Food As Medication

FOOD AS MEDICATION

Even before we were born, we were simultaneously comforted and fed as we rocked while floating in our mothers' wombs. After birth, we were held and gently rocked as our food and emotional needs continued to be simultaneously satisfied.

As children we were rewarded with carbohydrates for being 'good', and as medication to make us feel better when angry or hurt. As adults we do these things for ourselves.

As a result, we still deeply link hunger for carbohydrates with emotional fulfillment, and still use them as medication for anger and hurt.

Anger

From Weight Watchers magazine, August 1994

Women are socialized to believe that it's not okay to be angry, and often wouldn't dream of confronting a boss, husband, friend or relative when they feel they've been mistreated. Ironically, women who repress anger often distance themselves from the very relationships they are trying to protect. Eating to soothe anger is a common response, becoming an alternative source of comfort, self-nurturing and companionship. To break the food/anger connection, recognize and acknowledge your feelings. Ask what action you might take instead of eating. Confiding in a friend can help release your anger and bolster your resolve to deal with the offending situation. Simply venting anger will not solve the problem; speak up for yourself and use your anger in a constructive manner. Think about the problem and clarify your position. Wait until you are calm enough for a discussion in a conversational tone of voice. Use "I" language, and be specific about your concerns. Remember that change occurs slowly - you may need to repeat your concerns at different intervals.

Exercises for Just Before You Eat:

1. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and determine how you feel. Make inner awareness part of eating and drinking in the same way that taste is.

If you cannot determine how you feel, simply choose a feeling 'at random' from the checklist. This 'random choice' can sometimes be a way to detect a low-intensity psychological state that is triggering your appetite but is not strong enough to feel directly.

2. Now visualize your "inner child" crying for food. Imagine she has food in her hand. Take the food out of her hand and give her a long hug for love and attention.

3. Close your eyes and think of someone in your life who deeply loves you or whom you love. Now visualize this love as an energy field that surrounds your chest. This exercise will after many attempts result in emotional release. When that happens, continue to relax, breathe deeply, and feel the love fully.

4. Close your eyes and think of someone or something in your life that you are angry at. Relax, breathe deeply, and feel the anger before you eat.

5. From day to day, keep a emotion-food diary. In addition to recording when and what you eat, determine which emotion you were having when you decided to eat and rate its intensity on a scale of 1 - 4.