Any advice

[Owl Woman]

Hi,
As a middle aged woman, on a wonderful spiritual path I should - and do - know better, but I am not looking after myself properly nutritionaly.
I really have no excuses, I am a competent cook, have knowledge of what I should and should not eat, and I am well aware that if I don't eat properly I
suffer the consequences, but even still, I CAN'T seem to feed myself. If I eat breakfast at all it is usually a biscuit, lunch is probably a packet of crisps, supper is the best meal usualy pasta maybe salad with it. I crave sugar and stodgy, doughy things. I sleep all the time and feel generally rotten. I know I should eat porridge, homemade soup, fish and salad, but I CAN'T. I realise this sounds ridiculous, anyone reading this is probably thinking "get a grip woman" and I would agree with them. This is a self destructive pattern that I am unable to stop and it is making me feel so low and ill. I feel I need to be nurtured, looked after....
Sorry for moaning. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening.

[Al Hakim]

Hi Owl Woman,
you sound a bit obsessive, just thinking in terms of the healthy option and guilt if you ate the wrong stuff. As recommended in the OBOD course it seems more effective to "free for", not to "free from something". So, why not discover the wonderful sweet taste of a carrot (for example) which enables you to throw away your donut with a sign of disgust when you have the option to chose a carrot.
There are some healing stones that might help you, like the yellow jaspis,the chrysopras,jade, the orange calcite, or perhaps your - unknown - birth stone. If you do not believe in the effects of stones just consider that silica glass (quarz) was used in radio technology - before the PC-age - because it produces a particularly clear and steady electromagnetical wave. Why should other minerals not have similar effects? Put the chosen one in your pocket and carry it with you the whole day. You will notice the difference soon. I guess, in a month or two you will hate crisps and biscuits...
My best wishes for your success,
Al Hakim

[Lily]

I see you eat mostly carbs. These load you up with basically empty calories.
Try to cut them out for a week only.
I am not saying they are bad but the ups and downs in your blood sugar level probably aren't helping.
I tried this for the last 6 weeks, lost some pounds, felt generally ok except for going to the supermarket where I felt like at my personal drug dealer's...

Do you eat meat? have a salad and a piece of chicken. Or some dairy products. Try grilled Feta with nuts.
If especially lazy try a protein drink for one of your meals. Not very appealing but better than crisps.
Start the day with fruit in yoghurt.

[Owl Woman]

Hi Al and Lily,
Thanks for responding. You are right Al, I am a bit obsessive and have always had issues around food. The crystals are something I have never known much about, thank you for the information.
LiIly, I will try cutting the carbs for a week, it will be interesting to see any differences, thinking about it the fatigue may be related to carbs??

[Susanne]

Hi Owl Woman
I was in a similar space as you some years ago. My acupuncturist recommended substituting protein instead of the sugar/carbs which seemed to do the trick.
It was a slow process with some steps forward & many back but I have now changed my eating habits and lost over 20 pounds in the process. I feel so much better!
Give it a try, start out slowly & work your way into it. Grilled meats, hard cooked eggs, even avocado or cheese.
One thing that helped me was keeping a food diary. I did this for the better part of a year & it helped tremendously. There's nothing like seeing it in black & white to make it real! I used a web site & app on my iPhone to keep track of things. There are a few out there if that sounds like a good tool for you.
Good luck!
Sue

[Oakapple]

I find that ready prepared fruit from the supermarket seems much more appealing than a straight apple or banana.
Not good in the long term on many counts, I know, but as a help to change habits maybe not so bad.

[Muddy Fox]

I can fully understand this Owl Woman as I am or have been in a similar predicament which is shocking for someone who works in the Health and Healing industry. I have all the training in nutrition/exercise/relaxation and so on, that you could possibly want/need.
Sometimes I think stress and stressful events are building in the background and things begin to slide regarding physical/emotional health. You press on regardless and think that the body will cope with it all but it doesn't always. I have just discovered that my immunity is at an all time low and I have felt lethargic and have been unable to shake off a virus, which made me feel very ill indeed.
I live with teenagers and we all come and go at different times so set meals and times are rare in our house. But we have decided to combat this situation with some forward planning, so we this week, are going to sit and write our healthy menus for every day for the next week, and just go and buy those foods. No snacks, biscuits, take aways etc and I have to give up alcohol, it's part of the new lifestyle plan we are cooking up. Anyway we thought we would prepare some salads in advance and soups and casseroles and those types of things. So then everything is under control! Sorted. Well we can try.

[RedSky]

so cut yourself some slack. You deserve at least one decent meal a day. Bless you though. I fight the same fight.

Redsky

[wyeuro]

is it possible that you have picked up intestinal parasites? different kinds can sometimes hijack your appetite to make you ingest what feeds them while keeping conditions in your bloodstream optimal for their health at the expense of yours - sluggish, or flightly, toxified, unstable with imbalances and depending on which types. symptoms can range from brittle hair and nail, itchy mucus membranes and dry skin, depraved appetite, listlessness and irritablity. it would do you no harm to try a well-respected vermifuge and see if that helps. a good herbal brew is five cloves of garlic chopped small and brewed down over a low heat for five or six minutes in a cupful of water, add juice of half a lemon or lime, half teaspoon of honey and a drop or two of eucalyptus oil - half an hour later eat mustard on bread and butter to kill any eggs. they can put you through an emotional hell as they succumb, so play music and pamper yourself until the mood-mauling is over. more honey might help, especially if you feel dizzy after taking the garlic. (clear garlic breath with parsley.) this doesn't kill all kinds. imo you should see a naturopath.
blessings on you and i hope you find your way
wyverne

[Romelia]

I say eat what you like….in moderation! It seems like you have lost your ‘va va voom’ when it comes to food. Time to get passionate again. Maybe you could introduce your palate to different foods a little at a time. The trick to this is tricking yourself into thinking that you’re eating forbidden food. Let’s face it when given the option of a pizza or veg stir fry, many of us salivate towards the pizza.

Once a week go shopping for your inner body like you do when you go clothes shopping!

-Take a recipe with you that you really fancy and get the ingredients. It’s good to have a pic of it too so you don’t deviate.

-Instead of buying packets of crisps buy packets of fresh chopped apple, grapes. The rustling when you open them tricks your brain into thinking it’s a treat. Its also lazy and quick.

- You can also buy some very good reheat fresh meals in the fridge section at the supermarket.

-Replace biscuits with flavoured rice crackers
and instead of chocolate buy half fat or 0% toffee/choc yogurt

-Buy some slimfast shakes too. I find they are thick and sweet and yummy(and quick!). But to get you feeling nourished they have all the vitamins and minerals you need to kick start your body and way of thinking towards food.

-Limit yourself to a couple of indulgences a week but make sure you have them at lunch. That way your body can use the fats and carbs as energy through the day.

[shirley mclaren]

Firstly I think that a major part of the problem is that you have got bored with food, for whatever reason, thus you cannot be bothered to make anything. I often feel the same although my diet is very restricted due to food allergies. I am no dietician but I think if your body is craving something, e.g. Sugar, then have some fruit. Get interested in salads and raw foods generally, after all, it takes no time to make a salad. Additionally, take steps to boost your immune system. Because of my restricted diet I take an immune booster tablet every day and have done so for the past few years.

BB

Shirley

[shirley mclaren]

Firstly I think that a major part of the problem is that you have got bored with food, for whatever reason, thus you cannot be bothered to make anything. I often feel the same although my diet is very restricted due to food allergies. I am no dietician but I think if your body is craving something, e.g. Sugar, then have some fruit. Get interested in salads and raw foods generally, after all, it takes no time to make a salad. Additionally, take steps to boost your immune system. Because of my restricted diet I take an immune booster tablet every day and have done so for the past few years.

BB

Shirley

[jmalzone]

My personal thought on all of this is that it is a conscious lifestyle change. To change your eating habits and what you eat takes dedication. The first week of changing a diet is always the toughest. Your body is used to what you have been putting into yourself that it will be a "shock" to your internal systems.

The carb thing is where you will feel it the most. Cutting carbs significantly can make you irritable at first because your body is telling you it needs carbs, but once you get past that then you will find it much easier to stick with a changed diet.

I know because I just changed my diet (Weight Watchers) that first week was challenging. I stuck it out and it has become so much easier and fun (really, yes, fun). By making this change my body has told me that its happy now (no more feeling crappy and tired).

I would also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin to ensure your body gets the proper amount of nutrients it needs on a daily consistent basis.

[Lily]

I just made a dinner in about 2 minutes flat: melon and ham. Yum.

For lunch I had ready-made gazpacho and two hard-boiled eggs. Homemade would have been better but it was ok.


Just some ideas.

[Heddwen]

And not forgetting to drink plenty of fluids to maintain hydration. Not the alcoholic kind, I find that this increases my appetite and reduces my willpower!

[Aigeann]

You mention that you are middle aged. I am too. In my own life I found that when my hormones (not just the female ones but the thyroid too) greatly impact how I feel and what I want to eat.

I guess I'm gently trying to say perhaps you might need a check up?

Blessings, Aigeann

[Lyf]

This may sound a little silly, but if your appetite is at all subject to visual influence, you might benefit a little from browsing food-photography sites such as foodgawker. Personally I find it to be a wonderful way to help curb cravings for instant processed junk food and motivate some desire for a home-cooked meal-- some of these photos are just amazing in their ability to make anything look good. Of course, it might just be me, but I thought it worth a mention. There's a lot of information out there about what you should eat, but finding the desire to eat said foods really is a matter in and of itself. This is how I find it-- hope you find something that works for you.

[Zylah]

The symptoms you describe could fit many conditions, from chronic fatigue syndrome to immune disorder to anemia. The variety of possible causes for your condition is pretty wide; too many possibilities, basically.

[By the way, I've had the same symptoms for the past 8 months, and I know how hard it is to deal with; I certainly wouldn't think you should just 'get a grip', nor does anyone here who's replied! That voice comes from your own impatience with yourself; my first suggestion is therefore, be gentler with yourself. ]

My second suggestion is to echo Wyverne - in light of the fact that your symptoms could describe a number of different conditions, I think you should see your care provider and get a battery of lab tests. Find out what your blood count, hormones, proteins, enzymes, and so forth are up to, and where there are problems. In that way, you can narrow your focus to what's actually going on with you.

In my case, it turned out to be severe anemia. My blood was barely getting enough oxygen to function - hence the fatigue and general malaise. My iron levels were severely depleted. Since I discovered what was wrong, I've made a few very simple adjustments to my diet to maximize iron absorption. I feel about ten thousand times better, and it's only been a week!

So - don't be discouraged. Relief is very possibly closer than you imagine! Hope you feel better very soon.

[Aigeann]

This may sound a little silly, but if your appetite is at all subject to visual influence, you might benefit a little from browsing food-photography sites such as foodgawker. Personally I find it to be a wonderful way to help curb cravings for instant processed junk food and motivate some desire for a home-cooked meal-- some of these photos are just amazing in their ability to make anything look good. Of course, it might just be me, but I thought it worth a mention. There's a lot of information out there about what you should eat, but finding the desire to eat said foods really is a matter in and of itself. This is how I find it-- hope you find something that works for you.

Welcome to the Board, Lyf. Thanks for your post and I hope you enjoy your stay with us.

Blessings, Aigeann

[kornelia]

hi to you

When i read your post i felt a need to reply.....
My first thought was that above all you should try to calm down, relax and not fuss about food or your eating pattern....
Even though you have analysed it over and over again and you seem to know much about the topic of food and nutrition......please, STOP for a while, stop running around, stop the train of thoughts amd listen to yourself. listen to what your soul is saying, its in your message there inbetween the lines....you want to be taken xare of, you crave for care....
Ask YOURSELF how you can do this.....dont ask others, ask YOURSELF first....
Maybe it can help to use a sentence that you can use to focuss on.
For example.....I would like to..........and just fill it in.
Write it down, and reread it....
Talking to your inner most self often can reveal your very own sollution.
I write you this from my heart and wish you above all well, you DESERVE it.
I can tell you that the above has helped me so im sharing my own experience with you.
Hope the message comes across, love and light

Kor Nelia