Eating Disorder Awareness Week: I Had No IdeaFebruary 22nd - 28th is National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA)Week and this year's theme is "I Had No Idea." I ask you to join me and help raise awareness towards the impact eating disorders have on individuals, families, and communities across the nation. The more people who learn about these life-threatening illnesses, the more lives we can save. Read this month's newsletter and share with your family and friends. If you know someone, or if you yourself are struggling with an eating disorder, seek help. You cannot travel this road alone and working with a physician, therapist, and registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders will be essential for recovery. All communication is confidential. I know this can be a scary time, but help is available. Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions or concerns.
I Had No Idea:
"What started out as a healthy endeavor turned into a fun hobby but then, it turned into a very unhealthy obsession. It was all I could think about. It was all I wanted to do. Not doing it made me angry. I had to exercise more. I had to eat less. If I could not do either of those, then I had to get rid of it. It is all I thought about. Food became a number. It affected my relationships. It hindered my social life. But it is all I wanted..."
- Ann (eating disorder patient, recovered 5 years)
Nobody sets out to have an eating disorder. Most often eating disorders develop from someone's attempt to lose weight. But with an increase in health awareness and "dieting", social media pressure to "look" a certain way, and the “magic” of Photoshopping in transforming a normal sized woman into a Barbie doll, eating disorders are on a rise. And as someone committed to the whole health of an individual, it is my job to educate my readers on a wide range of health issues that are plaguing our society. Eating disorders is another health issue that needs to be addressed.
As a health professional I know that a healthy body does not just come in one shape and size, nor are looks alone a key indicator if someone is "healthy" or not. True health is found in both a healthy mind, body, and soul.
For a free online, confidential eating disorder screening click www.mybodyscreening.com |