Poignant Responses to the Phrase “Food is …”

Some people were not as positive about food as others. I fully expected that! Much of my practice is with people who have disordered eating in one way or another … from overeating to anorexia or bulimia. But I do believe that most people are confounded by food in one way or another. As I’m always hearing, “My problem with food is …” Sometimes it’s legitimate, such as the other clients in my practice who actually get sick when they eat certain foods. And changing what you eat can also be difficult for some. So here are some thoughts that are not so celebratory … thoughts that reflect the growing confusion around what’s you’re willing to eat and what’s good for you.

Food is … dangerous.
It’s true for LBD and many of us too. We self-medicate and sometimes even punish ourselves with food … stuffing ourselves into oblivion and some even finding desperate ways to then rid ourselves of it. Or starve ourselves into submission. We are the only species that does this. I guess our superior brains have to find some way to pervert a life-giving substance.

The bottom line is that we just don’t trust ourselves where food is concerned. We create diets that are impossible to follow. They not only don’t appeal to our deep-seated appetites but we have perverted them even more into earthquake food … the goodness freeze-dried and processed out of them. With the promise that, if you eat them, you can look like the latest celebrity who has lost 50 pounds. Or the same celebrity who has lost the same 50 pounds over and over again.

The operative word here is “trust”. To remove the “danger” from food and eating, we need reclaim our trust of it. How do we do that? By ridding yourself of the diet mentality once and for all, you can learn other skills like eating to your hunger, honoring your body, and choosing healthier foods. These things come from a change of mindset inside, not imposing outside changes like eating earthquake and otherwise restrictive food.

The statistic is 5% of those who start on diets lose all the pounds they want. And those that keep them off … even much less. If you take the power of weight loss into your own hands, however … much, much more. But we don’t have statistics to prove that. Actually, we don’t have statistics to prove only 5% lose weight. That’s based upon a 1959 study, and there has been no further statistics to confound that. So you’re just going to have to make food less dangerous … FOR YOURSELF … ALL BY YOURSELF.

Food … rules me.
This is what happens when people slip from random overeating into disordered eating. Working with clients like that, I can only tell you that they’re exhausted … exhausted from thinking about food 24/7. Food DOES rule them … what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, what NOT to eat … how to get rid of what to eat. And how your thighs will grow if you eat one morsel.

If this is you, get some psychological help please … you’re addicted to a PROCESS that centers around food … NOT the food itself. Food is not the issue; it’s the belief systems you build up around it. And usually these beliefs are totally flawed … believe me. They’re about trying to control something in your life that seems out of control. Get some help please. This is addiction, not sanity.

Food is … addictive.
I loved the scene in Super Size Me where the dietitian told Morgan Spurlock that he was exhibiting signs of addiction to the McDonald’s meals he was eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food is not only addictive on a process/mental/bad-ritual level like someone with an eating disorder, But, as pointed out in the movie, things like sugar, salt, and fat can make it also physiologically addictive. Maladjustment to food on many levels can therefore lead to addiction. Isn’t it time we stopped treating something that’s life-affirming like a pariah?

Food is … difficult for someone with IBS!
KB certainly nailed it! It’s terrible to be at the mercy of your digestive issues. And not know whether something that you eat, through no fault of your own, will cause you grief later.

IBS … Irritable Bowel Syndrome …. is an intestinal problem where people experience bloating, cramping, abdominal pain and variability in bowel habits. It affects about 12% of the US population … and most likely more as many just live with it with no relief in sight. And, in reality, doctors can only give you medication to stop the bowel problems without actually getting to the core of what’s bothering you.

There are many causes, including poor diet, genetics, food sensitivities, and lack of exercise. The only solution I know is identifying food sensitivities that can cause inflammation and digestive disability. And avoiding those sensitive foods for a time … perhaps forever … to allow the gut to regenerate. It’s a very powerful process that gets to the core of the problem.

Even with this powerful testing, people have to change their diet and their lives. Eating gluten-free or dairy-less isn’t for sissies. But the good news is that finding out exactly what you’re sensitive to has two great benefits. One … it heals the gut and allows the immune system to proliferate. And two … it’s just such a relief to know exactly what’s causing the problem that stress is reduced and anxiety is alleviated. Which also helps with the healing.

Leave Your Comments About The “Food is …” Project Below

Please finish the phrase … “Food is …” below and include your name and any other pertinent information you’d like to share. I’d love to have you as part of my eBook!