Orthorexia should NOT be a disorder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is someone disordered on this thread, it is the people suggesting that eating McDonald’s crap and highly processed foods is no big deal, not OP.

Well, eating McDonald's or highly processed crap extremely occasional is actually not that big of a deal -- it might make you feel bad but it's not going to kill you if you eat fast food on a road trip a couple times a year.

But no one on this thread is arguing that junk food is good for you or that you *should* eat it -- pretty much everyone agrees it's bad for you and best avoided. But there's a difference between thinking McDonald's is not good for you (true), and thinking that all hamburgers or French fries are junk food (not true) or that anyone who eats McDonalds, or burgers, or fries, ever, is an unhealthy person (not true).

It's the severe, rigid, highly judgmental and moralistic approach to food that is a hallmark of orthorexia and it *is* a disorder. Because it's not really even about eating healthy or being healthy. It's about control, obsession, punishment, and judgment.

But the op was not trying to judge, control, or punish anyone. Instead, they were expressing what they like to do for themself for their reasons. And complaining that others like to judge, control, and try to punish them for the same. Which is entirely plausible, given the contents of this thread.

DP. OP should eat how she likes. There is nothing wrong or particularly unusual about her choice. It’s the level at which it may or may not control her life and the lives of her family that matters. We eat foods that are less processed most of the time. I do put some thought into but it but not a ton of thought. I try not to categorize foods as good/bad or clean/dirty.

No one here knows where OP is on the sliding scale. But since she’s posting here, I’m guessing she might be on the more extreme side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: but having anxiety about chemical filled food to the point of bringing your own foods is something a lot of people I know who reversed illness have and do.

Hmmm... I think it is the anxiety part that makes it a disorder.

I too have treated an illness with "whole foods" but I wasn't anxious about it, just matter of fact. Bringing your own food to a gathering isn't a sign of a disorder. Unreasonable anxiety and preoccupation is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a disorder in that it interferes with one’s ability to live a normal life. My MIL would bring all her own food when she visited, lugging it through airports etc.

I've done that - the lugging through airports is just a fact of life if you have to bring your own food somewhere. There's not really another way to transport the food other than carrying it. (-:

[Anonymous]

I mean, that's anxiety. Normal worry and focus on diet is fine, when it becomes a source of anxiety or obsession is when it becomes a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is someone disordered on this thread, it is the people suggesting that eating McDonald’s crap and highly processed foods is no big deal, not OP.

Well, eating McDonald's or highly processed crap extremely occasional is actually not that big of a deal -- it might make you feel bad but it's not going to kill you if you eat fast food on a road trip a couple times a year.

But no one on this thread is arguing that junk food is good for you or that you *should* eat it -- pretty much everyone agrees it's bad for you and best avoided. But there's a difference between thinking McDonald's is not good for you (true), and thinking that all hamburgers or French fries are junk food (not true) or that anyone who eats McDonalds, or burgers, or fries, ever, is an unhealthy person (not true).

It's the severe, rigid, highly judgmental and moralistic approach to food that is a hallmark of orthorexia and it *is* a disorder. Because it's not really even about eating healthy or being healthy. It's about control, obsession, punishment, and judgment.

But the op was not trying to judge, control, or punish anyone. Instead, they were expressing what they like to do for themself for their reasons. And complaining that others like to judge, control, and try to punish them for the same. Which is entirely plausible, given the contents of this thread.

But the OP didn’t say *I don’t have a disorder,* they said *orthorexia shouldn’t be a disorder.*

Clearly for some people it is.

[Anonymous]

My friend only eats sweet potatoes. Seriously. That’s orthorexia. Now, if you are always talking about your diet, and trying to convert or belittle others about not doing your diet, then id say you have it also. It’s an obsession thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely no one is claiming eating "clean" is a disorder. The issue is when you get to a point of extreme anxiety around eating bc you have to have absolute control over everything that goes in your mouth. Just like washing your hands is a healthy habit but someone with OCD feels around contamination will wash their hands excessively to gain a sense of peace and control, even though there is no such thing as absolute certainty that your hands are germ-free.

I'm glad you're feeling better but your thinking (and the weird comparison to homosexuality) is incredibly flawed.

+1.

[Anonymous]

I know kids who develop extreme anxiety around what they eat and the need to eat "clean". They meal plan and love label reading. It's an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why it's a disorder. You sound unhinged.

Precisely.

[Anonymous]

I mean, you can reverse some things with clean eating, like high cholesterol, fatty liver, diabetes, high blood BP, but you're not going to reverse cancer no matter how clean you eat.

Also, you can be the healthiest person and eat very cleanly and still get cancer. There are no guarantees in life.

My uncle ran marathons, was a vegan from age 18-53, went to the gym daily, played on several rec leagues, etc. and a blood clot from a large hematoma took him out. He was a landscape architect and a guy on a job site accidentally rammed my uncle's shin with a cart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, you can reverse some things with clean eating, like high cholesterol, fatty liver, diabetes, high blood BP, but you're not going to reverse cancer no matter how clean you eat.

Also, you can be the healthiest person and eat very cleanly and still get cancer. There are no guarantees in life.

My uncle ran marathons, was a vegan from age 18-53, went to the gym daily, played on several rec leagues, etc. and a blood clot from a large hematoma took him out. He was a landscape architect and a guy on a job site accidentally rammed my uncle's shin with a cart.

You cannot reverse cholesterol with diet, you can only reduce it by about 10-20% with diet. With statins you can control it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know kids who develop extreme anxiety around what they eat and the need to eat "clean". They meal plan and love label reading. It's an issue.

Omg, thinking and reading! We’re doomed!

When humanity is stupid, anything intelligent is abnormal and an antisocial disorder.

Brawndo! It’s got what plants crave!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I eat pretty clean. I no longer eat chicken or eggs. I just don't like them. If I eat ice cream I feel sick. My adult sons think I have an eating disorder. I do not. I don't comment on what others eat. I just wish people would leave me alone. Since I'm a size 2 people think it's ok to call me out. Not nice.

I actually think its a bit of a red flag your kids think you have an eating disorder. Im a size 0/2 and no one has ever thought that about me, so I don't think it's your size alone that's making them say that. You're clearly modeling eating patterns or habits they find problematic. That more than one adult (male even) who has been as close to you as kids are and see everything agree with each other it looks like yoi have an eating disorder makes me very skeptical that assessment has no basis in truth.