It’s been a long time since I have brought up my thoughts on why I believe cooking “from scratch” is a vital life skill. Notice I didn’t say important, I said vital.
Over the weekend I had to spend some time in the car, so I loaded up a couple of podcasts, as I tend to do. The first one is only tangentially related to today’s discussion, but it’s fascinating, nonetheless.
The podcast is “Stuff to Blow your Mind” and the show is titled “Cat Parasites Conquer the World.” Right about now you’re probably wondering, “What on earth do parasites have to do with Heather going off on a rant about food?” Just bear with me for a few moments. There have been some interesting studies lately on how parasites can affect behavior. It has fairly recently been discovered that rats infected with Toxoplasma gondii are influenced by the parasite in ways that make them more likely to become prey for cats. The organism seems to make rats slower, clumsier, and even specifically attracted to the scent of cat urine. This attraction helps ensure that rats end up in the belly of the host necessary to complete the parasitic life cycle.
First of all, it’s insanely creepy to learn that a parasite may be able to not only influence the behavior of rats, but humans, as well. There have been some studies showing that 30 – 60% of the human population may have Toxoplasma gondii, and a few studies suggest that those with the parasite exhibit behavioral changes, much like rats, not necessarily a specific attraction to cat urine, but a loss of fear that results in taking unnecessary risks. Crazy stuff, right?
I found the topic fascinating (and have been ruminating on it for the last few days). When that podcast ended the next one in my queue was WNYC’s Radiolab Show “Guts.” Which wasn’t about parasites, but rather how the bacteria we carry within our digestive track (about 3 lbs worth) may affect our mental health. See, I told you there was a segue!
Much of the show focused on a study of mice given lactobacillus, the bacteria that gives us all kinds of delicious foods including yogurt. Some mice were given foods fortified with lactobacillus and two other groups of mice were given a control food and sterile food. The mice were then dropped into containers of water and observed. In general mice paddle around freaking out for 4 minutes before giving up in despair and just floating. This happened with the two control groups, the mice acted as expected and their stress hormone (cortisol) levels did what your would do if you were dropped in a container of water and believed you were going to die (they went through the roof). The mice on the lactobacillus diet continued to paddle around until the 6 minute mark when they were removed from the water (dead mice wouldn’t do much good for the study) and it was found that their stress hormone levels were significantly lower than those in the control groups.
Now how does a bacteria in your gut influence what’s going on in your brain?
There is a very large nerve that runs between your digestive track and your brain it’s known as the vagus nerve. The study with the mice was repeated, but this time the vagus nerve was severed in some of the mice. The gut was no longer communicating with the brain. Guess what? The mice with the severed nerve responded just like the control group mice in the first study, freaking out for four minutes and then giving in to despair.
There are now studies happening that are investigating the possibility of using lactobacillus as a means to treat some mental disorders including anxiety and depression. As a person who sometimes struggles with anxiety, I find this incredibly fascinating.
So what does this have to do with processed food? The more we refine and process our food, the further we take it from the state from which we, and the bacteria we host, evolved to digest it.
We are learning that we have more of a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria within our bodies than we ever thought. (Does anyone else remember the book by Madeline L’Engle A Wind in the Door? No, I don’t believe our mitochondria are sentient, I’m just musing on the broader concept)
The next time you’re in the grocery store choosing between a food that has been designed to survive a nuclear holocaust and a food that is highly perishable, but as close to fresh as possible. . . you may be doing your body more good than we know.
If nothing else, eat a little more yogurt, it just might make you feel better.