Guys, stop with the orthorexia already!
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SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.0 -
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SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor, and whether that seems to be on the rise in the forum.
Exactly.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
No, I think some people will try anything they hear to lose weight, some people will talk to their doctors, some will just intuitively gravitate towards what works for them, and whichever group those people are in, their solution will never be exactly the same as someone else's. Within that larger group, is a subset of people with a tendency towards compulsion, and they are just as likely to develop a compulsion about their diet as they are about how many times they turn a doorknob or how many times they brush their hair. The mistake lies in trying to make one state a causation of the other. Someone can be orthorexic about CICO, it doesn't have to be "special." If all it takes is for the object of the compulsion to exist to cause the compulsion (rather than the other way around, the compulsion tendency is there and the dart lands on diet), MFP, Sparkpeople, fitbit, and The Biggest Loser would be the biggest cause of all.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Sure - but that in and of itself is not a bad thing. After all, keeping kosher fits that definition perfectly, and Judaism is a culture that practically worships eating and invented the word noshing.
There is nothing inherently wrong with restricting food for non-"physical" issues.
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MoiAussi93 wrote: »To the posters re: it's absurd to be concerned about people who are just "trying to eat healthy:"
As I mentioned in the last orthorexia thread, people who are out to eat "better" as defined by them are not what orthorexia is. It isn't the people who bring the bowl of fruit or tray of veggies to a party. It is the people who become paralyzed with fear at the thought of an uncontrollable food setting. It is the people who cut themselves off from their normal social lives because the concern of the "cleanliness" of food has taken over many of their thoughts. And yes, it is very much less about the food than psychology behind it, but this is how it manifests.
Trying to eat "healthier" is no more orthorexia than a random day of sadness is clinical depression and I think this often gets lost in translation.
^THIS. I agree 100%.
People choosing not to eat certain foods because they feel it is healthier is not orthorexia. Even if you don't think they are right or agree with their choices, there is nothing dysfunctional in their behavior. It is only orthoexia if it keeps them from going out, having a social life, or they panic or have some kind of melt down if they can't have exactly what they want or don't know exactly how many calories it is.
Very few people have this.
Btw, the same kind of dysfunction and obsessive behavior can happen with calorie counting. I have seen MANY threads on here where people freak out because they have to go to a restaurant without calorie information. Some really DO panic. Or they get really stressed if invited to someone's home for dinner. I have seen many where people's relationships are suffering because their spouse/friends don't "support" their efforts adequately, or they get angry because other people bring food to work. I have seen people use the word "sabotage" to describe their spouse not dieting with them. This all seems irrational to me, whether they follow iifym, Paleo or any other diet philosophy.
I have also seen countless threads on people researching how many calories simple everyday activities like dusting their coffee table burn (okay, I admit the coffee table example was made up...but you get my point). To worry about whether no stick cooking spray is still zero calories if you spray for 2 seconds instead of one does not seem "normal" to me. A little more perspective would be good.
My point is anything can be taken to extremes and obsessed over.
Now, I am not attacking calorie counters. I am doing it right now to some degree myself...though more to experiment to find the macros that work best for me. It works very well for many people. And not well for others. Just like any other eating philosophy. The vast majority of calorie counters are NOT any more orthoexic than the majority of paleo diet followers, non-sugar eaters, non-fried foods eaters, gluten free people without Celiacs, or anything else someone doesn't agree with....meaning not at all!!!
For the vast majority of human history the vast majority of people maintained a healthy weight without calorie counting. So to act like doing that is 100% normal and even ideal but deciding you don't want to eat any junk food is somehow a sickness just seems a little ridiculous, not to mention hypocritical.
Different beliefs about what is healthy and different diet preferences are in themselves not a problem. People should just eat how they like and quit trying to make it an us vs. them situation. It's just food, people. Relax and enjoy it...whatever it is.
Great post
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SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
No, I think some people will try anything they hear to lose weight, some people will talk to their doctors, some will just intuitively gravitate towards what works for them, and whichever group those people are in, their solution will never be exactly the same as someone else's. Within that larger group, is a subset of people with a tendency towards compulsion, and they are just as likely to develop a compulsion about their diet as they are about how many times they turn a doorknob or how many times they brush their hair. The mistake lies in trying to make one state a causation of the other. Someone can be orthorexic about CICO, it doesn't have to be "special." If all it takes is for the object of the compulsion to exist to cause the compulsion (rather than the other way around, the compulsion tendency is there and the dart lands on diet), MFP, Sparkpeople, fitbit, and The Biggest Loser would be the biggest cause of all.
Eating disorders and OCD seem similar. What you are describing is obsessive compulsive disorder.0 -
I honestly don't think that the "orthorexia epidemic" is really something we as a society need to devote too much concern and attention to. There are a lot more important things to attend to than worrying about whether people are becoming too focused on a healthy lifestyle.
Any time I perceive someone as being "militant" about their food or fitness routines, I don't automatically assume that it's a problem just because it's not my thing. I don't even worry about it unless it appears to be causing harm. I think the term orthorexia is thrown around way too lightly. Really, unless you are qualified to diagnose eating disorders, you probably shouldn't be making those kinds of judgments.
I'm sure IT IS a problem when an OCD person (orthorexic or not) gets fixated on anything, but I don't think that orthorexia is some huge, sweeping problem. If anything, our widespread lack of health-consciousness is far more problematic.
By the way, I guess I could be labeled orthorexic by some posters here just by virtue of being gluten free. I have to be focused on avoiding gluten in my diet. But rather than being a harmful thing, my healthy food "obsession" keeps my immune system from going nuts and attacking my digestive tract (Celiac).
I suggest not worrying so much about other people's choices. I think it's totally uncool to label people whose choices or ideas you don't agree with as mentally ill (having an eating disorder.)
word. couldn't have said it better myself!0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?
Nope0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?
Nope
I suppose you don't have bigger issues to focus on then?0 -
There seems to be a great deal of vitriol regarding this subject, and perhaps some background on the forum that I'm not aware of. Even though very little discussion of the actual subject has happened, I appreciate the insights that a few of you have been able to share.
Meanwhile, it is rather ironic that people choose to spend their time writing long comments about how this topic shouldn't be discussed, or there are bigger things to worry about, or whatever. I wonder why they spend so much time worrying about what goes on in this thread if they have no interest in the topic, and they have better things to worry over?0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?
Nope
I suppose you don't have bigger issues to focus on then?
I bigger issue is people's OBSESSION with judging others in the way that they eat. Judgement of people is a bigger issue and would account for the reason why many people join this site in the first place.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?
Nope
I suppose you don't have bigger issues to focus on then?
I bigger issue is people's OBSESSION with judging others in the way that they eat. Judgement of people is a bigger issue and would account for the reason why many people join this site in the first place.
True, but that goes both ways. The gentleman I mentioned before who brings up Twinkies with every post goes out of his way to judge anyone who mentions eating sugar or processed foods. He's quite harsh with them, in fact. Perhaps he would feel better if he just ate a Twinkie.
But regardless, if my understanding of orthorexia is correct, is the orthorexic who is doing the judging...they assign moral equivalencies to dietary restrictions, and they judge themselves and others as "good" or "bad" according to those restrictions...and even punish themselves for slipping up. So I can definitely see how an obsession with judging others would be a contributing factor.0 -
Coming from a farm family and being a farmer myself I really can't handle hearing any more uneducated anti-GMO statements and talking about how this "new process" is so harmful blah blah blah when GMOs have been around for more than 30 years and have been linked to less illness than organic (which can carry parasites and disease) not that organic doesn't have it's own merits, agriculture is agriculture, but what people fail to realize is that there is a higher demand for food & fuel (which demands more crops) on less land than farmers have ever had access to. We create this technology to feed, clothe, and fuel the world and produce at 5x the volume of the past on 20% less land than we had 80 years ago. Other than comments like that, I don't care if people are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, or whatever they like, I just hate the seemingly anti-agriculture and anti-farmer outlook that some people have developed. We grow it with nothing but love for the environment and love for our community and those we are hoping to feed.0
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Assigning moral value to NOT having dietary restrictions is exactly the same thing. Both happen on here, all the time.
I agree with the other poster - this has little to do with dietary problems and is really about random people on the internet finding excuses to beat the crap out of each other.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »SnuggleSmacks wrote: »This thread has gone way off topic. Orthorexia is not about preaching your personal diet to other people, or being annoying. It's about having a gripping, life-altering fear of stepping outside of the dietary bounds you've set for yourself. Incidence of orthorexia seems to be on the rise, according to the original article and others like it, and my question was whether the current culture of making oneself a special snowflake by touting food "sensitivities" is a contributing factor.
No, but isolating people and labeling them a "special snowflake" for not doing things the same way someone thinks they should probably is.
So you don't feel that a culture has developed which encourages people to restrict certain foods/food groups for reasons that have more to do with the mental gratification of distinguishing themselves than with any actual physical issue?
Nope. We have bigger issues to focus on.
Do you see the humour in your statement?
Nope
I suppose you don't have bigger issues to focus on then?
I bigger issue is people's OBSESSION with judging others in the way that they eat. Judgement of people is a bigger issue and would account for the reason why many people join this site in the first place.
True, but that goes both ways. The gentleman I mentioned before who brings up Twinkies with every post goes out of his way to judge anyone who mentions eating sugar or processed foods. He's quite harsh with them, in fact. Perhaps he would feel better if he just ate a Twinkie.
But regardless, if my understanding of orthorexia is correct, is the orthorexic who is doing the judging...they assign moral equivalencies to dietary restrictions, and they judge themselves and others as "good" or "bad" according to those restrictions...and even punish themselves for slipping up. So I can definitely see how an obsession with judging others would be a contributing factor.
As yes, that may be true. We all judge ourselves and it worsens as we receive external judgement.
Being the thread starter, may I ask why you joined the community?0 -
court_fritch26 wrote: »Coming from a farm family and being a farmer myself I really can't handle hearing any more uneducated anti-GMO statements and talking about how this "new process" is so harmful blah blah blah when GMOs have been around for more than 30 years and have been linked to less illness than organic (which can carry parasites and disease) not that organic doesn't have it's own merits, agriculture is agriculture, but what people fail to realize is that there is a higher demand for food & fuel (which demands more crops) on less land than farmers have ever had access to. We create this technology to feed, clothe, and fuel the world and produce at 5x the volume of the past on 20% less land than we had 80 years ago. Other than comments like that, I don't care if people are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, or whatever they like, I just hate the seemingly anti-agriculture and anti-farmer outlook that some people have developed. We grow it with nothing but love for the environment and love for our community and those we are hoping to feed.
Sounds like this might be a subject for another thread, but I agree with you to a point. My issue with the GMO companies (Monsanto in particular) is their business practices and government influence, not the products themselves. But I'm not sure how that links to orthorexia.0
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