Lifestyle

Losing Our Health Subconciously

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“Reason should direct and appetite obey” Marcus Tullius Cicero

As one definition puts it – “The natural instinctive desire for food. It should be distinguished from hunger, which is the body’s craving or need for food”

“Their diet is chosen, not for the mere gratification of appetite, but for The appetite is under the control of reason and conscience, and they are rewarded with health of body and mind.” Counsels on Diet pg198.2.

The need for food is apparent from the first few minutes of birth. The first noise we make is a cry for milk and this continues for another 365 days or so. This is your first need and what a powerful one it is. This is hunger, a real need for nutrients.

Social Influences
Our appetites are a separate force which is given to us from the first years of life by social influence.  We are taught how to eat and what to eat by our parents, society and or social groups.  This can be of benefit or a problem.  If the culture shows us that eating 4 portions of food is acceptable then this activity will repeated throughout generations. Add to that posters, TV and music all which solidify the status quo.

Subconscious Risk

Appetite is also a drive of the sub-conscious.  We eat how we have been taught without even thinking about it. Without thinking about all the aspects of how we live we run the highest risk of perpetuating any destructive habits that our parents which fuels the belief that a certain set of illnesses runs in the family.

Appetite is a learned behaviour. The appetite, if not in line with health laws is a road paved for disease should there be any dysfunctional habits.

Let us analyse the power of media and intentions of food corporations. What is the answer?   In 2006 the top food and beverage companies spent $1.6 billion marketing their products to children and adolescents, according to a report from the US Federal Trade Commission. The highest marketing expenditures were on breakfast cereals, followed by restaurant foods and snack foods. The lowest amount of money was spent advertising fruits and vegetables and dairy products.” More than $1 billion was spent on marketing to adolescents. $745 million, or 46% of the 2006 total, on TV advertising. http://www.marketingcharts.com/television/food-companies-spend-big-target-kids-teens-with-integrated-marketing-5562/

It is obvious that appetite is the focus of the advertising. If we look at the types of food advertised to children we’d see food loaded with sugar. From that we can anticipate a tooth decay and sugar addiction epidemic.  The appetite has been shaped, fed, and cultured by media. The bulk of the advertising from the food companies promoted sugar, salt and fat based snacks.  It is not hard to predict the dietary appetites of our children all the way into adulthood.  If we look around our food stores we see the fact is true.

Experts in the field of marketing are hired and paid good sums of money to find ways of tapping into our minds in order to appeal to our desires all for the purpose of making money for themselves and the corporations.  There is in itself nothing wrong with that as that’s business, but we ought to be very aware of that fact that much of the world around us in the West is designed to our taste and designed to make the most profit of our taste.

Self Defence
Our only defence is to adopt a conscious mindset when making our food and lifestyle choices.  Constant and true education is key to making the best choices.

Ask yourself the question ‘Am I only trying to satisfy my hunger or am I trying to supply my body with the best materials possible?’  To merely satisfy ones hunger is being a slave to the created and designed passions.  Be very conscious with your food and lifestyle choices.

“Sinful and forbidden pleasures are like poisoned bread; they may satisfy appetite for the moment, but there is death in them at the end.”  Tryon Edwards.

If appetite alone dictates the food choices we make then it is the appetite that must be confronted and there is one particular method that holds some of the greatest benefits to health and the management of all troubles with the appetite, addictions,weight loss and a world of other mental and emotional struggles – Fasting.  We shall discuss this further in the next article.

Written by Curtis Powell