My IE journey so far

[Guest guest]

I read a couple of days ago that one of the members saying that she was thinking about trying to abstain from sugar for a couple of weeks, to see how it feels. (Sorry I forgot who it was.)

I didn't have time to respond because I've been traveling, but I wanted to say that my personal experience is that these " experiments " don't work out well for me. I find that whatever the reason for the experiment, my psyche reacts exactly the same, as if I were going on a diet (Last Supper eating and then very quickly, rebellion). But then I also thought, hey, maybe experiencing this " phenomenon, " if it can be called that, is part of the IE journey. And who am I to try to short circuit that experience (if that's even possible) for anyone else? So that's my experience, anyway... hoping it might be helpful for someone else.

I also found the " IE Truths " that someone shared to be very, very interesting... that you can't be gluten free, vegan, etc and be doing IE. I don't know that I agree... I'm still mulling it over. But I think I might agree... if people are abstaining for reasons other than allergies, ethical dilemmas, etc... in other words, for other than non vague health concerns. Otherwise, I do think the Diet Rebel is roused.

Which brings me to my own journey. I've been practicing IE for about two and a half years. I'm also currently 25 weeks pregnant. Which brings its own twist to IE.

I've been thinking about trying to shift the way I eat just a bit. (It's funny, when I think about " changing my diet " in a more dramatic way, it's much more exciting... but I am FINALLY learning that this excitement is dangerous... it's a red flag for a Diet with a capital D). Just thinking about changes in eating caused me to eat more sugar for a few days (right along with the diet excitement), but luckily I now know this is the fear of my Inner Wild Child (see Four Day Win) and the best way to work through this is to just gently reassure myself, " shh, it's all right, we aren't going to take anything away from you, or make you go hungry. " After a mere 3-4 days, my psyche was reassured and the sugar cravings dropped off.

(My reason for wanting to do all this, by the way, is because my body has been showing signs of PCOS, a hormone imbalance, for several years. These signs aren't exactly pleasant -- acne, skin tags, increased body hair -- even without considering weight gain, which I am leaving out of the picture for the time being, given the pregnancy.) Also I want to give my baby the best and healthiest start I can. I'm not unhappy with how I eat, exactly, but I'm lazy and tend to eat the same things every day because they are quick and I know I like them. I think I could do and feel better and also ENJOY eating a lot more with just a bit more effort.

Anyway, I've started to make some very gentle, gradual changes -- things like buying fish more often (okay, twice so far, but it's a start!). A thing I focus on, and one I would like to share... along the lines of the " gentle nutrition " that the IE authors describe... is what works best for me with dietary changes is to focus on the things I want to ADD to my diet, not the things I want to subtract. If I load up my refrigerator with tasty things, I'm much less likely to reach for prepared, sugary snacks... and without any feeling of deprivation!

This sounds so simple that I think it's easy to gloss over, but I urge others to really think about this idea, and maybe try this... splurge on beautiful food and see how easy it is to WANT to eat it. Especially now, in spring, when fresh foods are abundant. Things I'm looking forward to splurging on: shitake mushrooms, fresh sugar snap peas, organic strawberries (I have feasted on these the last week while traveling in CA... there's nothing better than a perfectly sun-ripened strawberry!), avocado, wild salmon, grass-fed organic milk. Why did I ever think some of these are too expensive??? I (we) am (are) worth it!

Now I am debating whether I want to consult with an expert on this particular way of eating (based on the research of Weston Price, a dentist who studied a variety of " native " populations in the 1930's and found much improved health, compared to those consuming a western diet, despite the fact that the " natives " ate much more saturated fat than we've been told is healthy). We have been emailing, and I have shared my commitment to IE with her. She is supportive, and doesn't advocate abstinence necessarily. She in fact does not support cutting out things like white flour and sugar, at least, not right away... she wants me to add cod liver oil, and cooking with natural fats (butter, coconut oil, pastured fats), and to eat more fermented foods. Yet I'm still worried that merely talking to her could cause resistance and rebellion... while simultaneously fascinated by her wisdom, and honestly, also by the success she has had treating her hypothroid (weaning off meds) with a more restrictive diet... but then I wonder if that is the old diet excitement, rearing its head...

Sorry this is so long... it really helped me to write it all out, instead of obsessing on the thoughts swirling around my head. Hopefully I haven't triggered diet mentality in anyone else... thanks for reading! Feedback would be most welcome. 

Best,

Abby

IE since 11/08