Moderation vs Moderator

I've been reading a lot about fad diets recently - especially about Orthorexia.

In simplest of terms, this is a preoccupation with food quality so severe that a person's psyche and physiology become diminished, compromised, and disordered.

So for example: A person may began to buy organic foods b/c they have seen them popping up everywhere on store shelves ... problem? No.

But a person begins to BELIEVE that organic foods are the only foods worthy of eating. Problem? Potentially.

Then - a person begins to rigorously seek out foods that adhere to their concieved or adopted eating discipline, will eat only those foods, may eat them certain ways or at certains times, and refuses to compromise this compulsion to the point that they can no longer enjoy social situations for fear or being confronted with "bad" foods.

This person thinks on food - their good foods - day in and out and devotedly develops meal plans... the disorder is pretty complicated, but in the end, it's a disorder with holistic complications - the ultimate of those being death.

Orthorexia may look like anorexia and vice versa but I believe they are different, albeit finely so.

Anyway. As I recovered from eating disorders I "flirted" with this orthorexic lifestyle for a while. I was willing to give up the restriction on quantity but was immediately replacing it with a restriction on quality.

I even have been through some of the "classic" orthorexic symptoms of rigorous meal and menu planning, seeking out appropriate foods at inconvenience, refusing foods that didn't adhere, and preaching my way or the highway to people I cared about.

Luckily these were just passing whims... they were there for a while but I was walking with God while I was experiencing them - or at least was aiming towards God, I can say with confidence - and God convicted me and taught me and broke them out of me.

Lucky me...

Anyway that all leads up to these thoughts I'm having.

I began to believe, a while ago, that I was going to have to "surrender" some of these remaining eating hang-ups I had. If I was a healthy person now, if I was not a slave to food and or quality or quantity, then why did I turn down dinner invitations? I mean I wouldn't turn down a birthday dinner, or an important even dining outing... but casual dining offers and restaurant menu's challenged me. I would have this thought "I wish I could eat my own food because it would be more helpful to me body".

In saying that I was following this train of thought where I try to figure out and be aware of what my body needs to be well nourished (like I've been making a case for lately on this blog, my body's weird now that's it's 'back'. It's fragile and sensitive and it was NOT before! I was a very healthy baby and child and even though I ate crap in high school I dieted and excersized a lot and just seemed robust in general.)

But. But. But.

Something seemed wrong... God would not provide low brand cans of soup for some needy family at the hour they need it most if he knew that the trans fats or high fructose corn syrups were going to poison them, right? God knows what's in our foods and in the processed stuff - a lot of it is crummy! But God also told women to keep house and people in general to work hard, harvest, and not be idle. I tend to believe that in a home where care and effort is put into housekeeping and kitchen-warming, that a lot of those dangerous by products of modern grocery shopping are avoided.

Now as for frozen foods and fast foods.... they're probably not so good, but discernment is key. God's will for me is not God's will for my neighbor.

So if I go somewhere to eat something - even if it is not the most supreme option for my sensitive body - if I am genuinely asking for God's blessing upon what he has provided and especially if I am eating it to his Glory ... and no I don't think it's hyperbole to say I eat a meal for his Glory, esp. w/ my background ... then I have no right to turn down hospitality or fellowship.

To do so b/c of the food to be served is pride and vanity and idolotry and faithlessness - no faith in God's hand in the situation, too prideful to surrender to someone else's cooking, to vain to deal with however my body may react (bloated stomach?), and idolizing what I think is a right way to eat...

It all just had to go, I realized.

I began to see that I could be missing out on precious time with precious people b/c I would rather make sure my metabolism got it's best workout when it came to eating meals with others or on my own terms.

I decided flat out that I wanted to "give" that problem to God and let him guide me.

Is it ever right for anyone to deny someone elses hopsitality and food service to them?

Okay, if you have this medical condition, that prior committment, then fine, I get it.

All that aside.

If we go over to someone's for dinner.... do I say no and hurt the cook's feelings over the main course? Ask could I just have a salad instead? Do I do something like that?

Someone will say - yes, you don't have to just take what someone gives you, ti's your body, you know what's best.

Well baloney I say.

There's a place and a time for an attitude like that ( I guess) and it's not when a host's feelings are at stake.

One meal is not going to ruin anyone's body (food allergies and choking situations aside). If a person is on a diet b/c they have been overweight, well then practice portion control I suppose... I mean once the diet's over, then what? We've all heard the diet's don't work mantra and well... I'm pretty sure there's some truth to that.

So even my picky sibling or step siblings really is in the wrong to be less than gracious about receiving food. Right?

When I make myself a plate, I have a general idea of what I am able to comfortably eat and I take accordingly. So I finish my plate. I see that not everyone does that. Someone people have bigger eyes than stomachs. I have a sibling who just has this ... thing... about leaving a good chunk behind on the plate. Likes to do it.

But why are we doing things like that?

I do indeed think there are tidbits of cultural influence - a bit of that TV program here, a piece of the magazine cover there, that person you observed over there - all wafting into the young and old alike's brains.

Yes to be beyond that influence is impressive nad I'd say there are two ways to be beyond it; one is to be truly purified of 'weight' and 'diet' woes, and two, to be so very aware of them that you choose to abstain from their vices.

So. I am feeling incoherent but my thoughts go something like this:

When I place any limitation on food, beyond sensibility, I suffer and perhaps the cook does too. I certainly enjoy dinner and conversation. When both are good I haven't a single thought of what the food is doing inside my body (unless it's talking to me, which does happen).

Are others in danger of letting food habits become sinful in their lives? Sure... sure because even these so called "healthy" regimes quickly become idols. It seems like for many many people, vegentarianism, veganism, into paleo and micro and fruit diets and beyond are JUST as bad as anorexia and bulimia and compulsive ED's. I know vegetarians that seem okay- but their body's innerworking might show they are lacking nutrients. I don't know.

I just think that anytime I have to make a big to do about a meal, then I am placing more emphasis, and giving more power to that food than it shoudl ever have. Now I know that that's not what America teaches - they teach that every bit int he mouth needs this nad that and the other - but this is what we who are supersensitive to dieting and body image have to guard our hearts against. Food can't be your idol. God would be displeased... it would be sin.

Food can't be MY idol - God has broken me over that, taught me about that, and driven me to make commitments to Him over that.

But food also can't be your idol. It can't every now and then take precedence to Godliness. So do consider your motives if they need considering... if you are unhealthy and feel God would be displeased then get it right with Him.. Bible says a lot about vanity and gluttony ... and guard your heart against such sly mechanisms as eating disorders.

Orthorexia - TOO healthy. I mean who thought that would come to be? Extremes are almost never right, it seems. Everything in life needs not necessarily moderaTION but a moderatOR.