Remember When...You Aren't What You Eat Part 1.

Remember when I discussed Orthorexia.  If not, see the post from December 29, 2011 to refresh your memory.  In my work environment I notice to all to common two extremes of women.  The ones who strictly control their diet to maintain their already low weight and the ones who binge on "low calorie" "reduced fat" "lean" choices that are ready in 2-3minutes on high.

I am going to right this post in two separate parts.  The first to satiate my need to bring awareness to eating disorders, and the other to satiate my need to address the impact on your personal life when you do not take proper care of yourself.

First, mental health professionals all over the globe are working diligently to upgrade the DSM IV for a new edition set to release in 2013.  (This is the bible for diagnostics in the mental health field.)  I came across a post in my RSS feed for Goodtherapy.org, that brought up this topic.  Orthorexia.com is a link that I suggest that you visit to understand this new age eating disorder.  Can to much healthy be unhealthy?

Often times, sufferers are battling for control just as those with Anorexia or Bulimia would.  Steven Bratman, M.D. is the creator of the link above and describes orthorexia as "an unhealthy obsessions with healthy eating".  In Hollywood, it is not acceptable to be Anorexic. After all, celebrities are role models for the youth of America and must maintain a wholesome image, and by wholesome I do not mean to reflect weight.  I believe however that we have replaced Anorexic with Orthorexic in our media to maintain the smoke screen of disordered eating.

We gush over their new diets, we change our routines to mimic their patterns of daily life.  Yes, you can have the whip on your Starbucks skinny latte, but only after working out and as long as you skip breakfast and lunch.  I am a bit cynical.

The other part to this is the control factor.  We eat what we eat, when we eat, and where we eat because we are in full control.  We choose our diet daily. (Diet in all of my posts meaning the food we are consuming, not the impact on weight).  Do our choices comfort us?  Do they make us feel safe?  Do they replace emotions?

In the case of the women at work who eat the dreaded frozen meals daily, are all in a struggle to lose the weight.  The advertising companies always win here.  The average American reads "lean" and throws a weeks worth of 2/$5 frozen lunches into the basket.  These generally high sodium, unsatisfying, sometimes high calorie meals make you retain water, want a "closer" (many times a sweet of some sort), and at the end of the day put more calories in your body than you can burn in a work day.  Buuuuut lets not forget, they're "lean".  I generally eat the same caloric intake as most of my coworkers each day.  But instead of a frozen meal, a yogurt, and a diet soda, I get a cup of soup, a sandwich, a yogurt or fruit, and a granola bar (usually some amazing sweet flavor, chocolate or peanut butter).  I eat twice as much and feel satisfied and energetic most days.

The underlying theme here is, we are controlling our diets to control our minds and how we feel about ourselves.  You are no longer what you eat.  You are not lean.  You are not reduced fat.  You are not low calorie.  You are 2-3minutes on high from losing control and losing yourself.