I heard about this series of (free!) interviews called "Getting over ED" (ED stands for Eating Disorders) from someone on the Fuhrman forums. Dr. Fuhrman was one of the interviewees. I was going to pretend that I listened just to hear him, because I didn't want anyone to think I have an eating disorder! Gasp! Gosh, would I feel that way about someone else who has eating disorders? No! So what if I have one. That would make you love me even more, right? Anyway, I think these interviews are interesting. Some I enjoyed more than others. The person who did the interviews, Tera Warner, is very sweet and loving. I enjoy hearing her joyful responses to what the speakers are saying.
I think the other interviews addressed many issues that Dr. Fuhrman does not address. I suspect these are more common in women than men. Dr. Fuhrman claims that a lot of food addictions occur from malnutrition from eating an unhealthy diet, and that they can be cured with healthy eating. I understand that, but I don't think all food issues are cured just with healthy eating. In fact, I developed issues as a result of healthy eating, because it is so different from how everyone else eats. Until I was eating healthy for a few years, I had a "normal" relationship to food. I ate when I was hungry, I stopped when I was full. I didn't think about food except when I was hungry. I enjoyed eating with my friends and family. I was a little overweight and unhealthy, but who isn't when you eat the Standard American Diet. Then I started eating healthy. I lost weight, and enjoyed learning new recipes and the science. I adopted healthy eating in stages, first going vegetarian, then vegan, then losing the caffeine, alcohol, salt, refined foods step by step, because I wanted to. It was completely voluntary. It wasn't until I started thinking of foods as forbidden that I started running into problems. By then I had plenty of nutrients in my body from healthy eating, so I wasn't feeling Dr. Fuhrman's issue. When the very occasional cookie became never, that's when I started wanting it. I would occasionally binge on a bunch of those forbidden foods that had been storing up in my deprived brain. That's probably considered to be disordered eating, right?
I've decided this was a good experience because I am more understanding of what others go through. Dr. Fuhrman says wisely in Eat to Live that nothing is forbidden. I have adopted that philosophy and it works well for me. I'm allowed to eat whatever I want. Therefore, when I choose something healthy, I am doing what I want, right? So there shouldn't be deprivation. Not only that, when I choose not to eat those cookies and cheesy bread and pizzas and waffles, I can be pretty confident they will be there whenever I want them if I change my mind (okay, maybe not my friend's Belgian waffles, but there is plenty of other food to choose from). Well, then, what's the rush. I can use the overwhelming prevalence of tempting unhealthy food to my mental advantage. I don't have to have them now if you know that they are available at every corner and doorstep at any time of the day. Works today anyway.
Have a great week!
