In August 2017, I came across an infographic by Eric Edmeades about the different ways hunger can present itself. Edmeades listed and described 6 hungers.
Because I strive to make nutrition easy for my clients, I wrote a response article, criticizing Edmeades’ notion of the 6 hungers and addressing each one.
My article went relatively unnoticed until recently, on 3/30/18, in fact, when Mr. Edmeades posted a response to me online.
I felt as if the answer had been written in a bit of anger, and replied that I hadn’t tried to take down his work, but rather to address some points of confusion and perhaps stir up a bit of controversy.
In his response to my 2017 article, Mr. Edmeades focused on a strong point of his, regarding a type of hunger. He wrote: “Thirst manifests absolutely as hunger.” He referred to the Bushman culture of southern Africa and cited several times that he had gone hunting with them. They drank no water on the 27-mile journey one day and 17 miles the next, instead stopping to eat. Of course, the food they ate had a high water content, which quenched their thirst.
And I agree with that!
Interestingly, this was a point that my article had never contradicted. He had written: “It makes sense that we search for food when we are thirsty. In the days when people searched for food, and the foods they ate had a high water content, eating was a way to stay hydrated.” There is no plot there.
I also wrote: “But the two states are different. Telling thirst from hunger is a skill that can be learned.” I have spent considerable time helping clients tune into their body’s signals for thirst and hunger, teaching them to distinguish between the two and getting them to drink more water, instead of always reaching for food.
To keep things simple for my clients, I reserve the term “hunger” for hunger for food, rather than using it to refer to thirst or any other urge to eat. (As a side note, contemporary American residents don’t always consume foods high in water content, so interpreting thirst as hunger won’t automatically lead to hydration. But I digress.)
Happily, Mr. Edmeades and I have communicated on these issues through a couple of written posts, and it feels like we’ve moved to a friendlier, more collaborative footing.
What is still confusing about hunger?
The point of ‘genuine hunger’ still leaves some room (and need) for clarification, within the context of the 6 Hungers infographic. When I’m confused, I worry that my clients, who have generally studied nutrition less extensively than I have, are also confused.
My confusion centers on Hunger #1, Nutritional Hunger. Edmeades calls this the “only genuine hunger.”
Apparently, this genuine hunger occurs when the body needs specific nutrients. In fact, that seems like a genuinely valid reason to eat.
However, in the infographic, Edmeades never describes how to identify this hunger. How can I help my clients, who may have difficulty identifying feelings of hunger, distinguish it from thirst, appetite, an emotional need to eat, or a craving when they are all called “hunger”?
With the 6 Hungers approach, they will now also need to distinguish Nutritional Hunger from hunger on an empty stomach and hunger with low glucose.
Additionally, Edmeades cautions that nutritional hunger isn’t always communicated honestly. He does not explain, however, how honest and dishonest sensations differ from nutritional hunger. I’m afraid this will make things even more confusing for my clients and I would definitely like to learn how to clearly and accurately communicate this to clients.
My primary goal of counseling and consulting is to help clients respond to food and eat naturally and logically, so they can make informed decisions about when to eat.
I’d love to hear from Eric Edmeades about specific ways I can help my clients do that, particularly those who have been away from a natural response to food for many years.
Can the 6 Hungers concept help my clients, rather than confuse them?
Once I learn that yes, I will be able to fully embrace the 6 Hungers. In the meantime, I feel the need to avoid customer confusion by using the word “hunger” to solely describe the physical feeling of hunger, rather than anything else that might prompt them to eat.
Mr. Edmeades, any suggestions or clarification?