Chapter 6 N
EFFECT OF FOOD ON OUR MOOD

 

It is easy to understand that ingredients in food can be useful or harmful to the body and that certain foods can bring about healing, while certain ingredients, when eaten excessively, can lead to the deterioration of our physical condition. This is easy to understand, because there is a lot of information from research conducted in this area.

   Instead, something that has been researched only a little is the effect of different ingredients in food on our mood and even on our behavior. According to some studies, unhealthy food can cause depression, irritability, and other mental symptoms. Especially sugar, additives, and allergies can affect our mental condition. Let’s look at these separately:

 

Sugar is one ingredient that has been regarded as one possible trigger for irritability, hyper activity, and problematic behavior. In studies made in juvenile prisons in the United States in the beginning of 1980s, it was observed that unsocial behavior among the prisoners had a clear connection to the consumption of sugar. Bad behavior was found to decrease among those prisoners whose food contained only a little sugar. The most extensive study researched 3,000 young prisoners who were deprived of most snacks and ready-made meals (Readers Digest: Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta?, p. 10).

   Also Dr. Messenger David L. tells in his book a few examples of the impacts of sugar on our mood. He says that sugar is an ingredient to which many are very sensitive and which does not suit them. Other harmful ingredients may be, for example, wheat, milk, eggs, nuts, meat, citrus fruits, and other food ingredients that can cause reactions like headaches, bellyache, dizziness, coldness, rash, breathing difficulties, irritability, and depression in persons who are allergic to these products:

 

I remember one 20-year-old woman who came to my clinic because of sudden events she had had since the age of 12. She was in a state of confusion two or three times a week. Her parents had taken her to see the doctor several times. The test results were normal, and so the doctors concluded that she was suffering from difficulties in her emotional life, and not from any organic, wavelike disturbance in the brain. (...)

   It appeared that this woman was extremely sensitive to sugar. When she changed her diet and stopped using sugar, the events disappeared completely. She has not had any for the last five years. Her story is only one of many cases in which the problem is physical, but doctors have been unable to find its origins. Her physical problem also caused serious difficulties in her emotional life. (...)

   I have many patients who have recovered from their depression and fear, hallucinations, quick temper, sudden oppressions, headaches and insomnia by avoiding all food containing sugar and other refined carbohydrates. By changing their diet and by adding a large portion of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to their diet, they have healed completely. (7)

 

Additives are another possible factor affecting some people negatively. This was noted when all additives, color ingredients, and preservatives were removed from the diet of children suffering from behavior problems and learning difficulties. Their behavior greatly improved after this. According to one study made in the United States, as many as 30-50 hyper active children calmed down considerably after artificial coloring and flavorings agents were eliminated from their food (Readers Digest, Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta?, p. 464).

   On the other hand, fish oils and fatty acids (omega-3) of fatty fish may have just the opposite effect. Some studies have indicated that the fatty acids found in fish can positively affect children who are hyper active or have learning disabilities or are depressed or schizophrenic. Their symptoms have notably decreased when they have eaten this kind of food.

 

Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can also cause depression and irritability. It is, however, not always a question of the diet - even though iodine deficiency, for example, causes both of these disorders - but of a metabolic disturbance caused by the thyroid gland. If a person has this problem, it is usually also connected with other symptoms such as tiredness, being cold, putting on weight, dry skin and hair, forgetfulness and struma in case of hypothyroidism, or slimming, tiredness, fast vital functions, such as a faster pulse, sweating and struma, in case of hyperthyroidism:

 

Doctors could tell how many cases of depression are caused by deficiency diseases, hormone disturbances and imbalance in the chemicals of the human body. Quite an illustrative case is a metropolitan woman, who suffered many years from depression. She was treated with medicine, some times even in mental hospitals. The disease was naturally classified by the symptoms. The medicine calmed her, but the disease did not heal. But then - in one common hospital - they found out while carrying out other general inspections that she suffered from hypothyroidism that could be treated with medicine. A miracle took place, and the depression was gone. (8)

 

 

REFERENCES:

 

CHAPTER 1

 

1) NICKY CRUZ, Juoksu jatkuu, p.88 (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS HURTING?)

2) JOHN ARNOTT, Mitä meidän tulisi tietää anteeksiannosta, p. 30,31(WHAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT… THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS)

 

CHAPTER 2

 

1) BINNING GORDON and EMILY, Olkaa Jumalalle alamaiset, p. 65,66 (James 4:7 SUBMIT…TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU)

2) Quote from the book Sielun piilevä voima (THE LATENT POWER OF THE SOUL), Watchman Nee, s.46,47. Initially from Soul and spirit, Jessie Penn-Lewis, p. 58

3) HUNTER CHARLES AND FRANCES, Parantakaa sairaat, p. 149 (TO HEAL THE SICK)

4) ADOLPH HAROLD PAUL, Älä tee itseäsi sairaaksi, p. 121(STOP MAKING YOURSELF SICK)

5) TOURNIER PAUL, Ihmisen parantamisesta, p. 54,55 (MEDECINE DE LA PERSONNE)

 

CHAPTER  3

 

1) KUHLMAN KATHRYN, Kuolematon ihme, p.102

2) PEKKI VEIKKO, Lisää, lisää! ("More, more!") p.31,32

3) KUHLMAN KATHRYN, Raportti ihmeestä, p.125

4) FRODSHAM STANLEY HOWARD, Smith Wigglesworth, p. 146 (SMITH WIGGLESWORTH APOSTLE OF FAITH)

5) KUHLMAN KATHRYN, Kuolematon ihme, p.189

6) HUNTER CHARLES AND FRANCES, Parantakaa sairaat, p. 130,131(TO HEAL THE SICK)

 

CHAPTER  4

 

1) OSBORN T.L., Sairaat paranevat, p. 11,32 (HEALING THE SICK)

2) KUHLMAN KATHRYN, Kuolematon ihme, p.108

3) OSBORN T.L., Sairaat paranevat, p.381, 398, 412 (HEALING THE SICK)

4) Same, p.208

5) GRAAF-BERGLING LINDA, Jeesus parantaa ja eheyttää, p.61(JESUS HELAR OCH UPPRÄTTAR)

 

CHAPTER 5

 

1) FRODSHAM STANLEY HOWARD, Smith Wigglesworth, p.24 (TO HEAL THE SICK)

2) BOSWORTH F.F., Jeesus parantaa sairaat, p.32 (CHRIST THE HEALER)

3) OSBORN T.L., Sairaat paranevat, p.124 (HEALINS THE SICK)

4) HUNTER CHARLES AND FRANCES, Parantakaa sairaat, p.135,174 (TO HEAL THE SICK)

5) WATCHMAN NEE, Elämän rikkaus Kristuksessa, p. 33 (THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE)

6) OSBORN  T.L., Sairaat paranevat, p. 11,12 (HEALINS THE SICK)

7) GRAAF-BERGLING LINDA, Jeesus parantaa ja eheyttää, p..56 (JESUS HELAR OCH UPPRÄTTAR)

8) MEYER JOYCE, Minä ja minun suuri suuni, p.47,48 (ME AND MY BIG MOUTH!)

9) HAGIN KENNETH E., Parantuminen kuuluu meille, p.20 (HEALING BELONGS TO US)

 

CHAPTER 6

 

1) HUNTER CHARLES AND FRANCES, Parantakaa sairaat, p.125 (TO HEAL THE SICK)

2) MESSENGER DAVID L., Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p. 49 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH)

3) RAWLINGS MAURICE, Rajan taakse ja takaisin, p. 20 (TO HELL AND BACK)

4) MESSENGER DAVID L., Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p.186 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH)

5) COLBERT DON, Terveydeksi! p. 82

6) HYDER O.QUENTIN, Vapaana syyllisyydestä, peloista, masennuksesta, ylipainosta, p.149 (DON’T BLAME THE DEVIL)

7) MESSENGER DAVID L., Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p. 22, 163 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH)

8) VIKSTEN MAURI, Ahdistuksesta avaralle, p. 106

 

 

Important sources:

 

BOSWORTH, F.F., Jeesus parantaa sairaat (CHRIST THE HEALER)

COLBERT, DON, Terveydeksi!

HUNTER, CHARLES AND FRANCES, Parantakaa sairaat (TO HEAL THE SICK)

MESSENGER, DAVID L., Terveenä olet onnellisempi (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH)

OSBORN, T.L., Sairaat paranevat (HEALING THE SICK)

Readers Digest, Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta