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Van Gogh's relationship with food was complicated. Like his fellow Protestants, he equated virtue with abstinence from luxury. He often reduced food to its essence, "bread," which was pure nourishment or fuel. He often quoted the Biblical imperative: "In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread." Nevertheless, he realized that virtue could lead to excess. While studying in Antwerp during the winter of 1885, he complained to Theo about his self-imposed frugality. In Arles, he tried to restore his energy by improving his eating habits. Because he suffered from stomach problems, he tried to persuade restaurant owners to prepare special food for him, such as strong brew, but he met with little success. Once he found a new and better restaurant to have his meals, Van Gogh felt his health improve immensely. In the Saint-Rémy asylum, van Gogh felt that a good appetite and regular meals could help to improve his sanity in all respects. In the first days of September 1889, following a major attack, he started to eat his way back to sanity. Dr. Peyron and Dr. Gachet encouraged Vincent to eat heartily.
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