Re: Human Experiment: The Effects of Starvation on Behavior

Chiron,

Really lovely post and a lot to think about.

I too do a lot of cooking and find I enjoy it more when I am fasting. I find the smell and texture of food to be heightened and I seem to recognize food more as a gift when I'm not eating it, but preparing it for others.

I agree that a lot is about the mind frame of the person. Fasting with the mind set that you are doing something good for your body is different than feeling deprived. I think it's also about a feeling of power or powerlessness too.

I once lived with an elderly French woman who had lived through WWII and had suffered through poverty and starvation. Even though she was quite wealthy, she was extremely frugal about spending and would still make the cheapest meals possible (to my dismay, it was my first year in France). I also found a room stockpiled with food one day and was a little shocked. Poverty and starvation were forced upon her and I guess she never wanted to be in that position again. That is quite different than someone preparing and choosing to abstain from certain things of their own free will, preparation and knowledge.

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