Organic Food can make you MEAN!
According to a new study, eating Organic Food can make you mean. I wonder if it is something about reduced chemicals causing you to express your real feelings towards the lie that has been sold to you about the food quality up to this point? Maybe its the taste. We are so used to chemically increased flavor, MSG is not a thing of the past, and has simply been hidden as an ingredient in “flavor, artificial flavor, and even NATURAL flavor”; so perhaps this is why we get mean.
Actually, THE STUDY which comes out of the Journal of Social Psychology and Personality Science says that the meanness comes from a self-righteous behavior that begins to emerge as part of new found focus on well-being, and positive steps towards healthy behaviors. I get this, and believe it. I have been around this world of health pursuit, which is entirely on the opposite side of culture, for about 16 years. Before that I was active, worked out, wanted to be fit, etc. But inside of cultural views at the time. In this 16 year period, I have seen first hand, and been in it myself, the feeling of being better than others. It is sad.
Fortunately, once I started my practice, it became clear how to lovingly share wise decision, and smart living. Now, I say this, and I still know full well I have offended some of you with a comment about a drug, or a vaccine, or a birthing process, or a food choice, or an infant formula, or a car seat style, or a parenting technique for diet choices, or… Do you get my point? I have been mean, and perhaps even snobby while knowing deep in me that sensitivity to choices past, are the fast track to ruining my practice, and my influence with you. Some of you have never come to a diet talk, simply because I have already ruined my influence with you by sharing my choices in a Daily Sprout.
You figure, “why would I go listen to him tell me things that I won’t ever do, there is no way that I would want to follow those choices, even if they would be healthier, how could I live that way”. I will say this, I understand. However, altering choices is not as hard as you might think, and not as detrimental to your current lifestyle as you think. I like it to the person who doesn’t want to learn more about following Christ because they don’t want to give up the fun. They simply don’t realize how much fun is on the other side of the coin. We’re talking about following the one who made fun.
So even though organic choices are surely wiser than conventional choices, they don’t give us the right to be jerks. Man how I wish that organic was cheap enough to make it a simple choice at the store, and not a choice at every other store, or one that affects your other areas of budgeting. But the truth is, buying cleaner food, eating healthier food, will cost you more in the short run. However, the biggest difference, is that it will save you money in the long run, and though that might change case by case, for about 80% of us, it will hold true, that if we invest more in our health now, we will save significantly in the long run. The other 10%, well, we might get hit with a serious accident still, or be part of that small portion that cannot escape our genetic destiny (most of us will re-write our genetic destiny based on choices, check out EPIGENITICS for more on that).
Consider this passage written by Paul in the New Testament, I think this has some relative relationship to this very question.
Phillipians 3:1-11
1 Finally, my brothers,[a] rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[b] and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,[c] blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth ofknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
What Paul is saying through the first six verses, is basically that you should watch out for those who are self righteous, those who base their value on their actions and deeds. He gives account of many things that he has done, or that are “about him”, that would be of great value to his stature in society. But he warns against it, and teaches that it is nothing compared to what is gained through knowing Christ.
I don’t care what you believe, or where your faith is for this discussion. The reality is that you know what I am talking about, the self-righteous nature that we get from doing the right thing, being good, etc. It can be so easy to judge someone, and we all do it. I know you do, that in a moment of weakness you will see someone for what they do, and if you do it “better”, there is a judgement. Not all the time, man you are some of the most loving people I have ever met, but I know those times come.
I want you all to follow my lead on health, I want you to follow my lead on your diet, and your spine, and your exercise. I really do, but I don’t want you to feel like I think I am better than you because I like my plan, and I don’t want you to feel better than anyone else if you follow it. My point is, I absolutely believe that eating Organic can make you mean, but only if you put any value in your choices beyond the fact that they are simply, choices!
Be well, eat organic, and be as humble as you can, it has been a battle for me, and I know that I am so much happier the more that I can control my heart, and just love! Be Blessed! – Dr. E