Podcast - Ep. 53 - Overcoming binge eating and using food as a coping mechanism - Davina Lytle

When you bring up the subject of food issues, and things like weight control and binge eating, it strikes a very personal chord for many people. It's a touchy subject, and one that often times comes with a great deal of self-shame.  According to statistics, it's estimated that up to 30 million people in the US alone suffer with some type of eating disorder. * To say that you are not alone if you struggle with food in any way, is an understatement, but it's important to understand that for those who have or current do live with any type of food issue, often times they absolutely feel alone. This has been a personal struggle for me, and a really a life long battle that has more ups and downs than you shake a stick at. So when I was approached by my friend, and returning podcast guest, Davina Lytle, about discussing this subject on the show, I had some unsettling feelings. Not because I didn't want to talk about it, but because I wanted to make very sure that we covered it in a way that was validating, encouraging, and supportive for everyone who listens. Davina writes for her blog, on DavinaLytle.com, and shares how "I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) just over 12 years ago, but I’ve had it most of my life.  I don’t function like most other people, but I believe I function quite well for someone with PTSD. I try to look at things positively and I try to avoid things that are negative; especially people, because I take a lot of things to heart." As we get started on the podcast, Davina talks about when her struggles with binge eating began, and how it started about the same that her parents had split up and abuse in the home began to escalate. She talks about "eating her words", and you'll learn how by doing so it became a substitute for reaching out and asking for help. We talk about the struggles that both of us endured, since our stories are similar in some ways, of using food as a coping mechanism and a comfort. How sitting around and d