"Orthorexia"

JPayne53
JPayne53 Posts: 235 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
"Identified in 1997 by Colorado physician Steven Bratman, MD, orthorexia is Latin for “correct eating.” Here, too, the focus isn’t on losing weight. Instead, sufferers increasingly restrict their diets to foods they consider pure, natural and healthful. Some researchers say that orthorexia may combine a touch of obsessive compulsive disorder with anxiety and warn that severely limited “healthy” diets may be a stepping stone to anorexia nervosa, the most severe - and potentially life-threatening - eating disorder."

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/new-eating-disorders-are-they-real

I was just wondering if anyone out there has heard of this... what are your thoughts? Anyone think this maybe them? I went to the doctor yesterday and he mentioned the word "obsessive" to me about my calorie and exercise tracking and the potential of making my body stall due to mental conflicts... surprise surprise I found an article this morning on my Yahoo homepage (coincidence?) ... Should I discuss the above disorder further with my doc? I want to be healthy but not to the point of obsession that can lead to something more unhealthy than where I am now... I was anorexic in high school put myself in the hospital and received treatment.. I don't want to go down that path again, but the last statement in the above paragraph has put me in an uproar of total confusion of what I should do next, I under stand an eating disorder is not easy to overcome I've been there!!!! but I thought I was at least out of the woods... should I be worried or am I over reacting?

Replies

  • its_betty
    its_betty Posts: 104 Member
    If you are concerned about it, talk to your doctor. You may also want to talk to a therapist of some kind: someone you can just talk to about your fears, and who will be honest and let you know if you are getting off track.

    Given your history, it's smart for you to be aware of potential pitfalls.
  • kittytompsett
    kittytompsett Posts: 20
    I've heard of it. I thought it referred to people who were totally obsessed with like raw food etc. Depends how obsessive you are getting about it. I've also suffered various ED's since teenage-hood, I was told by my shrink that as I've suffered ED's I will probably always be obsessive about food but that as long as I was a 'healthy' weight and not falling into ED type eating habits then it's probably ok.

    It's nice to meet others with food issues, this site is great but could be a tipping point for ED :)
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    bump...

    I think a lot more poeple need to read this. I know there has been a lot of talk about Eating Disorders in the forums lately
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    I would say because of your history, look into it, but don't be overly worried. And I have to laugh, because before I read your post, I was thinking: "small feet"?:laugh:
  • almarsala
    almarsala Posts: 168 Member
    I honestly think it's just something else to get people worried about something else. This is like saying because I am obsessed with a certain tv show or muscian it's a disorder. Not EVERYTHING has to be a disorder. Being extremely focused on healthy food should not be considered a problem!!!
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    Very odd that if you don't want to eat the standard junk food diet you're likely to be labeled an orthorexic. I grew up in an orthodox jewish household. Well! But jews don't see it as orthorexia, but as doing what God wants you to do. I guess it all depends on who applies the label to whom.
  • Kath712
    Kath712 Posts: 1,263 Member
    There must be a set of questions that you can ask yourself to see if you have an eating disorder. Things like, "Is my healthy eating getting in the way of anything?" "Am I spending more time planning/measuring/logging my food than I am with my family?" "Can I let go of my food plan for a meal every so often, or does everything I eat have to be healthy?" Only you can determine if you are on the path for a new eating disorder, or if this is just your lifestyle.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    I saw it on a lot of parenting forums when my oldest was a baby. Parents preaching organics to their children to the point where their kid is afraid of cookies unless they're made with organic wheat bran, flax seed, free range chicken eggs and agave. I posted that I let my 2 month old have a small taste of frosting and how funny it was when his eyes went wide - one woman replied that she should call the authorities because I poisoned my child (she wasn't kidding). Some mask it with a ton of research or a certain label like "raw food" but the truth is - if you are scared to death to eat ANYTHING that you know won't make you drop down dead (we're talking a french fry - not a lifetime of french fries) then it's a problem.

    I say scared, not grossed out. I don't dig the idea of frogs legs or escargot. :-D Unnatural fears that make it difficult to get through the day is indicative of an eating disorder.
  • Ral263
    Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
    Following Kosher or any kind of religious diet isn't the same as orthorexia at all. The danger in orthorexia is that in the majority of cases, those with the disorder drop down below the level of adequate body fat and weight, and exhibit most of the symptoms of anorexia: Loss of menstruation in women, hair loss, osteoporosis, heart arrhythmia, and so forth. This becomes even more of an issue because most orthorexics are NOT classified as having an ED because, unlike anorexics, they do eat. However, the health risk for orthorexics is very real. It is in no way the same as following a strict diet because of religion.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
    Very odd that if you don't want to eat the standard junk food diet you're likely to be labeled an orthorexic.

    My thoughts exactly. The article that I read came across as (God forbid) if you wanted to eat clean, unprocessed foods and no sugar, grains or wheat that you were some kind of mutant freak. If was as if the lady who wrote it had some kind of agenda to PUSH people toward eating unhealthy stuff.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    I honestly think it's just something else to get people worried about something else. This is like saying because I am obsessed with a certain tv show or muscian it's a disorder. Not EVERYTHING has to be a disorder. Being extremely focused on healthy food should not be considered a problem!!!

    Well said. I think with technology, and access to the information super highway, we tend to over think on certain things. I think there will be a pill for this as well soon. The side effects will just be upset stomach, nausea, diaherrea, blindness, and who knows what else. The human race has been around for 1000s of year(depending who you talk to) and they didn't have to worry about these issues. I think there's a disorder for thinking everything is a disorder. It's called toocomplexia.
  • MsFitnFabulous
    MsFitnFabulous Posts: 432 Member
    The fact that you're concerned is ok I think. Of course as someone that had a short stint of bulimia I always wonder will I go back to those old patterns. However I realize that eating nutritious food and getting exercise are the best ways to lose and keep the weight off. If you find that you restrict yourself to only a few select foods call your doctor right away. I personally don't think eating healthfully is a disorder at all. It's what we all should be doing.
  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
    I honestly think it's just something else to get people worried about something else. This is like saying because I am obsessed with a certain tv show or muscian it's a disorder. Not EVERYTHING has to be a disorder. Being extremely focused on healthy food should not be considered a problem!!!

    Well said. I think with technology, and access to the information super highway, we tend to over think on certain things. I think there will be a pill for this as well soon. The side effects will just be upset stomach, nausea, diaherrea, blindness, and who knows what else. The human race has been around for 1000s of year(depending who you talk to) and they didn't have to worry about these issues. I think there's a disorder for thinking everything is a disorder. It's called toocomplexia.



    Toocomplexia .......Hahahah...that's awesome!!
  • kittytompsett
    kittytompsett Posts: 20
    I'm surprised by some of the reactions here. I think if you have a history of eating disorders then these kinds of things are something you DO need to keep an eye on. I think people have very different ideas about what obsessive means, but obsessive when you have an ED is not simply a case of worrying a bit about what you're eating, the eating (or not) totally takes over your life. When it gets to this point then yes you do have a disorder. If people here are worried then I think we need to be supportive rather than brushing it aside as someone making a big deal about nothing.

    Maybe we need to start a separate ED thread.
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