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Woman who lived on crisp sandwiches for 23 years has finally eaten a proper meal

Zoe Sadler lived off crisp sandwiches for 23 years. (SWNS)
Zoe Sadler lived off crisp sandwiches for 23 years. (SWNS)

A woman who lived on a diet of cheese and onion crisp sandwiches for 23 years has finally eaten a proper meal – after being hypnotised.

Zoe Sadler, 25, has munched on Walkers crisps in buttered white bread since she was a toddler.

She scoffed two packs of her favourite crisps every day for more than two decades after other foods left her feeling physically sick.

“My mum and dad say I tried other foods as a toddler but I always turned my nose up or refused to put them in my mouth," says Sadler, from Coventry.

“Apparently the only thing mum could get down me were crisps which I used to suck until they were soft.

“I remember being at school when I was little and having crisp sandwiches in my lunch box. They were the only thing I liked to eat.

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Zoe Sadler lived off crisp sandwiches for 23 years. (SWNS)
Zoe Sadler lived off crisp sandwiches for 23 years. (SWNS)

"I usually had a bowl of dry cereal for breakfast and then a crisp sandwich for lunch and another one for dinner. Sometimes I'd try other flavour crisps because the texture wouldn't bother me.

"Christmas was always hard for me because I'd never want very much to eat. I'd be able to have a Yorkshire pudding but never with gravy."

After developing Multiple Sclerosis three years ago, Sadler decided to improve her health and turned to hypnotherapist David Kilmurry for help.

After undergoing two two-hour hypnotherapy sessions, she has been able to enjoy her first taste of fruits and vegetables alongside other foods.

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Zoe Sadler underwent hypnosis to cure her fear of food. (SWNS)
Zoe Sadler underwent hypnosis to cure her fear of food. (SWNS)

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"I looked around on the Internet and read some articles where David had helped other fussy eaters so I contacted him.

"We had two two hour sessions which felt like they lasted five minutes each and after the second one I was able to try loads of different foods.

"I can't believe how nice strawberries are and I'm looking forward to trying curry and lots of other different foods."

Warehouse worker Sadler, who weighs nine stone and is a size eight, lives with her fiancé Jason Fox, 28, a carpenter.

She also wanted to overcome her obsession with crisp sandwiches in time to enjoy a proper meal at their wedding next March.

"I really don't just want to be eating crisp sandwiches on my wedding day," she says. "Now I'm looking forward to planning our wedding day menu with Jason."

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London-based therapist and hypnotist Kilmurry hypnotised Sadler after diagnosing her with Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

“In a very short amount of time with myself and at home she has been calmly eating new meals and incorporated many new high grade fruits and vegetables to her ‘safe’ foods list," he explains.

“Recently diagnosed with MS, it would be dangerous for Sadler to live on a diet of just crisp sandwiches even if you counteract it with exercise.

“Straight after hypnotism in the chair Zoe was open to trying new fruits and vegetables including cabbage, blueberries and left with a pot of nuts, cranberries and several other foods which she excitedly ate.

"Huge credit to Zoe on her recovery," he adds. "Her progress has been phenomenal and has superseded my expectations."

Additional reporting by SWNS