Is there any food you won't give up afterwards?

[Tantravaya]

I worked for quite a few years in the area of diagnosis of food allergies and food intolerances. One of the basis rules that we learnt was if we "need" a particular food in our life, then that food is hurting us in some way. It doesn't matter whether it is a "healthy" or "non-healthy" food (or drink) and it doesn't have to be a food that is craved as such, just always there, in the cupboard or fridge, close by. We don't even have to eat it every day. I have experienced many people shocked to learn that a food touted as good and healthy is actually damaging their health. e.g. tomatoes, broccoli, red meat etc.

The connection between the particular foodstuff and one's health problems is very often not obvious. With food allergies, there is usually an acute response soon after ingestion. With a food intolerance, the offending substance usually contributes to chronic conditions and no links are obvious.

Food is chock a block full of naturally occurring chemicals and sometimes it is the chemical make up of a food that causes difficulty. For example the simple tomato has over 300 chemicals (not including man's addition in the growing process). This is pretty standard for most fruit and vegetables.

So....I am just curious. What food/s do forum members include in their list of food "needs" and are there any foods that you aren't prepared to give up totally? I had one guy say to me that he didn't care whether it killed him but he wasn't going to give up his beef.

[fornight]

Speaking for myself - RIGHT THIS MOMENT, I cannot think of anything that I will not give up. The nearest possible food is perhaps rice since I am a Chinese. but I will probably (as per Sms's preaching) "tip toe" and test its effect on my body. If white rice is bad for my body, I can trial and error with more unprocessed version - brown rice. If all types of rice are bad for me, I will perhap trial and error the amount I can consume with the most minimum impact.

I think it is all a matter of trial and error. You eat to live and not live to eat. Always remember the famous sentence -

~~~~NOTHING TASTE AS GOOD AS BEING THIN~~~~

[firefox]

A few weeks ago, if I had been asked this question, I would have answered differently, but now I don't think there is any food I wouldn't give up if I knew it was bad for me. For example, I had thought that I would not be able to live without milk. Same went for rice. It's been about 3 months since I started the programme and I am not only milkless and riceless, but alive and kicking, thank you very much!

It seems to be very much a case of cognition meeting culture. Two reasons why people may feel they cannot give up something-

1) They are so used to it that they do not want to adjust to life without it. It is easier to hang onto bad habits than develop the discipline to modify them.

(2) The food they are being asked to give up is an integral part of their food culture. For example, rice is a staple in mine. Whatever vegetable or curry is on the table, it is eaten with rice. The side dishes have all evolved over generations to go well with rice. Rice plays a major part in religious ceremonies as well, as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. It is ingrained into the cultural consciousness. So when you try to give it up, you not only face a great deal of resistance from the people around you, you also find that you can't really eat anything else on the table because it just does not taste as good without the rice. Cohen's works for me because the way I cook the food is completely different, and so the rice-connection is broken.

But what happens when I go off the diet? The cultural connection is one that will be hard to break, but I will have to find ways to modify it, such that my newly regular diet is congruent not only with my health needs, but with my cultural programming as well. This is probably the only way to ensure that I stay healthy for the rest of my life.

So much for the cultural component. The bad habits? Those are going to be harder to justify, and even harder to break! No cultural argument is going to be able to justify all that chocolate I used to eat!!!

[FlaMie]

wowwwweeee well said firefox!

Before I began my Cohen journey, I really thought that I was in for some huge psychological struggle over the deprived food. Actually, come to think of it now, there's really nothing I won't give up... it is really a matter of changing mindset and adaptation.

At this point in time, I haven't tried tea with milk - my biggest love in life which I think I cannot do without. So, once I get through that I'll see if there's still an old me lingering in this regard

[Kellz532]

I dont think there is anything i wont give up. This journey has become more to me than just being "thin", i want to be HEALTHY. Im so happy that i now feel like that because i didnt think i ever would. My desire to be healthy and happy has overcome my desire to have chocolate cake or chips

[carrieanne_c]

Why is broccoli bad? I don't think I have any foods that I will have to give up completely if I can learn to take them in in moderation but I am new to maintenance so I will have to get back to you guys on that one.

[hope_ful]

i think some of u guys missed the point hehe, tantravaya wasnt asking which foods you are culturally linked to and therefore just "love" or are used to eating but rather foods that you feel you MUST eat, like for me, i love mushrooms. and i know they are high in yeast, so maybe they are damaging or not helping my body in some way.

that idea is similar to one i read about in yoshi's detox book. foods like cucumber and eggplant are linked to the deadly nightshades group.. or something like that. maybe tantra can help me out hehe

my bf went to see a nutritionist and iridologist and she said to him, "no fruit other than pear, no mushrooms, yoghurt, only sheeps milk cheese or ricotta.." that was for his body, not mine or anyone elses.

anyway i think the whole idea is very interesting!!