-
Phases of Food and Pole
-
What an interesting thread. Serzi am really sorry you are going through this. There are definately more ‘intolerances’ recognised these days and there seems to be in general more interest in the subject. People are coming forward with problems that many may have been coping with for years but there were no answers available. This is definately something worth exploring Serzi. your body is constantly changing and intolerances can suddenly present themselves when previously there was no problem. A couple of years ago I began getting bad stomach aches, bloating etc. I also felt foggy headed a lot and sluggish. I eliminated gluten and found that this helped, these days that seems to have evolved into joint pain if I slip and eat something I shouldn’t have. Any way this isn’t about me, but I think a holistic approach is the way forward and thank you for the recommendations of books in this thread, I will be looking them up. I read a good book called Wheat Belly about the effects of gluten on the body of anyone is interested.
-
I have always craved food pretty much 24/7 my entire life and am just now experiencing this same non-interest in food in phases. I can link it to periods of self-loathing, depression, sadness, being too busy/caught up in what I am doing (all triggers for over-eating in the past though). Something new is blood pressure changes (high blood pressure makes me feel sick, full and tired) which occurs in the week before and during my period. I sometimes have to force myself to eat breakfast and drink water in the mornings if I know I’m going out or working out and my hunger isn’t a drive to eat, it’s my body starting to weaken. Also happens if I’m dehydrated. I seem to enjoy the feeling of an empty stomach whereas I used to enjoy a stuffed full one. I’ve just turned 29 and am thinking maybe my body’s hunger drive has just started to slow down because I am not growing any more, or I’m less anxious on a daily basis (continual ruminations, stresses from SAD). The more my body gets used to exercise too (sometimes several times a day, finally getting back into the rhythm I was in 3-4 years ago – but then I was always hungry) the less it gives me those usual signals to eat ravenously. It’s like I have to switch it back on by drinking cool water and being still bodily and mentally for 10-15 minutes. My digestion is also out of whack more often as I’m getting older. I too have cut out most dairy (still eat cheese occasionally and don’t check inclusions on packets) and avoid things like pork belly and slow braised beef cheek as the huge animal fat concentration makes me ill. I’ve also found block out blinds in the bedroom are messing with my circadian rhythms and I sleep better (and then eat better/feel better) waking up more naturally.
So interesting! I’m so sorry it’s worrying you. I hope you figure out the reasons/triggers in a non-expensive/non-invasive way!
-
Update:
Tortellini Alfredo with tomatoes. All I wanted in my life today for some reason. Took about a month, but there’s my appetite. Annnd now I’m satisfied. Weird. Can’t even describe how heavenly it was to actually enjoy my meal for a change. So much for avoiding carbs and dairy. *shrugs*
-
That’s great news! Hopefully this lasts 🙂 Enjoy!!
-
Good to here!! It’s so nice to want to eat. Something that’s been helping me is to ask my body what it needs nutritionally and then eat it with no distractions , no phone no reading no multi tasking just taking all the nutrients in. Mindful eating is a big deal!! I have been enjoying soup, like a hug for the tummy. All kinds of soup. Big pots of soup so there is plenty to freeze and now I have a selection. Canned soup is my go to but lots of sodium and little nutrition. Keurig Campbell’s soup for the busy times. And hemp hearts can be added to anything before eating for protein and they are tasteless 💜 I am happy you’re hungry !! Eat on and I hope some of this helps ðŸ˜
-
Thanks all. It comes and then it seems to go as soon as I eat whatever I’m craving. We’re right back to the meh-phase, unfortunately.
Stefana, I do often survive off of soup during these in-between times. Soups, salads, sandwiches. It helps. Even if it doesn’t hug my taste-buds it does make a happy belly. 🙂
-
Hi Serzi! Glad you had a meal that was satisfying and not a struggle:) I just wanted to share my perspective as a pharmacist. Don’t worry, I’m not going to push a drug on you! I have a doctorate in how the body works and how conditions and drugs affect it, I also took a few semesters of pathophysiology and nutrition. I don’t feel western medicine is a panacea, however I am very intent on practicing healthcare in an evidence-based way. I’m sure some of what I’m about to say you already know but here goes:
There’s essentially two bodily systems to consider, neurology/mental health and/or the gastrointestinal system.
Appetite is regulated by your neurohoromones like serotonin and norepinephrine. Inbalances in these chemicals due to stress or even the season (think Seasonal Affective Disorder) can change your appetite. Sometimes, especially with Seasonal affective disorder, getting some extra vitamin D can be super helpful for people. Loss of appetite is a symptom of depression. Some people with depression never actually feel sad and their symptoms manifest in other ways. Sometimes meds are not the answer for people. Everyone is different. I will leave it at that because I don’t know your story or the full picture of your health.
Onto GI: constipation can cause someone to not feel hungry or interested in food, so first make sure things are moving! I would urge you to try probiotics in the form of an OTC product or foods like keifer/kombucha/fermented foods. The probiotic suggestion is not supported by a ton of evidence, but recent studies about gut flora have been very exciting as they relate to intestinal health and overall health like immunity. It’s cheap and harmless (first do no harm etc).
There’s also a connection between the gut and neurohoromones. The gut is really a second brain given all the nerve connections and activity that goes on. (Some people even get intestinal migraines, thought to have a similar disease process as the migraines people get in their heads!) My point is that if your gut nerves aren’t providing the right signals to your brain and vise versa, lots of crummy things go down, like no physical or mental queue for hunger or fullness, or the reflex responses of our guts aren’t triggered by eating. Lots of crummy things.
Again, medications shouldn’t be the first line treatment in many cases, and there are usually side effects that one must trade off with, but I think a mix of eastern and western philosophies could help. I like what I’m reading from people about toying with your diet ( taking time off dairy or wheat) to see if that changes anything for you. I think doing that and adding probiotic supplements or foods is a great place to start. In the mean time, Ensure or something like it would be a good option to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
Hopefully this gives you some ideas or thoughts to move forward with. Sorry if this was lecturey and boring. I know when people work for so long to find solutions, they become very educated along the way. Good luck!
-
Oh and also, it’s always a good approach to look for horses instead of zebras when finding solutions to medical problems. Horses are far more common than zebras, so instead of worrying about more uncommon conditions like adrenal fatigue, I’d first look at more common issues like food intolerances, etc. Again, not sure where you are in your journey so maybe you’ve already exhausted all the common explanations.
-
Thank you, Briwi, that was extremely informative and helpful.
I am so pleasantly surprised by all the positive feedback this thread has provided!:D
Log in to reply.