A rather interesting topic.

[danforth]

The thought has pondered in my mind for some time now so I thought I'd get it out in the open and get everyone's views and/or opinions on it. Before I start I'd like everyone to know that I'm a successfully recovered emet so this post is in no way a shot at anyone on here.


There are several reasons why would v* and one of the more common ones are spoiled food, 95% of it being meat, dairy and/or animal products. Now I myself, after being diagnosed with emetophobia, decided to entirely cut all these products out, hence living a strict vegan lifestyle. Now the last thing I'm trying to do here is preach. All I'm saying is that I've noticed many topics on here about knowing when chicken is cooked properly, how long to keep bacon in the fridge, etc etc. It would be a lot easier, healthier but most of all, give you a LOT more peace ofmind if these were cut out or greatly reduced in your diet.


An easy example of this is about 5 months ago. My brother and sister both had this nasty sv* and they were both horribly and violently v*. Unfortunately, I caught the bug too but I didn't nearly half as sick as they were. I had about 6 hours of d* and that was it! True story.


Like I said I'm not trying to convert or preach to anyone. This is merely an honest and curious question to you all and I would like as much feedback, be it positive or negative, as possible! Thanks! [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[crimgoddess]

I think you may have been misinformed. There are a lot of different types of bacteria which can cause food poisoning, not only inclusive to meat. Rice, potatoes, lettuce, etc., are ALL very common foods that can cause food poisoning, it's not just dairy or meats. I have been a vegetarian for 13 years, and have gotten food poisoning a few times, most notably from tofu and lettuce.Also, even if you are not injesting the meat, food poisoning can be passed on in a variety of different ways- surface contact, improper food handling, etc.


I'm also not saying this to scare anyone- just to say that you can cut whatever you want out of your diet, food poisoning is still a possibility. So, the solution isn't really to cut things out of your diet, but rather to treat the cause of the anxiety, which is the phobia itself. Not eating certain foods may give you some peace of mind, but inevitably the phobia is still there.


*amber*

[danforth]

That's true, but meat, dairyand the bi-products of it have a substantially higher risk to contamination than vegetables.I'm not saying cutting it out of your diet will rid you of food poisoning altogether, just minimize the risk. With phobia's, especially this one,I think little steps are alot more effective and easier to accomplish than big ones.


All the information I've receivedis from reliable and up-to-datesources. I can do some more hunting down if you're still not convinced?

[kel12347]

How did you become successfully recovered from emet?

[kristi425]

Why do you assume that everyone here eats meat?


I have been a strick vegetarian since the 7th grade. I have, however, reciently started eating chicken and fish because I am amemic and discovered that I am pregnant. So I'm doing it for the baby so it can get protien and iron. But after I give birth, I'm back to my vegetarian diet.


I didn't become a vegetarian because of emet issues. I did it for moral reasons actually.

[kutekim1217]

I know someone who in another group in her early 50's and her parents are in their early 80's. She has stated this a few times. She last v* when she was 10. her mom went 47 years without v* until she got fp, and her dad v* twice once on a boat at 19 I think when he was going to war and several years ago when he had appendicitis. They eat steak, chicken, turkey, fish, hamburg, etc all their lives. Kim

[kristi425]

I'm not saying cutting it out of your diet will rid you of food poisoning altogether, just minimize the risk. With phobia's, especially this one,I think little steps are alot more effective and easier to accomplish than big ones.


All the information I've receivedis from reliable and up-to-datesources. I can do some more hunting down if you're still not convinced?

I think that most people with this pobia- me included- are more concerned with wanting to try to CURE it, rahter than trying to find more foods to cut out of their diets. How does deciding against an entire food group help us better ourselves get over this terrible phobia? What little step are you suggesting people take by cutting meat out of their diet? A small step into eventually eliminating all food that may cause food poisoning?


You say that you're not trying to preach to anyone and yet I have to wonder what you would be "preaching." Vegetarianism is a way of eating, it's not a religion. And it sounds to me that instead of listening to feedback, you are trying to argue with the feedback you are given, at least with the feedback from crimgoddess. I find that completely offensive as a vegetarian myself (I still concider myself a vegetarian, maybe that's hypocritical of me, but I don't really care). I don't like it when people bother me and ask me why I don't eat meat. I would never ever try to turn that around and ask people why they do eat meat or even worse, try to frighten them into not eating it.

[crimgoddess]

I am still not convinced.


The more common types of food poisoning involve contamination viaimproper handling by someone who hasn't washed their hands after going to the bathroom or touching other food products,or are sick/infected with something themselves. This really doesn't affect whether the food being consumed is a meat or vegetarian product. This is especially the case if the food is left out in room temperature, as bacteria tend to flourish in that environment. Even if the bacteria originated in a meat or dairy product, it can easily make its way into other items.


Other types of bacteria are more specific to meat- so cutting it out of your diet MIGHT decrease your chance of being sick due to that particular bacteria (such as Salmonella, which is indeed the most common), but many of the other types of food poisoning that are caused by meat are also found in many veggies and fruits (such as E. Coli). Part of the problem is that there aren't necessarily reliable numbers collected in terms of what food causes the most incidences of food poisoning, because generally most people who become ill with food poisoning believe it to be the flu or a virus, and are not tested. This is especially true in the case of vegetarians, as the myth persists that food poisoning is exclusively a meat or seafood thing.


Buit in the end, that is all pretty insignificant. What I am getting at more, however, is that becoming a vegan or vegetarian out of fear is, in my humble opinion, possibly a step in the wrong direction as opposed to a step in the right one. Yep- people should definitely eat what they want and make their own decisions- I personally don't eat meat because of moral reasons, as the thought of eating the flesh of an animal is enough to make me ill. But, if you are doing so for fear of being sick, you are just avoiding the main issue, which is the fear itself- not what you eat.


The fear can be dealt with in much more productive ways, such as fixing the thinking errors that cause it in the first place, and make avoiding certain foods such an attractive option. That is a slow process, but in the end I think it wields more positive results.


*amber*Edited by: crimgoddess

[kristi425]

I am still not convinced.


The more common types of food poisoning involve contamination viaimproper handling by someone who hasn't washed their hands after going to the bathroom or touching other food products,or are sick/infected with something themselves. This really doesn't affect whether the food being consumed is a meat or vegetarian product. This is especially the case if the food is left out in room temperature, as bacteria tend to flourish in that environment.


Other types of bacteria are more specific to meat- so cutting it out of your diet MIGHT decrease your chance of being sick due to that particular bacteria (such as Salmonella, which is indeed the most common), but many of the other types of food poisoning that are caused by meat are also found in many veggies and fruits (such as E. Coli). Part of the problem is that there aren't necessarily reliable numbers collected in terms of what food causes the most incidences of food poisoning, because generally most people who become ill with food poisoning believe it to be the flu or a virus, and are not tested. This is especially true in the case of vegetarians, as the myth persists that food poisoning is exclusively a meat or seafood thing.


Buit in the end, that is all pretty insignificant. What I am getting at more, however, is that becoming a vegan or vegetarian out of fear is, in my humble opinion, is possibly a step in the wrong direction as opposed to a step in the right one. Yep- people should definitely eat what they want and make their own decisions- I personally don't eat meat because of moral reasons, as the thought of eating the flesh of an animal is enough to make me ill. But, if you are doing so for fear of being sick, you are just avoiding the main issue, which is the fear itself- not what you eat.


The fear can be dealt with in much more productive ways, such as fixing the thinking errors that cause it in the first place, and make avoiding certain foods such an attractive option. That is a slow process, but in the end I think it wields more positive results.


*amber*

I completely agree! I've gotten food poisoning from both meat and from dairy products. I'm not saying that this is the same for everyone, but for me, the dairy sickness was SOOOOOOO much worse. I was seriously violently ill and ended up in the hospital for dehydration.


You can get food poisoning from anything out there. I wonder what this apparant recovered emet eats? Anything? Even though he can get food poisoning? @@

[ontariogirl]

Agree with crimgoddess on all aspects

[purpleteacher]

I personally don't believe in taking suppliments to get most of my nutrition for the rest of my life, so I am just veggie and not vegan. Even the veggie lifestyle lacks certain types of vitamins that suppliments cannot completely resupply, so I have my *compromise meats* in case a doctor tells me that my veggie lifestyle is making me sicker.


I have seen how the vegan lifestyle, along with the aid of suppliments, has ruined the life of a close family member --- she has severe osteoarthritus/ perosis and was unable to get the type of surgery she needed to fix a broken hip due to the bad conditions of her bones because of her dietary restrictions all of her life.


I, for one, refuse to be hunch-backed and die in pain over a broken hip that could have been prevented by consuming calcium and iron from NATURAL SOURCES! I might not eat meat, but I do consume dairy. I'm female and I need the calcium more than I need anything else.

[crystalmom]

I also agree with crimgodess.


Also, I have had to scrifice alot in the years of being emet. Not always, but there is something sometime that is being sacrificed due to my fear.


Now, I live in Alberta, which is famous for it's beef. I LOVE steak. I LOVE beef. My b/f however, is just picky about food. He doesn't like things b/c of taste, not for any other reason. It puts enough pressure on me trying to come up with meals that will satisfy myself, my b/f AND my son. I can't imagine cutting out things that may or may not have bacteria on them. In my opinion, that is more fear that the emetophobia has already got a hold of.


Personally I am not willing to stop eating things b/c there is a chance of bacteria. It's everywhere anyway, hence, our immune system. All we have to do is cook meat properly, wash fruits and veggies well.


Oh, and for those of you who are vegens, this is nothing against you or your reasons for being. I know lots of ppl who are, and that is their choice, just like it is mine to eat beef.


Crystal

[Babydoll]

Yes, lets all AVOID these foods because they might make us sick. Lets continue to run from this phobia on all aspects, increasing the power the fear has over you and controls you life.


sounds like a proactive solution to me.


sorry for being highly sarcastic, but this post bothers me in MANY ways. First of all, the poster is not listening to anyone else's opinion. Secondly, it promotes aviodant behaviours which we all know is detreimental (sp?) togetting over this phobia.


by the way - there is no relation to eating chicken and its effect on catching a stomach virus.


I would NEVER think of not eating meat because it might make me ill. To those vegans who have other reasons, I commend you. Never let emet influence what you can and can't do.Edited by: Babydoll

[japa]

danforth - How is it that you are a recovered emet (to echo Kel)?


And why not give tips on how to recover instead of tips about people restricting their diets in certain ways to avoid sickness?


Cure tips would be more useful because if people aren't afraid of sickness, what you've posted about food poisoning wouldn't be much of an issue.


Ever the doubter that I am, I have to ask are you sure that you are recovered? Or have you just decided that you have found a dietary answer to sickness? Edited by: japa

[crystalmom]

I am completely in agreeance with japa and babdoll. If we choose to avoid things NOT to v* how can this be good behavior?? It will just give some more reason to avoid things that are part of daily life. Meat has a lot of nutritional value, and to those who don't eat it, I am sure you know how to replace those nutrients.


This post has really bothered me, and earlier while vacuuming, I came up with some really great thoughts, but I can't remember them...[img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img].


Crystal

[icicledreamz]

I would rather eat whatever i want to eat and if i get sick then oh well atleast i enjoyed it at the time...thats my opinion.

[japa]

Well, good for you, icicle.

I would rather eat whatever i want to eat and if i get sick then oh well atleast i enjoyed it at the time...thats my opinion.

[danforth]

I would rather eat whatever i want to eat and if i get sick then oh well atleast i enjoyed it at the time...thats my opinion.

And you're telling me that that isn't fuelling your phobia? How can youenjoy food which is causing you do the one thing you're fearing? That's a very confusing statement.

danforth - How is it that you are a recovered emet (to echo Kel)?


And why not give tips on how to recover instead of tips about people restricting their diets in certain ways to avoid sickness?


Cure tips would be more useful because if people aren't afraid of sickness, what you've posted about food poisoning wouldn't be much of an issue.


Ever the doubter that I am, I have to ask are you sure that you are recovered? Or have you just decided that you have found a dietary answer to sickness?

This post was to gather opinions from other people. I'vev* twice in the past 3 months and it hasn't affected me after at all one bit. What I have found is a dietery ALTERNATIVE to sickness. I'm not a magician. I never came on here claiming to have some miracle cure or prevention, I'm trying to give people some insight. Teacher's teach at school about things they already know or have experienced, what's the difference with my post?


Anyway, you're all completely missing the point here. I'm not saying it's a CURE or a way to avoid it, in fact I never said that in any of my previous posts.It's simply a mental aid. Knowing that something you're doing isn't contributing or *possibly* raising a risk to v* is putting you a step in the right direction. How some of you aresaying it's provoking being an emet is ridiculous. Isn't recovering from phobias a step by step process? I really don't understand the aura of these forums but I'm sure glad I didn't come on here when I was still an emet.

[icicledreamz]

How is it fueling this phobia? and food has never caused me to be sick before..and actually, i try to live as normally as possible. Im not saying im going to eat undercooked chicken, but i eat normally and do not exclude certain foods that may make me sick, beacause that would only make things worse for me and probably unhealthytoo,I enjoy eatting, hence maybe it will make me sick..im not going to let this fear take over yet another thing i enjoy.

[danforth]

I forgot to add, if any of you are curious, I've been a vegetarian for 4 years (my emet was diagnosed 2 years after I started that lifestyle) and vegan for 2 years. So no, I'm not doing this to avoid sickness issues.

[danforth]

Look, I've said what I wanted to say. I'm not going to argue through a message board but I hope someone, anyone has read my advice and given it some decent thought. To the rest of you... I wish you the best of luck and I know you all have it in you to defeat it.

[kel12347]

Danforth, I've read your advice and understand your point, although I may not necessarily agree with it. What I am wondering is HOW you were cured of emetophobia...I think that experience would be of great interest to all of us.


And to everyone above who is avoiding avoidance.....YAY!!!Edited by: kel12347

[marby]

Danforth -


I think the point here is that by avoiding certain types of food to help prevent sickness doesn't exactly sound like the kind of thing someone who is "cured" of emetophobia would do. If you are readjusting your life/lifestyle in order to avoid sickness, seems to me you are feeding an existingphobia....

[japa]

Knowing something is not contributing to sickness is not a step in the right direction because the solution is not to avoid sickness all the time. The solution is not to be afraid to be sick if it happens. Emets fear and avoid all possibilities of sickness, so you're really just giving people another way to adapt their lifestyles to their fear.

I would rather eat whatever i want to eat and if i get sick then oh well atleast i enjoyed it at the time...thats my opinion.

And you're telling me that that isn't fuelling your phobia? How can youenjoy food which is causing you do the one thing you're fearing? That's a very confusing statement.

danforth - How is it that you are a recovered emet (to echo Kel)?


And why not give tips on how to recover instead of tips about people restricting their diets in certain ways to avoid sickness?


Cure tips would be more useful because if people aren't afraid of sickness, what you've posted about food poisoning wouldn't be much of an issue.


Ever the doubter that I am, I have to ask are you sure that you are recovered? Or have you just decided that you have found a dietary answer to sickness?

This post was to gather opinions from other people. I'vev* twice in the past 3 months and it hasn't affected me after at all one bit. What I have found is a dietery ALTERNATIVE to sickness. I'm not a magician. I never came on here claiming to have some miracle cure or prevention, I'm trying to give people some insight. Teacher's teach at school about things they already know or have experienced, what's the difference with my post?


Anyway, you're all completely missing the point here. I'm not saying it's a CURE or a way to avoid it, in fact I never said that in any of my previous posts.It's simply a mental aid. Knowing that something you're doing isn't contributing or *possibly* raising a risk to v* is putting you a step in the right direction. How some of you aresaying it's provoking being an emet is ridiculous. Isn't recovering from phobias a step by step process? I really don't understand the aura of these forums but I'm sure glad I didn't come on here when I was still an emet.

[donna1216]

I eat meat all the time, the only time I got fp was from YOGURT, which is supposed to be good for your stomach!!!

[kellybean]

It doesn't matter what I eat, in the back of my head, I'm always wondering, not obsessing, just wondering. Maybe there was a germ on my hand, maybe the food was prepared wrong... If I was to cut certain foods out of my life, I wouldn't be eating at all. LOL

[Babydoll]

I have a real issue with this topic. Im going to keep this short so I don't say anything I'll regret, but Ive said it a hundred times, and I'll say it again:


avioding anything that could make you sick fuels the phobia and gives it control over your life, when you should be the one living your life the way you want to. Its not healthy. Its a step in the WRONG direction, not right direction.


I am still an emet, danforth, and always will be. I have come a long way in this phobia, and if you have taken any psychology classes you would realize how important it is to face your fear in little ways ( ie, by not limiting your food intake); in order to overcome it. This is what happens in exposure therapy.


before you post these things, please get your facts straight.

[tink]

I eat meat, and the have had FP twice.. Both because of lettuce. I only eat salad at home now, where I can make sure it is cleaned correctly.


--Kim

[Carolee]

whta have people gotten from eating lettuce? I am curious cause I eat it all the time and want to prevent it from happening...

[tink]

I would guess it is because it is grown on the ground, and that it is hard to clean? I dont know for sure. Does anyone else have a guess?

--Kim