Why Do We Need Nutrients?
The Key to Health and Responsiveness
I once watched an online video of an experiment where a scientist observed a bacterium through a microscope. He tried to stimulate the microbe by shining light on it, but there was no response. He then revealed to the viewers that the microbe had been deprived of calcium and was therefore unable to respond. The scientist then dropped calcium-rich water on the bacterium and tried the light again. Amazingly, the bacterium began moving in response to the light.
Whether the bacterium moved towards or away from the light, I can't recall. What stuck with me was the differing response with and without calcium. From this, I learned that the bacterium was unresponsive to stimuli until it received calcium. This raises an intriguing question: If calcium triggered a response in the bacterium, could minerals have a similar effect on our physiology? Could the availability or unavailability of specific minerals influence how our cells respond to stimuli?
The bacterium could respond to light thanks to calcium, making it "response-ABLE" or able to respond. This got me thinking: What if our ability to react appropriately to stimuli—anything that spurs activity or energy—is determined by the availability of specific minerals in our bodies?
I like to think of nutrition as akin to reading books. Just as books contain chapters, paragraphs, sentences, words, and letters that provide us with knowledge, foods contain nutrients, molecules, and minerals that provide our cells with the information they need to perform their tasks. Without these minerals, like the calcium-deprived bacterium, how unresponsive will our cells be to stimuli? How poorly equipped will they be to perform their daily functions?
If our cells are unresponsive because they lack the necessary information, how does that affect us as whole beings? Does malnourishment lead to poor decision-making, disease, procrastination, emotional instability, or freezing during "fight or flight" scenarios?
Consider a teenager being accused of irresponsibility by their parents. Are they willfully negligent, or could it be that they are malnourished, lacking essential nutrients that hinder proper decision-making?
Think of all the ailments that plague our society and the behaviors that facilitate self and societal mistreatment. What if the root of these problems is malnourishment, and the solution is ensuring access to all necessary nutrients?
Imagine replacing nutrient-devoid food products with nourishing foods. This would mean providing our cells with the information they need to function effectively. Nutrient-rich foods, influenced by the Sun and their genetic information, offer the best quality information. The Sun's light affects the DNA of plants, which, in turn, affects the nutrients they provide us.
What do you think happens when we consume foods that didn't receive proper light or were genetically modified? Are we receiving natural information or artificial data that might trigger different cellular responses?
Your body is your temple, so it’s wise to be discerning about what you put into it. What if your struggles in life could be alleviated by better nutrition, which in turn would improve your thinking and decision-making? What if better nutrition facilitated more energy production, making you more productive?
The poor quality of food available to the public has somehow been approved by organizations meant to ensure our food safety. This is why we must take control of our food supply. Otherwise, we remain as experiments for wealthy pharmaceutical enterprises more interested in revenue than our well-being.
Speaking of food, have you ever wondered where the word "food" comes from? A search for the etymology of "food" reveals it is derived from the Germanic word "fodder," meaning "dried hay or straw for livestock consumption."
If food is merely fodder, are we the cattle? Are we the livestock? Is this why most of our food lacks real nutrition? Is this why the food pyramid recommends a high allowance for carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are energy-dense foods beneficial for energy production. However, our diets high in carbs but low in essential minerals hinder the body’s optimal functions. If our bodies lack the necessary minerals, many essential processes cannot occur, affecting cells, tissues, organs, and ultimately, the whole organism.
This isn't a problem if all that's required of us is basic, repetitive tasks. However, for activities requiring higher brain functions, optimal nutrition is essential.
So, does the quality of our food matter? Does our current nutritional culture benefit us? I say no! We need to ask ourselves, “Why do we eat?” and “What do we need food for?”
The answers to these questions can help us find our bearings. Our ignorance leads us to consume out of habit rather than for enlightened reasons. This predicts a lack of enlightened aspirations or reveals the improbability of achieving lofty goals.
People move away from dysfunctional environments to more functional ones because they believe them to be non-toxic and better suited for achieving higher aspirations. Imagine a community with access to high-quality nutrition—what state would you expect their environment to be in compared to one with restricted access?
We need nutrients to be whole. We need nutrients to be who we are. We need nutrients to function constructively and interact properly with each other. The law of correspondence states that what occurs within also occurs without. If our internal interactions require sufficient nutrients, our external interactions do too.
Our bodies react to the information we feed them. Food is more than energy; it’s information. It contains the language our cells speak. Depriving ourselves of this language means depriving ourselves of a powerful method of communication. When communication breaks down, the overall system fails. Our food choices affect not just us but everyone.
Summarizing Findings
Extensive research supports the idea that nutrition significantly impacts behavior and mental health. For instance, Dr. Stephen Schoenthaler's studies in correctional facilities show that improving prisoners' diets can reduce antisocial behavior and violence. A study by Mommaerts et al. (2022) highlights that deficiencies in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and vitamin D can exacerbate mental health issues in prisons. Raine et al. (2020) found that omega-3 supplementation reduced antisocial behavior in children with high psychopathic traits. Moreover, Schauss (1980) provides comprehensive evidence linking poor nutrition to juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior. These findings underscore the profound impact of nutrition on behavior and the potential of dietary improvements to reduce criminality and enhance mental health.
Further evidence from studies published in Nutrition Reviews and Current Nutrition Reports shows that higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc can reduce anxiety and behavioral issues, particularly in children with ADHD (Oxford Academic, SpringerLink). Additionally, the BMJ highlights the role of diet in influencing mental well-being through mechanisms like inflammation and gut microbiome interactions.
Call to Action
The time to act is now. Take control of your nutrition and make informed choices about the foods you consume. By prioritizing nutrient-rich, high-quality foods, you can improve your health, decision-making, and overall well-being. This change won't just benefit you; it will positively impact those around you and contribute to a healthier, more vibrant community. Start today, and transform your life through the power of proper nutrition.
References
Mommaerts et al., 2022. Nutritional Psychology.
Raine et al., 2020. Nutritional Psychology.
Schauss, A., 1980. Office of Justice Programs.
Schoenthaler, S., various studies. CA Association of Criminal Justice.
Firth, J. et al., BMJ, 2020.
Ahadi et al., 2016. Nutrition Reviews.
SpringerLink, 2020. Current Nutrition Reports.