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I get it, you might set out with good intentions to eat healthier, but over time, food starts to occupy a lot of mental space in your brain and suddenly, it's all you can think about.
For some, eating can develop into a moral quality and foods start to be divided into 'good' and 'bad'. Although being aware of and concerned with the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn’t a problem in and of itself, people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ that they actually damage their own well-being.
Bad foods can then trigger a feeling of fear, stress or anxiety if consumed.
Orthorexia refers to an unhealthy or unsafe obsession with eating “pure” or “clean” food. This obsession can become so deeply rooted in an individual's way of thinking to the point that it interferes with their daily life – yet, food considered “pure” or “impure” can vary from person to person.
This doesn’t mean that anyone who subscribes to a healthy eating plan or diet is suffering from orthorexia. As with other eating disorders, the eating behaviour involved – “healthy” or “clean” eating in this case – is used to cope with negative thoughts and feelings, or to feel in control.
I first realised I had a disordered relationship with food when I started to feel extremely anxious and guilty around food I felt was unhealthy. I cut so many food groups out of my diet, including meat, carbohydrates, dairy, sugar and gluten, and over time developed a little box inside my mind with very few foods in that I felt ‘safe’ around. Of course, this had a very unhealthy impact on my social calendar and relationships and even more so, on my health and well-being.
Although Orthorexia does not receive the same recognition as other eating disorders, it is still so important that we speak about it and recognise the signs, as all eating disorders are serious mental illnesses and can cause physical problems to your overall health. Regardless of how severe, if you recognise any of the symptoms in yourself or someone you know, it may be a sign of an eating disorder, and you should seek advice from a doctor.
Eating disorders have a tendency to take a mind of their own, and the longer one goes untreated, the stronger it can become. Orthorexia can result in severe health problems such as malnourishment leading to protein deficiency disorders that can harm the kidneys and other vital organs. It can also have a serious impact on your menstrual cycle and fertility.
One of the biggest signs that you may have a disordered relationship with food, which could lead to orthorexia is constantly thinking about food. Are you always thinking about when you are going to have your next meal? Are you clock checking and mentally planning the macros/calories for the meal/day? Do you spend most of your time researching recipes and following ‘healthy’ food bloggers or Instagram accounts? Do you have an increased need to want to meal prep everything?
Allowing my daily schedule to revolve around food was one of the early signs of my orthorexia, and to most, it just looked like I was really great at sticking to a healthy eating plan. This later developed more of a severely disordered relationship with food, as my emotional wellbeing became increasingly dependent on me eating the “right” foods each day.
Below are some of the behavioural, psychological and physical signs of someone who may have orthorexia.
Remember, a person does not have to show all of them to be ill.
Behavioural signs
Cutting out particular foods and food groups from their diet in an attempt to make their diet more healthy. More and more foods may be cut out over time.
Taking an existing theory about healthy eating and adapting it with additional beliefs of their own.
Poor concentration.
Judgment about the eating habits of others.
Obsession with a healthy or supposedly healthy diet.
Increased focus on what they’re eating may interfere with other areas of the person’s life, such as their relationships or work.
Psychological signs
Obsession with a healthy or supposedly healthy diet.
Increased focus on what they’re eating may interfere with other areas of the person’s life, such as their relationships or work.
Feeling unable to put aside personal rules about what they can and can’t eat, even if they want to.
Feelings of anxiety, guilt, or uncleanliness overeating food they regard as unhealthy.
Emotional wellbeing is overly dependent on eating the “right” food.
Low mood or depression.
Physical signs
If someone with orthorexia is following a diet that cuts out important food groups or nutrients, this could lead to malnutrition, with signs such as:
Weight loss.
Feeling weaker.
Tiredness.
Taking a long time to recover from illness.
Feeling cold.
Low energy levels.
If you can relate to a few of the above signals then the absolute best thing you can do is talk to someone. A doctor, a loved one, a therapist, and seek help!
Some great resources are:
EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION N.I - https://www.eatingdisordersni.co.uk/
EATING DISORDER SUPPORT - http://www.eatingdisorderssupport.co.uk/help/helpline
SEED - https://seed.charity/
Charlotte x
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