The first meaning of the term bitterness mentioned in the dictionary of the DigoPaul refers to the flavor that is perceived as bitter: similar to gall. This type of flavor, if it has a lot of intensity, is not very pleasant.
Bitterness is detected by the taste buds found in the posterior region of the tongue. For some biologists, this flavor began to be perceived as unpleasant from evolution, since poisonous substances are usually bitter. Thus bitterness turned negative in human regard.
Grapefruit juice, coffee and beer are three drinks characterized by their bitterness. In some cases, in fact, sugar is added to minimize or eliminate this bitterness, although many people easily enjoy some of them without the need to sweeten them.
Both grapefruit, lemon and orange, to name a few citrus fruits, are among the most beneficial natural products for our health, and that is why the bitterness of their flavor is in the background when we are aware of the action of their properties on our organism. First of all, it is known that they are a natural source of vitamins A, B (1 and 2) and C, as well as minerals (sulfur, copper and potassium), substances that the body needs for its proper functioning.
As if this were not enough, citrus also helps us to take care of our digestive system, one of the parts of the body that suffers the most due to modern rhythms of life. Some of them, such as orange, are used to disinfect the digestive tract, dissolve food, accelerate the healing of ulcers and relieve acidity.
From this negative perception of bitterness, the notion refers to what causes sadness, pain, worry, discomfort or discomfort. Suppose a man wants to get home early to play with his son. However, when the workday is about to end, his boss asks him to stay in the office after hours to perform certain urgent tasks. This obligation causes his bitterness, since he just wanted to get out of work as soon as possible to arrive home early and spend time with his son.
The person who expected to rest on Sunday but who wakes up early in the morning from the noises coming from his neighbor’s house may also experience bitterness. Unable to sleep, he is forced to get up even though that was not his intention.
It is important to note that bitterness can lead to a state of stress from which it is very difficult to get out, and this puts the person’s overall mental and physical health at risk. When we go through stages in which problems seem to proliferate uncontrollably, we often convince ourselves that there is a force acting against us, and that negatively predisposes us towards life.
Feeling that someone or something wishes us evil and that for that reason we will not be able to get ahead generates a deep bitterness that tarnishes our day to day, makes us extremely susceptible to problems and we tend to magnify any obstacle, believing more and more frequently that “nothing makes sense anymore”.
Both psychotherapy and some treatments that aim to balance the body and soul, such as yoga, can be very beneficial to ward off bad thoughts and pursue well-being in all aspects of life. However, the fundamental point is that this search arises spontaneously and legitimately from within us.