Physician Assistant Elizabeth Hedlund discusses some circumstances and factors that lead to unhealthy relationships with food.

What type of relationship do you have with food? Do you love it, do you hate it, do you feel guilty about it, could you take it or leave it? We all have feelings about food. Most of us have labeled the foods we eat as either good or bad, clean, or unclean, healthy or unhealthy. Does food have to be one or the other? Can it just be food?  

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you allowed yourself to eat whatever you wanted anytime without guilt? Most of us are concerned that we would eat ourselves into crazy and unhealthy habits. But would we really? I don’t think so. If we really listen to our body, it will tell us when to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat. Consider an infant or toddler. If fed an appropriate diet for their age, they will only eat when they are hungry. Of the foods you offer them, they will pick and choose what they want and how much they want, if given the opportunity. They will experience days of eating a lot, and days of eating a little. If unrestricted and allowed to listen to your body, you will also choose the foods and amounts your body needs, just like a toddler.  

The Problem

In today’s world, however, we have a multitude of opportunities to stop listening to our body. We are overbooked, rushed, running late, tired, lacking focus, and do not prioritize healthful eating. We live in a country of convenience and expect our food to be fast and easy and cheap. We eat during meetings, while scrolling, engrossed in social media or television, searching the internet, shopping, and running from place to place. In addition, highly processed and sugary foods will negatively affect our hormones and contribute to cyclical cravings. How could we possibly listen and respect our body’s needs while living and eating this way?

This lifestyle has led to inactivity, indulgences, guilt, and disrespect for the body we’ve been given. In turn, Americans are ridden with chronic diseases. We all know this because we hear and see it everywhere in news stories, friends and family members, and our own bodies. Health issues and larger body habitus have led most Americans to diet, cut calories, attempt to exercise, follow weight loss trends, and essentially become obsessed with food. We are a nation with an abusive relationship with food.  While most people do not have eating disorders, many people have disordered eating. But alas, do not despair!  There is an escape from food rules, guilt, and cycling between restriction and bingeing.  We will review more on this topic next time, but if you simply cannot wait, check out the Ellyn Satter Institute.

Elizabeth's Experience

About a year ago, I was out to dinner with my daughter and my mother. I wasn’t real hungry due to the lunch I’d had earlier that day, but I was craving dessert. Guess what? I had dessert for supper, and it was so good! I was able to enjoy it and went to bed that night feeling satisfied. At the end of the day, the calories I consumed for the day were not excessive. I could have told myself it was “unhealthy” and made myself eat something else, thus feeling restricted and unsatisfied which could have led to excessive eating that evening just to fulfill the craving I had at supper time!  Now, I don’t usually eat dessert for supper, but we were spending a fun day together and I was able to eat what I wanted and feel good about it. Even the server at the restaurant approved and let me know that she was a dietitian! 

Looking ahead

Next month Elizabeth will address what disordered eating is and how to develop a healthy relationship with food.