When food becomes the enemy

Recent topics (particularly those questioning red meat and the necessity of consuming various supplements) raises the spectre of those who have have a diagnosis of cancer developing an eating disorder. All of us want a reason for why this happened to us and thrash around looking for something to fault. When we settle on blaming the types of food we consume it is easy to step over the line from normalcy and develop an obsession regarding what we eat.
Obsessiveness regarding what one eats is known as "orthorexia nervosa,” in medical circles. It is somewhat related to "anorexia nervosa" whose sufferers see all foods as the enemy, whereas Orthorexics see certain foods as the enemy. Orthorexia Nervosa, literally "a fixation on righteous eating", is a condition which begins often as a quest for better health, but eventually results in an obsession. Orthorexics, while on the surface appearing to be motivated by health, have other deep seated issues driving their obsession.
I quote from the link below:

"Every day is a day to eat right, be ‘good,’ rise above others in dietary prowess, and self-punish if temptation wins (usually stricter eating, fasts and exercise). Self-esteem becomes wrapped up in the purity of their diet and they often feel superior to others, especially in regards to food intake"

"Orthorexia appears to be motivated by health, but there are underlying motivations, which can include safety from poor health, compulsion for complete control, escape from fears, wanting to be thin, improving self-esteem, searching for spirituality through food, and using food to create an identity."

In this link there is a deal of information about Orthorexia and a quiz which may enlighten us about the warning signs regarding the onset this obsession.

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/file/Orthorexia%20Nervosa.pdf

Mmmm. Strangely the link will not work unless you copy it and post it into your browser or highlight it, right click and then open in a new window

I trust the link and the information therein is of some help,
Bill

Post Edited (BillyMac) : 10/21/2012 4:40:08 PM (GMT-6)

I am going through that right now with my kidney stone(s) - seeing all the things I may have done wrong ( but worked for years) which have caused this problem now. The two key elements being dehydration ( the pace of my work in the restaurant kitchen !!!) and salt intake....
I have yet to pass the stone but keep getting different opinions of what to do - what is good and what makes things worse.
From last nights research - I found 4 of my regular supplements can be harmful (for future kidney stones) and general diet was too protein based and needs to be more grains and light coloured vegetables.

-so for me, food has become the enemy ( I wanted to lose my 50# did not want it done this way) - too much salt, too much protiein, to much oxalate, too much - too much ....

- when I was recovering from my PCa treatment, I was all gung-ho on the antioxidents and POM and Soy beverage for their helpful nature - but drifted away when money needed to be diverted elsewhere - so I understand how food can be the enemy as well as the friend ( it may not do anything but it makes me feel good about myself).

hugs,
Bronson

Not all all proscap. Keeping a cap on red meat (especially if it is fatty) and /or taking the odd supplement is not the problem. The problem arises when a psychological line is crossed as is desribed in the report. Those with anorexia do not start out discarding all food ----- gradually however the concept of eating at all overwhelms them. Likewise the orthorexic ---- what may start out as a relatively normal search to improve one's health becomes so all consuming, their view of what constitutes good food so distorted, that their whole being becomes based on what they eat. It, as the article points out, often includes disdain and contempt for those who do not share the orthorexic's concept of what is good and what is bad. If you read the article in full is actually quite clear about when the line is crossed.
Bill

Post Edited (BillyMac) : 10/22/2012 5:33:17 AM (GMT-6)

i read about another study that says men who opt for surgery for PCa can become hooked on elective surgery.  the example they cited was buttock reduction.  i'll see if i can find the link .

ed

 

Yeah, like the old joke about the guy that read so much about the evils of smoking that he gave up reading!!

BM -- while i believe in stacking the cards in my favor i assure you it's a constant struggle for me, and probably for most guys.  in fact the weather has changed here and today is this first time in months that i've wore jeans, and they are rather taut like sausage casings .

time to head back to the fat farm i fear......

ed