Orthorexia - do you have it?
bcattoes
Posts: 17,299 Member
Interesting ...
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442471029
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442471029
What is Orthorexia?
Orthorexia – an unhealthy fixation on eating only healthy or "pure" foods – was originally defined as a disordered eating behavior in the '90s, but experts believe it has been gaining steam in recent years, fed by the profusion of foods marketed as healthy and organic, and by the media's often conflicting dietary advice. Like anorexia nervosa, orthorexia is a disorder rooted in food restriction. Unlike anorexia, for othorexics, the quality instead of the quantity of food is severely restricted.
"Orthorexia starts out with a true intention of wanting to be healthier, but it's taken to an extreme," says Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Marjorie Nolan, MS, RD, CDN, ACSM-HFS, who specializes in working with eating disorder clients. "If someone is orthorexic, they typically avoid anything processed, like white flour or sugar. A food is virtually untouchable unless it's certified organic or a whole food. Even something like whole-grain bread – which is a very healthy, high-fiber food – is off limits because it's been processed in some way."
Orthorexics typically don't fear being fat in the way that an anorexic would, but the obsessive and progressive nature of the disorder is similar. Orthorexics may eliminate entire groups of food – such as dairy or grains – from their diets, later eliminating another group of food, and another, all in the quest for a "perfect" clean, healthy diet. In severe cases, orthorexia eventually leads to malnourishment when critical nutrients are eliminated from the diet.
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Replies
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I'm not, but I'm glad you posted this as I tend to use the term often and people should be aware of this disorder.0
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wow, very interesting. that would be a terrible disorder to have.
i would like to point out though that undereating is not the only way to become malnurished. you can be of normal weight or overweight or even very over weight and still be malnurished.0 -
I'm not, but I'm glad you posted this as I tend to use the term often and people should be aware of this disorder.
I'd never heard the term before. That link was included in newletter I recieve. It would seem anyone following a Paleo or Primal diet would fit the description. Or perhaps there is more to it than is covered in this article.
Would vegetarians and vegan be considered to have it? And if so, would it matter whether they gave up meat for humanitarian reasons rather than because they thought it unhealthy.0 -
wow, very interesting. that would be a terrible disorder to have.
i would like to point out though that undereating is not the only way to become malnurished. you can be of normal weight or overweight or even very over weight and still be malnurished.
Yes, certainly. You can eat a varied diet that would healthy for others and be malnurished.0 -
i think i may have been bordering a few months after i first started. but i've reached a good balance.0
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Ha! Definitely no. I have my rules of what I think is best for me, but those are always being bent.0
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There was a time I worried I did, I heard about this on a fat2fit podcast and it was a wake up call.0
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I'm not, but I'm glad you posted this as I tend to use the term often and people should be aware of this disorder.
I was going to type something about M&M's and tater tots, but then I saw your new yummy pic and forgot what I had to say . . .0 -
I've hear of this before, but I don't have it.
Love my once a month Burger King
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The key word in there is the progressive nature of it.
Most dieters, paleo, vegan, etc... are not Orthorexic, but some are. Much like how if you begin restricting your food intake and progressively tighten the clamps continuously, you will end up anorexic, eating what you to believe to be healthy then progressively adjusting your intake obsessed with healthy eating perfection will lead to orthorexia.
Moreso than paleo, raw veganism is closely associated with orthorexia, the healthy ideal of raw veganism is not a sustainable diet for humans and will lead to malnourishment. However there are many paleoists who are orthorexic as well, utterly obsessed with the healthfulness of a small subset of foods to the exclusion (and virtual hatred) of all others. However it isn't nearly as physically debilitating as a raw vegan diet because your average pure paleo diet is not as prone to malnourishment, even if the mental side of the orthrexia is the same.
I ti sjust a logical outcome of our society's relationship with food. Over time there has been an increased labeling of foods as good foods and bad foods. Healthy and healthier. We are long past the days of food being meals or dessert, where that which is not dessert is good for you, without any particular item being better or worse for you. Believing in that sort of system nowadays is akin to food athieism, foods are labeled good and bad nowadays, and every different sect has their own definition of good and bad. The logical extreme of this labeling has to exist, people who beleieve a very small subest of food is the healthiest, and all else is bad and inedible, taking the ideals of their particular sect to the extreme.0 -
I never knew about this but yes I guess I do . As a partly vegetarian I eat mainly fruit and veg and fish and only brown things (brown bread , pasta ... ) and I don't eat any dairy products or junk food . And I like to know where my food came from and I grow my own fruit ect anyway ...0
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MTV True Life did an excellent segment on this disease. The first girl was a raw foodist and would only eat organic raw veggies. She ended up going to counseling and gained a few pounds in the process. The second person featured was a male who was also a raw food vegan. He eventually was able to eat some grass fed beef at the end of the show, and hopefully continued to progress.
Both subjects were far too thin. I hope they continued to progress.0 -
I do not but I was concerned I had it several years ago. Right after I got to my lowest weight ever (by severe caloric restriction, quality of food not a concern) I started learning about nutrition and tried to eat as "clean" and healthy as possible. I wouldn't eat processed cereal, I stopped drinking milk, I would only eat whole grains, wouldn't eat the baked goods my mom made, etc. I don't think my case was as bad as it could have been, but I think it's something that can happen very easily with dieters as they learn more and more about nutrition. Information overload gone bad. It's good to eat those "clean" healthy foods of course, but it's also completely fine to enjoy most other foods in moderate amounts as well.0
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MTV True Life did an excellent segment on this disease. The first girl was a raw foodist and would only eat organic raw veggies. She ended up going to counseling and gained a few pounds in the process. The second person featured was a male who was also a raw food vegan. He eventually was able to eat some grass fed beef at the end of the show, and hopefully continued to progress.
Both subjects were far too thin. I hope they continued to progress.
After I saw this episode, I became worried that I was falling on that path. I couldn't go out to eat with my friends, couldn't enjoy wedding cake at my cousin's wedding or another cousin's birthday, and I eat substitutes for certain foods now. But then after reading responses in this post, I'm not completely crazy, just conscious about what goes into my body!0 -
Personally, I have the beginning assets of an Orthorexic. Doctors have told me that eating all Raw isn't good, like in TrueLife, but her problem was more emotional than physical. I just think this way to eat is the best for me. I don't like when all vegans are put as Orthorexic because most people who are Ortho tend to not eat meal, dairy, and eggs. :P0
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Personally, I have the beginning assets of an Orthorexic. Doctors have told me that eating all Raw isn't good, like in TrueLife, but her problem was more emotional than physical. I just think this way to eat is the best for me. I don't like when all vegans are put as Orthorexic because most people who are Ortho tend to not eat meal, dairy, and eggs. :P
Orthorexia is a mental disorder. There are a lot of people out there who are orthorexic, completely obsessed with healthy perfection when it comes to food, but they cover all the bases enough that they are physically healthy and only have the mental symptoms and it likely will never be noticed by a doctor.
It is associated with raw vegans moreso than anything else because the raw vegan diet will most likely kill you if you stick to it strict over time. It is not a sustainable diet, you end up severely malnourashed in multiple areas. Humans were flat out not designed ot eat a raw vegan diet. People who are orthorexic raw vegans physicially decline thus it is much easier to diagnose.0 -
Surely it has more to do with your mental state that what your diet actually entails? Take me for example, I would love to not eat industrially processed food and eat a diet full of nutritious, whole foods -- I don't want to eat wood, fake berries or year old fresh orange juice* -- but I compromise everyday for various reasons.
So because there's MSG in my dip, nitrites in my bacon and added sugars in my salad dressing that means I'm not orthorexic? But if I had access to and could afford to eat what I really wanted to then that suddenly means I'm suffering from orthorexia?
*The 6 Most Horrifying Lies The Food Industry is Feeding You
http://www.cracked.com/article_19433_the-6-most-horrifying-lies-food-industry-feeding-you.html0 -
Orthorexia is a mental disorder. There are a lot of people out there who are orthorexic, completely obsessed with healthy perfection when it comes to food, but they cover all the bases enough that they are physically healthy and only have the mental symptoms and it likely will never be noticed by a doctor.
It is associated with raw vegans moreso than anything else because the raw vegan diet will most likely kill you if you stick to it strict over time. It is not a sustainable diet, you end up severely malnourashed in multiple areas. Humans were flat out not designed ot eat a raw vegan diet. People who are orthorexic raw vegans physicially decline thus it is much easier to diagnose.
I've encountered raw vegans that I believe do have orthorexia. All the talk about cooked food being a toxin and a total fear of cooked food which includes supplements.
Having said that, there are many long term raw vegans. If done right, they aren't malnourished and can get all the proteins, fats and carbs that are needed along with multitude of vitamins. B12 is the only real iffy one and maybe D. Like anyone, they should get their normal checkups including levels of B12 and D checked regularly. Many of them also aren't 'pure' raw vegans in that they maintain a 80% or more raw status. I'm personally not a fan of raw diets and feel there is no reason to follow one. I'm a big fan of lots or raw/cooked veggies and raw fruit. If someone wants to do it, then go right ahead but that is up to them.0 -
Nope! Nobody does, because it isn't a legitimate, recognized diagnosis.0
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Surely it has more to do with your mental state that what your diet actually entails? Take me for example, I would love to not eat industrially processed food and eat a diet full of nutritious, whole foods -- I don't want to eat wood, fake berries or year old fresh orange juice* -- but I compromise everyday for various reasons.
So because there's MSG in my dip, nitrites in my bacon and added sugars in my salad dressing that means I'm not orthorexic? But if I had access to and could afford to eat what I really wanted to then that suddenly means I'm suffering from orthorexia?
*The 6 Most Horrifying Lies The Food Industry is Feeding You
http://www.cracked.com/article_19433_the-6-most-horrifying-lies-food-industry-feeding-you.html
There's glutamate and nitrates in your broccoli too, time to freak out0 -
I think it's because there is such interest in health and diet and seems like every newspaper, newswebsite, etc likes to feature things about how food is killing us, or will be soon even if you feel fine now. There's even a whole crop of documentaries that have come out in recent years about the subject. Most of the common diseases in the US like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, have been linked to diets and then, these irresponsible types of articles want to further link them to very specific foods. I've flipped through health (and other types) of magazines that will tell you on one page that, say, coffee is the ANSWER to all kinds of health problems but 6 pages later, that coffee is going to kill you. In fact, that extreme focus on a food, is another thing I see a lot - some food, oil, herb that's going to make you slim, clear out your arteries, fix all your problems.
So maybe you decide to cut out all processed food and just eat the basics but immediately, you will see/hear/read a bunch of stuff about pesticides, hormones, etc, so, now you feel you have to only buy organic or else grow it yourself....
I have a close relative who I think has this. I think it's sad when it starts as a desire to take really good care of yourself, implying that all diseases are 100% preventable through diet. Diet is a big factor in many diseases but it's not the only one.0 -
I don't consider myself one, however, judging on the foods I eat on the regular, one may assume that I was beginning to become one. I choose my foods based on what will give me the most substance for the least amount of carbs and sugar. I know that I don't consume all of my calories after I log my exercise, but I do watch my carb and sugar intake.....0
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I'm not, but I'm glad you posted this as I tend to use the term often and people should be aware of this disorder.
I'd never heard the term before. That link was included in newletter I recieve. It would seem anyone following a Paleo or Primal diet would fit the description. Or perhaps there is more to it than is covered in this article.
Would vegetarians and vegan be considered to have it? And if so, would it matter whether they gave up meat for humanitarian reasons rather than because they thought it unhealthy.
Getting rid of something due to a sensitivity wouldn't be considered orthorexia in regards to some people who eat paleo or primal. Although that is an interesting point, same with the vegetarians and vegans.0 -
Surely it has more to do with your mental state that what your diet actually entails? Take me for example, I would love to not eat industrially processed food and eat a diet full of nutritious, whole foods -- I don't want to eat wood, fake berries or year old fresh orange juice* -- but I compromise everyday for various reasons.
So because there's MSG in my dip, nitrites in my bacon and added sugars in my salad dressing that means I'm not orthorexic? But if I had access to and could afford to eat what I really wanted to then that suddenly means I'm suffering from orthorexia?
No, that's not my understanding of the disease at all. It's when a person believes that healthy foods are not good. I've had people tell me beans are poisonous. That type of thought could be a sign of Orthorexia because there is plenty of evidence that beans are healthy. Thinking things like MSG, added sugar ro nitrates are unhealthy wouldnt be because there is evidence that these can be unhealthy.
It's not about incuding unhealthy foods, it's about not including healthy foods because you think them unhealthy. From what I read, it's really the "why" that defines the disease. If I exclude whole wheat because I'm glucose intolerant, that would not make me Orthorexic. If I exclude whole wheat because I think the entire world is glucose intolerant, that could be a sign of it.0 -
Oh great. Now my family is going to accuse me of having this disorder.0
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I have a close relative who I think has this. I think it's sad when it starts as a desire to take really good care of yourself, implying that all diseases are 100% preventable through diet. Diet is a big factor in many diseases but it's not the only one.
Related to this, I think is also the supplement takers. A TV show (I'm looking at you Dr Oz) says that such and such supplement prevents X disease, then a magazine says some other supplement prevents Y disease but then these tv shows and magazines have to stay in business so they have to come up with something new on a daily or weekly basis in order to keep their membership up. Then you have people taking so many supplements that really don't matter for the most part.
I remember watching a Dr G Medical Examiner episode where a woman mysteriously died and was totally into health and nutrition. She had a huge shelf of supplements she took every day and it was actually the reactions between the supplements that killed her.0 -
The key word in there is the progressive nature of it.
Most dieters, paleo, vegan, etc... are not Orthorexic, but some are. Much like how if you begin restricting your food intake and progressively tighten the clamps continuously, you will end up anorexic, eating what you to believe to be healthy then progressively adjusting your intake obsessed with healthy eating perfection will lead to orthorexia.
Moreso than paleo, raw veganism is closely associated with orthorexia, the healthy ideal of raw veganism is not a sustainable diet for humans and will lead to malnourishment. However there are many paleoists who are orthorexic as well, utterly obsessed with the healthfulness of a small subset of foods to the exclusion (and virtual hatred) of all others. However it isn't nearly as physically debilitating as a raw vegan diet because your average pure paleo diet is not as prone to malnourishment, even if the mental side of the orthrexia is the same.
I ti sjust a logical outcome of our society's relationship with food. Over time there has been an increased labeling of foods as good foods and bad foods. Healthy and healthier. We are long past the days of food being meals or dessert, where that which is not dessert is good for you, without any particular item being better or worse for you. Believing in that sort of system nowadays is akin to food athieism, foods are labeled good and bad nowadays, and every different sect has their own definition of good and bad. The logical extreme of this labeling has to exist, people who beleieve a very small subest of food is the healthiest, and all else is bad and inedible, taking the ideals of their particular sect to the extreme.
Would you please elaborate such.....mmm...statements ?
cheers0 -
Surely it has more to do with your mental state that what your diet actually entails? Take me for example, I would love to not eat industrially processed food and eat a diet full of nutritious, whole foods -- I don't want to eat wood, fake berries or year old fresh orange juice* -- but I compromise everyday for various reasons.
So because there's MSG in my dip, nitrites in my bacon and added sugars in my salad dressing that means I'm not orthorexic? But if I had access to and could afford to eat what I really wanted to then that suddenly means I'm suffering from orthorexia?
No, that's not my understanding of the disease at all. It's when a person believes that healthy foods are not good. I've had people tell me beans are poisonous. That type of thought could be a sign of Orthorexia because there is plenty of evidence that beans are healthy. Thinking things like MSG, added sugar ro nitrates are unhealthy wouldnt be because there is evidence that these can be unhealthy.
It's not about incuding unhealthy foods, it's about not including healthy foods because you think them unhealthy. From what I read, it's really the "why" that defines the disease. If I exclude whole wheat because I'm glucose intolerant, that would not make me Orthorexic. If I exclude whole wheat because I think the entire world is glucose intolerant, that could be a sign of it.
Again though, those may be signs but it is not the whole picture. Above and beyond the tenents of this diet ethos or that, no matter how silly they may be, there also has to be a progressive nature to it. An unending obsession to eliminate all impurity, getting stricter and stricter and stricter.0 -
We joked that my husband was orthorexic. It was frustrating for us all because we couldn't enjoy going to a birthday party without hearing about the 100 ways the food we ate could potentially kill us. Thankfully he realized it was becoming an obsession and he has since learned it's about balance and has relaxed a bit.0
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WOW!!! Very interesting!!!!0
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