My Life in Food

**This is a long post that I just feel compelled to share. Feel free to read or not read. :) 

I've briefly mentioned my eating habits before, but usually try to hide it. Most of my friends know about it but don't understand and don't know the extent of it. I am a part of an online support group called "Picky eating adults" which originated as a Yahoo group and is now a website. Not only that but the group has caused this disorder to gain more publicity, including episodes on the Food Network and Nightline and studies by Duke University (to which I submitted my profile for further studying).

In an attempt to define this as an actual physiological disorder, the group shares their stories. We know that picky eating adults (not just the phase you go through as a child) has to start at birth. For me personally, I know that my mom had issues from the get-go feeding me normal baby food, and I stuck with fairly bland foods. Not being one to force-feed a child, my mom told me that if I didn't eat what they were eating then I'd just have to make my own food. So my childhood (and really through high school) diet consisted of cereal, bread, and Ramen Noodles without the flavoring packets.

Today, my food options have been greatly increased and I can appear less as an outcast in public situations, but still have a difficult time when it comes to finding something I like. When I try to summarize my eating habits there are a few generalizations I can make.

1.  I don't eat any fruit. 
2. I don't eat red meat.
3. I can't find anything on a Mexican restaurant menu that I like.
4.  Anything with too many ingredients (or mystery ingredients) is overwhelming and I try to avoid.
5. One bad experience with a food can take it off my list forever

My picky eating is centered around strong flavors and weird textures. I have physical reactions to foods I don't like. For example, if I touch ketchup I obsessively wash my hands and feel like it's still on me. I can't get near/cook/wash certain foods. I don't really gag with anything, but smells can be really difficult. I feel anxious at times and it's very hard for me to try anything new.

I equate it to someone who is afraid of something harmless, like bugs (I realize some bugs are dangerous, but just go with it). Logically, you know that the bug won't hurt you but you cannot bring yourself to touch it. I know that trying a new food will not harm me in any way yet I can't usually bring myself to try it.

According to www.pickyeatingadults.com, there are 12 main reasons that people are picky eating adults.

1. OCD
2. Swallowing Disorder
3. Brain Function Disorder
4. Food Aversions
5. Taste and Smell Disorder
6. Super Tasters
7. Sensory Integration Disorder
8. Some children use it to control parents
9. Autism
10. Tourettes Syndrome
11. Neophobia
12. Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum 

I am not sure which ones I technically have, but I believe it could be food neophobia (fear of new foods), supertasting (higher amount of taste buds), and possibly a taste and smell disorder. I definitely don't think I am among the pickiest of people, but there are definite challenges in the way I eat.

For example, I love Mandarin Chicken from Panda Express. However, I can usually only get through half of it because of how I "decide" which pieces to eat. Can't be too much fat, can't be a darker color, can't just look "off" in any way. John often will eat my leftovers and say, "so why didn't you pick this one?" "how about this one?"


Anyway, here are a few links to youtube videos about this condition. Feel free to peruse at your leisure. I just want to get the message out there that this is a real condition and to accept me when you see how picky I am. Don't pressure me to eat anything, don't make fun of me, just let me eat in peace.