Dreams and Food

I have written about dreams and diet before, but I think a follow-up is in order considering some recent revelations. Earlier this year, several lawsuits were filed against major retailers over store-brand herbal supplements that reputedly did not contain the ingredients listed. Apparently, a large percentage did not have any of the herbal ingredients advertised (http://www.law360.com/articles/618601/wal-mart-target-walgreen-sued-over-herbal-supplements). Obviously, this will have to play out in the courts. 

About the same time, McDonald’s, in response to a new surge of stories on the Internet, again reported that in 2011 it had dropped the use of ‘pink slime’, which contains ammonium hydroxide, in the production of its hamburgers (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/pink-slime-fast-food_n_1237206.html). 

Earlier this month they announced they would no longer use chicken injected with human antibiotics or milk produced from cows injected with artificial growth hormones (http://www.cnbc.com/id/102475985).

Dunkin’ Donuts announced it is dropping the use of titanium dioxide from its powdered doughnuts (http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/10/news/companies/dunkin-donuts-titanium-dioxide/). You can read these articles and many others posted to reach your own conclusions. I do think that concerns about the food we eat are causing major food chains to rethink the constituents in the products they sell, even if approved by the FDA. 

The above disclosures make it clear that we can’t always trust the labels on products, and that certain food additives are making some individuals and groups very nervous. I doubt if most people know what goes into the burger they eat or even the food served in an expensive restaurant. 

The common food additives are approved by the FDA, but even a superficial investigation reveals that there is little data concerning long-term effects. I can’t claim to know the long-term effects of the ingredients removed by the above-mentioned companies, but I’m not certain anyone does. Data about the effects of some of the additives gives reason for concern.

There is a common additive to bread, buns, and numerous other pastry items called azodicarbonamide. It caused quite a controversy when an individual ran a successful campaign to get it removed by Subway. 

This chemical is used in breads as a dough conditioner and is found in most breads (http://www.ewg.org/release/yoga-mat-chemical-found-nearly-500-foods). This chemical additive is not approved for use in the European Union and Australia, but is approved by the FDA for use in the United States. 

Many will say that they have been consuming all of the above-mentioned additives their entire lives and are fine. The human body can certainly adapt well to a wide variety of foods and still function. However, this does not mean that everyone’s body can adapt to the artificial additives, or that there are not long-term effects such as dementia and cancer or some other disease. 

I, and many others, do not believe that sufficient testing has been done to reach conclusions about the safety of many items that show up in food, cosmetics, and even household cleaners. 

My approach is simple. I read labels and strive to purchase items that are organic, and if not organic, I buy ones that do not contain questionable ingredients. Most important of all, I monitor my dreams for any warnings about foods I eat or chemicals to which I am exposed. 

In perusing hundreds of Edgar Cayce readings, it became apparent that his advice concerning diet was specific to the individual. There are some general caveats such as avoiding fried food, but most of the advice took into account the state of health and physiology of the individual who requested the reading. 

A food that might be beneficial for one individual could be harmful for another. Your dreams as a product of your subconscious have access to the effects of different foods on you. 

As an example, many years ago I was told in a dream to cut down on the number of eggs I was eating. In reviewing the Cayce readings, he often suggested the egg yolk for consumption rather than the whole egg. The quantity he recommended varied with the condition and individual. 

For many years, health professionals suggested three eggs a week as a limit. But recently some studies have shown that one need not be concerned about the number of eggs consumed. However, I will stick with my dream advice and limit my consumption of eggs. 

Your body will tell you in various ways when a food or environment is not beneficial. Consciously be aware of your feelings and pay attention to your dreams. 

I don’t eat burgers from fast-food restaurants because one night I had a dream that indicated I should put such food down the garbage disposal. This wasn't the only reason I quit, but confirmed what I strongly suspected—the burgers weren't good for me. My decision was a personal one. 

I can’t tell you what food is good for you, but your body can. However, before making major changes to your diet, discuss them with your physician. 

In recent years, we have seen an explosion of autism, diabetes, and breast cancer. The increases might be due to a combination of factors that affect our daily lives, but one of these factors could certainly be the food we eat. And what is added to it during preparation for consumption is only part of the story; the other part is what is added to the soil that finds its way into our food and then our body.