Raw Food And Emotions, A Bit Of My Story

Food was the addiction which covered up my underlying issues. I've been a food addict since I was a little kid, I have pictures of me stuffing my face with candy on the slide at camp. I remember when I was around 5 my mother had a party and I hid under the pastry table constantly reaching my hand up for eclairs. When I turned 16 I met pot, alcohol and cigarettes and added those to my food addiction. I went to Overeaters Anonymous for years with little results. I went to Alcoholics Anonymous to deal with my drinking and pot and I'm now 10 years sober but I was still miserable and insecure. I replaced those addictions with more food and was 260 at my height. I've been raw for around 10 months and I weigh 180 now and am starting to build a new life. I am in therapy and am dealing with my family and codependency issues. The only difference between now and all the other times I was in therapy is that I'm making progress and not constantly revisiting the same issues. I attribute this to conquering my main addiction which was food with raw food. I still have a lot to learn about who I am and who I want to be. Raw is the only thing that worked for me and it honestly was effortless, like magic. It just feels natural. I'm grateful beyond words and have more hope that I will have a happier life than I ever had before.

Please share your experience with me.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 12, 2008 at 9:47am: My mother has them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dani Ani on July 12, 2008 at 2:20am: Congratulations on your progress and recovery! I have had similar issues with food and addiction. Although not an addict myself, (except for cooked food) I am an adult child of an alcoholic mother. I am just starting my raw journey and I am looking forward to the changes! I just try to take things one day at a time. How did you deal with relapses? I am trying to be gentle with myself and just move forward...This is just the beginning for me!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 12, 2008 at 11:14am: I try to avoid trigger foods like carbs and sweets. I use a lot of stevia and I'm learning to stay with my feelings no matter how uncomfortable instead of running from them with food or other compulsions. It's tremendous growth for me when I come out the other side of rough feelings without acting out. It's so empowering. Learning to love myself.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RawZi on July 12, 2008 at 2:37pm: Carbs can irritate my adrenals. Ultra low carb (and no cooked protein nor heated fat which both make me sick), and I can maintain emotional poise, be calm, work things out, etc. Personally, I've had the same stevia (never having to refill it) in my home forever, it's good, but I don't bother with sugar replacements, I just eat whatever it is unsweet if necessary.

Congratulations on the good work. I'm so happy for you. You are very lovable. Working through rough feelings in a healthy raw way will just turn you out greater.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lissa on July 12, 2008 at 2:55am: Jeff, that sounds to good to be true. Raw food is really magic in a certain way. I think it's the paradise we all forgot and always try to get back to ....

I'm happy for you! You're surely an example for a lot of people.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RawZi on July 12, 2008 at 4:19am: I was craving fresh raw berries big time for quite a while before I got sick. There could be some truth there.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RawZi on July 12, 2008 at 2:20pm: I'll have to program my cells to get as many berries as they need. Actually I eat berries quite often now, and I think it feels like enough.

I have a friend with cancer going to Hamer, very sensitive case, very lovely person. Maybe I should tell you more privately.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RawZi on July 12, 2008 at 2:37pm: ...I've been a food addict since I was a little kid...Please share your experience with me. -Jeff(opening discussion)

MOST people eating disorders are caused by them undereating fresh fruit. the body is starved of glucose to feed the brain and cells and drives the person to eat chips, milk, honey, rice, alchol etc -durianrider (direct response)

Is that what happened to you?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Frukti on July 12, 2008 at 12:36pm: I am so glad that you found out about raw foods. I am positive your life will continue to improve beyond your expectations. Good luck and best wishes. <3; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 12, 2008 at 12:39pm: Thank you.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeannie Bell on July 12, 2008 at 3:04pm: Right there with ya. My parents owned donut shops (of all frickin' things in the world to own, sheesh!) for years and I used to sneak donuts into the bathroom all the time and stuff them down my gullet, hoping no one would notice. At 13 years old my mother tried to put me on Slim Fast - all it did was give me horrible constipation problems - had to have surgery at the age of 19, after which my exploration with raw foods, as well as emotional healing work, began to blossom.

I began to realize that I was substituting love for myself with all these negative things. I had such low self-confidence because I was surrounding myself with very judgmental people who didn't want to accept me for who I was. I had to step away from all of them for a while in order to find all of this out - then came back and could comfortably stand in my own shoes.

I have to be thankful for it all though - without all these lessons, how would I ever have found peace with myself and foods that help me want to maintain that?; ▶ Reply to This