The truth is that you can eat truckloads of food, but if what you are eating isn't REAL food, it's likely to be nutritionally devoid of the essential minerals and vitamins your body needs in order to function. No matter how much you eat, your body will continue to be deprived of nutrients and you will end up suffering from malnutrition without even being aware of it.
We live in increasingly violent times, particularly in South Africa. Crimes like rape, murder, hijackings burglaries are such a common part of our daily lives we have become complacent about them. Yes, we find them horrifying. But we hear about them so often on the news that we have become almost numb to them. We express our horror and then, in the same breath, talk about what's for dinner. It doesn't make us bad people. It's the nature of the beast. A person can only take so much horror before their mind finds a way to deal with it.
Violence isn't area specific. There are bad people the world over. Violence is also not specific to a particular age group, sex, nationality or income bracket. It seems that anyone, from any walk of life, can be predisposed to violence. There are so many theories as to what will make a person violent. Studies have found that there are biological factors involved, as well as individual and family factors.
A large body of research suggests that socio-economic factors like poverty, racism and socioeconomic inequality can play a big role in violent behavior, but not everyone agrees on this theory.
The fact is, no-one really knows for sure. Everything I listed earlier is just theory. So, while we're on theories, I'm going to throw one out there too. I'm going to suggest that another factor could have to do with the food we eat, or DON'T eat.
I'm not just making this up. In my previous blog post on making butter, I briefly mentioned that trans fats have been linked to violence. It made me decide to look into a bit further. What I found was disturbing.
In the first human study of its kind, researchers have linked trans fat consumption to increased aggression. The study was published in the Public Library of Science's journal on the 5th March 2012. Researchers at the Department of Medicine at the University of California decided to investigate based on the following:
"Dietary trans fatty acids (dTFA) are primarily synthetic compounds that have been introduced only recently; little is known about their behavioral effects. dTFA inhibit production of omega-3 fatty acids, which experimentally have been shown to reduce aggression. Potential behavioral effects of dTFA merit investigation. We sought to determine whether dTFA are associated with aggression/irritability."
The study looked at 945 adult men and women who had normal levels of cholesterol and didn't suffer from diabetes, HIV, cancer or heart disease. Based on the outcome of the study, the researchers found that there is unequivocal evidence linking dTFA with behavioral irritability and aggression.
Aside from the fact that people are eating more and more trans fats, there is also the issue of what they AREN'T eating. According to a report published in 2013 by the Weston A. Price Foundation, deficiencies of vitamins A, D, K, B1, B3, B6, B12 and folate, and of the minerals iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, chromium and manganese can all contribute to mental instability and violent behavior.
The article, "Violent Behavior: A Solution in Plain Sight" was compiled by Sylvia Onusic, PhD, CNS, LDN. Onusic says, "We can blame violence on the media and on the breakdown of the home, but the fact is that a large number of Americans, living mostly on devitalized processed food, are suffering from malnutrition. In many cases, this means their brains are starving."
Frighteningly, we are seeing a return of diseases caused by nutritional deficiency such as Scurvy and Pellagra. Scurvy was a common disease for sailors who travelled on ships for months at a time. Because they couldn't store fresh fruits and vegetables, the sailors would have to do without them for long periods of time and this lead to a deficiency in Vitamin C. Both diseases were declared eradicated long ago by public health officials. In this day and age it seems unbelievable that, with so much access to nutritional food, people are choosing to deprive themselves and instead eat foods that are plastic and toxic. Many of these diseases cause brain injuries as well.
Pellagra includes symptoms like anxiety, hyperactivity, aggression, depression, fatigue, headache, insomnia and hallucinations. It's a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3). Zinc deficiency is linked with angry, aggressive, and hostile behaviors that lead to violence. The best dietary sources of zinc are red meat and shellfish but people are choosing to eat junk food over quality red meat and shellfish. Something else to consider is that, while people may be eating this stuff, it may not even be making it into their bodies because so many people these days suffer from things like leaky gut, IBS and gluten sensitivities. Gluten intolerance is strongly linked with schizophrenia.
Onusic goes on to say, "Making things worse are excitotoxins so prevalent in the food supply, such as MSG and Aspartame. People who live on processed food and who drink diet sodas are exposed to these mind-altering chemicals at very high levels."
Other processed foods that are linked to violent behavior include sugar, artificial colours and flavourings, caffeine, alcohol and soy foods. Environmentally we are exposed to things like mercury, arsenic, lead, fire retardants, pesticides, heavy metals and Teflon (the non-stick in our frying pans) on a daily basis. Do you have mercury fillings? I'd look into getting rid of those for many reasons. If a person is showing signs of aggression or violent behaviour and you add psychiatric medication to the mix, it is like creating a time-bomb.
The Weston A. Price Foundation has pointed out the poor nutritional quality of school lunches and the flaws in the USDA dietary guidelines which everyone seems determined to follow. At a press conference in January, 2010, the Foundation proposed guidelines that include eggs, organ meats and healthy animal fats. In the words of the foundation spokesman, “Our brains need cholesterol to function properly and our children need cholesterol-rich food for optimal mental and emotional development.”
Studies have shown that people who are depressed, criminals who show the most violent behavior, and the most violent suicides have low cholesterol levels. According to Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, “The only solution to the mounting levels of violence is a return to real, nutrient-dense food. We must create a culture in which eating processed food is seen as uncool, and in which home cooking is embraced as a life-enhancing skill.”
There's enough evidence to make a person think. It's not all just theory. If food has been scientifically linked to causing ADHD symptoms, how far removed is that from bad behaviour? For a thorough rundown of all the things you should be eating, read through the whole article: Violent Behavior: A Solution in Plain Sight. If you don't feel like doing that, here is a list of foods to start including in yours and your family's diet with immediate effect:
- Organic fruit and vegetables
- Free-range meat
- Full-cream, free-range and organic dairy products
- Free-range eggs
- Organ meats like liver and kidney
- Butter
- Fermented foods
Cut out EVERYTHING that is processed in any way. That pretty much includes just about anything in packaging of any kinds and lives on the middles shelves of a grocery store. Don't buy fruit and vegetables that are out of season and never eat conventional meat. If you think that you'll starve without all that stuff, have a look through some of my Real Food Friday Feast posts to see how easy it is to make real, tasty, nutritious food.
It's hard to change a mindset and yet, it's never been more urgent. For so many reasons we need to start doing things the right way. We have a planet to think of and we have the survival of the human race to think of and, to bring it closer to home, we have our own lives and our children's lives to think of. For the sake of all of that, share these posts and spread the word.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep posting because it's bound to make a difference to someone, somewhere.
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