I tend to obsessively research everything about my health fears — and then just sort of bumble along. Like reading cookbooks from cover to cover but never actually following a recipe. I don’t know what it means, though
But I imagine that with all the reading, things stick, and changes happen almost in the background. I think that a lot of reading can, on one hand, spin one into a tight knot of confused strands, and on the other, a single clear idea emerges. On close inspection, the idea is the sum of a thousand threads, but it has made a cohesive single thing. And the single thing is an instinct towards 'what is best'. For instance, I don't think you need a very specific, honed response to processed foods. On some level, without knowing the details about preservatives, emulsifiers, single-use plastics and blah-blah-blah, we KNOW that it is best to avoid them for the sake of our good health. I imagine that perhaps all your reading and then bumbling is some form of this, don't you? It's an acquisition of general understanding, rather than detailed knowledge. What do you think?
I have osteopenia (suspect 2008 steroids the culprit, and genetics). But! I do enjoy the excuse --as if I needed one -- to stomp! From Cleveland Clinic:
"You can also improve your bone density with bone-loading exercises. An excellent one is stomping. All you need to do is stomp your feet, four stomps on each foot twice a day, using enough force to crush a soda can. This can lead to an increase in bone density in your hips."
This is so strange! I've never heard of this before and I am very curious now. So do you do this often? It sounds like it could hurt! I'm going to try stomping today when I do my 'movement snack' (such a silly concept, but I admit to being a believer).
A lot of our obsessing and counting in my mind is to distract us from being in the moment and as hard as it is to do in our world where all human insecurities are usually capitalised on I try to resist and undo these conditionings as much as I can Karin. Diet culture and body size is one of the worst and as an anti-diet dietitian it’s taken me many years (I’ve been practicing for over 30 years now) to let go of obsessing about food and calories because the evidence is that diets rarely work yet society and sadly the medical profession continues to perpetuate the need for people to lose weight. So damaging and complex to undo but too many money making sponsors are heavily invested in perpetuating this narrative. It’s a radical move in dietetics and not all dietitians want to change their practice, but from my perspective it’s linked to social justice and the first thing that can and must go is BMI, a racist, sexist and ableist tool of no worth. Sorry I’m blabbing on here but letting go of this awful life thief called dieting can be so liberating and free us up to think and daydream more xox
I hear you, Penny. It amazes me how many people who are so clued up about nutrition (i.e. knowing the milligrams and blah-blah-blah) are still hung up on BMI. Part of the reason I resist any counting is because I'm trying to undo the conditioning, but I do understand that counting is also part of some other neuroticism, so I try to do it in ways that do not harm me (like counting my strokes in the pool, or keeping a tally of fresh foods to make sure I'm getting a wide variety otherwise I'll just end up eating tomatoes, bananas and potatoes all the time). I absolutely HATE the vilification of food. Food is beautiful and we are so lucky to have so many choices. But of course, it's almost impossible for someone like me to have a conversation with people who obsess about food from a physical health point of view. I come at it from a different angle: I want a healthy relationship with food AS WELL AS a healthy body. I would rather have the slight tyre around my middle than not have a tyre, but obsessively count and micro-manage. I'd rather move for joy than to calculate calories burned. I think a lot of people who are obsessive about food from a health point of view cannot see that that in itself is unhealthy. Anyway...one day when you and I meet, we will talk and talk and talk and talk ourselves drunk on this matter we both feel so strongly about!
By the way, none of which is to say I have an ideal relationship with food! I just that it is a focal point for so many existential neuroses, and I find that a lot of people don't consider that at all. At least when I start getting neurotic (like currently about my bones), I can recognise that there are other, larger, things at play: anxiety about the world, anxiety about ageing, anxiety about the self-focus when there are larger societal issues where energy spent would have a greater effect than worrying about whether I can have a slice of bread.
I’m with you on all of this dear Karin, it’s multi layered, so ingrained, not anyone’s fault and I too would never judge anyone who is trying to navigate their health. Undoing this takes time which in itself is a privilege and involves the grief cycle for many. It’s a huge subject which as I know you and I could go on and on talking about and it breaks my heart seeing people who I treat with cancer thinking weight loss through their cancer is a”good “ thing 💔😢 Sending love and compassion to you and anyone who is struggling with this xxx
I'm struggling to let go of animal products and meat even though I know the facts. It my own little cognitive dissonance. My vanity also still gets in the way of my carbon footprint. If I can set your mind at ease,a doctor once told my mother (she has osteoporosis and needs to take a supplement/ medication now) that het weekly exercise that she did protected her from crumbling. If you're muscles are in good shape you will hold up longer. And you seem like a person who moves a lot. My grandfather used to say don't pull yourself up with your arms when you get up from a chair (in old age that is) because you need to keep your legs strong.
It would be nice to have an offline discussion about meat and cognitive dissonance, because I've recently had an insight I find interesting. I have to run off now though, so I just quickly want to say this: I am almost at the end of my current obsessing and I have come to the conclusion that, apart from just having the bone density test that is required at a certain age, I don't need to do anything too differently. I exercise enough (and have started doing more weight work, which I've neglected for swimming, walking and yoga) and I eat a lot of calcium in vegetables etc. I do get protein in, maybe not enough, but I'll rely on my exercise and weight for that test before I take any further steps. So your story about your mother is reassuring to me at this point. Thank you!
Yes, the not knowing. It would be a liberating thing. But once you know, you know - then presumably you need to act to reduce whatever is coming your way - that is truly annoying.
I tend to obsessively research everything about my health fears — and then just sort of bumble along. Like reading cookbooks from cover to cover but never actually following a recipe. I don’t know what it means, though
But I imagine that with all the reading, things stick, and changes happen almost in the background. I think that a lot of reading can, on one hand, spin one into a tight knot of confused strands, and on the other, a single clear idea emerges. On close inspection, the idea is the sum of a thousand threads, but it has made a cohesive single thing. And the single thing is an instinct towards 'what is best'. For instance, I don't think you need a very specific, honed response to processed foods. On some level, without knowing the details about preservatives, emulsifiers, single-use plastics and blah-blah-blah, we KNOW that it is best to avoid them for the sake of our good health. I imagine that perhaps all your reading and then bumbling is some form of this, don't you? It's an acquisition of general understanding, rather than detailed knowledge. What do you think?
I agree… every bit of research settles somewhere, and informs future decisions, mostly subconsciously
I have osteopenia (suspect 2008 steroids the culprit, and genetics). But! I do enjoy the excuse --as if I needed one -- to stomp! From Cleveland Clinic:
"You can also improve your bone density with bone-loading exercises. An excellent one is stomping. All you need to do is stomp your feet, four stomps on each foot twice a day, using enough force to crush a soda can. This can lead to an increase in bone density in your hips."
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-workouts-for-osteoporosis
This is so strange! I've never heard of this before and I am very curious now. So do you do this often? It sounds like it could hurt! I'm going to try stomping today when I do my 'movement snack' (such a silly concept, but I admit to being a believer).
A lot of our obsessing and counting in my mind is to distract us from being in the moment and as hard as it is to do in our world where all human insecurities are usually capitalised on I try to resist and undo these conditionings as much as I can Karin. Diet culture and body size is one of the worst and as an anti-diet dietitian it’s taken me many years (I’ve been practicing for over 30 years now) to let go of obsessing about food and calories because the evidence is that diets rarely work yet society and sadly the medical profession continues to perpetuate the need for people to lose weight. So damaging and complex to undo but too many money making sponsors are heavily invested in perpetuating this narrative. It’s a radical move in dietetics and not all dietitians want to change their practice, but from my perspective it’s linked to social justice and the first thing that can and must go is BMI, a racist, sexist and ableist tool of no worth. Sorry I’m blabbing on here but letting go of this awful life thief called dieting can be so liberating and free us up to think and daydream more xox
I hear you, Penny. It amazes me how many people who are so clued up about nutrition (i.e. knowing the milligrams and blah-blah-blah) are still hung up on BMI. Part of the reason I resist any counting is because I'm trying to undo the conditioning, but I do understand that counting is also part of some other neuroticism, so I try to do it in ways that do not harm me (like counting my strokes in the pool, or keeping a tally of fresh foods to make sure I'm getting a wide variety otherwise I'll just end up eating tomatoes, bananas and potatoes all the time). I absolutely HATE the vilification of food. Food is beautiful and we are so lucky to have so many choices. But of course, it's almost impossible for someone like me to have a conversation with people who obsess about food from a physical health point of view. I come at it from a different angle: I want a healthy relationship with food AS WELL AS a healthy body. I would rather have the slight tyre around my middle than not have a tyre, but obsessively count and micro-manage. I'd rather move for joy than to calculate calories burned. I think a lot of people who are obsessive about food from a health point of view cannot see that that in itself is unhealthy. Anyway...one day when you and I meet, we will talk and talk and talk and talk ourselves drunk on this matter we both feel so strongly about!
By the way, none of which is to say I have an ideal relationship with food! I just that it is a focal point for so many existential neuroses, and I find that a lot of people don't consider that at all. At least when I start getting neurotic (like currently about my bones), I can recognise that there are other, larger, things at play: anxiety about the world, anxiety about ageing, anxiety about the self-focus when there are larger societal issues where energy spent would have a greater effect than worrying about whether I can have a slice of bread.
I’m with you on all of this dear Karin, it’s multi layered, so ingrained, not anyone’s fault and I too would never judge anyone who is trying to navigate their health. Undoing this takes time which in itself is a privilege and involves the grief cycle for many. It’s a huge subject which as I know you and I could go on and on talking about and it breaks my heart seeing people who I treat with cancer thinking weight loss through their cancer is a”good “ thing 💔😢 Sending love and compassion to you and anyone who is struggling with this xxx
I'm struggling to let go of animal products and meat even though I know the facts. It my own little cognitive dissonance. My vanity also still gets in the way of my carbon footprint. If I can set your mind at ease,a doctor once told my mother (she has osteoporosis and needs to take a supplement/ medication now) that het weekly exercise that she did protected her from crumbling. If you're muscles are in good shape you will hold up longer. And you seem like a person who moves a lot. My grandfather used to say don't pull yourself up with your arms when you get up from a chair (in old age that is) because you need to keep your legs strong.
It would be nice to have an offline discussion about meat and cognitive dissonance, because I've recently had an insight I find interesting. I have to run off now though, so I just quickly want to say this: I am almost at the end of my current obsessing and I have come to the conclusion that, apart from just having the bone density test that is required at a certain age, I don't need to do anything too differently. I exercise enough (and have started doing more weight work, which I've neglected for swimming, walking and yoga) and I eat a lot of calcium in vegetables etc. I do get protein in, maybe not enough, but I'll rely on my exercise and weight for that test before I take any further steps. So your story about your mother is reassuring to me at this point. Thank you!
Yes, the not knowing. It would be a liberating thing. But once you know, you know - then presumably you need to act to reduce whatever is coming your way - that is truly annoying.