Wednesday, August 31, 2011

C'mon. You're Overdoing It. Get Out of B.E.D.!

Storm preparation for good health means having healthy foods on hand. Photo by Disaster and Emergency Survival.

By JANET COOK, NYC Healthy Chick

WHEW!,
glad to see Hurricane Irene didn’t stop you from checking out my latest and greatest!

Things have been beyond control and threw NYC Healthy Chick off course, for
sure, this week. With no electricity and access to healthy foods, it makes for a deadly storm brewing with some old eating habits rearing their ugly heads in the lurch.

Originally my article had a different angle, but the hurricane experience was so vivid and timely, that I had to do a quick rewrite.

With the whirlwind of chaos, panic and the uncertainty caused by the hurricane, it was a surefire way to end up in B.E.D.! Well, I didn’t exactly stay in bed these past few days. Actually, a few of my former eating disorder friends reappeared. Binge Eating Disorder and Compulsive Overeating (aka B.E.D.&C.O.) is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting 3.5 percent of females and 2 percent of males. It is also prevalent in up to 30 percent of those seeking weight-loss treatment, though it can occur in those of normal weight.

Nuts and dried fruit are healthful go-to snacks in the middle of a binge. Photo by Dreamstime.

Compulsive overeating, also sometimes called food addiction, is characterized by an obsessive/compulsive relationship with food. In the case of NYC Healthy Chick, I began to binge-eat when I felt frenzied and out of control amid storm preparations.

If left untreated, compulsive overeating can lead to serious medical conditions, including obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea and depression. Additional long-term side effects also include kidney disease, arthritis, bone deterioration and stroke.

So how did NYC Healthy Chick literally weather the storm of her recent experience in B.E.D. with C.O.? With a lot of self-love and compassion. Remember, it’s a journey to getting healthy and whole. I took some time after my last binge to look at what triggered it. A few things led to the perfect storm.

Days before the hurricane the following happened:
1. Moved at warp speed taking care of business and expended a lot of energy;
2. Exercise program ramped up a notch or two;
3. Discontinued daily meditation;
4. Water intake was less than normal;
5. Menstrual cycle was due.
OMG! JUST SHOOT ME!!!!!!

While the binge foods weren’t the high-calorie variety that normally would have
sent me into a downward spiral of guilt and depression, they were a
clear sign of some imbalances that needed to be addressed. When you next
feel another storm approaching or anytime a binge is imminent, be
prepared with NYC Healthy Chick’s Storm Savers:

There is good bed (a sleeping surface) and there is bad B.E.D. (Binge Eating Disorder). Photo by Standard Textile.

1. Always keep healthy foods in stock. Eating in-season fresh fruit and unsalted nuts can help tame the wildest binges without guilt;
2. Have a pinch of sea salt with a tall glass of water several times a day. This homeopathic remedy will calm you down and provide hydration;
3. Call someone to talk about what’s good and new;
4. Breathe. Do a few yoga poses or stretch – it does the body good;
5. Reflect on what led up to the binge and record your feelings. Getting in touch with one’s internal dialogue is a great way to overcome the guilt and depression associated with binges.

Are we clear? No? OK, I repeat: When the next storm is threatening prepare for it with lots of water, fruit, nuts and tons of love, love, love, love!

1 comment :

  1. MMMMmmmmm. Great article.

    Just published a fiction piece re: a woman dealing with the dreaded BED.

    Take care and glad you survived the storm.

    Carrie

    ReplyDelete

 
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