I have lived in various spots in the United States, having been born in New York and raised in Texas (and later residing in Alabama and Florida). Houston – the oft-named "fattest city in America", also has, arguably, the greatest food in America. There you can find anything from thick steaks, tender, delicious barbecue, Tex-Mex, and so much more. Nevertheless, I was still raised on a healthy, freshly-prepared food diet by my mother – whether I ate enough was another issue.
Two memories stick out from visiting France as a child: climbing halfway up the Eiffel Tower before succumbing to my fear of heights, and indulging in a crepe my father purchased. My memory is limited, but when I took a bite of that apricot jam-filled treat, I enjoyed it so much that I insisted on getting another (at which point my father handed me a handful of Francs and instructed me on what to say to the vendor. There was anxiety – what if the vendor said something else to me in French? Surely I would not be able to comprehend. Luckily that fear was relieved; I had my crepe and I was satisfied.)
Typically, though, I have maintained a smaller appetite than my peers, usually only going after a second helping if I made the request – which was rare. Food restrictions from Crohn’s disease further prevented my ability to enjoy eating. Many foods ingested – including just about any dairy product – would cause almost immediate, intense pain. The easiest way to manage the discomfort was, at times, to simply avoid eating. I was in a battle against food, and it was easier to not push myself to eat more than tolerable. I became used to this.
Two memories stick out from visiting France as a child: climbing halfway up the Eiffel Tower before succumbing to my fear of heights, and indulging in a crepe my father purchased. My memory is limited, but when I took a bite of that apricot jam-filled treat, I enjoyed it so much that I insisted on getting another (at which point my father handed me a handful of Francs and instructed me on what to say to the vendor. There was anxiety – what if the vendor said something else to me in French? Surely I would not be able to comprehend. Luckily that fear was relieved; I had my crepe and I was satisfied.)
Typically, though, I have maintained a smaller appetite than my peers, usually only going after a second helping if I made the request – which was rare. Food restrictions from Crohn’s disease further prevented my ability to enjoy eating. Many foods ingested – including just about any dairy product – would cause almost immediate, intense pain. The easiest way to manage the discomfort was, at times, to simply avoid eating. I was in a battle against food, and it was easier to not push myself to eat more than tolerable. I became used to this.