A Little of This; A Little of That

Again out walking and the subject of addictions came up for me.

Now, I've always said I'm not the addictive type. Basically, I've never been addicted to the common substances which would be caffeine, nicotine, sugar and alcohol. Of course there are other drugs such as over-the-counter, prescription and illegal none of which I've taken in quite some time yet, I know others have and gotten very dependent on them.

What I'm doing here is throwing out some stuff to see what comes back.

Now, leaving out the "pain" medications which I'm sure many began because of some physical pain and got use to using because of emotional pain which often causes physical pain....

Let's talk about the more common addictions ~ nicotine, caffeine, sugar, alcohol and food.

Actually, now that I'm writing this, I'm realizing how EVERY addiction is to relieve SOME kind of pain ~ mental, emotional and physical.

This article could go on for a really long time because there is so much involved in addictions.

Having been a natural health practitioner for about 24 years and spending the last 33+ years learning my trade, one thing I know is, mental and emotional pain very often causes physical pain and what many do is attempt to stop the physical pain with their drug of choice.

Of course, they'll often do the same with mental/emotional pain.

Let's just cut this down to one point ~ food addictions.

What I've been seeing as I study this topic more is that many people have gotten into habits, cravings and emotional eating patterns that they don't even recognize as an addiction.

For me, I realized many years ago that I was out of balance when I ate potato chips. Why? I don't even like potato chips so, when I craved them it was because something mentally/emotionally was out of balance.

Currently, same thing. I don't particularly care for pasta. Hardly ever ate it and was unsatisfied when I did. It's basically paste and "A" way to deliver the good tasting stuff to our mouths.

So, how do you know if you've got a food addiction? Granted, we HAVE to eat yet, are we eating for hunger, cravings, out of habit or because of emotions?

Many times, I don't even know I've got something going on. It's when I'm searching the cupboards (there's NOTHING in a cupboard for me except HIS foods) that I have to question myself OR, in the "cheese" bin of the fridge. MY food is on the counter or, the main sections of the fridge and down below in the fresheners.

So, how to check for food addictions/habits?

Look at when, where, what and why, you eat.

Do you always eat when you're relaxing? Do you find yourself searching for something to eat after having eaten only a short while ago? Do you crave a certain "comfort" food? (They're KNOWN as "comfort foods" because we eat them when something is going on AND we're not particularly hungry for food.) Do you eat every time you go shopping? Do you eat every time something happens whether you consider it good or bad? Do eat because of social pressure? Do eat just because it's there? Do you eat because it's free? Do you use food as a reward?

IF/when we are truly hungry, we will eat most anything. When we find ourselves "bored with food" that means you're not hungry and should not be eating. It is often an excuse to eat something for "comfort".

How is it we don't get "bored" with our comfort foods? (ever get bored with chocolate?) How is it we don't get "bored" with our other addictive substances? Do coffee drinkers get "bored" with coffee? No, they look forward to that first drink in the morning! Do cigarette smokers get "bored" with cigarettes? Nope! Why not? The addiction!

When people go raw, very often I read they are "bored with raw". Why? They're not addicted to it. With raw, the majority are eating for nourishment not to satisfy their addictions (unless it's overeating then they tend to get into nuts and chocolate).

This is why many go off raw. They're not being "nourished" emotionally and they've not found other ways of dealing with their emotions.

Now, can eating more nutrients help with mental/emotional issues? Absolutely! But then, others find that the emotions they've been suppressing with food are now coming up and, what to do? They've not handled them BEFORE going raw so, they very often go back to their old habits and eat to suppress, not nourish.

Revvell

Bodacious Living