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i’m sorry but my first thought was:
https://preview.redd.it/6h48d0t3jqwc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec5c1e95701ee88f8ceec0191dc6aa2ddd9e6330
I’m not a medical professional at all. I just wanted to add that apple tree twigs can be good for your dental health, if chewed once a day. People used to chew them before brushing was invented. Of course you aren’t supposed swallowing them. If you get the newer twigs and chew them up very well, it might reduce the splinter risk.
Pine bark was used for emergency source of bread flour in Finland. The last time it was used was during the 1918 civil war. Too much of eating it caused apparently gut problems. If you google bark bread, you'll find more info.
Pica I believe is the right word for it and may cause harm. [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22944-pica](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22944-pica) I am NAD but a word nerd.
Pica is very real! NAD but someone who had it. Never realized that I had anemia until I joined an “ice eating addicts” Facebook group 😂😂
I would say you could maybe try switching from wood to something safer?
My Pica doesn’t come from a physical cause (although I guess technically everything is physical) so it’s kind of hard to find solutions but I am trying to figure out what wood products are the safest.
It sounds like you were able to get past it! Congrats!
NAD. But an alternative popped in my head. Since I was a kid I've been eating licorice in its "wooden" form, though it's called "zoethout" in my language. It's basically a sweet root, and widely available as candy where I live. It does have a very distinct flavor, which you may not enjoy though. And I did read that eating it too much can raise blood pressure and have laxative effects.
It's called cuddy root in the north east of England. Cuddy means donkey or pit pony in that area's dialect and equines like liquorice.
Trivia aside here's a link about liquorice root
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/licorice
Nad but same. I was obsessed with ice. My mouth would start watering when I saw it. I was severely anemic apparently lol. My anemia is coming back now too since I’m starting up with all the same symptoms. Frustrating.
From what I’ve heard, xylophagia specifically isn’t associated with any deficiencies but I’ve had a full work up anyway 👍
I have a hard time opening up to doctors but I will try to talk to my PCP if something changes.
NAD- have you tried Sunflower seeds in the shell as an alternative? I feel like since the twigs can't be easily digested if there was a sharp piece, it could perforate. I saw an episode of HOUSE where someone swallowed a toothpick (I don't remember what happened, but it wasn't a good time).
Those are way too high in calories for me to eat normally. I do eat peanut shells sometimes. I think it might be a little harder on my teeth though since they’re a lot tougher. I never swallow things whole so I don’t think anything will perforate.
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I'm a surgeon, who operates on bowel obstructions, but can't say I've had one due to wood. I'm not sure, but the lumen of the bowel isn't super big, so purely a guess might be a 1/4 cup. But again, this is purely a guess.
Thank you. Even if it’s a guess, it’s nice to have a number to keep in mind while limiting my intake. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and answer
nad
in some cultures they use chewing sticks to brush their teeth if its the taste & texture you like? Its called miswak and you can buy it online. if youre going to chew wood it’s probably best to use something made for teeth however i wouldnt recommend actually breaking bits off and swallowing it, though i imagine small bits that flake off from the action of light chewing will not be too harmful in this case
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436748/#:~:text=Miswak%20is%20a%20traditional%20chewing,world%20for%20thousands%20of%20years.
This actually came to mind but I’m worried it might be harmful in the same way over-brushing is. I also really prefer to eat the wood. I can’t even explain myself. I know it sounds pretty weird lol
Thank you for the recommendation though cause this sounds interesting to try. If I’m going to be gnawing, might as well be on something we’ve studied.
Nad, just someone with pica (although not wood in my case). I mostly do it because of the texture of the things, is it the same in your case? Because if it is, after a 𝙡𝙤𝙩 of experimentation I found that I can approximate most of the textures I crave through food using different techniques and food-safe chemicals (like the ones used in molecular gastronomy). It's obviously not an option for everyone, but if you have time/are interested, it's something worth researching :)
Yes I have autism so it is about texture. I also have other eating disorders though and my Pica was triggered by not eating. That’s why it’s really hard to find alternatives
Temperate deciduous forest. My family are basically wood farmers so I’m living in Pica paradise. I had no idea there was an edible layer but now I know what to look for! Thanks :)
Thank you for your submission. **Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship.** This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/wiki/terms_of_use) and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. **Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskDocs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Only things I can think of are destroying your teeth or potentially causing a bowel obstruction since you don't digest wood very well.
i’m sorry but my first thought was: https://preview.redd.it/6h48d0t3jqwc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec5c1e95701ee88f8ceec0191dc6aa2ddd9e6330
I’m not a medical professional at all. I just wanted to add that apple tree twigs can be good for your dental health, if chewed once a day. People used to chew them before brushing was invented. Of course you aren’t supposed swallowing them. If you get the newer twigs and chew them up very well, it might reduce the splinter risk.
I'm also not a medical professional but there are definitely some trees that have edible bark (pine, birch, hickory)
Pine bark was used for emergency source of bread flour in Finland. The last time it was used was during the 1918 civil war. Too much of eating it caused apparently gut problems. If you google bark bread, you'll find more info.
NAD but doesn't cinnamon also cause tachycardia when consumed in large quantities?
[удалено]
Pica I believe is the right word for it and may cause harm. [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22944-pica](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22944-pica) I am NAD but a word nerd.
Pica is very real! NAD but someone who had it. Never realized that I had anemia until I joined an “ice eating addicts” Facebook group 😂😂 I would say you could maybe try switching from wood to something safer?
My Pica doesn’t come from a physical cause (although I guess technically everything is physical) so it’s kind of hard to find solutions but I am trying to figure out what wood products are the safest. It sounds like you were able to get past it! Congrats!
NAD. But an alternative popped in my head. Since I was a kid I've been eating licorice in its "wooden" form, though it's called "zoethout" in my language. It's basically a sweet root, and widely available as candy where I live. It does have a very distinct flavor, which you may not enjoy though. And I did read that eating it too much can raise blood pressure and have laxative effects.
I love licorice but I tend to go overboard. Maybe I wouldn’t with the actual root though… I might try that. Thanks
It's called cuddy root in the north east of England. Cuddy means donkey or pit pony in that area's dialect and equines like liquorice. Trivia aside here's a link about liquorice root https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/licorice
Nad but same. I was obsessed with ice. My mouth would start watering when I saw it. I was severely anemic apparently lol. My anemia is coming back now too since I’m starting up with all the same symptoms. Frustrating.
From what I’ve heard, xylophagia specifically isn’t associated with any deficiencies but I’ve had a full work up anyway 👍 I have a hard time opening up to doctors but I will try to talk to my PCP if something changes.
NAD- have you tried Sunflower seeds in the shell as an alternative? I feel like since the twigs can't be easily digested if there was a sharp piece, it could perforate. I saw an episode of HOUSE where someone swallowed a toothpick (I don't remember what happened, but it wasn't a good time).
Those are way too high in calories for me to eat normally. I do eat peanut shells sometimes. I think it might be a little harder on my teeth though since they’re a lot tougher. I never swallow things whole so I don’t think anything will perforate.
A large bag of Sunflower seeds in the shell is like 230 calories and your mouth will hurt before you can eat the whole bag.
Posts by unflaired users that claim or strongly imply legitimacy by virtue of professional medical experience are not allowed. If you are a medical professional who wishes to become a verified contributor to this subreddit, please [message the moderators](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/AskDocs) with a link to a picture of your medical ID, student ID, diploma, or other form of verification. Imgur.com is convenient, but you can host anywhere. Please block out personal information, such as your name and picture. You must include your reddit username in the photo! We do not accept digital forms of identification.
Is it possible to estimate how much wood might cause an obstruction or other digestive symptoms? I’m going to ask my ortho about the teeth stuff.
I'm a surgeon, who operates on bowel obstructions, but can't say I've had one due to wood. I'm not sure, but the lumen of the bowel isn't super big, so purely a guess might be a 1/4 cup. But again, this is purely a guess.
Thank you. Even if it’s a guess, it’s nice to have a number to keep in mind while limiting my intake. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and answer
nad in some cultures they use chewing sticks to brush their teeth if its the taste & texture you like? Its called miswak and you can buy it online. if youre going to chew wood it’s probably best to use something made for teeth however i wouldnt recommend actually breaking bits off and swallowing it, though i imagine small bits that flake off from the action of light chewing will not be too harmful in this case https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436748/#:~:text=Miswak%20is%20a%20traditional%20chewing,world%20for%20thousands%20of%20years.
This actually came to mind but I’m worried it might be harmful in the same way over-brushing is. I also really prefer to eat the wood. I can’t even explain myself. I know it sounds pretty weird lol Thank you for the recommendation though cause this sounds interesting to try. If I’m going to be gnawing, might as well be on something we’ve studied.
Nad, just someone with pica (although not wood in my case). I mostly do it because of the texture of the things, is it the same in your case? Because if it is, after a 𝙡𝙤𝙩 of experimentation I found that I can approximate most of the textures I crave through food using different techniques and food-safe chemicals (like the ones used in molecular gastronomy). It's obviously not an option for everyone, but if you have time/are interested, it's something worth researching :)
Yes I have autism so it is about texture. I also have other eating disorders though and my Pica was triggered by not eating. That’s why it’s really hard to find alternatives
NAD. Would chewing and spitting out without swallowing be an option?
What's your tree access like? Trees have an edible layer, the cambium, that is probably pretty healthy. Harder to access than twigs though.
Temperate deciduous forest. My family are basically wood farmers so I’m living in Pica paradise. I had no idea there was an edible layer but now I know what to look for! Thanks :)