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Old Nov 07, 2012, 02:05 PM
hamster-bamster hamster-bamster is offline
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Member Since: Sep 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 14,805
Quote:
Originally Posted by VenusHalley View Post
Why is food so important to you that you rather take something that might have bad effect on your cognition than simply be more... careful and cautious?

Imho, it sounds bit like disordered eating. Sure, everybody has their foods they have hard time stopping eating... but to be so defensive about it "i can't stop unless something stops me" is bit... out there... me thinks there might be something... psychological behind it. Healthy attitude towards food (by which I don't mean eating healthy all the time, rather not obsessing about food, knowing when to stop and eating just enough most of the time... etc.) is... kinda important, imho.
So here is a problem for you. Apply your theory if you can.

There are Swedish rye crackers and Finnish rye crackers. Both are foods I grew up with. The ingredients in both are the same: rye and water. Both are healthful. Both are crispy. But Finnish crackers are thin and more sour than Swedish crackers that are rather thick.

I do not mind eating Swedish crackers, but I never have more than one. They are so-so.

Finnish crackers I absolutely love and often cannot stop myself from eating more.

Their being sour and their paper-thin texture make all the difference in the world.

So now go ahead and come up with a theory that explains how "psychological" factors are at play here, and name the "eating disorder" that results in my preferring Finnish crackers.

Or, fruit. I can eat Gravenstein apples forever, without stopping. It is a local California variety of apples that reminds me of apples I grew up with. They are sour and I like the sour taste (I like kefir and Finnish crackers and eating whole lemons for the same reason - I like everything that is sour). I find the standard American apples completely inedible, so I eat all the Gravenstein apples I can put my hands on during their short season and then no apples at all. There are a couple more varieties I can eat but they are also rare and have a short season, so for the majority of the year I eat no apples at all - I am that particular when it comes to apples. What "disordered eating" is that?

I sometimes cannot stop when I drink cold milk. It is rare, but happens every once in a while - I would have several glasses in a row. Lots of calcium, protein, liquid, Riboflavin, Vitamin D (American milk is fortified with it) and other good stuff, but much too much. What disorder is that? Doesn't happen with kefir which I love but always stop after one glass - happens only with milk. What is the disorder that selectively affects consumption of one type of liquid dairy but not another?

There are certain things that I eat without liking them too much, just because I know that they are good for me (papaya, salmon nigiri, and almonds are examples), but mostly I eat and drink what I like.

My standing at work is becoming second nature little by little, but there are still moments when I'd rather be lazy and sit down. So then I usually apply willpower. I think it is enough as far as the application of willpower is concerned: standing for many hours a day, 5 days a week is a lot.

I started commuting by bike which is healthy, but I also like it better: I prefer active pedaling to passive standing and waiting in public transit. The winning solutions is when you like doing something that is good for you, rather than applying willpower. Hedonism wins in the end.