Ok, I have to admit this...I have eating problems. Possibly a disorder. My point is, I am still rather attracted to the raw foods diet, despite the frequency with which I abandon it. I am curious what raw foodists think about people with eating disorders becoming raw foodists. I toy with the idea, but I just don't know if restricting my diet MORE is really what I need. I'm stuck on the fence. What do you guys think?!
lovenlight,
linz
PS. Congrats on the new forum section, guys!!! :up:

I don't think you should think of eating raw as a way to restrict your diet, because that's not what it is fundamentally; to use a raw diet as a way to lose weight or to use it as a front for an eating disorder defies the purpose of raw & living foods, just as becoming veg*n for ED or weight loss purposes misses the point.

Rather, the idea is to REPLACE the cooked food you eat with raw and living foods, to enjoy fresh salads and fruits and the nutrients they contain. It is an approach to food that CELEBRATES life, really.

RBM, I would say that you don't have to go whole hog, so to speak. Don't act like you have to eat 100% raw or you're not a real raw foodist, that's not the point. I know Oatmeal and others have written a million times before that the idea is to incorporate raw food into your diet whenever you can throughout the day...and not to freak out if you eat cooked food too. In general, my point would be to not freak out about food, in general; there are so many other things to do with your day.

To be honest, I don't know much about ED's. I agree with Katieq's post.

To answer the question (what I think about people with ED's becoming raw foodists): I think the most important problem that should be taken care of is the ED. People who have an ED should try to end it, and or seek professional help. The first step is to accept the fact that they have an ED.

I don't know if raw foods can help with an ED. In fact I can imagine that raw foodism gives persons with an ED one more thing to obsess about. Also, raw foods are usually low in calories, this might seem "attractive" to people with ED's.

This is however not the "fault" of raw foodism, but of the ED. Clearly, an ED is something bad and should be eliminated.

RMB : Yes, I understand the attraction. Simultanously, I see very clearly that this is NOT the way to go. You know this is a bad idea......it's just a way to nourish your ED , a setp in the wrong direction. Now, I don't see raw foodism as bad per se (Oatmeal is a great example of what raw foodism should be about) , but for somebody who struggles with food problems, it becomes an "acceptable" way of reducing cal intake / eating only low cal foods instead of what it should be ; a healthy lifestyle, just like becoming veg can be an excuse to avoid certain foods in a socially acceptable way. In reality, it's al about reducing food intake in one way or another, and it's self-destructive more than a healthy improvement.

*sigh* You know all this, don't you.... RBM, -really, try to get some help, willya ?
I see you pursuing new ways to eat less again and again, and it's worrying me, because you don't deserve this.

I'm not anorexic or bulimic, I just have crazy eating problems....
I just wanted to set that much straight.
I guess the idea then, is to examine your own personal feelings as to why you are becoming whatever, be it vegan, vegetarian, raw....
I know for me raw foods diet is a way to curb binges and eat less, so I guess it really isn't right for me. I love the health aspects of it, but I think at this stage of my life I would misuse it.
Azalea- :) Actually, I am going to see a therapist on Tuesday. I guess I wanted some opinions on this matter to help me make a decision, but...deep down I knew all along what was up. Are you seeking any help, Azalea? I hope things are going well for you. I haven't been in the Eat to Live thread because I find it triggering, so I just steer clear.
lovenlight,
linz

I'm not anorexic or bulimic, I just have crazy eating problems....
I just wanted to set that much straight.
I guess the idea then, is to examine your own personal feelings as to why you are becoming whatever, be it vegan, vegetarian, raw....
I know for me raw foods diet is a way to curb binges and eat less, so I guess it really isn't right for me. I love the health aspects of it, but I think at this stage of my life I would misuse it.
Azalea- :) Actually, I am going to see a therapist on Tuesday. I guess I wanted some opinions on this matter to help me make a decision, but...deep down I knew all along what was up. Are you seeking any help, Azalea? I hope things are going well for you. I haven't been in the Eat to Live thread because I find it triggering, so I just steer clear.
lovenlight,
linz

I just wanted to say I'm glad that you're going to see a therapist :) And good for steering clear of triggers.

I know nothing about raw eating, but as you said, at this stage in your life you would misuse it. It would make you obsess about that, so I would work on ED recovery first (Just because you're not anorexic or bulimic doesn't make it any less of an ED!) before going raw.

That's good you're seeing someone, RBM :)

Me, I'm not seeing anyone right now, - went to a (sortof) councellor from February to June or so, and went to a dr every two weeks for a few months, during winter-early spring.

But I'm ok, thanks for asking !

Hi, I had a problem for about three years (mostly anorexia, I was 40+ pounds underweight) and going vegetarian is what really helped me. I do wish now that I had gone raw, but that's the past. I was working up to eating healthy foods. My problem was the source of food. I felt like food was dirty. It took a while for me to figure out that I felt awful when I ate meat. If you're vegetarian or vegan and you abuse your self, I'm guessing you're going to do it on raw. The only advice I would give is to go with the diet that you feel is the healthiest and follow strictly planned meals. Once you can get a routine down, and stop worrying about the how, when, and why stress of food, and stop seeing it as an emotional act, you will become less obsessed. I had to do this for about two years before I started tasting my food as food... if that makes sense. Now I enjoy food when I eat instead of worrying about it (I actually ended up gaining a little too much weight for a while there), and I usually only spend time thinking about it in the grocery store and at mealtime. One thing I can tell you about raw for myself at least, I no longer suffer from depression. There are so many other benefits, but when I'm not depressed it opens up a lot of things that just aren't available for me otherwise. Anyway don't be discouraged. Raw is good for the body and mind, but it's not all things.

I think some "professionals" may be led to think that raw foodists have eating disorders. But if you look at some cooked foods, they can be highly addictive which is what leads some raw foodists to be hard on themselves if they've gone 'off' the raw wagon.

It is one thing to try and do raw as an excuse for your behaviour but quite another when you learn about the benefits of raw and the detriments of cooked and have quite a hard time trying to get there.