National Eating Disorders Awareness
Eating disorders and distorted eating are rapidly increasing in the world. Alone in the US more than 30 million individuals are suffering from this mental illness and are controlled by the obsession with food and body which results in food restriction, repeated overeating and under eating, purging, laxative abuse, over-exercise, and other self-destructive behaviors. Eating disorders and distorted eating is complex, the multi-faced biopsychosocial problem with many causes and social, family, and genetic components.
Many times, eating disorder behaviors are hidden from loved ones. People may mistake a person’s exercise and nutrition for being healthy when really it is harmful. Those with ED’s take the good to an extreme.
This month I (Mary), have the goal to help break the stigma against eating disorders and distorted eating. Below is a list of helpful things to consider when trying to create a healthy and sustainable relationship with nutrition.
1. Focus on variety and flexibility in food choices. Don’t create a restricted list of foods.
2. Focus on long-term eating habits that you can successfully do daily. Don’t keep doing the 30-day weight loss challenge. This will just repeat the ridged restriction followed by turning back to old ways of eating.
3. Stop negatively talking about how you “feel fat” or “feel weak” instead, draw attention to what your body can do, not what it looks or feels like.
4. Surround yourself with a positive support system. Distance those who constantly self-criticize. Create a welcoming circle, accepting of all body sizes.
5. Praise other indicators of progress not weight-related. This may include the increase in fruits and veggies in your day, eating lean protein at each meal, running a mile, walking to the mailbox, etc. Praise any positive change, aside from weight loss.
6. View food as medicine and an important social connector. Rather than a reward or punishment.
If you or a loved one is struggling, please, reach out to maryteunisnutrition.com. Although she cannot legally treat eating disorders, she has experience with EDs herself and has an education surrounding nutrition and disordered eating in athletes. Please share these helpful tips to help fight against this deadly mental illness.