Binges, Overeating and “Vampire” Foods…
I was talking to a new acquaintance recently and we were talking about a variety of topics. He had asked me about my work with women and my perspective on eating related issues and we were talking a lot about some of the energy and spiritually related aspects.
At one point he revealed that he had always struggled with his own eating and weight and shared a bit of his history. In the midst of this he used the term “Vampire Foods”, which to me is such a self-explanatory term, so loaded with meaning you almost don’t have to say any more about it..although I will (of course).
People have different ways of referring to the various foods they struggle with, overeat, or find unmanageable. I have many clients that binge-eat, or eat in ways that they feel unable to control. And all of them can tell you exactly which foods they feel most vulnerable around. Or they may have found that their bodies are sensitive to certain substances like gluten or dairy and when they eat those, they get more cravings or binge more, or have physical symptoms afterwards.
Of all the accounts given over the years from clients and friends, “vampire foods” is the most perfect term I’ve heard for the foods that leave you feeling drained of your usual life force energy.
Maybe they wreak havoc on your physical body by triggering binges and the discomfort and misery that follows. Maybe your emotional body suffers with shame and guilt from feeling out of control and doing the thing that you swore you wouldn’t.. yet again. Certainly these foods that are so powerfully draining to your individual system drain your energy body because you feel some loss of power, some disconnection from your true self, an inability to hold your center.
People who have never struggled with overeating or binges or purges or cravings will have no idea of what any of this means. The power that certain foods may have to impact somebody so negatively. But most of you reading this will know precisely which foods qualify as “vampires” for you. And once you see them from this perspective, does it change how you want to care for yourself?
When you decide to eat “just a little” of the things you know without a doubt lead you into some form of very real pain, whether it’s physical or emotional or feeling your energy leave your body, your self-esteem gone in a flash.. what do you make of that?
Is it a form of denial? Yes sometimes.. but knowing the things or people or substances that hurt us and going against that awareness cause even more suffering than not knowing to begin with.
Is this the Saboteur, one of our survival archetypes, as Caroline Myss refers to them, at work? Yes, that’s part of it.
There are many possible reasons why we continue to allow ourselves to have relationships with Vampire Foods, or Vampire people (relationships that drain our energies), or work in jobs that drain us and compromise our wellbeing, or stay in marriages that make us feel these things.
I’m not saying it’s easy. But around the food piece it is usually very clear which foods make you feel your best, and which ones make you feel your very worst. And of course, you get to choose whether you listen to your IntuitiveBody.. or not.
And anytime you would like support in sorting this out, whether it’s about the food, or the reasons connected to all of the eating and body issues, I’m an email away and we can set up and Illumination Round and talk about it.. no strings.
With love from my heart to yours..
Theresa | The Tarot Lady says
My “Vampire Food” is sweets (love that term btw). I have a horrendous sweet tooth and I have been able to tame it at times but other times….it’s taken over and turned me into a sugar zombie. I need to put a wooden stake in it. LOL
Lisa says
Theresa…of course I am fascinated by the term “horrendous sweet tooth” and want to ask questions.. but I will resist. I love your staying within the theme with zombie and wooden stakes my clever friend.. But as we know it’s no joke..And it’s amazing how common it is for women of all sizes and shapes to suffer in some way with some form of food addiction.. I am using the term.. People hate it, but the things that “run” us at times in spite of our best efforts.. well it fits.
Sugar can be “addictive” but I tend to believe it’s the thing that the sugar is “in” that is more addictive…
Love to you.. Lisa
Jessica says
“People who have never struggled with overeating or binges or purges or cravings will have no idea of what any of this means.” <—— But who among us can say THAT? It happens to everyone, just in varying degrees, I think. My Vampire Food is definitely sweet stuff — chocolate, usually, and I always regret overdoing it. It sounds cliche, but my cravings and ability to keep control are totally related to hormones!
Lisa says
Jessica. it’s really true.. very few women don’t struggle on some point on the continuum..And for lots of reasons.. hormones make us more vulnerable and like other events sometimes allow us to soften our sometimes rigid food-rules. Everyone is different and that’s where I come in (!!) because food and eating and body issues are so complex..
love to you.. Lisa
Bri Saussy says
Me too! I am a sugar-a-holic! I don’t keep it in the house because if I do I will eat it, its that simple. So I guess I have it chained up in a coffin. The interesting thing is that I always feel a little edgy when I am first coming off sugar-I completely think of it as a poison in both the positive & negative sense of that word-but then I feel really clean and clear about a week later!
Lisa says
Bri..laughing at the continuation of the vampire theme.. Many women respond to “sugar” that way but I’d be interested to know what you define as sugar.. Is it things like baked goods or ice cream or is it candy? If it’s candy then that’s more what I think of as “sugar” .. the other things I think have other Vampire-y things that people are super sensitive to like gluten and dairy.. two of the biggest food groups that people crave, and are sensitive to and binge on..
And…. because you are so highly intuitive your body (and mine) can often be more sensitive to chemicals, food, environmental things, although not always so discernment is wise.. for everyone.. but you may take the hit as in the edginess you mentioned. I definitely believe there is withdrawal from the things that we have those kinds of attachments/addictions to.. The Vampire Foods.. thanks for weighing in.. love to you.. Lisa
Julie Geigle says
Such a perfect term – vampire foods. What an interesting thought. I’ve been working a lot lately with demonic forces and dark energies and I have a feeling that these pesky little things are attached to these vampire foods. Ahhh, those pieces to the puzzle are now all falling into place. Love Marianne Williamson’s new book “A Course in Weight Loss.” She puts God into the food equation to help people control cravings and eat healthier. So amazing what happens when we pause and become mindful of how God is working in our life before we grab that vampire food. ♥
Lisa says
So interesting, Julie.. and not surprised that entity-energy could be part of this…at least in our attachments to the things that keep us reaching for the things that disempower us and keep us drained, weakened, demoralized. I also put God and our connection to the Divine, and our own divinity into the equation.. I don’t believe we can make these changes on our own and in many ways aren’t meant to. Our culture can be so toxic and we can gain lots of comfort, strength and guidance from letting ourselves find reverence for the things that will help us come back to center.
Love and blessings.. Lisa
Michelle says
I’m thirding the sweets! I avoid gluten because it makes me feel like SHIT, but it’s easy to avoid most of the time for that reason – unless you tempt me with a cupcake or fluffy piece of cake or an eclair…then yikes. I’m pretty good at avoiding excess sugar/sweets most of the time, but when I get emotionally triggered, my first instinct is to eat myself to the bottom of an ice cream carton (did I mention that I think I’m lactose intolerant?). So – yes – I definitely know what you mean when you say “vampire foods”!
Lisa says
Hey Michelle.. the gluten just gets worse and worse for me.. was recently at the most gorgeous retreat with the most gorgeous food and thankfully was so fully off of it that it didn’t call me.. but hear you.. if you are lactose intolerant it isn’t surprising that you feel the pull towards the ice cream.. and that gluten makes you feel so awful. we have similar chemistries.. and making peace with it isn’t easy until it is. There are ways of soothing your nervous system so that when you are triggered you can avoid this.. email me and we can talk if you want. Much love, Lisa
amy zellmer says
But I like my vampire foods!!! LOL. Ugh, this was a great post, needed to read this right now! Thanks!!!
Lisa says
Amy.. we all like them, that’s kind of the point.. if we didn’t there’d be no struggle and we’d never go near them and never suffer! Nobody really wants to give up their “drug”..believe me I get it! love to you, Lisa
Sammi Johnson says
Guilty as charged! I am sometimes out of control when it comes to sweets. The funny thing is you called it “vampire foods” but it still sound delicious to me. xoxo
Lisa says
Sammi.. no guilt necessary..everyone here relates, as do I.. but I love the perspective via the name because it speaks to the drain.. the loss of lifeforce in a certain way. And “vampire foods” sounds delicious how? To me there’s such a connection to Halloween that that’s part of the association.. halloween candy? love you.. Lisa