My mother, food & I

I’ve heard & read many times “I’m a foodie.” I can’t understand what makes people say “I love eating food.” After all it’s not something significant as majority of the world’s population is found of eating. Many overeat & hence more people die due to overeating than starvation Tahir, T. (2011), Adams, S. (2012).

Since birth I’ve never been found of eating food but I’m a food lover. I just can’t feel like stuffing something in my mouth which I love & respect so much.

My parents force me to eat. Whenever they see me they ask “have you eaten anything?” To avoid their questions I prefer to not stay at home most of the time. They aren’t happy with my body’s & face’s symmetry. They like a bit full or bulky people. They always thought that if I won’t eat then I won’t be able to perform essential activities or day to day tasks like studying, etc like normal. My mother remains concerned about her cooking reputation. She thinks that some people may question her cooking style as I’m lean.

Although I’ve proved them wrong many times but they still force me to eat. I’m taller than my parents; I can even work more & walk & run longer than my friends. I was even fine at studies & all this by eating very little food. I won’t recommend anyone to follow my way of sustaining as I do meditation for hours & that can be the reason why I feel energetic even without eating food.

My parents don’t meditate & are found of eating different types of food, whereas I prefer to have semi-solid food or liquid food.

My parents like spicy food especially South-Indian whereas I like very simple or boiled food or Mediterranean style food or British style breakfast. When it comes to eating Indian food I prefer to mix all food items together & eat. My parents don't like my jumbled style of eating food. In their opinion food shouldn't be eaten like that. They tell that this style doesn't allow understanding or enjoying a particular dish's or food item's taste whereas I don't enjoy eating food & as I don't want to get addicted to any particular type of dish or food item thus I prefer to mix all food items so that all foods will taste similar all the time. My family prefers to eat food together & while eating they prefer to talk or watch TV, whereas I prefer to eat food quietly, alone & I avoid watching TV or listening to music.

Although I’m the only son but my mother & I still don’t have a warm relationship & its all because to food. She thinks that I hate her cooking style & hence I don’t eat. Conversely I like her cooking style as my friends & small children are fond of eating whatever she cooks but I don’t like to eat food. My parents haven’t understood me till now. They think that I eat outside but I don’t eat anything out. In my father’s opinion I don’t have any of his traits. At times my mother thinks that her child got swapped when she gave birth & I’m not her real son.

I’ve told them my parents times that in my birth chart I’ve got 4 retrograde planets that makes me a different person but nothing is abnormal but they don’t believe me. I’ve even given them many examples of people who eat less & I’ve even said to them about those who don’t eat like Prahlad Janijee, Shri Hira Ratan Manekjee, Ram Bahadur Bomjom, etc.

My friends like to celebrate or party in restaurants. I don’t feeling like rejecting their invitations hence I join them. They all prefer non-veg food, whereas I’m a vegetarian. I do eat something little with them but very reluctantly as the fact is that I don’t like to eat food & I even hesitate to eat even when I don’t have to pay & someone pays for a delicious food dish for me. In my opinion celebrations & parties can also happen in a different way by excluding food. People eat to be happy & I eat to show respect to other's request & to make others happy at times.

I believe that when one overeats he/she makes his/her stomach do a lot of work as stomach has to digest the food, especially liver has to work a lot. I don’t want my stomach to overwork. I even want my liver to relax thus I eat less. My friends & family members think that I suffer from some type of eating disorder whereas I think that I'm normal & people who overeat suffer from some type of eating disorder.

I hope my relationship with my parents improves or gets a bit warm & they get to understand me. I wish we all three concur to this fact as I can’t get another father or mother for some affection & love & neither they can. I also wish my friends understand me & my food eating principles & won't get offended when I'll reject their proposal to have food together.

References: -

1. Adams, Stephen. Obesity killing three times as many as malnutrition. December 13, 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9742960/Obesity-killing-three-times-as-many-as-malnutrition.html (accessed July 16, 2013).

2. Tahir, Tariq. World now has ‘more people dying from obesity than malnutrition’. September 22, 2011. http://metro.co.uk/2011/09/22/world-now-has-more-people-dying-from-obesity-than-malnutrition-160264/ (accessed July 16, 2013).