WHAT IS ORTHOREXIA?
Too Healthy?
Orthorexia nervosa is one of a little-known group of eating disorders. The term uses “ortho,” in its meaning as straight, correct and true, to modify “anorexia nervosa.” Orthorexia nervosa refers to a fixation on eating proper food. Orthorexia begins innocently enough, as a desire to overcome chronic illness or to improve general health. Over time, what they eat, how much, and the consequences of dietary indiscretion come to occupy a greater and greater proportion of the orthorexic’s day. The act of eating pure food begins to carry pseudo-spiritual connotations. But the emphasis is intended to be on “unhealthy obsession.” One can have an unhealthy obsession with something that is otherwise healthy. Think of exercise addiction, or workaholism.
At times (but not at all times) orthorexia seems to have elements of OCD. It may also have elements of standard anorexia. But it is often not very much like typical OCD or typical anorexia. The obsession for healthy foods could come from a number of sources such as family habits, society trends, economic problems, recent illness, or even just hearing something negative about a food type or group, which then leads orthorexics to ultimately eliminate the food or foods from their diet. While orthorexia nervosa is not a formal medical condition, many doctors do feel that it explains an important and growing health phenomenon.
People suffering from this obsession may display the following signs.
- Spending more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food
- Planning tomorrow’s menu today
- Feeling virtuous about what they eat, but not enjoying it much
- Continually limiting the number of foods they eat
- 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 others who do not eat as well they do
- Skipping foods they once enjoyed in order to eat the “right” foods
- Feeling guilt or self-loathing when they stray from their diet
- Feeling in “total” control when they eat the correct diet
If you or someone you care about exhibits these traits. There is a solution and there is help before it gets out of control.
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