Instincto and Vitamins

Vitamins only became a problem in the history of food once culinary art became established and cooking became widespread, or with the improvisations of the food industry. Everyone knows the suffering of sailors deprived of raw vegetables and afflicted with scurvy, or the beriberi caused by the repeated consumption of white rice.

Under the conditions specific to a natural diet, heat-sensitive vitamins are not destroyed, and alliesthetic regulation ensures their intake by making foods containing them appealing.

A statistical study conducted on numerous people practicing instinct over the long term showed that spontaneous food choices guarantee a more than sufficient intake of all vitamins. The doses of vitamins A, C, and E are far higher than the values ​​recommended by the WHO, which explains the detoxifying benefits of a natural diet: the antioxidant properties of these vitamins, in particular, guarantee the elimination of free radicals. They are found primarily in vegetables and fruits.

The B vitamins are provided by meat, liver, green vegetables, and nuts. Vitamin B12, however, is an exception: it is found only in animal proteins, liver, other organ meats, meat, fish, shellfish, and certain seaweeds. The body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 is limited, so a daily or twice-daily intake is essential to maintain its reserves. Vegans put themselves at risk by eliminating all animal protein. This essential vitamin therefore requires the regular presence of animal protein in the diet.

However, it would be detrimental to consume the same proteins too regularly, as the repeated exposure to food antigens can disrupt the immune system. It is therefore necessary to systematically vary protein sources: not to rely solely on mammalian meat, but to alternate with different species of poultry, different species of fish (preferably oily fish), and different species of shellfish, crustaceans, or other seafood.

It is possible that our ancestors, like primates, obtained their B12 from the insects they consumed daily. A whole range of insects are indeed delicious raw; their rejection is a consequence of culinary practice: the overload of cooked proteins leads to the rejection of the most natural protein sources, with which the alliesthetic response is most pronounced.

In short, it can be said that practicing instinct, with sufficient variety and the flexibility required to find foods appropriate to the body’s needs, eliminates concerns about vitamin deficiencies inherent in a traditional, cooked, and seasoned diet.

Practical Advice

To prevent a vitamin B12 deficiency, the following rules should be followed:

  1. Consume an animal protein at least every other day.
  2. Have a sufficient selection of animal proteins available to find the one that best suits the body’s needs.
  3. Carefully apply the principles of olfactory choice to select the most beneficial foods.
  4. Be wary of reactions of disgust, which can unnecessarily prolong aversions to animal products.