One of the new things I am getting used to is how to tell if I'm really hungry or not. It used to be that I ate when I got a craving, or during a scheduled mealtime. And since I was eating all kinds of toxic things that produced cravings and I had 3 meals scheduled for the family, I basically ate all the time.
Now, I don't have cravings to guide me. I don't take an hour three times a day to cook a meal either, although we still do three meals' worth of preparation such as cutting fruit, tossing salad, and blending dressings, soups, or smoothies.
I am having to learn how to experience true hunger, and let me tell you, it's not easy.
Two concepts I am trying to internalize:
1) Hunger is not a rumbling stomach (actually, this is a symptom of digestion of food still in your body). Hunger is also not cravings. Those are by-products of "food addictions," created by toxic substances that, like drugs, create withdrawal after they leave the body. After almost 2 months raw, I rarely experience tummy rumbling and I have no cravings. Now, I am waiting to get the "pleasant tingling sensation in the mouth and throat" that is supposedly the sign of true hunger. I'll keep you posted. Right now, I'm eating when I think, "I should eat!" Sometimes this feels like a response to physical hunger, like after I've been working for hours in the garden. But sometimes, it's just "time" to eat. So, this is still a work in progress!
By the way, eating monomeals is supposed to help with relearning the true signals of hunger and satiation. Though I do at least one monomeal per day, I probably could benefit from an extended stretch of all mono-meals, like a banana fast. Stay tuned.
2) It is not good for your body to be digesting all the time. You should try to eat several large meals instead of snacking all day. Digestion requires lots of energy and taxes your digestive organs if they don't get a rest between meals.
Sometimes, I find myself eating when I really need a rest, but am trying to force myself to keep moving. Today was one of those days.
Today's food
9:30 a.m. 10 C. watermelon
12 p.m. Some purslane while weeding the garden
1 p.m. 5 blended bananas over 4 C. Four Seasons and Black-seeded Simpson lettuce
5 p.m. About 2 C. mulberries off the tree, about 1 C. of sugar snap and shell peas
7:30 p.m. 4 blended bananas over 4 C. Four Seasons and Black-seeded Simpson lettuce
9:30 1/2 of a large red pepper, some seasoned lentil sprouts (only about 1 Tbs., had to check the seasoning for my Sprouted Salad Crunchies that I'm selling tomorrow at market)
10:30 A few more spoonfuls of seasoned lentil sprouts--the salt is calling my name! Go to bed already!
Approx. 1700 calories
2 comments:
It's amazing how someone can post about the very thing you're thinking about. I'm working on understanding true hunger myself. I first heard about the mouth and throat feeling of true hunger from Dr. Fuhrman (Eat to Live). I know I'm a long way from knowing it feels like but I'm on my way. I like the way you describe cravings. It makes total sense because it really feels like withdrawal not to have the food your yearning for. It's not easy but I'm trying not to eat before I know my stomach is empty. After reading Natalia Rose I now know about how long it takes for food to "exit" my system. It really makes a big difference. I don't feel as sluggish as I used to because I'm not overtaxing my digestive system by eating all day long. (Oops, didn't mean to leave such a long comment.)
Hi!
Nice to have you visit. I enjoyed reading your blog as well and will add it to my links.
I first read about true hunger from Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live as well. I was on Eat to Live for over a year and a half before coming to raw. The true hunger vs. toxic hunger is a Natural Hygiene teaching and many people including Dr. Fuhrman and Dr. Graham of 80-10-10 were influenced by Natural Hygienists.
I have not read anything by Natalia Rose--I'm interested to check into her writing.
Thanks again,
Marjorie
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