Orthorexia
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Eating healthy foods is certainly beneficial, especially these days when fast food and junk food are the norm for so many individuals and families. However, it is possible to overdo a good thing, even in this arena. Some people have succumbed to an eating disorder sometimes referred to as orthorexia. This is when an individual is completely obsessed with healthy foods; indeed, orthorexia nervosa is considered by some authorities to be a medical condition in which the sufferer systematically avoids specific foods in the belief that they are harmful.
As with any obsessive behavior, the problem stems from a complete preoccupation with one thing to the exclusion of everything else. Those with orthorexia spend shocking amounts of time on ensuring what they consider to be a healthy diet.
Orthorexics are consumed by a need to eliminate “bad” foods from their diets. This desire to be as healthy as possible starts innocently enough. They may initially cut out “white” products: sugar, bleached flour, rice. But they don’t stop there, and perhaps all processed foods are the next to go. The problem is, anyone looking hard enough, can and will find fault with every food. Slowly, the list of “good” foods becomes more and more limited. In turn, someone with orthorexia must spend inordinate amounts of time researching food products, then planning and preparing their own meals. Indeed, this focus becomes so time and labor intensive that it starts cutting into the time normally spent at work, leisure pursuits, and time traditionally reserved for friends and family. This obsession with dietary rules and restrictions truly takes over their lives.
If you think you might be heading in this direction, consider the following questions:
- Are you obsessed with maintaining a healthy weight?
- Does food preparation and planning occupy a disproportionate amount of your time?
- Do you feel isolated from your friends and family by your dietary requirements?
- Have friends or loved ones suggested that your interest in healthy eating has become an obsession?
Answering “yes” to any or all of the above questions should be considered a red flag. You might want to consult a health professional, such as a dietitian or primary care provider for help and guidance. Food, like all things, should simply be an aspect of life, not the exclusive focus of any life.
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