I've been listening to a podcast series, which spent some time talking about eating disorders. A relatively newly recognised eating disorder is orthorexia, which is an obsession with healthy eating. As this is a healthy eating forum, I thought it might be a good idea to share the signs and symptoms, in case it might help anyone:
Sufferers of Orthorexia may come to view foods they deem unhealthy as akin to poison, and may spend a large proportion of their day on social media, searching for recipes and nutritional information.
If you do feel you may be affected, then it is worth visiting your GP to discuss getting help. It is possible to overcome the disorder and develop a healthy relationship with food again
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Cooper27
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Orthorexia or it’s full name Orthorexia Nervosa. When one is nervous about eating the correct foods.
Personally, I think this ‘orthorexia’ business is a load of twaddle.
The reason people will go out of there way to eat as clean foods as they can is because the food industry deliberately fill our foods with harmful compounds that should not even be there in the first place!
And to make matters worse, manufacturers will lie about the safety of these compounds, hence food fraud which was a post Jerry made.
So that is why I think ‘orthorexia’ is a load of... what-knot.
As I have said before, you can find decent, genuine info on the internet and you can also run into a bunch of lies too.
A person needs to decipher between the good and the bad info.
At the end of the day though, what is so wrong in avoiding foods with poison in it and eating cleaner?
In my view that isn’t orthorexia is just bloody common sense :).
What is NOT common sense is making up a term such as ‘orthorexia nervosa’ and saying it is a mental disorder.
So now, this bit of misinformation is going to make people think “Oh no, I have a mental disorder. I better start eating harmful foods again”.
It’s all about money at the end of the day.
But then saying that though, people who choose to eat clean pay out more if they are not growing there own food.
If they do grow there own then obviously food is free.
Rant over.
Sorry, this kind of information winds me up.
Why do we have to live in such a corrupt world that is full of greed?
I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on this one - in my opinion, Orthorexia is a very real eating disorder. If someone does come forward suffering with it, I think it's very important to support them, and not dismiss their concerns.
It is very common for people who formerly suffered anorexia, for example, to develop orthorexia, as a means to hide their eating disorder from loved ones. It's a great excuse to go out and only eat 100calories worth of steamed veggies, instead of a full meal, without the comments from family that you need to eat something.
Women who suffer Orthorexia will often lose their period as a result of not getting the nutrition they need, and the stress it puts their bodies under.
An interest in healthy eating is ok, but for some people this does become an obsession that gets out of hand, and affects their health.
‘As I have said before, you can find decent, genuine info on the internet and you can also run into a bunch of lies too.
A person needs to decipher between the good and the bad info.’
You then go on to say..
‘So now, this bit of misinformation is going to make people think “Oh no, I have a mental disorder. I better start eating harmful foods again”.’
A very definite and patronising assumption that everyone believes what they read online to be gospel, despite your previous comments about the authenticity of internet articles.
As someone who has suffered from serious health issues themselves, I am surprised that you consider orthorexia to be ‘a load of twaddle’.
I am certain that for sufferers of the condition it is VERY real.
Iwonder how you would have felt if your condition was dismissed in such an offhand manner?
I believe the OP was sharing the link as they found it interesting, informative and wanted to raise awareness - hence the comment to recommend potential sufferers to seek advice from their GP.
They should not have to defend their post just because your opinion differs.
I personally believe that it’s only a matter of time before orthorexia is linked to mental health but, hey, that’s just my opinion.
It's ok, I don't think Matt is intendeding to cause harm, it's just coming from lack of awareness.
I think the condition in general doesn't have a lot of awareness at the moment, but even conditions that do (e.g. anorexia), still have a lot of misunderstanding around them anyway.
I listened to a podcast by a lady who had suffered orthorexia, she said it started with a fear of gluten, dairy, fat and red meat, so she started out as a low fat, gluten free vegan. She then developed a fear of soya and carbs, which led to cutting out tofu, legumes, grains and potatoes, which really didn't leave a lot to eat. Her whole diet basically was built around steamed low carb vegetables & salad (no fruit, because fruit has carbs). It leaves the diet lacking in lots of essential nutrients, essential fatty acids, calories!
She also mentioned a need to work out every day, and would get anxiety if she had to miss a trip to the gym.
Anyone can eat a "healthy diet" and end up malnourished if they don't get the right nutrients, or if they don't eat enough calories.
I wouldn't dismiss the person because of the new agency she chose to give an interview to. I've been surprised by some of the well researched and empathetically written stories I've seen in the daily mail in the past
I’d like to clarify that I didn’t suggest that you having a brain injury was the reason that you find orthorexia rubbish.
Obviously I don’t know if you experienced any negative attitudes/opinions from people while you were waiting to be diagnosed but if you didn’t then I consider you to be very lucky. The nature of you condition is not relevant here.
I’m just surprised that, having experienced being ill yourself, you would be so offhand about a different condition.
I certainly don’t expect you to believe everything that is written. That’s why I don’t understand when you say that people have to decipher what is good and bad but then go on to say that ‘misinformation’, especially in this instance, will make people think they have a mental disorder!
Surely most people can make their own minds up as to whether or not they believe an article? 🐑
I know people who are very sensitive about how people perceive them when they are unwell and having their condition disbelieved and deemed as twaddle Is not helpful.
I agree that everyone is entitle to have their own options and the world would be pretty boring if we all saw things in the same light.
So yes - it looks like we disagree here. C’est la vie...
As long as I didn’t make you cry I won’t lose sleep over it! 🙂
I know you didn’t suggest me having a brain injury was the reason why I find orthorexia rubbish but I would like to know why you are surprised that I don’t believe in it.
Cos that sounds, to me and correct me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like when it is broadcasted on tv or written in articles by “dieticians” or what-have-you that Orthorexia is a real thing then people must go along with what they say and that is a grand explanation of a sheep.
That’s right, the nature of my condition is not relevant.
Before my injury, I would not have had the same thoughts as I was only a kid when it happened.
What I am saying is the original article was talking about orthorexia. People might believe in the condition, people might not believe. However, I don’t believe. I think it is mostly made up or as mainstream media tend to do ‘make a mountain out of a molehill’... and that’s my opinion.
You would think that most people could make their own minds up about an article but there are many people out there who will go along with what mainstream media tell them.
That can only be a good thing, whether that's to keep us on our toes so we don't get sucked into obsessive behaviour about our own eating habits or to better understand and be compassionate towards those who've struggled with this condition.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Detoxing?
Any ideas peeps?
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