Food Attachment Issue

[Jazzanova]

Hi there,

Something kind of bizarre had happened to me since being on the diet. I figured out gluten was no good for me over 3 years ago and have been on the Celiac diet ever since. Before I wasn't attached to food. I never really thought about what my next meal was going to be or where I would be getting it from. Things were simple.

Since the Celiac discovery, it's like food is always on my mind. I'm constantly thinking (worrying) about my next meal. Scared that I will end up somewhere without any options for me...etc.. And it seems to be getting worse!

At first, I thought "Oh, I just like to cook, make up new recipes, experiment"...but now it's really starting to annoy me. I can't go a day without stressing about food on some level.

I feel so attached to food.

I get really nervous if I go somewhere without a snack in my purse or a scheduled meal in the near future. I've read that many Celiacs get anxiety about where and when there next meal will be, because we were conditioned in a way to go without proper food for periods of time when others can dine on anything available. But wow, I actually feel pretty isolated at the moment.

I'm wondering if there's anyone else who's suffered this strange post Celiac diagnosis to food??!!??

If so please share with me how to silence these fears!

[ShayFL]

Ive had this issue for years....long before gluten free. I have tried so many diets to find relief of symptoms over the years. Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw Foodist, eliminated this that and the other.

It is just my normal way to be. I always carry a snack with me everywhere I go. This is also a carry over from hypoglycemia (which I do not have anymore). I also take clean water with me. I have fears of having to drink nasty city water filled with chemicals and flouride (plus it tastes like crap).

But since it has become my natural state. I am not "stressed" over it anymore. I am just "always prepared". I shop at least 2 times a week because I eat a lot of fresh produce. I cook/bake everything I eat at home.

I consider my Great Grandma. She didnt just drive to the "Jiffy-mart" and pick up some ding dongs and a gallon of milk. No.....she actually milked the damn cow!! Baked the bread. Planted, tended, harvested and prepared the vegetables. I imagine she spent A LOT of her time thinking about food.

My Grandma and my Mom did some of this too. Gardens.....baking...canning...freezing. They had a little more leisure to think of other things. It has trickled down to where I have the luxury to "buy" my food. I dont have a garden or a cow. I just have to prepare it myself. All of the raw ingredients are 5 minutes away and a 1/2 hour shopping venture.

Ive got it easy compared to that!!

It is that we have become accustomed to "not having to think about food". But this isnt natural. All of our ancestors all the way back thought about food a whole heck of a lot. This is normal.

So my advice is to just accept yourself exactly as you are. Love yourself. You are uniquely you. It isnt strange. It is just you. A shift in mental attitude can do wonders.

[SchnauzerMom]

I don't think of food all that much. I do make a point of planning ahead what I will have for the next meal or snack. I make sure that I have foods on hand that I can have.

[NorthernElf]

I guess misery loves company !

I have a bag of food in my locker at work, I have a Bora Bora "granola" bar in my purse (gluten-free, from Coscto!), and I travel with a shoulder strap lunch bag, just in case. I'm very active so I do get truly hungry and I am miserable when there is nothing to eat. If I'm hungry I am doubly miserable when others are eating and I can't. However, if I have my own food to eat while they eat, I can cope so much better !

Most of the time. Last night I went to a restaurant with friends and sat there nursing my wine while they chowed down on nachos for an appetizer. The wait staff had gluten free meals but not appetizers. Sucks to watch (& smell!) those nachos....but, I guess it sucks even more to get sick.

[kbtoyssni]

I have food with me all the time. I've got snacks at work, snacks in my car, snacks in my purse. I know the safe food I can get at a gas station. And I've got great friends who know what I can eat and usually have something around their places I can eat. Eating can be a challenge, but I figure I'm never that far from food. And it's not like I'll starve if I have to go without for a few hours.

[FoxersArtist]

I'm pretty new to being a celiac but I can say with great confidence that I have always been attached too food. I used to have food aggression issues and got defensive when anyone else in the house ate my (our) food. I really worked on that for years and got a lot of progress in that area. Now I am starting to experience that same anxiety about going out. When will I eat next? Is my company going to make me wait all day? Will I have to go home? Is there even anything to eat at home?! I haven't yet figured out how to cope with this except to reason with myself that I'm not going to starve. At the same time, I have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of gluten free food every week and somehow with a family of 4 it is evaporating before my eyes. I hope I'm not going to have to revisit those food aggressive issues again. LOL. Life is a journey, isn't it? Good luck, I wish I were more help right now!

-Anna

Hi there,

Something kind of bizarre had happened to me since being on the diet. I figured out gluten was no good for me over 3 years ago and have been on the Celiac diet ever since. Before I wasn't attached to food. I never really thought about what my next meal was going to be or where I would be getting it from. Things were simple.

Since the Celiac discovery, it's like food is always on my mind. I'm constantly thinking (worrying) about my next meal. Scared that I will end up somewhere without any options for me...etc.. And it seems to be getting worse!

At first, I thought "Oh, I just like to cook, make up new recipes, experiment"...but now it's really starting to annoy me. I can't go a day without stressing about food on some level.

I feel so attached to food.

I get really nervous if I go somewhere without a snack in my purse or a scheduled meal in the near future. I've read that many Celiacs get anxiety about where and when there next meal will be, because we were conditioned in a way to go without proper food for periods of time when others can dine on anything available. But wow, I actually feel pretty isolated at the moment.

I'm wondering if there's anyone else who's suffered this strange post Celiac diagnosis to food??!!??

If so please share with me how to silence these fears!

[ShayFL]

I used to have food aggression issues and got defensive when anyone else in the house ate my (our) food.

-Anna

This made me chuckle....."food aggression"....I think of dogs, but people have it to. I know I did for years!! Growing up with 4 siblings, 1 was an older brother and 1 a few years younger. They ate EVERYTHING in the house. You had to fight for yummies. I hid/hoarded food. When I got some money, I bought food!! Which I would then hide. I can still feel that sick feeling of horror the times I found my hiding wasnt good enough. My older brother eating a whole box of my Little Debbies.........

Then later, 2 boyfriends booted for eating my food. I remember waking up one morning to find a BF eating my cereal. I screamed at him, "What are you doing!!! That's my food!!" He was probably thankful to be rid of me.....LOL

And another who was "in between jobs" and started eating at my apartment regularly......about 2 weeks of that and I broke it off.

Yeah....Ive had some major food issues.

But I dont mind if my food gets eaten now. I eat so darn healthy that I am pleased when my DH or DD eat my food. I then know they got some nutrition in them. \

And NOW - I just eat when I have to eat. I have munched on almonds in church. Eating in the room waiting for the doctor. At dinner parties, I announce that I have to eat. If I never get invited back again, then they werent real friends anyway. And my friends have all accomodated me, eating when I want to eat.

Life's too short to be uncomfortable.

[Jestgar]

I used to have food aggression issues and got defensive when anyone else in the house ate my (our) food.

Hysterical. Me too, but I didn't recognize it until you said it.

_{guess I'll go apologize to my ex}

[mushroom]

Hysterical. Me too, but I didn't recognize it until you said it.

Me too, also the not recognizing part. DH can eat soy so I buy him the gluten-free cookies that have soy in them. There are always oodles of them in the house. And then I buy myself the (too) expensive but really yummy cookies from the gluten-free bakery and ration myself to one a day. So of course DH sneaks the good stuff and I find myself with nothing left that I can eat and craving chocolate cookies. I do get "aggressive" about it sometimes

[msmini14]

I was worried about food also when I first found out I had Celiac. It still kind of bothers me but I pre-cook a bunch of food. I think I cook 3 times a week and make different items for each night. Except right now, lol I was glutened some where! I always carry almonds with me and I love Mrs Mays bars and nut clusters, they are soooo good.

[Jazzanova]

wow, all of these responses make me feel better! I'm understanding more and more each day that all I need is preparation and things are all good:) My partner is going through some of the same uncomfortable things I did before Celiac came into my world. I think he's allergic to lactose or dairy. Looks like we're gunna have some interesting pizzas from now on:)

[susieg-1]

This made me chuckle....."food aggression"....I think of dogs, but people have it to. I know I did for years!! Growing up with 4 siblings, 1 was an older brother and 1 a few years younger. They ate EVERYTHING in the house. You had to fight for yummies. I hid/hoarded food. When I got some money, I bought food!! Which I would then hide. I can still feel that sick feeling of horror the times I found my hiding wasnt good enough. My older brother eating a whole box of my Little Debbies.........

Then later, 2 boyfriends booted for eating my food. I remember waking up one morning to find a BF eating my cereal. I screamed at him, "What are you doing!!! That's my food!!" He was probably thankful to be rid of me.....LOL

And another who was "in between jobs" and started eating at my apartment regularly......about 2 weeks of that and I broke it off.

Yeah....Ive had some major food issues.

But I dont mind if my food gets eaten now. I eat so darn healthy that I am pleased when my DH or DD eat my food. I then know they got some nutrition in them. \

And NOW - I just eat when I have to eat. I have munched on almonds in church. Eating in the room waiting for the doctor. At dinner parties, I announce that I have to eat. If I never get invited back again, then they werent real friends anyway. And my friends have all accomodated me, eating when I want to eat.

Life's too short to be uncomfortable.

Silly ? what is DH and DD?

[psawyer]

Silly ? what is DH and DD?

In this context, Dear Husband and Dear Daughter. DH can also mean Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

[JNBunnie1]

In this context, Dear Husband and Dear Daughter. DH can also mean Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

DS- dear son

DD- dear daughter

DH- dear husband

Just some wierd internet lingo some people use for family members. It confused me at first too, a lot of people use it with newbies who have no clue what's going on, but you can usually figure it out in context.

[gfpaperdoll]

No worries about food here. As long as you have access to a grocery store you are not going to starve.

I keep food in the freezer for the times when I get home & need a meal - pop it in the microwave & by the time I have put away my briefcase - dinner is ready.

I do not keep food at the office. I do not eat energy bars. I mostly bring my lunch. or like today I am eating roasted chicken, pinto beans & rice from taco Cabanna - totally gluten-free & I never get a reaction. From home I brought Mission Brand Corn Chips, salsa, fresh pineapple, & pecans.

I do keep raisins & nuts handy in my purse most of the time. But I think that is just a habit from when I used to suffer from hypoglycemia before gluten-free.

If I lived in the boonies, 30 miles from the nearest grocery store, I think I would keep a stash of food in the car - which is what I do when I travel.