Dorothy, I have always been aware of my body and its reaction to foods, and to some external reactions as well. I do not like to touch plastic and certain cloths. I had a chiropractor who tested my arm strength to things such as tobacco (I was a smoker), chemicals of sorts, some plastic, and other bad and good things I can't remember. They were in small vials and she held them close to my upper chest, the thymus maybe but I thought it was the thyroid? My outstretched arm became weak with some and stayed firm with others. Now that would be an interesting test to do with foods, eh.
I am noting that my meditation sessions are more focused since I have gone 99% raw (I cook my garlic or use powder) and beer and occasional chocolate are strong opponents.
My experience with cooked food that day has so reinforced my desire to only eat raw. My hip continues to be very pain free and my sense of peace is on the upswing, though the incessant yipping of a small dog outside the window while I was trying to concentrate on a YouTub video, Cancer the Forbidden Cures, eventually sent me into a rage I had not experience for years. (I'm trying to collect info for a friend whose dad's pancreatic cancer has migrated to his liver- he had chemo, not sure of radiation. My friend is coming round to the idea of diet for his dad with the info his aunt and I are finding for him.) Back to topic. The rage was a good thing, strangely. I have never come to terms with this side of my nature as I am usually such an even tempered person (as the family peace keeper I learned early to bottle up). For the first time I came to terms with the rage with both myself and my victims. Before, I just ignored it.
The raw experience is wholly encompassing, so freeing and energising. For all my food addictions I have always been able to give up what I found to be harmful (except beer, ice cream and chocolate. Ice cream is gone and chocolate almost. At the moment I do the backwards miracle trick turning beer into water.)
The step into raw was the missing link.