I write about some overwhelming and depressing topics, many of which are related to our contaminated food supply. I try with all my heart to keep my writing informative, empowering and infuse some balance into how we approach our consumer choices in an otherwise toxic world. But it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole or shut down completely.
Untested chemical additives in our food,
Pesticides harming brain development,
Unregulated toxic ingredients in our products,
the list goes on…
So in a modern age where we have endless choices at our finger tips, and a regulatory system that is failing us, we’ve become our own government agencies.
And that pressure has driven many to take “clean eating” to an extreme.
What is orthorexia nervosa?
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), orthorexia nervosa literally translates to “fixation on righteous eating”. It isn’t a formally diagnosed eating disorder, but anecdotally I can see a rise in this as the public becomes more aware about the lack of government leadership in protecting our food from toxic substances.
Their description of orthorexia was so eloquent, I’ll quote the NEDA directly,
Orthorexia starts out as an innocent attempt to eat more healthfully, but orthorexics become fixated on food quality and purity. They become consumed with what and how much to eat, and how to deal with “slip-ups.” An iron-clad will is needed to maintain this rigid eating style. Every day is a chance to eat right, be “good,” rise above others in dietary prowess, and self-punish if temptation wins (usually through stricter eating, fasts and exercise). Self-esteem becomes wrapped up in the purity of orthorexics’ diet and they sometimes feel superior to others, especially in regard to food intake. Eventually food choices become so restrictive, in both variety and calories, that health suffers – an ironic twist for a person so completely dedicated to healthy eating. Eventually, the obsession with healthy eating can crowd out other activities and interests, impair relationships, and become physically dangerous.
Signs of orthorexia
- Fear or avoidance of eating outside the home
- Evangelizing to friends and family about clean eating
- Shaming of others for their eating habits
- Extreme diets that involve restricting certain foods (outside known and confirmed food allergies)
- Rapid or unhealthy weight loss
- Overemphasis on clean eating, coupled with excessive exercise
- Obsession about finding ways every food may be unhealthy
- Inability to “relax” and eat unhealthy foods from time to time
- Strong desire to make up for eating poorly, punishing ones self
- Desire to be able to think less about food, and eat without obsessing over food additives
If you experience any of these on a daily basis, talk to your health care provider. More information at “10 ways to recognize orthorexia” from the New York Magazine.
Make eating fun again
One of the themes I strive for in my life and therefore in my writing is balance. How can we find balance in a world with so much information, so much “pollution” of our food and environment? I don’t have all the answers, but I try to practice it everyday with the hopes that it becomes natural.
I do my best to eat well and also allow myself to indulge in treats, hamburgers and junk food. I have adopted a new mindset of mindfulness when sitting down to eat. I wrote about the excellent Ted Talk about the role mindful eating can play in our health, help us maintain a healthy weight and bring the fun back into eating. You can read about and watch the Ted Talk here.
Amidst all of our food activism, I hope we can also relax and live our lives.
If we’re not doing that, then why are we here?
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I’ve thought about this so much, Lindsay! Well, not orthorexia specifically, although it’s interesting…but the delicate balance between desperately trying to insulate oneself from known yet invisible dangers and becoming so obsessed with risk-control it defeats the joy in living.
The more we learn, the harder it gets (at least for me. I’m currently reading a book on epigenetics–yet another crazy and insanely interesting yet scary topic…). But I also think the more we learn, the more important it is to still remember why we care in the first place: because life is beautiful.
So at least for me, it’s important to keep in mind that while it’s important to try to avoid the risks we know exist, it’s also critical to be fully present in life and enjoy it to the fullest. A paradox, but also a possibility.
Beautifully said Hanna.
WOW! I had no idea there was such a thing…but I guess there is a name for everything. It’s so hard to find a balance, especially when your personal and professional life revolves around healthy living. As a mother of 2 boys I continually try on a daily basis to feed them with the purest foods possible and if we are out and about or with family members I can let some things slide. It is hard though. Thanks for sharing…this was a very informative and interesting read.
Thanks Trina, I admire the work you’re doing to really encourage people to find a balance and focus on healthy eating. It’s incredibly important to have the tools for healthy eating – which is exactly what you’re doing!
Some call me a health nut, but I don’t go this far with pure, clean eating. Just doing the best I can reading labels, buying organic/whole grain when possible. Plus having my pint of ice cream on the weekend and other goodies. Hard enough work as it is! But I will admit to admonishing my immediate family on occasion…
Point well taken. Yet, this article and the expert definition for this “disorder” doesn’t take into account the gray area where many people find themselves: without a diagnosed food allergy, yet with legitimate mysterious health problems such as ongoing digestive problems or reactions to certain ingredients. Some of what I’ve noticed is not as much an obsessiveness with food but an ongoing angst about unanswered questions. The long-term answer for this is not only a cleaned up food supply but better educated physicians who understand nutrition and can be more effective at offering nutrition-based solutions.
Anne, you’re right there is a big gray area here. What I’m trying to get at is less about food allergies and more about real life eating disorders. Orthorexia isn’t about people asking persistent questions, it’s about becoming obsessed with clean eating. It’s so hard to find balance in today’s world and we must educate ourselves to create change, but for some people achieving that balance isn’t possible.
Thanks for this read, Lindsay. I had only recently heard about this “disorder” and it clearly makes so much sense. When I was pregnant, I believe I may have had it. I vowed to shop nowhere but Whole Foods for a while and eat nothing but organic. It’s clearly a hard line to balance (and I’ve since gone back to a more relaxed diet). The desire to eat so cleanly makes it especially hard to live a “normal” and social life, which in our society, often revolves around food indulgences.
I can absolutely see how this could happen. You are right-it’s all about balance and moderation or we’ll end up driving ourselves insane. The key is to do the best we can and incorporate what fits into your lifestyle. I always remind myself and others that we can’t be perfectly green. Thanks for this important information.
I can see how that can happen. I try and eat really well 6 days a week. Once a week I’m less worried about it, I still avoid dyes, HFCS, fast food, corn-fed beef, and several other things I consider the worst. But we will sometimes eat out and I normally have a few sweet treats. Twice a year I have a day where I eat anything I want. I figure twice a year won’t kill me. :)