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Orthorexia: the obsession with healthy foods

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"Does the way you eat isolate you from others?"

"Do you feel guilty when you eat something that is not allowed because of your dietary convictions?"

"Do you care more about the quality of food than the pleasure of eating it?"

If you have answered yes to at least one of the above questions, it can be considered candidate for healthy food addiction; a new eating disorder born of contemporary ecological culture. This concept is known as'Orthorexia’.

Orthorexia: analyzing the disorder

This disorder, increasingly evident in Western societies (lately concerned about the consumption of little processed food; an example of this is the call Paleodiet), was appointed by the American doctor Steven Bratman.

Bratman, who suffered from this disorder, describes a type of obsession with consuming foods that the affected person considers healthy (organic, vegetable, without preservatives, without fats, without meats, or only fruits), or by consuming only foods with a specific way of preparation (only raw food, only steamed or grilled, etc ...) rejecting all those that cannot be included in these categories. In this disorder, the precipitating factors are the

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obsession with diets, the cult of the body and fear of food treated with artificial products.

More and more people are concerned about eating healthy, chemical-free foods, and at first, it may seem like an appropriate behavior that will be beneficial for those who practice it. However, it can become a serious problem and have serious repercussions on quality of life and health. When that normal behavior becomes an obsession, that's when we can talk about orthorexia.

The desire of orthorexics to achieve physical beauty through diet is inevitably reminiscent of other eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. The difference between anorexia and orthorexia is that the first is related to the amount of food eaten and the second refers to the quality of the food that is eaten.

Who is affected by orthorexia?

Anyone can develop this pathological inclination, these are the groups of people most prone to suffering from orthorexia:

  • Very demanding people with themselves (perfectionists) and with others, with a straight and strict character, who like to plan and keep a comprehensive control over your life and daily activities (as in cases of anorexia and bulimia).
  • Athletes are another risk group because they take special care of their diet, so that they end up consuming only those foods that they consider most appropriate to improve their performance / physical condition.
  • People who have suffered from anorexia nervosa, who when recovering, choose to introduce into their diet only foods of natural origin, pro biotic, organically grown, without fat or without artificial substances that can cause them some damage. Paradoxically, this behavior, instead of avoiding the disorder, gets to provoke a new one. This shows that although purgative behaviors have been suppressed and they eat again, on a psychological level they have not been well rehabilitated.

Also women and young people are more likely and, in general, all those excessively concerned about their physique, since the decision to eat "only food healthy ”is usually associated with achieving and maintaining a good body image, factors that could lead to orthorexia.

Effects of orthorexia

According to Bratman, orthorexics they think they will get great physical and mental benefits thanks to their eating behavior, and this can lead to a dependence on healthy food similar to that which other addicts have on drugs. In addition to the benefits they hope to gain from healthy foods, orthorexics also seek to rid themselves of hidden threats in rejected foods, such as anisakis, the salmonellosis, or mad cow disease, and in this sense his attitude is similar to that of a schizophrenic, who is afraid of being poisoned, or a hypochondriac, who thinks he can contract a disease if he does not take the proper precautions.

An obsession with health... which can be counterproductive

Rejecting fats, additives, artificial substances, or vegetables and fruits grown with pesticides or of transgenic origin and chemical fertilizers is not bad (since the more natural, the better), orthorexics come to exclude from their diet nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the body because it is found in foods that are considered inappropriate. This can lead to: anemia, vitamin and mineral deficiency, malnutrition, osteoporosis, increased incidence of infections due to a decrease in the function of the immune system, lack of energy, etc.

Social isolation

But orthorexia can not only have negative consequences on health, in most cases it also affects their daily and social life. By limiting the foods allowed, the daily menu becomes a real problem since it must be planned and prepared in advance. In addition, since the affected people also need to be sure that the products used in the kitchen are adequate (even the utensils and food containers have been if it is made of a specific material), they cannot eat outside the home, in restaurants or at the home of family or friends, unless they follow the same rules when preparing the menu.

If we consider that eating is a very social act that accompanies many celebrations (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Christmas parties, business meetings ...) and everyday moments (eating with friends and family), considering most foods harmful, prevents people with orthorexia from enjoying any of these occasions, which leads to to the Social isolation.

In addition, although they may occasionally allow themselves to break their own rules and hobbies, they tend to feel guilty that causes them great discomfort. We see here how orthorexia is a serious problem of anguish that accompanies day to day, and although roughly may seem like a minor eating disorder, it can be just as dangerous to your health as eating anorexy.

Characteristics of orthorexia

  • Messy obsession with eating healthy food.
  • They focus on the quality of the food they eat.
  • Eliminate "unsafe" food groups from the diet (may include complete avoidance of fats, grains, preservatives or artificial chemical additives, animal products).
  • They spend more than 3 hours a day researching or thinking about food (includes shopping planning).
  • They are obsessed with taking care of the body and health.
  • They become anxious or fearful thinking about food.
  • They never skip their diet, not even on special occasions.
  • They refuse to eat food in restaurants or social gatherings.
  • They isolate themselves socially because they will not eat anywhere.

How do you know if you have orthorexia?

Bratman established a series of criteria to determine which behaviors or behaviors towards food could indicate the presence of this type of obsession and thus be able to detect if someone may be suffering orthorexia. Some indicators are:

  • Do you spend more than three hours a day thinking about your diet?
  • Do you plan your meals several days in advance?
  • Do you consider that the nutritional value of a meal is more important than the pleasure it brings you?
  • Has your quality of life decreased as the quality of your diet increased?
  • Have you become more strict with yourself in this time?
  • Have you improved your self-esteem by eating healthy?
  • Have you given up eating foods you liked to eat "good" foods?
  • Is your diet a problem when eating out, and does this distance you from your family and friends?
  • Do you feel guilty when you skip your regimen?
  • Do you feel at peace with yourself and believe that everything is under control when you eat healthy?

If you answer yes to four or five of these questions, it means that you are beginning to become obsessed with diet more than necessary., and that you should pay less attention to what you eat. If you answer yes to all the questions, your desire to eat healthy has become a true obsession.

Treatment of orthorexia

For the treatment of this eating disorder collaboration and a good predisposition of the patient towards treatment is essential, although in these cases it is easier than in other cases more serious eating disorders such as anorexia, since the patient's attitude towards food is not due to the desire to lose weight, but to be more healthy. Since the main concern of the person suffering from orthorexia is a healthy diet, a healthy diet should be established first. balanced menu. For this, it is best to go to a professional, such as a dietitian or an endocrinologist.

After this step, the ideal is the psychological therapy, as psychological recovery is more difficult than physical, as it requires a great deal of work from the patient and the behaviors that the person has been adopting must be modified during the time of the disorder, as well as obsessive thoughts, social isolation, and changes in cheer up.

The cognitive behavioral therapy can help orthorexics to modify their behavior and improve or reinforce their self-esteem, since it is essential to correct the distorted vision about the damages of certain foods.

As in the case of any eating disorder, also in the case of orthorexia, the ideal way to avoid falling into them is prevention, instilling healthy habits in children and familiarize them from a young age with the foods that should be part of a balanced diet. You can also explain to the little ones the nutrients they provide, what they are for and why it is good to take them. On the other hand, it is important to minimize the negative effects that fashion or advertising have on their vision of the world, and that the “manias” of adults about food are not transmitted to the minors.

Remember:

FOOD IS ONE OF LIFE'S GREAT PLEASURES

AND IT MUST NOT CAUSE ANXIETY OR STRESS IN ANY WAY!

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