I Have a New Condition

(Charles' shoe was not injured in anyway during the filming of this project!)

Recently (by recently I mean the past 6 months) I have thoroughly enjoyed chewing on pieces of crushed ice. I especially enjoy it after the ice has been sitting in a glass of water for about 10 minutes. It has a perfect chewing texture at this point . . . not tough ice that may break a tooth, not almost-melted ice that instantly melts on your tongue . . . but . . . basically, a perfectly cold, but chewable piece of ice. Make sense?!

My family has questioned my ice chewing recently.

"Why are you always chewing on ice, Mom?"

"That's going to break your teeth, Mom!"

"Is there a reason you are crunching ice cubes again, Mom?!"

I tried to explain to my children that I'm sure the ice chewing ties into the iron deficiency that I was diagnosed with. I was anemic for a total of 2 days before the doctor decided I was no longer anemic. Confusing, huh?! Well the kids know that I was only diagnosed as being anemic for 2 days, so they thought that explanation for my ice chewing was just plain silly. I thought about calling the doctor about my ice-chewing problem so that I could have a more educated explanation for my kidlets, but decided my doctor may think I'm already wackier than he already does. Instead I put on my sleuthing hat and decided to Google "ice chewing" instead. This is what I found out.

The practice of chewing on ice is known as PAGOPHAGIA and is considered to be a form of pica, a term used to describe the practice of munching on non-food items. People affected by pica not only chew on ice, but may also chew on clay, rocks, and other items not meant for the digestive tract.

(THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME CHEWING ON CLUMPS OF DIRT FROM MY BACKYARD YOU'LL KNOW WHY!)

The practice of pagophagia has been associated with nutritional deficiencies, most notably iron deficiency anemia.

(SEE KIDS! I KNEW I WAS RIGHT!)

In some cases pagophagia and the desire to chew on ice can be associated with stress and underlying emotional problems. Chewing on ice becomes a way to deal with issues that can't be dealt with in a healthy and more productive manner.

(UH! OH! I DON'T THINK I'D BETTER TELL THE CHILDREN THIS PART! IT LOOKS LIKE I BETTER CALL MY THERAPIST FRIEND FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT . . . I WONDER IF SHE'S EVER DEALT WITH AN "ICE CHEWER" BEFORE?!)

If any of you have a more effective way (than ice chewing) to deal with stress and underlying emotional problems, please let me know ASAP. You never know what this PAGOPHAGIA may have me chewing on next!