F O O D Q U A L I T Y R E S E A R C HThe Monastery StudyHow does Food Quality affect Body , Soul and Spirit ? Research was carriedout by theForschungsring fürbiologisch - d ynamischeWirtschaftsweise e . V . Brandschneise 1 , D - 64295 Darmstadtwww . forschingsring . dePublished in English b y B i o d y n a m icAgriculturalAssociation , Painswick Inn Project , Gloucester Street , Stroud GL 5 1 HFwww . biodynamic . org . ukAbundant testimony shows that individuals feel morecontent when they switch from conventional to organicor biodynamic food . Such a change is often accompaniedby lifestyle changes . For example , many individuals stopsmoking or become more active , thus making it more diffi cultto link observed improvements exclusively to the changesin nutrition . This study was designed to document anyquantifi able or observable changes in individuals whoseway of life remained constant while conventional food issubstituted with biodynamic food . We looked for changes inphysical and spiritual well - being , in intellectual acuity , aswell as in the immune and digestive systems . Why not a double blind studyA double blind study certainly would have given us the best results . In adouble blind study group A would change its diet from conventional tobiodynamic food , while group B would think they had changed to biodynamicfood whereas in reality they were still eating conventional food . Participantsshould not be able to discern whether they are part of group A or B . However , this was not possible , because the different types of food are often visiblydifferent as well as being different in fl avour . And if the comparison group didnot change their food preferences , the whole comparison would be useless . From an ethical standpoint we also wanted the participants to know exactlywhat they were eating . The participants were not equally motivated and haddifferent expectations . In our statistical calculations we took these differencesinto account . ParticipantsFor our study we changed the nutrition in the monastery . 23 nuns participatedin the study as well as eight non - members of the order , among them fourmen . The participants that were not members of the order collected their foodon a daily basis in the monastery ’ s kitchen . The following graphs are based onthe results of 17 nuns , who were between 59 and 80 years old . These nunswere selected because they had a comparable immune status . About the designof the studyThe following conditions hadto be met : ■ We needed to fi nd a groupof individuals who ate all theirmeals in a cafeteria . All themembers of the group shouldhave a similar way of life and becapable of self - refl ection . Theseconditions were met by thenuns at a monastery in the BlackForest ( Germany ) . ■ We had to design a studywhich allowed us to observeand compare distinct periods inwhich a diet of conventionallyproduced food and one ofbiodynamic food was followed . Participantsin the studyand researchersMonastery of Heiligenbronn in the Black ForestDesign of the studyThe study lasted eight weeks and consisted of three phases . In the fi rst phase , which lasted two weeks , we replaced thefrozen conventional meals that were usually served with freshlycooked conventional meals . In the second phase , which lastedfour weeks , biodynamically produced food was served and inthe third phase , which lasted two weeks , conventional freshfood was served again . We carried out a number of tests andsurveys in these eight weeks as well as an examination fourweeks before and four weeks after the study . Examinations ■ Each participant documented in a diet diary their dailyfood intake : types of food and amounts ■ Every two weeks they answered a survey about theirphysical and mental well - being . These surveys includedquestions to test their intelligence ( mental acuity ) ■ Blood was drawn from each participant six times . On the same days they handed in stool samples . A nungivingbloodweeks weeksExaminations , s u r v e y s P o s t e x a m i nationPreexaminationDaily diet survey 2 weeksconventional . 4 weeksbiodynamic . 2 weeksconventional . Design of study and times of examinationsVegetables in the farm store that supplied food for the studyBiodynamic food production follows the generalprinciples of organic agriculture as well as thefollowing principles : ■ Diverse and balanced crop rotation ■ Animal husbandry on every farm , cows with horns ■ Ripe compost and manure is applied ■ Use of specifi c biodynamic preparations ■ Consideration of cosmic rhythms ■ Gentle procedures in food p r o c e s s i n g F ooddistributionProcedures in the kitchenIt was quite a challenge for the chef to switch overto fresh vegetables for the study . He had to exactlyfollow the menu and adapt to new produce andfood suppliers as well as a new delivery schedule . Thekitchen crew had a lot of work with the preparationof the fresh vegetables and the extra preparation offood for the external participants . All ingredients wereindividually measured in order to make it possible tocalculate the nutritional value of each menu item . Theentries in the diet diaries allowed us to calculate thenutritional value for each participant . Biodynamicallyproduced foodsDuring the second phase of the study 85 % of thebiodynamically produced foods that were usedwere of Demeter quality . The rest of the food wasorganically produced . Vegetables , dairy , and meatcame mostly from a nearby farm , the bread wasbought at a Demeter bakery . The processed foodscame from an organic food dealer or directly fromthe producers . A few products were purchaseddirectly in a health food store . Remarks by nuns during an interview for the regional TV - show “ Adventure Knowledge ” , transmitted on March 10 , 2004 . Physical and spriritualwell - being , as well asintellectual acuityThe participants fi lled out surveys in which theyrated the effects of their nutrition on differentphysical and spiritual characteristics on a scalefrom 1 ( very bad ) to 5 ( very good ) . The best ratingswere given for physical fi tness and the ability tohandle stress during the weeks the participants atebiodynamic food . The ratings for spiritual well - beingwere signifi cantly different both during the 4 weekswhen the participants consumed biodynamic foodsas well as in the weeks after . The drop in spiritual well - being after the changeback to conventional food could result from thechange in nutrition as well as from the lack ofattention and the change in taste preferences . During the study many of the nuns mentioned thatthey liked the biodynamic food a lot better . Somenuns also remarked that they did not like some ofthe conventional food anymore after the study wasover . Interviews conducted a year after the study wasconcluded ( see above ) show that the nuns hadvivid memories of the experiences they madeduring the study . before middle middle after after follow upconv . bio . bio . conv . “ I felt more alert ! , much better than before . ” ( Sister A ) “ I felt great all around . ” ( Sister C ) “ I realized that I hadhardly any headaches . ” ( Sister B ) Changes in spiritual well - beingScale of 1 ( very bad ) to 5 ( very good ) Questionnaire values , spiritual well - beingThe surveys included exercises withmathematical problems , combinationproblems , and memory questions . Acomparison of the surveys completed duringthe study shows that during the periodwhen biodynamic food was served more ofthe participants were able to focus on theseexercises and had better results than duringthe other periods . In the future , however , better standardized surveys should beused for assessing the intellectual acuity ofparticipants in such a study . Blood parametersBlood samples were checked for immunologicalparameters such as T helper cells . These cellsinfl uence the immune system . The amount ofT helper cells in the blood can be infl uencedby mood . During the biodynamic phase of the study wefound a signifi cant decline in the presenceof these cells , independent of whether theparticipants in question had positive expectationstowards the outcome of the study or not . Thereduction could have been the result of reducedstress . The same could be true for the observedlower blood pressure . middle after after follow upconventional biodynamic . conventional . CD 4 count ( T helper cells ) Changes in Thelper cellsChanges in blood pressuresystolic blood pressurebefore middle after after follow upconventional biodynamic . conventional . Eating habitsAlthough the menu did not change from phase tophase , the participants consumed fewer caloriesduring the phase with the biodynamic foodsthan in the phases before and after . The weightof the participants did not change , whether theyhad positive expectations in this regard or not . They consumed less animal protein and fewercarbohydrates , but the same amount of fat andvegetable protein as well as more fi ber . This confi rms earlier observations in householdsthat switched to organic food . They tendedto select different foods than conventionalhouseholds , consuming less meat , sugar andalcohol . The higher intake of fi ber among the participantsis a good development . Fiber has the potential toreduce digestive problems . Increased fi ber intakein older people reduces the risk of cardio - vasculardisease . A diet high in fi ber strengthens the wallsof the intestines as well as the immunologicalstructures present there . Ph - value of the intestinesThe ph - value of the intestines was one of thethings determined from the collected stoolsamples . The value is typical for an environmentin which certain intestinal bacteria can be active . These bacteria break up food componentsand suppress germs . A nearly neutral ph - valuecharacterizes an environment with benefi cialbacteria . A sour or too basic environment ischaracterized by the presence of bacteria thathave a negative impact on health . Some of theparticipants already had an optimal ph - value at thestart of the study , other participants had ph - valuesthat were too sour and basic but during the studytheir ph - values became more neutral . Caloric uptake of participantstotal caloriesconventional middle after conventionalorganic organicWeight of participantsweight in kilogramsbefore middle middle after after follow upconventional organic organic conventionalExpectation of a change in weightNo expectation of change in weightConclusionsNo matter whether the results of this study resulted directly from the consumption ofbiodynamic food or from the new food preferences that resulted from their consumption , the following can be ascertained : The switch from conventional to biodynamic food can ■ improve physical and spiritual well - being , ■ lower blood pressure , and ■ result in an immune status that seems to indicate less stress . More studies will be necessary to consolidate these results . Responsible for this study : Dr . Karin Huber , ForschungsringSurvey design : PD Dr . Gabriele Dlugosch , Universität LandauStatistical calculations : Prof . Jürgen Hennig , Universität GiessenParticipants : Nuns and kitchen crew of the Monastery HeiligenbronnProject management : Nikolai Fuchs , Sektion für Landwirtschaft am Goetheanum , Dornach ( Switzerland ) Research SponsorsArbeitskreis für Ernährungsforschung e . V . Bäuerliche GesellschaftBerneburg S t i f t u n g E v i d e n z g e s e llschaftFördergemeischaft für Umweltpfl ege durch biologisch - dynamischen Landbau e . V . Forschungsring für Biologisch - Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e . VGemeinnutzige TreuhandstelleHauser StiftungMahle StiftungRogau StiftungStiftung Ökologie und LandbauZukunftsstiftung LandwirtschaftProject AdvisorsDr . I . Hagel , Biodynamic Research Institute , DarmstadtDr . P . Kühne , Arbeitskreis für Ernährungsforschung e . V . Prof . A . Meier - Ploeger , University of KasselDr . A . Schwarzkopf , Enterosan L a b o r a toryPublicationsLebendige Erde 4 , 2003 , 42 - 47 Forschungsring Materialien No . 13 Translated into English by Jutta Siebert , Villanova University , PhiladephiaPublished in the UK by Biodynamic Agricultural Association , Painswick Inn Project , Gloucester Street , Stroud GL 5 1 HFwww . biodynamic . org . uk 사업자 정보 표시 | | | 사업자 등록 번호 : -- | TEL : -- | 사이버 몰의 이용 약관 바로 가 기