Day 24 – Diet's effect on me

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the physiological and psychological effects of the PCP diet and found some interesting things out – certainly from Patrick’s daily email but also from a little research. Here’s a fascinating article I found:

The psychological consequences of dieting were clearly illustrated in a classic study of the effects of semi-starvation done in 1950 by Ancel Keys, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota. In the study, 36 healthy, young, psychologically sound males were observed over a period of 1 year. During the first 3 months, the men ate normal amounts of food; during the next 6 months, they were given half as much food; and during the last 3 months, their food allotment was gradually increased. During the semi-starvation period, the men became preoccupied with food and constantly talked about it, read cookbooks, clipped recipes, and daydreamed about eating. When a meal was served, many took an inordinately long time to eat it, trying to make it last. Over time, the men became extremely depressed, anxious, and irritable.

Once they made it through the period of semi-starvation, the men ate nearly continuously, with some indulging in 8,000- to 10,000-calorie binges. The men reported to 10,000-calorie binges. The men reported that their hunger actually increased right after meals, and some of them continued to eat to the point of being sick without feeling satisfied. Although most of the men finally reverted to normal eating patterns within 5 months of the study's end, some continued with their new patterns of "extreme over consumption.

I know the PCP is not like this and certainly not a psychological experiment (key x-files music) but I am thinking a lot about food lately and my cravings for all those sweet and fattening foods I used to eat so long ago, keep recurring. I don’t know what these men ate in the experiment and the type of food eaten may have been one cause of their depression/anxiety.

A Japanese study recently found that the consumption of healthy foods and vitamin C reduce the physiological conditions of stress. Essentially eating well and consuming foods high in nutrients would reduce the symptoms of stress while the consumption of unhealthy or poor nutrient foods would cause liver dysfunction and increase the symptoms of stress.

Not a surprise ending here but interesting since the reduction of calories can increase stress, but better foods reduce it. With the PCP I am actually eating much more than I did before the diet, its just that the foods are so much better and the calorie content is much lower.

So here are some of my physiological experiences:

• I no longer have heartburn or indigestion at all.
• I have not had congested sinuses since the beginning of the project (sodium benzoate may be the culprit)
• My skin is clear and more supple even in our extremely dry climate
• I can't remember having even one headache so far – I used to have them all the time.
• My flexibility has improved from disastrous to mildly disastrous.
• Less hyperactive since no high sugar, processed, food colored foods.

In addition, here are some of my psychological experiences:

• Cravings for sweets have come back with a vengeance and I’m constantly looking for new ways to psych myself out.
• Some irritability especially when I’m late for a meal.
• Excitement with the foods I am preparing and eating.
• Guilt when I eat some junk (more on this tomorrow).
• Frustration with the food marketing machine, all television ads and people around me who eat whatever they want.
• Preoccupation with my next meal.

I will let you know what else I am experiencing in future posts.

I just got a new skipping rope with bearings!!! I’m flying now and loving it. My son and I were playing around and I had him stand up on me and surf while I did some pushups. He was hanging ten while I had to be as stable and flat as possible. It was a great workout and definitely something we’ll continue to do.

See you tomorrow.