by ☆ ƒåitĥ ☆
Member since:
August 8, 2006

Chew & Spit

April 22, 2008 03:40 AM EDT
views: 636 | comments: 36

I'm watching a re-run of 'Intervention' right now and this one is about Anorexia and Bulimia. I learned about a new symptom of these disorders tonight and it's called 'Chew & Spit'. Have any of you heard of this before?

I watched in amazement while this girl mixed up cake batter from a box with some oil and proceeded to dip pudding covered Oreos in the cake batter, then chew it all up, without swallowing it, then spit it all out into a cup! She then opened up a can of Chef Boyardee raviolies and did the same thing with those... methodically chewing them up, not swallowing and then spitting them all out into a cup.

She did this all in secret, in the dark, in front of her computer while her boyfriend was sleeping. I can't even imagine someone being able to have that much control over their own natural impulses to NOT SWALLOW the food!

I have to admit that when my husband came home I told him about it and while munching on a Pop Tart, I tried it myself. I didn't try to spit anything out, but I did chew it up and try NOT to swallow and there's no way I could ever do this. I don't have these disorders, so don't get all worried about me... I just wanted to see if it was even possible to automatically do this. It's obviously something that takes a lot of practice.

Have you ever heard about this symptom of anorexia and/or bulimia? Can you imagine chewing up food and not swallowing it?

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Comments: 36

Kamran Qureshi Apr 22, 2008, 3:55am EDT
Princess Diana had the same eating disorder as well i.e. Bulimia. It's a tragedy. I can't imagine chewing something and then spitting it.
April H. Apr 22, 2008, 3:57am EDT
I was watching that tonight too. And it intruigued me so I went searching on the internet and eveidently it is quite common. This is a blog that talks about it, they even allude that it was made popular by Elton John.
http://msmisanthropist.blogspot.com/2005/09/chew-n-spit.html
☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ Apr 22, 2008, 3:59am EDT
April - that is amazing that not only were you watching it, but that it intrigued you so much (like me) to search it out on the internet! I'm just blown away by this and feel so, so bad for anyone who has to suffer with this disorder. I've heard that eating disorders are the hardest ones to break, even worse that heroine, crack, meth... you name it.
☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ Apr 22, 2008, 4:00am EDT
April - By the way - thank you for the link to that blog... I will definitely check it out.

Kamran - Did she really? Wow, I had no idea... that is just so sad.
April H. Apr 22, 2008, 4:02am EDT
YEs, I felt so sad for her. When she fell down after dancing I could not believe that she did not stop. I was also saddenedto se that her girlfriend made it through the treatment but that she relapsed and it did not work out with her and her boyfriend.
Wanda H. Apr 22, 2008, 4:03am EDT
I can't believe it, what an awful thing to do and how much shame they must carry around with it. That is something that you just can't tell people is it? Poor sad things. they feel so powerless in their lives and food is the only thing they can control.
KaraokeMan P. Apr 22, 2008, 4:32am EDT
I really don't get it. Why can't people just be happy like God made them? I am over weight, but I still swallow my food buddy. I want to lose weight, and I am excersing on a total gym, and eatting less. However if I am to be this size until I die, the so be it. Some women love the double xl.
Kamran Qureshi Apr 22, 2008, 4:58am EDT
Yeah she did and it is pretty sad. Afterwards this bulimia eating disorder became quite a celebrity's eating disorder with lot's of funds, research, coverage etc. Before that it was hardly known.
Susan S. Apr 22, 2008, 5:32am EDT
i love intervention, i saw that one before and never knew people did the chew and spit, interventions would be more successful if they were faith based, addicts are lacking a reason to live and God is that reason
Susan S. Apr 22, 2008, 5:32am EDT
i am a recovering addict, no rehab for me, God delivered me
Jennifer N. Apr 22, 2008, 6:15am EDT
I've never heard of that but it does seem really odd.
Beth - Doing God's work Daily J. Apr 22, 2008, 7:18am EDT
Thanks for sharing an wonderful article
Harrel (Len) Phillips Apr 22, 2008, 7:23am EDT
Bless your pea-pickin heart Susan. I am pulling and praying for you. God will deliver you

Good article. I guess I just don't understand why people allow themselves to get caught up with these kinds of problems. I can understand alcohol and drug addictions because I have been there (but no more, thank God) but why chew and spit. What does that do for you? Does having the food in your mouth trigger the stomach or the brain to believe that you have eaten something? If the purpose is to lose weight, why not just not eat? I don't know, I think it's just crazy.
I had not heard of that, wow, I don't think I could do that at all!
DJ B. Apr 22, 2008, 8:29am EDT
Many years ago--probably in the early 80's or so--I read somewhere that a certain country singer (a female, who is still very much alive, so I'm naming no names here), used to do that very thing with her assistant while on the road doing concerts. Seems they sat around at night chewing and spitting into Dixie Cups. Now you must remember that this was before such things were even called "disorders". A the time, it was treated as if it were a smart way to enjoy the flavor of food without having it end up on your behind. :o\
Melanie S. Apr 22, 2008, 10:24am EDT
You know, I've never heard of this before, but it's not surprising, in fact it makes a lot of sense.

Chewing food and then spitting is probably a lot easier than binging/purging.

Thanks for the link above, I'm fascinated also.
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Apr 22, 2008, 10:45am EDT
This is beyond sad. Make sure that your children are content with their bodies.

Self-esteem is wrapped up in all addictions.

Take it from an addict in recovery.
Rose S. Apr 22, 2008, 11:00am EDT
Wow...this is all new to me. How strange and how sad.
Bill D. Apr 22, 2008, 11:04am EDT
Definitely sad, and hopefully that person can be helped psychologically
Elaine A. Apr 22, 2008, 11:55am EDT
I have heard of this. Very sad..

People think you must be thin to be beautiful
Carla *I have new fans yay me!* Apr 22, 2008, 12:28pm EDT
I love food to much to waste it. lol
Larry H. Apr 22, 2008, 1:39pm EDT
thanks for sharing
Tiffany G. Apr 22, 2008, 2:24pm EDT
I could not do that either..
Dena A. Apr 22, 2008, 2:28pm EDT
Seems like such a waste! I could not do it if i tried!
CyberGwen ! Apr 22, 2008, 4:28pm EDT
I know it well.
Jill~Sexy Back~ V. Apr 22, 2008, 6:14pm EDT
I love food way too much to ever try this!
YUCK! I had not heard of this.
How crazy.
Sarah (I want points) Apr 23, 2008, 1:48pm EDT
My sister had one of these disorders... I can imagine that..
Bijou *~MotherGrizzly~* M. Apr 23, 2008, 2:32pm EDT
I learned of this when I watched the documentary "Thin" on HBO--one of the younger anorexic girls said that she would chew and spit with her mother.

For some reason, watching "Thin" always made me crave Cheez-Its
Denise E. Apr 24, 2008, 3:41pm EDT
Amazing
Suze P. Apr 25, 2008, 1:02pm EDT
I've heard of this before.. there was a guy on Sex And the City who did that. The girls all went to LA for Carrie's book when they wanted to option it for a movie, and Miranda went to meet up with a friend of hers who used to be heavy, and he was thin.. then she found out why.. he was chewing and spitting his food. So sad.. and what a waste of good food. I guess if you have to choose between binging and purging or chew and spit, the chew and spit is a lot easier on your body..but it would be nice if people didn't ever feel the need to do any of these things and just accpeted themselves for who they are.
**AngelEyez** a. Apr 25, 2008, 3:35pm EDT
wow crazy,it seems everyday they are thinking up different ways to crave thier tummys and be able to not swallow the food and lose weight,
David Smith Apr 27, 2008, 8:40am EDT
That's just down-right disturbing. I don't know how anyone can exist that way. I suppose nobody can imagine unless they suffer from it.
Shawnee G. May 2, 2008, 11:30pm EDT
I have had problems with eating before... won't go into how terribly misunderstood it is by people who do not suffer it... but I will say that after my first and second child, I was back to 90 lbs in just a couple months.
I have never heard of this symptom or action before. When I did not eat, I just did not eat. Sometimes for a few days at a time, then I would chow down a candy bar or something and feel miserable about it for a couple of days.

I have thought about writing about my food issues and posting before and after pics, but always came to the conclusion that it was just too personal and shameful to "put out there".

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