115. Food

As I write each article, I fantasize that I’ll have an effect on people’s thinking and behavior – maybe change some minds or habits. I have no such delusions about this article. If your mind was or is going to be changed about food, and your habits changed, it probably won’t be because of this article. Your food intake may be altered by “doctor’s orders,” but you’ve probably heard all the propaganda the non-medical world has to offer. Still, I have to add my two cents.
People don’t joke as much about excessive use of alchohol as they used to. They seem to have realized that it’s not so funny. Well, I don’t think ingestion of food that has negative effects on our health is funny, either, but it’s still the subject of plenty of joking. Some people
believe that laughter is a way of coping with fear. I don’t know whether that’s true of all laughter, but I have a hunch that the food jokes are inspired by unconscious fear.
Several years ago, I read that diet can affect symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Doctors told me it wouldn’t, but the things I read told me not to believe doctors who told me that. I didn’t know who to believe. During the past several years, I’ve done my own experiments with diet. I’ve eliminated certain foods from my diet, and noticed what’s happened. I’m still experimenting, and keeping track of what results I perceive. I now have no meat (poultry and fish count as meat, by this system), no dairy, and I avoid additives and preservatives. I’m gradually cutting back on caffeine, sweeteners, and gluten grains. For me, they’re the hardest to avoid.
I suggest that food intake is difficult to control, and that it’s nevertheless important to control. Health problems, and even learning problems, may be caused or aggravated by inappropriate diet. I am not a doctor or any other kind of health care professional, traditional or alternative. But my experiment, so far, is supporting the hypothesis that avoiding some kinds of foods does help.
I suggest that we set good examples for our children, and buy only healthful food for them. I know that’s easy for me to say; my children are grown. In bringing up this issue, I feel the way David must have felt when he faced Goliath. Advertisers have power. Doctors who say diet isn’t so important have power. Not to mention children who want junk food and really know how to nag. Or that little voice inside us that says, “Aw, c’mon! One little bite won’t hurt you!” But I’m beginning to think diet really does have an effect.