Profound loss of appetite

Niwalen

Now don't get me wrong I am a big girl and must admit I am usually a terrible over-eater, but since practicing Buddhist methods for the past couple of weeks I have noticed that I have a profound loss of appetite.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

Thanks

RebeccaS

Your physician should probably be your first point of call in this matter.

Loss of appetite can be a symptom of illness.

lobster

Be well aware of RebeccaS advice.
However using my Lobster whisker sense (similar to spidermans) I do not feel this is your situation.
I have found a loss of appetite, an inclination to a healthier diet.
It is bizarre. Or maybe not. Buddhist practice provides what we need. :thumbsup:

Niwalen

I don't feel ill, actually I feel much better health wise, but I believe food was a big attachment for me, so maybe by letting go of it a bit, my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in.

DairyLama

Niwalen said:

I don't feel ill, actually I feel much better health wise, but I believe food was a big attachment for me, so maybe by letting go of it a bit, my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in.

Do you mean you've stopped eating certain kinds of food?

Zero

Niwalen said:

....since practicing Buddhist methods for the past couple of weeks I have noticed that I have a profound loss of appetite.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

For me, not through buddhism or buddhist practice.

I have lost weight in the past though.

I found that over-eating takes some serious effort - effort that I was not aware of! When I substituted a new focus, I found that my appetite fell off - perhaps my body was receiving happy hormones from a new source so the drive for excessive calories fell away temporarily.

poptart

People don't just eat for nutrition but for emotional reasons. We eat to cheer ourselves up, or to alleviate boredom. Buddhism certainly promotes mindful eating - being aware of everything you put in your mouth. Mindfulness should make you realise whether you are truly hungry.

RebeccaS

Niwalen said:

I don't feel ill, actually I feel much better health wise, but I believe food was a big attachment for me, so maybe by letting go of it a bit, my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in.

Unexpected weight loss, loss of appetite, these are things to get checked out. If your doc gives you the all clear then you may be right about what's happening, but it's worth getting looked at IMO.

Citta

Who tol

Niwalen said:

I don't feel ill, actually I feel much
better health wise, but I believe food was a big attachment for me, so maybe by letting go of it a bit, my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in.

And who told your mind that ?
Buddhadharma is about the middle way. Its not about puritanism. An unhealthy aversion is just as far wide of the mark as overindulgence is.

fivebells

Sounds fine to me. Almost certainly a good sign.

RebeccaS

fivebells said:

Sounds fine to me. Almost certainly a good sign.

What a stupid thing to say to someone.

The OP is exhibiting symptoms of illness. True, it might not be anything, but it's worth exploring with a professional.

This is exactly what I don't like about online spiritual communities. People think they're experiencing spiritual phenomena (which, of course, they might be) but don't get clearance from a doctor, and then the rest of the community rallies round and encourages the delusion.

It's very simple. If you're experiencing physical changes or issues, you talk to a doctor just like anyone else would. Being Buddhist doesn't magically exempt you from illness.

fivebells

I think illness is extremely unlikely in this situation. If the OP disagrees, she should certainly see a doctor. She has indicated that she believes the change arises from a shift in her emotional relationship to food, an effect which meditation could have. This sounds like a plausible explanation to me, and a reduction in diet, in and of itself, is quite safe for the time being, given that she is slightly overweight,

RebeccaS

There's a difference between "I'm eating less" or "I'm making better food choices" and a "profound loss of appetite".

I would normally agree that an overweight person eating less is a positive thing, but "profound loss of appetite"? That's a warning sign.

fivebells

You see "profound loss of appetite" as most salient, I see "my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in." Niwalen would have to tell us what she means by appetite before we could really nail this down.

Vastmind

I agree with RebeccaS because...women dont generally use that
term. From my experience. The vocab word Profound indicates
a row of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Heather, just check with the Doc since
you see that it is now a profound issue. It's drastic enough that even
if it is'nt anything major, then hopefully you will get a cute Dr, and a
grape lollipop. lololololol


I repeated your name from another thread.

RebeccaS

fivebells said:

You see "profound loss of appetite" as most salient, I see "my mind is telling my body that is only needs food for fuel and not as a sense pleasure I can over-indulge in." Niwalen would have to tell us what she means by appetite before we could really nail this down.

That's the thing. We're not in a position to evaluate her appetite or its change. Only a doctor can do that.

fivebells

If "profound loss of appetite" means "I'm eating less because it makes me physically uncomfortable," that is a medical issue which should be investigated. If, as seems likely, it instead means "Psychological reactions which have caused me to overeat in the past aren't plaguing me at the moment," that's simply good news which doesn't require medical attention.

RebeccaS

A sudden loss of appetite doesn't just manifest as discomfort when eating.

Going from over-eating to normal eating is great, but that's not what the OP said. The OP specifically said "profound loss of appetite". I don't think you pull such a strong phrase from out of nowhere.

We know nothing of the OP's medical history, and given that she(?) is admittedly already overweight, we can't know if there are any complications as a result of that.

We are in no position to have any opinion on what could be a medical matter other than seek the advice of a professional. It's just common sense. We have no right to shoulder the responsibility of giving medical advice to people we don't know over the internet. We have no right to tell people they have nothing to worry about any more than we have the right to tell them they're sick. Only a doctor can do that.

And the other thing is, I've seen this kind of thing all over internet spirituality communities. People present symptoms and want to see them as some kind of spiritual progress. I've seen people present symptoms of arrhythmia just to have their communities tell them "that's great, your heart chakra is opening". :shake:

And, really, what's so bad about going for a check up? Better safe than sorry, no?

Chances are that it's nothing, but I'd rather see the OP with nothing to worry about (because of clearance from a doc) than advise throwing caution to the wind and hearing she's sick somewhere down the line.

At the end of the day, it's not for me (or anyone else but the OP's physician) to say whether what is happening is OK or not.

Niwalen

I have seen a health professional, everything is ok! By 'profound' loss of appetite I did have a very large appetite and would comfort eat until painfully full to the point where I would sometimes be sick. So going from eating a ridiculous amount to a 'normal' diet, is a profound loss for me personally,knowing when I am genuinely hungry and when to stop is an amazing experience as these senses seemed to be switched off before. I am also losing weight which my doctor has told me is fantastic.

fivebells

Niwalen

Now that is enough to make ME want a Vicodin!

oceancaldera207

it's capable of awesome things! keep going!