Intuitive Eating Book Pt 1

 Let me be clear from the start: I do not like this book. After I started reading it, several days ago, I realized I had read it before, a couple of decades ago and threw it away for being fairly worthless. I did so again, then I pulled it back out of the trash bag where it was only lightly stained by a leftover Asian condiment, because, I decided that it would be of some worth to discuss it, even if only with myself. 

Some of the ideas in the book are good. They should be sound. They are not sound, because, they are based on "science" and that science is deplorable. It has almost nothing to do with the true facts of how fat or fat burning work, muscles, hunger or fasting work in the most key places that it needs to be the most correct about. 

It is also written with the assumption that all people with extra fat got it by going through uncontrolled bursts of overeating, whether they were consciously done or done while watching a show, or doing soemthign else, and falling into a sort of waking coma where flesh took over and does what flesh always does. Which just goes to show that the writer of the book has very little limited understanding of how weight gain occurs, how people who are overweight behave and even less as to how flesh and mind coordinate as a team or dysfunctionalize with each other. 

I can see how this book really helps people who have so little self control that when they are craving something and they delay having it they fall into a gorging tailspin. If I followed their advice, I'd end up weighing 500 lbs lickedty split, and probably commit mass murder along the way. 

That last part is because I was reminded of banana splits. Which are something I would definitely end up craving, and the only way to have them in a tasty way that would make the pain and suffering remotely worth the brief pleasure of eating a banana split would involve a lot of high fructose corn syrup, a lot of fat dairy products or, more likely, both.  These things- dairy and high fructose  corn syrup- make me feel very "flight or fight" and I assure you I am way more "fight" than anyone would want to be around if I was hopped up on dairy. Which is also, by the way, why you shouldn't smoke marijuana around me. I'm likewise allergic to it and it could be the death of us both, plus some few hundred innocent bystanders. 

I am  engaging in hyperbole for effect. Unfortunately, not as much as I should be. I know these things make me ill and hurt, and when I am hurt, I lean more toward defend than flee. That is me. I am not a pleasant person when experiencing a severe allergy or intolerance. Especially when they sneak up on me or you badger me a lot when I ask you not to . 

THEREFORE, I am not a person who should take the advice of a nutritionist who tells me if I want a banana split or a hemp -seed strewn salad to just go ahead and have one. Allergens are very attractive! I want ice cream, in one way, and want it banished from off this plaent in another.  All addictions are allergies. That is why I would so much rather this book have been written by an expert allergist who had about 50 years of experience under his or her belt. 

I'm going to go over the principles in the book. I am not going to spend my time trashing every nuance of the book that is irksome or so wrong I feel criminal proceedings should begin based on them. No! I am not a person with that much time to waste and it is a terribly wrong piece of literature which, to me, reads more like bad fiction by someone who should be slapped by their writing instructor than anything that should be touted as truthful, usseful or sold as an alleged means of one helping oneself by taking its advice. I really, really hate this book. 

I will give you a brief background of things I love that this book should remind me of in a postive way, but instead can only be negatively contrasted against.  The works of Dr. McDougal and Dr. Ornish, for starters. 

 I've only read one of Dr. Ornish's books and it got a little too metaphysical, or something, for me; but the general gist was good, the science was great, and by my own personal experience, the advice was worthy. Except that he allowed milk and I wouldn't go there. But, he didn't tell me at all, in any way, if you crave milk, you must give in!

Dr. McDougall seems to be irritatingly right, all day long. Though, I will say, I think he could stand to look into more ideas about not mixing animal proteins and starches together, food combining in general, etc.  I mean, maybe he has, but I haven't heard about it. 

There are other doctors I enjoy. like T. Collin Campbell. I read his son's book , Engine 52 I think it was. I really like it. It's not quite my thing. I need to go further and different, in some ways, but I can see it as something quite valuable in the realm of literature about bettering one's health through the way one chooses to eat. I loved the China Study. I wish they had explored the meat eating few who were healthy more. 

The videos of Loren Lockman, Dr. John Bergeman, Dr. Eric Berg, Dr. Jason Fung and Thomas DeLauer. Lovely information. Mr. DeLauer jumps right on the science and rides it until it falls over! I like the Athlean X videos, for entertainment as well as information. 

And, I have read many fine old pieces of literature on the subject of better living and health, some from the 17-1800's and I assure you all of them had better scientific information than could be found in the Intuitive Eating book. Things like Return To Nature, which is one of the wackiest of the books I read, I found far more factual. 

I like Fit for Life, as Natural Hygiene has a lot going for it. Many people who say the science doesn't make sense also say that things work as the Natural Hygiene people say they do, as far as things go such as digesting improving. Fit for Life is like Natural Hygiene lite. The second book is a bit deeper. 

I opened up Intuitive Eating wanting to find out that the things I had seen people saying about it were just their gluttony-loving interpretations of what it really said. I wanted to find out it was full of sound advice that was easily followed. That would have been great! It wasn't even close to what I wanted to know about it. It was everything it sounded like when a severely overweight person was quoting it in justification for giving into the eating of food that they are addicted to.

And, that really makes me mad! No one should be misled into thinking they are being virtuous for further destruction of their body! I am digusted!  

Now, I don't think that was the intention of the writers. I just think they don't have the knowledge base they need to have, regarding allergies, intolerances and addictions. However, I am going to finish reading their book, hoping for some redemption of their work in the process. 

You, if yuou are up for it, are coming along for the ride. 

.... To be continued. ..