From a Simple Diet Change to a Disorder
Photo By: 戴 宇扬
What is clean eating?
“Clean eating” is promoted and celebrated by many influencers and food bloggers. It has also been said to lead to many health improvements and benefits such as weight loss, more energy, and clearer skin. There is no clear definition of clean eating, but generally it is defined as consuming unprocessed foods. This usually includes foods that are free from additives and preservatives. Many people may also consider clean eating to be gluten-free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, or all organic foods.
Whatever people consider it to be, being aware and concerned about what you are fueling your body with is not necessarily a bad thing. It can however, become a problem when it develops into an obsession and takes over a person’s whole life.
From a clean diet to a disorder
Most people are aware of more common eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa, but many have never heard of orthorexia nervosa. Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder defined by an obsession with "healthy" food and dietary rigidity. Although orthorexia is not specifically classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it is not untreatable.
This disorder can have a severe impact on a person's quality of life. It can prevent people from enjoying normal daily activities. For example, it can prevent them from eating out at restaurants with their friends or family just because the restaurant doesn’t have “healthy” foods. Sometimes something that seems beneficial can also be very dangerous.
Balance is Key
You may be the kind of person who strives for perfection. On the surface, this seems harmless, but when it comes to diet, perfection is not a realistic goal.
Whether you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, your prior eating style may be challenged during this time. This may be due to morning sickness - where all you can stand to eat is crackers or bread, needing to increase iron intake due to anemia or moderating carbohydrates to help regulate blood sugar. Listening to what your body needs and staying flexible can help you and your baby thrive.
Dietary changes can seem scary if you have been ridgely controlling aspects of your diet. Try practicing letting go of the word “perfection.” This looks different for everyone. For some, it may help to avoid labeling foods “good” or “bad.” There is no food that is 100% good or 100% bad. There are foods that give you nutrients and help you feel good, but there are also foods that do not give you nutrients and still can make you feel good. It helps to focus on balance. Find foods that help you thrive and provide your body with the fuel it needs, but also find foods that make you happy.
Our bodies are always changing, especially during pregnancy. Becoming intune with your cravings and hunger cues can go a long way towards creating balance. You can 100% continue to eat a nutrient dense diet, as well as allow yourself to eat treats. Sometimes you might just want a piece of candy and that’s completely okay.
How can eating healthy become a bad thing?
Many people are proud of their friends and family when they take it upon themselves to eat clean. So how do you know when it might be becoming an obsession? Here are a few warning signs to look out for:
An increase in concern about certain ingredients to the point where it produces anxiety
Restrictive eating: cutting out an increasing number of food groups (all sugar, all carbs, all dairy, all meat, all animal products, etc.)
An inability to eat anything but a narrow group of foods that are deemed ‘healthy’ or ‘pure’
Unusual interest in the health of what others are eating
Spending hours per day thinking about what food might be served at upcoming events
Showing high levels of distress when ‘safe’ or ‘healthy’ foods aren’t available
The dangers of orthorexia
As with a lot of eating disorders, the routine can become an obsession. Meaning, there is always something more you could be doing, some way to eat even “healthier” and more perfect. This is usually where the dangers begin. As people become more obsessed with their diet, their diet becomes more and more restrictive. Without intervention or treatment, orthorexia can potentially result in serious medical complications such as:
Malnourishment
Reduced cognitive functioning
Impaired immune system
Increased emotional dysregulation (IE: depression, anxiety, etc)
Increased suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors
Organ failure
Steps you can take to recover
Because orthorexia nervosa is not yet an official diagnosis, treatment differs slightly from the treatment commonly used for other eating disorders. As a result, Orthorexia Nervosa patients may be misdiagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa or diagnosed with Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED). Just because orthorexia is not an official eating disorder, does not mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Fortunately, there are many steps to take to recover. There are many different resources to look at to aid in your recovery process. Here are just a few different sites:
Help Guide for Orthorexia Nervosa
3 NEDA Writers Share What It's Like to Struggle with Orthorexia
You are not alone
When I was going through my journey with orthorexia, it started out as just wanting to be vegan for the environment. It quickly turned into a full blown obsession. I thought it was the healthiest way to eat and I didn’t understand why everyone didn’t want to eat this way. I thought I was doing good for the environment and for my health, but what seemed so great, turned out to be so bad, especially for my mental health.
The biggest thing that helped me through my recovery process was to change my eating habits altogether. After a year and a half of a restricting vegan diet, I finally felt a sense of food freedom. Don’t get me wrong, I was terrified of eating animal products again. In fact, the first time I did I cried, because I felt like I had failed in some way. It got easier with each meal I allowed myself to have. In the end, my body and mind felt so much better. Finally, no foods were “off-limits” and I could eat foods that made me feel good.
Orthorexia can look different in each person and can be hard to detect. If you feel you may benefit from help with some of the examples we mentioned, please reach out to your healthcare provider or one of the organizations listed above. Recovery is freedom and your body and your baby will thank you.
References
Kalra S, Kapoor N, Jacob J. Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. JPMA. https://jpma.org.pk/article-details/10043?article_id=10043. Published July 2020. Accessed February 1, 2022.
Orthorexia. National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/other/orthorexia. Published December 13, 2019. Accessed February 4, 2022.