Thanks to many of your blog posts, I learned that last week was National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. You had some great, insightful posts on intuitive eating and on celebrating our bodies for the amazing things they enable us to do.
When one thinks of eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating come to mind. But in this post, I want to highlight another eating disorder, because I feel it’s the one to which we healthy-living bloggers and readers can probably most relate:
Orthorexia Nervosa
Orthorexia Nervosa is characterized by an excessive focus on eating healthy foods. Basically, its sufferers start out with a simple desire to live a healthy lifestyle, but they become so preoccupied with eating healthily that it becomes an unhealthy obsession.
Unlike with anorexia, orthorexics don’t necessarily think they’re fat. Their underlying motivation, therefore, is not to be thin or lose weight, but to be “pure.” However, with such restrictive diets, they can become just as malnourished as anorexics. People suffering might avoid certain foods, such as non-organic foods, cooked foods, or processed foods. (Feel free to click over to the following post for more about my thoughts on processed foods.)
This doesn’t mean that every vegan, raw foodist, or person who strives to eat a healthy diet has orthorexia. It’s only when the healthy diet becomes an obsession; when a person spends hours planning out his/her “perfect” diet, calculating nutrients, preparing everything in a very specific way (and not letting anyone else prepare his/her food), that one can be seen to have a problem.
People suffering from orthorexia may display some of the following signs:
- Feeling virtuous about what they eat, but not enjoying their food much
- Continually cutting foods from their diet
- Experiencing a reduced quality of life or social isolation because their diet makes it difficult for them to eat anywhere but at home
- Feeling critical of, or superior to, others who do not eat as healthily they do
- Skipping foods they once enjoyed in order to eat the “right” foods
- Choosing to eat foods based solely on nutritional value, instead of eating what they’re craving
- Feeling guilt or self-loathing when they stray from their diet
- Feeling in total control when they eat the “correct” diet
I can definitely see myself, if not careful, displaying some of the other orthorexic tendencies, like feeling critical or looking down on certain foods, such as white bread, white pasta, and white rice, deeming them “valueless.” Does having one of the characteristics mean I have orthorexia?
No, of course not.
But I do have to remind myself that just because it’s white bread does not mean it’s worthless. After all, a food is so much more than its numerical nutritional value. The French have been eating white bread for years, the Japanese eat white rice, the Italians enjoy white pasta… and so on.
Sure, it’s great to eat a healthy diet 90% of the time, mostly choosing whole-grains over white ones. But honestly, a little nutritionally valueless piece of white-flour-white-sugar cake every now and then is not going to hurt you. It’s not something you should feel guilty about, but something to be enjoyed! And the enjoyment you can get out of eating it will boost your mental (and thus physical) health! My great-grandma ate processed foods, drank coffee, and—as an Italian—loved her daily servings of white pasta. But one thing my great-grandma did NOT invite into her life was stress. She lived well into her 90s.
There’s a lesson to be learned here: Stress and guilt are much more detrimental to one’s health than eating a few refined grains every now and then. In the end, “Orthorexia Nervosa” is just a label. Whether you fit that label or not, we can all probably benefit from the reminder that food is only one component to a healthy life. Eat what your body truly craves, exercise (but not excessively), feed your soul, and–above all–try to stress as little as possible. Such is the way to a healthy life. (Sounds like something Confucius would say!)
What are your thoughts on all of this?
Ok you already have more comments on this post than I get in a month, but I had to add to the comments and say that I loved this post and it is SO relavent to our lives as healthy bloggers and everyone of us should read this and try to see that health isn’t just about food!
Well said!
I think I have borderline orthorexic tendencies! I can let myself enjoy ‘naughty’ foods – as I see them – on occasion when I’m at home, and feel in control of the rest of my diet. (eg Lemon posset yesterday!!!) Take me on holiday or out to dinner – at someone’s house or a restaurant, all that matters is that I’m not the cook – and I go a bit peculiar!!! Either I feel guilty and cling to the things I believe / know to be as healthy as is possible instead of eating what I really want, or I eat the less healthy thing, feel really guilty, decide I’ve ruined everything and descend into a spiral of crappy food that doesn’t actually make me happy a lot of the time…. I’m a little bit crazy!!! At least I do realise this is a sign I’m not healthy yet!
Great post, thanks!
Interesting….I didn’t know they had a name for this.
I agree with the last commenter, health isn’t just about food it’s about exercise, stress management, etc. If we regularly exercise and try to eat as much whole foods as we can then that’s the best!
Thanks for this post, Katie! Your blog reaches so many people and this message needs to be heard. For me, I have to occasionally step away from blogging (my own personal entries and reading others) because I find myself developing obsessions with comparing my eating habits to those of others too much–it really is a slippery slope! Kudos to you for hitting the nail on the head.
Keep on rockin’ 🙂
I had never heard of this until I saw it mentioned in the latest VegNews. Katie, your writing style is commendable as is your ability to share your true feelings. I can’t believe you ever worry about coming across as “holier than thou” because the opposite is true! Although you are amazing, you somehow make it impossible for people to hate you, even though I know I’m not the only one who wishes she were as amazing as you!
Great post Katie! I’m very glad you addressed this! I definately agree with everything you have said. I’m one who chooses to eat very simply, eat raw and organic whenever possible just because my body feels better when I eat that way, I have more energy and I sleep better, less mood swings. I have alot of different food allergies and such and Celiac Disease so eating simply and easy to digest foods is a must for me.
But I will go out to eat at restaurants and get a nice heaping bowl of gluten free pasta with my family. (Biaggis, outback steakhouse, bonefish grill) to name a few great gluten free restaurants who will make things vegan. I feel like everything has its place and if someone enjoys eating something than they dang well are entitled to enjoy it. 🙂
Have a great week!
Melissa
This was a great post, very informative. I definitely display a lot of those qualities at various times and didn’t know there was a name for it. I’m glad you posted this, it helps to see that some of these things really are problems that other people struggle with too. Thanks again for posting this!
Have a great Monday!
My ED definitely started out as orthorexia and transpired to what it is. The internet (and media in general) is a blessing yet a curse.
Hope you are able to have a mindful Monday! (Yes, I’m loving alliterations)
bec xo
Thank you so much for writing an posting this! Reading these comments, I am so happy to know that I am not alone in my struggles and you’ve inspired me to start to work harder to get better. So not only thank you to Katie, but thank you to EVERYone for helping me to know I’m not the only one struggling!
Great post! I can relate to several of these tendancies at one point or another but it’s really good to talk about it and refocus on enjoying life and food! That’s why we’re here, right? Thanks for this!