Do you fear your food?

[geo]

So many people have been brain washed to fear the food they eat. They are afraid that if they eat some "bad" food that they will get some ungodly disease or immediately gain 10 lbs.

But theres no reason to fear food. Why? Because your health (or non health) is not predicated on any one food. Its not even about any one non-compliant meal or a day of meals or even a week or month of meals.

Its all about your pattern of eating and being consistent in that pattern, one meal at a time. What some would call developing a habit.

Next time you eat something you shouldn't, think about why you did it, what were the circumstances that caused you to do it. Don't fear the food, understand the situation and then come up with a plan to make sure that you don't find yourself in that situation again. Turn the error into a learning situation just the way you learn most things in life. Then resolve yourself to not do it again. Then work your way to staying the course, one meal at a time. If you fall off the wagon, then understand what happened and learn from it and the next meal you have remember what just happened. Soon you'll be stringing those days of compliancy together and before you know it, weeks will go by and you'll realize it wasnt hard at all. Then it will all of a sudden dawn on you you've just developed a new habit.

[Grammy Ginger]

At first, I scoffed at your question. The more I think about it though, the answer is yes. Probably not for the reason you think.

One reason I started this journey into a plant-based lifestyle is that everything I ate made me sick. My gut swelled up to 6-month pregnant size. I had terrible heartburn and threw up often. Sometimes my throat constricted. Many times my neck and face swelled up, too. I began by eliminating dairy, eggs, and flesh. That helped but not enough. Next went oil, then wheat, then soy, then nuts, then sesame seeds, and finally chia seeds. Now I only swell up and get heartburn occasionally. I have no idea what else brings on these symptoms, but my list of good things is pretty low now. Hopefully, whatever the final culprit is won't become another thing that makes my throat close up. I just hope it isn't potatoes, beans, or corn...please, no.

So, yah, I'm afraid of food, but not as much as I used to be.

[Ltldogg]

I am definitely afraid of food for the same reasons as Grammy. My digestion has gotten worse and I have been diagnosed with 5 autoimmune diseases now (probably have more). Using elimination diets I have eliminated many many foods, but even the foods I still eat cause me some bloating and inflammation. It's tiring and annoying and dominates my thoughts and energy. I just hope the foods I still do eat don't become foods I cannot eat. If that happens I will have no choice but to eat animal products again else starve to death. It's that serious and it's scary.

[geo]

I feel for you both Grammy and Ltldogg. Autoimmune issues can be a really tuff problem to deal. Your fears and concerns with particular foods is very warrented. But I was speaking to irrational fears people have about food. Have you both tried consulting with JeffN on your food problems?

[f1jim]

I think like a chess player when it comes to food. I have no irrational belief any particular food will cause me to fall over and die.
I do fear the outcome of poor food choices and the issues they have brought upon me. That cheeseburger won't kill me, short term, but it will clog my arteries as I consume it. I know that as sure as the sun rises. I fear the outcome eating such garbage will have on my already ravaged body.
I don't fear my food today. I made a conscious decision well over a decade ago to not have to fear anything I consume. It's a stress reducing calm that now replaces the fear. Who wants to be looking over their shoulder after every meal?
It's like paying your insurance premium to eat well.
f1jim

[Vegankit]

I was surprised by your title. I don't fear my food.

I also have autoimmune diseases, food allergies and intolerances, so I do have a more limited choice of food options...... however that doesn't mean I'm fearful. I choose what is the right choice for me to eat. Rather than fear with all it's negative energy, I feel I'm in control.

[Ltldogg]

I feel for you both Grammy and Ltldogg. Autoimmune issues can be a really tuff problem to deal. Your fears and concerns with particular foods is very warrented. But I was speaking to irrational fears people have about food. Have you both tried consulting with JeffN on your food problems?

Hi Geo,

Yes, I have consulted directly with Jeff for several years now and he has helped me tremendously in my journey to identify foods that cause me serious pain. I'm extremely grateful for Jeff for this reason and many others. Unfortunately, I have to go to extremes to reduce pain down to nothing and those extremes are not sustainable and also take a toll on me mentally and emotionally. With that said, eating only rice and a few veggies would still be considered extreme by most people (not me given what I have been through) and it does minimize the pain greatly, but every day I still experience enough pain to cause me physical, mental and emotional distress.

I both enjoy life and loathe it. I'm still hopeful for a cure some day or at least that I find foods that will both sustain good health and remove all pains.

Scott