A NURSE has survived on potatoes for the last 20 years due to a rare eating disorder.
Jodie Shaw, 29, has been living on a diet of roast potatoes, mash potatoes, fries and jacket potatoes since she was 10.
This is due to a rare type of eating disorder called avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), which she's had since she was a baby.
The 29-year-old could stomach cheese, bread, crumpets and chips, but her “food phobia” got worse when she turned ten.
Now, Jodie mostly lives on potatoes in different forms and says she “eats to survive”.
People with ARFID tend to avoid eating certain foods or types of food, have restricted intake in terms of overall amount eaten, or both, according to eating disorder charity Beat.
It's not always clear what leads to the disorder, but sufferers may avoid or restrict certain foods as they're very sensitive to their taste, texture, smell, or appearance.
They may also develop feelings of fear of anxiety after having a distressing experience with certain items - like choking, vomiting or stomach pain - or struggle to eat enough because they don't derive joy from food.
Jodie says that because of her "beige" diet she suffers with deficiencies in folate, vitamin D and iron, which leaves her exhausted and struggling to cope with her nursing shifts.
"I've always had a problem with food, ever since I was six-months-old,” Jodie, from Telford, Shropshire, said.
"I have a phobia of food. It's a mental block. I'm faced with it three times a day. I just eat to survive.
"I only eat beige food, which is rubbish.
"It's pretty rare that I eat any veg. I have to force myself to eat fruit or veg.
"I've got high cholesterol because I'm just eating carbs all the time. I get malnourished and I struggle to keep up with day to day life.
"I'm a nurse and doing 12 hour shifts so it's hard. I'm exhausted.
"I'm chronically tired, I get brain fog, mood swings and aches from not getting enough of something."
Jodie, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2022, has had therapy to help her deal with the condition.
She can an occasionally stomach a cheese sandwich or some cereal and takes multivitamins to make up for the nutrients she’s lacking.
Jodie said: “I want the help. I just need access to it.
“I want to enjoy eating food. I have a couple of books I’m using to help with ARFID while fighting for help.”
Jodie is worried about the effects her diet could be having on her heart.
She said: “It could put more strain on my heart.
“It’s bad for my skin, immune system and causes chronic fatigue as well as brain fog.
“I could need hospital treatment if it gets really severe. Some people need feeding tubes.
“It could also affect me having children in the future.”
'Keep fighting'
Jodie says she feels embarrassed when she goes out for dinner as she usually orders two sides of mash and fries.
She also dreads Christmas as she tries to eat a sausage to join in the festivities.
Her friends and partner Dan, 30, are supportive at meal times.
Jodie said: "If I go out for dinner I order fries and mash.
"Going for dinner isn't something I look forward to but my friends will try and find somewhere that's ‘Jodie friendly’.
“They’re understanding and Dan tries to help when I have hard days and food is the last thing on my mind.
"It's embarrassing for people to see one thing on your plate.
"I don't look forward to Christmas dinner.
"I'll have a Richmond sausage on my plate partially because I feel left out and potatoes can get boring.
"I don't have gravy so it's very dry. I have roast potatoes and mash potatoes.”
Jodie is sharing her story to help raise awareness of the condition as it took 20 years for her to get a diagnosis.
Jodie added: "When I was a kid, doctors didn't really understand mental health or my condition.
"They would tell my parents to stick a plate of food in front of me and if I didn't eat it I'd go hungry.
"I think my parents just thought fed is best no matter what it was, as long as I was eating something.
"If anyone else is struggling with ARFID, keep fighting until you get what your body needs."
