April's CR Diary

Sweetie, I wish I could.
However, there are all sorts of reasons why I should not be the one to write this.

First, I am *not* a prominent member of the CR community. I've been at this for less than a year. I'm not even an official member of the CR Society. Most CRONies have no idea who I am.

Second, I know a good deal about CRON but I am *not* an expert. I could and should do more research on the science behind it to present it fully. And I will, one day. But right now, I have my hands full with two little ones and a job hunt that is just about to swing into high gear (I have informational interviews, symposia and various networking activities starting this week. Finding a job is a full-time job.) I had some free time last week to write all those posts (well, really I should have been busy applying for jobs) but that won't continue.

Third, I'm not sure it's necessary. This Mara person is relentlessly negative and, really, she's the only one who seems to feel the need to continually attack CRON. Isn't it interesting that the person who wrote the original post hasn't said a word since he first brought up the topic? I'm guessing he wishes he hadn't written it in the first place.

Fourth, I've already done it. In my posts to Mara, I explained the science as fully as I want to. I could, of course, go into greater detail but that would be a bit much. Mara clearly has no wish to be educated on the subject. Any reasonable, rational person (i.e. not Mara) who wants to learn about CRON can read my posts, look at Walford's books and make up his or her own mind.

Fifth, regardless of who writes it, Mara will, no doubt, sink her viscious little teeth right into it. I've already done enough verbal jousting with her. She's clearly the sort of person who has way too much time on her hands and a pathological need to get in the last word. If *I* post something, it will merely be an extension of the endless back-and-forth we've already had. I'm done dealing with her.

I think the best thing to do would be to ask a scientist involved with CR research to write something. Ideally, it would be someone who actually *doesn't* practice CRON but would be willing to present the science in a balanced way.

I think it might be interesting to get someone from the field of psychology to address the subject of eating disorder and how they are and are NOT related to CRON.

The CRON science has been thoroughly debated in the thread with Robin doing a knockout job and Mara revealing herself and her biases and motivations in a hundred little ways.

But what lingers here are the unsubstantiated claims of mental illness on the part of rigorous CRON practitioners. And that is not a problem that is going to be ameliorated by even more discussions of the science.

CRON itself is not the issue here; the issue is the psychology of CRON practitioners and how to view their "deviance" from norms that most people simply accept uncritically.

Many times in the thread, Robin (correctly) points out that mental health experts would not so casually toss around diagnoses of mental illness based on the "symptoms" that April and Michael present. And I feel THAT is the argument that must be addressed.

It seems to me that this writer has "diagnosed" an eating disorder from one article in the New York Times. An article that, while informative and entertaining, did not give a complete picture of CRON or of April and MR.

Do I think there are people who would start CRON and turn it into an eating disorder, absolutely. People get addicted to alcohol every day, though most people can drink responsibly. So I would say yes, a small part of the CRON population could get sucked into an eating disorder.

I have found CRON websites and practitioners to be very good sources of nutrition information. Personally I find the CRON ideas of eating for nutrition, tracking what you eat and watching your calories to be of benefit. I don't know that I will go as far as April and MR, and I am not doing this to prolong my life. I am doing this to improve the quality of my life today.

It's odd. The Rudd Website is devoted to the study of obesity and how to help those suffering. Adopting the basic CHRON principles of tracking your food and eating for nutrition would improve the health of every person out there. Why not just say this is a really good idea, but there are a few people who could go too far?

And to single out two people by name and attach the label eating disorder is not only rude, it is damaging.

I read your blog April because I find it interesting and informative. I have Muscular Dystrophy, and like most of those who get a chronic disease like this I have gained weight, rapidly. I turned to the medical field for help, big mistake. The answer I received was to go on a strict diet eating small amounts of food you would call gak. It didn't work. Now I eat for health, bulk wise I eat more then ever. I learned I needed much more protein then I was getting. I have a much better idea of what my body needs because I have tracked what I eat and how I feel.

My weight has dropped, after my doctor warned me that people with my disease never lose weight. I have been able to stop taking so much medication. My quality of life has improved.

For me CRON is working to improve my life today.

If eating what ever you wanted and how ever much you wanted was a good idea we would not have an obesity problem. We live in a society that advertises food as fun, as a reward, as an antidote to loneliness and sadness instead of what it should be, nutrition.

Which way of thinking is more disordered? The one that says food is nutrition, eat to keep your body healthy and don't over eat? Or the one that says food is fun, it's a game, eat to heal your broken heart or just because you're bored. And eat lots.

The second sounds like a food plan written by the food processors. Maybe this is why some of the people at Rudd can not figure out why people are fat.