Eating Disorders

[RighteousYogini]

Hey THere
I'd like to hear from people who have recovered from (or are still suffering, but somewhat improved) an eating disorder using a raw food health plan.

Thanks!

[OCGirl]

I'd like to hear from recovered e.d.'ers as well. I can be raw for up to a week, but usually gain a couple pounds, which really, really, freaks me out. Yes, I know that "freak out" is part of the e.d., but it sends me right back to starving with diet Pepsi and bingeing on anything not nailed down a few days later. Been coming and going with raw for about six years, and at this point something has got to give!

[Revvell]

.... it sends me right back to starving with diet Pepsi and binging ....

Do you know that the Aspartame in Diet Pepsi actually causes weight gain? Not to mention strokes, memory loss, blindness, etc. (well, obviously I did mention them)

[OCGirl]

Revell,

I didn't know about the weight gain, though I have read the list of FDA side effects. Scary. I know raw will take away the cravings at some point, I just have to do it. Despite all the reading and lurking I've done the past few years, still don't have a strong feel of how to DO this in a way that will stick. Open to suggestions.

Gratefully,

OCGirl

[CaraS]

I'm a big time emotional eater - when I'm strictly 100% raw I don't have cravings and I don't binge eat but as soon as I eat something not raw the cravings come back like whoa. Seems that raw food will only get you so far - the detox, including emotional detox, that comes with eating raw will eventually bring up the feelings that cause the binging. To me its a matter of whether I'm prepared to dig into that muck and really figure it out. Most of the time, I'm not, so I eat. Baby steps, baby steps.

[adobegirl]

Before I went raw, I struggled a lot with eating disordered stuff. Going raw was a miracle thing for me. I still weigh myself way too much... but I've gotten so I don't worry as much about what I eat.

Believe it or not, I actually felt guilty when I first started eating raw, especially eating things like fruit and nuts. Gourmet raw foods threw me into a downward spiral in the beginning some times. If I ate too much fruit, I felt like I had blown it for the day, same with nuts.

The raw food lifestyle has been very freeing for me. I'm not "there" yet as far as being healed from an eating disorder, but I'm definitely on a path that I've never been on before and it's been pretty encouraging.

Even though I still weigh myself a lot, I've gotten so a lot of the time I can just view the numbers and not feel anything about them (ie not panic or jump for joy). I just observe. That has been new for me as well. It also really really helped other areas that I was struggling with as far as eating disorder behaviors.

My advice is to try to keep going. It's definitely well worth it. :heart

[Amy Bass]

Remember that when you get in a lot of nutrients you body doesn't need to eat as much as it used to. You don't have to force yourself to get 2,000 plus calories a day. Eat until you are satisfied and eat a variety and you'll be fine. Don't obsess over weight and look at it as far as trends over the long term instead of on a day to day basis.

[climbing]

The thing is, someone with an eating disorder does often have to force themselves to get to 2,000 a day. Someone with an eating disorder can't just eat until they are satisfied, because often times for them, that means eating very little or not at all.

[MysticTree]

I thank goodness that I have suffered eating disorders rather than that I have had alcohol problems or gambling problems or any other manifestation. Eating disorders whilst still very real and difficult and scarring are, for me, a lesser "evil" for want of a much better word. Whilst eating raw I do feel it's much more manageable. I don't go down the anorexia or bulimia paths at all since I made an agreement with myself long ago. Over eating has been the problem for me since this time. It is much easier to manage this aspect whilst raw and I generally feel well disposed towards food but sometimes I am overwhelmed by previous eating habits. It just happens but it happens less often.

[Gorecki]

I was in fulltime therapy for 7 months in a hospital. I had anorexia. Since those four years passed I gained a lot of weight (for me that is) and I couldn't handle it! I wanted to drop it again but I was afraid of cutting back, being frustrated again, losing my friends and social life... Raw food is for me the only way not to feel guilty when I eat. I still have my eating disorder, I had it for over 10 year, so it didn't went away over night. But now, at least, I can eat without punishing myself afterwards by not eating for days. It made me more conscious about my health and what I need in life to stay healthy! I wish you all the best!

[BlackKat]

For me, being raw gives me control. In MANY aspects of my life including having a healthy outlook with food, not over compulsive or binging. Cleansing your body internally DOES also help cleanse the mind. IMO & in my experience.