An obsession with healthy eating

...This is getting out of hand. We are seeing more and more cases of orthorexia nervosa" - people who progressively withdraw different foods in what they perceive as an attempt to improve their health.

~ Anonymous

In 1997, after observing countless incidents of obsessive eating behaviours, Steven L. Bratman MD, MPH, coined the condition Orthorexia Nervosa.

Orthorexia is derived from the Greek words "orthos," meaning "right," and "orexis," meaning "appetite." It occurs when the victim becomes obsessed with the quality of food eaten, not with the quantity. 

It describes an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating, cutting out entire food groups, leading to malnutrition and/or impairment of daily functioning. The afflicted become obsessed with procuring and creating the perfect diet. It can be very isolating and become all-encompassing.

Obsessing over food may distract from addressing the underlying cause of our health afflictions - unresolved mental, emotional and spiritual trauma. It can become a way to derive a missing sense of control - and become a form of addiction.

How can a nutritionist help?

Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

~ T. Colin Campbell

Holistic nutritionists take comprehensive health histories and treat the person. We do not diagnose or treat the condition.

We learn about the impact of unresolved mental, emotional, and spiritual traumas on the body.

We believe that food is the best medicine but psychology can trump diet when it comes to healing ourselves and others.

The power of the mind to create health and disease is the greatest life lesson I have had to learn over the past decade. Hence my gradual progression away from focusing on the physical realm to mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of healing.

Closing thoughts

When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.

~ Vietnamese Proverb

Even the cleanest foods can be harmful when we consume them with judgment. Gratitude and appreciation facilitate optimal digestion, absorption, and elimination.

When visiting others, bless what is served, and let it go. Appreciation of the time and effort made on our behalf improves digestion.

Of course, there are exceptions but for the most part, heal the mind, and the body will function as it should.