When eating (or not) hurts.
Eating is meant to be a pleasurable experience. One that provides nourishment to our bodies, tickles our senses, creates conversation, cultivates experimentation, and brings forth a sense of regional identity. While these are all lovely reasons to enjoy a good meal, unfortunately for some of us, eating is rather painful.
The pain of eating can be interpreted in many ways- whether it refers to a lack of excitement (and sometimes borderline dread) at the thought of consuming food, to issues of restriction + control, bulimic emotional eating, and unusual illnesses that create severe intolerances to food. These are just a few of the many reasons why some may find eating to be a daunting daily activity.
If you can relate to any of the circumstances (listed above) then you understand that it can lead to a deep, lonely place. Whether it’s a secret struggle or one that you openly share about- there’s this deep inner pain when you just feel as though no one understands. However, there is hope! This is the PRECISE reason God put it on my heart to create this website.
By exposing the journey of my personal relationship with food, it is my hope that this platform can serve as a safe space for you to remember you’re not alone. I’ve been through it too. That list above, it’s there for a reason. I’ve overcome anorexia and bulimia, so I KNOW there’s a way out. I’ve been forced to severely alter my food selection due to gallbladder removal and SIBO, so I understand the frustration that comes with food restriction, intense pain after eating, and the mental torture of wondering when this sudden nightmare will ever end.
I greatly sympathize with the emotional turmoil that surrounds every person who’s mental energy is fixated on food. Whether it’s fear of what to eat, questioning if the place you’re going to has food you can eat, wondering how you will feel after eating or if it’s even worth being in that social setting (knowing very well you will be surrounded by the very foods you’re currently avoiding)… it’s exhausting!
So friend, please know that I am here for you. Truly. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or a life coach trying to sell you the golden ticket to health (ha!)… I’m just a thirty-something year old woman trying to give back the support I so desperately craved during my own time of need. I pray this website encourages you and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to connect! Click here to do so.
Take care xoxo
– Staci