When you hear that someone is struggling with an eating disorder, which type of eating disorder do you automatically assume that person is dealing with? Did you say Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa? Typically, that’s where some of the assumptions about eating disorders begin.
Many people have a general understanding of what Anorexia and Bulimia are. However, that’s not the case for the many other classifications of eating disorders such as Orthorexia Nervosa, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Pica, and Binge Eating Disorder, which are less talked about. Just because these other eating disorders aren’t talked about or portrayed in the media as frequently as Anorexia and Bulimia, it does not:
- Negate the impact it has on one’s daily life
- Determine the severity of each eating disorder
- Invalidate someone’s experience with any eating disorder.
There is just more awareness and discussion that needs to be had in order to educate others and ourselves. There’s a lot to unpack with each type of eating disorder, so we’ll just focus on Orthorexia Nervosa for now.
What Is Orthorexia Nervosa?
Orthorexia sounds similar to Anorexia, doesn’t it? Although there is some overlap in the two, regarding some of the more prevalent commonalities such as restriction, they are vastly different from each other. With Orthorexia, an individual has an unhealthy fixation on eating foods that society, or even themselves, deem as “healthy.” You may have heard of this category of food as “clean” or “good,” or perhaps have even placed food in those “boxes” yourself (which is okay, that’s why it’s so important to spread awareness!).
The selection of which foods are “healthy”” and which are “unhealthy” involves a very selective and time-consuming process that is disruptive to the individual’s daily life. Whereas with Anorexia, there is an intense fear of weight gain and a preoccupation with body image and/or over exercising to compensate for the food that is consumed.
So how do we tell the difference? Here are some common warning signs of Orthorexia that we can keep an eye out for in our loved ones and even within ourselves:
Eliminating Foods
Not eating foods that were once enjoyable or avoiding food(s) when unable to obtain the specifics of what the food was cooked with (i.e., which type of oil was used on the pan? Was it olive oil, vegetable oil, Pam spray, or even butter?).
Meal Prep
Preparing all meals to reduce anxiety around knowing exactly what was used to make the meal. Oftentimes, missing out on events that include eating a meal that someone else had made, or even bringing a pre-cooked meal.
Grocery Shopping
This could take up to hours to complete due to reading and comparing nutrition labels, insisting to do the grocery shopping alone due to fearing judgment from others, and feeling overwhelmed by the different options.
But they’re eating healthy food, why is that an issue?
Society has played a significant role in the divide of placing a label on many things as “good” and “bad.” Food being one of them. If you have noticed the constant shift in fad diets and “ideal” body types based on the year/era, you’re already aware of the very distinct and bold black and white line that is placed on us as a society of what we “should” look like and what we “should” eat. A few years ago, it was the “paleo diet,” more recently it has been “keto.” However, limiting oneself to “clean eating” is glorified as having “strong will power,” which just fosters the idea that engaging in this extreme behavior is “normal,” often leading individuals to feel trapped, or afraid to speak up that they are struggling. These eating habits are often associated with one’s identity by others (“she’s the health guru” or “she won’t eat that, she only eats healthy”), which also makes it difficult to seek support. This level of food restriction can often develop into other eating disorders as well.
So how do you help those that you think might be struggling with Orthorexia Nervosa?
Food is fuel! We need food to survive and perform not only daily functions, but bodily functions that we don’t even realize are happening, such as our hearts beating, blood cells busy at work, or even our brains processing the memories that we have made with loved ones that include food freedom! It is a natural automatic instinct for us to feel hunger so that we are reminded by our bodies that we need food. Food’s purpose varies whether it’s for energy, a social interaction with friends, to satisfy a craving, or because it simply just tastes good! Encourage others to challenge those black and white thoughts and check the facts; There must be people that you know that eat the foods that you may consider to be “bad,” and they are still here, still living, and perfectly fine. Restricting food groups is unhealthier than the food that is being eliminated from intake consumption.
Unfortunately, it’s unrealistic to think that we won’t encounter others who don’t understand or respect these boundaries. When that happens, there’s a few ways to dodge those conversations:
- Change the subject; You can directly say “let’s not talk about that” or can nonchalantly start a conversation related to a different topic.
- Don’t sound accusatory; Start with emphasizing the person’s intentions. They can have good intentions and unintentionally threaten your inner peace. Let’s practice!
- “I know you don’t have ill intentions when talking about dieting and weight, but I’ve realized how focusing too much on what I’m eating and what I weigh negatively affects me so I’d rather we talk about something else please.”
- It’s not up for discussion; If the other person asks questions or is defensive, stand your ground, as if it is a fact.
- For example: “I’m not open to talk about my weight/body/food” or “When you talk about food/weight like that, it makes me uncomfortable and feel like I am being judged. I’d appreciate it if we don’t talk about those things” or “If you are unable to refrain from discussing these things around me, I may have to limit the time that I spend with you.”
- Practice internal dialogue: “My body, my choice” or “This says more about them than it does about me and what is healthy for me”
Here are some friendly reminders to send you on your way!
- The “good and bad” mentality of placing food into these boxes implies that there are options that are “better” or “worse” than the other, therefore suggesting that there is a moral value associated with food that ends up translating into us placing judgment, shame, and guilt on ourselves as well if we eat these foods.
- Trust the process; It takes time for our bodies to recover in addition to our minds. Therefore, it’s normal for our hunger/fullness cues to be different and for our mind and body to require more energy when regulating our bodies after engaging in restrictive eating habits.
- Everyone is different. Different bodies require different things and different amounts of food and that is okay.
- Your weight and appearance are the least interesting thing about you.
- All foods fit and all hunger is valid!
