This post is for those people who have food anxieties, disordered eating tendencies, or an eating disorder.
A while back, I wrote about “sugar addictions”. I might be a glutton for punishment because
I’m going to re-open that can of worms. Herewego.
But, before I talk about sugar, let’s talk about
onions. (Whoa! Where did that come from? Stick with me for a moment.) Onions are one of those “good for you” foods. They probably contain vitamins and other
beneficial nutrients the body could use.
And apparently, there is a new germ fighting fad that has something to
do with onions.
For years, I tried to pretend that I liked onions, mostly
because I thought they were good for you and, partly, because they had minimal
calories. But if I am truly honest (unnecessary redundancy...I crack myself up), I can’t stand to
eat them. I don’t like the way raw
onions taste, and I’m not a fan of them cooked either. But most of all, I REALLY can’t stand they way
onions stick with me for hours and hours on end. All I can taste is onion and it bothers
me. I could eat fifty mints and I would
still taste onion. So, should I eat
them, or not?
Should I force myself to eat onions considering they are healthy and taking note that most of my dislike is in my head?
After some deliberation, I decided to not eat
onions anymore. Eating them causes mental turmoil. But, this is
important, I am not going to diligently check labels to make sure I never eat
another onion or onion flavored item.
That has E.D. relapse written all over it. However, I will pass on the onion for my
hamburger, “No Thanks, I’ll stick with the pickle”.
If my body was a machine and food was fuel, then my answer would be different. But I am more than my body. My body is not just a machine. I have a soul, mind, heart, spirit, emotions, desires, and feelings that are separate from my body yet sill intricately connected to my body.
I know food and mood are related. I get that.
Certain foods make me feel like I just got ran over by a truck and some
foods make me feel like I can hike Mount Everest. Because of that mere fact (spell check said “mere cat”) alone, I have no problem
avoiding McDonald’s or other fast food restaurants. I don’t want to eat some foods because they
make me sick to my stomach.
“What the heck do onions and fast food restaurants have to do with sugar
anyway?” you ask.
Oh yeah, I almost
forgot…sorry! (Yes, I am having an
imaginary conversation with the computer.)
Drum roll please...
We are all different.
You might think this is a copout answer. This phrase is weak, fluffy, relativistic, and encapsulates
everything I hate about modern society.
But I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water just because
I despise the phrase, “what’s good for me might not be good for you”.
It’s true that we are all different…we really are all different. Each
person can have different interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes, tastes,
etc. God made us individuals and calls
us all to Him in different ways (i.e. our different vocations). In this regard, (deep breath, I can say it…)
what’s good for me might not be good for you.
I’ll give you an extreme
example; I am not meant to be a nun. I
am meant to be married. But that doesn’t
mean you are not meant to be a nun, right?
(If you are a boy, then think priest instead.) Marriage is good for me, but might not be good for you. Right.
In this sense, we can use relativistic standards and get away with it unscathed.
My sixth grade religion students were really into moral theology this year. "Is this a sin? What about this? How about this? What about this situation?" I think we all tend to wonder about sin especially when the world tells us something different.
Back to sugar…
Food tastes and eating habits fall into the category of individualism. Our individualism is what makes us
unique. It’s OK that I like running and
you don’t. It’s OK that I prefer to play
hearts instead of euchre. It’s OK that I
like mint chocolate chip ice cream and you like rocky road.
Gluttony is a sin.
However, eating sugar, desserts, ice cream, or cookies is not a sin.
Onions, and, yes, sugar effects everyone
differently. You have to be truly honest
with yourself and listen to your own needs to figure out what is good for you
or not.
Keep in mind: I am
talking about the whole person, and the whole eating experience.
If sugar makes you feel bad physically, mentally, or
emotionally, you can choose not to eat it.
But be truly honest with yourself when deciding what to do. Don’t
listen to someone else’s standards or expectations.
For
me, having ice cream with the girls on a Saturday night has nothing to do with
physical nutrition. It has everything to
do with fostering good relationships and experiencing a little of life’s
pleasures.
For me, sugar enhances the quality of my life.
Sugar, like any other food, affects each person
differently. And you (and your doctor
maybe) have to figure out if you can handle it or not. Sugar can be bad if it keeps you from having
a good quality of life.
If you are having a hard time deciding what to do, relate
yourself to an alcoholic. I’m
serious. Try it.
Drinking alcohol in and of itself is not a bad thing. If you can drink in moderation, you are not
committing sin. Drunkenness is, however,
a sin. If you cannot drink in moderation
it is good to know that about yourself. You might need to give it up or get help.
For me, alcohol is a dangerous substance.
It keeps me from living a good life, to say the least. Last year, I decided to give up alcohol
completely. No one is forcing me to do
make this sacrifice. Nothing is holding
me back from becoming a full-fledged alcoholic.
I am powerless over it. But by the grace of God, I will
be one year sober this Sunday.
For me,
alcohol is not a moderation question. I
know myself and know I cannot handle drinking.
So, I gave it up for good. The
phrase, “moderation is key”, does not apply to me in this circumstance. If I have a even just little sip, I could jeopardize
my mental health, my recovery, and my relationship with God.
For me, the subject of eating sugar was a little different than you might think. It was the "NOT" eating sugar that kept me from God.
I was obsessed with not eating sweet, desserts, or anthing "bad". But I felt this way because I had a disordered view
of food. I thought that the act of eat one chocolate chip was bad enough to be considered a sin. So, of course, eating sugar messed me up mentally. I thought this was a good reason to give it up. Instead, giving it up caused more problems.
It is important to remember that, in and of itself, sugar is
not evil. And you are not evil if you
eat it. We live in a culture that views
sugar as sin and cohabitating with your boyfriend OK. It is opposite of what Our Lord teaches is right and wrong.
If you truly listened to your needs, you would know which
path to take. If you are having trouble
discerning what your needs are, talk to a counselor, a doctor, a priest, or a
trusted friend.
Remember, no one is perfect.
Sure, I eat too much sugar from time to time. If I eat too many desserts and sweets, I do still feel
bad. In the past that was a reason to severely
punish myself. But now I know now that eating
too much is no reason to despair and contemplate suicide. Confession is a better alternative.
In my life, I’ve been addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, laxatives,
and other dangerous substances. In my
opinion, if I eat desserts from time to time, I am not concerned. The effects of being “addicted” to sugar are
far less detrimental to me than the trauma experienced while abusing the other
substances.
Yes, I do acknowledge that things like sugar can affect my body in not so positive ways.
But I can deal with the effects of sugar better
than I can deal with the effects of restricting them.
That’s me. Now go figure out you.
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