Food Quirks

As I’m adjusting to my new paleo eating style, I can’t help being aware of several other issues I have regarding food. My issues are related to more than a history of overindulgence. I have anger issues when it comes to food. The smell of food that I can’t stand makes my blood boil, and if I can hear someone eating or drinking, it really sends me off a ledge. These problems are irrational in nature, but that doesn’t make them any less real.

Let’s look at the smell factor first… If I can smell someone cooking anything that is unappetizing to me, I get tense. And believe me, this can be problematic in relationships. I’m aware that not everyone has a taste palette identical to mine, but somehow I feel that they should, or they should at least refrain from cooking/eating those foods which I find offensive. Then there’s the smell of someone’s breath after eating foods I abhor. Sorry, but if you eat onions, you better not breathe in my face, let alone try to kiss me. The smell of onions trumps any ounce of love I have for someone in that moment; however I have yet to be in a romantic relationship with someone else who doesn’t love them. Karma? Who knows.

But food smells aren’t the worst of my problems. The sounds are the most problematic. All of my life I’ve had problems with hearing other people eat or drink. The sound of chewing, crunching, slurping, gulping… I can barely type those words without having a reaction. It has been a problem since childhood (according to my mother, whom I used to condemn for her noises). It seems to have gotten worse as I’ve aged. I’ve managed to get through most of my adult life eating with others in a crowded restaurant or with a distraction in the background (music or tv). Quiet candlelight dinners are not an option with me. A couple of years ago, I found out that there is an actual disorder called misophonia, which describes my problem perfectly. It isn’t just me being super bitchy or irritable; it’s an actual neurological issue that sends me (and others, as it turns out) into a state of rage. But that doesn’t make it any easier for those around me.

So, it seems that many of the things that I either truly enjoy or truly loathe revolve around food. Definitely something for me to ponder as my eating habits change. These things also make me a more difficult person to be around. So, I guess I’m sorry for that.