In my search for an allergy free shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair I bought some Pantene shampoo and conditioner yesterday. The ingredients didn't appear to contain any of my allergies. However, after my experience with Loreal's soy laced shampoo, I wanted to verify the ingredients. So I called the company and asked whether that shampoo contained wheat, egg, soy, vanilla or nutmeg. I usually don't see dairy or cane sugar included in shampoo ingredients.
The customer service rep told me that one listed ingredient, 'fragrance', could contain either of my spice allergens. I asked her whether she knew for sure what that 'fragrance' contained. She told me that I would need to ask my doctor to write on his 'letterhead' to Pantene and confirm that I had my diagnosed allergies. Then he could request ingredient information about the 'fragrance' or any other ingredient listed on specific hair care products. I told the rep that my doctor might email them, but not snail mail that request. The rep said they would accept a fax on my doctor's letterhead.
Then I told the rep that requiring every celiac or person with food allergies to ask their doctor to write companies to verify product ingredients ingredients was outrageous to say the least. Most companies will gladly verify whether their product contains my allergens. I don't need my doctor to testify that I actually have my diagnosed allergens in order to get the information I need. So I told the Pantene rep that I would no longer consider any of their products. I also said that I would inform many people with food allergens that Pantene is very uncooperative.
Fortunately I found another shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair. The ShiKai customer service rep was very honest and helpful. She told me their regular products contain soy. However she suggested their 'natural hair care' line which includes a shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair. She verified that it contained none of my allergens. She also told me that Whole Foods or other health food stores would carry those products. I learned that both my local Whole Foods and PCC stores carry that.
Pantene may believe they can sell more products by protecting their 'trade secret' product ingredients. However, most people with food allergies dislike companies that won't readily verify whether products contain their food allergens. Pantene may not realize how many people in this country have food allergies.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Peppermint Tea for Gut Cramps
Now that I know what caused my intestinal cramps and how long I will endure that pain, I can use peppermint herbal tea to reduce the intensity of those cramps. I usually don't drink peppermint tea, because that can cause reflux. I can easily get reflux after consuming peppermint, caffeinated beverages or alcohol. So I can only drink peppermint tea before or several hours after meals. Nevertheless, peppermint tea relaxes my intestinal cramps, which also relieves constipation and bloating, caused by those cramps. So I drank a cup of strong peppermint tea soon after awakening this morning. I then experienced slightly less intestinal pain. I may also take Tylenol if the pain gets too intense during the next few days.
Meanwhile I'm relieved to know what caused the pain. I also know those symptoms will disappear after 3-5 more days. So I just need to distract myself, drink peppermint tea, exercise my stomach muscles as well as do any aerobic exercises (like rapid walking) to generate natural pain relieving endorphins. I ALWAYS feel better after I do any kind of exercise. I'm even more motivated when I'm in pain.
Meanwhile I'm relieved to know what caused the pain. I also know those symptoms will disappear after 3-5 more days. So I just need to distract myself, drink peppermint tea, exercise my stomach muscles as well as do any aerobic exercises (like rapid walking) to generate natural pain relieving endorphins. I ALWAYS feel better after I do any kind of exercise. I'm even more motivated when I'm in pain.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
100% 'Natural' Vitamin E
I found the allergy reaction culprit. Initially I suspected my shampoo, which contains 'tocopherol' in the ingredent list. Tocopherols can contain soy, one of my diagnosed allergens. However, I then found a more obvious source of soy in a new variety of the Vitamin E capsules, in a brand which I took without reaction for years. My husband unknowingly bought a bottle of '100% natural' vitamin E capsules which prominently listed 'soybean oil' in the ingredients on the bottle. I vaguely remember refilling my vitamin (6 section) container last week after I finished taking all the vitamin E from a previous (safe) bottle. I refilled my vitamin E section with that new (soy laced) product, which my husband recently purchased. I neglected to read the ingredients, because it was the same manufacturer. I didn't realize it was a new formula with soybean oil in the ingredients.
I began to experience obvious cramping pain Thursday afternoon, after feeling fine all morning. (My food allergies are delayed reaction allergies.) However, my soy reactions usually last 5-7 days. The symptoms increase in intensity and pain severity to a peak midway through that period. Yesterday I experienced the 'waves of cramping pain' similar to menstrual pain, which I always experience with dairy and soy reactions. Those waves of pain increased today to the point that I suspected I had consumed soy. Because I had other symptoms like localized cramping pain, I believed I reacted to soy, not dairy, which causes the 'waves of pain' and sinus conjestion. I just recovered from a cold during which I experienced NO sinus conjestion. So I knew I must have reacted to soy.
Little did I realize that I've taken my little soybean oil pill for at least the past 4 days. I took the last one this morning. So I anticipate (DREAD!!) 3-7 more days of painful reactions. Nevertheless, I feel confident that an allergy reaction, rather than an intestinal infection from a bacteria or parasite or candida, caused my symptoms. Now I just have to get through the remaining reaction days. SIGH
I began to experience obvious cramping pain Thursday afternoon, after feeling fine all morning. (My food allergies are delayed reaction allergies.) However, my soy reactions usually last 5-7 days. The symptoms increase in intensity and pain severity to a peak midway through that period. Yesterday I experienced the 'waves of cramping pain' similar to menstrual pain, which I always experience with dairy and soy reactions. Those waves of pain increased today to the point that I suspected I had consumed soy. Because I had other symptoms like localized cramping pain, I believed I reacted to soy, not dairy, which causes the 'waves of pain' and sinus conjestion. I just recovered from a cold during which I experienced NO sinus conjestion. So I knew I must have reacted to soy.
Little did I realize that I've taken my little soybean oil pill for at least the past 4 days. I took the last one this morning. So I anticipate (DREAD!!) 3-7 more days of painful reactions. Nevertheless, I feel confident that an allergy reaction, rather than an intestinal infection from a bacteria or parasite or candida, caused my symptoms. Now I just have to get through the remaining reaction days. SIGH
Gut Bug or Food Allergy Symptoms??
During the past week I experienced some lower right quadrant cramping pain and constipation. I initially attributed the constipation to having a cold and not drinking enough water. I didn't want to consider that I had another intestinal infection. However, as the cold improved, my gut pain intensified. Rather than localized sharp pain, I experienced widespread intestinal cramps, similar to menstrual cramps. This morning I also experienced left sided cramping pain.
So I now suspect a food allergy reaction. My dairy reaction usually includes constipation and menstrual like cramping pain. However, I don't often experience localized pain after consuming dairy. Also dairy reaction pain is very severe and lasts about 10 days with a intensity peak after 5 days. Similar to dairy, soy causes some widespread menstrual like cramping pain, but more localized pain that travels through my intestines and less constipation.
I didn't experience as much constipation during the past 2 days, but the cramping pain seems to have moved and increased in intensity. So I suspect I unknowingly consumed soy. If so, pain will slowly decrease.
I'm less inclined to believe I have another gut bug, because the pain moved through my intestines, came on rather suddenly and rapidly increased in intensity. However, I'm obsessively careful about avoiding my food allergens. So I wonder whether I have another gut bug. I never did a followup stool test after treating achromobacter. I still have that lingering cough, which may be related to achromobacter, which can also infect the respiratory system. I could even have a c-diff recurrence from spores which evaded vancomycin treatment.
Meanwhile I emailed my doc to request another DNA Microbial stool test for bacteria, parasites and yeast. I had believed that taking daily high dose probiotics would prevent bacterial dysbiosis (too many bad gut bacteria overwhelming my good bacteria). However, I also discontinued taking HCl supplements, which increased my stomach acid enough to kill food born bacteria. So for the past 2 months I had increased risk of developing an intestinal infection from food born bacteria.
I just need to wait and see how I'm doing tomorrow morning. If my symptoms intensify or decrease, I may decide I just have a food allergy reaction. However, if my cramping pain stays the same or I experience diarrhea, I will pick up another stool test at my doc's clinic and do the test the following morning. I hate not knowing, but I realize I know more about my own body that any docs could tell me. They do the same 'wait and see' guessing game, which I do.
So I now suspect a food allergy reaction. My dairy reaction usually includes constipation and menstrual like cramping pain. However, I don't often experience localized pain after consuming dairy. Also dairy reaction pain is very severe and lasts about 10 days with a intensity peak after 5 days. Similar to dairy, soy causes some widespread menstrual like cramping pain, but more localized pain that travels through my intestines and less constipation.
I didn't experience as much constipation during the past 2 days, but the cramping pain seems to have moved and increased in intensity. So I suspect I unknowingly consumed soy. If so, pain will slowly decrease.
I'm less inclined to believe I have another gut bug, because the pain moved through my intestines, came on rather suddenly and rapidly increased in intensity. However, I'm obsessively careful about avoiding my food allergens. So I wonder whether I have another gut bug. I never did a followup stool test after treating achromobacter. I still have that lingering cough, which may be related to achromobacter, which can also infect the respiratory system. I could even have a c-diff recurrence from spores which evaded vancomycin treatment.
Meanwhile I emailed my doc to request another DNA Microbial stool test for bacteria, parasites and yeast. I had believed that taking daily high dose probiotics would prevent bacterial dysbiosis (too many bad gut bacteria overwhelming my good bacteria). However, I also discontinued taking HCl supplements, which increased my stomach acid enough to kill food born bacteria. So for the past 2 months I had increased risk of developing an intestinal infection from food born bacteria.
I just need to wait and see how I'm doing tomorrow morning. If my symptoms intensify or decrease, I may decide I just have a food allergy reaction. However, if my cramping pain stays the same or I experience diarrhea, I will pick up another stool test at my doc's clinic and do the test the following morning. I hate not knowing, but I realize I know more about my own body that any docs could tell me. They do the same 'wait and see' guessing game, which I do.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Paul McKenna's 'I Can Make You Thin'
When I saw this book in my local public library, I forgot that I watched the author's TLC tv series by the same title. I hesitated to open the book, because I disliked the title. The notion that anybody can 'make' anyone else thin seems ridiculous! We choose to eat less and/or exercise more. Nobody can force us to make those choices. Nevertheless, I opened the book and was pleasantly surprised to read the '4 Golden Rules' which were the same guidelines proposed by almost every other intuitive eating book I previously read. So I checked out the book and continued reading.
This book is short--only 7 chapters with few 'success stories' and Q&As for each chapter. The author tells readers why they succeed with his approach in the first chapter. Then he proceeds to explain in detail his approach in the next 6 chapters.
The second chapter introduces those 4 Golden Rules: (1) When you are hungry, eat; (2) Eat what you want, not what you think you should; (3) Eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful; and (4) When you think you are full, stop eating. He later explains that following rule (3) will help you easily follow the other rules. I appreciated his detailed description of the physical sensations and experiences associated with 'fullness', which many IE authors omit. He also includes a memory exercise which teaches readers to mentally 'recalibrate' their inner hunger/fullness signals. So they can recognize those sensations at moderate, rather than extreme, levels. Above all he warns readers to avoid weighing themselves daily and preferably weigh only once every 2 weeks.
The third chapter describes the author's unique technique for implementing the IE guidelines: visualization. Likewise this book contained a CD which was a guided, relaxed visualization exercise. That exercise suggests that the listeners envision themselves at their ideal weight, going through a typical day, following the 4 eating guidelines, and coping with stress effectively without eating. I listened to that visualization CD at least once daily for the past 19 days and noticed immediate changes in my self-talk, eating habits and how I coped with stress. So that CD helped me actually utilize the information this book presents.
The fourth chapter provides solutions for the "number-one reason people eat when they're not hungry (which) is to cover up a negative emotion or fill an emotional hole." I especially like his friend's quotation: "There aren't enough cookies in the world to make you feel loved and whole." The author describes recognizable differences between emotional and physical hunger. More importanly, he states: "Control your response to stress and you will no longer want or need to overeat." Then he describes 2 simple physical techniques which help the reader change how they respond to stress. However, I preferred to use the third visualization technique which he described on the CD.
The fifth chapter described the importance of physical exercise and specific ways to increase motivation to exercise. I didn't gain much from that chapter, because I already love physical exercise. I know that I feel better (less pain, more energy) after exercise. So I have no problem with motivation. I can easily recall how much better exercise makes me feel.
The sixth chapter addresses specific food cravings. These techniques seemed contradictory to golden rule 2 (Eat what you want). However many of the author's clients requested techniques to 'control cravings'. Perhaps suggestions on the CD that the listener will prefer healthier, fresher foods might eventually influence some good food/bad food cravings. I don't consider cravings problematic (I eat what I crave). So I didn't consider the 'craving buster' techniques presented in that chapter. I especially disliked the 'aversive' visualization technique for preventing cravings.
The last chapter about self-sabotage was very helpful. The author discussed how people can sabotage their own weight loss efforts in order to protect themselves from what they believe might happen when they lose weight. Both weight loss and self-protection are positive intentions. So the author explained how to unite those disparate intentions and eliminate that internal struggle and self-sabotage.
When I began reading this book and listening to the CD, I was already at my ideal weight. However, I would like to firm up my muscles and improve my gastrointestinal health. So during the CD visualization exercise, I saw myself at my ideal weight (easy for me) with firm muscles and a healthy body. I have lost almost an inch around my waist (without losing weight) and improved my upper arm muscle tone during the past few weeks. Visualizing myself with a healthier gastrointestinal system helped me get past memories of years of struggling with symptoms of celiac disease, food allergies and various gut infections. I had difficulty believing that I would ever feel well or have normal digestion. This CD helped me convince myself that I could feel healthy and strong again. I've recently noticed improved gastrointestinal health.
I recommend this book and CD for:
(1) Anyone who accepts intuitive eating guidelines, but has difficulty consistently following those.
(2) Anyone who has difficulty believing that they can actually lose weight or improve their health.
(3) Anyone who has a bad body image.
(4) Anyone who consistently sabotages their weight loss or intuitive eating efforts.
I disliked certain techniqes presented in this book. I also noticed and disliked some theoretical inconsistencies, i.e., the author initially suggested one idea and then later presented ideas which conflicted with the intial idea. However, someone, who is familiar with IE guidelines and wants new ways to implement those guidelines, may learn some useful techniques and insights from this book.
This book is short--only 7 chapters with few 'success stories' and Q&As for each chapter. The author tells readers why they succeed with his approach in the first chapter. Then he proceeds to explain in detail his approach in the next 6 chapters.
The second chapter introduces those 4 Golden Rules: (1) When you are hungry, eat; (2) Eat what you want, not what you think you should; (3) Eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful; and (4) When you think you are full, stop eating. He later explains that following rule (3) will help you easily follow the other rules. I appreciated his detailed description of the physical sensations and experiences associated with 'fullness', which many IE authors omit. He also includes a memory exercise which teaches readers to mentally 'recalibrate' their inner hunger/fullness signals. So they can recognize those sensations at moderate, rather than extreme, levels. Above all he warns readers to avoid weighing themselves daily and preferably weigh only once every 2 weeks.
The third chapter describes the author's unique technique for implementing the IE guidelines: visualization. Likewise this book contained a CD which was a guided, relaxed visualization exercise. That exercise suggests that the listeners envision themselves at their ideal weight, going through a typical day, following the 4 eating guidelines, and coping with stress effectively without eating. I listened to that visualization CD at least once daily for the past 19 days and noticed immediate changes in my self-talk, eating habits and how I coped with stress. So that CD helped me actually utilize the information this book presents.
The fourth chapter provides solutions for the "number-one reason people eat when they're not hungry (which) is to cover up a negative emotion or fill an emotional hole." I especially like his friend's quotation: "There aren't enough cookies in the world to make you feel loved and whole." The author describes recognizable differences between emotional and physical hunger. More importanly, he states: "Control your response to stress and you will no longer want or need to overeat." Then he describes 2 simple physical techniques which help the reader change how they respond to stress. However, I preferred to use the third visualization technique which he described on the CD.
The fifth chapter described the importance of physical exercise and specific ways to increase motivation to exercise. I didn't gain much from that chapter, because I already love physical exercise. I know that I feel better (less pain, more energy) after exercise. So I have no problem with motivation. I can easily recall how much better exercise makes me feel.
The sixth chapter addresses specific food cravings. These techniques seemed contradictory to golden rule 2 (Eat what you want). However many of the author's clients requested techniques to 'control cravings'. Perhaps suggestions on the CD that the listener will prefer healthier, fresher foods might eventually influence some good food/bad food cravings. I don't consider cravings problematic (I eat what I crave). So I didn't consider the 'craving buster' techniques presented in that chapter. I especially disliked the 'aversive' visualization technique for preventing cravings.
The last chapter about self-sabotage was very helpful. The author discussed how people can sabotage their own weight loss efforts in order to protect themselves from what they believe might happen when they lose weight. Both weight loss and self-protection are positive intentions. So the author explained how to unite those disparate intentions and eliminate that internal struggle and self-sabotage.
When I began reading this book and listening to the CD, I was already at my ideal weight. However, I would like to firm up my muscles and improve my gastrointestinal health. So during the CD visualization exercise, I saw myself at my ideal weight (easy for me) with firm muscles and a healthy body. I have lost almost an inch around my waist (without losing weight) and improved my upper arm muscle tone during the past few weeks. Visualizing myself with a healthier gastrointestinal system helped me get past memories of years of struggling with symptoms of celiac disease, food allergies and various gut infections. I had difficulty believing that I would ever feel well or have normal digestion. This CD helped me convince myself that I could feel healthy and strong again. I've recently noticed improved gastrointestinal health.
I recommend this book and CD for:
(1) Anyone who accepts intuitive eating guidelines, but has difficulty consistently following those.
(2) Anyone who has difficulty believing that they can actually lose weight or improve their health.
(3) Anyone who has a bad body image.
(4) Anyone who consistently sabotages their weight loss or intuitive eating efforts.
I disliked certain techniqes presented in this book. I also noticed and disliked some theoretical inconsistencies, i.e., the author initially suggested one idea and then later presented ideas which conflicted with the intial idea. However, someone, who is familiar with IE guidelines and wants new ways to implement those guidelines, may learn some useful techniques and insights from this book.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
One Day Spring Break
Today was a really warm, spring like day. Seattle weather hitting 70 degrees felt like spring had finally arrived. Fortunately my husband planned to take today off work to watch an online educational presentation. After that late morning presentation, he was free for the rest of the day.
So we played tennis for the first time this year. However I seemed to have forgotten how to even hold the racquet, although we played briefly in Maui last October. Unfortunately, at that time I was taking high doses of vancomycin to treat c-diff. That treatment depleted my good bacteria enough to deplete my vitamin K production. That depletion caused me to bruise very easily. Clapping my hands bruised my palm so badly that I could barely hold the racquet. Then I absentmindedly walked into a metal bench and bruised my shin so badly I could barely walk, much less run. Needless to say I didn't play much tennis during our Maui vacation. Earlier last summer I was so nauseas from taking flagyl for c-diff that I didn't play tennis at all in Seattle.
Despite not having played tennis for so long I eventually started connecting racquet to ball and even continuing long volleys. I wore my biking gloves to protect my palms and fingers from bruising. Although I take lots of probiotics daily, I still can bruise easily. We usually don't play real games with scores during the first few times we play. My husband and I aren't very competitive. We would rather just keep the ball in play and get as much exercise as possible, rather than keeping score. Surprisingly my backhand was as good as my forehand or my forehand was worse than usual, but my backhand was better than usual.
After an hour or so in the warm sun we were hungry and decided to get lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. With my food allergy restrictions I only feel safe at a few local restaurants. I always order the same dish at that Mexican restaurant. That entree gives me enough for 3 meals. So I eat enough to feel satisfied and take home enough for 2 more later meals. In fact, we usually enjoy at least one more meal from restaurant leftovers.
Then we walked home, put our leftovers in the freezer and headed back outside to do some gardening. Because the seeds I planted earlier have come up, I could see where seeds failed to sprout or birds pulled up the tiny seedlings. So we reseeded those areas. We also did some much needed pruning on blueberry bushes, roses and camelias.
Because we had dinner food (meat, vegies, rice and beans with sauce) for lunch, we just had a light meal (supper?) while we watched the "September Issue" netflix about the preparation of one very large issue of Vogue Magazine. I ate a rice tortilla filled with deli turkey and hummus. My husband had a peanut butter and homemade peach jam sandwich. We both had apples for dessert. Afterwards I had another bite of an allergy free fudge sicle ("Sweet Nothings"), because I crave fudgesicles (or any ice cream flavor) on warm days.
The weather gurus predict a couple of rainy days, one warm day, followed by several more rainy days. So I'm glad my husband and I could enjoy today's sunshine. I enjoy simple activities like tennis, restaurant lunches and gardening as much as I enjoy any other activity, at least during sunny days in Seattle.
So we played tennis for the first time this year. However I seemed to have forgotten how to even hold the racquet, although we played briefly in Maui last October. Unfortunately, at that time I was taking high doses of vancomycin to treat c-diff. That treatment depleted my good bacteria enough to deplete my vitamin K production. That depletion caused me to bruise very easily. Clapping my hands bruised my palm so badly that I could barely hold the racquet. Then I absentmindedly walked into a metal bench and bruised my shin so badly I could barely walk, much less run. Needless to say I didn't play much tennis during our Maui vacation. Earlier last summer I was so nauseas from taking flagyl for c-diff that I didn't play tennis at all in Seattle.
Despite not having played tennis for so long I eventually started connecting racquet to ball and even continuing long volleys. I wore my biking gloves to protect my palms and fingers from bruising. Although I take lots of probiotics daily, I still can bruise easily. We usually don't play real games with scores during the first few times we play. My husband and I aren't very competitive. We would rather just keep the ball in play and get as much exercise as possible, rather than keeping score. Surprisingly my backhand was as good as my forehand or my forehand was worse than usual, but my backhand was better than usual.
After an hour or so in the warm sun we were hungry and decided to get lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. With my food allergy restrictions I only feel safe at a few local restaurants. I always order the same dish at that Mexican restaurant. That entree gives me enough for 3 meals. So I eat enough to feel satisfied and take home enough for 2 more later meals. In fact, we usually enjoy at least one more meal from restaurant leftovers.
Then we walked home, put our leftovers in the freezer and headed back outside to do some gardening. Because the seeds I planted earlier have come up, I could see where seeds failed to sprout or birds pulled up the tiny seedlings. So we reseeded those areas. We also did some much needed pruning on blueberry bushes, roses and camelias.
Because we had dinner food (meat, vegies, rice and beans with sauce) for lunch, we just had a light meal (supper?) while we watched the "September Issue" netflix about the preparation of one very large issue of Vogue Magazine. I ate a rice tortilla filled with deli turkey and hummus. My husband had a peanut butter and homemade peach jam sandwich. We both had apples for dessert. Afterwards I had another bite of an allergy free fudge sicle ("Sweet Nothings"), because I crave fudgesicles (or any ice cream flavor) on warm days.
The weather gurus predict a couple of rainy days, one warm day, followed by several more rainy days. So I'm glad my husband and I could enjoy today's sunshine. I enjoy simple activities like tennis, restaurant lunches and gardening as much as I enjoy any other activity, at least during sunny days in Seattle.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Geneen Roth's Newest Book
"Women, Food and God" summarizes what Geneen Roth learned from her workshop participants over the past 30 years. I enjoyed reading her descriptions of workshop participants' reactions to her workshop exercises and ideas. While her previous book "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating" explains the guidelines to intuitive eating, "Women, Food and God" describes how people resist using those guidelines and how they can use their resistance to learn about themselves and resolve eating problems.
I need to add that my impressions of this book are colored by my perspective: I've read every book Geneen Roth wrote. So I love her ideas and style of writing. I've eaten intuitively for 8 years.I am fairly thin, but want to improve my health and well-being. I'm a Christian, but I'm open to other's concepts of God, religion and spirituality.
As a Christian I was confused about Geneen Roth's concept of God and how that relates to food and eating. Eventually I understood her explanation that people often begin to eat emotionally after they stop believing that they deserve love and goodness in their life. They stop believing in what the concept of God offers and begin to numb their desperation, fears and hopelessness with food.
I especially liked the chapter entitled "Those Who Have Fun and Those Who Don't". Geneen observed from her students that "roughly half of them had never been successful on a diet. They weren't interested in rules or order or being told what to do. They told me about the nether world of glazy-dazy eating uninterrupted by restriction ... It became clear that not all bingeing is dirven by deprivation; in half of emotional eaters, bingeing (or, at the very least, consistent overeating) is a way of life punctuated by sleep, work, time with family."
Then Geneen goes on to differentiate the two most common types of compulsive eaters: permitters and restricters. I'd heard previously about those categories in GR workshop CD. However in this chapter Geneen explains why some people LOVE the 'eat whatever you want' part of intuitive eating but resist 'eat when hungry, mindfully savor each bite and stop when full', while others fear freedom to eat anything but feel safer when they obey hunger, fullness boundaries. Permitters hate rules and boundaries. Restrictors love rules and obundaries. Permitters numb. Restrictors control.
That difference helped me understand why people are drawn to different intuitive eating approaches. Some may LOVE legalizing food ala Overcoming Overeating and Intuitive EAting. Others prefer "Thin Within", "7 Secrets of Slim People" and even Geneen Roth's "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating", because those books emphasize the importance of obeying guidelines about hunger/fullnes cues and eating mindfully. Yet Geneen emphasizes that we can swing between permitting and resticting, but "both are subtypes of compulsive eating which is the metadefense."
In my opinion the most eye-opening chapter was "It's Not about the Weight and It's not NOT about the Weight". There Geneen says:
"Most people are so glad to read about, hear about and then begin any approach that doesn't focus on weight loss as tits main agenda that they take it to be license to eat without restraint. 'Aha!' they say, 'Let's eat. A lot. Let's not stop.'
"The bottom line, whether you weigh 340 pounds or 150 pounds, is that when you eat when you are not hungry, you are using food as a drug, grappling with boredom or illness or loss or grief or emptiness or loneliness or rejection. Food is only the middleman, the means to the end. Of altering your emotions. Of making yourself numb. Of creating a secondary problm when the orginal problem becomes too uncomfortable."
"Sometimes people will say, 'But I just like the taste of the food ... I overeat because I like food.'
(Geneen responds to those comments by saying:) "When you like something, you pay attention to it ... You want to be present for every second of the rapture. Overeating does not lead to rapture. It leads to burping and farting and being so sick that you can't think of anything but how full you are. That's not love; that's suffering. Weight (too much or too little) is a by-product. Weight is what happens when you use food to flatten your life ... It's about your belief that it's not possible to live any other way--and you're using food to act that out without ever having to admit it."
I recommend this book to anyone who knows how to eat intuitively, but still struggles with intuitive eating; to anyone who loves legalizing foods, but resists waiting for hunger before eating and stopping when full; to anyone who has read Geneen Roth's "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating" but still eats emotionally; and especially to anyone who wants to use their struggles with food to improve their lives, health and well-being.
I need to add that my impressions of this book are colored by my perspective: I've read every book Geneen Roth wrote. So I love her ideas and style of writing. I've eaten intuitively for 8 years.I am fairly thin, but want to improve my health and well-being. I'm a Christian, but I'm open to other's concepts of God, religion and spirituality.
As a Christian I was confused about Geneen Roth's concept of God and how that relates to food and eating. Eventually I understood her explanation that people often begin to eat emotionally after they stop believing that they deserve love and goodness in their life. They stop believing in what the concept of God offers and begin to numb their desperation, fears and hopelessness with food.
I especially liked the chapter entitled "Those Who Have Fun and Those Who Don't". Geneen observed from her students that "roughly half of them had never been successful on a diet. They weren't interested in rules or order or being told what to do. They told me about the nether world of glazy-dazy eating uninterrupted by restriction ... It became clear that not all bingeing is dirven by deprivation; in half of emotional eaters, bingeing (or, at the very least, consistent overeating) is a way of life punctuated by sleep, work, time with family."
Then Geneen goes on to differentiate the two most common types of compulsive eaters: permitters and restricters. I'd heard previously about those categories in GR workshop CD. However in this chapter Geneen explains why some people LOVE the 'eat whatever you want' part of intuitive eating but resist 'eat when hungry, mindfully savor each bite and stop when full', while others fear freedom to eat anything but feel safer when they obey hunger, fullness boundaries. Permitters hate rules and boundaries. Restrictors love rules and obundaries. Permitters numb. Restrictors control.
That difference helped me understand why people are drawn to different intuitive eating approaches. Some may LOVE legalizing food ala Overcoming Overeating and Intuitive EAting. Others prefer "Thin Within", "7 Secrets of Slim People" and even Geneen Roth's "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating", because those books emphasize the importance of obeying guidelines about hunger/fullnes cues and eating mindfully. Yet Geneen emphasizes that we can swing between permitting and resticting, but "both are subtypes of compulsive eating which is the metadefense."
In my opinion the most eye-opening chapter was "It's Not about the Weight and It's not NOT about the Weight". There Geneen says:
"Most people are so glad to read about, hear about and then begin any approach that doesn't focus on weight loss as tits main agenda that they take it to be license to eat without restraint. 'Aha!' they say, 'Let's eat. A lot. Let's not stop.'
"The bottom line, whether you weigh 340 pounds or 150 pounds, is that when you eat when you are not hungry, you are using food as a drug, grappling with boredom or illness or loss or grief or emptiness or loneliness or rejection. Food is only the middleman, the means to the end. Of altering your emotions. Of making yourself numb. Of creating a secondary problm when the orginal problem becomes too uncomfortable."
"Sometimes people will say, 'But I just like the taste of the food ... I overeat because I like food.'
(Geneen responds to those comments by saying:) "When you like something, you pay attention to it ... You want to be present for every second of the rapture. Overeating does not lead to rapture. It leads to burping and farting and being so sick that you can't think of anything but how full you are. That's not love; that's suffering. Weight (too much or too little) is a by-product. Weight is what happens when you use food to flatten your life ... It's about your belief that it's not possible to live any other way--and you're using food to act that out without ever having to admit it."
I recommend this book to anyone who knows how to eat intuitively, but still struggles with intuitive eating; to anyone who loves legalizing foods, but resists waiting for hunger before eating and stopping when full; to anyone who has read Geneen Roth's "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating" but still eats emotionally; and especially to anyone who wants to use their struggles with food to improve their lives, health and well-being.
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