Mood responses in children and adults are profoundly affected by diet and environment. Chemicals in food and environmental pollution have been shown to have a deleterious impact on the brain and neurological functions, leading to everything from attention deficit disorder to obsessive-compulsive disorder. It makes sense that foods that contribute to physical illness would contribute to mental and emotional imbalances as well.

To whatever extent you are ready, I also highly recommend removing the non-food environmental obstacles to your joy, such as the audio and visual stimulation in the form of magazines, television, and movies that degrade your thoughts with vulgarity, graphic imagery, gossip, and violence. Don’t be afraid to try a media fast for a day, a week, or even a month—whatever would be a stretch for your media lifestyle.

In a media fast, you eliminate as many of the following as possible: TV, magazines, newspapers, radio, and the Internet for a given period. Similarly, you might try a shopping fast. At least once a year, I undertake a “shopping strike” where, for one month, I buy only absolute necessities such as food and household cleaning equipment. It’s not as hard as it sounds, once you commit to it. The most valuable reward is that you begin to see just how much you are “sold” every day. When you go off the strike, you become a much savvier buyer, much more in tune with what you actually need and desire, as opposed to what you think you need and desire!

Also remember that fear, anger, jealousy, and stress are highly acidic. Consistent exposure to these emotions and experiences are just as damaging to the body as an acid-forming substance you might eat, drink, or smoke. They will quickly rob you of your attractive charge, radiance, beauty, and youthfulness.