Recovery from ED

[speedymagee]

I was just reading Airica's wonderful thread on Invisible eating in the ML.

I realized how many of us suffer from quite serious eating disorders(or at least VERY disordered eating).

Is there anyone here who feels they have recovered from these debilitating behaviours?
Is this like alcoholism - you are managing it (as opposed to being recovered)?
Have you got any tips or advice that could help some of us who still are struggling?

thanks!

[dcarlee]

I would be interested in tips and advice also.
I am in therapy and it seems the better I get over all in dealing with my past and with my social issues, the worse I am dealing with my eating.
I am hoping its one of those - "going to get worse before it gets better" things

[scandalouslyglam]

I posted in the Invisible eating thread.

I always "snuck" food, as a child even. Hoarding it and then eating it while alone. I invisibly ate my way up to 372 pounds. Now, come on who was I really fooling(??) you don't get up to almost 400 pounds by ordering the Diet plate or Broiled Chicken.

I had Bypass surgery in 2001. I lost 200+ pounds in about 8months. God Im ashamed of this, I Was very ill and COULD NOT EAT SOLIDS. I had a stomach tube, But I would "Gorge" by Taking food I liked, chewing it and spitting it out. I did this alot... Partially I missed the feeling of food, Mainly I was an addict.

5 moths post-op I had my Feeding tube removed. I began to eat, but still had Lots of Problems...I COULD NOT EAT much, Maybe a Teaspoon at a time...If Lucky. 75% of the time I vomited following eating. But I was skinny now.

About 3 years Postop I could eat normally. Small amounts, but I was a grazer. After that time period of Starvation I did gain weight back. When I started this WOE weighed 235 and I ate everything, Sugar, Fats, Fried foods, Fast foods, Candy, Donuts, Frappachinnos...

May 15 07 I started Atkins I am down to (today) 213, My goal says 175, but My original goal after WLS was 199 (Im 6'1 female)So that is not a fixed Number.

I have definate food issues. I am able to control the cravings for sugar w/Atkins. I am able to CONTROL it by eating Low carb. I no longer WANT bread, donuts, candy ect... Now the things I crave are Steak, Strawberries, Fage Yougurt...and Frappachino's, But Iced coffee is what I reach for.

I have the tools to be healthy, I just need to use them properly. I finally feel a true sense of Control over food. Finally....

[jemmi]

www.emofree.com EFT = Emotional Freedom Technique

WOW! I just went to the website to make sure that I had it correct, and there is a new video!

It's easy, it's free, it helps emotional as well as physical problems. They provide you a free online manual to learn, which is easy, and the technique takes about 3 minutes or less for each round. No equipment needed. You use your fingertips. You can also go to a practitioner for this, but there is a lot online for free that helps with this technique. I particularly like Carol Look. She offers free Radio Broadcasts to help guide you. www.carollook.com/voiceamerica

The two main things I did that helped me were to address some emotional issues, and getting off of wheat, corn, grains, cereals, and sugar which have stopped the intense hunger and cravings. I guess it was an intolerance issue, and the chemical composition of those foods triggered the intense hunger and cravings. I still like food...and I like finding LC recipes of foods I still want to enjoy.

Feeling at peace and content inside is very meaningful in one's life, and I'm still a work-in-progress, but EFT and LC/Atkins has sure helped my journey. I hope others will be helped too.

Take care!

Began Atkins April 1, 2007
256/233.5/(196 to reach 60 lb. mini-goal & reach ONEderland!)126?

[speedymagee]

Thanks so much for your responses.


Carlee I checked out your blog.KEWL!! That was me that posted about your awesome protein coffee recipe. Will try it today!

scandouslyglam Thank-you for sharing your story. I have food issues too. I know part of it is emotional, but honestly I really believe the addiction theory. There is a biochemical or physiological thing happening for sure.

Jemmi I checked out the website and am having the 'get started for free' package emailed to me. I'll give it a try. I agree that a lot of my 'mindless' eating is a way to calm anxiety. I also think wheat, sugar, and possibly dairy are problem foods for me, but have only ever managed to quit them for short periods of time. Have you got any advice for getting totally off them?

Thanks so much for your replies!
sandy

[jemmi]

Sandy,

What I like about EFT is that I found that we each have our own personal truths, some good, some ugly. Some positive, some negative. Good and positive will not harm us. It is the ugly, and negative that will. Why? Because it changes who we are. It takes a lot of energy to hold in shame, guilt, anger, and rage. We have an endless-loop tape playing in our heads 24/7. It is why we repeat, and repeat the same mistakes, or sabotage ourselves again and again. If we direct our anger and sadnesses inward, we end up being depressed. Or if too much negative emotion rushes to the surface, many use food as a means to sedate themselves, in order to push it all back down...but it benefits no one, especially you.

The obesity causes so many health issues, because obesity is not just about being fat, imbalances take place internally, and then like a domino-effect, we develop other health issues to stack on top of the load we are already trying to carry on a daily basis. Is it fair? No, of course not. That is why it is so important to offload the ugly and negative emotions.

Gary Craig (Emofree.com) likens them to fish weights that go on fishing line. Think of them as hooked into your skin, all over your body. It hurts, and it's heavy. As you get rid of them, one by one, or perhaps even several at a time, you will feel happier, and lighter inside emotionally, and that will be reflected in your behavior, one of which is your relationship with food.

When you do not carry the ugly and negative inside anymore, then you no longer need to push it down, so your need to eat in an addictive manner dissipates.

The simple truth is, we've all had ugly, negative things done to us, and we have done ugly, negative things ourselves, even if it is only to ourselves. EFT helps one to realize the beauty and simplicity of Loving, Accepting, and Forgiving yourself, as well as others. It is facilitated by "tapping" on the acupressure points of the "emotional highway" in our body called Meridians.
When you talk about what is really bothering you, and tap as you talk it out (yes, you can do this alone), the emotions bubble up to the surface, and perhaps it will take a new direction, or a memory will come back, or a different emotion, then turn and go in that direction, because your subconscious is helping you (it has camcorded your entire life, so it knows everything!)

Another aid is a book by Karol Truman, called, "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die." Very insightful, gets to the heart of how our feelings tie in with our physical/mental/emotional ailments, and what to do about it. She offers a wonderful "script" where she supplies some of the format, and you fill in the rest with whatever you need.

I feel like I'm always on a journey, so I look around and consider things that I feel may be helpful. Two things I also found helpful are Body Type and Blood Type.

Become acquainted with your body type. Note where your fat is located, and think about what foods you are drawn to, or crave. The book is by Dr. Elliot D. Abravanel, and his book is called, "Body Type Diet and Lifetime Nutrition Plan." His website is: www.bodytypes.com.

Men have 3 body types, and women have 4, because of having ovaries. Every single person has a dominant gland, and it is that gland that dictates where you gain weight.

Adrenal types look athletic even if they do not work out. Your type gets the roll(s) of fat on your back, your rear-ends go flat, you can have a large belly, and you have sturdy thighs. You crave meat, salt, and alcohol. By eating too much of these things, you over-stimulate and exhaust your Adrenal glands, now your health is affected and you gain weight. Drinking Parsley tea will help your Adrenal glands to recuperate.

Thyroid types carry their excess weight in their mid-section. No matter how obese they become, their hands, wrists, feet, and ankles stay slim. But large belly and hips, with clearly defined waistline (especially when looking from the back). You crave caffeine and carbohydrates (breads, starches, sweets). By eating too much of these things, you over-stimulate and exhaust your Thyroid gland, now your health is affected and you gain weight. Drinking Raspberry Leaf tea will help your Thyroid gland to recuperate.

Pituitary types excess weight is from head to toe. The Pituitary gland is the Master Gland, and because it does not dictate where you should put on weight, it puts it on everywhere. You crave dairy products. By eating too much of these things, you over-stimulate and exhaust your Pituitary gland, now your health is affected and you gain weight. Drinking Fenugreek tea will help your Pituitary gland to recuperate.

Gonadal types (females only) carry their excess weight mostly from the waistline down. You can be slim or normally-weighted from the waist up, but from the waist down, your hips, rear-end, and thighs can be double (or more) the size of your upper body. You crave spicy and creamy foods. By eating too much of these things, you over-stimulate and exhaust your Ovaries, now your health is affected and you gain weight. Drinking Red Clover tea will help your Ovaries to recuperate.

All these glands run 24/7, except the Thyroid Gland, which is cyclic. This helps to explain why Thyroid Types have mid-morning and mid-afternoon slumps (usually when they seek out that candy bar and a coke, or donut with a cup of coffee) for a quick pick-me-up.

Naturally, the book goes into way more than this, but this is just to give you an idea of how very different we all are, which is why some programs work for some and not for others.

The same goes for getting to know about your Blood Type, as your health, energy, and weight is affected by the foods you eat and how compatible they are with your blood type. Dr. Peter D'Adamo has written more than one book, but a good one to begin with is, "Eat Right For Your Type." The science is in this book, along with each type and a food plan. The 4 types are: A, B, O, and AB. A chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. It involves a factor called lectins, and when you eat something that is incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system (kidneys, liver, brain, stomach, etc.) and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. His website is: www.dadamo.com.

Type A's flourish on vegetarian diets. Perhaps you have already noted that when you eat red meat, you feel sluggish and less energized than when you eat vegetable protein. A's store meat as fat, as you have low stomach-acid content. Dairy foods are also poorly digested, and they provoke insulin reactions--another factor in metabolic slowdowns. Foods that affect energy and health adversely are: meat, dairy foods, kidney and lima beans, and wheat (in overabundance). Some of the foods that are beneficial for you are vegetables, soy, vegetable oils, and pineapple.

Type B's do well with meat, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. Foods that affect energy and health adversely are: chicken, corn, lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, buckwheat and wheat. Foods that are beneficial for you are green vegetables, meat, liver, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

Type O's thrive on animal protein, especially red meat, seafood, kelp, spinach, kale, and broccoli. Foods that affect energy and health adversely and encourage weight gain are wheat gluten, corn, kidney beans, navy beans, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and mustard greens.

Type AB's do well with tofu, seafood, dairy, green vegetables, kelp, and pineapple. Foods that affect energy and health adversely and encourage weight gain are red meat, kidney beans, lima beans, seeds, corn, buckwheat, and wheat.

This post is long, but in comparison to these books, this is just the most basic of the wealth of information, and therefore, not complete. But if any of this has meaning for you, and you want to look into it further, you now have the names of the books (check out at the library so there's no expense involved), and the two websites.

If one has money, then there is a LOT out there one can benefit by; but if a person does not have a lot of money, then there are still many things one can do to help themselves.

I'm still on my journey and learning myself, so I'm not saying that you do this three times, and all your problems will be gone, but together, these things REALLY help! Right now, I'm also trying to learn about hormone balancing, it's so vital, and I know so little about it...all in good time, I guess.

So much more could be said, but bottom line, read from these sources, those that are trained and experts at what they do. I only can offer a tiny glimmer, and cannot possibly give you the information you need that these people can. Take from them what feels right to you. It's your life, your journey. These people can help to take the boulders out of your path.

Good health to you!

Take care!

[jemmi]

Sandy,

When I eat wheat, or corn, usually within 30 minutes, I'm hungry again, but it is not a normal feeling of hunger, this is a ravenous feeling, where I feel kind of frantic. It is accompanied by food cravings. It's almost humorous when I listen to the dialogue in my head once I've eaten wheat or corn. There is definitely a chemical change that takes place.

My mind starts racing, and I'm thinking, "Oh, I'll go to Der Wienerschnitzel and get a corn dog, and a chili dog. Oh, and I haven't had any tacos or onion rings from Jack-in-the-Box in a long time...yeah, I'll go over there too!" etc.

Nowadays, I'm usually triggered by something I've eaten in a restaurant, like in a sauce, sometimes wheat or corn products (high-fructose corn syrup) are hidden in foods, because it is rare now that I will deliberately eat something with wheat or corn in it.

But now that I recognize the symptoms, I know what to do. I immediately get something with protein, and I add high fat to it, like tuna, egg, or chicken salad. I put it on a bed of greens. I drink something I enjoy, and try to make it as pleasant as possible, as I wait for the "voices" in my head to quiet down. It still will take up to 3 days to clear out again, but now I know that all those years when I felt that intense hunger and felt those kinds of cravings with those kinds of words in my head, it was NOT because I was an out-of-control eater, nor a glutton. It was being triggered chemically.

If you've never heard of or seen the film, "Supersize Me," please do! What is being put into our foods and allowed in our foods is deliberate, because those who do this, and those who allow it wish to make lots of money off of our misery and ailing health.

Staying clean during Induction will really help you. Those triggering food elements must clear out of your body. After the two weeks, go to the next stage, and really acquaint yourself with the wonderful recipes offered here and elsewhere. Once you get away from the foods that keep triggering you, and you find food dishes you enjoy, the days will pass easily and quickly, and the foods you thought you couldn't live without, lose meaning. On the occasion that I do think of them, I just remember how miserable I am afterwards, and I realize it is just not worth it; then I go eat something I can have, like Revolution Roll Pizza, or the flourless chocolate cake with whipped cream and strawberries! The idea is find things that are LC legal, that you like and that satisfy you.

Oh, and posting on here is a big help, and there's so much wonderful support. These people are great! Check in everyday when you can, you'll see...it makes a difference!

Take care!

[speedymagee]

Jemmi,Excuse me, but you rock!!

I have the Blood type Diet book (Dr. D'Adamo), I'm 0 and I fit his profile to a T. I will most definitely check out the body type diet too.

Gosh there are a million things I want to say in response to your wonderful and informative post...

I KNOW that ravenous, crazy hunger! I have been off wheat/sugar/dairy for up to about 2 months at a time, but I always end up going back. A taste in something one day becomes a full on binge a few days/week later.

I've been helped physically by acupuncture, so I get the concept of the meridians. Funny thing is I never thought of getting emotional 'relief' from such a system. I've got the free start up kit in my inbox, but no time til Monday to read.

Thanks again for your wonderful information!
sandy

[jemmi]

That's cool...you're welcome!

I'm an O as well. At this time, I am still eating dairy, because I realize it is high fat that will help me lose weight. I use Lactaid to help me. I may be helping myself weight-wise, but not health-wise by eating dairy, but it is what I am choosing to do at this time, because if I take away too many things all at once, I feel too deprived and punished, and that is a big issue for me.

Leaving off wheat, things with gluten, corn, grains, cereals, and sugars are fine, but I still like a cup of decaf with lots of cream (and I use Stevia for sweetener most of the time, sometimes I use Splenda). O's can tolerate some fresh cheeses, like goat and Mozzarella, but I do eat some of the other cheeses as well.

It may be that as time goes by, I will choose to use less and less of the dairy products as well. I take each day at a time.

I forgot to mention that Dr. Mercola offers a free Metabolic test on his site. www.mercola.com

I am Blood Type O, Thyroid Body Type, and Protein Metabolic Type. All three recommend that I eat some sort of protein at each meal. It all seems to fit together nicely for me.

I'm happy that you are already familiar with the Meridians. That makes learning, understanding, and being able to apply EFT that much easier.

Let me know how it goes. And anyone else reading this, I hope there is something here that you may find useful as well.

And scandalouslyglam,

My heart goes out to you, dear. You've had a tough go of it, you're a real Trooper. I hope you will give EFT a try. Because you either have huge food sensitivities, or "other" issues that caused you to become an emotional eater.

Take care, everyone!

[seejay]

Yes, I recovered from a 40 year binge habit with radiantrecovery.com.

It talks about the biochemical basis of addictive behavior and believe it or not, what and when you eat can help you lose ALL addictions instead of keeping moving from one to the other endlessly.

there's also a free Yahoo group for eating disorders, based on that plan. It's more for anorexia and bulimia than just plain old overeating (non-purging bulimia) but I personally know of dozens of people who are in recovery, who are no longer anorexic or bulimic, after following that plan.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radiantED/join

As to being cured... well, as we find out, our bodies will always be wired the way they are. One can stay in recovery as long as we keep doing the positive things. It's like keeping a bike upright. You have to keep pedaling!

I love the way I feel now and I don't even self-identify as a binger any more.
Seems like it was a different person (and I was, at a biochemical level).

I would also second the recommendation of EFT. If you add the physical, biochemical piece to the purely emotional piece, wow, what a turnaround! It's amazing!

[speedymagee]

Thanks seejay! I love radiant recovery website. I've read her books and think they are great too.

[jeepifer]

Thanks all of you for this info. I am starting EFT, and looking into the other things as well.

[amiga74]

hey everyone,
newbie here. this is such a great site! i will have to check out EFT. and i have to ask, seejay-its great to hear you no longer self-identify as a binger. wow, so any advice about how you got to where you are today? (i mean i understand its an individual process)
i've done some therapy, read some books-i think it was "overcoming overeating" and while i am aware of what i can do to prevent a binge (not keeping any junk in the house) but i still binge, i go to the store and buy a bunch of junk, i know i will regret it later, but i still do it...

mg

[seejay]

I did it following DesMaisons' program.

The idea is, you can heal the biochemical imbalance that causes the urge to binge in the first place. You level out blood sugar issues. You raise serotonin. You level out endorphins. This is both chemical and behavioral and that's why she has a step-by-step program. It works much better than trying to make all the changes at once. It's more powerful for the body and certainly much better for making new behavioral habits. I must have had to change 1000 habits and if I tried to do it the first week, no way. It's like juggling 1000 balls with no practice.

If a person just stops bingeing with white-knuckle will power or even good food, there is still the problem of having naturally low serotonin and endorphins. Those are hard to bring up again unless you do things just for that. Hence you see all these people on good food programs but still the occasional binge comes in. To my mind, that's because the body is still slightly out of whack. Or you see people keeping the same habits with better quality food. That works sort of, but nowhere near how wonderful it can be if you do it all the way.

[amiga74]

thanks for replying seejay!

i'm not familiar w/ Des Maison's program, but will look into it. what sounds good about it is that it sounds like a wholistic approach, which makes alot of sense.
i just recently restarted antidepressant, after being on for 5 years and slowly weaning off for 6 months-a little frustrated, concerned about unknown lt side effects, but the difference, already is big, and helps-so that is part of the serotonin right there...

anyways, i will check it out. i haven't binged since last weds, as i am on this south beach diet, and feeling good about that, but overcoming bingeing in the long term is more than that.

thanks,
mg