Fussy eater who was hooked on marmite cured by hypnosis

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Marmite addict Michael Pryce-Jones saw his weight hit 18 stone before he saw a hypnotist and changed his diet. -Credit:No credit


A father with a 35-years-long love affair with Marmite, consuming it every day and going through a 500g jar weekly, has found himself enjoying previously detested foods all thanks to hypnosis.

37 year old Michael Pryce-Jones estimates over his lifetime he has eaten upwards of 12,775 Marmite sandwiches; just about one per day since his initial encounter as an infant. The RAC worker couldn't stomach fruits or vegetables, often gagging at their proximity.

As an adult, Michael continued his infatuation with yeasty sandwiches, but combined with his preference for takeaways, chips and chocolate biscuits started to see his weight escalate.

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When his weight soared past 18 stones last year, the father of two decided enough is enough and sought to reform his restrictive dietary habits, incorporating more leafy greens. This led to him reaching out to David Kilmurry, a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist and being diagnosed with ARFID - avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder.

Post several sessions of hypnotic therapy, Michael now finds himself relishing fruits, vegetables and even a healthy chicken casserole. Reflecting on his journey, the Malvern resident said: "I was about two when my food obsessions started."

He went on, "I was eating everything fine, apples and fruit and anything else two year olds eat. Then one day I started spitting everything out."

"My mum went to various doctors and did tests because not much was known about food issues for children back then. I ended up being classed as a fussy eater and my mum was told it was a phase which I'd grow out of."

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Michael Pryce-Jones, 37, ate a Marmite sandwich every day -Credit:SWNS

He shared how his mother tried to help him get nutrients, but his diet was limited to Marmite sandwiches and occasionally a blended roast dinner.

"Mum would make me Marmite on toast for breakfast and then I'd have a Marmite sandwich or toast for lunch. If I refused to eat dinner I'd have it again."

Despite the monotony, he never found it unhealthy, although he admitted, "It's not unhealthy but I wasn't really eating anything else apart from that." His dedication to Marmite is unwavering: "I've had a Marmite sandwich every day for 35 years, without fail. It's like a religion and it would feel wrong to have a different filling."

He has never grown tired of the taste, saying, "People ask if I don't get bored but I never have done. I just love the taste of it."

However, weight gain prompted him to expand his diet, leading him to seek help: "When I put on all the weight I knew it was important for me to try fruit and vegetables too though which is why I got help." After undergoing hypnotherapy with David, he experienced a breakthrough: "Since the sessions with David, I can now eat a yoghurt with bits in and my wife makes batch meals of chicken casseroles."

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Hypnotist David Kilmurry who helped Michael Pryce-Jones, 37, from Malvern, Worcestershire, who has been hooked on Marmite for years. -Credit:SWNS

He credits the therapy for his progress: "He gave me the lessons I needed to progress. I still have Marmite everyday but I am now open to other foods which is important."

The turning point came with a simple dried fruit: "He gave me some dried apricot and that was the only thing I thought I would try again. For me it's all about the textures. I wasn't getting any fruit intake before. I could then drink a smoothie and I can drink them now."

Hypnotherapist David, who runs clinics in Coventry and in London's Harley Street, said: "Michael came in with quite an extreme phobia to the taste of food and was living on a very low grade fuel intake."

"During the session, we used hypnosis and Michael was immediately able to eat and drink some new healthy foods which he has carried on with and are now normal to him. Also we motivated him to pick up weights and build his health up."

"We worked on Michael's safe foods which included Marmite sandwiches. The sessions were about retraining Michael's brain to accept and try new foods like fruit and vegetables."

"I'd then see if he could try foods in a fun way. I'm delighted with the progress Michael has made and he can enjoy a much more healthy diet and lifestyle."

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