to eat a holiday meal with your family. Being a woman already revolves around her relationships.  It shouldn’t be a stretch to become inspired to be in sync with your relationship with food and where it comes from.

For more information on traditional nutrition, look up the Weston A. Price Foundation or research the Primal diet or the Paleo diet.

 

Endnotes

[i]“Length of Life in the Ancient World”.  Journal of the Royal Society  of Medicine, January 1994.

[ii] Wise Traditions Vol. 8 No. 1, 2007 p13.

[iii] Singer, Katie.  The Garden of Fertility, Penguin Group Inc, 2004, p158-159.

[iv] Ibid, p160.

[v] Ibid, p161.

[vi] Shanahan, Catherine and Luke Shanahan.  Deep Nutrition, Big Box Books, 2009.

[vii] Morgan, Elaine.  The Descent of the Woman, Souvenir Press Ltd, 1972.

[viii] Keith, Lierre.  The Vegetarian Myth, Flashpoint Press, 2009, p153.

[ix] Eades, Michael R. and Mary Dan Eades.  Protein Power, Bantam Books, 1999.

[x] Keith, p159.

[xi] Singer, p176.

[xii] Keith, p193.

[xiii] Ross, Julia.  The Mood Cure, Penguin Books, 2004, p26-27.

[xiv] Singer, p176.

[xv] Ross, p113.

[xvi] Keith, p170.

[xvii] Ibid, p161.

[xviii] Singer, p174.

[xix] Ibid, p175.

[xx] “Myths and Truths about Cholesterol”, The Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions leaflet, 2010.

[xxi] Ibid.

[xxii] “Principles of Healthy Diets”. The Weston A Price Foundation for Wise Traditions leaflet, http://www.westonaprice.org

[xxiii] Keith, p213.

[xxiv] Singer, p177.

[xxv] Keith, p214.

[xxvi] Ibid, p190.

[xxvii] Ibid, p171.

[xxviii] Federation Proceedings July 1978 37:2215.

[xxix] Keith, p170.

[xxx] Shanahan, p125-151.

[xxxi] Keith, p191.

[xxxii] Shanahan, p114.