Our bodies are designed to use food not only for nutrition, but also to learn about the world around us. Despite a reality of unprecedented food abundance, much of the food in our modern diet may trick our bodies into thinking that we are in a constant state of emergency. Our bodies may become stressed when we eat stressed foods--so that we truly become what we eat. The consumption of a stressed diet may play a role in virtually all forms of chronic disease. Insight into the role of chronic stress in our diet represents a critical step in recognizing how food can play a role in improving our...

The food we eat may represent a significant, previously unrecognized, source of chronic stress. Food not only provides calories, but also information. Despite the unprecedented abundance, modern food can erroneously convey stress associated with resource scarcity. Our bodies assimilate the stress embedded in the foods - so that we truly are what we eat. Insight into the role of chronic stress embedded in the foods represents the first step in recognizing how food can improve our mental and physical wellness. The association between food and health has generated recent interest in organic...